Category Archives: cross stitch

WIP Wednesday

Posted in 16 in 2016, conversion details, cross stitch, freebies, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin by

I almost forgot to post! Head down, tail up at work and (mostly) at home, I am still not reading much and writing even less, with the exception of Board reports. Which are boring. Unless of course you want to know more about the good/better/best matrix and how that is affecting sales? Yeah, thought not.

Anyways, I still haven’t got Rahenna’s round robin from Jacqui and I’m getting quite concerned. Not sure what to do – a RR going missing in the last round is rough. I KNOW as I still don’t have mine, and that was from another Auckland address. I’m kind-of scared that this will mean that I won’t be in any more international RRs and that makes me sad.

I’m working on Cherub with Tree. So many threads now have been converted, I have notes all over my working copy (a plus that I don’t know a PDF would keep up with on my tablet). I’ve worked out how to stitch and watch Netflix or Flosstube – blu-tak! – and the only frogging I did was colour related. Si has picked out the blues for her dress and is waiting for me to start – but I am about 20 stitches away from completing her wings and I want to get that nailed first.

This is the original and where I got up to on the weekend:

Not that much further to go! Then I’ll have a second finish (the ornament just needs making up but you can wait until the Smalls check-in to see that).

I also found some large book rings – perfect for the BAP quantities of bobbins! This is Persephone’s, minus the dress…pretty!

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Sharing is Caring: Snowflower Diaries

Posted in books, cross stitch, freebies by

I found a new SAL for the year via @stitchymom on IG. I quite like the gentleness and primitive aspects of this one – which will be really surprising to most! Me too 🙂

Each will be free to download on The Snowflower Diaries blog – take a peek! Here’s Jan & Feb (already released) & the schedule for the rest of the year. I think I’ll honour the book I’m currently reading and stitch the month in French, inviting a bit a of Paris into my life.

The hashtag for this SAL is #joyfulworldsal

WIP Wednesday

Posted in books, cross stitch by

I don’t know if it’s the mood that I’m in or that time of year, but I am looking intently at my routine. What is going to make me happy? What is going to make me feel satisfied?

I’ve decided NOT to follow up on the Reading Challenge. Well, not as printed anyway. I’m still going to read to improve, and to relax. I’m going to follow recommendations more, and I’m definitely going to clean up my eReader to get rid of the crap stuff, or the “oncers” – you know, the things you read once then shelve. And I’m going to journal my “new” reads more, either in my log or on IG.

I’m going to continue to get up early & use that 30 min or so to catch up on social media, on my notebooks, and MAKE something. Even if it’s just a couple of thread lengths, or planning. I started doing this late last year and it made a difference to my sanity, once I got over the shock of not having the snooze option. Being “alone” in my home gives me peace. I want to introduce a daily devotional to this mix as well.

Anyways enough of the WIP that is me. Let’s look at the WIPs I’m making:

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This was my table this morning. My current read (one co-worker expressed shock that I was reading a “real” book, ha-de-ha), my log and the current Small. I am planning a border for this then to make it into a small hanging ornament. It’s the symbol for Year of the Monkey, and I intend for it to be a gift for my local Chinese takeaway place. I’m altering Raven Queen’s border, hence the chart paper – I want to use pencil & avoid the stitch-and-frog part of today’s entertainment!

Hope your week is a little bit awesome.

Monday. Yay.

Posted in 16 in 2016, conversion details, cross stitch, freebies, Mirabilia by

After last week (some work frustrations & a migraine) I wanted to hole up all weekend. So I did. I only went out for the essentials (groceries) and enjoyed that feeling of being left alone. Or as alone as you can be with four males in the house.

I am beginning to think that I made my rotation goals too small. It took only 11 stitching days to get to the RP point for Mermaids of the Deep Blue and 7 for Raven Queen (updated images are on my WIP page). That just doesn’t seem long enough but it does mean I am not disliking any piece when I put it away. I’m not sure yet what I will do with the larger pieces.

I put the 2004 Cherub onto the scrolls on Saturday afternoon and was at that goal by dinner Sunday (to have the LHS background & her hair done, excluding Kreinik & beads) – so I’m going to work on her until finished, or Jaime’s RR piece arrives from Jacqui (whichever comes first). Being a bit more disciplined has meant that this piece has gone from hovering on the border of becoming a UFO to potentially my first finish in 2016. Plus there are a lot of thread conversions going on. If you would like to stitch this chart, you can find it HERE I will post my conversion details later on, once it’s all sorted.

I have plans for the next start already! Something small-ish that’s already in my stash. Something quite different from my usual stuff:

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This is Little House Needlework’s Gourmet Garden. I’m going to convert the threads to a mix of DMC blends and have a really good play with it. I have a little baby blue lavender that I will use as a template for the two larger stems, and I’ll use some buttons instead of the white hearts down the centre. And probably re-watch the Branagh version of Much Ado as this design reminds me of the scenery in that film. Which has Keanu Reeves in it for additional scenery bonus. And the script is so so close to the original Shakespeare, even more bonus! TRAILER if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

I will probably give this chart away once I’ve completed it – but that may not be for a few months, depending on how adult I stay. I’ll have to think of a competition question to go with that post!

 

 

 

December WIPocalypse – the Recap Edition

Posted in 16 in 2016, cross stitch, WIPocalypse by

Theme: Recap your accomplishments for the year!

Way, way back in January 2015 I wrote that I planned to use more embroidery in stitching (uh oh) and would like to make another teddy or two (at least I found the materials and patterns I had stashed recently!). My stitching plans weren’t as fixed:

This year’s WIPs are:

  • Teresa Wentzler’s Tapestry Cat SOME WORK DONE
  • Mirabilia Stargazer COMPLETED
  • Nora Corbett Mediterranean Mermaid COMPLETED
  • Nora Corbett Reindeer (I started with Rudolph). I only have five charts more to go…six to buy  DIDN’T BUY ANYMORE, RESEARCHED & FOUND OUT SHE’S ONLY CHARTED NINE IN TOTAL. RUDOLPH COMPLETED, BLITZEN STARTED.

 

I plan to start:

  • Nora Corbett Letter C COMPLTED
  • Nora Corbett Letter P STILL NEED TO BUY THIS ONE
  • Mirabilia Rose of Sharon USED THE FABRIC FOR SOMETHING ELSE

2015 ended up being the year of the Round Robin. I have stitched in 6 Mira pieces and 5 local pieces – and got burned as the person who last stitched mine has gone AWOL and not bothered to return emails, phone messages or facebook messages so that’s really disappointing. Then there was the “friend” who lied repeatedly to me & shook me up.

April’s piece – only Rahenna & Lenna to go and it looks gorgeous.
Keely’s piece is nearly done!
Gingerbread House
Summer Queen
sunday’s progress. primrose urn

On the other side of the fence there are some amazing people out there. The stand Andie gave me is so so awesome and really helped me stitch thru carpel tunnel. Others are full of encouragement – Mel (who runs WIPocalypse), Anne (Feather Stiching), Erin (Crossstichery), my fellow Mira RR stitchers, the Instagram bunch and many, many more. Here’s to all of you!

Thank you for following along with my WIPocalypse journey. I hope you’re inspired to jump on in this year!

Catching Up!

Posted in 16 in 2016, books, cross stitch, work by

Welcome back! Ah! Doesn’t it feel great to be starting out the New Year at work?

Well, maybe not. I may have occasion to rethink that enthusiasm in the near future. Right now I am looking at the diary I’d already prepped before I left for the break and feeling like this week should be a cruise. There doesn’t look like anything urgent popped up, so I shall just attack everything methodically. And play the tunes. As at the post-lunch snooze attack, my personal inbox is cleared & lots of reporting done.

This year I’m going to continue with the Smalls and WIPocalypse, and add in a reading challenge. I’m going with a suggestion of Stone Soup for Five blog’s and putting the Challies poster up at work so I can see some progress. I want to read less trash in 2016 & put more of the good stuff into my head. WARNING: this challenge is compiled by a Christian so if you don’t believe or aren’t exploring Faith, I would suggest that you research another reading challenge. There are plenty out there in Blogland and lots of “tick the box” graphics on Pinterest.

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I’m also part of a One Little Word Repeaters Club on FB. We all gave up the prompts partway thru 2015 & none of us are motivated enough to pay for the prompts again this year, especially when we can easily log back into the 2015 class & re-print. I am still undecided on my word – MAKE or MOVE. MAKE because I feel so much better if I do craft something every day and MOVE because I need to. Maybe I should commit to two words?

Stitching wise, I started the New Year right with #newyearnewmira and kicked off Raven Queen. Surprisingly she does appear to work on the fabric I dyed back in August or September or whenever. The stand from Andie means I can cope with stitching on 32ct again, even if it’s uneven. And blissfully, I’ve had no carpel tunnel symptoms for nearly two weeks (except when I was painting the gate). Taking a complete computer break for the holidays was the right decision to make.

I’ve decided to rotate my Mira WIPs in the expectation that none become a UFO. Plans will be in my January WIPocalypse post – as otherwise I’ll have nothing to say then J but here’s a recap of Decembers Goals:

  • 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 COMPLETED
  • 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. COMPLETED TO DEC 23RD so heaps better than last year!
  • 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. STARTED & FIRST ROTATION GOAL REACHED.

In fact, I got further than this with the two smalls stitched and a portion of Rose of Provence. I put her on the stand when I reached the MOTB goal just to see if I would recover my initial enthusiasm or if I really did want to walk away from that fabric. I’m relieved to say that I did settle in for the three days she was on the stand & that I’ve given up on a tidy back. Threads go here there and everywhere on this one – no lumps so it’s OK.

How are y’all doing?

the very last Smalls SAL 2015 (well, it should be)

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, freebies, Smalls SAL, Uncategorized by

As part of my computer ban I didn’t post anything to the blog over the holiday period. Now I’m back at work so here we go. Thanks Heather for hosting this SAL. 2016 details can be found on her blog by clicking into the icon on the right of my blog or HERE

I chose to stitch home*stitch*ness’ freebies in December. Stupidly, I still haven’t made them into an ornament, but we have Second Christmas on Jan 23rd this year so I have plenty of time.

I think they’re gorgeous, and I plan to repeat stitch these for sure. Maybe on some 10ct aida for cushions? What do you think, Erin?

I linked to these charts earlier on this post HERE

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, friends, grateful, house - gardens, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett by

It’s been an…uhh…weird Wednesday.

I got audited for the second part of my job today. Given that I practically invented the process, with minimal input, and I’m getting the outcome my boss wanted, I think I’m sound okay. But it was odd to explain my reasoning and go over scenarios with someone who is removed from the process. In a way I hope he comes up with some suggestions as I am not sure that I can’t refine the process somewhat.

Sarah was feeling as “done like a dinner” add I was so we went walking to Kings on the other side of Fowlds Park. She got advice about her magnolia and I brought herbs. I need more potting mix but the Bay & the Rue are in new pots where hopefully they can stay for a while. I also noticed my Little Bo Peep rose is covered in flowers.

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My Twitter secret santa arrived! Jinny must have paid attention. I have plans for the white one in particular; white kreinik and beads to make it shine. I’m waiting to see if Jen got hers (stalking TBH).

And on the stitching front, as you can see from the IG feed, I’ve got started on Mermaids of the Deep Blue. I did re-chart her hand as it looked odd.

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I think I’ll be onto her face just as soon as I finish with the skin on her chest.

What are you up to?

Done!

Posted in cross stitch, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin by

I’m so happy that I’ve completed my portion of the Round Robin in plenty of time to ship her to Rahenna.

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This is Nora Corbett’s Moonlight Laguna. I’m glad I had the magazine as colour copies never are the best, and I changed out the border threads where they pinged into the tail (Lenna had twinked out all the rest of the border).

And here’s the piece as it leaves me:

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High 5 for Friday!

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, cross stitch, family, grateful, High Five For Friday, me, Mirabilia, round robin by

It’s been a busy few weeks. To be honest, I am struggling – with pain & loss of function, the return of the Screaming Teen, a tired partner, feeling oh-so-obliged – and being grateful went by the wayside.

Yesterday was a big day in the household; (bottom left) Mase’s group had a concert at school (they are repeating it at local resthomes today & for the public on Saturday evening) and (top left) Zac graduated intermediate. He also got a Service award!

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(top right) I am very nearly at the end of Lenna’s tail – there has been a bit of juggling to get the colours right in the roses. I can’t justify the drive across town for the three Waterlillies threads, especially as I’d be in so much discomfort after, so I dug in my 3 thread boxes and came up with something true to the original picture but also unique.

Mase is totally into Christmas – the last pic of the layout is my new Rudolph. He kind of reminds me of Beaker from the Muppets!

I am just about at the end of the “12 Days of Simon” for this year – but I think I will just number them and place them under the tree. I saw this boy at Living & Giving today & it’s perfect for Day 11 – my (frog) Prince 🙂 cheesy, yes. Who cares? If you’re looking for something similar, these are by Zoku and widely available world-wide.

frog prince