It's beginning to look a bit like a Xmas Tree Farm . . . . .

I admit it - this year I seem to have fallen into a complete heap when it comes to theme or any form of stitching discipline.  And I'm enjoying what I pick up!
I've been working in dribs & drabs (if I can push myself away from fb and words with friends - I find myself in a chair with needle & thread - imagine that!!) and the piece that has currently captured my attention is VS - Jingle Bells Xmas Tree Farm.   Until I picked it up at the very end of March, I had only stitched most of the very top scene.

I remember quite a dither I  had about replacing all the speciality floss with DMC or nearest affordable variations - and the help I received from members of the 123 message board.  Well I'm NOT using all the silks and speciality floss - I'm using what I can afford and some local over-dyed and I'm still very happy with my own results.  I don't have any perle floss in white, so I'm staying with B5200 and occasionally adding extra sparkle with Kreinik sparkly stuff.  I've decided to add all the beads at the last point, because I don't like catching beads in my hoop and dragging the fabric.


I thought I'd better post a progress pic, because the way I've been stitching this past few weeks, who knows what will be the next stitch that catches my eye.


Happy Stitching everybody!

Daylesford - TUSAL - WIPcalypse .....

Settle down now with a nice cup of tea (or beverage of your choice), this is going to be a L-O-N-G post ......


I've been off and about and really meaning to post for a couple of weeks, but just have not had the oomph!  Today is a public holiday and I am going to spend it with you.


First - Apologies to my blog winners of my fobs - I still have them here - waiting to be packaged and sent out to you.  Have you emailed me your snail mail address?  I seem to remember that I've only heard from a couple of you.




My head has been whirlwinding through with so many thoughts for the past month - I even forgot TUSAL time - and here it is, around to WIPcalypse again!
So here is my TUSAL for March - bit late - even has a wee bit of April in it.  It does not seem that it's growing much - at least this year there is more colour than white for sheep....speaking of sheep, yes that is a new addition to my flock.  It's harder to kick the obsession than I thought. This little sheepie was found on my weekend away  - I just couldn't resist him.

All I've been working on, and not much stitching seems to have happened at all the past few weeks, has been this little quilted cat project.  It was a kit sent to me by somebody - at least I found it while rummaging around all my other WIP's for the last WIPcalypse post.  I dragged it out and started stitching on it at night - aida is so much more forgiving at night than linen.  I have a plan for finishing it off.  I just need to add my name to it and it's done......oh.. and the mouse needs an eye...drat!  The pattern called for 3 strands of floss for the stitching, more than I'm used to - and there was plenty of floss left - enough to stitch the chart again with only two threads though.  Anybody interested in the chart and leftover floss?  You know the drill - just make sure that your email address works so I can contact you.  



I did put a few stitches into Inspiration, but this really needs working on during daylight hours.  I just know that I'm going to enjoy the finished project - I always think that I'm going to get flustered changing the floss every 8 or so stitches, but it doesn't bother me as much as I think it will - it's quite relaxing....(except that I had to frog the outer border because I missed the double stitch in the middle of the top section.......)  I was therefore off by one stitch!!
and on to Daylesford .........
I have a very generous girlfriend - W- she gave me a weekend away to the Victorian Country Spa town of Daylesford last weekend.  I took the Friday off work and we set off at 9am - we were off to do some serious 'Picking'.  We are both collectors of vintage and antique wares and we were on a mission.

One full car...
no space for more
treasures....

We went from Pakenham to Garfield - (beautiful morning tea), to Bunyip, to Koo Wee Rup, grabbed a quick bite for lunch; then realised that as the car was already full of stuff, we'd have to make a slight detour back to W's house to unload and free up the space for more 'picking'. (via the Pearcedale Op-Shop because I've never been there and that's where I found my new sheepie!)
I managed to lock W out of her house while we were there - fortunately she was able to eventually get back in, but for awhile, I thought the weekend was going to be off.  She eventually semi-forgave me and started to talk to me again by the time we got to Aunty's Other Place in Lang Lang for a browse.  Headed back down the highway to Wonthaggi, to collect H, because she, poor thing, could not get the time off work.  A quick cuppa while she grabbed her gear and we were off back on the road.  By now, all the oppies were closed, but we were on the freeway and not stopping by this stage.
(For all that they develop into carparks during the workday peak hour, they are so very convenient when travelling to the country for a girly weekend away. ) We lobbed into Daylesford at 8pm, our hosts greeting us by torchlight.  A guick fling of our bags into the rooms and off we went in search of our evening meal.

Anshumann Da Dhaba - a lovely Indian restaurant way up the top of the stairs greeted us - brilliant service.  We had Poppadums with some spicy red dip and some really nice green oil dip.  We picked  for our main meal,  Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka Masala, and I think it was Shahi Paneer - I'd show you a picture of what it all looked like, but I forgot to bring out the camera for that... here are the empty bowls instead.  A satisfying meal if the tabletop is anything to go by.....

Saturday Morning found us enjoying our complimentary Croissants for breakfast and investigating our home for the weekend - Elsewhere in Daylesford - I cannot recommend this place highly enough.  The accommodation is delightful, the gardens so restful and relaxing, it has it's own pond (with ducks) and the conservatory is a perfect place to rest and relax after a hard day's bargain hunting.  Our hosts live in their own home, just behind the greenery and we were never aware of their presence.  It was such a restful, rejuvenating weekend.

Yes, it DID taste as nice as
it looks ....

Of course, Saturday morning tea was at the Chocolate Shop in the main street.  I remembered my camera before tucking into my hot chocolate and lemon tart.  Oh delish!







More and more vintage shopping, both at the Mill Market and the Bazaar and anywhere in between.

Pate - minus the conserve

  Lunch was at Cliffy's - an organic eatery - W had some lovely duck pate while I tucked into a lamb pie (with the most delightful mint relish)  

We checked out the vintage shop up the road - I loved the re-purposing of broken glass in the doorstep.  Is it Ruby-Lin or Rubi-Lyn - I can't find the card (sorry - somebody help me!) - where I found such a delightful mish-mash of retro colours and textures.  By this time, both W & H were convinced I was completly mad, taking photos of cushions!!

We did the touristy thing and visited the Convent Gallery  - I'm not really into modern art, so it was a bit of a let-down - but I got some great autumn pictures in the garden.  Back to Elsewhere for a bit of down-time - where I did manage to put in just a little bit of stitching into Inspiration. 




 Once awake, we collected ourselves and tried to find our evening meal, but the Pub was doing a roaring trade, so we opted for the local Pizza Shop, where we watched the populace go by and I think I saw ghostie activity.  W & H are not into that sort of stuff, so I didn't make much of it at the time.

Another blissful night's sleep, before changing our clocks for daylight savings, then W & I dashed off to the Sunday Market for entertainment.  Three hours later we were back, packed up our bags, made our fond farewells to our hosts and tootled off down the road.  Lunch was at Creswick - the Lemon Tree Cafe - and what a lunch!  W & I each had the Ploughman's Sandwich - great value - it saw H suffering 'menu-envy' yet again.
Is it any wonder, after such a full weekend, that it's taken me a week to sort out my photos and post about it all?

Thank you so much to our B&B hosts, the city of Daylesford, all the people who cooked all my food, the shop owners and stall holders that all contributed to making such a wonderful weekend.  Many, many thanks to my girlfriends H & especially W, for making it possible.  I don't know how I'll pay you back, but I will.

Giveaway Winners, and belated Wipocalypse

It occurred to me that I have neglected to draw the winners of my Fob Giveaway - due nearly 3 weeks ago.  I have been absent from my blog for too long and today, decided to update them all.
This included drawing the winners of the giveaway.  It turned out that there were two people for each of 4 fobs - I decided the winner by asking my husband to flip a coin - and the winner would be decided by Heads or Tails.
He flipped the coin 4 times - and 4 times it landed 'Heads'.
Therefore, the winners are:
Fob 1 - Judy
Fob 2 - Sharon
Fob 3 - Cindy
Fob 4 - Miss Linda Lee
Fob 5 - Abbie
I'll be sending you all an email so that I may get your snail-mail address and send out your fob as soon as possible.
(Yes, Shebafudge - yours will ALSO be sent out - you've been so patient!)
Congratulations to the winners..
Part of my indecisiveness in posting has to do with throwing over my original decision to rotate my themes this year.
It lasted 6 weeks.
I am enamoured of the concept of finishing some of my languishing WIP's, which is part of the reason I joined Measi's WIPocalypse.  The most daunting task, was locating and identifying what I had as WIP's - it couldn't be that many - could it???  
30.
I have somewhere near 30 WIP's - if I count quilts and stitcheries as well as my Cross Stitch projects - some date back as far as 2004
It will be a good thing to get some, if not most of these completed.
Therefore, I will try not to start any more new projects this year.  (Unless I find the right fabric for the mermaid, finish SOHRH and start CAHRH or HOHRH, or any number of charts that I found while scrambling through a workbasket looking for all my WIP's!!)

This is what I found in my main basket of WIP's
a - TOL friendship sampler - hard to see, but there are 3 alphabets and a lovely sentiment - I designed it for an online SAL in 2007  - you would think because I'd designed it, that I would have finished it. - evenweave
b - the second version of If Cats could talk - a pink cat this time - aida
c - My Soul is Fed - Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe - 18ct aida
d - English Floral Sampler - individual mottos taken from UK Cross Stitcher about 1995 - started in 2005 - linen
e - A halloween design from Carriage House Samplers - started Oct 2011 - aida
f - 'Tis a gift to be simple - Just Cross Stitch - april 2011 - aida
g - Some sheep sampler - bit worried - don't know where I've put the chart right at the moment - pink evenweave
h - Poppy picture - was intended to be a birthday gift in July 2010 - I love the picture, but hate the confetti stitching -  lovely evenweave
i - SOHRH - tea dyed aida
j - Amish gaden sampler - TIAG - linen
k - Bluebird Sampler - Bent Creek - the annoying thing is, that I've finished red-bird sampler - means I'll have to find the same fabric to stitch the other two to finish the series! - nice evenweave in a neutral colour
l - Inspiration by Rosewood Manor - started in 2009 I think.   I do enjoy stitching this, but for the near to confetti stitching - 8 stitches in this colour - 3 in that.  I think I will enjoy getting to the centre panel of this one. - stitched on pale, pale sage evenweave.


Of course, not pictured, is my Christmas Tablecloth, or the Arabian Nights Quilt - or theYear of the Sheepie wallhanging, or my Pinetree quilt.

Beaded Fob Giveaway - and a SOHRH block finish!

.

Here we go, Hot off the needle - SHORES OF HAWK RUN HOLLOW - Block 1As this weekend was hot, hot, hot - it suited me to sit in front of a fan, mindlessly stitching away at all the blue in the waves - just like colouring in.  No need to worry about changing the colour of the floss in the needle, just fill in all that blank space between the top of the waves and the border.

Now I get to move onto the next square - a block of fish - first I need to stitch the border - then I'll see about whether or not I feel like substituting colours.  I'm using DMC and feel comfortable about changing colours around to suit myeslf.  I've already re-charted block 8, the tombstone block, so that the wording refers to an ancestor lost at sea in 1875.

As you can see - I've shamelessly thrown away my plans for weekly rotations.  It didn't feel right.  However, I might just call 2012 the year of the WIP's because I'm feeling inspired to finish of a few projects that have been neglected by my slight obsession of snowmen and sheep.  Better getting the pile reduced, than creating more.

Now - I feel it's time for a competition.  I spent some time yesterday, playing with beads and wish to offer these scissor fobs to my bestest blogging buddies.  

Pick your favourite - and leave a message

1 - blue fob with carved shell - could be used as a floss winder as well.

2 - green/brown fob with wood & stone beads

3 - black/white bead fob with silver & crystal accents

4 - green/amber fob with tail

5 - blue fob with carved shell - I purposely used this bead so a length of floss could be attached through the hole.

These will all be sent out - one fob per winner.  In the event of a tie - names will go into the bowl of destiny to decide a winner.

I'll draw the winners next Saturday - March 3   

First Finish for the Year !!!! If Cats could Talk ...

Hot off the needle - If Cats could Talk ...

Stitched using Nancy's lovely hand-dyed threads (see her latest giveaway by clicking here .)


  I was lucky to receive this from the 123stitch site wish list early in the year and as such, will be passing on the chart in a givaway later this year as I do plan to stitch this design at least another two times this year.


I did change the colours, mainly because I have an orange cat.  I did not have the charm called for on the chart - oh yes... the pattern is 'Designs by Lisa', so added a spare bead.  I'll have to think about how to frame it, as the bead means it will have to have some spacers on a frame - or I'll frame it with fabric and call it a wall-hanging.  I want this one on my wall.

It's Daffycat: A Fat Tuesday ORT Report

It's Daffycat: A Fat Tuesday ORT Report

Time for T.U.S.A.L - and a near purr-fect WIP....

Here it is, midway through the week - and it's been so long since I've posted (last weekend was bizarrely busy doing not much!).  Here is my TUSAL jar for February - lots and lots of orts - it does look like I've been stitching.  There are bits of floss there from my Arabian Nights quilt, Shores of Hawk Run Hollow and more importantly, If Cats could talk.....  


I sort of fell off my rotation this month, I just could not get into stitching Christmas last week.  I'm due to pick up SOHRH today, but if you look at my current WIP, I am so close to finish the Cat.  I just need to stitch the whiskers and the collar, then I'm done

A flurry of finishes for my gadgets

I tend to use an open basket, rather than a handbag.  I hate rummaging in the bottom of it when my mobile rings.  I hate that my camera is rustling around without protection now that my GPS is back in it's own bag.  I've been worried that I'll lose my USB sticks with family history photos, cross-stitch patterns/photos and family photos.
Tonight, after dinner - I had a fit of inspiration.
I started with the USB caddy, using the basic idea from the teabag caddy.  It seems to work fine, although I'll test it in the morning and tomorrow I might hand-sew a flap to hold them in.
I then thought that my mobile needed a bag, with a long cord that I can tie to the handles of my basket and reel in my phone when it rings.  I used a little stitch from 2009 that needed a finish, creating a pocket for odds & bods.

Last in the line of stuff to finish, was using a snowman finish from 2010, to whip up a lined camera bag to protect my camera.
A satisfying evening with my sewing machine.

Arrrrr - Matees.. Prepare to place your Mug, HERE!

My old friend has recently had his eyelid sewn shut so that he could regain his license after having double vision due to an inoperable, benign, eye tumour.  Being a man's man, his inability to drive, had a massive impact on his social life, let alone the demands of his job, being a Community Services Training Counsellor.  
I quipped that he would have to invest in a large stock of frilly white shirts, and get a parrot as a pet - and that he would always be my own personal Pirate.
Of course, with his birthday coming up - I felt he would appreciate this whimsical mug-mat.  I know that he will not be offended, but will accept it with the friendship and love that it is given.
I've not picked up any cross-stitch this week... might have to remedy that, tomorrow.

WIPocalypse Update - February 2012

I've nothing else to show for a over a week of non-posting, but my progress on my week 1 rotation Cat Project.  If I were not to stitch anything else, I feel that I would have this finished by the end of week 2.  But - I must be true to my rotation - at least this month around.
I'm leaning towards throwing all rotation to the wind and merely stitching on ALL my WIP's as I fancy them - after all - I don't have to stitch just Cats or Christmas or Santas or Hawk Run Hollow - one week at a time, may be somewhat limiting.
I might insist on one week of Christmas though - otherwise I think I may not have anything left to show for Christmas unless I keep that happening.
I might have a sit down this weekend, and lay out all my WIP's and figure out just where I head from here.


Don't you just love the sheepie fabric to the right of the cat??  Shebafudge found it for me - It's so cute - thank you!  I'm going to use it on one of my special sheepie stitching to finish it off.


On a completely different thread here - calling all Daylesford, Victoria bloggers . . . . . 
I'm off for a weekend away at the end of March - anything you can recommend to see while I'm there?  Sunday Market? Patchwork shop?  Good food shop?  Art Gallery?  Places of interest?
Anybody interested in meeting up?