Friday Review: 10 Things

Posted in family, goals, grateful, growing, Journal, me, You Can Quote ME by

Hi everyone! Day 9 of official NZ lockdown, day 14 for us and things are pretty level. We are allowing the kids to do whatever today, although Si is now out with a drop saw, so good luck with the “sleep all day” goal that one of them set!

10thingsThis morning I have been listening to Laura Tremaine. I’ve talked about her work in the past and I’m sure I’ll talk about her in the future – I find her to be real, to show empathy, humorous and good-natured, and I think she’s probably a pretty awesome wife & mum too. This last episode was aptly titled : Marry The Person You Could Quarantine With & I think too, I’m fortunate in my choice.

Laura’s intro is:

 

I’m Laura Tremaine.

I live in Los Angeles. I’m a reader, a podcaster, a wife, and a mom.

At all times, I have (at least) 10 Things To Tell You. And I know that YOU have 10 Things To Tell.

This place is about connection, with each other and with ourselves. We can only do this by opening our eyes and seeing others and (even harder) by letting ourselves be seen.

Let’s tell our stories.

Let’s share our stuff.

I’ll go first.  

https://www.10thingstotellyou.com/podcast

March 2020 WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, goals, grateful, lavender & lace, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse, work by

Hello everyone! 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. If you’re a crafter, please join up either on your blog or via the Facebook group – we welcome all enablers!

March Goals were:

  • Finish the third panel in 12 Days – NAH
  • Start a Chatelaine – OH YEAH

I barely stitched any on 12 Days – we went into lockdown early (Mase is asthmatic & Grandma was seriously ill, as regular readers know, and then she passed very early on in official lockdown week). I didn’t get a photocopy of the chart prior to going into lockdown, doh, and my head simply didn’t follow the design very well, especially as I have made so many conversions.

20200325_091818.jpg

Instead I worked on Mermaid of Atlantis as my one-a-day piece. It was much easier as it was a simple random number generator, and I was only filling in the gaps with beads. There’s still a few errors, especially in the last week, but she’s finished.

In April, I intend to be very simple and just work on something every day. I would like a finish on Antique Celtic Sampler (this is very close. I stitched a dog butt yesterday, not often you get to say that!) and maybe some progress on Shakespeare’s Fairies or Nantucket Rose.

Obviously I didn’t get to attend my first Guild meeting but there was work on the Chatelaine. I stopped as I couldn’t focus even with a copy of the chart, but now that my brain is getting back online with work mode (damn internet) I’m sure I will be able to pick that up too.

Have you ever adopted a piece from someone else or gave up a piece to someone else? Which piece and why? I have inherited a few pieces when stitchers’ family members have passed them onto me but not really passed anything along. It’s rare that I will start something and not finish it (quiet over there in the cheap seats please!) but I am seriously considering passing along Mirabillia’s Raven Queen. I am not enjoying her much at all, and she’s been in virtual quarantine for close on a year now, more if you consider that I only pulled her out once I think for Magical Stitches.

Stitch From Stash oh boy, do we have to go there?

Bernina DMC 80C sale -52.00
Ribbon Rose -28.40
Stitch NZ -46.30
Sassy Pouch -98.12
Mermaid of Atlantis 40.22
Rollover + Budget $78.28
Total Available Budget -$106.32

Friday Review: Brene Brown’s Unlocking Us

Posted in books, freebies, grateful, growing, me, You Can Quote ME by

Hey everyone! Hope lockdown is going okay, that you’re not going too crazy & that you’re getting contact with your nearest & dearest.

Right now one of my dearest is Libby, Mase’s Hospice counselor. She rang this morning then they had a Zoom session this afternoon. There’s one scheduled for next week & I’m so grateful.Today’s review isn’t a book. It’s Brene’s new podcast. No surprise that I lurve her work. Research plus stories? Yes please! Her first episode isn’t the initial planned, but it’s about FFT. That first F stands for a bad word, but it’s minimally used during the episode and I’m sure you’ll find something to resonate with, especially in this “new normal” (I’m beginning to hate that phrase).

You can listen in your fav app (I use Podcast Addict on android), or online at https://brenebrown.com/unlockingus/

Ep 2 is surprisingly light hearted for the heavy topic. It’s got me hooked. I almost burnt the schnitzel!

WIP Wednesday #271 & whatever

Posted in cross stitch, family, goals, grateful, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, work by

Hey blog buddies! I hope you are all doing well, and have everything you need. Here in NZ, we’re about to go onto a State of Emergency and as of midnight tonight, everything non-essential will be shut. For our family, it’s kind of odd…

On Monday, my much loved mother in law Carol passed away in the early hours. She had fought her illness for so long & was physically ready to leave, but not mentally until this last week. Because of the situation we can’t have a funeral, so at this stage, we’re looking at church on June 19th, on what would have been her 74th birthday. I miss her already.

Stitching wise, plans are out the window. Work on what makes me happy is now my priority, so first up I finished Mermaid of Atlantis this morning. The fabric is Cook Strait lugana from Countrystitch.

There’s a number of changes:
  • The Kreinik 060 is completely omitted. In the border, I used DMC 3371 & Mill Hill 16609. In the tail, I used Mill Hill 00332. In the fish, I used 011HL.
  • In the garland, I used MH 00525 instead of 10036.
  • Skin bs is as always DMC 356.
  • The fish has a mix of DMC 2141, 2142 & 2144.
I’ve pulled out Antique Celtic as my next project, as this was the last that Mum had an influence on, choosing the fabric.
Anyway, time to go.  Please keep well, keep in touch, keep on praying.

Book Review The Fire Blossom (The Fire Blossom Saga Book 1) by Sarah Lark (Author), Kate Northrop (Translator)

Posted in books by

fireblossomBLURB: The bestselling author of the Sea of Freedom Trilogy returns with a sweeping family saga of two women in nineteenth-century New Zealand and their epic journey to survive in a world of their own making.

It’s 1837, and immigrating to a small New Zealand fishing village is an opportunity for Ida Lange’s family to build a better future. Yet for Ida, raised in a strict, religious, tight-knit German community, so much is still forbidden to a woman. Yearning for the poor day laborer she shared books with as a child, Ida is now trapped in a dire marriage to a man of her father’s choosing.

For Cat, who came of age in New Zealand under brutal conditions, life in the colonies hasn’t been easy. Through a strange turn of events, she is adopted by a native Maori tribe, and she begins to thrive. But when she challenges the traditions of her tribe, she’s banished, and left once again to rely on the only person she can trust with her future: herself.

When fate brings Ida and Cat together, they recognize in each other a kindred spirit. Out of common ground grows an enduring friendship that will not be broken by the hardships of the plains, threats from the past, or the trials of family and heartache. What they’ll discover is the depth of their own strength and resilience as they get nearer to the freedom they desire and demand. And their journey is just beginning.

MY THOUGHTS: This is the first Sarah Lark I’ve read – it came up on Bookbub one day and I liked the cover (shallow, much?) and the topic, not that I’ve done much reading or research on the founding of my country. However during the course of reading I’d flick over into Google and meander down the rabbit warren that is history and the author was really accurate for the times.

I enjoyed the character growth in the main group; and altho the language was a bit heavy at times it was probably more realistic for that. I am very glad that I don’t have the same day-to-day hassles as Ida, Cat and the other 19th century women!

I can see myself reading more from Lark in the future.

WIP Wednesday #270

Posted in cross stitch, grateful, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns by

Hey everyone! I hope that you are well, have enough TP, & feel peace in your hearts. I’m going to assume that Market oh-I-want-that feels, we all have plenty of projects on hand. I may have ordered a few things anyway!

Stitching wise, I had no progress on the Chatelaine. Given my monthly goal was to get it started, I’m more than okay with this.

Mermaid of Atlantis has had attention every day, and I guess I’m about halfway on the beading now. I’ve also started 3 French Hens for my monthly piece. That was more frog than stitch as part way thru the first letter, I had a brain fart…Take care of yourselves, inside & out.

“Ain’t No Mountain(or wall)High Enough” — Saved By Words

Sadly for the last four years the leader of the United States has been obsessed with keeping people from crossing our southern border. He has asked for billions of dollars to construct a fence such as the section pictured above. Money has come from many sources, and that has left many designated projects unfunded. But […]

via “Ain’t No Mountain(or wall)High Enough” — Saved By Words

WIP Wednesday #269

Posted in cross stitch by

Hey everyone! I am recovering from a flu bug (the same one that knocked #masetheace out for a week) so it was really quiet at ours.
I did try to work on the Chatelaine but after learning some new stitches (nailed the Rhodes!) I decided to drop following the chart & just focused on my #wipocalypse one-a-day project, beading Mermaid of Atlantis. As you can see I’ve managed slightly more than one a day, and I’m about a third in. I might get this done this month & be able to bank the stitch from stash credit before my next order comes in…

Book Review The Star Giver by Ginger Nielson

Posted in books, family by

BLURB: Deep in the forest where the wind never blows, in a far away cave where the sun never shines, lives a man made of stars and the branches of pines. So begins the legend that answers Little Bear’s question: “Where did the stars come from?”

MASE’S THOUGHTS: I loved this story because it was a story of determination. There was a mother bear and a baby bear and the mother bear went on a quest. Mother went and saw all of the animals and went in some bad conditions like windy rainy and snowy. Eventually when mother finished she tucked baby into sleep.

MUM’S NOTES: we haven’t read a picture book for quite a while but we’ve been looking at myths & legends of different cultures lately. This title popped up in my Kindle Unlimited list (.com.au, so I’m not sure if it’s available in your county); check it out with your little. Or really, just for the gorgeous illustrations. Mase gave it 5 stars.

Forgiveness

Posted in cross stitch by

I’m coming to the conclusion that out of mind, out of sight is one of my key tactics when it comes to forgiveness. Not allowing the other person opportunity to strike again, by removing myself from situations.

Brene Brown has a couple of quotes that I use as daily reminders to be more thoughtful about how I take in my day. I’m not so good at saying no, so her conversations around choosing a few moments of discomfort over hours of resentment are ones I am trying to focus on.

In the interests of looking after my own wellbeing, I’ll say it here. Zeb, I do not condone your lies or actions. You hurt me, deeply. I have previously blocked you from all my social etc, and somehow you’re back. I don’t want you back. I’m going thru the process of blocking you again, but I’d also like it if you could take those steps back also.
Thank you.