Author Archives: paulainauckland

Hi Five for Friday!

Posted in cross stitch, family, grateful, High Five For Friday, house - gardens, Mirabilia by

Because it’s October, I’m in my Grateful series.

  1. The leaves are starting to appear on my dwarf apple tree. And there are buds on my climbing rose, which I still need to plant in situ. I forgot to take photos, sorry.
  2. ROPI had so many choices about what to start on my next stitching piece which will be (tah dah!) Roses of Provence. I’ve just snuck off my beads & Kreinik order to Elizabeth (stitchnz.co.nz for Kiwi followers. Her service is AWESOME!). Unfortunately the Summer Queen didn’t arrive in the post, but the seller gave me a refund.
  3. I’m recovering from the flu so my energy levels, while still all over the place, are coming back.
  4. 240_galleryBran has agreed to join Swim Club at the base. He was reluctant as it’s a step up, more time and he will have to wear “budgie smugglers” but he’ll get over it when he realises all the other boys are too. I’m glad because otherwise we would have run out of class options at the end of this term & swimming is such good therapy for head injuries as well as a de-stressing tool. I’m tempted to get him these ones (available at budgysmugglers.com.au) but I think I’d best go with plain black speedos.
  5. My eye test this year only showed a slight deterioration in one eye, not enough to warrant changing my prescription. I am ordering prescription sunnies tho and I expect that in a couple of weeks I’ll be asking myself why I didn’t do this earlier. I drive into the sun in the morning and then again in the evening which we agreed is stressing & adding to the headaches I can get. But there is no disease apparent or retinal detachment. Yay!

WIP Wednesday

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, DIY home, family, Mirabilia by

I’ve had a real up & down week. Early last week I came down with the flu, thanks to my boss and a workmate who just didn’t stay away (ugh). I crashed Wednesday (yay for scheduled posts, altho this is one I would never normally schedule), worked from home Thursday then lazed around all weekend. I think one day, in between coughing fits, napping and doing absolutely nothing, I had the massive achievement of 18% of my activity goal. Hmm. But feeling a lot better now, almost caught up on work after two days at the kitchen bench on the laptop, so here we go!

IMG_20151013_191902

I did get these stitched this last week. I figured that if I was giving them away, I had better stitch them first! Residence was altered to match my house – we’re at #36, it has a brown roof & beige bricks, and I have lemon & apple trees. Then I altered the colours in Stitching Forever (hubby doesn’t love the sentiment, to be fair, but hey! His laundry gets done and that’s all that counts). Lizzie*Kate designs are so easy to alter to whatever suits you so if you’re at all hesitant on converting threads, they’re ideal to start with. If you don’t like the look of something, there’s only a little to frog out. For example, I was originally going to make the initial letters to resemble illuminated letters – but that looked too odd! I’ve also deliberately duplicated some colours so that when they are hung there will be some visual “same/same”.

trees!

trees!

Also please don’t forget to enter my blog giveaway! Check it out HERE and make a comment – entries are open until next WIPocalypse!

Original Used featured
Residence
470 4045
322 as charted
924 930 door, words
3823 3782
829 839
899 3756 windows
3363 3345
windows – b/s in 839
other – b/s in 3733
lemons MH 02002
apples MH03056
Original Used featured
Stitching Forever
3740 930 lettering
309 as charted
210 309 S back
3364 4045
3363 367
3740 3021 centre letters
3364 3782 H back

IMG_20151011_125930I also made Mase some jammie pants for summer. This is the trial piece – I had to alter the Simplicity pattern to make butt/legs for a 7y.o and the waist for a 4y.o! I think the fabric is perfect – a light cotton with monkeys.

Next up is a big decision – Raven Queen, Roses of Provence or another blitz on Persephone? I do have to buy two threads to complete April’s Mira RR and while that’s on 40ct (eep!) there’s less than a week’s worth of stitching to do here. I ended up using Christmas Elegance, which is another I could start, as I do have the fabric for it, as I think the one used in the model stitch is perfect…thoughts? FB is leaning towards RQ, Instagram towards RoP. That’s no help! Please comment! 

IMG_20151013_185233

Raven Queen. I do have all the sparklies for her.

IMG_20151013_182524

Provence. I’d need to get the beads for her.

Book Review: Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh

Posted in books by
  • Publisher: ARC in return for an honest review
  • Recommended by: previously read this author
  • Author blog/website: www.nalinisingh.com/
  • Moments for me: Noah reflects my view of my ex. Ugh.
  • Blurb: Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.

Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.

When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.

Excerpt: http://nalinisingh.com/books/rock-kiss-series/rock-redemption/

rock redemption cover

Followers will recognize the name – I reviewed another of Nalini’s contempory romances earlier in the year AND LOVED IT: https://sewscrapmuse.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/review-rock-hard-by-nalini-singh/ Unfortunately I can’t say the same for this one. I’d usually devour a Nalini then re-read straight away, but this time I struggled.

To be fair, I’m never going to love everything an author puts out. Early Stephanie Laurens? Yes Please. Later Laurens? Not even if you fed me chocolate. I guess I’m not as invested in Noah or Kit as I was in Thea/David or Charlie/T-Rex, then on the second reading I recognized some of my ex’s traits – denial of issues, avoidance of therapy/counselling, using people. Both characters are a bit tired/well-used/cliché, with the angst-ridden rock star and the ingénue trying not to ride on Mummy & Daddy’s coat-tails. I realize that the childhood trauma suffered by Noah is very, very real for too many people and we all have different ways of dealing with traumatic incidents, so please don’t take this as criticism of the way Singh has chosen to write the resolution of Noah’s issues.

There are other parts of the story I really liked, such as Thea’s explanation of fandom and the naming of “it” couples (think Brangelina). There’s the back story about how the band formed and a glimpse (more than a few) into Abe & Sarah’s story, which will wrap up the series. I’m certainly not put off the author or the series – I just probably won’t read this installment again. Two & a half stars from me.

NOW AVAILABLE

Author Information

naliniNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a beautiful, charismatic guitarist with a dark past. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Also, don’t forget to swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page for the Rock Kiss series, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the books.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

$50 AMAZON Gift Card

Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjc0Ng==/?

And lastly, if you need incentives to sign up to her eNewsletter, Nalini bribes with free stories on the newsletters first: http://www.nalinisingh.com

High 5 4 Friday!

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, grateful, High Five For Friday, Mirabilia, round robin by

As it’s Thanksgiving period for my State-side friends, I thought this month’s High 5’s would be things I’m grateful for.

image

Cross stitch can be so so satisfying. I finished the V (another goal crossed off!) and rocked straight into the international Mira RR piece. This is two days of Christmas Elegance.
Daylight savings means more play time. Z at Browns Bay.
Flu mess keep the crap at bay. But they do stop me from hitting post on the last entry!

But the most important thing this week is Baby M. He belongs to M, and is an absolute sign of faith and prayer. Born in early September at 30 weeks, he’s a fighter. He’s inspiring a group of us to praise God & keep praying for his family and the hospital staff. Please join us in prayer. Seeing faith in action is amazing.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in cross stitch, friends, grateful, round robin by

I’m full of flu but celebrating some highs, especially when I look at my October goals.
I finished Keely’s Angels, & that piece is already with the next (final) stitcher.
Yesterday I finished Lisa’s piece which had the Tattie Teddie theme. There’s a full day worth of backstitching there! Mine is the one on the right, with the pink sunflower.

image

And I’m down to the last two threads on Kathryn’s piece. I really like the idea of this one, as a cushion perhaps? CrossStitcher magazine from Jan 2011, designed by Jacqui Pearce.

image

I’m expecting to finish this one today, then I’ll be selecting the piece for the Mira RR. Yay! Love crossing off those goals.

Book Review: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine

Posted in books, grateful, growing, me by
  • Subtitle: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life
  • Publisher: Nelson Books
  • Subject: 248.843 – women, conduct of life, stress + time management
  • Recommended by: library find
  • Author blog/website: www.moneysavingmom.com/

Moments for me: Comparison is the thief of Joy.

Joy is what happens when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are – Marianne Williamson.

While a lot of the financial tips are United States-centric there’s more to be found in this book from the main blogger at www.moneysavingmom.com

wpid-20150913_080916.jpgThese are the things I took from this book. Yours will be utterly personal to you (as it’s that sort of book) but hopefully you’ll be encouraged to pick this title up from your local library. It’s available on most e formats too.

  • Changing attitudes – it’s OK to let routines go when I need to bc I can always impose them later
  • Give, give give – time effort or money, the recipient will be blessed.
  • Involve others in running the home
  • Budget to bring down your big monthly household spends
  • Plan to use my wardrobe (this is working out well, I’ve given away 4 tops already)
  • Get up 30 min earlier to get peace, time to myself, complete my devotional without interruption

On Sunday Si & I talked about the visa (which is linked to his account so I can’t see the balances). We agreed to take this more seriously and a/p $100 a week to it regardless of the balance (our bank pays interest on positive balances). Load lifted by such a simple action!

Blurb: Calling the super busy, the stressed out, the overtired.

You know you’re made for a more fulfilling life. With this book, you’ll know where to start.

You wake up tired. Your to-do list is too long. The commitments—and the laundry—are piling up, but your energy keeps dwindling. You feel like you’re simply making it through the days, not living or enjoying any part of them.

In Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, you’ll find both practical ideas and big-picture perspective that will inspire you to live life on purpose. As a wife, mother of three, and founder of the wildly successful blog MoneySavingMom.com, Crystal Paine has walked the road from barely surviving to living with intention. With the warmth and candor of a dear friend, she shares what she’s learned along the way, helping you:

  • feel healthier and more energetic by setting priorities and boundaries
  • eliminate stress with savvy management of your time, money, and home
  • get more done by setting realistic goals and embracing discipline
  • rediscover your passions—and the confidence to pursue them

Packed with straightforward solutions you’ll use today and inspirational stories you’ll remember for years, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode is a must for any woman who’s ever longed for the freedom to enjoy life, not just survive it.

High 5 4 Friday!

Posted in cross stitch, family, grateful, High Five For Friday, me by

Hello! I hope everyone reading has had some great moments this week!
As it’s Thanksgiving period for my State-side friends, I thought this month’s High 5’s would be things I’m grateful for.

image

COURAGEOUS great movie, better book. Reminds me of what’s important, being a role model to my family.
STITCHING TIME I’m grateful that my family supports this addiction and understands is my creative outlet. I’m grateful too for the relationships gained and sometimes lessons learnt.
BEING CHILDISH this is me, and Monty, the Westfield kids mascot. Sarah & I chased him thru part off St Lukes mall. Grateful we took the time to embrace our inner child!
PODCAST ADDICTION an android app that links to thousands of RSS or iTunes feeds so you can have podcasts on your phone. So handy, I’m grateful that it helps me thru the mundane stuff like weeding or washing dishes.
And lastly I’m grateful for the happy moments I can give my children. I used my cleaning and sewing skills to breathe new life into Tiggr. Mase was so pleased to get him back.

image