Hello everyone! Can you believe it? I’m not only posting on a Wednesday, but I am living up to the “scrap” part of my name. Hallelujah for a creative pulse!I mapped out a very simple template in my notebook and when push came to shove, actually used it. And used part of my growing Ali Edwards stash. AND pushed past that “it has to be perfect” mantra that I so often am crippled by. Super happy that I got our short Sydney trip journalled.
Yes! We went to Sydney. Just Si and I, and our plans to catch up with some friends and lots of shopping and exploring. It was a much needed break from reality and allowed us to refresh from day-to-day stress and come back to the family a little bit happier. Well, I am… we crammed a lot of shopping in, with two Costco visits (cannot wait until it opens here in Auckland! My fav purchase is the Ott Lite now gracing my stitching table), Sydney Tools (even I could have cut loose with their Makita selection, let alone other stuff), Target (I like that I can buy some clothes for work that no-one else will be wearing) and other places, but the best customer service came from Peter Wynn’s Sports Score in the main street of Parramatta. We’d been there before, but this time we got talking (eep) and got a perfect something for each of the boys. On Saturday Anne (feather stitching) took me to her stitch group meeting out in Bligh Park & I enjoyed the fellowship & meeting Judy in person. It was a hysterical ride home (until we hit, literally, Judy’s drive).Stitching wise I have done the bare minimum. Fairy Tales got a few strands in while we were away (airplane cattle class is not conducive to stitching) and there’s been so much going on at home/work. I may be behind the scenes in the retail group that I work for, but Labour Weekend thru to New Years is a long silly season.
Last week was Year 7 Week 4 and about the horcruxes. Because there were 3 people to share the load of the horcrux, we had to stitch 100 on each of 3 WIPs – so Shakespeare’s Fairies, Home of a Needleworker and the Mill Hill Celestial sleighs each got 100. Then for a bonus 1 point per 100, we could chose one of those WIPs and keep going – I chose to forgo extra points and complete the Celestial Sleighs. So that’s two more ornies finished before Christmas!This week is W5 and about Travel. We have to do 100 on 4 tasks and I’ve managed to get Fairy Idyll to fit 3 of those and knocked off 150 stitches last night. My other piece has to match a Freshwater Plimpy (don’t ask) so I’ll start to bead my Mermaid of Atlantis.Anyway, must go back to work mode now. Have a great week!
November WIPocalypse
Hello everyone! I hope you’re well. WIPocalypse is the monthly check-in SAL hosted by Measi on her blog, and via the Facebook group – we welcome all enablers! Click on the icon to the right to learn more.
November Goals:
- Keep up with weekly #magicalstitches homework
- Finish some CF or Mill Hill pieces
I managed to keep up with both of the above – 4 Mill Hill finishes (two each of the Celestial Sleigh and Pumpkin Carriage) and four Cloudsfactory items for Aurora’s parcel – Prince Eric, Oliver, Rapunzel & Ursula. All the weekly homework was done, some to the bare minimum, and I got one Extra Credit in. I’ve completely slowed down with regards to stitching.
December Goals:
- Keep up with weekly #magicalstitches homework
- Plan January WIPs
- No Spend!
November Question: What new stitches or techniques did you learn this year? The short answer is – nothing. I didn’t take any class or attempt embroidery or anything else. A crochet class or at least the embroidery refresher at Liz’s is on my wish list for 2020, but I wasn’t in the headspace to try anything new this year.
Stitch From Stash: I am so far in the red I won’t be climbing out this year. Even with a gift from Mum specifically for my stash budget, I have overspent on Miras and fabric that I may not even touch next year, & I’m a little horrified at myself. I have seven FO’s, but they are all relatively small. At least it’s only stash I have spent my feelings on this year, and not all the other things like previous years. Overall, fiscally I’m in better shape than previous.
WIP (it’s not stitching) Wednesday
We’ve been madly digging, shifting builders mix, compacting, building retaining walls, painting, more digging, lots of concrete and we’re nearly there. Monday saw a huge leap forward, with the pool delivered….
Roll on summer!
WIP Wednesday #261
Hello everyone! I am well overdue posting an update & apologies if you missed me! My focus was mostly on home life, as we had our family Christmas a week last Sunday and now, in a really bad way, I feel that I have reached the end of my purpose in a lot of ways. I am not interested in much, and feel in limbo. I’m hoping that after we get some time away to reset and recharge this weekend, I can re-spark and sort my sh*t out.Stitching wise I am not quite keeping up with the weekly homework. I did 4/5 tasks in the first week, three in the second, and five in the third. I have got nearly 300 in on this week’s task, which is only 500 – very small compared to some weeks of 1200+. Nothing on the extra credit side, altho I did FFO two ornaments (one for Mum, one for Sharon). I have brought more charts (go on, pretend you’re surprised!) and made some plans for next year.
Work-wise there is a lot going on, with a co-worker having been away for a month. Arg! Plus it’s coming up into the silly season (at least I can be smug that I have done my Christmas shopping) so that’s an extra layer. I admit I messaged T to make sure he was getting on a plane & coming back! I now have some assistance too, thank you Lord, and I’ve managed to cut most of the loose ends up there. This is already making me feel better.
October 2019 WIPocalypse
Hello everyone! I hope you’re well. WIPocalypse is the monthly check-in SAL hosted by Measi on her blog, and via the Facebook group – we welcome all enablers! Click on the icon to the right to learn more.
I didn’t set any real goals for October – just to keep up with the weekly prompts in #magicalstitches and try to stay sane. Achieved the first, will debate on the second!
I managed an increase in stitching with 7841 stitches overall. 1520 in Fairy Tales, 1242 in Fairy Idyll and an FO in the Marauder’s Map (985 to finish) which is now framed and ready to go in Baby Bailey’s nursery. Three of my Saturday’s were spent with Mum, as she can’t be left alone, and as she naps more and more there’s more time to kill.
SFS – despite having four FO’s I spent well more than I earned, and I’m now $76.72 in the red. If I get a couple of finishes in – or maybe 6 of the Clouds Factory people I’m doing for Aurora – I’ll finish the year in the black, even if I don’t finish the six months. I look at 2017 & 2018 and I can see the same pattern. I think as home and work pressures build, I go off and spend, altho this year I’ve been a lot cleaner than others. Or I was tighter earlier in the year, or Nora didn’t release Mira’s that I really liked earlier in the year. It’s probably a combination of all those things.
November Goals:
- Keep up with weekly #magicalstitches homework
- Finish some CF or Mill Hill pieces
October Question – Do you prefer to stitch on a rotation or one project at a time? Well, until this year and #magicalstitches I thought I was more a one project girl. But I quite like the rotation thing, so while I’m not going to re-join the group for 2020, I thought I would do a slower rotation (weekly rather than almost daily) and get some FO’s done. I am still toying with Stuart’s clever CYOA version of the Harry Potter books and might also start that.
WIP Wednesday #260
Hello everyone! This last week has been a bit quieter; the work fiscal month cycles down a notch (plus my boss is away, so there’s less interruption or change to my day). At home Mum has also cycled down a notch, and is now pretty much confined to the hospital bed or the electric Laz-y-boy I brought her last year. I am hoping we will be able to celebrate Christmas together, but expecting that we won’t. Mase decided not to play cricket this summer, and we were too late for summer soccer registration, so he’s doing golf lessons. So cute to watch him carefully line himself up!
Last week’s #magicalstitches homework was a bit savage – ended up being 1400 stitches required, which is a huge leap from month 1 (which was only 300 stitches in some weeks). I am evaluating what I want to do next year, and as I don’t particularly like the books this group is moving onto, I think I will mute for 2020 and do my own thing, getting my WIP count down to something manageable. I set up a project table, thinking that week one of every month would be a Mira, week two a small, week three a Teresa Wentzler and week four/five free choice. I have 26 WIPs right now. Some are terribly small, like a plastic canvas Clouds Factory Rapunzel (15*24 stitches) and some are massive, like Fairy Idyll (247*309 stitches). 26! Huge shock.
Anyways. Each of the prompts related to the Pensive and memories, and required 200 stitches. There was a bonus for a photo relating to prompt 5, collections. Mine of course was my Mira wall that hubs is carefully curating.
- Purple – I had nothing to hand, so I started two CF plastic ornaments for the gift box I plan to give Aurora – Rapunzel and Ursula
- My Best piece – Shakespeare’s Fairies
- A project with a house – new start again, the original Home of a Needleworker.
- A project with some food item I could give – this one could be controversial – I chose Prancer!
- Something I collect – Shakespeare’s Fairies again
- Something cursed – I chose Fairy Idyll, as that over one skin has been awful!
- Something I don’t want to end – Shakespeare’s Fairies. I love this design.
Anyway, take care & have a lovely week.
#taskersontour Whitianga Edition
Hello everyone! As promised, here’s a bit about a recent weekend getaway.
Whitianga is a coastal town about 3hours drive from home (or four, if you leave later than expected on a Friday afternoon, doh). It’s reasonably quiet and peaceful for most of the year then comes alive for the summer months, especially during Beach Hop with all the classic cars & music. For this trip we deliberately chose a quiet period, so we could have a look around the area without the hordes.
We rented a comfortable modern house in the centre of the residential district – a few minutes’ drive to the beach and supermarket, but within walking distance of several good restaurants and cafes. The area the town is on is flat, with wide streets and footpaths – really safe for cycling or pedestrians. Only Mase came with us this time, which is very odd, but it was argument free! He enjoyed being the only, being spoilt and having all the attention. This trip marked his first visit to a pub and he’s still in awe that he was allowed inside – it was lunchtime, kid! He was super polite to the staff in the hope he didn’t get kicked out, which made them laugh.
On Saturday we did the Cathedral Cove walk. This local landmark is in a few movies that you might have seen – it’s the beach where the children land in the Narnia series, below the cliffs of Car Paravel (YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUlVUvffXwk) and it’s every bit as gorgeous on an overcast day as it is on the big screen (or little, if you’re on your mobile). Of course we met people we know – the Si curse – but on the whole we got to enjoy the sound of the sea, birds and the wind in the trees as we walked. Mase mocked us for being slow both ways (yes, I am massively unfit) but spoiler alert, it wasn’t me asleep in the back seat on the way back to Whitianga!
There’s going to be a soldier’s memorial arbour there too – anyone can “buy” a tree that will be planted and cared for by the trust.
We drove home on Sunday trying to beat the incoming storm – and got home in time to unpack then listen to the hail on the roof. Ah, bliss.
WIP Wednesday #259
Hello everyone! Sorry for not being around; I’m slowing down as the year moves on into Spring. We’ve spent some time away from home (both planned holiday & unplanned hospital) and the time at home has been slow sorting out of drawers, gardens, and planning landscaping. All going to plan, tomorrow half my front lawn will be taken up by a man & a digger and we will be that much closer to installing the swim spa and a decked area for outside eating etc.
Last time I wrote I forgot to make October goals. Officially, it’s simply to keep up with the weekly #magicalstitches homework. I’m not aiming to finish any more Extra Credit this month. I’m also expecting my Garden Prelude bill, so a no-spend month is also out of the question!
I have finished three small things this month. Mase’s choice, the Blackbird Designs Sampler House stocking (need to FFO), Cloudsfactory Marauder’s Map (already at the framers) and a plastic canvas Harry Potter that’s ready for the fridge. Until I pay that bill (It hasn’t arrived yet) I’m 76 in credit. Hooray.
I’ll try to write up our recent Whitianga trip for another post this week – and I have a couple of books to review too. Take care!
August & September WIPocalypse
Hello everyone! I hope you’re well. WIPocalypse is the monthly check-in SAL hosted by Measi on her blog, and via the Facebook group – we welcome all enablers! Click on the icon to the right to learn more.
August Goals:
- Complete the Year 5 Extra Credit homework (4/11 to go) LEFT ONE TASK INCOMPLETE
- Complete Mermaid of Atlantis stitching (seriously possible if the weekly homework goes my way) NOT QUITE – BUT USED WHERE POSSIBLE
- No Spend! NOPE – SPENT $10.40
September Goals:
- Complete four EC NOPE, just two
- Complete Mermaid of Atlantis (lined up for a few of the monthly Extra Credit) NOPE
- Bead & FFO some Mill Hill ornies NOPE
All up, in August I didn’t stitch as much as in July. We finished the car & I spent a lot of time walking & listening to audio books rather than on my butt. Still happy with what I got done tho.
- Fairy Idyll 231
- Mermaid of Atlantis 435
- Shakespeare’s Fairies 1957
- Tapestry Cat 202
- Stitchrovia Austen Quote 404
- Coffee Quaker 1024
- Jeanette Douglas 2012 Peace 417
- Four Seasons in NZ 247
- The Guardian 565
- Erica Tui (new start) 506
- MH Santa’s Sleighs 500
- Un Ricarmo Per Rinascere 509
- Reindeer Parade 213
That’s over 7410 stitches for the month.
In September I slowed right down (lots of reading & more time with Mum) and got in just over 6000 stitches.
- Fairy Idyll 1353
- Mermaid of Atlantis 868 (just beading to go now)
- Fairy Tales, a new start 3141
- Un Ricarmo Per Rinascere 321
- Sampler House, a new start from Blackbird Designs 607
SFS: In August, I didn’t manage a no spend month (again) but it was just a few DMC & two charts at the Hospice shop. Turned out the person I picked them up for already had them, so if you’re into Paula Vaughan they are up on my @pauladestash IG account. I have ordered the new Mirabilia, Garden Prelude, but the bill hasn’t arrived yet so I can’t count it. With the ornie finish, I’m 30.85 in the black.
And then September turned to custard! I was given some money so went wild – $110.10 in 20 minutes at Ribbon Rose. Oops. Luckily I also sold Lady of the Flag for a reasonable (not eBay enormous) amount to a fellow stitcher, so that kept me in the black, at 26.92.
August Question: What do you have on your stitching bucket list? (for example, specific projects, designers, fibers, etc) I have two Chatelaine designs in my stash – but with a few large Mira’s on my WIP list either is a way away from starting.
September Question: What finishing style have you never tried but would love to do? More hand-finishing – Mase wants this Blackbird Designs stocking ASAP – so that’s on the list to knock off. Plus I’d like to take a framing course next year.
See you next week (hopefully!) or at the least, for the October WIPoclaypse.
WIP Wednesday #258
Hello everyone! Sorry for not posting last week – Wednesday got away from me.
The last calendar week of August had two sets of Magical Stitches homework – 6 days completed Year Five, and we’ve started Year Six, the Half Blood Prince. There were three potential parts of Y5W9 – we had to post 5 WIPs before the Sunday; then from the Monday stitch 500 on whichever was picked (for Gryffindor it was WIP 4, which for me was Un Ricarmo per Rinascere). The last part was bonus; do 200 on each of the other four WIPs to get a total of 13 points. I managed them all – chose all Nora/Mirabilia so that I’d be fully engaged.
Y6 day1 was simple – 100 stitches for 1 point on our latest start. Unfortunately I didn’t pick up a needle during that 24 hour period (it has to start at midnight CST time, which is 5pm my time). Too much going on getting the house ready for the week ahead.
Y6W1 had three parts: 400 stitches in something we’ve made a Vow or promise about (for me, this was Mermaid of Atlantis as I wanted to finish her this year); 300 stitches in a design that starts with a letter in DURSLEY (I did 321 stitches in Un Ricarmo Per Rinascere) & lastly 300 stitches in something that gives us FOMO (the fear of missing out) to note Professor Slughorn’s return to teaching (I did 310 stitches in Fairy Idyll, a design I was so determined to have).
I’m now at the bead stage with MoA!
We’re now in Y6W2, and have to choose which path we will take – Light or Dark? We have to write an explanation, do 600 stitches in our chosen path and 400 in the other. There’s a bonus of 200 stitches in our most blingiest project (which for me would be Mermaid of Atlantis, with her Kreinik & beads) but as we are travelling this weekend, I’m going to use my new start & focus on the week tasks and some monthly EC tasks.
sewscrapmuse 