Let's try this ...

I promised a while ago I'd try to put up a gymnastics video ... I tried at the time and couldn't work it out, I think I have now! The first one is one I took of Charlotte (5yo) this afternoon - doing her self-taught "middle" part of Rhiannon's Level 3 routine (Rhiannon also does some gliding and swinging on the top bar) - what is amazing (to me) is that she has the strength and know-how to pull herself up and over, Rhiannon still has to give a kick to get herself over, Charlotte can do it by upper body strength. The second one is the one I recorded at the beginning of the competition season a few months ago - of Rhiannon's floor routine this year, not the most polished, but it impresses me!!




Watch More Videos Uploaded by http://bebo.com/watchuser/2729145621

Got to keep this up ...

I'm not sure I've got a lot to say, I'm determined to try and keep this blogging thing going! ... then again, once I start rambling who knows how much I've really got to say?





Sunday morning here - Fathers Day - and a quiet one for me ... in fact David has been joking that *I* get the Father's Day, not him ;) ... Cameron is playing soccer over in Carterton (about 1.5hr away), so they left early this morning, Rhiannon went with them - which leaves me with just Josh and Charlotte (David Jnr is at a mates and then will be at work). House is nice and tidy because I had a card-making thing here yesterday, Dad who I planned to see this afternoon is on holiday down the South Island ... which leaves a nice relaxing day - which is nice for a change! My nice relaxing day will include some baking for lunches for the next week, doing a couple of cricket funding things that need to be done today ready to go out tomorrow, lots of laundry and making a gift for Rhiannon's teacher who finishes next week (after 53 years of teaching!).





Kathryn (in NZ) asked me how the girls' gym has gone this year - so I get a valid excuse to ramble on about that! LOL ... they're done really well - Rhiannon has just finished up Level 3 - she came at the bottom of the pack at most competitions (moved from last up to about 5-6th to last), but to be doing the level she is doing she has to be pretty good - so that doesn't give a true reflection. The club have pushed her and her two team mates through the lower grades pretty quickly so they are also usually the youngest and smallest at the competitions (they are all 8yos) - there thinking is that they will now spend the next couple of years with them in Level 4 fine tuning things and it gives them a few years in those higher levels to really polish them off - a lot of the girls winning this year are 12-13yos who haven't got many years left to travel up the higher grades. Makes kinda sense, the main thing is Rhiannon is still loving it :) ... they've moved on to conditioning and training for level 4 next year ... to give some idea - level 4 they do walkovers and cartwheels on the beam, they do a floor routine where they have to choregraph their own routine to music, the bar they start jumping from smaller to higher bar and they start using the "real" vault - so it's a huge step, basically from junior to senior stuff :)





Charlotte (5yo) is doing her last general competition next weekend, after that she will move into the Level 1 class to start training for next year - this girl is just amazing, Rhiannon is good, but has to work - Charlotte seems to have natural gymnastic strength (lucky thing!) - for those who know any of the terminology - she can already pull herself up and over on the bar - Rhiannon still needs a little kick to get herself over, Charlotte can actually pull herself up (like a chin-up) and use her strength to pull herself up. Having said that - she is still 100 miles/hour Charlotte and needs to learn to slow down and be graceful ;)





I'll try and put a link to Rhiannon's floor routine this year - it was at the beginning of the season, so not the most polished routine, but it gives you an idea ;)



I'm going to edit my last post and put in more details for the fabrics for sale - I've had interest in a couple - but mostly they are still all there for the picking!





Sorry I haven't been commenting on anybody's blogs ... I am reading and enjoying :)





I'll leave you with a photo of the three cards I used for a class yesterday - I'm just loving this stuff!

Three Months!!

Oh my gosh - three months! That's how long since my last post ... thank you for the comments I had asking where I was - I'm fine, mostly just busy :) ... and you know how it is, the longer you leave something, the harder it is to get back on the saddle, I've written lots and lots of blogging posts in my head and then time passes and they're not that interesting any more!

I have been stitching and need to dig out the few things I've finished. I DID take pictures of my latest two finishes though - I've done these to give to a good friend who is having an art auction to raise money for her teenage daughter (and others) to go to World Youth Day in Australia next year. I'm so pleased with the way these turned out, not to mention tempted to keep them! LOL - I framed them myself and think I did pretty good job - almost makes me think I need to dig out a few of my unframed ones and just DO IT!

Anyway - Faith and Hope by LHN & Crescent Colours -



Now, another, very cheeky, reason for blogging again is that I've cleaned out my hand-dyed fabrics - I'm hoping that some of you wonderful bloggers out there might want to take them off my hands - I'm at work and have left the list of the names/makes at home, but email me if you want any further details (beckfamily@paradise.net.nz). The reason I'm selling them? My 13yo went to the optomerist last week and we have a $700 bill for glasses to pay for ... which would be fine, but it came the week after a $700 bill to fit the 11yo into contact lenses for playing sport and getting his glasses re-lensed .... not to mention the Melbourne Exchange trip that Mr 13yo is going on and had to be paid for this week. Sooooo we've managed the 11yo big optomerist bill, paid for the Melbourne trip ... but still need to pay off the 13yo Optomerist bill, which we CAN do - but it will take a few weeks - so I figured it would be worth trying to move the fabric I'm probably never going to use and make use of it!

First photo is all 13x18 size - $7.50 each
Second photo is all 9x12 (?? - I think that is right - the "normal" smaller size) - $4.00 each or $24.00 for the whole group.
Third photo is 18x26 size - $15.00 each

I'm not sure what the postage will be - email me, and we can talk details!

Of course the other thing that has been keeping me busy is Stampin' Up! This is going SO well, I'm amazed at how much fun I'm having, how I love the product and how interested everyone else is in it. Stampin/Scrapping hasn't quite taken over my stitching, but it's definitely trying! If you're in NZ and at all interested in seeing this stuff - give me a yell :)

Nice to see you all again - I have been reading blogs and keeping up with everyone ... and admiring all the stitching! Lets see if I can get this up and active again, I have books and finished stitching to add to by sidebars!

Catch you later, gaters!

All about me :)

Sooooo where did this blogger disappear to? Not anywhere really, but a mixture of being busy, personal stuff going on just made me lose my blogging mojo (and stitching mojo a bit too).

I think I bored you with all my DH's work dramas nearly a year ago, and how he'd found his perfect job etc etc ... well for the last few months there were obvious problems, very obvious as I was doing the accounts. As of a few days ago the fanchise he worked for went into liquidation, a couple of weeks ago the franchise head office came in, thought they could sort it and would step in and take over that particular francise, but at the last minute (and very last minute) decided to pull out completely. Which of course left DH with no job. Also no pay for that fortnight he was owed pay for, no notice, nothing - nada nada nothing. Good news is that Head Office really like him and definitely didn't want to lose him, so within a couple of days DH had the same job, same deal (nearly) in Palmerston North. Of course, the missed pay wasn't their responsibility though.

Anyway - we are fine, very fine - but for me anyway, I've definitely been emotionally drained - this was going to be OUR year and so far it's been a continual emotional roller coaster - I didn't say much at the time, but at the beginning of the year I had a very early miscarriage and was emotionally drained for a little while then (probably longer than I care to admit even to myself), just as life was looking up, this happened. Let's just say life can only get better!

In other newsy news ...

I've had my first Stampin' Up workshop and it went well - I was a nervous wreck, but it went fine and the friends I invited all seemed to enjoy themselves, and I have a couple of bookings from that first one, so hopefully business is nearly ready to roll :) I'm going to set myself up another blog that is just for my stamping - when I get time! LOL

I've had my first School Trustees meeting and it went okay - I'm still not sure I know what I'm doing, but am going on a couple of courses over the next month or two - so that should help, I'll learn as I go - I'm definitely looking at this as a way of leaving my comfort zone and learning and educating myself :)

Stitchingwise - I did indeed finish Sampler Gameboard but have given it to Katrina to show at her annual exhibition ... and never took a photo of it, I will do when it comes back. I finished LHN "The Rose in the Morning" last night and then started a canvas - not something I've really done before but I've had the kit for a long time and for some reason I'm quite bored with my crosses lately, so it was nice to pick up something and feel a bit of the old excitement at starting something new. Pictures later ...

One of my big goals this year was to start painting the inside of our house - about a week ago I finally got stuck in and have managed to scrub down the toilet walls - and haven't had time to get in there since! I'm hoping to over the next week or so though ... I can't wait to get to the changing colour, exciting part - the cleaning and sanding is okay, I feel quite empowered ;) ... but definitely not the fun part.

The kids are all good - we've hit soccer season so our Saturdays are madness, gym competitions start to roll this weekend as well - so that's more weekend busyiness! This weekend however, I'm going on a quilting retreat! ... I *think* I'm looking forward to it - its a bit of a last minute fill in for someone else who can't make it, so I have a little bit of prep work to do before I leave, not mention I don't have any quilting on the go so might need to dig something out to actually do - but it will be nice to get away and spend time with my sewing machine and like minded people. Sadly, the reason I'm going is because DH's Aunty Betty is in hospital and can't make it - I'm going with Deb - DH's cousin, Betty's daughter - Aunty Betty is waiting to see what they will do with her badly damaged knee ... there is talk of her losing her leg :(

I think thats all the dribble I have for now ... I need to stop procrastinating and go do the cricket work I'm supposed to be doing! I will take some pictures and write more interesting entries very very soon - I promise!

April into May

Well, here I am ... not quite disappeared. It's been a hard and busy couple of weeks - I'll get into that another time. For now, I need to sort out my goals :)

April Roundup

1. Finish Stargazer - No - still some beads to do.
2. Participate in Needleroll SAL - Yes
3. Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL - No
4. Pinkeep Exchange - Yes
5. Work on Faery Tales - No
6. Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares - Only 2 - but a Yes
7. Stitch 2 L*K Blessings - Yes
8. Work on PIF Gifts - No
9. Finish Sampler Gameboard - Yes!

I need to take a photo of Sampler Gameboard ... it is indeedy ALL finished :D

May Goals

1. Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares
2. Stitch 2 L*K Blessings
3. Finish Stargazer
4. Work on PIF Gifts
5. Work on Faery Tales
6. Needleroll SAL
7. Ornament SAL
8. Catch up Ornament from last month
9. Finish LHN - The Rose in Morning
10. Work on one of my old WIPs

Only four more houses to finish building!

Sampler Gameboard has suddenly grown and reached the nearly finished stage ... it's only taken about five years! LOL




I've been ignoring the border - hopefully once the inside is all finished the border will be a breeze because it will be so close to being finished. I'd like to work on it all weekend and finish it - but I really need to stitch up a pin-keep for the pin-keep exchange, I'm hopeless at leaving things until the last minute - but I do know it should be a pretty quick thing to do, hopefully!





Here is a picture of where I am at -







It's been a busy week here, what with gym camp for a couple of days, working, entertaining children ... just the usual, but it seems to have been go go go.





Back to school next week - I have to admit that although I'll miss sleeping in and not rushing out the door just before 9.00am - I am looking forward to having the house to myself for a few hours a day ... and not listening to the bickering ;) ... okay, okay ... they don't bicker ALL the time - right now they are all playing cards together - so they can be good!


Righty oh - I need to get off here and tidy the house a wee bit, and then take Charlotte to her gym class ... ever get the feeling my life is dominated by soccer and gymnastics?

Just a little needleroll

This weekend was Needleroll SAL weekend - organised by the lovely Katrina - I picked out a little chart, thinking I could cheat and have it all stitched Saturday night, of course it took a little bit longer, and I finished the stitching and hem stitch last (Sunday) night, and finished it completely off this morning. I think it's rather sweet, even if it just a little one ;)

Love of Needlework Exchange

I received a wonderful package in the mail last week from Judith for the Love of Needlework Exchange. Isn't this box just the most cleverest thing??? I loved opening it up and finding the lovely silks hiding inside :) Thank you again Judith, you did a really good job, I love it, and the goodies!

Silly me ...

I came to sit here and finally update my blog and was going to mention my lovely children who are outside skipping, and what a wonderful old fashioned pastime it is ... even in todays generation (hear the flowerly music in the background?) ... HA! by the time I'd signed on, started to upload pictures, they were yelling at each other and Charlotte in tears. I'm sure those with big families will hear me when I say there are different combinations at different times that get on very well, and also those combinations that are just plain hard work ... right now, the worst combination in our household is Josh (12.5yo), Rhiannon (8yo) and Charlotte (5yo) - actually it is really a Josh and Charlotte clash - his sense of rightness and perfectionist does not combine well with her 5yo wanting her own way and being very vocal and strong about getting it, no matter at what cost .... *sigh* lucky enough I do know, that six months from now they could quite possibly be getting on wonderfully as the shifting and sliding of personalities and ages changes ;)

Okay ... on to fun things ... I forgot to update my L*K Blessings and Advent Calendar SAL last time I posted ... so here are the pictures of those - as you can see I stitched one of the Advert Calendar squares the wrong way - just as well I plan to cut them out and make individual ornaments! LOL



... and an update of Sampler Gameboard - I managed to finish that bottom corner over the past week - it really feels like its starting to grow and maybe just maybe I can see the end of it getting closer (I've only been working on it since I dunno, about 2002 maybe?)


Lastly, three cards I made yesterday - Friday night at work (yes, those girls who know me, it WAS very quiet again LOL), I looked through the Split Coast Stampers website and managed to find a page with all their old sketches on it - not only do I plan on joining this wonderful site soon, I also plan on trying to do some of their challenges each week. Anyway, I printed out the old sketches got each lovely child to pick a number from 1 to 119 (the number of sketches there are) and then made myself make a card from that number they picked out (see, the kids DO come in use!) - these are the result - the "tall" card, I'm not that thrilled with - it needed some paper or something else in the background ... although I'm pretty sure one of the girls' friends would be delighted with it ;) - I don't always feel very creative, so it was a great way to have a start point and work from there.

In other family happenings - Cameron is away in Taupo with a soccer mate at the moment, he left Friday and comes back Monday (hence *really* having the two girls and Josh combination happening), I imagine he is having an awesome time, another friend's father has just been transferred up there, they're not moving for a few months (father is commuting for a while) but have bought a holiday home there which is just down the road from the friend (who Cameron is with)'s holiday home (well, garage plus caravan apparently) - so the three boys will be having a great time. Rhiannon had a kidney infection a couple of weeks ago so last week she went in for a scan to make sure there is no permanent damage - we did that Friday and will see the doctor for results on Tuesday - the radio-whatsit lady didn't say much, but did say they look good - I'm pretty sure they will be - but you always worry!

This is our last weekend before the crazy soccer season starts, all five kids are playing so it gets busy! ... as of right now we have two soccer training sessions on Monday night, two gym sessions on a Tuesday night, two soccer training sessions on a Wednesday night, one gym and one soccer session on a Thursday night ... and nothing on a Friday night, then five games plus two gym training sessions on a Saturday - welcome to our world LOL (and still haven't heard when Rhiannon's team will be training).

I think that's enough rambling for one day ... I need to go make another cute bag - this one for a friend of the two girls - it is her Birthday party on Tuesday, our spending money is kinda non existent right now, and it is at those times I love being able to put something together from my fabric stash ;)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

I've been happily busy

Life is good when I'm busy with craft projects ... the last month I've been very busy doing an accounts job for DH's work - mostly that is finished, well I'm waiting to see what happens next, so hopefully I'm back to my usual, never really quite quiet, life.

Easter weekend always seems to be a weekend that arrives just as our household needs to chill out a bit, and this year was definitely no different. I had a lovely productive weekend - probably helped by the fact that Little Miss Charlotte went and stayed with friends for a couple of nights - she is a lovely, bright, fun child ... but always busy, busy, busy ... I think everyone enjoys a break from that busyiness - she had a fabulous time with Deb and Jim and the little girl of another friend - Hine Tewhai and Charlotte are great together and always enjoy each others company - and for Deb and Jim, two busy five year olds who play really well together is easier than having just one!

Anyway ... this weekend, I finally sewed up the four pair of bike pants (for gym training) I've being going to do for a while, did a bit of stitching and made a bag. I'm not going to show Stargazer until she is finished now, I'm very slowly putting the beads on - I tend to do an hour or two and then put her aside and do something else for a while, I'm working tonight and will take her with me and should just about finish. I've also been working on Sampler Gameboard the last couple of nights ... I'm almost at that "I can really do this and finish it stage" but not quite yet. Do you have that point? I find I have four very definite points when I'm stitching something big - the first thrill of a new project, then the oh my gosh this is going to take ages and I'm bored of it point, then there is that - I'm through that bored point and am enjoying it and can see the finish, then thrill of the finish. That second point is where lots of things get put away or move very slowly ;)

Anyway - pictures!

Firstly - here is my Love of Needlework Exchange - Myrna has received it, minus the card I forgot to put in ... and have to admit is still sitting on my desk - I've haven't got near the Post Office since I sent the parcel off (big BLUSH).

Here is Sampler Gameboard - I'll probably just take a picture of the parts I work on from now on in ... it's school holidays here for a couple of weeks so I'm hoping for lots of stitching time and progress on this one!

and my last bit of productivity this weekend was this bag -

Deb and I were looking at pictures of bags on the internet a while bag ... she will be amazed I waited this long to try it out! Kath and I went shopping last week and I bought the fabric then, Jo was very timely in posting her link to how to make the flowers ... so with a bit of help from my blogging friends the bag came out just as I wanted - Rhiannon loves it!

As I sit here I can hear children bickering ... I hope this isn't going to carry on for the next two weeks, think of my sanity if it is!

Oh, and lastly, I'm very nervously sending my application away to become a Stampin Up! demonstrater today - they are just starting in NZ and I've been battling with myself as to whether I want to do this and have finally come to the conclusion that I already love the products (all the cards I love seem to use their products, and on going to look for them I stumbled upon the fact they were going to open up here in NZ this month) - and it's time to put myself out there, swallow my shyness and go for it - I think I will regret it if I don't.

and very lastly, my last bit of news - I got voted onto the Board of Trustees for our school - I'm feeling very proud that our school community had enough faith to vote me in and also a bit nervous about the commitment and skills I might or might not have ... not to mention that it is a three year term! This year is looking like it will be my "get out of your comfort zone" year ;)

I hope everyone had a great Easter ... I might have more time to comment on blogs for the next couple of weeks, here's hoping!

While Mum's away ... the

boys will play ...

I worked late today ... kids got themselves home, oldest son "babysat" ... I talked to him just before I left work and he told me had a surprise ... always a worry when your 15yo tells you he has a surprise, and giggles ...

You just have to laugh, don't you?

Brings back memories of being halfway through cutting my friend's (beautiful long thick black) hair ... as her mother walked in after forgetting something as she went out for the night, I still remember the stony filthy look we got as she left and said she'd deal with us in the morning ROTFLOL!!

March into April

March Round-Up

It's been a busy month - but I did okay! LOL

1. Work on Stargazer - YES
2. Stitch 2 Sampler Gameboard Squares - NO
3. Participate in the Needleroll SAL - YES
4. Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL - YES
5. Pinkeep Exchange - NO
6. Love of Needlework Exchange - YES
7. Work on Faery Tales - NO
8. Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares - YES
9. Stitch two L*K Blessing - YES
10. Work on five PIF gifts - Started

April's Goals

Did you notice, I put Sampler Gameboard in ... might be a bit hopeful, but hey - I might as well try!

1. Finish Stargazer
2. Participate in Needleroll SAL
3. Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL
4. Pinkeep Exchange
5. Work on Faery Tales
6. Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares
7. Stitch two L*K Blessings
8. Work on PIF Gifts
9. Finish Sample Gameboard (Gulp!!)

Here I am, at last!

Can you believe it is April already? I swear March swept past in a blur - maybe April will be quieter ... here's hoping!

Not a whole lot of stitching update - I've been working way too much, today is my first day at home on my own with no pressing work to get done in a while. So after I've updated here I'm off to do some much needed housework, send off my Love of Needlework Exchange (a couple of days late - sorry exchange partner!), buy a beading needle (I have NO idea what I've done with the couple I had) and then maybe sit and stitch a while :)

I've finished stitching up my needlework exchange, but that is a surprise - so I can't show you that ;)

I CAN show you my Christmas Ornament SAL -

Joy - The Drawn Thread
stitched on a natural linen

and I can also show you Stargazer ... I've started the beading! I'm so excited to be so close to finishing another Mirabilia, and another biggish piece from my WIP list!

As it was the 1st yesterday, I started the next square on our NZ group Blessings SAL - I really look forward to those little squares each month :)

Some stitching progress!

Here is Stargazer - I've been working on her quite a bit for the last week or so, and loving her :) I'm at a point now where a few good stitching days and I'll have the crosses finished ... this lady has a LOT of beads though, and I have to admit that beading is far from my favourite thing - they'll be worth the hard work, but I'm not looking forward to them!

and just because I can't do a blog entry later without a bit of paper art ... here is the canvas I forgot to photograph the other day - this is my DH with a little 2yo Rhiannon (she is 8yo now) - I think Rhiannon might be looking at a dog, she is now petrified of them - and I can see the worry in her eyes even in this photo ;)

Righty oh - I need to go get some dinner on etc etc ... I'm working again tomorrow, and Friday - I really wanted to get my sewing machine out and do some finishing this week, but it just hasn't happened (and yes, Deb - try a bag as well! LOL) - maybe this weekend, Sunday might be quiet ... if not, roll on next week!

Cards, cards, cards ... and no stitchy photos!

I think I need to change from "Stitchie" Kiwi to ... um ... something else Kiwi! LOL I have stitched, I joined in the needleroll SAL last week, but stitched a little something, plus a matching little something for an exchange so I can't show you pictures. Then I got really busy this week and hardly had time to stitch at all. I think I said that I'd started doing the accounts for DH's work - planning on doing them once a week - well they are SUCH a mess from not being done properly for a couple of months, plus Head Office were screaming for them to be sorted out so I ended up working Wed, Thurs and Fri last week - as well as the usual ferrying kids around - all that working time eats into precious stitching time! Even my normal job was busy on Thursday night ... not good planning at all ;) I'm planning on a full day back at DH's office tomorrow, Mondays are our no after school activities day so I'll get the teenager to baby sit and work until 5.00pmish - hopefully meaning I'll finish everything off ... I have to do the big reconcile, so we'll see.

I have been making cards though :) These are a couple of weeks worth - The blue and pink dresses below, I did yesterday - the "bees" I did last week sometime - I came across a tutorial on adding ribbons in a blog somewhere last week, so suddenly I'm using even more ribbon LOL

These ones I did last weekend - I was trying to make cards with the cool paper I've picked up, and not a lot of stamping, and these were the result :) The Friendship one is based on a sketch - probably from 2 Peas? I've been doing a lot of surfing for ideas, and should really write down where I get them from! Anyway - I really like the layout of that particular card - and used again as I did with the Bee one in the picture above.

and these ones are from maybe the week before - just trying to do different things with the same stamp. I am seriously stamp challenged - I have discovered LOTS I love on Trademe and Ebay ... but finances rule at the moment so I can't go and spend what I'd like ... which probably isn't a bad thing!
and lastly - this is one Charlotte and I made for Daddy yesterday - she wanted to do one "with" me ... she coloured in the soccer balls while I stuck the paper on, I then put the cellotape on and she "placed" the soccer balls ... she wrote on the inside.

and speaking of Charlotte - here she is at gym last week - she has started the "pre" competitive class this year and is loving it - I wanted at least one good photo and this is the best I got - I told her to stand still but she just couldn't quite do it ... so we lost her arms ;)

They are entering these girls into a "general" gym competition to give them a taste of the real thing - I think its in May - so they're practicing very simple beam, bar, vault and floor routines - they're very cute ;) Rhiannon is doing Level 3 this year and working really hard - so, between the two of them I think we spend about 8hrs/week at the gym - I need to start a new piece of knitting!

Rhiannon and I are doing a Parent and Child class at the local scrap booking shop this afternoon - should be a lot of fun ... we're making a box, I'm picking a pretty simple one as its aimed to kids, but Rhiannon loves that sort of thing, and loves one on one with her Mummy - DH has been busy working and with Cameron's Cricket Rep team for what seems countless weekends lately, so I'm looking forward to a few hours out and leaving him with the mess of the house and running around after the other kids.

Hopefully I'll have more stitching updates next week! I was aiming for Thursday being a VERY stitchy day last week and it just didn't happen ... maybe this week it will :)

Gosh, I uploaded these pictures on Monday, so I could update my blog at work - and then haven't got to it! So once again, its been nearly a week :)

These are the three squares I've stitched for the JBW Advent Calendar us NZ Gals are doing as a stitch-along - I'll try and do three of these, plus two of the L*K Blessings over the next couple of months to catch me up and give me time to do the borders when I finally get to ordering the extra threads I need.

and here are the two Blessings - see the light blue in the hat of "Charity"? I stitched most of that light blue on Sunday night and then had to unpick it on Monday ... I was so tired I felt like I was stitching under the influence ... I looked at it Monday and the stitching was awful, I'd missed a couple of holes and even funnier, had used three threads - I really think I was stitching it while asleep ... asleep with my eyes almost open LOL (I stitch Charity and Hope this month).

and here's what I've been stitching this past week - just couldn't quite put her down to do anything else! I will now though and do a needleroll for the SAL weekend - not sure which one yet though!

Have a nice weekend wherever you are, and whatever you are doing!

February to March

February Round Up - I met ALL of my goals this month, isn't that exciting!!

Finish Ashley's Roses - DONE
Stitch 2 Sampler Gameboard Squares - DONE
Participate in the Needleroll SAL - DONE
Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL - DONE
Work on at least two other WIPs - DONE
Re-start Faery Tales -DONE
Stitch 2 Advent Calendar Squares - DONE
Stitch one L*K Blessing - DONE

March Goals - which will be very similar to Februarys, especially as that particular rotation/aspirations seems to be working :)

1. Work on Stargazer
2. Stitch 2 Sampler Gameboard Squares
3. Participate in the Needleroll SAL
4. Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL
5. Pin Keep Exchange
6. Love of Needlework Exchange
7. Stitch on Faery Tales
8. Stitch three Advent squares (already done!)
9. Stitch two Blessings (one done, other one should be this afternoon)
10. Work on five PIF gifts - I don't think these are going to be stitched ;)

Rotation will stay the same, I can't say I've been completely sticking to it, but enough so that it seems to be working really well - do you think I might have found a formula that works? A few SALs to participate in to keep my interest levels high, a couple of definite days for definite projects, and a few days where I basically stitch what I feel like ... my crafting life/world is GOOD :)

Another week, another update

Gosh, a week goes by fast! ... I admire the people who can update their blogs daily ;)

Nothing terribly exciting happening in my world - so I'll leave you with a photo update -

Here is my ornament from February's Christmas Ornament SAL - "Joy Tree" from M Designs, from the 2005 JCS Ornament Magazine (I think 2005). I picked the cotton first (a Needle Necessities), and then was lucky enough to have the perfect coloured petite beads in my bag of odds and ends - I love it when it works like that :)

and here is what I've been doing in my spare time this week - rather than stitching or blogging ;) ... my walking buddie mentioned on Monday morning that she needed to find a gift for an exchange at the school she works at - so I offered to cover a notebook for her, as I said, any excuse to shut myself away and create! So here is Joan's notebook -

Then of course another friend saw it and asked if I'd do one for her daughter to give her friend for her 16th Birthday this weekend ... then David asked if I'd get a gift for another girl whom birthday he was going to - funny enough, both were Rebeccas - but Becki and Bex ... I worked on those two at the same time and did mostly the same.

.. of course, I have been stitching, I still like my time in front of the telly at night with needle in hand. I've done a bit of work on Stargazer, and will work on her Monday and Tuesday evenings this week too, I'll take a picture after that - I'm hoping she will be my next Mirabilia finish before starting Rose of Sharon with Pat as a SAL ... if I can get two finished and only start one, I'll feel so much better about my WIP list LOL.

Time to go off and update how I went with my goals in February and set new ones for March :)

As always - thank you for all the lovely comments :)

Sara - I'm not sure why I put Ashleys Roses down for so long - I think that 2000/01 time was a time when I started a LOT of things (being absolutely overwhelmed by suddening discovering all that was out there), but was also the time I had Charlotte and started my soccer work, both which suddenly sent me into a way too busy, and I think slightly depressed, state - so lots of starts and not a lot of finishes happened in that time of my life :)

Where have I been?

Hmmm ... so where have I been? No where exciting at all LOL ... I just seemed to lose my blogging mojo, not to mention my stitching mojo. I'm settling into a whole new routine of having all the kids at school and having 9am-3pm, 5 days a week, that is basically my own. It's not that I don't have lots to do, but the whole "being on my own" is still like a special treat :) I'm actually keeping pretty busy - I'm still doing my cricket job which took up a couple of days last week, basically catching up from things I've put off over the holidays. I'm walking four mornings a week with a friend - we leave at 6.30am 3 days during the week and walk 8km, and on a Sunday morning leave at 7.30am and walk 10km. I've also just agreed to input the accounts for DH's work - I'll be doing this on a Friday before I leave for my normal job - means I'm out of the house all day, and working all day - but it's a wee bit of extra money, means I'm involved in the business (which over the next few years I think the franchise's idea is for the present owner and DH's boss to become more of a silent partner and for DH to take over more and more working up to a profit share/part ownership) - so it's good for me to be involved too :)

So, definitely still busy - but also time to craft and smell the roses which has been lovely.

Charlotte has settled into school very easily - the teacher stopped me a couple of days ago to say she is doing really well and is such a lovely, happy, open child (not sure about the "open" - probably means she's been telling her stories and our secrets! LOL). She's already moved her up a reading group, we couldn't have hoped for a better start for her.

Okay ... on to the crafting, I've been bitten by the paper-craft bug, really really badly ... I have all sorts of ideas I want to try and things I want to do - it's probably just as well we're still waiting for a nice bonus from DH's work ... I have so many things I want to buy! LOL ... I think one of the reasons I'm loving it so much is the beautiful paper/card out there - it's very like the quilting fabric thing ;) I've set myself up a table in DH's garage (much to his disgust), and it is perfect for being able to leave all my stuff out and just come and go as I please and am able.

So, on to the pictures ...

Firstly - Ashley's Roses - all FINISHED!!! I started this, I think, maybe about 2000, I know that my last progress picture before I picked her up again was January 2001 - and there wasn't a lot done. It is so nice to have a Mirabilia/bigger piece crossed off my WIP list. I've promised the two girls this one for their bedroom - just need to find the extra pennies to get it framed.

Ashleys Roses - Stitched on Sky Blue 28ct Lugana

Started approximately 2000, Finished February 2007

Then there is Sampler Gameboard, another long standing WIP - I read on a blog somewhere, sorry, I can't remember who's or where!! that there was a SAL on the 20th of each month, so I decided to join in, I hope nobody minds - let me know if it is you I am gate-crashing :) So, 20th of this month, I did indeed pull it out and spend a couple of nights doing two squares - here is where it is at now -

Lastly, a couple of the latest cards from the latest obsession! The pink one is obviously a great little girl one, Rhiannon has told me that she is not giving it to any of her friends for their birthdays because she'd be jealous that they had it and not her LOL

Oh, and I should tell you all about my adventure, so you can LAUGH at me LOL ... I decided it would be a great idea to bike to the office on Tuesday, rather than drive - the office (sports office for cricket) is in Waikanae - which is across the river from us - I live on the other side of the river, just a hop, skip and a jump walking or on a bike, but a drive up to the main highway and back down if you go by car. Sooooo I couldn't quite work out how to bike down next to the river so biked up the road once I'd crossed the walking bridge - took a while, talked to the sports person at the office and he gave me some good instructions on how to get to the "walkway" down the side of the river, mentioned there might be a couple of places I'd have to carry my bike over some rocks. Ah, yeah - found it okay, found the rocks - HUGE boulders! LOL to carry my bike across, all was going well - just as I was leaving the stony part of the track and had come to the easy biking walkway/road I realised my tyre was flat :( ... I ended up walking the I'd say about 6km, all the way home ... in the hottest part of day, with no sun screen ... I was a hot and bothered girl by the time I got home ... BUT the river is so beautiful, we - the family - just don't spend enough time appreciating the great environment we live in! I need to replace my road tyres back with some good mountain bike thick ones, and I'll go back and do it again :)

Lastly, I've had three acquaintances - SIL, woman I work with, mother from school - lose one of their parents this week, they say deaths come in threes and I'll be certainly thinking of them and their families.

More cards and a finish!

I'm loving making cards :D ... in fact, I got DH to put a table into the garage for me over the weekend so I can take my stuff in there, spread out ... and leave it there - rather than having to clear the dining room for dinner! ... Of course, yesterday I needed a card for Charlotte to take to a birthday party, so I just "quickly" got a few things out - maybe today I'll carry a few things through to the garage and set myself up. Anyway - here are yesterday's cards - two the same (do other people do that, if I'm going to make one, I might as well make two at a time!)

and a stitching finish! Here is Lizzie*Kate's Winter Sampler - I started these samplers, oh so many years ago - probably about 2001ish, that seems to be when I started a LOT of things, probably coincided with about the same time I discovered online shopping and the internet stitching community. Anyway, I've had Autumn and Spring finished for quite a while - Winter is on my WIP list. Only Summer to go now! I started that as well :)

Lizzie*Kate - Winter Sampler
Stitched on a tan coloured fabric - can't remember excatly what it is!
Finished 18 February 2007

I also finished Ashley's Roses last night ... but you will have to wait until later for a picture, I'd uploaded these ones yesterday and then ran out of time to post!

Look what I did today :)

Kids finally went back to school, I did a whirlwind clean as quick I could clean around the house ... and went and bought supplies to cover a notebook for Charlotte. She has just started in the pre-competitive class for gymnastics, where they start with a notebook that travels with them right through the levels, recording all their championship scores etc. At this level it's used for little congratulatory notes and stickers after each lesson. Seemed liked a good excuse to try covering a notebook, something I've had in my head to do for a while!

It's by no means perfect - I wrote the "ym" and it looked wrong, so drew and cut out the letters, but they didn't quite cover the writing, no matter how I arranged them - so the flowers are put to cover the line, I might still move that one off and just let the little line, that probably only I'd notice, show.

I need to buy a good alphabet stencil or stamp for letters like that - anybody got good ideas or suggestions?

Charlotte loves it - that's the main thing! Plus, I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon creating while having a lovely quiet house :)

Paul Shell Needle Roll

While I was sorting through my stash I found this chart, along with the dyed cottons with it, and thought I really must stitch it up - it seemed perfect for a needleroll, and therefore perfect for the first needleroll SAL for 2007 :)

Here it is before being finished up into a needleroll - not a great photo, I took it last night quickly before I finished it off.

Paua Shell Sampler - Designed by Cherry Parker

White Lugana - 28ct, I think. Finished 12 February 2007

and finished as a needleroll, it's a bit longer than I expected, and I didn't have the right coloured ribbbon, I might leave the black - or might replace it when I get near a shop to buy some more.

The kids are still off school today - expected back tomorrow. Temporary classes were being trucked there last night, I think, and the teachers are going into today to work on helping get them ready and plan out how to handle the kids etc. I think they have to finish demolishing the damaged classrooms today and make everything safe as well.

So, instead of getting down at wondering when I'm finally going to get everyone off to school and the house to myself ;0) ... a friend and I are meeting at the pools this morning - we might as well enjoy the sunshine! I'll ignore my bombsite of a house until tmorrow.

I got up at 6.30 and met my friend for a walk, I've breakfasted and showered and have a batch of muffins baking to take with us ... should be a nice day :)

WIP, a Finish and Family Chat

Linen and Lace all finished! Once I picked this up again I got quite enthused about it, and managed lots of stitching the last couple of days to get it all finished - as with all Drawn Thread charts - it is so pretty, and as always a fun stitch with the different speciality stitches. I've lost the heart somewhere - it came with the kit, and having transported this one back and forth to work a few times, I think it must have slipped out somewhere - not the end of the world, but annoying!

The Drawn Thread - Linen and Lace

Stitched on Kiwi Illusions Merino, Lugana 32ct

Started end of 2006, finished February 8, 2007

Ashley's vine of roses are finished :) ... I was a good girl and stuck to my rotation on Monday and Tuesday - which also happened to be good stitching days/evenings - and I got the top part with all the roses all finished. I might just finish this in the next couple of weeks!

Mummmm - don't be so grumpy all the time ...

... and why wouldn't I be, wouldn't you be? This is a photo taken after biggest son had come home from his couple of hours at school, then left again to meet his friends - he couldn't see the problem? Ummm your bedroom is bad enough, now you're obviously undressing as you walk into it and leaving the mess as you go? This is SUCH a typical image of him at the moment, I couldn't resist taking a snap of it ;)

Today was to be my first day of everyone back at school, the younger four went back to primary school on Wednesday, today is the first whole day for David at high school. But it's not to be, tragically, two of the school's classrooms were destroyed by fire early this morning, so primary school children all have the day off. They'd just started the year to finally having most of the building and renovation work finished at the school, including the administration block all being redone - apparently that has been damaged in the fire too. I really feel for the teachers who must have had all their resources in those classrooms - you can rebuild walls, but not notes and books.

I'll go to work an hour later (I usually leave an hour before school finishes and David Jnr babysits when they all arrive home - so I need to wait until he comes home), I think I'll take the kids to the pools for an hour or two before work, it's been pretty hot here (although not so bad today), the pools should be quite empty with all the other schools open!

Needleroll SAL this weekend - as I've been looking/sorting through all my charts etc I found a Kiwi design I'd forgotten I had - Paua Shell by Cherry Parker - I've got the speciality threads I need in with the design, so I think I will stitch that. Life is unbelievably not so busy for me right now and I'm loving the extra stitching time its giving me!