My cat, and some finishes....

This is PYRO - a photo taken some six months ago, when the Kangaroo Paw were marvellous. Of course our extreme heat killed them and they died back a bit too far. I also refer to Pyro as 'Lord fluffybritches' - and he does rule supreme. I would say unconditional love, but of course that's false - he sets the conditions and like all cat lovers...I follow them.I also promised photos of my WIP - here is Part 10 completed of the Papillion Sampler - and I'm so relieved to find parts 11 and 12 saved - now printed - so there's no excuse now....I'm on the homeward stretch.

And the 'Follow my Heart' Samplers are such a delight to stitch. As you can see, the alphabet is the same for all, just the top and bottom details changed to match the seasons. I'm not using the suggested floss, as I don't have any Olde Willow hand dyes. I'm picking DMC colour that 'call' to me. I picked the blue for the summer letters because they remind me of clear summer skies. All I have left now is to stitch the autum sampler and then figure out just what to do with all four. Framing may not be an option, due to exhorbitant costs. I don't know if I want to fashion it into a cushion top...I'll see what calls to me when all four are together.

Sunday evening rolls around again...

I've had an effective weekend's stitching - finished part 10 of the Papillion 2008 SAL (picture tomorrow!) and have made a good start on Follow My Heart's Summer Sampler - having sped through Winter and Spring.

I'm thinking however, that my blog might have some 'issues' as it has not been showing all the gadgets down the side bar...I really hope I don't have to start again....

Is anybody having issues with my blog? Does the page open fully for you? Does it shut itself down? There are times when I have technical issues with gadgets - Computers/TV's/Radios/GPS'sssss - even watches stop unexpectedly when I wear them. (must be my 'magnetic' personallity.....

take care friends...
hopefully photos tomorrow

Another Competition........

No, No, No.... not mine (although mine is still running), but Cindy is offering a massive giveaway to celebrate a massive 10,000 hits to her blog! I'm awestruck - what an achievement!

Goodluck to all..

Papillion part 9 and my WIP

Here we go....this is what kicked me over into Serial Starterdom. I won these samplers I think last year sometime during the Online needlework show and have been waiting for the right time to stitch them. Now that I have some of these hand-dyed aida - it seems the time is now. I managed to stitch all the alphabet for the winter sampler in one evening - so theory is, the set of 4 should not take me long at all. (A wonderful thing theory is!)

Here is a closeup of part 9 of the Papillion 2008 SAL - why it took so long to get this itty bitty bit done; I really cannot answer. I ran out of time before I could stitch much of part 10 - the colour is pretty much correct here too. Sometimes it is so hard to get the right colour out of the camera. Here is what I have stitched so far, on a funny angle, because it's draped over the back of the chair. Not quite enough light coming through the window to get it properly, but I'm sure you get the idea.

Stumbling over a new cross-stitch hurdle.......

Tonight, I have stumbled into the realm of being a 'serial starter'.......

Even in a phone call earlier, I'd mentioned that I was not going to start any new project until I'd finished one of my current WIPs.........

Only a few short years ago, I'd been a faithful one-project-at-a-time girl. Then I discovered the internet and all the wonderful designers and charts available. Oh and the freebies! All mine for the exploring.... I discovered the joys of S.E.X. and only recently what it meant to be S.A.B.L.E.

This evening, being too dark to continue with Papillion's 2008 SAL, I picked up 'Forever in my Heart' - Four Seasons Samplers - I checked them all - no half stitches so I could use aida - perfect for night time stitching. I selected 4 subtle pieces of hand-dyed aida, and chose 4 reasonable colours for the winter sampler....and away I went.

Serial Starter-dom here I come...............

Not stitching, but Knitting is still done with needles!

Here are 3 beanies I've knitted while watching TV over the past couple of weeks. they are destined for the heads of street-kids through a charity that my employer is involved with. It's really simple - just knit and purl and on straight needles too! Just a simple backstitch to finish and they are ready to keep some kid's head warm during the chilly winter nights. The dark ones are really the colour of dark chocolate and the blue one is a leftover ball of wool/acrylic that I rmember Mum knitting a jumper for me - oh so long ago...Just because they are a street-kid doesn't mean they cannot have colour in their life! I'm going to keep knitting and posting beanies off for the next month or so - any leftover wool will end up as a scarf (or two!)

Competition time....my first blogging competition.

I've reached the magical number of 26 followers, and time to offer up my first competition.

I am offering the Waxing Moon's chart "The Most Patterns" and a square of hand dyed Aida to stitch it on. I've stitched it once and am half way through the second time, so it's time to pass it along. The aida is close to the right size - but it fits. I'm not sure what colour I'll send out - my competition, my rules, my choice.

I do not mark my charts when stitching so it is a clean copy.

Post a comment for one chance.

Mention my competition on your blog for another entry.

Follow my blog for another entry......

that is; become a new follower.

If you can guess what date this month is my wedding anniversary - I'll put another entry. (there is a clue in a post earlier this month....)

I'll draw this competition on Sunday 31st - Good Luck!

Early Saturday Morning mumblings.........

It's not so really early in the morning, but the house is quiet - except perhaps for the budgies who I think want feeding and clean water (get there in a minute - ok?) Here I sit at Hubby's computer taking the time to read through my blog list...making a comment here and there. I found another competition - Blacksheep is celebrating a 2nd blogoversary - don't know if I'm in time, but what the heck! - what's an international date line between friends? Happy Blogoversary. How can I expect to offer my own competitions if I don't sample how they are run? hmmm??
The sheer volume of work put out by some stitchers amazes me - this of course is balanced by those who are stressing that life is getting in the way of their stitching. Stitch when you can I always say..I even have an itty bitty bit of fabric and threaded needle sitting in my glasses case - why not? Its not as if I ever put my glasses in there!
I also found this little questionnaire on another blog. (Thanks Anna)I liked the simplicity of the questions which pertain to stitchers and thought I'd share it here - with my answers... (which is probably why it was started in the first place)

• Where did you learn to stitch? My grandma taught me young - I still have the applique'd pincushion I made at 5. As for cross-stitch-that was a skill taught at school at 12
• What is your favorite type of stitching? I'd call myself an obsessed cross stitcher. I don't mind the quickness of stitchery though
• How many years have you been stitching? - well if we were to subract 5 from my true age....it's younger than the age I admit to... let's just say - over 40
• What are your favourite threads to use? I would have to say DMC - mostly because that is what I've mostly stitched with - I'm enjoying the challenge of hand-dyed and varigated and would say I do like the feel of Caron Waterlilies - but then there are so many more to try.
• Have you tried any new technicques in the past year? If so which? I"m re-learning specialty stitches on the Papillion SAL - stitches I remember from the past, but not overly used. I did however, finally used a Ladder stitch to finish up an ornament - surprised at how simple it was and why did I not use it earlier!
• Do you prefer small or large projects? A bit of both - I like using small projects to break up the monotony of a large project. I also like the satisfaction of finishing a large project - when it happens. On that thoughtwave - define large !
• Any particular subject matter you prefer for your projects? Yikes - I love ornaments - they are so quick. I love band samplers. I don't tend to stitch photo quality projects. I like the primitive look of bent creek. Next year I'm thinking of dedicating the year to snowmen (can't see that happening - there are too many other charts rearing their heads)
• Where do you get your inspiration? For ornaments - I'd have to say Magazines. Internet freebies are great enablers too. Message boards and now Blogs - reading and seeing other stitchers projects and learning about new to me designers and charts - the 'gotta have that' list is growing daily

Whew! That's a mouthful for such a quiet morning....better get the family organised if we are to do all that is needed today.

Have a great weekend!

Recent finishes...and a bit of a natter

It has been so difficult recently to add to my blog while my computer is having 'issues'.

Last weekend was so much fun at the GTG and I never shared it with you

...

I grabbed this picture from Coral's blog - and I'm there in the front row, with a stranglehold on the poor dog...We were all laughing because of Coral's effort to get between the camera and seated before the flash went off.

Front Row L to R Robyn, Lesley, George, Bronny, Little Max, Coral.
Middle Row Susan, Helen, Lee Ann, Melisa
Back Kristeen and Zoe.

As for stitching, last sunday I put the finishing stitches into La D Dah's "Smell my feet" - an ornament in the JCS Halloween Ornament issue. I chose to stitch this on some really, really soft 11count aida - the colour is more sage than this scan, but the scanner chose it's own tones. It was a really easy stitch and one that I think I'll do again in other colourways - what do you think about orange and purple striped stockings??

Most of you spied this one in the background of the TUSAL picture - it is Waxing Moon's - "Too many patterns". This was a fun stitch and would fit really nicely on a quilt square, but possibly a bit to close to the bone if used in such a manner! I hope to finish it into either a cushion or a wall-hanging. I used whatever hand-dyes came to mind, so a cushion possibly is not very practical - especially in my house! Once again, the scanner washed out the colour - the aida is a very pale hand-dyed green tint. I also plead guilty for making a counting error - will add some buttons in a vain attempt to correct it.

This weekend is my neice Marisa's 18th birthday - it will be a young people's party and not much sleep for the oldies. John is looking forward to playing guitar with his cousins. Sunday is Mother's day - hopefully a day of stitching for me. My hubby Martin, has a birthday on Tuesday and our 22nd Wedding Anniversary is 11 days after that! Plenty of celebrations ahead.

I do look forward to the time spent daily at the computer, trying to keep up to date with my bloglist - If I don't always post a comment, I DO enjoy reading about other stitchers - and it is so easy to fall off into a tangent by reading blogs that YOU have listed as favourites.....

How to fill in a lunchtime.......

Tomorrow, Saturday I'll be off for a girly day - joining up with some Aussie stitchers at our first GTG. There have been drama's aplenty, but it has all come together this weekend.


My girlfriend enabled me some more last night - I called around to Karen's to show off my chookie quilt - as it all her fault that it got started in the first place......and left with another box of goodies...


More yummy fabric - aida and evenweave. Some more scrumptious silks and cottons and a large pile of charts and magazines - quite a few early Jill Oxtons. I need to work out just what there is that I cannot live without - I'll post pictures on Sunday.

Oh yes... the lovely lady on this post is my Mum - I don't know where the photo came from, but it lives on my computer at work. I lost her suddenly, 18months ago and miss her dearly. She is still with me daily.


I've decided that I WILL be offering up some of the extra charts in giveaways - My wedding anniversary is coming up soon - that's as good an excuse as any - I'm also waiting for a magic number of followers - that's not too far away now either.... We'll see what happens on Sunday when I get back from the GTG.