Sheepie SAL anybody???

I've had a bit of a play and have come up with a small design (70x50), featuring - of all things - sheepies.

Would anybody out in blog-land be interested in a SAL???

Leave a message on this post and I'll see how many people are interested and then I'll work it out.

Thanks - baaa-ronny

I had a fit of finishing this afternoon. 
I had found the fabric for baa-baa-blackwork sheep a week or so ago - even young Harry thought it was a perfect choice.  I love the faux piping look used on the last batch of cushions - and wanted something striking for contrast.  Black or dark colours flattened the design totally, and I wanted a bit of pizzaz - the bright yellow did the trick.
I finished baaa-sheep yesterday and am so pleased how that one turned out - I really didn't want to frame it as it were, centrally - I do so like to have asymmetrical designs.  Had to fiddle a bit to get the faux-piping correct.  I do need to put a large purple button on the top left to set it off right.
During the week, I'll search out some buttons to use to fasten them on the back.
Not sure if i'll be keeping them or giving them away.......

Another finish hot off the hoops - surprise, surprise - it's another sheepie to add to the flock.

This one I found as another freebie on the webb and was looking for something quick to stitch to get back into the swing of things this week.  The original chart has the word 'beee' down the side, possibly because that is a translation of 'baaa' - so easy to change!

I have the feeling that this one will be made into a cushion - possibly as early as tomorrow!

Sky Watching - Moon and Stars

No need for the torch to see my way this morning. Lady Moon was in her glory, shining down so brilliantly, I could see my way through the path and miss the puddles. The remnants of the aligned stars were also showing off and trying to outshine (pardon the pun) the moon, it was a tough contest. By the time I was walking back into the house, the wisps of cloud in the east were turning pink. It was the sort of morning that I'd love to be on top of a hill to watch the moon set and the sun rise.  I use this site to work out just what start it is that I could be seeing.  Play with the settings to take out all the extra information and bring it down to the bare bones - or if you are technically minded - add all the settings you like.  Remember to set it to your nearest city.

Happy Sky watching

When is the 'RIGHT' time to clean the oven???? LOL

I am the first person to put their hands up when it comes to admitting they are not a good housecleaner. I admit that I've not cleaned the oven in 5 years So when it started smoking slightly the past month when using it, I bought one of those commercial oven cleaners, waiting for the 'right' day to use it.
The night before you are catering for a family lunch for 10 is NOT the 'right' day !

Because the instructions on the can said not to be left for more than 12 hours, and I leave for work at 7am and get back at 7pm, I asked 18yo son to spray the oven when he got home from school. This he did. At 10pm, I judged it was time to wipe out the residue and did what I could reach. I then asked 18yo son to get the rest.

Fine and Dandy I thought.

Saturday morning, I tested the oven on a low temp, there was a wisp of smoke, but it was free of any aroma. I was cooking Chicken Kievs and Scalloped Potatos - both in the oven. I turned the oven on to cooking temperature and shoved the whopping huge baking dish of potatos in, filled the sink and started washing dishes. Less than 5 minutes later, I realised something was wrong.

There was a bit of smoke coming from the oven. I opened the oven door and filled the whole house with smoke. Not good. Panic mode !! MIL is due within the next 30 minutes and the house is full of smoke!!!

I opened the front door, the kitchen window, the laundry door, the loungroom windows and remembered to turn the oven OFF.
I rescued the potatoes from the oven. Hmmm what to do? I'm still frantically trying to clean the kitchen bench down, and wash dishes, and make house look 'nice' - and house is full of smoke and I've got no idea how to change the menu for 10 without an oven. I was thinking that a trip to the fish & chip shop was going to be the way to go.

While I was standing outside the front door, recovering from the brief smoke inhalation, I noticed that my lovely neighbour Narelle was home. There and then, in my pinny, I waltzed across the road, and knocked on her door.
When she stopped giggling, she was happy to let me use her oven, as she was going out, would I lock up after I'd finished. I trundled over the whopping huge baking dish of potoatos and the two smaller dishes holding the 10 kievs - slotted them into her oven and let them cook in peace. I was then able to clear the kitchen back down and get the house into reasonable order before MIL showed up.

Where was DH during all of this?? Dismantling the vacuum cleaner because that broke too (doesn't go now at all) and trying to set up his birthday gift - a USB picture frame, so it can play movies. He even joked with Narelle that he thought it was a silly time for me to decide to clean the oven. Did ANYBODY in my family speak up on Friday night? Did I even hear one person say "I wouldn't do that now - the oven isn't smoking THAT much!"
BIL and family got slightly lost on the way here, and were a bit bemused to see me trot over the road and return carrying lunch. I dished it all up and we had a lovely afternoon.
I'm not touching the oven. I'm leaving that to DH and 18yo - they can clean it up. I cannot physically get down low enough to reach the back and top corner of it - so it's either going to be them, or I'll find a little man in the local paper and pay him to come and clean it.

go on - laugh with me. It's funny - NOW !!

11-5-11 - The Year of the Sheep - Ewe May Leap!

Finished at 11:30 pm  -  11-5-11  The Year of the Sheep - May entry.

Stitched on slightly smaller than I'm used to - possibly 16count hand dyed peachy pink aida, using Autumn colours.
The leaves were uncharted and stitched, using 4 colours in random spots and a few daisy stitches for floating leaves.
Up until the last minute, I had decided on 'Ewe May', then decided to add the 'Leap !', which makes a bit more sense.
This time around, the colonial knots on the side sheep are also a tad wonky, giving them a drunk look - lol.

Thanks for looking
baaaa-ronny

Need inspiration!!!! - have 24 hours!

Please Help Me !!!

I have 24hours to stitch the May monthly Sheepie - and I cannot come up with the appropriate title.

I started it in January with "The Year of the Sheep"

February was :  'Love Ewe'

March was :  "Moom-baa" (Melbourne, Aust. blog readers would recognise that term)

April was :  'RAM.Z.A.C.'

I need something witty for May.

All I can come up with is 'Baa-thers Day' - for Mothers Day, but it just does not do it for me.  It's also my hubby's birthday on the 12th.  It's Autumn and getting quite chilly.

What about 'May Ewe?' - I can stitch it in Autumn tones and put a pile of autumn leaves for the middle sheep to jump over - does that tickle your fancy?

What are your thoughts???  Please help me!!

Time for T.U.S.A.L. - May 2011

A quick mid-week post for me - no daylight to take really good photos, but it's T.U.S.A.L. time.  Seems to be a lot more threads there, mainly because I cannot show the results - all my Sheepie Siblings blog winners are being very patient...I should be able to sneak off to the post office next week to send out a small offering to them.  I've sort of fallen off the wagon this past week, but hope to get back to stitching in the next day or so.

Happy Stitching all.