and another week goes by ...

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

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




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

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

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

Catch you later, gaters ...

Some Pictures ... at last!

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

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

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

Here she is - I stitched the wings.

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



Thanks for looking!

Sunday Morning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At last!

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

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

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

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



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

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

Celtic Summer

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weekend Stitching

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

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

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

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


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


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

A couple of little finishes -

Just to prove that I have been stitching!

Peace Ornament - made up into a little needleroll -



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



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

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

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

Bye for now!

April Round Up - May Goals

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

April Goals:

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

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

Here goes ... some wishy washy May goals -

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

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

Rhiannon -

Charlotte -

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

An Update

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

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

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

Don't I lead an exciting life?

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

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

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

Here is Homeward Bound -



and Setting Sail -



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

Long time, no blog!

I lost my blogging mojo! I just haven't had a lot to say, that's got to be good, right? I haven't even had any good stitching updates. I'm busy working on Celtic Summer, have started the beading and will wait until I've finished before I take a picture ... but oh my, that beading is sooo slow.

I should update on the Royal visit - it wasn't "so" bad ... MIL I think was making an effort - although there were some classic comments, but she was bearable, I still find it a total waste of a day though - and no, I won't bring out my stitching while she is there because she always manages to make some comment about cross-stitching "being boring and way too easy to be enjoyable" ... so I just don't go there. Anyway - deed is done, hopefully for a while!

Yesterday we had DH's cousin and his wife (Mike and Lisa - yeah, another Lisa LOL) plus five of their six children (some hers, some his, youngest theirs) - they all kind of match boys/girls and ages with our kids which is pretty cool - they all played pretty well together, although I must admit taking an instant dislike to the little girl Rhiannon's age and wasn't surprised when Rhiannon said to me afterwards that Teiana was bossy and she didn't like her much (but Rhiannon being the laid-back little girl she is obviously took it into her stride and coped fine!).

What else have I been doing? I've worked extra shifts, which is GREAT for the bank balance, in fact we've caught up enough that I'm hoping to buy Josh's birthday gifts (for July) with some of my overtime, it will be one less worry come July - soccer will have slowed down then too, which means less income for me ;) ... I've been busy sewing leotards, after seeing my girls I've had a couple of requests from other mothers AND I need to get going and sew 40 little beanbag squares for the gym club ... hmmm wonder why there is no stitching updates? LOL

I'll leave you with a photo of the evil MIL and Charlotte - it is quite sweet really ;)

A stitching update!

Firstly, a purple blob ... which has take a long time to stitch! I suppose this is my first official HAED ... funny enough called a "Quick Stitch" and I believed it! LOL ... I, in mny usual silly optimistic way, did think it would stitch up a lot faster ... I thought it would be a good Easter project.

This is on 32ct - I started Faery Tales on 25ct and decided I didn't like that - and this would be a good practice on a different fabric, I'm thinking that 28ct is probably the perfect balance, I'll try my next one on that before starting my life time project (Faery Tales). I've got into the rhythm of stitching 10x10 blocks - I've tried going right across, I've tried 20x20 blocks ... but the 10x10 really does work well - I still don't like that you can see the block - but I try to make sure a few stitches finish off over the 10, so it's not so obvious. I think I'm getting faster now I'm getting into a better rhythm as well.


Next up is our NZ SAL ornament - we've picked out 12? or maybe 10, one for each month and we have turns kitting up the speciality threads and passing them on to all of us - a bit like the ornament RR's, except we've got it all pre-piced out for the year. We stitch them at the beginning of each month. I stitched this at work on Thursday night - I didn't have a beading needle, so need to put the last few beads on that wouldn't fit through my petite needle, and pick up some extra sparkly threads that I ran out of from Kath - it was quick, fun stitch!

In case you haven't noticed, I've completely blown my rotation this month - I'm kinda hoping I'll still reach the goals ... but I'm having fun just stitching :)

and in life beyond stitching ... we have the Royal visit tomorrow - otherwise known as the in-laws visiting - I haven't seen them for 18mths or so ... the kids haven't seen them for over a year (and in 4yo innocence I heard Charlotte say to Rhiannon this morning "I don't really know those ones") ... there's been some issues (they only live 45min drive away), which I don't think will ever be worked through, but we're being polite. David asked what he should ask her to bring (meaning to help with lunch) ... I told him her positive attitude would be good, if she can find it - which basically sums it up - she is the most negative, bitter person I have met - a very small part of me feels sorry for her - the other part can't be bothered, especially when I know that she is very negative, bitter and plain backstabbing about us. But you've got to do what you've got to do ... I'm sure we will survive! So, anyway, today is tidying and making the house look sparkly for her ;)

So far my Easter weekend has been very productive - I've made 3 leotards (2 pink ones with skirts - one for Charlotte and one for a friend to give to her niece as a birthday gift and one plain black one for Rhiannon to train in), two pairs of bike pants (to go with Rhiannon's leotard) and a poncho. Today I'd like to maybe make a couple of bags as little girl gifts - we'll see though, I might be all sewn out, plus I need to do the house work thing, and get ready for soccer meeting tomorrow night.

Hope you are all having a lovely Easter :)

A very quick one ...

to show off (one) of the photos I took today - this is Cameron in action, I managed to anticipate the shot and push the button just at the right time (something I find hard with a digital camera and the kids' sports pictures).



This was in their final game for 1st/2nd place ... they lost 1-0 - but played really well, they're a great team :)

I promise to go back to stitchy photos tomorrow!

Roller-coasting ...

that what my life seems to be like at the moment ... full of ups, and downs, and ups, and downs ...

Break glasses - panic about cost - insurance will pay - phew.

Apply for new income support (working families FIRST time we actually qualify for help) ... first payment goes in today. They obviously didn't know where we lived before that ... bill for over $1000 tax owed by DH comes in mail today - half of that is interest and late penalties, they haven't sent us a statement since 2003, which I don't for the life of me remember seeing ... I think it may have gone to our old address, although we moved in 2000, anyway, there goes the first six months or so of the extra money we really needed.

Had great parent/teacher interviews with the primary school kids' teachers yesterday. Today Cameron comes home from school to tell me he got winded by a ball in his stomach and lost consciousness for a few seconds ... the school DIDN'T ring me! ... usually I'm complaining (not actually to them) that they ring about stupid little things.

I'm sure there are other things, just seems to be the story of my life right now ... good news, then bad news.

But heck - we're still alive, still healthy and still mostly smiling!

No stitching news - I didn't even touch it yesterday, this week is one of those crazy ones! Yesterday the kids finished school early for the interviews, a friend dropped around, back and forth to soccer training etc, then gymnastics meeting.

Today shouldn't be too bad.

Tomorrow is crazy - Charlotte has eye appointment with the specialist in Wellington, I'll take her to the zoo afterwards as a treat (and BIG bribe! LOL), Cameron has his eye appointment straight after school, then Rhiannon to gym, Rhiannon to soccer, supposed to be going to Mum and Dad's for dinner (not sure how I'll fit that in yet), Cameron's teacher suggested I try and get an interview with his maths teacher (he is VERY good at maths and she doesn't think he is being extended enough but she can't complain, we need to), any way that will be after 6.00pm sometime, pick up Rhiannon from gym, then I think I've got a meeting at school for ski-camp fundraising ... AND I want to get to Kath's for our wee stitching group. Hope DH has a quiet day and can come home a bit earlier to help out.

Thursday I want to get soccer reports, cricket etc DONE because I want to give myself the long weekend off.

Oh - and I should mention Josh's teacher interview ... he scored highest in the school on the National English test they have them do ... and he's a Year 7 (school goes through to Year 8) ... he's one brainy boy :D Funny how he is definitely English based, and Cameron is math based though - they are only 17mths apart in age, but like chalk and cheese in looks, personality, everything - amazing to watch really.

Enough rambling? Have a good day everyone :)

Finished!

Woohooo! Happy, happy, happy dance :)

Love and Wisdom - The Drawn Thread

Stitched on Cream Belfast Linen, started 1 April 2006, finished 9 April 2006

Here are some closer pictures of it - this really was a fun stitch, I just love all the different speciality stitches (admittedly, some a lot less than others! LOL).



Carol - go for it! You've inspired me so much with your stitching and blog, that I'm pleased I can do the same.

I rang the insurance company this morning, and they do indeed cover glasses - whats even more impressive is basically I just give the optomerist the claim no., pay them the $100 insurance excess plus the eye examination that we'll get done for Cameron while we're getting new ones anyway ... and that's all I have to do - it doesn't seem to matter that the glasses we are planning on getting are a good $200 more than the original ones - they need to be replaced so they just go with it ... seems way to easy to me, I think DH needs to accidently break his! You know, this is the FIRST insurance thing we've ever claimed on for our house/contents insurance - and that would be over about 18 years, I'm beginning to think that maybe we are just too honest and trusting and maybe we should think of that option more often - heck, we pay for it, don't we!

Now just need to keep fingers and everything else crossed that everything goes well with Charlotte's trip to the opthomologist (eye specialist) on Wednesday ... she has the same genetic eye problem (long-sightedness) as Josh and Cameron, but it doesn't seem too bad - this is a last "just to be sure" check before she turns 5yo, so we're not really expecting to come away with a script needing them, but I'll still keep everything crossed, just in case ;)

Thanks for all your encouragement while I wildly stitched my sampler - it makes stitching so much more rewarding when you know other people who appreciate it are admiring it as well.

It's Sunday!

and I'm nearly there :)

I've reached the bottom ... so not far to go. Hopefully today - all going well! I'm a bit worried I'm going to run out of the dark Olive - I'm on to my last length - eek!

I'm determined that today will be a better day - it didn't get better yesterday, I ended up with a full blown tantrum from Charlotte and putting her to bed earlier, which included things being thrown, yelling, kicking ... and that was just Charlotte - I actually remained pretty calm. Funny enough she went to sleep pretty quickly so I'm picking she was pretty tired.

Mr 14yo and I are trying to work out a "healthy lifestyle" competition ... he has been inspire by the TV programme "Biggest Loser" ... and the fact he is feeling pretty unfiit. I desperately need something to click in my head to make me want to eat right and exercise again - we're both hoping some healthy competition will set us on the right track.

The first thing I need to do is set myself into a really good routine, I'm thinking if I answer and process any emails first thing in the morning (before my usual breakfast surfing) it will give me a head start, and even if I just do 30min of exercise, that will be better than nothing - hopefully then meaning I have time for work, housework and of course stitching. We'll see.

... and talking of work - it's time to go do some, including tidying my desk, so I can sit and stitch this afternoon :)

An everyday miracle - Anyone can discover a milion miracles in a single day. There are three steps to this. First, consider the miracle of technology. Next, dwell on the fact that technology cannot reproduce a single blade of grass. Then comes the last step: find a lawn.

Saturday

Can't think of any appropriate word to put with it today. I don't have an update of Love and Wisdom - mainly because I didn't do a whole lot yesterday, and most of all I can't be bothered going allll the way to the other end of the house to get it and take a photo! This entry is purely so I can rant and rave and whine ... so if you aren't into reading ranting, raving and whining ... don't bother reading any further ;)

Maybe I'll just do a shortened version ...

Cameron came home from camp with seriously broken glasses - took them in this morning, they are beyond repair. We'll get his eyes retested and new glasses ... the one's he wants (and needs for his active lifestyle) are $400, just for the frames ... so much for Love and Wisdom being used to treat us. I'm wondering if it is tempting fate by having him have his tested the same day Charlotte is having hers done (Wednesday) ... I can see that becoming a very expensive day.
(Editing to add a note for Pat who I know reads this ... It's all Richard's fault - he told Cameron to put his glasses in his pocket, they fell out, got rolled on, and then Richard STOOD on them! ~ but don't say anything ... he really did need a new pair and we were putting it off until we could afford it - I'm actually hoping he might have done us a favour and we can maybe (just maybe, please, please!) get insurance to help pay for them ;))

House is a pigstye.

DH took it upon himself to yell at a kid misbehaving at the playground, the mother was there, the mother is the office person at the gym. I'm still mortified and really angry with him.

I can't stop thinking about how nice it would be to live in an apartment, alone, and not have to continuouslly deal with crap.

Mostly - I'm treading a fine line between handling my busy life, and not handling it .. today that fine line is about as fine as a hair.

I promise to be happy tomorrow ... AND have a good update of Love and Wisdom.

Frustrating Friday

It was going to be freaky ... but I've tried to upload a photo that didn't work, tried to finish off a newsletter for soccer and our internet connection stopped working, sitting here thinking about all the housework I should be doing, but I'm tired and need to work up the energy to do it ... so it's got to be a frustrating, rather than freaky!

Here's the latest update - not a whole lot different to yesterday's, which I suspected would be the case ... a shame when work and children get in the way of stitching, but it happens! LOL

Work again today ... I think I'll work on the dark green border on the train on the way to work, then hopefully I'll get a chance to finish at least the inner sampler ... I might finish it by the end of the weekend! Although I really need to do some sewing, I have lots of ideas and lots of fabric ... just not enough time to do everything I want to.

Should have been a sports free day (the one and only between cricket and soccer seasons) tomorrow, but Cameron has a "practice" game with the grade above them tomorrow - got to the love the coach who obviously loves his soccer more than a free Saturday. Next weekend it's Easter and tournament weekend, then the weekend after Cameron starts the season (he plays Premier League, so different timetable and district to the other kids) ... and the other kids start the weekend after - definitely no rest for the wicked - and I must have been VERY wicked LOL

Had teacher/parent interviews at high school yesterday - I was dreading the maths one after being asked to go, and having got an email a couple of weeks ago about David being disruptive in class - but it went well, he has obviously listened to us when we've been saying no matter what he thinks of the teacher, how much they obviously clash etc, he has to deal with it and cope with it. She said he has been much better and she will let us know if there are a difficulties again, and more important, that she feels he is coping fine with the work and that isn't an issue (we thought it might have been and that is why he was acting up). His English teacher obviously loves him and also said that after the PAT (some general school testing - can't remember what it stands for) he came out within the top couple of kids in the class - at about 16/17yo level, English has always been his thing and it's nice to see him not only doing well in it, but really enjoying it too. History was the only other teacher we saw and he's doing fine there too - so all in all he's still doing more than okay - which is a relief!

My clicky finger did some clicking at HAED the other day - I decided that before I restart Faery Tales I should practice with a little one, and make sure the 32ct fabric looks right (or maybe 28ct - I'm still undecided) - hows that for justification? I bought QS Summer Fairy and I'm dying to start it ... I think I'm going to kit it all up and make it an Easter project (shhhh ... did you hear someone mention April rotation?).

Righty oh - it's off to do housework, after I've sent this newsletter out - then off to work!

Thursday Thoughts

... and another update! Karen - you said one more, have I persuaded you enough yet? It IS a fun stitch ... LOL

Thank you for ALL your comments, as always - they are very much appreciated!

Still not quite where I want to be (haven't been since I lost my Sunday afternoon stitching time ;)) ... today and tomorrow are my slow stitching days because I'm at work in the evening, even if there is no work, I still don't usually get as much stitching done as I would at home.

You know, I'm such a blonde sometimes ... it wasn't until I was looking at the next couple of sampler motifs coming up that I realised that every motif is labelled A-Z, I knew that, but thought it was just to follow which one was which ... but no, I only just realised as I read the "X" one and the chart says she couldn't think of anything else except x-stitch for it that I clicked that every motif not only is marked with A, B etc - but the particular stitch starts with that letter too e.g. Rug stitch (the red square blob ... which is most awful stitch I've ever done LOL!) ... and Darning for the the cross earlier on etc etc. I'm nearly at the end of those fiddly little stitches though - I'm hoping the rest of it grows pretty quickly after that.

Off to feed two little girls and quickly answer some emails so I'm ahead of myself for the morning :)

Mirror Image - Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back; if you smile, it returns the greeting.

Whacky Wednesday!

... life is always pretty whacky around here - so Whacky is definitely fitting!

Just a quick one today - I typed up a longer one earlier, but darn thing froze when I tried to upload the images.


Here is Love and Wisdom ... about half way I think! I'm a wee bit behind on my self-imposed schedule, but that's okay :)






















Here is a close up - not sure how clear it is though - this is a such a fun stitch - all those different speciality stitches sure keep the old grey matter working ;)



















New Broom - Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of the heart.

Have a good day everyone!

Terrific Tuesday!

Well - I'm not sure it is terrific, just pretty normal ... but Terrific is the only thing I could think of to put with Tuesday :)

Here is an update on Love and Wisdom - I'm not quite where I want to be ... but not too far off, hopefully today will be another good stitching day and I'll catch up.

(just used Blogger to upload the image, don't know why I've never tried that before - I usually load WIP's into a Picturetrail account, then copy paste the link ... it's MUCH easier doing it straight from the camera ... maybe you will get daily updates now! LOL)

I'm working on being organised and not letting soccer take over my life this week - last week I was mentally and physically exhausted to the point of nearly being in tears most of the time. This week is definitely a new week - I'm only working a couple of hours each morning, making sure I get a house "goal" (I cleaned the fridge yesterday) done every day ... and making sure I have time to stitch. It's only Tuesday, but I already feel so much better :)

Table 0f equivalents - "One machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man."