Stitchie Kiwi

It's been a while - new blog

2011-07-05T10:50:00.000+12:00

I'm not sure anyone looks here anymore!

I'm still crafting, and miss the crafting community and keeping track of things I've done. Life has moved on, as it does.

I've decided to start a new blog to try and combine everything in my life - my crafting, my marathon training, and my family ... and life in general - you can follow me there if you want :)

My New Blog

I've been a hopeless blogger ...

2009-09-02T13:56:00.003+12:00

But I'm still alive! Still stitching, but not nearly as much - I'm lucky if I sit a couple of nights a week with it. Stampin' Up kind of took up a lot of my creativity, I've loved the journey - I'm taking things quieter with it for now as life is permanently very busy and sad fact is that I can't do everything!

So of interest to my stitching buddies? I'm stitching the "C" fairy from Nora Corbett right now, when I'm finished with that I have to stitch the "R" ... I was SO excited when the R came out and she was called Rhiannon! Funny enough, if Charlotte hadn't been Charlotte, she would have been Cassandra :) So yeah, still stitching :)

So why a post all of a sudden? I thought I should tell you about my new blog - not sure if anyone is really interested (okay, I know Faith-Ann is :) :)), but I've set a new blog ... my journey to running the London Marathon next year. Yeah, can you believe it? I'm going to run a marathon - you'll have to read the blog to learn more about it!

http://journeyfromfattolondonmarathon.blogspot.com/

Maybe if I get time, I'll actually update here with some stitching pictures, no promises though!

~Lisa

Watch that sun ...

2008-09-11T11:05:00.002+12:00

Wow, I just heard that my sister's best primary/high school friend has only weeks to live. Skin cancer - she is only 37yo.

Wow, I know they keep telling us, but when it hits that close it really makes it real :(

So listen to the ads, cover up and wear that sun screen!!!

Go Paula!

2008-09-09T07:42:00.002+12:00

Our first gold medal at the Paralympics, won in the cycling by Paula Tesoriero. I would say, I was surprised to hear her name mentioned as we were half watching the Opening Ceremony - but my natural reaction is more "wow, we always said she'd do something".

Paula was one of my original Rally girls - Every Girls Rally, that is - a bit like Girl Guides but run by the church, I was a Rally girl that went onto to be a Leader right up until my married family life got too busy. I haven't seen or heard of Paula for years, but back then she was an incredibly gutsy determined little girl. When we played games, she often won, and if she didn't she always gave it 110% to make sure she was just like everyone else.

So no, I wasn't surprised to hear her name - but happy to hear that that little girl really had come along way, just like I expected her to. Congratulations Paula!

No snow like Pauline ... but ...

2008-06-08T19:23:00.004+12:00

TWISTER!!! ... well, we're pretty sure it was a twister, we live close to the beach and am thinking we are in the direct line of storms meeting from either side of Kapiti Island and making a twister - about 7yrs ago we had our front gate ripped off from a freak water twister.

I was at home with Josh last night when what I thought was a huge (as in OMG, that wind hit HARD) gust of wind bringing in the Southerly storm from the South Island hit. David came home and asked if I'd seen the front gate, it had been whipped backwards and broken it's post.

We got woken this morning by the boy next door knocking on our door to ask if we'd see our backyard!

Next door neighbour's tree uprooted ...

and landed on our garage -

and our outdoor furniture (one table broken) knocked around, AND our back fence blown right down -

We don't know for sure if it was a twister, but we're pretty certain it was - you can actually see the path it has travelled, our neighbours in front of the neigbours with the tree, didn't have any damage at all - it looks like it landed on the road in front of us, raced down the side of our house, and then turned and ran down the fence line, there are a few fences looking down that way that have been damaged.

Pretty scary stuff - I'm glad I didn't realise what it was when it actually hit!

Hello :)

2008-05-08T10:39:00.004+12:00

How about I just pretend I've been here every day for last, um so many, months?

I have been stitching, but not a lot, since I've joined Stampin' Up (loving it!), I've been doing a lot more cards and scapbooking. But, you'll never catch me watching TV in the evening without stitching in my hand! (... of course, I work 3 evenings, have workshops and meetings ... which = not as many evenings in front of the TV as I'd like!). I can't say anything is particular grabbing me right now though, I think I've lost that stitching mojo for quite a while now.

Anyway, I DO have an update :) ... because I can't "just" sit, and because I've always admitted to being a stitcher who just enjoys the de-stressing process, I've been stitching on Faery Tales. I've just finished page 2! (well not *the* page 2, but a whole second page of stitching). When I started this, I started it about 3 times, the fabric was wrong the first couple of times, then I started and realised I had the fabric the wrong way ... so when I finally started it, again, I started on page 2 - I just couldn't bear to re-start page 1.

So this is page 2 and page 8 (I think) - I think I'll work on page 1 and 3 at the same time next.

AND ... there are 40 pages ... I wrote down the date on the chart when I started page 8 - it says 12 October 2007. That is seven months to stitch one page, x 40 pages - well, you do the math - it could be a LONG time before this one is finished! LOL

Funny enough though, I'm really enjoying stitching it - I am definitely in a rhythm with the colour changes and the one over one.

So, enough chatting - here is the updated picture -

... and because I was taking photos this morning to try and do something for my Mother and MIL for Mother's Day this Sunday - here is an updated picture of the kids ... yep, they've grown!!

Now, if I'm really good ... I'll try and update my stitching once a week or so, we'll see - no promises!

Let's try this ...

2007-09-18T17:48:00.000+12:00

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 ...

2007-09-02T09:15:00.000+12:00

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!!

2007-08-22T17:11:00.000+12:00

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 :)

2007-05-15T10:04:00.000+12:00

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

2007-05-06T10:17:00.000+12:00

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

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

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

May Goals

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

Only four more houses to finish building!

2007-04-20T09:29:00.000+12:00

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

2007-04-16T13:25:00.000+12:00

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

2007-04-16T13:17:00.000+12:00

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 ...

2007-04-15T13:12:00.000+12:00

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

2007-04-10T09:30:00.000+12:00

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

2007-04-03T22:26:00.000+12:00

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

2007-04-02T10:37:00.000+12:00

March Round-Up

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

Work on Stargazer - YES
Stitch 2 Sampler Gameboard Squares - NO
Participate in the Needleroll SAL - YES
Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL - YES
Pinkeep Exchange - NO
Love of Needlework Exchange - YES
Work on Faery Tales - NO
Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares - YES
Stitch two L*K Blessing - YES
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!

Finish Stargazer
Participate in Needleroll SAL
Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL
Pinkeep Exchange
Work on Faery Tales
Stitch 3 Advent Calendar Squares
Stitch two L*K Blessings
Work on PIF Gifts
Finish Sample Gameboard (Gulp!!)

Here I am, at last!

2007-04-02T09:50:00.000+12:00

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!

2007-03-21T16:41:00.000+12:00

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!

2007-03-18T08:49:00.000+12:00

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 :)

2007-03-05T17:20:00.000+13:00

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

2007-03-04T13:13:00.000+13:00

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 :)

Work on Stargazer
Stitch 2 Sampler Gameboard Squares
Participate in the Needleroll SAL
Stitch one ornament for the ornament SAL
Pin Keep Exchange
Love of Needlework Exchange
Stitch on Faery Tales
Stitch three Advent squares (already done!)
Stitch two Blessings (one done, other one should be this afternoon)
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

2007-03-04T12:31:00.000+13:00

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?

2007-02-25T10:55:00.000+13:00

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!

2007-02-19T15:26:00.000+13:00

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 :)

2007-02-13T19:23:00.000+13:00

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

2007-02-12T09:02:00.000+13:00

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

2007-02-09T09:46:00.000+13:00

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!

Progress pictures

2007-02-04T09:34:00.000+13:00

Our little NZ group started our SAL this month ... I *hear* that a couple of ladies just couldn't only stitch two squares and stitched 4 or 5 *gasp*! LOL Here is "Family" - the start of L*K's Blessings, and 1 and 2 of JBW's Advent Calendar. I will have to do more than 2 at some stage so that the 24 are finished by November, plus start the borders - just waiting on the money to do an order to get the extra threads I will need though! Cameron tells me that "2" is wrong, because there are three gifts ... hmmmmmm.

Not sure whether I've actually ever taken a picture of this one - Linen and Lace by The Drawn Thread - I started it a few months back and will often pick it up and take it to work with me where I only do a little bit - but it's one of those nice all kitted up ones thats easy to grab quickly.

I'm trying to be a good girl this month and stick to my rotation so will work on a HAED today (even though I'm thinking I'd quite like to carry on with Linen and Lace) - not sure whether I'll carry on with Redwitch that I started a while back or attempt to start Faery Tales, for the third time. I'll see how I feel later. I've got a sewing project I want to try today before I sit down later with my cross stitch to watch the cricket :)

As always - thanks for looking!

January into February

2007-02-01T22:27:00.000+13:00

It's that time of the month again ... goals and round-ups :)

I set a very easy goal for January -

Sort and tidy stash

and mostly, yes I did do it - I certainly got a good way through sorting out WIP's, gave my floss a GOOD sort out so I feel that yes I did accomplish that "wee" goal.

I've set up my rotation on my side-bar, it should be easy to stick to, it is pretty flexible with a few days of the week with "whatever" so I can still stitch as the mood takes me, but hopefully still accomplishing my 2007 goal of getting through that huge WIP list.

So February ...

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

Hopefully those will be reasonably easy to keep to!

It's less than a week before school starts back now - it will be hard to get the kids (and ME!) back into the early morning routine. I've been walking with a friend a few mornings a week, meeting at 7.00 or 7.30am so hopefully I won't be too bad. I am looking forward to some quiet days to myself though, as much as I'll miss the cruisy lifestyle we've living the last few weeks!

January Ornament SAL

2007-01-30T08:59:00.000+13:00

At the last minute I remembered this was an ornament SAL weekend, so dug through my charts/magazines and found one to stitch -

Christmas Village - Threads Through Time
JCS Christmas Ornaments - 1oth Anniversary Edition
Stitched on Willow 32ct Linen

It's back to Ashley's Roses today - then on Thursday, the start of February, it's time to get organised and start rotating ... which coincides with the busy life, sports practices, school (on the 7th) etc starting back again. I'm not looking forward to the rushing, but I am looking forward to a few days of the house being quiet and to myself :)

Summer seems to have finally arrived here so we've been to the beach and pools quite a bit, the only bad part is that my hayfever is really bad this year and I'm having to suffer through it - about the only reason I'd really like this time of year to be over!

Have a great week everyone :)

Bits and Pieces and more of Ashley

2007-01-26T09:20:00.000+13:00

Here's Josh and his mate Maisie ... Josh is chief feeder and carer (Maisie was his 5th Birthday gift) and the cat knows it! This was the other morning, shopping day and we'd run out of cat food, so she was trying to "share" Josh's breakfast, everytime Josh put the spoon towards his mouth Maisie was trying to share it LOL

and here is the HKCA U11 Rep Team - they played well in their tournament - very tired, very long days - they played two 30 over matches a day, one in the morning, one in the afternoon and it was pretty hot and muggy in Wanganui for those few days. Cameron made the honour board one day with three wickets in one of the matches which made his day :) They won about 50% of their matches. I've circled Cameron and David was manager - I circled him too - I was amazed at how alike the two of them look! I think its the glasses and cap LOL

and lastly - Ashley's Roses - I think I have stitching ADD with her - I've moved from thinking I'll just finish up the dress, to another day thinking I'll just finish up this blue gingham part ... last night I thought I might just work on the bottom greenery bit ... they all need little bits to finish them off LOL

Just a quick update this morning ...

2007-01-22T09:00:00.000+13:00

Here is Ashley, she's holding her roses now! I can't believe how much I am loving this piece, I have no desire to put her down at all :) I'm even hoping, that maybe I can finish her before the end of January - I've made a pact with myself that I could stitch whatever I wanted in January - but come February I will settle into my "loose" rotation.

No sitting and stitching all day today though - we're off to Wanganui to watch Cameron play cricket - him and DH are staying up there with the team for a few nights (they get home Wednesday), the boys play six games over four days - one yesterday afternoon after they arrived, two today and two tomorrow, and then one Wednesday morning before they come home. Cameron apparently played well yesterday - 2/21 off 6 overs for those who know anything about cricket - against a Hamilton team who scored 143 runs to their 75 ... so I figure those bowling figures must be pretty good ;)

Happy 18th Anniversary to DH and I (yesterday) - of course, in our typical married, family fashion - DH is away playing mother to thirteen 11-12 yo boys (he's manager for Cameron's Rep team) and I enjoyed an evening free of snoring LOL

Have a good day!

2007-01-19T10:16:00.000+13:00

Summer has finally arrived ... I apologise to anyone who is buried in snow and ice, but for those who want to see what the other side of the world is like right now ... here's a photo from yesterday - this is what summer should be about!

Here is the latest update on Ashley's Roses ... she is finally growing! I love the colours in this one, they're lovely and bright - even the leaves have a bright bluely green that all blends just nicely.

Friday already here - I've worked the last two nights so feel a bit weary, work this afternoon - and then a quiet weekend, life is good :)

White and Grey ...

2007-01-16T08:37:00.000+13:00

That's about all I've stitched since I finished the baby sampler! But Ashley is definitely growing :) I might work on the top coloured bit this afternoon and then go back to the white and grey tonight, such hard decisions I have in life at the moment! LOL

I'm back at work tomorrow night, Rhiannon starts back at gym today, so life is starting to pick up again ... pity, I'm enjoying this summer holiday mellowness!

The girls and I will walk to the beach later this morning, the boys could come too of course, but they've got very "I don't want to" ... sobeit ... the girls and I will enjoy the sunshine and fresh air :)

A Finish, Organising and Cute Kid ... sometimes

2007-01-15T10:09:00.000+13:00

So, what did I spend the weekend doing? Organising my floss! Another of those jobs I've needed to do for a long long time, but never seem to get the spare time. So Saturday our lounge looked like a bomb hit it as I spread floss out, put in number order, marked off etc etc. This is my floss drawer - three floss boxes with nearly one of every DMC colour, a fourth box with the extra wound DMC colours. There is also a bag (not seen here) of plastic bags separated into about numbers (by about 100's - 2-300 sort of thing) with the numbers inside the bags written on a piece of paper in good view. The funniest thing was having 7 skeins of 898! I'll never have to buy that number again LOL. Also sorted and ticked off what GAST and WDW I have ... need to do this with Crescent Colours too - but didn't find a good list straight away - anyone know of one?

Interestingly, I only have 25 DMC colours missing - makes me wonder why I could never find the colour I wanted when I needed it ;)

Now, the cute kid thing? What do you do in bed when you should be going to sleep, that can make it fine to get out of bed and say something to your mother, even though she's told you about five times to get back to bed and stay there? Why, write very cutely in a card of course ... make her heart melt, and all is okay ;) ... this makes me laugh though, Rhiannon was obviously spelling out the words for her and she must have misheard the "v" in love as "b" ... so I get a "To Mummy Lobe From Charlotte" LOL

Lastly, here is my latest finish - I put down Ashley's Roses to stitch this for a good work friend of David's she was the HR person a couple of jobs ago - they have kept in touch through redundancies, job changes etc - anyway, she is due this month sometime - not sure whether she is having a girl or boy - so I will add the name after we hear of the baby's arrival. I will probably get it framed once I've finished it off completely.

Sisters and Best Friends - Birth Sampler, Bless

Stitched on 32ct Grab Bag hand-dyed fabric from Countrystitch

Finished 13 January 2007

As always, thank you for looking and listening to my rambling!

More Ashley's Roses

2007-01-11T08:55:00.000+13:00

I had a lovely stitching day yesterday - in fact, as I stopped stitching very blurry eyed at 6.00pm to get dinner ready and rush Cameron off to cricket practice, I realised I'd been stitching since 2.00 - with inbetweens of breaking arguments, feeding kids snacks etc ... but basically a wonderful four hour stint. Then later I went to Kath's house where Kath, Pat and I stitched some more - now that is what life is about LOL

Pat had organised our groups b/day gift for me - some wonderful cardmaking goodies and a VERY useful carry bag/tote just for crafting - I can see it being perfect for carrying what I need to work - thank you again ladies!

The household funny for today - I woke up this morning, looked at David's clock and it said 7.30, nothing wrong with that ... then turned over and saw my clock and it said 6.30 ... hmmmm 7.30 or 6.30? To go back to sleep, or not? of course by the time I worked out that I never fiddle with my clock, and I remember vaguely hearing David fiddle with his last night as he set the alarm, so his would be wrong ... I was very awake LOL - I laid in bed and read a while, then got up and enjoyed the quiet house before all the kids got up. I must ring David though and see if he ended up at work an hour earlier before he realised!

The sun is actually shining today so I'll do the customary couple of loads of washing and get that hung out in the fresh air! Beyond that, we have nothing planned I need to finish tidying and organising my desk, I might even give the pantry a much needed clean out and clean. Then I think I'll take advantage of the sunshine that is sure to not last long, and take the kids to the pools this afternoon. I have reached a new "time" in my life where it is actually FUN to go to the pools because I get to lie and read my book while the kids all play together in the pools - Charlotte has now got big enough where I can take my eyes off her and know she will be fine (I sound like a lazy old bat don't I? But believe me after years and years of having to be in the pool and be very self-conscious about my size, or sitting on the side heart in mouth, everytime a little one almost slipped, or tried to climb out, or whatever - this is a luxury for me!).

David and I going out for dinner and to the movies tonight - partly for my birthday, partly because we've been saying for over a year we will and never get around to it/can afford it, and partly because of a silly agreement we have with oldest son about still being paid for babysitting, even if I don't go to work - so we feel we need to make sure he earns his money!

Oh ... and Ashley Roses? I looked at the date in my Picturetrail Gallery and it says that the last picture was taken 3 January 2003 - I still can't quite believe that it has been four years since I last worked on her - time sure does fly!! I had plans of working on her pretty solidly over the next week or so, but I've remembered that I need to stitch a birth sampler for a good friend/work colleague of David's who is due this month ... I hope poor Ashley doesn't get put away for another four years!

Ashley Roses Resurrected

2007-01-10T08:52:00.000+13:00

Here is Ashley Roses from, um, well quite a while ago! LOL

and here she is after yesterday's effort - I'll keep stitching her for a few days I think - rotation can start happening in February! ... I have to undo a bit i think, I went to fill in some white last night and it didn't seem to fit - but it was late so I figured I'd work it out today.

Thank you for all the Birthday wishes yesterday - you are all very sweet. I had a very low key day, lots of telly watching and stitching. Back to normal today - grocery shopping to do, kids to amuse :)

Another finish!

2007-01-09T09:27:00.000+13:00

It must be summer holidays ... I'm on a roll!

This is one from my very long WIP list - I had just the last square to go - we started this many years ago (I'm thinking about 2002? But someone might be able to enlighten me) as a NZ Yahoo Group SAL. I do know that I stopped stitching it because I could hardly work out the chart markings on that last square - but really, once I sat down and really concentrated it wasn't so bad.

Anyway - here is Collaboration Sampler -

Collaboration Sampler - Square One, Shepherds Bush - Square Two, Charland Designs - Square Three, Just Nan.

Started approximately 2002, finished 8 January 2006

Can anybody advise me on a good hosting gallery? I've used Picturetrail for quite a few years, but I am going to have to upgrade yet again to fit more photos in, so I thought for 2007 I'd start a new one somewhere else - any recommendations on a good (and free) programme that isn't likely to suddenly start charging or close up?

and lastly - Happy Birthday to me! ... I'm 38 today - that really is rapidly reaching the 40 milestone!

V.2 Vest and A Place We Call Home Finish

2007-01-08T09:25:00.000+13:00

Here is Cameron's cricket vest - he wouldn't model it for the camera, little darling ;) ... the colours on the ribbing are the Representative Team colours, they go away for a big tournament in two weeks so he is all set to go now :) Even I'm impressed with my knitting skills, I think the two vests took me three weeks to complete - helps when it is holidays and we were all stuck at home for a week with everyone sick! Everyone is well again now though - so hopefully it is back to normal, I have one more week of no work, no sports practices etc etc so I'll try and make the most of it, with stitching AND getting the kids out and enjoying the (hopefully!) sunshine.

Here is A Place we call Home all finished - in keeping with finishing my stitching completely this year, I'm planning on making this into a cushion - I'll hunt out some fabric in the next couple of days. I need to drop by my parent's and pick up an old sewing machine they've got - I was telling my father about the toy one we got for Charlotte and it not working and he said he has one they bought very cheaply, but has never been very good - but probably perfect for the girls to tinker on, as soon as I pick it up I know I'll be "helping" them, so I might as well have mine out at the same time! LOL

A Place We Call Home - Country Cottage Needleworks

28ct Country French Latte Linen

Finished 7 January 2007

True Confessions

2007-01-05T09:26:00.000+13:00

Well, I did it yesterday - I went through my WIP drawer, and the "junk" drawer above it that also had some RR WIP's (my ones with various finishes to do on them) and listed them all. Oh my golly gosh - there are things in there I'd forgotten even existed, not mention the list is MUCH longer than I anticipated. In fact, sitting here and thinking about it - I have my chest of drawers in this room that probably has a couple of very very old ones in it as well. I AM finally starting to feel a lot more organised though, and its a good feeling :)

One kinda funny thing I found was an ornament stitched, but not finished up into an ornament - the date on it is 2000!! Surely, it hasn't been that long since I had a really good tidy out?? The other one was a snaplock bag with the stitching I took to Singapore with us - it had a mystery sampler I was stitching at the time, DT's French Garden and a NZ Designer canvas kit ... I haven't stitched those since we went to Singapore ... back in September 2004! Definitely time that I caught up on and finished those long lost WIP's!!!

Talking of WIP's here is my latest - but I WILL finish this ;)

A Place We Call Home - Country Cottage Needleworks

Okay - I'm off to put that scary list on my sidebar!!!

A stitching ... and Knitting! finish

2007-01-03T09:05:00.000+13:00

Yes, I have been stitching - just not a lot, because I've been knitting! ... I started Perennial Garden (The Drawn Thread) before Christmas sometime, but somehow lost my stitching mojo - I was originally going to do it for ebay, and I think that was why - I just couldn't be bothered. I have to say though, that I have stitched this maybe three times now, and it is still a delightful stitch - the flowers are fun to stitch up and it amazes every time how real they look - the detail is amazing!

and here is the knitting, one cricket vest :) This was going to be for Cameron (the red and blue are the rep team colours), but as I was knitting it I thought how much his best friend would want one too - so I waited until I'd finished to gage how much I'd want to knit another. As it turns out Cameron would rather have the stripes on the bottom band as well as the V neck, and really he could do with one size bigger - this fits fine, but a size bigger would probably do him two summers. So, anyway ... this is now for Curtis - and I've knitted the back and about a quarter of the front for Cameron's. I've got to say - hurray for one day cricket matches on the telly, it's perfect knitting watching - as much as I like knitting and used to do a lot of it, after stitching/embroidery for so long I find it really boring! LOL

... and how was our New Year? Well, lets just say my No.1 hate as a parent is pukie kids ... and we're now onto a week of it - I'm really really really hoping that Josh is definitely the last of us - we thought Josh and Cameron had had it earlier, but they either got it twice or had it mildly the first time and got it well and truly the last couple of days. Even I came down with it - which is unusual! We had the Royal in-law visit on Sunday ... which of course was the day DH came down with it - I was royally p***ed with him as he just disappeared into our bedroom/ensuite and never appeared again - leaving me with his oh so lovely parents (which is always hard work), not feeling so hot myself ... boy was I glad when they finally left - only good thing is I bet they won't be eager to see us for a while! LOL

I'm only going to set one January goal, and that is to sort out my stash and WIPs - until I do that I don't really know what I should be, could be, stitching. I started a new piece last night and as I was sorting through looking for the right threads, was quite distraught at what a mess it all is - so that definitely has to be my no.1 goal!

I think the sun is finally going to come out today, so hopefully I'll be able to get the well kids out to the park or something to clear the sickie cobwebs away - and get some washing out on the line!

Hope you all had a much better New Year celebration than me!

2006 ... on to 2007

2006-12-31T09:18:00.000+13:00

Well, it's New Years Eve ... lucky us get to spend it with my in-laws ... MIL, FIL, SIL .. and cousin from the MIL side of the family who fits in well with them - good thing is? There is a one day cricket match on today - which means I can leave the TV on, watch that and knit while pretending to listen to them ;)

Anyway - 2006! I went back and looked at my goals and really, I didn't make any LOL - I said I'd go back after I'd sorted through all my stash etc ... but well, probably in tune with how 2006 was, I never got around to it.

So here is what I finished - I've put some years next to the bigger things that were old pieces that I finished this year - I'm pleased that I did indeed finish a couple of older WIP's.

2006 Finishes
16 Ornaments
6 RR pieces
Christmas Elf Fairy - Mirabilia
Apache Wedding Blessing
Season of Rest - LHN
October Sky Sampler - ED
Kitty Sampler Cottage - LHN
Rose Arbour - Mirabilia (2002)
Toy Shop - Patricia Anane (2002?)
Birdhouse Needleroll - SB
Love and Wisdom - DT
To the Sea - JBW
Celtic Summer - L&L (2005)
Britty Cat - Brittercup
English Garden Pocket - DT
Redwork Needlebook - DT
Rose Sampler - LHN
Tall Oaks - PS
Be True - SB
Daisy Lane - LHN
Little Pink Houses - M Designs
Halloween Fairy - Mirabilia
Christmas Sampler - PS
Woodland Cottage - ED
Summer Fairy - HAED
Pink Carnations - Sweetheart Tree
Evergreen - Blackbird Designs

Wow! I sold quite a few of these on ebay - so haven't kept them all, and quite a few were exchanges - which were a lot of fun this year!

Now 2007 ... I still need to think about this and list some things down (gosh, that sounds like 2006!). But my biggest goal is to become more organised and selective about what I stitch. I'm only going to start things that I plan to finish completely, as in get them framed, make them up into smalls, or whatever. I plan to do more quilting, card-making and sewing - so the finishing part will hopefully be more realistic. I have SO many unframed pieces and I end up selling them because we need the money or they just sit rolled up. I think over the past few weeks this has affected my mood and enthusasim - hence my new goal, I want stitching to become exciting for me again :)

I also plan on digging out all my WIP's (I have more than a few) and listing them on my side bar and crossing them off as I finish them - another 2007 goal is to be a lot more organised with my stash - it is all over the place right now!

So 2007 -

Finish every finish - therefore selective starts.
List and work on old WIPs
Organise my stash

With that - Happy New Year everyone, may it be a happy and healthy one!

Bags, Bags, Bags ...

2006-12-28T09:41:00.000+13:00

Just a quick post to show the four bags I made for Christmas Gifts ... anyone sick of bags yet? LOL (Pauline, I'll email you about them!).

First one was for Tracy, my niece - more of a late Birthday gift, thank you for being good with my girls gift (we don't usually do gifts for nieces/nephews - too many of them!), Teddy one for my mother, cats with quilting fabric for David's Aunt and nice bright pink one for David's cousin. They were all received very well!

As you can see, I'm also trying to set up my Blog ready for 2007 ... there's things I've noticed in other peoples blogs I like, and lists I want to keep :) I'd still like to set it up with pretty pictures etc but haven't worked out how to do that with the new Blogger - not sure if I ever will!

Next post should be my 2006 update - 2007 goals, should be interesting! LOL

Christmas Eve

2006-12-24T22:54:00.000+13:00

The kids are asleep,
Magic dust has been scattered over the front lawn to guide the reindeer,
The gifts are wrapped,
All is ready to go!

I must say there is nothing like the magic in a 5yo's eyes who is still enchanted by the magic of Santa and Christmas ... Charlotte was straight to bed, and straight to sleep so Santa could come as soon as possible :)

Merry Christmas everyone ... thank you for the friendship and support over the past year, I'm only sorry I haven't had the time to be as supportive to other people as I'd like. But 2007 is a whole new year with lots of promise :)

Relax, and enjoy the Christmas spirit ... travel safely and be happy!

Gifts galore!

2006-12-22T09:02:00.000+13:00

'Tis the season for giving (and receiving!).

First up - a bag I made for Cameron's teacher - she has taught him for two years and is just the most amazing teacher. He is VERY sad that he can't have her next year! His request to me was that Mrs Ross loves giraffes, so I had to make something with a giraffe theme. After looking and looking, I finally found the perfect fabric (with a bit of help from a friendly shop assistant!) - I love the way this one turned out, and she was very appreciative too :)

Next, it was time for gifts for teachers and gym coaches - lots of kids = lots of gifts! So I made (with help from two little girls) lots of gingerbread men, which we then put into plastic bags and tied Christmasy ribbon around ... everyone seemed to like them.

Next up - Christmas, just wouldn't be Christmas, without our NZ Doris exchange! ... this is the ornament I stitched for Wendy, I put in some other little goodies, but didn't have time to take a photo (being Queen of last minute putting things in the mail, that I am!).

I was lucky enough to have Kath draw my name out, she made me this lovely Noel banner and added these wonderful gifts - I have got right into the card making lately, so these were perfect! Thank you again Kath!

Then I had this beautiful ornament turn up in mail box from Katrina ... just a "because" ornament - as usual, Katrina's work is perfect! Thank you again Katrina!

Next up ... my work always give all their employees a gift every year (lawyers are obviously doing all right ;)) - and they always do a good job ... as an aside, I can't believe the way some of the women I work with complain about their gifts not being any good etc etc ... I don't know anyone else who has employers so generous! I am apparently in the minority this year at thinking this is a GREAT gift! LOL ... you can't see properly on the photo - but the top part unzips (as shown) and there are four wine glasses, good utensils (real ones, not plastic!), a cork screw, bottle opener, salt and pepper shaker, napkins, chopping board ... everything needed for a picnic. Then the bottom is quite big and upzips to show a nice big cooler bag - with separate bag inside with a picnic blanket, plus of course a bottle of wine AND the book of Wellington walks - which we've been saying we must find ... so perfect.

and last, but definitely not least - a sort of gift - Rhiannon made this cute little ornament at a class at the local scrapping/card making store yesterday - her friend paid for the class as a birthday gift and the two of them went and did it yesterday - isn't it cute! She also made a gorgeous card.

Evening Carols ... NZ Style

2006-12-19T23:07:00.000+13:00

Something our primary school does annual is have a Christmas Carol evening - a final evening as the end of school is coming to a close. I've always loved community carols, so this is one of my favourite events of the school year!

We had a perfect evening for it - which was wonderful after such an awful start to summer, there is hope! These photos are taken about 7.30-8.00pm in the evening, I bet the lighting and battle with sunlight shining straight into the camera is different than the carols by candle light in the cold, dark, snowy Northern Hemisphere :)

Charlotte (in purple ducked down) and their syndicate item.

Rhiannon's syndicate - but gives a view of the school and bright summers evening.

Rhiannon in full voice.

I should note that Josh and Cameron, where indeed there - and I do love them just as much as the girls - but the lovely photo I got of Cameron has mysteriously been deleted off the camera (little toad), and Josh managed to hide at the back of lots of people for the whole evening!

Thank you Joanie!

2006-12-17T09:49:00.000+13:00

*I won't even mention my lack of blogging updates!*

Thank you Joanie! ... I received a lovely pin-keep ornament in the mail a few days ago ... apologies for the lateness in letting you know it had arrived, lets just say it's crazy time of the year!

Here is a picture of the ornament, and goodies.

Not only is it a lovely ornament - but I can use it to copy *blush* ... I have about four ornaments I have put together, but they are waiting for cording - instead on slow sewing cording on I'm going to copy Joanie's and make them into pin-keeps instead - it looks MUCH faster!

Thank you again Joanie ... I love the Lizzie Kate chart and little notepad too - they are perfect for me :)

Life is definitely slowing down now - so I hope to update my blog more regularly AND comment on other blogs. My New Years Resolution is going to be to say NO! ... which equates to making more ME time ... which means more exercise, more time to eat right, and more importantly - more time for my hobbies and blogging :)

Life ... and all it's trials!

2006-12-04T10:44:00.000+13:00

So, what's been happening over the last week? ... remember everyone, I said life would SLOW DOWN when Charlotte went to school, and I'd be finishing soccer at the same time ... shall we do this as bullet points? Lets see what I can remember ...

Charlotte has settled into school.

I've been on an Estuary Trip with her class.

Soccer AGM was yesterday - organised all of that, minutes, agenda, remits, accounts etc. Done and finished now. I am meeting with the lady taking my place on Wednesday - hopefully I will hand everything over and be finished with it then.

Cricket Rep Manager decided he was too busy to get together quotes etc for their matches - away/accommodation/vans etc plus funding for them. So I got landed with the job. Fast forward to last week when he threw a hissy fit because he didn't know what was happening, say what?

Cameron has played two rep matches and done very well - but DH is manager so for a couple of Sundays/weekends I've been flying solo.

Charlotte went away this weekend just gone! ... but I was too busy to savour the peace LOL

Gym prize-giving yesterday - Rhiannon got Most Improved, that makes a clean sweep for her this year, Cricket, Soccer and Gym - she received the Most Improved award for each sport - she must have been working hard all year :)

It's rained, and rained.

Just over a week ago I managed to *nearly* rip my big toe nail off - it's been yucky and sore ever since. Not sure if I should go and get it cut/ripped off (oh yay).

Which has meant my good intentions of walking have fallen flat - I did last week with my friend but ended up with a really sore foot from scrunching it up in my shoe to avoid my toe hurting - wayyy to much info, right?

Um, not sure what else ... but just to carry on with the never quite doing what I want too - the Chairperson of cricket just rang to see if I could go and have a meeting in half an hour about the budget ... so much for putting ornaments together!

and ... can't have a stitching blog without pictures, right?

Here are a couple of things I've stitched in the last week :)

Our NZ SAL Ornament selection for November.

Evergreen by Blackbird Designs (stitched to sell on ebay)

November to December

2006-12-04T10:35:00.000+13:00

Ohhhh November just wasn't a good month for me - high hopes, that fell flat! LOL ... surely, surely December has to be better.

November Hopes
1. NZ SAL Ornament - yes
2. 2nd Mirabilia RR piece - mostly, need to add beads and I'm missing 2 Krienks I still need to order to finish it.
3. Wall-hanging thank you for Charlotte's kindy - yes
4. Finish (as in put together finishing) the ornaments I've stitched this year - some
5. SBEB Ornament exchange finished and sent off - no
6. Cross Stitch Crazy Ornament exchange finished and sent off - no
7. Cross Stitch Crazy 12 Day gifts to send off - yes
8. Couple of "mummy" board gifts, including an ornament, to send off - no
9. NZ Ornament exchange to finish - no
10. Teachers gifts to make/organise (Kruser, Ross, Trim and McDonald) - no
11. Gym coach gifts to make/organise (Sandy, Helen and Gill) - no
12. Bags to make for Christmas Gifts - Mum, Betty, Deb - no

Guess what my goals THIS month are? Remarkably, like last months ;)

December Goals
1. Finish off 2nd Mirabilia RR piece and send off.
2. Carry on finishing (as in put together finishing) the ornaments I've stitched this year.
3. SBEB Ornament exchange finished and sent off - will be doing TODAY.
4. Cross Stitch Crazy Ornament exchange finished and sent off, another TODAY.
5. Couple of "mummy" board gifts, including an ornament, to send off, just need to add a couple of small gifts, will send off this week too.
6. NZ Ornament exchange to finish
7. Teachers gifts to make/organise (Kruser, Ross, Trim and McDonald)
8. Gym coach gifts to make/organise (Sandy, Helen and Gill)
9. Bags to make for Christmas Gifts - Mum, Betty, Deb

... and stitch whatever I want!

It's been a while!

2006-11-26T09:00:00.000+13:00

Not sure why I haven't blogged - just a combination of busyiness and losing my blogging mojo I think.

Lots of pictures today - two weeks of catching up!

Firstly - Charlotte started school last week, hard to believe my baby is five! ... so, last weekend was a busy one. We had her birthday party Saturday afternoon, then a BBQ in the evening - family and a few close friends ... but with my family that = LOTS of people in our not so huge house ... and of course the weather wasn't that great. But it went really really well, I think everyone had a great time. We'd hired a bouncy castle for Charlotte's party and it just fit, very snuggly, into our garage - that thing was wonderful! It kept them amused at the party, and then the little kids amused later on :)

Here's some photos ...

Charlotte and her friends -

and this next photo is what DH took, got framed and surprised me with at the BBQ, along with a lovely little speech thanking me for the last 15yrs that I've put into our family *sniff sniff* He did really well, firstly I had absolutely NO idea he'd got all the kids together (he did it the Friday afternoon while I was at work), secondly he actually got ALL the kids together and co-operating for a photo, thirdly he took a GREAT photo (he's usually pretty useless LOL) AND he got it printed, framed and everything ... I'll keep him a while longer ;)

I'd hoped for a quiet week this week, but I should know by now that that just isn't going to happen for me - I've realised that I've been saying that for the entire year - that next week will be quieter, I think I've just got to face the fact that I'm a busy lady. I did finally sit down on Friday and stitch during the day, but even then I got a few phone calls from the Cricket Assn asking various questions. Maybe, just maybe, this week I'll get a chance to get my sewing machine out and make lots of ornaments up!

... and of course, I do have a few stitching pictures - not a whole lot though! I've also stitched most of my next Mirabilia square, but haven't got a couple of the Kreinks I need to finish it off - I need to order them from overseas somewhere, but need to work out what else I need, that isn't going to break the bank - cuz we are poor at the moment! But there is no way I'm just going to order two Kreinks and pay the postage for them ;)

Righty, righty ... stitching pictures ... ahhhhh I lied, I have NO stitching photos - I just checked and the couple of ornaments I was going to show you, I already posted about! I did finish one other, but I have sent it off for an exchange, so it's secret :)

Here is a picture of the wall-hanging I made for Charlotte's Daycare though -

I've also made quite a few Christmas cards - I went to a class called "Five Quick Christmas Cards" and got some ideas and spent an afternoon last week making a few more, I'll take a photo of some of them at some stage.

I guess I've answered my own question about no blogging ... I haven't got any stitching to share! LOL

Thank you everyone who answered my Pay it Forward - I think I have four people - still need one more! I will get back to you all for addresses etc, I just haven't quite thought about it properly yet :D

Hope everyone is having a good weekend :)

Stitch it Forward

2006-11-13T10:14:00.002+13:00

I've been reading about this fun and generous idea on lots of blogs ... and saw it on Leah's blog this morning so dived right in - I've always admired Leah's handiwork so will be honoured to receive something from her ... and even better I get to play - I love stitching/making things for other people! So ... the first five people to respond to this post in the comments section will receive, within the next 6 months, a craft item made by me - not necessarily cross stitch. The second part to this is posting on your own blog and paying it forward to another five people. Now, I get the feeling that perhaps most people are already involved? So, I'm not to worried if people who are already busy making up five different things still leave a comment in my blog, but have already started a Pay it Forward before now (did that rambling make sense?).

I'll have a couple of non-cross-stitch crafty photos later ... I love creating and am loving that I'm getting the time to try lots of different things! Life is GOOD :)

Stitch it Forward

2006-11-13T10:14:00.001+13:00

Stitch it Forward

2006-11-13T10:14:00.000+13:00

shhhhhh this post is a secret ...

2006-11-12T08:52:00.000+13:00

Secret? Well, I took this photo of Josh and Cameron yesterday and Cameron said "don't you dare put it on your blog or anything, I know you will ..." ... and I promised him I wouldn't - so you didn't see this! I'm doing a scrapping class this afternoon - something about a photo and canvas, which sounded interesting - but I needed a photo to take with me. The girls are always prancing in front of the camera - so I forced the two boys to let me take their photo - and this was the result - it's such a nice shot! I'll show you what we do with it - should be interesting :)

... and not so secret, Charlotte did an "Introductory" Gym Competition yesterday - they basically just had them do circuits, and then judged them for one element of each circuit. They didn't give out firsts, seconds or thirds - but they all got a participation certificate with marks on it - Charlotte got a couple 0f 9's and the rest were late 8's. But what I'm most proud of is the way she went out on the floor, listened to all the instructions AND when one of the coaches got her to repeat something about 3x and took her hand to show her something - she didn't freak and come running to me, something that she would have done only a few months ago - she has grown up so much and got so much more self-confident, it's amazing - and wonderful! This is her on the beam (it is SO hard to get good photos at the gym! - the audience sits too far away and there is too much movement).

and warming up - the little girl in the black is her best friend - they are at kindy together and her mother is head coach at the gym (also Rhiannon's coach) - so they see each other at kindy and also usually get 10-15min play together at the gym three times a week when I drop Rhiannon off for her coaching sessions. Her friend has just started the after-school gym class with her too.

... and lastly ... another secret ... this is the photo David Jnr took of his room yesterday - I've been at him for a while to tidy up in there ... and finally resorted to the "nobody comes to stay until it is DONE" threat yesterday - so he finally got in there and tidied it. This is the photo that he took - that pile of "stuff"? is JUST from under his bed - he'd cleared out a lot more from the floor before he dragged that stuff out. Ignore the yucky tacky curtains - I really really want to change them to blinds or something, but he is such a messy little so and so, they will just get wrecked, so I'm still trying to think about what to do to cover the windows and not have them wrecked (his window faces out to the road).

Now, it's 9.00am and definitely time I was in the shower and ready to do some work and then finish off the wall-hanging!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend :)

Lots of photos! - Stitching First ...

2006-11-12T08:36:00.000+13:00

"Noel"

JBW Designs

I'll probably use this for an ornament exchange, I'm not sure really - I just stitched it because I liked it! ... and then, just as I was finishing it realised this is the ornament that Lara sent as an exchange to me last year - I couldn't believe it took me that long to remember LOL ... that's what happens when all the Christmas things have been put away for nearly a year.

As usual, my stitching stuff is at the othe end of the house, and I can't remember the designer for this one! It is our last month's NZ SAL though, from last year's JCS Ornament magazine.

and as promised last week - a picture of Pink Carnations (designed by Sweetheart Tree). I bought this as a kit from a LNS (Nancys) in Wellington - I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it - I love pink, and love pink carnations - when DH sends me roses (*cough splutter* hasn't happened for a while!) he will have them put a pink carnation amongst them because he knows I like them. I'm planning on using it as a box top, somehow ... need to think about it more - probably the same way I made a couple of Christmas gifts last year.

I haven't stitched a lot at all this week - I've been working on an ornament for a 12 Days exchange that needs to go out at the end of this week, I'm hoping to have all the stitching finished and then get the 12 gifts together tomorrow, including making up the ornament. I love this exchange - my cross stitch buddies on Cross Stitch Crazy do it ... we make up a package of 12 small gifts and then open one a day for 12 days - I LOVE putting together the 12 gifts - that's even more fun that opening of them!

I've also been trying to get a wall hanging finished as a gift for Charlotte's kindy. She finishes on Tuesday! I finished putting the top all together yesterday, and will quilt it together today/tomorrow - I should get it done in time, I'm definitely not as paniked about it as I was a few days ago when I just couldn't make time to get my sewing machine out. I've done lots of work for soccer AND cricket last week - but the good news is that it's almost done, soccer just about ready to hand over and cricket - the annual handbook is ready to print, and website all updated with this years draws and results - now it's just a quick weekly job to update results after each weekend.

Enough rambling ... I will do a separate post for some other photos!

October into November

2006-11-05T09:02:00.000+13:00

Another month gone ... we're nearly at the end of the year!

October was a pretty good stitching month for me :)

1. Finish the finishing of my smalls exchange - yes!
2. 1st Mirabilia RR piece - yes!
3. Ornament - Yes!
4. 2nd Mirabilia RR piece - No
5. Ebay item - Yes (need to put together though)
6. 5hrs HAED - Yes, plus some, and finished!
7. NZ SAL Ornament - Yes!
8. 10hrs Stargazer - no
9. Ebay piece - no
10. 5hrs The Kiss - no
11. Finish piecing quilt together - yes and finished!

Also started and finished Sweetheart Tree's Pink Carnations (picture to come)

November Goals

My most exciting goal this month? To get Charlotte off to school - woohooo!

Oh - and stitching, this is going to be an ignore my big pieces, Christmassy month - lots of exchanges, lots of ornaments to make up and lots of gifts to sort out.

1. NZ SAL Ornament
2. 2nd Mirabilia RR piece
3. Wall-hanging thank you for Charlotte's kindy
4. Finish (as in put together finishing) the ornaments I've stitched this year.
5. SBEB Ornament exchange finished and sent off.
6. Cross Stitch Crazy Ornament exchange finished and sent off.
7. Cross Stitch Crazy 12 Day gifts to send off.
8. Couple of "mummy" board gifts, including an ornament, to send off.
9. NZ Ornament exchange to finish.
10. Teachers gifts to make/organise (Kruser, Ross, Trim and McDonald)
11. Gym coach gifts to make/organise (Sandy, Helen and Gill)
12. Bags to make for Christmas Gifts - Mum, Betty, Deb

I'm hoping to get most of things done in November - and have written them down, mainly so I don't forget anything! I also plan to have a huge sewing week the week that Charlotte starts school - I also should finish my soccer job that week (BIG yeeehaaaaa!), so am planning a "ME" week - I can't wait!!!

A quilt, finished!

2006-10-31T07:54:00.000+13:00

I'm feeling very proud of myself - a whole, real live, quilt - all finished, by me :) I've fiddled, collected fabric, and dabbled in the quilting thing, but this is the first one I've started and finished :)

... and a close up

It is for a friend's baby - well, the sister of a friend - she is part of our Wednesday morning Womens' Group. As I was finishing hand-stitching the binding on last night I got a phone call to say she was in labour - so the baby should have arrived by now.

As always, thanks for looking. Thanks also for all the comments on my last finishes!

I meant to say in that last post - that little "Quick Stitch" had 87 colours in it!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week :)

A finish ... and another, finish!

2006-10-26T13:44:00.000+13:00

Always feels good to finish things :)

Firstly - Summer Fairy, HAED Designs - Artist, Rachel Anderson.

I started this as a practice/experiment on 32ct fabric, I'm wanting to stitch Faery Tales and needed to "play" with something smaller.Here's what I learnt:

Quick Stitches -aren't really that quick!
32ct - is too small for me, 28ct seems to the perfect balance (I didn't like 25ct).
Faery Tales will probably take me a lifetime, but I still want to give it a go ;)

I also finally finished the Mirabilia RR piece, I've still got another to do - so much for wanting them both stitched quickly and away in the post to their owners. I'll probably start the next one this weekend. Meanwhile - here is Cottage Garden Fairy (or part of her).

I started Pink Carnations (Sweetheart Tree) last night - just felt like something smaller, quicker and fun. I was hoping to take it to work tonight - but my boss rung this morning asking if I could do some extra hours as we have six urgent verbatum tapes to do, apparently they are taped off CD recordings of an Employment Case meeting. These tapes are never easy, but apparently these are even worse because the sound quality hasn't come across very well. Oh yay! ... and even worse - those six are the URGENT ones, there are nine more after that! So, there is no hope of stitching tonight, only of overtime.

As always, thanks for looking and reading my rambles :)

Exchanges Catch Up

2006-10-21T13:14:00.000+13:00

First, and most importantly, the thank you's!!

I received my Stitchers Bloggers Exchange Board - Needlework Smalls Exchange from Andrea yesterday - she spoilt me!

She sent me an adorable little pinkeep that has a little pocket in the back for scissors to sit in - great idea, one one I'll definitely remember for the future! Plus some lovely little goodies, including a chart I've loved for a long time - I'm not sure how I'm going to stop myself from stitching it straight away - thank you Andrea!

I also received my exchange gift from a "Mystery" Exchange on the Cross Stitch Crazy Board - Tanya sent me an adorable little Nantucket basket and some fabric - thank you Tanya!

My Mystery Exchange that I sent to Velda also arrived during the week (two weeks to Canada ... I was getting nervous about it not turning up). I'm glad you liked it Velda!

5 Weird Things ...

2006-10-21T12:49:00.000+13:00

I got tagged by Margaret (hi Margaret *waving*) ...

"I have to say 5 things that are weird about myself or my pets" I've been thinking about this and have trouble thinking of five things - does that mean I'm maybe not as weird as I thought? LOL ... so I've turned "weird" into "interesting facts" ;)

Five Interesting Facts about Me and Maisie:

I blatently admit to pinching this from Katrina's answers ... because it's the same for me. I have a phobia of Magpies - not birds though, just Magpies ... and yeah, I'll still turn around and find an alternative route if one looks particularly threatening (not so much these days ... I'm braver than I used to be!).
I've had five children - all completely naturally, no inductions, no drugs (except a little gas for a couple of them), no forceps or anything - in this day and age I think that's quite unusual ... not necessarily weird ... but unusual ;)
I like nothing better than being alone, not so weird, except I come from a big family and have a big family ... got to wonder where that trait comes from! (although one my mother and Charlotte definitely have too ...)
Maisie loves cheese ... so much so that Charlotte now knows that she can't leave her cheese sandwiches alone, because much to her disgust (and distress) Maisie has pinched them a couple of times and raced outside with them to tuck into the cheese. She's also been known to grab a good sized lump of it off the kitchen bench when I've had my back turned.
Maisie does this sweet thing most mornings where she sits on the corner neighbour's fence and waits for me to walk back from dropping off the kids in the morning. She miaows as soon as she sees me across the road and then jumps down and walks with me along the road and up the driveway.

I've got some exchange pictures and thank yous to catch up on. I'll come back soon with that post!

Last picture to show ...

2006-10-13T13:01:00.000+13:00

I couldn't upload more than five photos into one post, so this one had to be done as a separate one.

This is the first Mirabilia RR piece I need to do this month - taken a LOT longer than I thought it would! I just have a wee bit of stitching on her hand that I missed and then the beads to put on :) I've left her wings out, I actually got the thread, cut it and everything to start them, but when I looked at everyone elses parts (I'm the last to stitch on this one) everyone had left wings out ... so I figured I should too.

10 days!

2006-10-13T12:58:00.000+13:00

Where did 10 days go, so fast!! Silly thing is, I haven't actually been as busy as I had been the last few months ... but just can't seem to make the time to update my blog :) ... and those goals I so optimistically made? HA! first weekend we had two BBQ's ... that kinda mucked up my planned stitching time, but such is life ... I am working through them and pretty much sticking to the list!

Anyway - some pictures ... because they're always much more fun than my rambling ...

Ornament from this year's JCS Ornament Magazine, designed by Elizabeth Designs. This should have been stitched on 36ct ... I think I used 28ct, and it really made a difference, it would look much nicer on a smaller count.

Next is the first in the With My Needle series that started in the 2003 Ornament Magazine ... this is my ebay offering this month, I'm planning on stitching and finishing them all as a set.

and then we have the quilted fabric cards - thank you to (Kiwi)Jo for the link to instructions for making these, I had a lot of fun with them! These are all Christmas ones, and I plan on using them for putting in with ornament exchanges this Christmas ... I had a lot of fun using stitches on my sewing machine that I just don't use enough!

and I had some pictures here I'd taken of my smalls exchange I'm sending off tomorrow, and realised I can't show them yet! So, you just have to imagine them ;)

September into October

2006-10-03T09:24:00.000+13:00

October already! oh my!

September Round-Up

1. Finish July Ornament - yes!
2. September SAL Ornament - Yes!
3. Finish one other Ornament - no
4. Finish Woodland Cottage - yes! (at last LOL)
5. Work on The Kiss - no
6. Work on The Stargazer - Yes!
7. Work on HAED Summer Fairy - no (it is so close to being finished)
8. Finish Linen and Lace - didn't even stitch on it
9. Work on DT Sampler Game Board - Yes!

I also started and finished the Prairie School Christmas Sampler and stitched a small exchange gift which I've sent off.

October Goals/Rotation

Ohhhhh ... that evil word, rotation, is in there again. I work to goals, much much better - so I'm making my goals, my rotation.

1. Finish the finishing of my smalls exchange.
2. 1st Mirabilia RR piece (5/10)
3. Ornament (7/10)
4. 2nd Mirabilia RR piece (10/10)
5. Ebay item (17/10)
6. 5hrs HAED (19/10)
7. Ornament (22/10)
8. 10hrs Stargazer (25/10)
9. Ebay piece (29/10)
10. 5hrs The Kiss (31/10)
11. Finish piecing quilt together.

The dates are when I expect to be finished that particular goal. I'd also like to work on DT's Linen and Lace and Sampler Game Board. If I have any gaps where I finish things early (I'm such an optimist! LOL) I will try and work on those then.

Righty oh ... if I'm going to have hope of meeting those goals I need to get to work so I have time to stitch later :)

Woodland Cottage

2006-10-01T10:22:00.000+13:00

Lookie here ... another finish! ... and just managed to slip it into September so I meet a goal too.

Woodland Cottage - Elizabeth Designs

32ct Linen (can't remember the name, I really must start writing these things down as I start a piece!).

I should answer the Stitching Bloggers Question of the Week with this one! I started it quite a while ago, discovered after I'd stitched all the trees that one of the first ones was two stitches out (that's four threads out) ... but it would have been a major to undo, so I left it as was ... then didn't have a colour so put it aside and then struggled to work up the enthusasim to finish it off, knowing I was going to be fudging all the way ... and boy did it take fudging ... I must have been THREE threads out ... so one side is a thread out from the other ... and it took some fiddling to fit everything else in, but I did it, and I doubt anyone except me would notice.

The girls and I had a lovely day yesterday :) ... did the bank account a wee bit of damage, but not too much. I found a couple of books at The Warehouse that I've wanted to read marked down in price, the girls got a few clothes ... so we were all happy. Got home about 2ish and the girls amused themselves while I watched a DVD and finished the cottage - now, that's how life should be! LOL Oh, and the report from Taupo is that the soccer team had won 5 out of 5 games so far, including one from the top Auckland team who seems to be VERY serious, and wasn't at all happy ;)

Feeling so much more refreshed today I'm ready to tackle some work and hopefully sew up some more the quilt.

The Prairie Schooler - Christmas

2006-09-30T09:12:00.000+12:00

A finish! ... um, and it's not even on my goals for September, how did that happen? LOL

Christmas Sampler - The Prairie Schooler

Stitched on a stray piece of cream coloured 32ct linen

Today the girls and I are going shopping! I even managed to get them to tidy their bedroom as an incentive to get going (so I shouldn't really be sitting here LOL). DH and the two middle boys are away at a soccer tournament for the weekend, the biggest boy is still asleep in bed and I imagine will be there for a while ... so it's just the two girls and I :)

Did I mention that David Jnr now has his learners driving licence? AND officially starts his first real "grown up" job tomorrow (at the local supermarket stocking shelves - a 6hr shift every Sunday) ... gosh it really does seem like just yesterday he was learning how to walk!

Oh, and I caved and bought another HAED Quick Stitch last night ... I haven't even finished the first one, and have a few others I've bought and drool over every now and again too. I can't get a direct link to the picture, but it is Red Witch by Meredith Dillman. I'm really really tempted to start it tonight ... but WILL finish Woodland Cottage first!

Righty oh ... must go, those girls will be chasing me soon.

Look, two posts in two days!

2006-09-28T09:29:00.000+12:00

I didn't stitch at all yesterday - but I did start making a quilt! ... well, I started in the weekend by cutting lots of little squares, yesterday I cut strips and started sewing it together, and so far, so good! It is for a friend having a baby - she is due end of October, so I needed to get moving. I'm really pleased with it so far :) This is the first two strips sewn together, the third isn't attached, just put there so I could see how it is looking - and a closer up too - my corners aren't 100% perfect, but I think they're okay.

and the promised Prairie Schooler WIP - I was hoping to finish this yesterday but got involved in the quilting thing, and then went to my parents for dinner and after that off to a meeting. I'll take it to work tonight and hope that it is quiet.

Another quietish day today - I have minutes to type up from last night, some accounts to send off and such, desperately need to clean and vacuum this place, but otherwise - the day is free.

An update, again ...

2006-09-27T08:42:00.000+12:00

I really need to get into a rhythm with this blogging thing - not only have I been slack at updating my blog, but I'm being hopeless at leaving comments too - I AM reading blogs, lots of them - just not commenting!

Soccer season finished last week, so except for my usual accounts, tidying up etc it should be quieter now ... and I'm counting down - only a couple more months and I'll be finished - I can't wait!

It's school holidays here this week and next week, which is nice. I've been making myself get up at 7.00am rather than sleeping in so I can be sure to get a little bit of work done and spend some time with the kids. The last couple of days seems to have been in and out and about in the car. Today should be a nice quiet one though :)

Anyway - update photos! ... here we go ...

First up - our NZ SAL August Ornament - this took lots of talking and wondering, and ideas to try and stitch and make up without buying the not so cheap called for pillow. I was pretty pleased, when I'd put it all together and it worked! "Noel" from JSC Ornament Magazine 2005 (can't remember the designer off hand)

and then we have this month's SAL ornament - "Christmas" by Brightneedle Designs from JCS Ornament Magazine 2005 - stitched over one and made up into a little flat ornament - and it IS little, but rather cute I think!

Next, an update on Stargazer - I haven't stitched on her for about a week, although I'm hoping to this weekend so should have another update in a few days. She is just so pretty, although I can see that skirt getting rather tedious after a while.

and I had the Prairie Schooler Christmas piece I started this week, just on impulse really - I've been awful at that lately, there are lots I should be finishing, rather than starting new ones! I'm too scared to try and upload it now, I'll probably end up losing everything I've already got here, so you will just have to wait until another day - maybe I'll actually post again tomorrow, that would be two entries in two days! LOL

Thank you for all the previous comments - I love to get them and really appreciate them, especially as I'm hopeless at returning them! Oh, and an update on my father - he is doing fine, very embarrassed, and very frustrated at my Mother and sisters nagging him ... but physically he is healing well. I feel sorry for him, as much as I worry that he will do himself serious damage or run out of the nine lives he seems to have, he'd be miserable doing nothing ... and life is all about living it and enjoying it.

Pictures ... at last!

2006-09-17T09:05:00.000+12:00

I've only been promising for about a week!

Here is Stargazer -

and Sampler Gameboard -

I tried to stitch last night but could hardly keep my eyes open, I swear it took about 5x as long to do each cross! LOL

Quiet day at home today ... I have some accounts to put on the account system and then I'm hoping to make up a couple of ornaments and start on the quilt. Have also promised the girls a walk to the park if they're good and let me get on with it!

Cameron and DH are off to yet another soccer tournament - about two more weeks and then soccer will be well and truly finished for the year - it mostly is now :)

and to finish, here is the best I could get of Rhiannon playing yesterday - I reckon getting sport action shots must be the hardest sort of photo to take! (she's the blonde one in the yellow)

The Secret Seven

2006-09-17T09:02:00.000+12:00

We had most of the end of year soccer tournaments yesterday (means the end of the season - yay!) - David asked if he and some friends could enter their own team (rather than being in his usual team) - so I checked it out, and the club agreed to let them.

They are all friends at high-school, but different clubs, different teams.So they came up with their name, organised their team - only just seven, and it was a seven-a-side tournament, worked out they'd have no subs, but they'd take turns in goal.AND went out to the mall, bought the plain white T shirts, hats and socks with their own money, then spent Friday afternoon/evening coming up with stencils and spray-painting them - and they looked so cool!

The high school was great too - they let them use the art room on Friday afternoon to do their stencils, and even agreed they could miss their next class to carry on with it - I love that they appreciated a group of 14/15yos were using their initiative and encouraged it!

AND ... they won!

I'm so proud of them - who says teenagers spend their time doing stupid things because they're bored, teenagers, whatever ... there ARE some good ones out there.

Here's a couple of photos -

David is No.69 in the middle holding the trophy ... he was Captain/Coach.

Hit the Road Jack ...

2006-09-15T15:48:00.000+12:00

That was Dad's reply when I asked him about the latest silly thing he'd done. Hit the road, off his motor scooter, face first ... and has 32 stitches reconstructing his lip - I haven't seen him but it must be a mess! Not that what it looks like will bother him, he's more bothered that he's being nagged and fussed over by his wife and six daughters! For those who know our area - he was coming down the Akataras, not sure what happened, but their policeman friend who lives up that way came across him as he was trying to get the bike to go again. He called the ambulance, and Dad made them stop on the way through to pick up Mum so she wouldn't be freaked out at getting a call from the hospital. 9 years ago Dad got hit while he was on his push-bike on the State Highway - that resulted in a wired up femur, an operation on his knee, broken pelvus, broken shoulder and other damage ... so, yeah, Mum is always wary of getting those phone calls. They operated last night, one of my sisters went and brought Mum home, and then went and picked up Dad this morning. I talked to him and tried to insist that I do his powerbill deliveries for him tomorrow but he, in his usual bull-headed way, insists it's "just his lip" and he's fine - I think I got him to agree that he'd "think about it" ... grrrrrrrr ...

Sorry - still no pictures, I really was going to try this morning but biggest son took the camera to school. Maybe this weekend if I get five minutes to spare.

This stitching diary really is turning into a soap opera instead! LOL

Another week ... another I'm too busy ...

2006-09-12T14:51:00.000+12:00

whinge, sigh ... etc etc!

Actually I don't feel so bad now ... I tidied my desk, wrote a list and crossed a few jobs off. Also gave my apologies to my usual Wednesday morning group so I can carry on through my list tomorrow, so I'm not feeling quite as overwhelmed as I did a few hours ago!

I've been going to take pictures all week to update my blog but never get to it. So I figured I should write a post and show I'm alive anyway. I'll try and take the pictures tomorrow. I've been making myself stitch one house in Sampler Gameboard before I carry on with Stargazer and I've finished up five (I think) houses - it's suddenly growing! Stargazer is looking beautiful - she has such a pretty face :)

In life? Well, work, work, work is all I can say! I'll be pleased when I reach the end of the year and hand my soccer administration job to someone else. I was supposed to meet with a "someone else" today but her daughter was sick so we've had to reschedule for next week - keep everything crossed she wants to do it - I'll feel much better knowing for sure there is someone to take over.

I went to Thimbles and Threads yesterday (hmmm maybe if that is why I have so much work today! LOL) ... and picked up some quilting fabric I want to use to make a baby quilt for a friend. Hopefully in the next day or two I might start it. That shop has such gorgeous fabric, boy if I didn't have a budget I could go crazy!

I think that's all for now ... I'll try and put up some pictures tomorrow!

Shhhhh ... do you hear that?

2006-09-05T16:27:00.000+12:00

It's 4.21pm, after school, and it's QUIET!

One gone to the gym.
One at Ski Camp.
One playing playstation.
Two gone off to visit my niece's new house (just about across the road).

I need to enjoy it while it lasts!

Firstly - a big congratulations to Rhiannon - she won her gym competition on Sunday! She has worked so hard the last few weeks with that goal firm in her mind, so I'm VERY proud of her. Not to mention, proving a wee point to a certain set of parents who happened to mention to the coaches a while back that Rhiannon (and another girl) would NEVER be as good as her darling daughter - even if they had 50hrs extra training a week. Nothing like letting the sport do the talking. I do feel VERY sorry for the little girl though - so much pressure, and she really is a lovely little thing - her and Rhiannon get on really well.

... and a quick update - one little house stitched yesterday on Sampler Gameboard (the top right-hand - or left? - the little red one) and where I'm up to on Stargazer after last night.

August into September

2006-09-03T09:22:00.000+12:00

August Goals

1. Finish July SAL Ornament - yes
2. Finish August SAL Ornament - started
3. Finish one other Ornament - yes
4. Finish Woodland Cottage - no
5. Work on The Kiss - yes
6. Work on The Stargazer - no
7. Finish HAED Summer Fairy - no (did work on it though)
8. Finish Halloween Fairy - yes
9. Work on starting to stitch through my vast collection of DT charts and kits - yes

Not too bad ... considering it was a hard, busy month!

Not sure about goals this month, I'll set a few - but I think I need to give up on rotating! LOL This week DH and Josh are off to ski camp, I've been working really hard the last couple of weeks to give myself a free week this week, of course I still have a few things to do (typical!) ... but mostly I plan on stitching lots, I'm really looking forward to it. So although I didn't work on Stargazer last month, she is top of my list to get stuck into next week :) Of course, Rhiannon had some 24 hour bug yesterday ... so I suspect it will all turn to custard and I'll end up with various kids home next week (Murphys Law ... I tell ya, whoever came up with that one could be in BIG trouble).

Anyway - September!

September Goals

1. Finish July Ornament
2. September SAL Ornament (Kath, Katrina, Pat - I have the threads, just need to put them together for you!!)
3. Finish one other Ornament
4. Finish Woodland Cottage
5. Work on The Kiss
6. Work on The Stargazer
7. Work on HAED Summer Fairy (I don't even like this much anymore - but want to finish it before starting on antoher HAED)
8. Finish Linen and Lace
9. Work on DT Sampler Game Board (need to dig it out)

This week?

I'm hoping to stitch those ornaments, stitch a good chunk of Stargazer, work a little bit on Sampler Game Board and more on Linen and Lace (nothing like being positive, right?).

Halloween Fairy ... and Linen and Lace

2006-09-03T09:04:00.000+12:00

Grrr ... blogger photos don't seem to be working ... and of course as I typed that, one suddenly appeared! Grrrr - I just uploaded them into Picturetrail anyway LOL

Here we go ...

Halloween Fairy - Mirabilia

Stitched on kitted fabric with kitted threads

Finished August 2006

and one I started last week ... just because, well, just because nothing else was calling me!

The Drawn Thread - Linen and Lace

It's been a while!

2006-09-03T08:44:00.000+12:00

Life really has just got in the way lately. But having said that - I really need to get into the habit of updating here regularly! It is a great way to keep a diary of life, and of course my stitching. Maybe September will be a better month :)

In big news ... my DH finally has a new job, we are definitely looking at this as a new start. Until a few days ago, I knew he was struggling and had been for a while, but I really do think he was close to being tipped over the edge and a few days ago very nearly did - I'm not going to go into it except to say I didn't realise how much he has been struggling. So onwards and upwards ... he has some healing to do and confidence to build again, but I know we can do that together.

(just re-read that and it sounds like he was going to do something really silly like top himself - definitely not! But he has definitely been in a dark place).

He is going to be working for Signature Homes - he will be managing the office and selling. The franchise owner is ready to "just" organise the building and wants someone to step into running everything else.

It is going to be tough for a little while as it is a much lower salary plus commission, so until the first commission comes in we will have to be very careful, but we have a game plan and everything is looking good ... that plus a little bit of faith and we're ready for what we are hoping is a way up for us.

... and just to prove our luck is turning - we won some money on Lotto last night! well sort of luck turning ... we have six rows of a combination of our 8 b/dates (including the cat) ... would you believe we got FIVE of our birthdates come out, which would have been Div 3 (about $700) ... but with all our combinations not one of them put those five numbers in a row - you really do have to laugh. BUT we did have five rows of combinations of four ... so we get about $170 out of it. We've always had an unwritten rule in this house where if we win a little in Lotto (and believe me I think it's only happened once or twice before and hasn't been that much LOL) that we do a family FUN thing with it - we can't usually afford things like that. So we need to all sit down and decide what we want to do ... I'm leaning towards movies and dinner - but we'll see what the kids want :D

... oh, and yes ... I have been fitting in some stitching, not as much as I'd like - but I always find time for a little bit. I'll update in separate post so I can insert photos easier.

Happy Fathers day to my Husband who is a pretty darn good father :)

Happy Fathers day to my Dad - who is a pretty darn good father too :)

Works in Progress ... and a bit of life ...

2006-08-22T10:42:00.000+12:00

I have a blissful week this week - NO meetings! yee-hahhhh! ... the last few weeks have been crazy and I'm so pleased they are over. I'm still busy, still working hard, still not keeping up with housework or exercise ... but at least once the evening comes I know I can sit and stitch for a few hours - it really is a sanity saver for me.

We have major crap going on amongst Cameron's soccer team - well not his team, the parents involved - why they just can't enjoy the kids playing soccer, I will never know. My DH is going along to support the coach at a disciplinary hearing this Thursday - very long story, but basically a parent abused the COACH ... and somehow it's been turned around and twisted, very sad - they are going to lose good people over this :( I'm feeling very defeated myself because I know for sure that there is more to it, and I know for sure one particular man is very sneaky and stirring (especially after hearing his son call the coach a "lying pig"!), but can't pin him to anything!

Anyway - enough of that! On to nicer things ... like WIP's -

Here is Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy - I'm going to keep working on this until I finish it, hopefully in the next few days.

and my Summer Fairie from HAED - she looks nearly finished, but there is still a wee bit of work to do - I might pick her up and try and finish her after Halloween Fairy.

Thanks for looking! Sorry I haven't been around to comment on other blogs - I'm forever hopeful that life really IS going to slow down soon, very very soon! LOL

SBQ

2006-08-22T10:31:00.000+12:00

I always mean to answer these - so here is last weeks one - I took a photo days ago, and then haven't got here to answer and post!

Do you have an organizational system for your fabric? If so, what is it? If not,
what do you store your fabric in?
How do people store their fabric, especially those small but potentially usable pieces? Do they sort by count? How do they label it or otherwise know what each piece is?

This is my drawer with all the packaged, unused fabric - stacked so I can see it - a line of fat quarters, line of fat 16ths, hand-dyeds and fat eighths. I like this way because I can see all the colours straight away and find what I am looking for - I've haven't bought a lot of fabric for a while, I've been slowly trying to work through using all the pieces I have already.

and this drawer has all my grab-bag, off-cuts etc - and they're a mess! (need I say more? LOL)

House Exchange Thank You!

2006-08-22T10:19:00.000+12:00

I received my House Exchange from Annette yesterday - it is SO nice getting a "gift" parcel in the mail :)

Annette stitched a lovely needlebook for me - personalised and all. She also added some goodies - a tape measure (I love these little tape measures, I got one from Jo in the friendship exchange and loved that one too), a bit of Arizona and one of my favourite LHN charts (I'll tell a story about that another day LOL). Here is a picture of all my lovely goodies -

Lots of photos!

2006-08-16T09:45:00.000+12:00

and a very quick post ...

Charlotte and I off into Wellington today - bus to the station, then train in to the city - I have a meeting at work, which is only a quick hour one and I've been promising a train ride and a looksie at my "high" office (24th floor) for a while.

Anyway - photos -

NZ July Ornament - LHN Home for Christmas

L*K Sweet Christmas

My needleroll finish! Thanks to Katrina for organising this SAL each month :) M Designs - Little Pink Houses.

Okay - I can't get these photos to sit where I want them to, and haven't got time to fiddle!

The two below are my progress on The Kiss that I've been working on the last couple of days.

and last one is my biggest son modelling his new clothes he bought with his Birthday money. He has been working hard at getting fit and losing weight and is looking pretty good (and looks like he almost believes it himself! LOL).

Righty oh - off to hang out washing and run to catch the bus!

Boo!

2006-08-14T14:19:00.000+12:00

Well, here I am! I can't believe it's been well over a week - but life has a way of suddenly being busy (especially my life!). My pc's internet connection finally had a hissy fit and wouldn't work at all so I was without internet, and without my pc for a few days while that got fixed. I went away last weekend with Rhiannon to a gym competition (she got 4th overall - VERY happy little girl!) - then a week full of meetings and fundraising, and sadly this week isn't looking much better.

I have been stitching on and off though - I've finished a couple of ornaments, my house exchange and nearly finished a needleroll. I will try and find time to take pictures later or tomorrow.

Not a lot of other news really, just wanted to make an appearance to show that I am indeed still in the land of living and still trying to stitch!

I'm off to put my house exchange together now - so it's ready to send tomorrow, nothing like leaving things until the last minute!

July into August

2006-08-03T23:30:00.000+12:00

July Round-Up

1. NZ SAL Ornament - not quite
2. One other Ornament - no
3. Finish Woodland Cottage - no
4. House Exchange - stitched, but not made up yet.
5. Work on Mirabilia's The Kiss - yes
6. Work on HAED QS Summer Fairy - yes (but not finished like I hoped!)

I also started:
Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy
Mirabilia's Stargazer

Other goals:
7. Update Blogger Daily - I tried! Much better than the month before.
8. Comment on three blogs daily - I started off okay, but got very busy the last couple of weeks.

August Goals

1. Finish July SAL Ornament
2. Finish August SAL Ornament
3. Finish one other Ornament
4. Finish Woodland Cottage
5. Work on The Kiss
6. Work on The Stargazer
7. Finish HAED Summer Fairy
8. Finish Halloween Fairy
9. Work on starting to stitch through my vast collection of DT charts and kits.

August Rotation Plans

Monday - The Drawn Thread
Tuesday - The Kiss/The Stargazer
Wednesday - Ornament
Thursday - Ornament
Friday - Whatever
Saturday - HAED
Sunday - HAED

except this weekend when I plan on stitching and finishing Halloween Fairy :)

Hmmmm ... a wee addiction?

2006-07-31T09:30:00.000+12:00

Here's what I made yesterday :) ... I used fabric that I already had - I've loved the friends one for ages and just been waiting for something to do with it - I only had a fat quarter though, so had to be a wee inventive to make sure I used it the best I could, for anyone making these, it's probably useful to know that a fat quarter is enough for the main fabric on the outside and base and I think it was half a metre I had of the purple which was just enough for the lining, top contrast and handles. The narrower top is a mistake, but one of those mistakes that actually turned out well - when I went to do the final sewing of the lining and bag together there was an extra half inch for the outside, I must have measured the main fabric wrong to start with - but I actually think it shows the main fabric better and for that particular one probably worked better that way, funny how those things work out! I love the blue and green one - I'm not actually sure what I'm doing with these two, but I know it's going to be hard to give them away LOL.

I did do a wee bit of stitching last night - I started our NZ SAL ornament for July, I was hoping to sneak in and finish it before July was over but might not quite do it - I might update my goals one or two days late, just so I can mark it off as a Yes! Saturday night I finished stitching my house exchange piece, I just need to put it together now.

I've got a busy week this week so don't imagine a lot of stitching will be done at all. I'll try and be nice to myself in the afternoons and give myself some me time - but we'll see how it goes.

Off to do some work now ... hope everyone has had a great weekend!

So. Tired...

2006-07-28T11:55:00.000+12:00

I knew this week was going to be a toughie ... and next week too, but that doesn't quite make feeling like crap from lack of sleep any better today! I haven't gotten to sleep before midnight since Monday night. Tuesday night was AGM then the netball - in bed at about midnight, and then tossed and turned. Wednesday was stocktaking, home about 11.30pm ... alseep about 12.30, last night was my usual late working night ... but of course, no work until about 10.30pm then a couple of urgent things came in ... first one froze ... grrrrrrrr ... finished the other one about 12.30, home after 1.00am ... this morning? I'm tired, surprise, surprise! Roll on a normal bedtime tonight and the next couple of nights before a full on week of late nights next week.

I did stitch last night though - before work came in I worked on my house exchange piece for a while, I'm hoping to get some more done this evening and finish it tomorrow, then stitch this month's ornament to just sneak in to meeting those two goals before the end of the month!

So, that is my exciting life, work, work and more work :) I'm off to dust the furniture and vaccum now - so at least the house looks slightly respectible!

Thanks for all the comments on my bag - I'm still rather chuffed with it :)

No stitching yesterday, BUT!

2006-07-27T10:15:00.000+12:00

I sewed :)

Another thank you to Katrina for passing the pattern on to me - I love this! I bought the fabric while we were in Napier at our retreat, so it will always be a nice little memory as well.

While I was sewing it Charlotte was asking ... can I have one, can you do this, can you do that ... until I got fed up and said NO!!! This is for ME! just ME! ... just for a change ;)

What's even nicer is I actually managed to follow the pattern, not make any boo-boos and finish with a good looking bag - it will be perfect for carrying my knitting and stitching around in.

I have ideas to make more - a teddy bear one for my mother for Christmas, a quilting themed one for Deb and her mother for Christmas ... I'm totally hooked ;)

I had a busy day yesterday, and a few more busy ones to come. We are stocktaking as a fund raiser for the school so I was at The Warehouse from 6-11pm last night (hence the little afternoon spoiling to myself and taking the time to sew for ME!) ... work tonight, tomorrow night - weekend at home (yay!), then three more nights stocktaking. Roll on end of September when fundraising for school and a soccer tournament should be all finished.

Okay - off to type up minutes and sort out last years filing for cricket, so I can sort this years stuff into a more organised state :)

Thanks for all the compliments lately - they make a girls day!

Quick Halloween Fairy update

2006-07-25T17:15:00.000+12:00

Isn't she lovely! I'm a wee bit disappointed in the green wings - they're a lovely colour but get lost in the fabric, I'm using the fabric from the kit this time and didn't expect that - they are outlined though, so once that is stitched I'm sure they will be more see-able.

This was after last night's stitching, I was hoping to get some more in today, but I'm not sure where the day has gone - maybe later, maybe not.

I've got the Cricket Assn AGM tonight - think of me as I have to present the accounts, my least favourite thing is to speak in front of a group of people and on top of that I know the Chairman isn't particularly happy with the way they are laid out. The Auditor was more than happy, and we discussed how my coding is different from last year as I am new to the job this year - but it is worth one year of a bit of confusion, to make sure that they're consistent in future years, but I know for sure that Mr Chairman isn't particularly happy with it!

There is a NZ/Aussie netball game tonight at 10.00pm ... I'm hoping to be home and stitching for it - so lets hope it's a quick meeting (I can dream, right?).

I feel good :)

2006-07-24T14:49:00.000+12:00

There is nothing like good friends, good food, good wine (and whine! LOL), stitching and shopping to make a girl feel good.

Our little NZ retreat was this weekend and we had a lovely time - thank you Katrina, Kath, Wendy, Donna and Pat!!

I was biking home with Charlotte from her gymnastics class this afternoon, with the sun shining ... and just thought ... I feel good - I still have way too much to do, not enough time to do it, but I feel so much more relaxed and less stressed, and I'm sure it's the weekend away from it all that helped.

Also helped by the fact that my wonderful DH had the house tidied, laundry up to date and dinner all cooked by the time I arrived home :) I'll keep him on a little longer! LOL

... and some pictures, just to prove we stitched, and didn't just eat and chat ;)

Here is the start of Stargazer - bit of a blue blob for now, but I'm already loving her.

and the start of Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy - I'm going to carry on with the fairy for a couple of days - I have a free evening tonight (and good TV!), and hopefully a couple of free hours tomorrow - after that I'm busy, busy, busy again - cricket AGM tomorrow night (which I'm all ready for *phew*), stocktaking at one of our big stores for ski-camp fundraising Wednesday night then work Thursday and Friday. A free weekend and then stocktaking Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings ... no rest for the wicked, and I was obviously VERY wicked at some point in my life!

and last but not least - we had a winter exchange, I was a lucky girl and ended up (after a few fun swaps) to end up with a bis... whatsit pillow from Katrina (isn't it lovely!) along with some lovely smelly shower gel and a cute notepad - thank you again Katrina!

Summer Fairy

2006-07-17T07:50:00.000+12:00

It was HAED stitching in my rotation yesterday - so I was a good girl and stuck to it! Here is my Summer Fairie - I only worked on her last night, I was busy putting an exchange together in the afternoon. I did a wee bit of her skin, and the blue/purple scattered stitches on the left.

I can't wait to get this finished because it's not my favourite anymore, I like it - but so many of the QS I like a lot better, and really want to start ... but I'm trying to make myself finish this first - I know what I'm like, if I don't, it will sit in a WIP draw for a long, long ... time.

Kids are back at school today, and I'm trying to start this term with new "habits" which includes walking each day and less internet "playing" - I've been watching Dr Phil ;)

Thanks for the comments on the Stargazer fabric! Funny enough, I came across a piece of Countrystitch's Autumn Thyme not long after I posted those pictures, and the two colours are amazingly identical - but I like the feel of Countrystitch's better ... so I might go with the Autumn Thyme :)

What do you think?

2006-07-16T13:41:00.000+12:00

I was going to order a new piece of fabric for Mirabilia's Stargazer ... but going with my mission this year to only use fabric (wherever possible) that I've already got so as to save money, and use the oodles of fabric stash I already have - I went through my fabric today and found this one. So what do you think? It looks a bit more dusky in real life, the blue tinge through it doesn't show quite as well either ... but is there enough to bring out the blues of the design. I quite like it, I was going to go with a thundery grey coloured fabric (had to find one
that matched what was in my head, of course LOL) - from the pictures I've seen of this stitched up though - the nighttime colours seem to make the design get lost on the fabric. I thought I would fall in love with Countrystitch's specially dyed fabric for it - but having seen it finished I think it makes look the lady is being drawn up to the "light" (probably just me!). So, anyway, what do you think? crazy, yuck, cool - or what? (it is Silkweaver's Greystone)

Sad news

2006-07-14T13:39:00.000+12:00

NZ paralympian killed in motor accident I don't know the shooter particularly well, have seen him around at shoots, but couldn't say I know him. But Ross Mason (wife Kris Mason was driving) who was in a different vehicle going somewhere else is a friend, and extremely good man (you know, one of those few truly GOOD people in the world) - he has put so much heart, soul and time into this shooting team to get them to World Champs etc and to give them the same opportunites that healthy bodied shooters have. I just know that poor man will be absolutely gutted, not to mention poor Kris who was driving.

And as an aside - Alison Fursdon is an old shooting friend that I haven't seen or heard from for a few years, she left her DH and children and took off overseas with another shooter about, oh 10 years ago, I didn't even know she was involved in the team and was so surprised to see her name there!

On a happier note - I FINALLY took the kids up to see the Statue of Mary today. I have promised, and promised, and promised again, Charlotte that I would take her up there but something always happens and we don't make it. You can see it from the road, and at night her halo lights up and Charlotte has asked lots of questions about how big it is, what's it made out of etc etc so I said I'd take her up and have a look.

Here's a photo of the kids and the Statue

and a picture of the view - the big green and yellow building is our Pak n' Save supermarket - I think Charlotte was more thrilled that she could see it from the top of the hill and that it looked so different ... than she was at finally seeing the statue! LOL

SBQ - 12 July 2006

2006-07-13T09:16:00.000+12:00

I'm sure there is a little logo/clicky thing you can put on these? It's that long since I joined up, and then never answered any - I can't remember where to find it. Anyway, on to the question -

"Since you started blogging, have you noticed any difference in your stitching
habits? Tell us about them."

My habits haven't changed too much, they changed more once I'd entered the internet world of stitching about 6yrs ago. There is definitely more enabling, more ideas on finishing and more ideas on rotation ideas - all of which I've pulled what I want/need/aspire to from. I have made lots of new friends and contacts though, which is always very very nice :)

No stitching updates today - I'm working on an exchange piece, which I did get a good block of done yesterday :)

I've got a few soccer things to sort out this morning, really really need to get some laundry done (this rain is getting tired), and work tonight - not a very exciting day at all! Hopefully work will be quiet and I'll be able to get some stitching done.

Thanks for all the lovely comments lately - I love to know people are interested in my little life and my stitching :)

Smooches

2006-07-12T08:36:00.000+12:00

I did indeed pick out a Mirabilia to stitch, as per my planned rotation - yay! me!

As is pretty usual with me, I'm left wondering why I'd left it so long - I really enjoyed stitching on this yesterday. I did a lot of her left sleeve and the greenery/flowers on that side. Now to put them away for another week :)

Should be a good stitching day/evening today as well - I need to find a couple of charts for exchange pieces and will probably work on those tonight.

Got to get moving, shopping to do ... and I want it done early!

I won!

2006-07-11T10:17:00.000+12:00

I won our World Cup sweepstake at work :) ... I get a lovely little cash prize of about $100 (I can't remember exactly how much) ... just the right amount for guilt free shopping for our weekend away - isn't life good? DH thought I was nutty for picking Italy to win - HA!

No stitching update from yesterday because I didn't even touch it :( ... I hate that, I need my daily stitching fix! ... the day just seemed to get away from me - I did some soccer work in the morning, did some housework, took Josh to the shops so he could pick out some clothes and a book for his birthday - folded the HUGE pile of laundry and the it was dinner time. I then had a gymnastics committee meeting ... and that was my day.

I'm hoping that I don't even have to leave the house today - and I plan to stitch the afternoon and evening away. According to my rotation I should be stitching a Mirabilia so I think I will dig The Kiss out - she hasn't seen the light for day for I hate to think how many months.

Oh - and I lied about not leaving the house - I got a call at 8.30am this morning to remind me about Charlotte's dental check-up at 9.00am - which I'd forgotten about, so I got to wake her up, break the news to her ... and then rush down to the school dental clinic and hold down a screaming, kicking Charlotte. Even better? The Dental nurse thinks she might have some decay and she wants to check her again in 3 months ... which is about a month before she starts school - nothing like a bit of extra trauma to welcome her to school - so went from there and got the kids some games and DVDs for a few days ... so we're all set now for a quiet day in :)

Just remembered the other thing I did yesterday rather than stitching - I made the cutest little book for Charlotte. She is desperate to learn how to read, so Josh spent sometime taking photos of her for me yesterday - doing different things. I then put the photos into a word document and she has a little book of "I can ... " that she can VERY proudly read herself. I'm going to do another one with "This is ... " and take photos of all of us. So the day wasn't lost in boring work and housework!

Happy Birthday Josh!

2006-07-10T09:43:00.000+12:00

and Yay! Italy (fancy having two titles to choose from, I always have trouble coming up with one!).

Happy Birthday to our Josh - he is 12 today :) ... hard to believe that 12 years has gone by since our little very pale skinned, white fuzzed hair 6lb20z baby boy was born. He literally flew into the world ... so quickly that the new mid-wife turned around and almost missed him ... and got a good talking to later (DH heard the "old" midwife telling her to never, never, turn your back on a patient). He came out blue with an initial agpar score of one - they suctioned him out and then rushed him off - to this day I'm not sure what they did with him, I think they gave him some oxygen and cleared his airways some more. Now he's a very intelligent, quiet, caring (still pale)12 year old ... who is slowly getting to my height ;)

and Italy - wooohoooo! I was third in our sweepstakes at work before the weekend, I picked both Germany and Italy AND picked Italy to win before the tournament started, which also earns me extra points ... I toyed with the idea of picking France so I'd be guaranteed a safe 5pts, but went with the gamble and it paid off. No idea if I'm still in the running for prizes - but I'm chuffed that "my" team won :D ... makes it, oh so much more exciting when you've got money on it! LOL (probably the best way of seeing through four weeks of a soccer made family!).

In a funny World Cup thing - Josh's birthday being today, of course, was also the same day as the World Cup final ... of course Josh has no interest in it whatsoever ... if it had been Cameron's birthday it would have been a perfect sleep-over/party for him as he's the soccer mad fan of the house (along with big brother and Dad of course). Funny how things work out ;)

On to stitching ... here is a picture of my needleroll for the SAL weekend - I supposed I'm supposed to put it away for a few weeks now? Gosh, that won't be easy, it's a fun stitch - I'm not sure why I've had it kitted up for so long and not started it!

and lastly - a photo of the four younger kids (Mr nearly 15yo is just too old and above himself to go bush walking with them) - they are (I think) at the top of walk they did yesterday, that is Otaki River below them - the car would have been parked on the other side of the river - DH got some good photos of them all crossing the swing bridge - but I won't bore you with those! They had a great day :)

(Charlotte, Josh, Rhiannon and Cameron)

Well ... I did take a photo

2006-07-09T10:38:00.000+12:00

But DH has just left with all the kids to go on a bush walk, and taken the camera with him! I'll forgive him, this once.

So I get to tell you that I did indeed start a needleroll, after looking for all the supplies for Sweetheart Tree's Victorian Floral Needleroll, and finding that I didn't have anything - not even the right DMC colours, that I'd start Little Pink Houses (M Designs) instead - especially as I've had it all kitted up for quite a while.

So I had a lovely little photo of little pink houses - the line of houses nearly completed - but you will just have to pretend instead.

I'm off to do a wee bit of soccer work, then try and get an hour or two in before going off to work this afternoon.

The house would be quiet ... except the big teenager is home, of course *sigh*

No stitching update

2006-07-08T10:06:00.000+12:00

Ha! make a goal to update your stitching daily ... and what happens, you don't get to stitch! It was very quiet at work last night ... but you can see what I did instead of stitching ;) ... I took the opportunity of the peace and quiet and fiddled with my blog, I never did like the rose before it - I was playing around and ran out of time to do anything further.

Thank you to Nicki (Plush) for the idea and link to photos to change the top banner - I can't work out how to make it exactly the right length, but I'm happy as it is. I even fiddled and change a few colours of headings so it all fitted - quite proud of myself, I am ;)

I sometimes get to stitch for half an hour or so when I come home from work on a Friday night ... but last night I arrived home to find DH in a tizz surrounded by bakery goods and no idea where to put them. I have a wonderful friend whose BIL owns a local bakery, she will quite often ring and say she has some leftovers at home that are great for the kids' lunches and after school snacks ... but last night the charity who usually does the pick up of the leftovers on a Friday night didn't turn up - so he dropped the whole lot off to my friend's place. So she rang here and David went around collected a whole lot. I managed to find places in the freezer for all the freezable things ... and we have plenty of filled rolls for lunch AND dinner ;) So anyway, my usual stitching time was spent wrapping filled rolls and finding room in the freezer and fridge to put everything ... and I'm not complaining, not one little bit ;O) ... these extras from my friend really do help the grocery budget! (she has five children as well and in a very similar situation to us so she knows how much we appreciate it).

I don't think I mentioned my plans for tomorrow (Sunday) ... DH obviously finally got the hint that I'm desperate for some alone time ... and is taking the kids out for the day - off to Otaki Forks which has a couple of great bush walks, they're planning on going in the morning, doing one of the small walks, having a picnic lunch, then doing another small one - giving me a day at home alone ... I've been looking forward to it all week. Of course, you know what happens don't you? I got asked to come into work at 3.00pm for a few hours - and I never say no to weekend overtime, good money, no childcare to worry about ... and going away in a couple of weeks! ... so my whole quiet day has disappeared :( ... not to worry, I'll still have the morning and I'll have time to stop in at Spotlight on the way into Wellington ;)

Righty oh ... I need to get moving ... washing to do, house to tidy etc ... just the usual. Although I had a meeting to go to this afternoon (ski camp fundraising for school) which has now been changed until tomorrow ... and joy of joys - I genuinely can't go because I'll be at work *dancing dancing dancing* (I don't enjoy these meetings at all - I have to go if I want help paying for Josh to go to camp, but most the parents are very lapse in volunteering and it is VERY frustrating).

Hope everyone is having a good day!

A little work stitching

2006-07-07T09:07:00.000+12:00

Just a little! ... I had one of those frustrating times when every bit I went to stitch, I didn't have the right cotton with me! It's been so long since I stitched this I'd say I've pinched the colours out for other things. I did manage to stitch the leaves on the left and the grey steps/walls, whatever they are, at the front bottom of the house. I'll make sure I've got the couple of missing colours to take with me to work tonight though!

I'm very tempted to join in with Katrina and the other needleroll SAL girls this weekend ... wonder how long/difficult it would be to find one of my long put off needleroll charts amongst my ... very untidy and unorganised ... stash.

It's the end of week one of two weeks of school holidays here - mostly I like them ... but then there are mornings like today where I've just sent Mr nearly 15yo to his room because I'm sick of his smart, not nice, comments to his sister ... and the whining reaction from said sister that goes with it. Although, I must say, I'm always relieved when he actually listens to me - he's a good few inches taller and bigger than me now and could quite easily to tell me to go get knotted! (of course, he knows darn well that would probably results in loss of phone, or no roadcode book etc etc which helps).

I have so much to do this morning. I need to desperately tidy and clean this house up a bit, Rhiannon has a friend coming to play. I have some matchbox cars that need posting out, but need to go buy the boxes to do those. Probably means I should get off here and get to it!

Thursday Morning

2006-07-06T10:19:00.000+12:00

and it's already 10.15am! I need to go do some grocery shopping, then get back home and ready for work - I remembered in the shower this morning that I'm supposed to be there about three hours early, which means I need to leave about 2.00pm. So much for getting lots of work done this morning! Anyway - here are a few picture updates.

Firstly - my very "slow" HAED Quick stitch - I'm loving stitching this though ... after 20 or so years of cross-stitching I think I'm just plain enjoying something a bit different - kwim? I'm quietly hoping to finish this one this month - but we'll see how life pans out ;)

and then we have an ornament I've been stitching for a few months - it's my, what am i going to bring and stitch, pick up and stitch, one!

and lastly, last months NZ SAL ornament - Peace by Charlotte's Web Designs.

Okay - now I've also got to drop a couple of the kids off to a friends house, so I need to get moving, grooving!

(... but I did manage to do an update - as promised in my goals! LOL)

June to July

2006-07-05T08:47:00.000+12:00

June Round-Up

1. Finish Friendship Exchange and send off - yes
2. NZ SAL Ornament - yes
3. One other ornament - no
4. Finish Woodland Cottage - no

I did do my ebay stitching though -

DT - English Garden Pocket
PS - Tall Oak Sampler
LHN - Rose Sampler
SB - Be True

I'm hoping they make enough money to give me a lovely guilt free stitchy/stash weekend with our NZ group of ladies :)

July's Goals

I really, really need to get myself into a stitching routine/rotation again ... but I'm just not too good at sticking to one! ... so I need something with a bit of freedom, but also gets me working on some pieces I haven't touched in a while.

I also want to get better at blogging regularly AND commenting on other blogs, I've got pretty hopeless at that lately.

Soooo ...

Goals

1. NZ SAL Ornament
2. One other Ornament
3. Finish Woodland Cottage
4. House Exchange
5. Work on Mirabilia The Kiss
6. Work on HAED Quick Stitch (maybe even finish it!)

7. Update Blog daily, with that day's stitching.
8. Comment on at least 3 blogs each day.

Rotation

Monday - HAED
Tuesday - Mirabilia
Wed - Ornament/Exchange
Thursday - Ornament/Exchange
Friday - whatever
Saturday - whatever
Sunday - HAED

Weekend of 21-23rd, I plan to throw the rotation out of the window and possibly start Mirabilia's Stargazer - that is the weekend we are away and I think I deserve a treat!

Stitchie Kiwi

It's been a while - new blog

I've been a hopeless blogger ...

Watch that sun ...

Go Paula!

No snow like Pauline ... but ...

Hello :)

Let's try this ...

Got to keep this up ...

Three Months!!

All about me :)

April into May

Only four more houses to finish building!

Just a little needleroll

Love of Needlework Exchange

Silly me ...

I've been happily busy

While Mum's away ... the

March into April

Here I am, at last!

Some stitching progress!

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

February to March

Another week, another update

Where have I been?

More cards and a finish!

Look what I did today :)

Paul Shell Needle Roll

WIP, a Finish and Family Chat

Progress pictures

January into February

January Ornament SAL

Bits and Pieces and more of Ashley

Just a quick update this morning ...

White and Grey ...

A Finish, Organising and Cute Kid ... sometimes

More Ashley's Roses

Ashley Roses Resurrected

Another finish!

V.2 Vest and A Place We Call Home Finish

True Confessions

A stitching ... and Knitting! finish

2006 ... on to 2007

Bags, Bags, Bags ...

Christmas Eve

Gifts galore!

Evening Carols ... NZ Style

Thank you Joanie!

Life ... and all it's trials!

November to December

It's been a while!

Stitch it Forward

Stitch it Forward

Stitch it Forward

*shhhhhh* this post is a secret ...

Lots of photos! - Stitching First ...

October into November

A quilt, finished!

A finish ... and another, finish!

Exchanges Catch Up

5 Weird Things ...

Last picture to show ...

10 days!

September into October

Woodland Cottage

The Prairie Schooler - Christmas

Look, two posts in two days!

An update, again ...

Pictures ... at last!

The Secret Seven

Hit the Road Jack ...

Another week ... another I'm too busy ...

Shhhhh ... do you hear that?

August into September

Halloween Fairy ... and Linen and Lace

It's been a while!

Works in Progress ... and a bit of life ...

SBQ

House Exchange Thank You!

Lots of photos!

shhhhhh this post is a secret ...