Tag: Cross Stitch

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Entertainment & Activities, Finishes, Patricia Ann Designs

The week in review

Anne S

The last week has been an interesting one, but alas no needles went into fabric for the entire week until yesterday!

Last weekend I got to use my Christmas gift from Katie, tickets to Tap Dogs – alas, we thought Adam Garcia was in it (the primary reason Katie wanted to go), but it turns out he had completed his tour the previous week and returned to the UK to film his TV show.  Unfortunately the guy who took his place might have won accolades and be a highly accredited dancer, but his stage presence was pure arrogance personified to me and it detracted from the show a little bit for me – I couldn’t stand watching him perform and quite frankly wanted to slap him stupid, he just came across as if he didn’t want to be there as well … BUT that didn’t spoil the show totally, as it meant I personally focused all my energies on the other dancers, and loved, loved, loved it.  Every single one of the others brought their characters to the stage beautifully, and it was sheer pleasure to watch them performing.  Unlike myself, Katie wasn’t expecting a dance show with pretty much no dialogue, but I’m glad that she too really enjoyed it and she said she would have been happy enough to go back to see it again.  I would highly recommend it to anyone!!

The rest of the week has been spent trying to hide from the heat – it has been unbearably hot in our little flat, and not many hours of sleep to be had for the first few nights of the week, even with an electric fan going full bore throughout the night in each bedroom.  Yesterday, so I am told, was 43C during the day, and apparently 33C indoors at midnight … yuk, yuk, yukky!

Yesterday, though, I spent the day hiding out in air-conditioned comfort at Wollongong where we had a get-together at Amanda’s place – it’s been well overdue to have a GTG and as always the day was spent drooling over people’s stitching and having a laugh.  Thanks again to Alison for the chauffeuring to the venue and the highly entertaining chats in the car (I always have to drive everywhere when I go out, so I really appreciate the times when I don’t have to drive myself) – and thanks to all the girls for the entertainment value of the day, which is always a given with this group of gals.  And shock, horror, a few of us actually stitched on the day, which is almost unheard of … and we even had two finishes – one for me and one for Alison!  (Mind you, all I did was attach the beads to Sapphire Star, and complete a couple of sections on my canvaswork Sapphire Star piece, which doesn’t particularly warrant an update piccie!)

Patricia Ann Designs-Sapphire Star
“Sapphire Star” ornament by Patricia Ann Designs
from 2004 JCS Christmas Ornament issue
stitched on white linen with recommended threads and beads,
except for a bugle bead modification (I used the next size down 80000 series)

Alas I wish I had taken more notice of Heather’s changes before I went back to replace my Mill Hill bugle beads for the medium size length (which as it turns out were STILL too long). I think I like the bugle beads that both Heather and Amanda used (I saw Amanda’s in the flesh yesterday), being silver lined instead of white. To be honest I just can’t be bothered unpicking it all now, so this is how it will remain. I originally had plans to do this a couple more times for gifts, so I’ll be better prepared for theirs when I eventually get around to it … short silver bugle beads it will be!!!! Serves me right for not checking the photos first!!

Then last night I quickly threw in a load of washing just in time for laundry curfew closing, in the hope that it will get dry ready for packing.  I’m off to Brisbane tomorrow for work – although I’m also about to head into work today to do some more in readiness for Monday morning (alas I lost access to the computer system that my work is based on for 5 hours Friday afternoon, so I’m even more behind than ever!).  The great thing about going into work today, though, is that there is air-conditioning … ah bliss haha.

And on that note I guess I really should get my A into G and stop procrastinating and go and get that work done … the sooner it’s done, the sooner I’m home! 🙂

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Stash

Trip for Mill Hill bugle beads

Anne S

I managed to find the exact bugle beads that I needed from our local Spotlight store (I nearly fainted on the spot when I found them!) … of course I went to two different shops first, thinking I might find them there – no bugle beads came home with me from those, but a couple of other extras jumped into my bag oops …

I picked up three whole beads plus a small packet of Swarovski crystals (that I thought I’d use instead of the MH ones for my Sapphire Star ornie) from my local uber-expensive bead shop.  Then I picked up a couple of trims/ribbon from Pitt Trading (but when I just opened the package noticed that they only gave me 1/2 metre of the pink/red plush one instead of the 1 1/2 metres that I asked for … bugger).  Finally from Spotlight I scored a skein of DMC that I needed thanks to mislaying my current one who knows where, plus some bias binding and some ‘mustard’ coloured fabrics to make a toaster cover for my elderly neighbour … and just a couple of 20cm cuts of different shades of pink fabric to finish off some Valentines ornies/cushions (although I can’t guarantee they’ll be done this year LOL).

I wouldn’t have gone out shopping today if it wasn’t for my good friend Alison texting to say she was in the neighbourhood for lunch – while I missed lunch (thanks to not getting the message until later), I did manage to catch up over a coffee at the local pub … it was a lovely unexpected pleasure for the afternoon catching up with the three generations 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

A bit of Sapphire Star

Anne S

… the ornie, that is, not my canvaswork that has been languishing way too long as a UFO!!!  I managed to get a bit of stitching done yesterday, and hoped to actually get this one finished as it’s a relatively quick stitch … but alas, in fine form I find that yet again I’m missing one of the main components of the stitching – no bugle beads!  I’m starting to think that *I* am missing one of the key components of my brain, as I’m doing this way too often just lately!!!  Or perhaps there’s some hidden side of me that just loves to have a million unfinished pieces sitting around the bedroom while waiting for that ‘one little item’ … !!

Anyway, this is how it currently stands until I can pick up some white bugle beads … and now I’m just going to have to grab another ornie out of my ‘to-do pile’ and kit it up so I can meet my self-imposed deadline of two ornies each month (with luck).  I have a whole heap of photocopied working copies from when my stitching stash was in storage, along with the fabrics cut up ready, and I just have to add threads and beads, so it shouldn’t be too much of a hardship 🙂

Blogging Memes, Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Shepherd's Bush, Works in Progress

Free day Thursday

Anne S

I decided to have an extra loooong weekend, and have taken today and tomorrow off work … next week starts our next round of project testing which normally means really long hours and a lot of grey hair at work, so I figured I’d take it easy for a couple of days beforehand before the mental onslaught begins.  It also means I’ll by heading out of town in a week’s time to do project testing in our Queensland call centre – our fingers are crossed that the flooding stays contained to ensure we can get through the workload that we are planning to get through!  It’s really sad to see so much devastation and personal loss on the news each day in Queensland, and I know a few people that work for my employers have lost everything … it really makes you appreciate everything that you have, that’s for sure!

Anyway, I thought I’d take some time out to complete the ABC’s of me that seems to be doing the blog rounds … mainly because it’s just too bloody hot to stitch at the moment, even with sitting smack bang in front of the electric fan – it just makes you have no energy to do anything at all.  Today is apparently 30C with 72% humidity … thankfully it isn’t quite as hot as it was yesterday, but quite frankly it’s hot enough for me, in fact too hot!  I could quite easily migrate to Siberia during Sydney’s summer months, I absolutely hate it here in summer … give me the moderate temperatures of winter any day!!! 😉

A – Age: 44 (about to add another year very very soon)
B – Bed size: Queen
C – Chore you hate: Pretty much all of ’em, isn’t that why they’re called “chores”??  If I had to choose one I guess it would be ironing … but then there’s the dusting … and … and … 😉
D – Dog’s name: Don’t have one, but I sure do WANT one! 😀
E – Essential start of the day item: Coffee (especially Mon-Fri!!) – and preferably a skinny cappuccino (yum)
F – Favorite color: Blue
G – Gold or Silver: Definitely gold – don’t “do” silver much at all
H – Height: 5’4″ (165cm)
I – Instruments you play: Used to the play the recorder, and the viola at High School very very badly – probably couldn’t read sheet music now!
J – Job: Business Analyst for an international airline
K – Kids: None
L – Living arrangements: Renting with a female friend/work colleague
M – Music you love: I have very eclectic tastes … ranging from AC/DC to Baroque classical, REM to the Beatles
N – Nicknames: Annie, Shacks, Shakatak … and my nickname from Mum growing up was “Butch”, until we moved to New Zealand and my Mum had it explained what “Butch” meant in slang terms … I’m no longer called Butch!  Although another term of endearment from Mum was “Pesty” … I’m pretty sure she DOES love me, but one would wonder with those nicknames! 😛
O – Overnight hospital: Tonsillectomy in my early 30’s and Gall bladder removal in my late 30’s/early 40’s (the date escapes me)
P – Pet Peeve: Impatient drivers and disrespectful people … plus add lying into the mix as well
Q – Quote from a movie: “No harm ever came from reading a book!”  (The Mummy)
R – Right handed or left: Right
S – Siblings: None
T – Time you wake up: About 30 minutes after my eyes open (I’m NOT a morning person)
U – Underwear: Sensible (too old and buxom for anything else)
V – Vegetable you dislike: Boiled cabbage and okra – otherwise everything is fair game
W – Workout Style: Tae Bo when I’m fit enough to get back into it again
X – X-rays you’ve had: Dental, back, legs, head, spine
Y – Yummy food you make: Onion Dip (Kiwi style – mix a can of reduced cream with Kiwi onion dip mix and a tablespoon of lemon juice/vinegar … the Aussies at work go crazy for it, which makes it easy for shared morning teas!)
Z – The best place to visit: OK, this is a tough one … Paris and Greece are at the top of my list so far, but so many other places have also left wonderful impressions too … but yeah, I guess Paris and Greece are outstanding in that regard

The only stitching update I can give you is from a couple of nights ago – whoopee to the progress is all I can say haha … and now I’m going to attempt to thread a needle and pop a few stitches into a Christmas ornie and see how long I last in this heat … don’t expect miracles, is all I can say 😛

Although I guess there is a bit of progress in this one since the “before” picture from the Crazy January challenge:

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Shepherd's Bush

Baby Bug Ball … kinda finished

Anne S

I was too impatient to wait for some additional light green silk, and managed to complete the final wing with just a half cross stitch – not entirely sure about it that way, I think it will look better with a full cross … but I couldn’t resist stitching it anyway!  Hopefully the replacement silk will be close in shade so I can just complete the remaining half cross … in the meantime, I guess you could say it’s ‘kinda finished’ – and I love it! 😀

 

Now my fabric has arrived, I guess I’ll be putting Prairie Moon’s Christmas onto Qsnaps as my lounge stitching project so that Katie can watch it grow … which means I’ll be continuing my Crazy January projects in my bedroom until Katie’s gift is finished … starting with Happy Pumpkin Roll by Shepherd’s Bush – I did a few more stitches on this a couple of nights ago, but not enough to really warrant a progress piccie.

Plus I lugged all my finished stitching down to my neighbour’s flat for a show and tell to my elderly neighbours, and ended up getting rid of one piece that I don’t particular love, but in doing so ended up saying I’d sew it into a cushion for her, so that means I now have two separate sewing jobs for Norma (not to mention another job to climb up and take her net curtains down for washing) … I really need to learn how to keep my lips together and my voice mute when I go down there! LOL 😉

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash, Works in Progress

More Baby Bug Ball and squishy mail

Anne S

I don’t know where the hold-ups have been, but Christmas mail this year has been absolutely shocking – this week I received an Air Mail Christmas card from the UK that was posted 18 December (!) … just crazy!  Yesterday’s mail, though, brought lots of lovely squishy mail – my final outstanding order from SB&B, which left in early December – and a couple of wonderful fabrics from Sandra.  The fabrics were totally unexpected, and I absolutely adore them!  I can’t wait to find the perfect project to use these on!  Thanks so much Sandra for really making my day yesterday! 😀

The expected mail contents were as follows – and this was in many ways a treat for me too, as I couldn’t remember what I’d ordered (I threw in some things in their sale bin that weren’t on my wishlist).  It’s hard to see the contents in the photo, so I’ve broken it down underneath:

32ct Thunderstorm Belfast linen (for Prairie Moon’s Christmas chart for Katie)
~ Halloween and Christmas buttons from JABC
~ Kreinik metallic threads mainly for canvaswork designs
~ Mill Hill beads so I can finish Bittersweet Season (yippee!!) + a packet of Treasures
~ A couple of WDW and GAST threads
~ 4 x Lizzie*Kate embellishment packs mainly for Christmas ornies
~ Whimzi frame for Just Nan’s Pretty Wicked (I stitched mine from a gifted used chart)
~ Ghosts and Goblins by Dinky-Dyes Designs
~ Heart In Hand wee birdies ~ Summer, Autumn, Spring, St Patrick, Halloween, Easter
and the final splurge that I just couldn’t resist……
~ Just Nan’s Spooky Spirits of Tombstone Hill

And lucky last, here’s the latest update piccie of the final pudgy bug in Baby Bug Ball – not much stitching left to go on this one now – not entirely sure I’ll get it finished this weekend, though, as it’s a busy one … thanks to Alison and Amanda for offering up their stash to help me out with the silk thread, that’s a fantastic help, thank you!!!

And now it’s time to get back to the grindstone and get off to work …

 

Crazy January 2011 Challenge, Cross Stitch, Shepherd's Bush, Works in Progress

More Baby Bug Ball

Anne S

Sorry, but this is probably all you’ll be seeing until it’s finished … although I’m very worried about one thread, as I have only one and a bit strands left, and I still have an entire wing done with a full XS in that thread (all the others are done with 1/2 XS), so I’m pretty positive I’m going to run out … ah, yes, I do so detest kits … but even that still can’t remove the positive feeling I feel about this piece – I’m still in love with it! 😀  (apologies for the handshake this morning – was obviously in a hurry to quickly take a happy snap before getting dressed for work – for which I’m now running late … oops)

Crazy January 2011 Challenge, Cross Stitch, Shepherd's Bush, Works in Progress

Baby Bug Ball progress

Anne S

Not quite as intended, I spent the entire day today stitching … oops, so much for the housework I had intended completing haha.  I haven’t moved far from the front of the electric fan other than getting food and water throughout the day (more so the water than the food).  I must say I didn’t want to put this one down today – I think if I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow I’d have been tempted to continue further into the night stitching (as it is I’ve already stitched a bit of the 3rd bug since taking this photo!).  Hopefully I’ll get chance to finish this off this week some time, or if not this week, then next weekend 🙂

Crazy January 2011 Challenge, Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Final Challenge days

Anne S

I haven’t managed much stitching at all today as it’s been too stinking hot in the flat – I truly hate Sydney in summer, the humidity kills me, and it’s really not conducive to stitching (especially as we don’t have air-con).  Oh well, even with sweat dripping off the brow, I still managed to put enough stitches into the final three pieces over the last couple of days to qualify as a “start”:

Shepherd’s Bush – Happy Pumpkin roll

Moss Creek Designs – Schwalmwork Pinkeep
(one round of broad chain stitch and one round of coral stitch completed)

Forget-Me-Nots in Stitches – Raphael’s Raspberries
(a handful of queen stitches completed and lots of basting)

As much as I’ve loved starting all the new projects, I’m definitely champing at the bit to go back to some of the earlier starts and spend some more quality time on each piece.  I think the first one to be stitched will be Baby Bug Ball, followed by my canvaswork piece, then Autumn Harvest as that should be a relatively quick finish … plus I have one more Christmas ornie I want to complete by the end of the month.

Then next weekend I’ll be spending some time with the ‘old ducks’ downstairs (my elderly neighbours) – I spent some time today setting up Norma’s old sewing machine for her (it took me a while to work out where the heck the bobbin was hiding the machine is that old), then got suckered into potentially sewing Barbara a quilted toaster cover … I really should learn to keep my mouth shut and not discuss crafts down there haha.

And now it’s time to get back in front of the fan for another 1/2 hour or so watching the end of CSI 🙂

Crazy January 2011 Challenge, Cross Stitch

Day 13 & 14

Anne S

I ended up chatting to my flatmate until almost 11pm last night, and felt too tired to start stitching at that point, so alas I didn’t complete my Day 13 challenge of a new start – I’ve got my substitute project all picked out, though, and ready to start tonight … I figure I’ll just start two different projects on Sunday and that’ll be OK for me to meet the challenge deadline of 15 projects in 15 days 😀

And I also have on my personal list of challenges this year a Schwalmwork or Hardanger project to be completed, so I’m thinking perhaps I should include one of those items into my final selection for the 15 Project Challenge, thereby offering great time management and hitting two birds with one stone! 😉

If I do decide to do that, then one of these projects may be my final project choice (unless I manage to pull my finger out on Saturday and sort out my fabric and threads for My Treasures Workstation of course … or choose Eiffel Quaker, which I’m very very tempted by!!!):

GCC Beginner's Hardanger

Anyway I just heard my flatmate walk in the door, so it’s time to hit the lounge for a DVD movie and some stitching!  I won’t update again tonight with any progress, so I’ll do a post tomorrow with my final 3 project starts 😀

(PS:  I had an informal follow-on chat to my boss this morning about the environment in the office – she is one of the very few people who don’t play the political card and is very trustworthy, I respect her a great deal – and we worked on some suggested strategies on how to handle the moaners, so we’ll see how that all goes … it helped me feel a bit more positive about it all though, so time will tell …)

In the meantime I MUST start organising a stitching day with my NSW pals (you know who you are!!) ‘cos that’ll help me to get my work-life-balance back again … they always cheer me up, and what’s better than a healthy dose of stitchy company?? 😀