You Can Quote Me

Posted in family, grateful, You Can Quote ME by

Here’s something to think on as we head into the Easter period.

image

I believe it was through His actions on the cross that we have been graced. And now is up to us to serve a purpose.

Service begins at home and at work. It’s not just for church or in the view of others, so that we garner praise. It’s in the quiet, where no one sees. It’s in the everyday.

I hope you feel God’s grace on you this holiday weekend. That you feel safe and blessed with family, friends and rich memories.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

There has been no stitching at all this week. First time in a long time, but I’m exhausted. Work, home, sport, illness;  it’s all catching up on me.

I have done some work on a potential RR layout however.

image

I’m thinking of extending the castle out to a panoramic type view. Then I’ll only be one spot short (need seven) and I think it could look very cool.

Prognosis

Posted in family, grateful by

The asthma adventure will last for at least five days. We have five days of redipred so that’s five days of vomiting. Oh, yay. But we are at home, not the hospital so that is a major thing to be grateful about.

The first load is already in the machine and his booster is drying in the sun. Hooray for sunshine!

I can also verify that vomit slides off an Under Armour storm hoody just as well as water. In case you want a product recommend. Plus it’s fluro yellow, the kid can’t get lost.

MISSING: One eReader. Reward.

Posted in books by

It’s not really missing. It’s just that my morning routine went to custard, as it was rubbish & recycling day. I got home later than usual last night (league season training has started) & the Screaming Teen hadn’t done his chores. I didn’t notice until nearly six this morning but punishment will be cleaning their bathroom – and he hates that. Consequences!

So I got to work, settled in then realised at breakfast time that I’d left it behind on my bedside table. I have read nearly every word in the printed Herald today and am jonsing to pick up where I left off – re-reading a Nora Roberts standalone, Black Hills. There’s a good review here:  As the reviewer says One thing that you never fail to do is make the setting come alive. The South Dakota Black Hills have never sounded so welcoming, so engaging…

I do wonder tho at the thought process (or lack of) that goes into covers. This is the original (I edited my file to show this cover):

black hills proper

And then there’s this one (I think this is local to Australia & NZ) – Hills? What hills?

black hills no hills

And this one – hills but a distinct lack of clothing budget…

black hills skank

Maybe I’ll get some more planning time in while I wait between appointments. Here’s hoping!

WIP Wednesday & Smalls SAL check in

Posted in freebies, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

Hello!
I’ve been very busy, in between painting the house, refereeing the brats, work and the cricket world cup (& amazing laugh filed brunch with stitching girlfriends) but I’ve completed my Small this month.

image

This is a Joan Elliot design from the same book as the Orient piece. Much nicer to stitch! This is on a simple 6*8 frame for Sarah, one of my work mates who has a gorgeous garden. It’s her birthday on Sunday and I wanted to give her something special.

I’ve decided to stitch the rest of the bead stars on Stargazer. I’ll pick up some invisible thread to do that with. In the meantime I started one of the free cherubs from the Mirabilia site.

image

I’ve changed the background colour from 310 to 823. So far I hate the hair colour but let’s see how adding more colours changes it. I’ve already frogged a section due to cricket excitement so that’s not a problem anymore.

I’ve also tentatively decided what to stitch for the Round Robin. I’m very lucky as Zeb is lending me some of her charts to snip some small portions from. As of today, this is how I look:

image

What do you think? I am short one section still…

You Can Quote Me

Posted in You Can Quote ME by

OLW Have Courage & Be KindOn Wednesday night I went with my darling Louise and semi-adopted Aliese to the Chick Flick choice, Cinderella.

I can totally recommend this movie for your child, teen, whatever – as long as they’re female. Little boys will be making barf noises in the background as this movie is unashamedly romantic and fluffy, and the only sword scene is just fencing practice. As with most Kenneth Branagh directed movies, it’s lush, textured and beautiful and as with most Disney traditional movies, there’s the theme rolling through. In this case, it’s one we should encourage our kids to adopt as their motto.

Have Courage, and be Kind.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

2004freeWell, I did get some progress done on Jug, but forgot to take the photo this morning *facepalm*

My work piece is the 2004 Mirabilia cherub. I’ve opted to use DMC 823 instead of black in the background, & I’m sure that won’t be my only conversion.

If you want to stitch along, visit http://www.mirabilia.com/category/free-graphs/ to download or view any of the other free charts.

and in SQUEEEE! news, I have been accepted in a Mirabilia/Nora Corbett Round Robin (RR) group for this year. Really excited – now I need to chose parts of 7 pieces to have stitched, plus choose a fabby, plus choose & stitch the border…pressure’s on! but so much fun.

I’m thinking my theme will be small things – as sometimes it is the small things that really grab me in a chart. Like the arch in Rose of Sharon. The White Rabbit in Fairy Idyll. That sort of thing. Feel free to chime in with suggestions!

New Tank Additions

Posted in family, grateful by

On Sunday we drove past the Hollywood Fish Farm in Mt Roskill and had to make a stop. After the great pH debacle (lost six fish) the tank was looking more than a little empty and it wasn’t hard to convince Si that we need some more fish (he enjoys looking at the tank, but doesn’t like any of the maintenance or feeding needed).

Mase wanted to check that Big Clary was still alive (he is on a morbid drive at the moment). She/He was. Phew. I don’t want to be having that conversation – which I nearly did after Z casually commented that BC would feed a small family (he’s right, but it wasn’t the right place or time to open his mouth!).

This store is so relaxing. There are marine, cold water, tropical (high or standard ph) and turtle set-ups. Like Animates, you can buy a huge range of extra stuff but the fish range is a bit wider. I FINALLY got myself a Port Hoplo catfish (I’ve been wanting one for about 2 years). B chose a shark – I did manage to talk him out of another Red Tailed with the help of the sales assistant (they are more aggressive than other small tropical sharks) so he had a specific Rainbow in mind. Si chose dwarf gouramis but as they are reasonably expensive we’re going to get another two next month – he came home with a Cobalt Blue which shimmers beautifully. He looks grumpy as tho – like the cat!

All three seem to have settled in nicely, eating and not hiding in the caverns of the plane. It’s nice to see some more colour in there. The kids have already named them – Spot, Sharkie & Blue. No points for guessing which is which.

rainbow shark cobalt hoplo

Perhaps as it is St Paddy’s day we should have brought in something green…