Gifts TO BE FIXED – Page 5 – Feather Stitching

My mailbox runneth over!

29 December, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Imagine my surprise when I went to my PO Box to clear my mail yesterday morning before work, and the mailman came out with a HUGE box of goodies for me – he even laughed at the look on my face, bless him! Cindy went crazy and put together the most incredible selection of stitching goodies for me … I’m still in awe of everything, and feel like one of those plastic dogs that sits in the back of the car with it’s head shaking with every bump, except mine’s just shaking in the sheer amazement at Cindy’s generosity. Thank you again, Cindy, I’m still totally blown away and don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it! I love it all … and you may have noticed the Kahlua choccies didn’t even survive 24 hours – I was kind and shared them at work yesterday with my closest colleagues, and they were totally delicious! And the notebook is already in use for some stitching lists I’ve been wanting to do for a few weeks now, and the page sizes and lines are just perfect for it. I’m always running out of Floss-away bags, and all the charts are awesome, and the fabric, and the threads, and oh my my head is spinning again! 😀 Thanks so much for making my day! 😀

On a down note I finally cracked it with a certain ONS (SB&B to be exact) … after waiting since August (!) for some backordered items for Mum and me, I finally got the advice they were ready to ship … I quickly sent off an email asking if they could add two skeins of WDW for Katrina to save postage, plus 2 Kreinik braids, and no answer … when I went to the library to check emails (my phone line was down at this stage), I’d received a refund notice from PayPal – not even SB&B themselves – for an amount for the Aida Mum had had on backorder … no explanation or anything, and no answers to the previous emails I’d sent re the extra threads. I finally sent an email from work cracking it about their lack of communication and demanding they tell me what the hell was going on … a very quick response then, stating they’d apparently sent me emails etc, but then just shipped the parcel “as is”. I wouldn’t mind, but we’ve been waiting 4 months for the fabric, that was then refunded (and for a totally different amount that I’d been invoiced for too!) … 4 months for Floss-away bags and WDW threads for Needle Nick (which of course is now too late to stitch for this Christmas anyway). It’s amazing how invoices have no problem reaching my email addy, but answers to queries have a major issue … sorry about the vent, but it makes my blood boil! I don’t usually like to bad-mouth a specific company on here, and the last time I vented I didn’t name names, but this time I’ve reached my limits … mutter mutter mutter. I’ve been signed up for the Monthly Bits for a while now, but I’m starting to reconsider that option as well.

In this instance Karen at Dragonfly Dreams came to the rescue, as I’ve ordered the other threads through Karen now – from one extreme to the other, the service is exceptionally quick and communication first rate … it’s a shame we have to pay so much more ‘down under’, but I’m starting to think it’s perhaps a better option when taking service levels into consideration. Food for thought for me for the New Year … not that I’ll be buying much for a while yet anyway, as my finances are still in tight check for a while longer hmmm.

Rightio, that’s my venting out of my system … phew! Now I’m off to think about what to stitch next – I think perhaps it’s time to start on a birthday gift I want to stitch … either that or maybe start that canvaswork pincushion from the Inspirations magazine and try to knock off another goal before year end haha. I’m actually quite excited, as I only have 2 more working days left (from a total of 7), then I’m on a 5-day break yippee … gee whiz, I wonder what I’ll be doing next week?? LOL … although it’ll take me 1-2 days just to catch up on blogs from the last couple of weeks!

Blogging Memes, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash

Christmas Gifties

26 December, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

As promised, here are piccies of the beautiful gifts received from my stitching pals – I apologise for the poor quality of the photos, as the light is almost as bad this morning as it was last night … and I ended up taking them on top of my clothes that are drying (or in this case a bedsheet … guess who will be ironing again soon? LOL). Piccies are not in any particular order 🙂

First up is a beautiful biscornu from Jenna – I have to admit, I knew what this one was, but it was still a wonderful surprise to see it first-hand and hold it 🙂 And Jenna’s stitching and finishing is perfection in itself – I just love it! 😀 It’s going straight on display in my basket!

Next up is my gift from Katrina – how cool is this?? I adore the frangipani memo board, and it’s really going to brighten up my fridge … it’s just perfect! And that would have been plenty enough, but I also received a gorgeous needlework roll … funnily enough I have the chart bought all ready to make one for myself, but I just haven’t pulled my finger out to give it a try yet … and now there’s no hurry! I just adore it!! And how perfect is it going to be for all my unfinished ornies to keep them in one place before they get finished? Thanks Katrina – I love everything! 😀

Next up is a beautiful wallhanging from Sylvie – how did you ladies know I love blue so much? LOLOL. How gorgeous is this? I’ve never had a wallhanging before, and it’s taking pride of place hanging up on the side of my computer desk so I can admire it every day – I just love it! Thank you so much Sylie, I adore it! 😀

And last, but not least, here’s another stunner – this time from Nicki. What a stunning ornie, and not one I’d attempt myself (mainly due to the finishing) – once again perfect finishing and stitching, and the colours are just beautiful. I’ve got two photos this time so you can see more of the stitching. Thanks Nicki, I truly love it!

And finally my gift to myself – bought just before my finances went bust … I can finally drool all over my Gingher’s Alyssa scissors – they’re just so beautiful! Thanks to Jenna’s ingenuity, I had to wait until now before I could see my little purchase … and they were definitely worth waiting for!

Thanks again ladies for making my Christmas Day so special – I love all my gifts, and I’ll treasure everything always {{hugs}}.

Ooh, I almost forgot … this gave me a giggle … how appropriate!! I obviously love the tree so much I turn myself into one!!! LOLOLOL.

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you’re goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

WhatChristmas Ornament Are You?

Now it’s off to work again – it’s freezing outside (I’m sat here in my winter PJ’s and dressing gown, go figure!), so I’ll be bundling up in my jeans and polar fleece for the day … what happened to those 43C days? LOL.

Have a wonderful day everyone! 😀

Gifts TO BE FIXED

Spoilt rotten … piccies galore

23 December, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I have so much to show and tell from the last week or so, I just don’t know where to start! I do want to say, though, a huge thanks to everyone for their friendship and support, especially during recent times – you’ve all helped me to stay positive and keep my head up above the water line, and I’m extremely grateful 😀 Thanks also to all the ladies who have spoilt me rotten lately … and here are the spoils … (to try and placate Blogger I decided to use the ‘small’ photo settings – just click on each one for the bigger piccie)

Dearest Carol, who sent me the beads for AoL I needed … as well as a most exquisite fob with a beautiful wee blue bird on it – on Christmas Day they will be sitting on my Alyssa Gingher’s in prime position 🙂 I’m also considering using the darker DMC variegated thread for a Quaker RR I’m about to start with some wonderful blogging pals 😀 I love everything, thank you Carol 😀

Thanks also to Christine, who sent me the most gorgeous Santa ornament – and look, he’s in blue!!! 😀 I just love him to death, and he went straight onto the tree as soon as he arrived 🙂 Thank you so much for your caring thought, it’s awesome and he’ll be treasured every year when he graces my tree! 😀

Thanks also to Nicole (aka Elanor) for this wonderful parcel of goodies … how awesome is that fabric??? I think I’m going to try and make a quilted wall hanging out of the duckie squares … I just love it! And another exquisite ornie that’s now gracing my tree – a beautiful quaker in my favourite colours that will be hanging from my computer desk year-round until next Christmas. But if that wasn’t enough, which it was, there was also some scrummy threads and beads, and {{drool}} choccies (although please note the numbers in that bag have seriously dwindled since taking the piccie haha). Thanks again Nicole!

And last, but certainly not least, I was gobsmacked by a parcel from KarenV yesterday – I have to admit I knew this one was coming (although it still surprised me when it did), and I knew there was something off my wishlist in it … but I was floored when I opened the envelope and found a HUGE selection off my wishlist. LHN’s Winter Wonderland was pretty much at the top of my wishlist when I saw it recently, and I may just have to start that one as my 1st project for 2007 – and the Beehive NR has been on my wishlist for quite some time now. And the threads are almost all for a specific ornie both Mum and I wanted to stitch, so Mum and I will have to do a SAL when she arrives in February. Once again, I’m gobsmacked, and I really love everything thanks Karen! {{hugs}}

Seeing as there are so many goodies to share, I thought I’d have a separate post for them – tomorrow I’ll do the stitching updates (not that there’s much to show haha). The other gifties I received were wrapped up, so they’re sitting under the tree until Christmas Day … although the temptation is getting harder and harder to resist LOL.

Thanks again to everyone for their gifts – I feel a bit bad that I couldn’t reciprocate this year, but I am very grateful for your friendship and support and I just adore everything! {{hugs}}.

Gifts TO BE FIXED, RAK Registry

Ornies and RAK

13 December, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I was thinking what a great mix of nationalities we have so far in the RAK Registry database, and just in case you were interested I thought I’d share … so far we have a total of 38 stitching bloggers taking part, and they’re from the following nations:

15 – USA
4 – Canada
4 – United Kingdom
4 – The Netherlands
3 – New Zealand
3 – France
2 – Australia
1 – South Africa
1 – Switzerland
1 – Finland

A couple of quick replies for Nicki and Lisa … the dress isn’t that ‘light’ to wear, I have to admit – it has a separate skirt underneath with curtain wire hoops. Mind you, I said yesterday if I keep filling out my body any more than it currently is, I soon won’t be needing the hoops! ROFL. The dress itself was made from some plain green homespun cotton fabric by Mum, then I added all the decorations onto it – in fact the tinsel needs to be replaced now, I think. The tinsel and string of balls are pinned on from the inside with safety pins, so it can be removed for washing – next year, though, I’m going to superglue the caps to the balls, as a couple of the new ornaments I put on this year to replace missing ones aren’t as robust. I do love it, though, and I have another stupid idea in the back of my brain as well … making some felt ‘boots’ that have a flat inner section up my calf, with the outside part pushing out, so when I stand with my feet together, it looks like a plant pot … or hanging some presents from the hoops … yup, gotta love that festive season, it really does bring out the child in me! ;P

Now on to really FUN stuff … I was given the OK by Katrina to open one of my little gifties from under the tree – and now I understand why … I am now the proud owner of the most gorgeous ornie with beautiful stitching and finishing, and I’m absolutely thrilled with it! Thank you so much Katrina, I truly do adore it! And it’s on my little ‘ornie tree’ already! 😀 Doesn’t that sad little tree look so much better now? Mind you I still have to make up the two ornies Mum gave me (she did the stitching, and I’m doing the finishing), and then that’ll possibly be it for the year … depends how keen I get between now and Christmas hmmm.

The next two days are going to be quite social – we have a team meeting for all us ‘Hotliners’ (Seniors), and we’re doing it over breakfast for our Christmas get-together. Brekky is at 8am and I don’t start work until noon, but I thought I’d potter around in the neighbourhood until then, as there’s no point coming all the way home again. Then on Saturday I’ve been invited to a friend’s place for a party (J), and I’m driving to B’s house first then we’re going there together, then I’m staying at B’s house for the night – which means we can let our hair down for the night … it’ll do me good, I think 😀

Today I’m thankful for my best friend’s Mum Doreen – her apricot slice went down a treat yesterday, with a few people coming up to me especially to say how yummy it was (most people brought in supermarket cakes, so I guess the home-made stuff really stood out LOL) … I’m also thankful that I made a double batch and that I still have some sitting in my fridge (my hips won’t be thankful though) … but not just that, I’m thankful for Doreen for giving me so many wonderful childhood (and adult) memories, and being one of the people that has helped shape me into the person I am today – I love you loads, Doreen!! 😀

Gifts TO BE FIXED, RAK Registry, SBQ

SBQ & RAK photo

3 December, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I didn’t want to lose Isabelle’s gorgeous RAK photo among all the other photos yesterday, so waited until today to give it it’s own wee place – finally here is my RAK in all its glory … complete with open box on the choccie haha. Thanks again Isabelle, it’s so so sweet of you {{hugs}}.

And for this week’s SBQ, here goes …

“How do you secure your thread when you begin a new one? Specifically,do you or have you ever used a waste knot?”

Yes, I use waste knots quite regularly when doing specialty stitches, as a lot of times there’s not much to anchor it on the back until you’ve worked a few stitches. Have to say I hate doing it, as it wastes thread and I hate having to cut off the knots and reweave the ends through at the end 😦 Unfortunately, though, it’s sometimes a necessary evil! If I’m using overdyed threads, and I have a solid line to stitch, I’ll put a small knot in the end of the thread, take the needle down into the fabric in the middle of the line, about an inch away from where I’m going to stitch, then back up at the beginning to start stitching – that way I’m stitching over the line and catching the ‘tail’ under my stitching as I go, and I cut the knot off at the back as I get closer and the tail is well anchored. If I’m using plain ol’ DMC I do a ‘loop start’ usually.

The RAK Registry is almost finished (just tidying up of the sidebars etc), and I’ve made a little ‘blinkie’ in my Links sidebar here which takes you straight to the RAK blog. Hopefully more people will join in and fill in those spaces in the alphabet, and this will be a good resource for the days to come. If you think you’d like to see someone’s details on there, either let them know about it, or drop me a line with their blog details and I’ll send them an email saying I’ve had a request to have them join in the fun 🙂 I’ve really enjoyed setting this up for us! 😀

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Gifts TO BE FIXED

Gift stitching … piccies

27 October, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

That’s the only thing I hate about secret stitching … I can’t share piccies until after it’s been received, darn it! Seeing as it won’t give the game away, I’ve decided to show you a sneak preview of my current gift stitching, though. It’s about 2/3 finished now, but I can’t complete it until I get a spool of Kreinik braid … fingers crossed that’ll be in my first parcel from SB&B that’s on its way and should be here within a week’s time … if not, that’s the time to start panicking 😉

Actually, I just heard from Jenna that her birthday gifts have arrived safely, so I can also add an extra piccie to this post … I didn’t take photos of the extra goodies I sent, but I did take one of the lavender sachet I stitched. I haven’t done any hardanger really since I took a beginner’s class about 5-6 years ago, and haven’t tried wrapped bars before (ie just wrapping all 4 threads together), but it worked out OK – it was strange using such large count fabric and pearl cotton (#3 and #5), but the finished product is really pretty. I chose it because lavender is a natural therapy for headaches, and poor Jenna is regularly plagued with them – thankfully USA Customs restrictions aren’t as strict as here, and you can send lavender into the country, yay. The design is a freebie from the Classic Stitches website. I’m so happy it arrived safe and sound, and that Jenna likes her goodies 😀

Other than that, not much has been happening in this neck of the woods – after my appalling night’s sleep yesterday, I managed to get tuckered out and went back to bed at midday for another 3 hours – I felt much more human after that … but at least it got my kitted up projects entered into a spreadsheet, which has proved helpful already as I searched for a DMC thread for my gift stitching yesterday – I had a quick look at the spreadsheet then went straight to the right project to grab the skein out … awesome!

Tonight it’s back to early nights for sleeping, I need to be in bed by 7.30pm to try and get 8 hours before being up at 4am for work … 4 days of 5am’s this week, finished with one 9am shift at the end – only 5 days straight again, oh boy am I loving that!!

Thanks to a conversation Isabelle and I have been having, I’ve been contemplating making a patchwork quilt next year … I’ve been dreaming about it for a number of years now, but never started one for myself, and I’m thinking 2007 might be the year to try it out. I’ve been looking through my quilting books and choosing some possible designs … once I’ve narrowed my choices down I’ll share some piccies.

Rightio, back to listening to the last part of Jeffrey Deaver’s Cold Moon novel (I’m really enjoying this one) and Bordeaux Sampler (I’m giving it some well-deserved stitching time, seeing as it’s been neglected for a few weeks) … it’s OK, though, Carol, I’m not motoring too far along with it today, just enough to show some difference 😉

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stitching Smalls

#3 of 50 and a Special Visit

28 September, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

Two reasons to celebrate today (3 if you include the fact I only have one more 5am shift left this week woohoo) … I can cross off project #3 from my 50 Projects Challenge – and the final product (with those very very expensive beads LOL) went to the lovely Katrina today 😀 Yes, it’s true, we got to meet each other face to face today, and she’s even lovelier in person than on her blog, if that’s possible! 😀 It was awesome that we got to meet up and spend some time together before she flies home – and she says a big “hi” to everyone!! She sneaked in a quick blog reading session while visiting family at the weekend, but no doubt will be catching up properly when she gets home again 🙂

I had originally planned to stitch Katrina a self-designed needleroll, but my creative juices just didn’t come together in the end with my health issues etc, and the final design still needs a bit of tweaking … a quick glance over Katrina’s wishlist and I found the Cherry Blossoms Fob by The Sweetheart Tree hiding in there, which I had in my stash all kitted up for myself … it became the perfect solution. I’m still disappointed my needleroll didn’t come to fruition, but I liked how the little fob turned out, and will definitely stitch it again for myself (even with the pinks LOL).

Unfortunately dopey me forgot to pack my camera to take with me today (my brain doesn’t really function at 4am – it’s even slower than it normally is, and that’s saying something), so I couldn’t take a photo myself, but Katrina had hers, as did her Mum, so you can look forward to one down the track when Katrina gets home hopefully 🙂

I couldn’t bring a photo home with me, but I did get spoilt rotten and given a beautiful gift from Katrina too … this is a design I’ve been ogling for a while now, but haven’t gotten around to stitching it for myself yet, and now I don’t need to – I now have a gorgeous pinkeep to have on display, and it will always remind me of our first meeting, so it will always be treasured … I just love it!! But that’s not all, I also got a needleroll chart by Forever In My Heart, who I’d never heard of before … this chart is so versatile as you could use just about any colour combination, and I’ll definitely be stitching one of these soon (in fact my mind was ticking over with the thread possibilities as soon as I had it in my grubby little hands). I just love everything, thank you so much, my friend – and it was such a wonderful treat to meet you! {{hugs}}

Unfortunately it’s now onto very mundane stuff, after all that excitement, as I have to get all the housework done tonight ready for a workmate arriving tomorrow evening, then tomorrow a lot of the prep needs to be done ready for Saturday night’s dinner banquet here … can’t say I’ll be even looking at a needle, never mind using one, before Sunday (if that). When I do, though, I’m thinking of throwing my rotation out the window until I get the Dratteds done completely … I would dearly love to get the Dolphins stitched by year end, and my new idea is to stitch 10 hours on them, then stitch a Christmas ornie or needleroll (just something small and quick) or do a spot of finishing, then back to 10 hours of the Dratteds and so on, until they’re finished. If I do that, I’m hoping to have them finished by the end of October, especially if I can really put some serious work into them on my days off … well, that’s the plan anyway … but you know what they say about the plans of mice and men … 😉 LOL.

So in the words of Looney Tunes’ Porky Pig … for now, “th-th-th-th-th-th-that’s all folks!” 😉

Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash

Another RAK … and stash …

30 August, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

(Updated to apologise for the piccies – Blogger won’t upload photos for some reason for a change hmmm, so I’ve had to use Photobucket, so no chance of enlarging…)

Further to my post yesterday, I have another lovely piccie to share of some goodies that Missy sent to me – she was going through her charts and found this one that was just perfect for me … I knew the chart was coming, but I didn’t expect the other goodies – stitchers are such generous souls! I have to admit I literally laughed out loud when I opened the envelope and saw the chart title … I just love it! And I adore the dishcloth that Melissa crocheted herself, as well as the yummy thread – I feel very very spoiled. I don’t want to use the dishcloth … I just want it to sit in the kitchen and not get used/soiled – I just adore hand-made gifts. Thanks again Missy for an awesome treat 😀 {{hugs}}

And believe it or not, I had a 3rd arrival today as well … another expected parcel, with unexpected contents – this time from KarenV. I sent Karen the specialty threads for the Love needleroll ornament for her to stitch it, and had the threads returned with some added company across the oceans – not only did Karen send me some scrummy threads (unfortunately the Stef Francis thread is now unusable, as it’s totally covered in drool – that’s the prettiest colour I’ve ever seen in her threads … I almost don’t want to use it, but just to continue drooling over it for years to come), but there was also the sweetest little biscornu, all stitched by Karen … I was absolutely floored, and thrilled to have these little treats, and felt quite overcome by it all. Thanks Karen for your generous gift … and I will treasure the biscornu always 😀 {{hugs}}

As the title states the word “stash”, you can correctly conclude that squishy mail has also been arriving in my PO Box from a spending spree … thanks very much to a generous gesture from my employers, we got given a wee bonus last week at work – not as generous as past years, which is understandable, but sufficient for me to have a little stash splurge on scissors! Thanks to the kind offers made by Jenna and Erin to help me procure some lovely Gingher’s, I’ve been thinking about this for a wee while now … and when my ‘crappy’ old scissors started having problems cutting a simple DMC thread early last week, I jumped on the internet as soon as I heard about the bonus and filled a shopping cart with shiny metallic things of different shapes and sizes 😉 Seeing as I was paying all the money for postage, I added a couple of extra ‘cheapo’ pairs in there as well as a new pair of Gingher’s and Tres Claveles, so I can also make up a few small sewing kits that can sit with my WIP’s etc … I’ve already christened one of the el cheapo pair, but I’m waiting until I put a scissor fob onto my Gingher’s before they get christened, and they’re never going to leave the house again! Thanks again, ladies for your kind offer, but I ended up just biting the bullet and splurging (and thanks again to my lovely employers!!) 😀

Also, today saw the arrival of even more stash … the last remaining items from a very old backorder from SB&B, plus some other charts that we added on when we returned from Hong Kong. Now you may remember I went on the wagon and said I wouldn’t be buying any more charts until at least my birthday … well, I have actually been sticking to it so far – you see, all these new charts are actually for Mum, not me (she’s paying for them). We bought her some more #26 Piecemaker needles (she’s already worked out how great they are haha), some Floss-Away bags, and some Kreinik braid for us both as I’d run out, and a few charts. The M Designs needlerolls (Butterfly, Rose Mosaic and Snowmen ones) were from my backorder, as were the two Victoria Sampler kits (that’s what was holding the whole process up – Level 3 #1, Whipped Spider Web Rose, and Level 4 #1, Four Sided Pulled Stitch & Four Sided Hemstitch). Mum went mad on Prairie Schooler Santas (Starry Night … which is a gift for me from Mum yippee … Redwork Santas, A Christmas Visit, Santa Collection 1996-99, and Santa Collection 1988-91), plus Lizzie*Kate snippets (2001 Ready or Not, and 2004 A Good Night). The last little goodies were some 32ct cream Belfast that I needed as I miscalculated a biscornu I started stitching before the biscornu exchange earlier in the year, and needed another piece so I could actually stitch the back (pretty important in the scheme of things LOL), and the Silk Bella needed for the Lavender Rose Sewing Case SAL (which is no longer a SAL, as I think everyone’s almost finished … oops … never fear, I am still committed to stitching it, and will be doing this before I stitch anything else … I just have to get my exchanges in the post first, and I’m getting VERY close to the wire with that!! Next week should see me finally starting this gorgeous new project).

Now I’m going to finish my stash report with a hug for both Gina and Sharon, who always make such wonderful company to visit with. They kindly drove all the way to my little flat and spent their time fondling my stash and finished pieces/WIP’s, as well as sharing other items of interest – Gina brought some great books to flip through (and I seriously will have to get a copy of the Why am I tired? book … Sharon, if you see me coming in saying cheekily “I’ve seen a book, I think it’s blue, and it’s something to do with being tired”, you’ll know which one I mean, ‘cos I know nobody else that does such daft things teehee), and Sharon brought some wonderful CQ blocks to examine … I have to admit I harbour no desires to try a CQ myself, but I really do love to see them in real life – perhaps when I turn 80 I should be about 1/4 through my stash by then, I might consider it LOL. We had a lovely lunch, with much chatting, and then a great afternoon tea of goodies that they brought with them. I feel like I’ve known these lovely ladies for so much longer than I really have, and you’re welcome to visit at any time {{hugs}}.

I’ll leave you with a photo of one of three bulbs in flower – this is a hyacinth that Sharon brought with her as a gift for me, and it’s just stunning (every time I tried to get the whole pot in, they came out blurry, so it’s just one of three bulbs in the piccie) … thanks heaps Sharon, it’s gorgeous! Who would believe on Saturday it was all in bud!! (My blog will start having an identity crisis now … it’ll be thinking it’s actually Carol’s blog, with the flower piccie at the bottom … the photography’s not as good as Mike’s though LOL.)

My apologies to anyone I’m owing an email to … I hope to catch up next week – I don’t tend to spend much time online while Mum’s here, after her making a comment about me “wasting” so much time on the computer during the last visit, which means that I get even further behind than I normally do … and I’ve been bad enough on my own just lately! LOL.

Gifts TO BE FIXED

Gobsmacked by Kindness

29 August, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

My apologies for not posting for a wee while, or for reading blogs, but I haven’t been spending much time online for the last week due to other commitments. I was supposed to be in bed 20 minutes ago, as I’m on 6am starts this week (and boy oh boy am I feeling it hmmm), but I wanted to post about some wonderful mail I’ve received after I got home from Hong Kong … unfortunately I had a major brain meltdown and forgot about posting about it – I picked it up from the PO Box and was very touched when I opened the envelope and saw all the goodies inside, but then got really sick on the way home and ended up spending the rest of the night laying down … then the parcel got moved by Mum and it didn’t jog a reminder. So, a huge apology to dear sweet Cathy, who not only sent me a piece of lining fabric for the Bee’s Garden chart (by Wendy KC Designs), but also a pile of DMC threads and a gorgeous chart by Glory Bee called Priceless – I knew the fabric was on its way, but the rest of the goodies were a total surprise … thanks from the bottom of my heart Cathy – you’re a total sweetheart, and I love everything! 😀

I also have one more parcel to post about, but I’ll leave that until tomorrow, so I can drag out sharing my wonderful spoils over two days … but what a lucky girl I’ve been! 😀

I also had a wonderful visit from Gina and Sharon on Saturday, that I’ll post about tomorrow as well … unfortunately I only had about 5 hours sleep on Sunday, and 6-7 hours last night, with the same happening tonight, so I really must get to bed now.

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

Stitching update

15 June, 200625 February, 2012 Anne S

I had to take a day off work yesterday just to get some stitching in … well, actually it was because I felt like cr*p, and couldn’t face work – my sore throat turned into a bit of laryngitis on Tuesday night, and I hardly slept at all. When I woke up yesterday morning I felt really groggy and as though I’d been run over. This morning I still feel pretty rough – I’m more blocked up in the nose, and my throat is sore again, but my voice isn’t quite as laryngitis-like. Fingers crossed I’ll be OK to get back to work again tomorrow. It does mean, though, that I managed to get a bit of stitching done – and a bit of frogging too ;P I still have two stitches to fix up in the vines that I noticed I managed to miss yesterday, and they’re easily added in – but I’m slowly catching up to you, Carol 😀 I’ll continue to get this panel finished (the whole of part 1), then I have to get my ducks RR done to get in the mail by 1 July … then it’s “Dratteds, here I come!!!” 😀

Just a quick post today, as my concentration at the computer isn’t great – I tried catching up on some more blog reading yesterday, but I ended up reading most things three times, and gave up. Off to have another Lemsip Cold & Flu, then cuddle up under my blanket again in my not-so-glamorous PJ’s for the day …

(Updated) Crikey, I just realised that I hadn’t posted piccies of my previous stash arrivals … for some reason I thought I’d already done it, but just checked back in my blog posts, and lo and behold nothing was there! Oops – I’d forget my head these days if it wasn’t permanently attached!! Anyway, here are the piccies of stash I received as gifts from some very generous ladies – thanks so much again Cathy and Nancy – your generosity is amazing, and I love everything (I know I’ve sent personal emails already, but just wanted to reiterate it now) 😀 Unfortunately blogger is, just for a change, having a hissy fit about adding more photos, so I’ve had to use Photobucket, which of course means you can’t click for a bigger piccie, sorry 😦

Here are my wonderful spoils from Cathy:

And my wonderful spoils from Nancy: