Thursday, June 30, 2005

Rose Arbour and Setting Sail Updates

So far so good, I'm sticking to my rotation plans ... okay, okay, it's only been about 4-5 days, but that is GOOD for me! LOL

I'll update with a Kiss piccie after Saturday night when I finish the weeks stitching on it.

Meanwhile - here is Rose Arbour, my UFO Tuesday slot - this week I stitched the bits sticking out of the greenery in the pot (I can't think of the right name for it!) ... funny enough once I'd stitched that all of sudden it doesn't look to onerous to getting this one finished. It's an experience stitching her though - firstly I picked out the colour of the fabric from my then very small stash (probably about 4-5 years ago), so the colour isn't quite what I'd pick now, and also I know the white roses are going to get lost on it. I also started this before I discovered (or understood!) about starting on a vertical thread - so it's stitched on the horizontal - which feels very strange and I find the thread slips under the thread of the fabric, not only that but the crosses just don't look as nice, they leave holes, or look tight, or something ... but I will slowly perservere and finish it, eventually!



and here is my Setting Sail kit - I'm hoping to finish this by about October so Deb has time to frame it for her DH, Jim, for his birthday in the middle of November - she said take my time, and when it's finished she'll give it to him for whatever is coming up next, birthday, Christmas, anniversary, whatever - she isn't worried about how long it takes ... but I just want it out of the way!

I stitched the fleshy coloured part of the sail, bit of the blue in the sea and started coming down the sail last night ... I was watching the exciting NZ vs Australia netball game at the same time, so I wasn't stitching very fast!



... and while that piccie is just up above, I'll answer the Stitchers Blogger Question -

Q. When starting a new project, do you start in the middle? If you do,once you've worked down to the bottom, do you turn your chart andfabric around so that you are stitching the top section downwardsagain or do you just stitch upwards from the middle?

I usually start in the middle, but then try to climb upwards so I can stitch downwards, which I prefer. I often start smaller things or samplers from the top left-hand corner though. I often stitch upside down, usually when I'm stitching big blocks that are working upwards, I usually use the sewing method for the bottom leg for big blocks of colour, and for some reason I can't do that going upwards - my hands just don't work right. I only just came across the wonderous revelation of stitching upside down a year or so ago - I love it! In the picture above, I stitched most of the pinky part of the sail (yes, that is going to be a sail ...) with it upside down, but now I've got to a point at the top of my work, I'll start working downwards, the right way up - which I prefer.

Right now it's 8.15pm and I'm at work ... and there isn't any, so I'm going to stitch on The Kiss - I didn't get my usual hour or so this afternoon because Charlotte did something to the TV and I spent an hour trying to fix it, finally deciding that the cable connection was broken, spent a good half an hour on the phone organising someone to come and fix it tomorrow morning ... only to find just before I left for work that it was magically working again ... no idea why, except maybe I was trying the wrong channel on the TV *blush* ... I have to ring tomorrow and admit I was being blonde, at least I don't have to spend the whole morning waiting for a repairman though!

In family updates -

- DH started his new job last week and he is loving it, the people are so much more positive and friendly - a much nicer atmosophere to work in.

- my sister ran her first marathon on Sunday and ran it in 3.34hr, 2nd woman, 1st in her Master age group (40-44yo) - yay Dianna! (... I really missed those genes LOL).

- Charlotte is all better ... but the bad tempernessed seems to have lingered, I watched a programme called "Little Angels" last night that sorts out toddler bad behaviour ... I'm embarrassed to admit that a lot of "Emily" reminded me of Charlotte ... but on the good side, a lot of what they were doing to handle her and try to make changes, I already do *phew* ... pretty automatically ... you learn a wee bit after four children, before the fifth ... even if the fifth is a lot harder work!

- Said sister above, told me her nearly 15yo daughter is smoking pot ... she is 10mths older, and very close to my nearly 14yo son, so I asked him about it ... he doesn't know anything (they don't tend to hang out together at school or with the same friends) ... but did say he could quite easily get hold of the stuff if he wanted to - eeeeekkkkk! This is when I really hope the good sense we've tried to teach him (and he seems to have) is going to come through ... maybe Miss Controlling 3.5yo isn't so bad afterall - at least I can put her in her room for time-out if she is naughty. David is taller and bigger than me now, I'm not sure what I'd do if he suddenly decided not to listen to me - pass it on to bigger and taller DH, I suppose!

Can't think of anything else - that's probably enough rambling for a day anyway!

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Couple of pictures

I've joined one of the ornament RR's - first mailing date is tomorrow, and of course in my usual meeting deadlines fashion, I finished stitching my ornament tonight. I can't send the supplies etc tomorrow unless my Bits and Bobs order arrives, I originally ordered the Crescent Colours from there, then realised they were going to take a while (she was waiting on a back order), so ordered them from somewhere else ... but I still need two cards of two of of the colours so need that order to arrive before I send off the RR - I'm hoping it will be in the mailbox tomorrow!

Anyway - here is Topiary Tree by Brown House Studio - stitched with Crescent Colours and on 32ct "Mocha" - a hand-dyed from Silkweavers.



and also a picture of The Kiss, before I started stitching on it tonight - I plan this to be this weeks stitching (except Tuesday and Wednesday), so will take another updated picture at the end of the week.



... and now it's time for sweet dreams ...

Saturday, June 25, 2005

97-98-97

Some secret code? Number of stitches I've stitched today? no! it's my shooting scores from the Wairarapa Champs today ... it is the start of our provincial championship run ... last week was Southern Hawkes Bay, but I missed it because Rhiannon had her gym competition. Next week is Wanganui - then a rep shoot - then on to Hutt Valley, Wellington, Horowhenua, Manawatu ... it's a busy few weeks. Those scores are out of 100 - I should be (and usually do) shoot a 98 average, so they're not great - but I've been struggling all year and actually feel like I'm beginning to work things out - I just need to remember what I've worked out ... for every single shot. All gooble-de-goop? yep, thought so ... but it helps to get it out of my head LOL

I've finally done it ... worked out some sort of rotation - that will hopefully last this month, and maybe longer ... I think I've got to forget what I haven't stitched for a couple of months, what I've started and should be working on ... and just slowly get through things, and still stitch things I enjoy :)

So here goes -

Week One - Recently started Mirabilia - Petal Fairy/The Kiss/Sleeping Beauty.
Week Two - DT Sampler Gameboard, then a new DT/Elizabeth Designs/Bent Creek (I have lots of these kitted and should stitch them).
Week Three - Chatelaine Christmas Mystery - I'm about 3 parts behind.
Week Four - Small stuff - RR's, ornaments etc
Week Five - Silver Lining - I've had the single roses ready to go for a while.

AND, Tuesday will be UFO day - Mirabilia's Rose Arbour to start with. Wednesday will be Lighthouse kit day. I usually manage to do a fair bit of stitching those days, so hopefully I'll start getting through those dreaded "must finish" things.

We'll see how it goes ...

Today I've stitched on my Ornament RR - I should have a finished picture tomorrow :)

It's after 11pm here now, and I've got to have Rhiannon at the gym for another competition at 7.45am tomorrow *yawn* so much for a Sunday sleep-in ...

Friday, June 24, 2005

Lots of pictures!

Now, if I updated more often, I'd put up pictures more often! I was all organised to do this at work last night, plus think of a good rotation for the month of July - but darn it, we were BUSY - unbelieveable really, it has been quiet for weeks and weeks ... I pack my stitching, packed some letters and minutes I need to type up for soccer last night, and I didn't touch any of it - in fact I didn't finish until 1.00am (instead of 11.30pm) ... and wasn't home until nearly 2.00am ... so I'm feeling rather jaded today.

Anyway - on to the pictures!

Bent Creek - Bee True


Bent Creek - Snowman* (I love this one!)


Lizzie*Kate - Daughters


Lizzie*Kate - Sons


I stitched the above ones for ebay - I've stitched the Lizzie*Kate ones a few times for gifts, ebay etc - they are always popular and fun quick stitch.

... and a couple of RR's

Candle theme -


and Fall theme -


... so I've been stitching, but nothing big, I really need to get on with some of my WIP's.

We did a wee bit of furniture shopping a couple of days ago and our lounge looks so much nicer - still not magazine showy kind of thing, that won't happen for many many years I imagine LOL, but -



doesn't it look so much nicer than it did a few days ago? Oh, that's right - you never saw it, I wonder why! ... we still desperately need a new lounge suite, but that will have to wait a while. The chest of drawers have lots of my cross-stitch "stuff" in them. I used to have a chest that acted like a coffee table next to the couch where I stitch, that always ended up a big mess because it was such a hassle to open and close it to get anything out. Now everything is in the drawers - a drawer for threads and beads and such, one for WIPs, one for magazines, one for junk ... can't remember what the other one has in it. But it's so nice to pack up my stitching off the couch and put it away and have the lounge actually looking tidy, and I don't know, if feels so much nicer sitting in there stitching when it feels comfy and "nice". We used to have a entertainment unit where the drawers are that dominated the whole room, it's nice to have the TV tucked in the corner out of the way. Also nice to have a real "grown up" coffee table, for years and years we've had little children that were always possibly going to run into corners etc ... our household must finally be getting older :)

That will do with the rambling for now ... if it's quiet this afternoon at work I'll work on some goals and rotation ideas.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

When I grow up ...

I want to be like Carol ... I love checking her blog everyday and seeing her daily update of her stitching, I love the way she sticks to her goals and finishes things! LOL ... so, if I try really hard, do you think I could stick to some goals AND update with pictures everyday? I can only try ... having said that, I don't have time this morning to upload the photos I've taken of recent finishes - all small things (sheesh ... great start, right?).

... and here is my updates on life and stitching -

Stitching
I've been working on small things - I can't seem to focus on anything big right now. I've finished a couple of Lizzie*Kate's and Bent Creek Snowman*. I'm now stitching a couple of RR's that need to go out this week. I also signed up for one of the Ornament RR's and am really looking forward to that. I received my specialty (Crescent Colours) threads the other day for my ornament, so I will be stitching that next and organising it to be all packaged and sent out by the 27th. Then I need to sit down and think about what I want/need to stitch over the next month and make some real goals - I work much better if I have goals to drive myself towards.


Family
Are all well, except Charlotte who has had a bad run. She picked up school sores (a bacteria skin disease, I can't remember the proper name right now) and has been on antibiotics to get rid of those for a week, they looked like they were getting better but then just weren't healing and over the weekend she was quite feverish and not a well little girl at all ... so another weekend trip to the afterhours later and she has new antibiotics and some skin cream, plus a yucky cold virus in her nose/throat/glands ... she's a lot better today, but still whiny and grumpy (oh yay!).

The other kids are all well - all doing well. Rhiannon had another gym competition in the weekend - they all look so cute :)

DH's Job
He accepted a new job with Massey University last week and resigned from his old one, there was a bit of tension and excrement flying ... but after much of that, he left pretty much straight away and got paid some extra to keep his mouth shut, which was an unexpected bonus ... means we've paid off a loan, a couple of bills that we've been putting off and stocked up with firewood ... plus other bits and pieces. He's actually taken a slight pay cut so I'm trying to be sensible and set us up a bit so we hopefully avoid struggle mode for a while (I hate being grown-up, I'd much rather go spend it all on stash! ... oh, okay okay ... I did spend a little bit on stash ... but not as much as I'd like ;) LOL).

Weight Loss
After doing so well for about five months, I've really struggled this past couple of weeks - last week was terrible, I ate everything within sight and handreach and didn't go to my weigh in on Friday. I'm struggling to come right this week and WILL go to weigh in, no matter what. I don't want to slip and put on a whole lot of weight that I've lost ... and know I can in a heart-beat, very easily.

That's all I can think of for now ... stay tuned for more regular up-dates (hopefully!).

Oh, BTW - where have the colour options gone? For the text? ... or am I just being blind?

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

I'm home again :)

After a lovely relaxing weekend away ... I stitched, read, walked, biked ... all as I planned. I hate to admit it, but I was quite pleased to get home too LOL, I probably would have got bored if it had been much longer, but it was soooo nice to be commitment free for a few days/night. I had a pretty freaky drive there, they closed the Desert Road due to snow, and I think I slipped in a little tiny pocket of time that they had the alternative route open, but it was a very very slow drive over that part of the road, lots of snow and lots of ice ... the trip took an extra 2.5hrs and I was pretty tired by the time I got to the motel.

Went shopping Saturday morning and was very very excited to try on a pair of size 16 (NORMAL size!) trousers and find that they fitted! I still can't quite believe it :)

... and of course on to important things - here is what I stitched (finished last night after I'd got home ... but I can count that as the weekend, right?)

The Drawn Thread - Welcome, stitched on a Silkweavers Hand-dyed Linen called Primitive.



Also stitched a little bit of Petal Fairy ... just because I wanted to start it while I was away! LOL I finally decided to stitch this on Jobelyn Waterlily, I did get a hand-dyed Pipi just for it from Countrystitch, but after much debating in my head decided I liked the greenier colour, the pipi is quite brownish.



And while I'm uploading pictures - here is Peace and Plenty that I finished about a week ago -



Oh my gosh, my fingers are freezing - it has definitely turned into winter here, and my hands always seem to feel it more than anywhere else, typing is an adventure!

Righty oh ... it's off to work I go, I need to sort out the continous soccer stuff that never goes away. I'm thinking about finishing with the paid side (read - Senior side) of it at the end of the year, I'm getting really tired of battling with the same old things ... trying to get them to pay their fines (for bad behaviour, yellow and sometimes red card offences), trying to get them to pay their subs and record them properly for me etc etc, I've been doing it for three years and nothing is changing - topped off my DH telling me that when he was down at the clubrooms on Saturday night he saw them hand out the fine invoices and the players just swore, screwed them up and threw them away, and the manager just smirked. Life is too short to put up with that crap. I'll happily carry on with the junior stuff on a voluntary basis ... but I'm really tired of the other stuff.

Anyway - I really do need to go do some boring filing!