and another week goes by ...

Where does time go? I don't really have any stitchy pictures, or fun stuff to write about - so I've been quiet :) I really need to type up some minutes (from a couple of weeks ago and from Monday night), but thought I'd quickly put up some photos before I forget about them!

Here is my first attempt at card making ... I think I've found a new hobby ... eh-oh LOL - I really needed some ribbon to go under buttons, but didn't have any, so made do with some fabric I had -




Then we have Miss Monkey herself - how many other people have footprints to clean off their walls? First one is up a doorway, next one is up the hallway walls - foot on each side ... and yes Mum - I CAN touch the ceiling!

and, lastly, Rhiannon at her gym competition on Sunday - she did "okay" she really needs to work on some strength work which we have set up a bar for her to do at home, I think it's a weakness that the coaches should be taking time to work on rather than the whole class working on the same thing each week ... but that's a whole different rant ;) ... all in all, she always finishes with a smile on her face and does fine - which is the main thing!

As for stitching - I'm working on my exchange piece for Jo - so can't show any pictures :)

Catch you later, gaters ...

Some Pictures ... at last!

Firstly - here is the, oh so cute, Brittercup Kitty that I've stitched up for my mother for Mother's Day - I never know what to buy her, and hadn't bought her anything by the end of last week, knowing I wouldn't see her until tonight - then my stash arrived from SB&B, including the Brittycat charts and I thought one of them would be perfect - I made it into my first ever flatfold and I'm very happy with the result, certainly beats expensive framing! LOL

Then we have the mostly finished ornament from our NZ SAL Ornament of the month - this is Paw Printings - from JCS Ornament Mag 2005 - I need to hand stitch the bottom and add cording - (Kristina - I had more gold thread at home, so don't worry about the extra!)

... and the Mirabilia RR? I've been putting off, and putting off finishing it - worked frantically on Monday night to get it finished and ready to send yesterday. Would you believe? Yesterday I get an email to say that the owner of this particular RR has pulled out - happened to me last month too, definitely not my favourite two I've ever stitched - and they both pulled out just as I'd finished their squares. Such is life, we can never know what walking in someone else's shoes is like and I'm sure both of these ladies had very valid reasons.

Here she is - I stitched the wings.

and lastly, my progress on Summer Fairie QS from HAED - I think I might be nearly half way!



Thanks for looking!

Sunday Morning

Where has the week gone? ... in yet another blur me thinks.

Firstly thank you all so much for your comments and praise on Celtic Summer - we sure have a wonderful community out there. There were a couple of comments from people I haven't "met" before ... and I have looked at your blogs, and fully intend to leave nice comments back :)

I've been doing lots of bitsy things this week ... I think I'm in avoidance mode, in fact I KNOW I've been in avoidance mode. I need to finish and send off the Mirabilia RR tomorrow and still need to finish it off - guess what I'll be stitching tonight? ... so last week, I started Woodland Cottage (need to get back to it after finding a big boo-boo, and needing a DMC colour where I'd be fudging ... and of course I didn't have it ...), I stitched our NZ SAL ornament, except for a few gold crosses where I ran out of thread ... need to finish that off too ... THEN I got some new stash, including the latest Brittykittys ... and decided one would be perfect for my mother for Mother's Day (I didn't see her on Sunday, but we will be there for dinner on Wednesday night so I will give it to her then) ... I've got just a little bit more to do on that - which I will do this morning, and then finish into my first ever flatfold - wish me luck! ... so no pictures, because I'm so close to having a few finished - but not quite there yet!

Oh - and tonight, I WILL be finishing the Mirabilia RR - maybe then I'll settle back into my stitching properly ;)

I've got so many ideas for my Friendship Buddy Jo ... I'm just not sure what one I'm going to do yet ... maybe I should do all of them! LOL

DH has taken the four older children to his parents today ... there is a whole lot of wood there from some pine tree felling that he did a couple of years ago - some cut up, some not - they have a wicked bank at the back of their place, and the pinetrees were blocking their view - so David went and got rid of a few branches, and felled a couple to tidy it up for them, and so we could have the firewood - and of course, then didn't talk to them for a year or two so it's been sitting there or a while. He was going to take the biggest boy and his mate, but the mate has piked out - so as soon as he mentioned that magic word PAY! the other three decided they'd quite like to go ... they WILL be working, all the bits of wood need to be carried up a steep bank and put into the trailer (for those who know NZ - they live in Maungaraki - and look out towards Wellington Harbour - beautiful view!). Which ... leaves me and Charlotte at home, I've got lots of sewing bits I want to do and plan to do that all day - I did say to Charlotte I'd let her help me make something for her, I might cut out a cut square of fabric and she can make a doorknob hanger or something.

Lastly, I'm not sure about putting this here ... but it's my blog, and my thoughts, so I will! - if you're offended or uncomfortable by religious talk ... you don't need to read on ;)

I've been going to a womens groups once a week with a good friend, it's a very Catholic group and I'm not at all Catholic, but they are such a wonderful group of women - that doesn't matter. I've really found myself thinking alot about my Christian faith, and lack of it over the past 10yrs or so - as a teenager I went to a lot of bible classes, church etc and was very touched by it all - but haven't really followed through - I've always thought of myself as a kinda of fence sitter, but living a christian life - does that make sense? Well, we're talking about blessings right now and praying for them, and listening/watching for them ... maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's me finally listening ... but in the last couple of weeks ...

- DH found a job advertisement for a job that sounds perfect, and has an interview on Monday.
- After our Wednesday session ... Thursday he found a letter he'd forgotten about at work that tells him he has a payrise - only a small one, but it's back dated to January, and will get the backpay this pay - just as I was wondering where the heck the money would come from to pay for our van to be warranted and serviced.
- Funny kind of blessing - but one for me - turns of events mean I'm getting my quiet Sunday to sew today.

I've got a wee mantra going on in my head ... I'm listening, I'm listening! LOL

At last!

She is finished - and I love her ... I don't think I really took in how many beads there are, hard work to put on, but really really worth it - I think the colours in this are just beautiful.

Started September 05, Finished 14 May 2006. Stitched on Kiwi Illusions - Riverstone (32ct Evenweave).

It was Mothers Day here yesterday, and I have to say I had a very disappointing day - I didn't expect gifts, I knew our bank account wouldn't allow it and I plan on buying a good photo editing program as soon as we're able as my gift anyway. But I did expect a bit more loving - know what I mean? But it's done and gone, and I'm grumpy, over-worked, over-demanded upon and just plain worn out right now, so a lot of it has got to do with my mood! I got my package from SB&B today in the mail, so that kinda made up for it - one of the nice things about them taking a bit longer is that I've usually forgotten what I've ordered, so it's always a nice surprise to open it! LOL

Because I was having a bad day yesterday, I decided to stitch whatever I wanted (instead of the darn Mirabilia RR I'm putting off finishing) ... and started Woodland Cottage by Elizabeth Designs, I'm really going to have to put it aside and stitch the Mirabilia tonight though ;)



Winter has arrived here ... I'm thinking of lighting the fire after I've picked up Charlotte from Kindy - my hands are freezing!

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mothers out there - I hope you're having a really nice day :)

Celtic Summer

Ha! You thought I was going to say I finished it didn't you? No such luck, I swear the world is against me trying to finish this one. Wednesday night, I got really close - but was too tired to do the last small part of the beading.

Took it work Thursday night, thinking I'd at least have an hour at the end of the shift to finish it, no such luck - work was really busy, definitely no time to stitch!

Friday I managed to sit for about half an hour before I went to work - but didn't quite get to the very last beads before I had to get ready for work, that's okay - I usually have an hour or so when I get home on a Friday night to stitch, so was SURE I'd get it finished last night.

Caught the 8.30pm train, should have got home about 9.30pm. Noooooo a freight train lost it's door and managed to cut off a signal ... which turned the signals off for the rest of trains - got halfway (with the train people getting out and manually checking the points at every section) at about 10.30pm ... into taxis and home about 11.00pm

Saturday today - normally I'd definitely stitch tonight ... nooooo, we're going out for dinner to celebrate DH's sister's 40th birthday - after I've done soccer accounts this morning (which I had with me to do at work on Thursday), after I've taken the kids into a show into Wellington ...

I better get a Mother's Day break tomorrow - that will be the first on my list to do!!!

Weekend Stitching

I'm seriously lacking in stitching time lately - but I did manage to stitch this weekend between soccer games, making bean bags, catching up with work etc etc!

I stitched my "Quick Stitch" last night - because, well, I just felt like it - I should have been carrying on with my Mirablia RR, should have been beading Celtic Summer - but decided to stitch on what I really wanted to :)

Progress is to the left :) Oh! Rhiannon has asked me if I can stitch one of the fairies for her ... awwwwww ... I love it when my little girl is interested in my stitching - so I'm going to let her choose one (could regret that! LOL).

Also - here is the Mirabilia RR I'm stitching on - I must admit I had eyebrows raised when I first pulled this out of the bag it came in, but now I've started adding the wings, I like it more, the lady wants a fairy, but of mixed up charts - I'm doing the wings, they're from Lily the Dreaming Fairy - and lucky enough the chart fits quite well with what was already there AND it is one I have kitted so I have all the sparklies and beads to do it :) (picture below)


and lastly - here is Maisie with her favourite person, Josh - cats are shallow creatures, guess who feeds her every day! LOL ... in the morning when Josh is practicing his flute she sits outside his bedroom door waiting for him to come out because she knows that he will feed her about he's finished.
(I'll come back and post the picture - I've lost it - cut it out to paste it, but now it won't paste!)


Okay, I lied - lastly, lastly ... little Charlotte has been playing Nursery grade soccer this year - DH has been taking her because if I do she will just do her cling on routine, she's been doing REALLY well - so well that she got player of the day on Saturday after scoring the only three goals in her little game :)

A couple of little finishes -

Just to prove that I have been stitching!

Peace Ornament - made up into a little needleroll -



and a Teacup for a RR that actually finished a while ago, but this lady's got lost so has sent around a replacement - threw me really, but I didn't mind stitching a replacement for her :)



Saturday morning here - so soccer morning. DH has taken the middle three and dropped them off at various places and gone to watch Rhiannon in Otaki. I'll be going to watch David and then the end of Cameron's game. It is really nice as they get older and more responsible, Cameron is staying at the main fields and watching Josh, then Josh will stay there and watch Cameron until I get there - MUCH easier than a few years ago when we'd have to have one of us at every game!

Anyway - I better get moving ... quickly tidy the house and make it look like I was busy while DH left with the early run ;)

Oh, and how could I forget - I have my partner for the Friendship Exchange ... and I got Kiwi Jo - I love Jo's blog and am really looking forward to getting to know her better :)

Bye for now!

April Round Up - May Goals

Well, I really lost my way in April - but I enjoyed the stitching I did do!

April Goals:

1. Finish DT - Love and Wisdom - yes!
2. NZ Ornament SAL - Yes!
3. 1 More Ornament - no - started one, but didn't get far.
4. Mirabilia RR and send off - no - there was some muck ups in mailing, and it didn't arrive until last week - this mail out has been put back for two weeks.
5. Finish Celtic Summer - oh, so, so close ... about half the beads to go.
6. Restart Faery Tales - no - but started an experimental QS instead, and made decision to start it on 28ct.
7. 1 other ebay Piece - no - and no excuses for that one!

Funny enough, I'm not sure what I want to finish or stitch this month ... so it might be a wishy washy one. I need to get stuck into doing some ebay pieces, Rhiannon has a possible gym competition in Hamilton in July, and I've decided we will go IF we have the spare money ... so ebay, here I come! I still need to sell Love and Wisdom, I find it hard to find time to actually do the mucking around to get them onto ebay - it shouldn't be that hard, but it's one of those "little" jobs I have trouble finding time to do - partly because I like them to finish during the pm in US time ... so it cuts down the time of day I have to do it.

Here goes ... some wishy washy May goals -

1. Finish tea-cup RR - send off.
2. Finish Mirabilia RR - send off.
3. Two ebay pieces.
4. Finish Celtic Summer (I think this is the 3rd month I have this as a goal!)
5. Stitch on HAED QS Summer Fairy
6. NZ Ornament SAL
7. 1 other ornament

... and just because we all like pictures on blogs - here are my two monkeys -

Rhiannon -

Charlotte -

and I love the look on Charlotte's face of this one ... that intent "I can do this" look!

An Update

So much for daily blogging, I'm turning into a weekly blogger! Life just seems to have been busy lately - I worked a few extra Easter/Anzac breaks and of course, that doesn't make the rest of my life any less busier!

The soccer season kicked off on Saturday and all seems to have gone very smoothly, phew ... that's a big thing in my life - no angry phone calls from parents whose children missed out on teams etc etc ... 650 children successfully processed and happy :)

Yesterday I spent the whole day putting the cricket accounts into MYOB ... all 10 months of them, just need to put in the last months and then next month will be a breeze and they'll be ready to send off to the auditor ready for preparing for the AGM in July ... another *phew*.

Don't I lead an exciting life?

The kids are good - nothing exciting happening in their lives, which is a good thing :)

Stitching - I've finished a couple of things, totally thrown off my rotation - sheesh! I can't even last a month LOL ... I completely blame Karen V this time though ... I saw her Homeward Bound needleroll and fell in love, I've had this kitted up for ages but didn't really know what I was going to do with it, so I'm shamelessly copying her idea ... and stitch To the Sea as well, which I will finish the same :)

Celtic Summer is nearly there - those beads are taking forever, i think I'm about halfway through them now ... I'm hoping to finish it today/tonight though ... then I'll pretend I live in the Northern Hemisphere so that I finished it in April ... not May! LOL

Here is Homeward Bound -



and Setting Sail -



I'll be back later to update my May rotation and April round up!