Author Archives: paulainauckland

November Goals Revised

Posted in 16 in 2016, Christmas, cross stitch, Project Life, scrapping challenges, Uncategorized by

Just to recap, the November goals were:

  • Complete my portion on Lenna’s RR (which hasn’t even arrived as yet) STARTED
  • Stitch the Austen bookmark for Jenna COMPLETED
  • Stitch the Mysteries bookmark for Kerry COMPLETED
  • Finish the arms of Persephone and back-stitch from the face down PARTIALLY COMPLETED – I side-tracked and completed all the wallpaper to the right-hand side
  • Stitch a couple of Christmas ornaments including a “do not open” for my office door NOPE Just the one finish, which was technically December
  • Make Mase a couple of pairs of boxers for summer jammie pants NOPE
  • Send off the overseas Christmas cards – already addressed most so just have to write notes! COMPLETED!

 

I don’t have many goals for December. This month just gets hectic, so I like to allow myself some breathing space.

  • Set up planner for 2016 with monthly layout for stitching goals & rotation notes, and Week-to-View for the normal stuff, including blog planning COMPLETED
  • Work out what WIPs I am taking into “16 in 2016” COMPLETED – I only have 8 including one I need to start, so this could be pathetic!
  • Stitch Lenna’s RR portion – Moonlight Laguna mermaid
  • Keep up with December Daily. I’m opting to use a Heidi Swapp album in a different format from normal, and a Project Life kit that isn’t Christmas-y at all, but I thought better suited for our Summer. I’m also printing the photos on our printer here at work daily & I’ll re-print on proper photo paper later on. Better to have everything recorded than to stop like I did last year as it got too much.
  • Start Mermaids of the Deep Blue so it’s a WIP to take into “16 in 2016” – technically a bit of a cheat, but there you go.

Here’s the kit image – you can see it’s not a normal December Daily at all! The designer is Cathy Z, who used to edit Simple Scrapbooks. I like her clean style.

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WIP Wednesday

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, Mirabilia, round robin, Uncategorized by

Hump day again! Well, technically, I reached the hump when I left yesterday, as I have Friday off to spend with Mase on his school trip to Bethells Lagoon. Can’t wait!

Last night I finished a small ornie for my twitter-based NZ Secret Santa. She doesn’t follow me here or on Twitter so it’s safe to share:

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Very simple finish, blanket stitched felt on the back, used some sparklie thread to create the loop and added the star button to hide the threads.

I’m also working on Lenna’s mermaid tail still: Laguna will have a change in the flowers, so they match the ones used by Lenna in the centre of the whole piece. I’m on the third colour thread, and it’s working up reasonably quickly.

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I do like her fabric choice! It works with a wide range of tail colours.

November Smalls

Posted in cross stitch, grateful, Smalls SAL by

Smalls SAL is a monthly stitch-along hosted by Heather @ Stitching Lotus. This months’ post is here

My Small really is a small, but a big achievement for me. Mr Darcy only took 3 hours, from re-charting a Cloudsfactory (I changed the shape a little and definitely the dimensions) to picking threads to stitching. And thanks to the stand from Andrea, NO PAIN.

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Dear Darcy will be heading off to Jenna next week!

November WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse by

November 25 – Topic:  Which designer has inspired you to stitch the greatest number of designs and why do you think that is? (via Hazel, who I follow on Instagram!)

There’s a few designers that I collect/hoard/stash. I have a lot of Theresa Wentzler’s, altho I only have two finishes and two WIPs & one more kitted up; I went thru an Alma Lynne phase and I have one finish but another 10-15 charts; obviously a Winnie-the-Pooh phase when Lou was younger (those three finishes are currently hanging in Mase’s bedroom, and will likely move along to first grandchild). I have probably 20 BHG Christmas magazines that I pick stuff out of, & some Ink Circles gifted to me by Lynne, and 8 Lavender & Lace (MLI was Nora’s mum) but in the last year my stitching revival is mostly Nora Corbett. I would have 40+ charts stashed away and four current WIPs:

  • Persephone
  • Arezzo (over one)
  • Roses of Provence (I’m re-thinking my decision to frog the current fabric, it might be easier now I have a portable stand)
  • Reindeer Parade (my mish-mash with Rudolph complete except for beads, and Blitzen partially done)

I have quite a few finishes for only 20 months too:

  • Stargazer
  • Mediterranean Mermaid
  • Santa’s Sleigh
  • Shimmering Mermaid’s compass (I don’t like this mermaid, but I had to do the compass)
  • Audubon St Yellow Figbird
  • Audubon St Scarlet Tanager
  • Audubon St Blue Monarch Flycatcher
  • Fairy Letter L (click on the Conversion tab for deets)
  • Fairy Letter C (again, click on Conversion for details)

And I’ve stitched on 5 of the seven Mira Round Robins too  which has been fun!

I’m trying not to hoard too much. I have far more than I will ever stitch in my lifetime and while Z and M have fleeting phases of wanting to stitch it isn’t the norm by any means! However I think I will encourage it over the heat of the summer months. With seven weeks away from school there is only so much TV and Wii a boy can deal with!

Here’s last night’s bit of stitching. I played with the stand & while Lenna’s Mermaid Tails RR is far too big to fit on any scroll, my little bookmark fitted perfectly on the smallest set:

Isn’t he cute? I re-worked the CloudsFactory design as I wanted a slightly round but not as round as their characters Poirot. This morning I sat down for 30 mins and I have the beginnings of Mr Darcy (Jenna’s bookmark). He should work up nice and fast!

WIP Wednesday

Posted in cross stitch, friends, grateful, Mirabilia by

I’m still managing small portions of Persephone most days. She has an “armbow” and last night I found the edge of page one. Yay!

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Today I was totally spoilt by a stitching friend,  Andrea. This box arrived (to scale, that teddy I made sits 30cm high):

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And inside are the bits to make this!

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It’s a lap/desk stand. I’m so grateful and can’t wait to put it together.

Yay, Monday

Posted in music by

I’m a bit buzzy this morning. Si will be home at midnight (yay), I have the OK to work from home tomorrow (which means walking Mase to school, always great conversations) and the option to crash again (probably needed), compliments on my new dress and the boss is away this week, so there isn’t any meetings & therefore extra reports. Given that it is the first week of the new fiscal month & my wrist hurts still after 30 minutes of typing, this is a BIG DEAL.

Anyway, it’s been 20 years since this song was released. TWENTY YEARS.

I freaking love it still.

What will people think
When they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?
What will people do
When they find that’s it’s true?

Separated, I cut myself clean
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
And a grace that replaced all the me I’ve divorced

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
‘Cause I had to match the rhythm
Of his belly with my head
“Jesus Saves” is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city
And claimed he had a dream

[Chorus]
What will people think
When they hear that I’m a Jesus freak
What will people do when they find that it’s true
I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak
There ain’t no disguising the truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain
I’ve been marked by my maker
A peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
‘Cause I won’t live and die for the power they seek

There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
There wasn’t too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
Until the king took the head of this Jesus freak

[Chorus: x2]

People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger
People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger

[Chorus: x2]

What will people think
What will people think
What will people do
What will people do
I don’t really care
What else can I say
There ain’t no disguising the truth
Jesus is the way

Songwriters: MARK HEIMERMANN, TOBY MCKEEHAN