I’m pinning this here because it’s one of the best (& funniest) tutorials I’ve read. Also she’s stitched the massive Cloudsfactory HP sampler (ERIN!!!!) that I wanna do someday.
Someday better come soon.
Author Archives: paulainauckland
February Smalls SAL
This SAL is a free choice SAL hosted by Heather over at Stitching Lotus. You can click on the button in my sidebar and it’ll take you there, or Feb’s page is HERE.
This month I’ve been really productive Smalls wise. I have Rahenna’s pixie, the Noel Mini Sampler (three specialty stitches I’m proud of, and it’s even laced up, ready for backing) and Up in the Treetops, a much-converted Lizzie*Kate design. I’ve also decided that the March Joyful World SAL piece will be perfect for our September, so that’s planned for then.
Plans! Ah! Those things I break…notice there’s no Mira update? That’s because I hate that fabric. I see a big frog session in my future…
February WIPocalypse
WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at her blog http://measi.net/measiblog/ – or you can click on the icon on the right 🙂
Question of the Month: If you have any of your pieces on display in your home which attracts the most plaudits?
I don’t actually have anything of my own on permanent display at home, just the ones I pull out at Christmas for the tree. I have lots waiting to be framed, and ornies made for me in exchanges, but the pieces I have had framed are displayed in other people’s houses. All anyone can see in my house is whichever WIP is currently on the scroll frames! Right now, that’s Persephone and my new start, Afternoon in London by Country Cottage Needleworks. This is after two evenings:
At work I am teaching Kimberley to stitch! Her grandma loves pigs, but is sadly very ill and heading to hospice soon. Kim wanted to do something to honour her grandma – learn a craft her grandma loves to make something very personal. She chose this wee design & I kitted it up for her. We had a session on Tuesday and I had multiple people tell me how cute it was to see her working away during her breaks! Love sharing life skills.
As for myself, I had a follow up with the GP yesterday, as I’m in week 3 of this low level headache. Something to *woot!* about – my iron levels are 36. That’s thirty-freaking-six, peeps. It’s not been that high since I was a newbie teenager working at MedLab. And I am now trialling Nortriptyline on a half-dose as a preventer. Apparently it’s an anti-depressant/stop-smoking agent in full dose 25mg – but I’m on the baby 10mg. I took it at 8pm and was snoring by 9pm. This morning I woke at 2, went to the bathroom then straight back to sleep. No anxious dreams. I do feel a little hung-over which apparently is a side-effect for a week or so but even that is less than the headache. Things look good, today!
I have lots and lots of smalls to share later on in the week too. Happy today.
Sharing is Caring: My Foxy Valentine or How to Canvas Mount
I’ve got a couple of things I could test this tutorial out on! Now all I need is some time…
WIP Wednesday
One really good thing about regular posts is that the pressure is off to create witty titles. I’ll leave that one up to Maia, eh?
This week hasn’t been great. This fortnight, really. I am dependant on meds to keep the headaches at bay and continue functioning. I am nowhere near as bad as some people (and freakily there is a shortage of Sumatriptin right now here in NZ, so I am hoarding the 10 tablets I have left and using the other stuff) but I am going to have to have a serious conversation with my boss when he returns from Ambiente next week. Ideally I’d like to work from home Wednesday and use that to catch up on sleep and slide my working day by a few hours. I’m fairly disciplined and there are no regular scheduled meetings for me that day, apart from his catch-up. Say a prayer for me, please?
On the Finish front, I have #3 – Crafty Rahenna’s round robin is done, and will be off in the post today. I think that is actually ahead of schedule! There are no beads, as she will add these post a wash (Poppy’s wings need it, they aren’t as white as they could be) and no thread conversions on my part.
Mase has begun to stitch again – he is already converting the baseball from this chart to a red cricket ball and made the decision to swap around the two colours in the gridiron ball. Okay, then. I might have started a monster! This is at about an hour of work, and he’s actually done more. Apparently he “needs” his own Instagram as he doesn’t want to continue to use mind. Hmm, really? Need?
Sharing is Caring: JOYFUL WORLD – MARCH (free pattern)
I think I’m going to save this one until our Spring!
WIP I’m so late it’s Thursday
Due to yet another migraine, I’ve managed only two thread lengths since the last photo. I feel like I’ve lost the better part of two days, and that’s not fun at all.
But here’s my minimal progress on Lily:
I do like the colours and I find it interesting that I chose almost the same tone of fabric for my RR. I think plain fabbies are best for displaying such a big variety of designs.
The Cousins are Over
And if you’re a FB friend, you’ll have seen that we have been very, very busy each evening. Combined with the fiscal year end here at work, I’ve barely had any space to stitch. However, we do have a finish! My second for #16in2016. This is the Mirabilia 2004 Cherub with Tree freebie, with lots of conversions:
The changes are:
| Original | Used | Notes | Original | Used | Notes | |
| 310 | 823 | 500 | 319 | |||
| 356/758 | 1/2 strands | 502 | 320 | |||
| 356/434 | 2/1 strands | 598 | 932 | |||
| 839 | 938 | 926 | 931 | |||
| 3052 | 3022 | 3756/3811 | 3753 | |||
| 3768 | 930 | Kreinik | 009 | 2 strands |
Backstitch: 2 strands 844 for border & wings, 356 for skin & 310 for lashes.
Beads: N in the border 02026 to 03050; O in the border/hair + collar went from 02010 to 00161; tree is all 03050 except the star is 03016; O in the dress is all 02026.
Orewa beachfront
On Saturday we escaped the mugginess of the city and went for a tour north of the city. We did Waiwera pools to relax (I want this place, but Ben says 650-700K and I just about choked, so that’s a no https://www.barfoot.co.nz/562286 ) and ended up at Orewa for dinner. There’s a good takeaways on the edge opposite Hillary Square, and we trudged across the road to the beachfront. We drove home via Riverhead (which is where I wanted to live, but now I’m thinking the village vibe is going to disappear in the new subdivisions that are spreading out).
the boys at Arataki, looking out towards Manukau Heads
Sunday was a bit easier – Sharon’s place, then Arataki, down across town to Devonport (proper lager at the pub, apparently) and home for dinner.
Yesterday was recovery day, so Si & his dad chain-sawed pine trees for the gf & grandma to last them a couple of winters, then BBQ at Grandad’s – and no summer Barbie is complete without a game of cricket. See Mase in the front left, in blue? From that spot he threw the ball to the far wicket and ran Zac out. Amazing arm on that kid.
Today is the first day all three boys are at school – hallelujah! – so of course I’m celebrating this by being at work. Hmm. Something is wrong with this picture. At least I have Rahenna’s piece to stitch on. By default I’ve ended up with Lily of the Valley, which I haven’t stitched before.
Poppy reminds me of Anne, as it was one of her finishes last year. Hey, Anne!
January Smalls SAL
This SAL is a free choice SAL hosted by Heather over at Stitching Lotus. You can click on the button in my sidebar and it’ll take you there.
January’s choice was the Chinese New Year symbol for our local. It’s on 14ct white aida, DMC 347 with Mill Hill 0557 beads. I still have to make it a #FFO, but that’s on the plans for this weekend. I haven’t touched the Joyful World pieces but still plan to.
Hope your weekend is wonderful! Happy Anniversary Auckland! 
WIP Wednesday
My Cherub is very nearly done! Yesterday I didn’t stitch but on Monday I finished the back stitching. I spent far too long playing around with her eyelashes…
another few nights and we will have a finish!
sewscrapmuse 