Tag Archives: fairy idyll

WIP Wednesday #216

Posted in cross stitch, friends, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, WIPocalypse by

Very little progress this week – some days I can get a few threads in, other days I can’t. Last night I was the only guest at #stitchandbitch, so I got the manger, second sheep, the angel and started the tree leaves. Look at the French Knots on my angel! Pretty stoked with those, TBH.

Hope your week is going well!

Wellington, or There & Back Again

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, grateful, Journal, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, photos, travel by

NOTE: hover over the photos to show captions!

A couple of weekends ago, we took advantage of a gap in the Tag schedule and flew down to Wellington for a quick getaway. We left Auckland in horrid squally weather (Mase & Si looking at the nearby planes gives it away as to how bad it was) but when we landed in Welly it was much clearer. Perfect for outdoor breakfast watching the seabirds catch fish at Oriental Bay, walking around the city centre & meeting friends for lunch (hello Catherine & Kerry!!).

Mase looking nervous
On the taxiway
me focusing on Fairy Idyll
Coming into Welly
Gandalf & an eagle, Wellington Airport cafe
start km
seabirds at Oriental Bay
the sand retaking Island Bay toilets
a bollard at Te Papa
Arc de Triomphe detail
Mona Lisa
SH45
1919 church off SH45
railway bridge, SH1
Huia at the Army marae
one of the tunnel graffiti photos
finish KM
the Robin Reliant
Mase & Zac’s contribution
Mase took this one – the moa on the left!!!

We took in the Lego exhibit at Te Papa – huge masterpieces with some very clever detail. Si found Jeremy Clarkson’s Robin Reliant next to Big Ben – if you haven’t seen that episode, please PLEASE stop reading now, go to YouTube and search it up. It’s freaking hilarious to see people’s reactions & he even made a live news broadcast! The Mona Lisa is fully made of the 1*1 blocks – like a plastic cross stitch. The boys even made their own addition to the exhibit with a pokeball (I don’t know the name, can you tell?!).

We’d signed on to relocate a car back to Auckland – a dollar a day, plus insurance waiver, 900 free kilometres plus a tank of gas. I’d do it again, but I wouldn’t use Budget purely because of the customer service at Wellington airport. I actually made a complaint & I don’t normally go that far.

The end of day one found us at the Hacienda Lodge in Palmerston North. I do recommend this place; the hosts were lovely, full of useful recommendations; it’s clean & tidy (we ended up with the end unit which is also wheelchair friendly).

Day two & we chose to drive up the lesser roads as far as we could. I found a church I’d love to relocate! Then five minutes up the road, one I wouldn’t – it was one of those 1920’s concrete ones and to strengthen it the contractors had obvs removed the stained glass windows & replaced with plain aluminium, ick. At least it was in use!

We stopped at Waiouru Army Museum (Te Mata Toa) as we do nearly every time we travel SH1. This time they had a new temp exhibition, which consisted of photographs taken in the tunnels under the WWI battlefields in Arras, France. We couldn’t do the Passchendaele exhibit as we were warned that it was too graphic for Mase, but the kids loved the games and graphics in the Food Glorious Food exhibit, especially the game where you caught the ingredients as a rat knocked them off the shelf.

Late lunch in Taupo, then a quick drive to the rental depot at Auckland Airport. It cost me more than either the Jetstar tickets or the car rental to park our car for the 48 hours but we’ve got lots more in our memory bank.

WIP Wednesday #215

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

This week we travelled, and I can report that a Toyota Corolla isn’t the best ride if you don’t want to stab yourself often. Bump bump. Altho in part this was bc we did take the back road a free times…

I took Fairy Idyll as this is my main Olympic focus piece. I think I would have finished Bethlehem had I taken that piece, but I’m happy with my progress!

The Hux Part Deux & WIP-yesterday-was-Wednesday # 214

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, goals, grateful, me, Mirabilia, music, Nora Corbett, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, weight loss by

About this time last year, I climbed the Hux with the BBM crew. This year, as a family we decided to do it again, opening up to whomever wanted to meet us but not letting the lack of “me too” hold us back.

The Hux, or Hakarimata Mountain summit climb, can be divided into two portions. There’s the relatively easy walk to the site of the 1922 dam (nice waterfall is just past this) or the more strenuous climb to the summit. 1K almost straight up, 1349 stairs.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/waikato/places/hakarimata-scenic-reserve/tracks/hakarimata-summit-track/?region=waikato&park=c46c7395-d05d-44ff-b48a-66d228a7e77e&activity=walking-tramping#activitypanel

Because I haven’t been very active, my personal goal was halfway plus two flights. I kind-of bullied Karl into the same (he originally had halfway) but then we just kept on moving. And moving. And after about an hour, we were there (Si & Mase had done it 1.25 times by then & Louise & her friend A were a little behind us). Woot!

On the way up I’d seen part of the Tuakau and some Rewa league boys & on the way down, some of the Hamilton BBM crew. It’s nice to see familiar faces but even more so, nearly 99% of everyone else on the Mountain is also doing it tough, no matter how you measure them from yourself. There’s a lot of encouragement & good vibes.

On the WIP front, my work/travel piece is still Little House Needlework’s Bethelehem. I’ve finished with the lettering as of last night and YAY it well fits into the fabric with plenty of room. And I got some progress in on Fairy Idyll – not visibly much as it is such a big piece, but counting & double-counting has got me to the far right. Sorry for the crinkles – I am also stitching this one in hand.

Music wise I am slow to the party & have just discovered Sam Hunt. Gorgeous voice and a STORY in the song? Yes please. Also Do Right by The Glades – she has a beautiful voice.

January WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, embroidery, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypse is hosted by Mel at her blog http://measi.net/measiblog/ 2017 was the seventh year of the SAL, and my third year participating; it’s my favourite SAL, mostly due to the host organisation (which is spot on), the range of topics & the wide variety of stitchers participating. There’s always something to oooh over!

Well I can skite and say that I’ve knocked off ONE of my stitchy goals for WIPocalypse 2018! Ashley is finished. Phew.

20180128_125537

MONTHLY TOPIC: What SAL’s are you participating in this year? and If you are participating in the Olympic Stitching Challenge, what challenge are you accepting?  What are your goals?

SALS – well, I really shouldn’t participate in many if I expect this year to be both one of finishing WIPs and staying in the black in SFS. For the Jane Austen SAL, I am listening to Juliet Stevenson read “Sense & Sensibility” (the Jan/Feb choice) as I grout the bathroom tiles but as I am waiting on my LHN Bookshself chart to arrive, stitchy progress is nil. But I’m not at all worried, as there are two months to stitch in each portion of this SAL, and the only requirement is some progress.

When it comes to other group SALs like Stitch Maynia or Mel’s own Teresa Wenztler group, I’m only going to participate if the piece yelling at me matches. Yes, a bit of a cop-out, but I have my current WIPs and no desire really to create more. Thus, LHN Bethlehem matches the SM “Christmas All Year Round” requirements, I can probably fudge any colour days in SM and I’ll pull Tapestry Cat out for a couple of the TW goals. Sorted.

My “Olympic” goal is to get the rabbit, topiary and wings done on this RHS of Fairy Idyll. Now that I have finished any RR (still waiting on the next & no idea when it’s coming) I will be focussed on Bethlehem at work & Idyll at home. My start point for this WIP is from November 27th, 2017:

20171127_053952

And as it’s the end of the month, here’s my SFS report – I’m IN THE BLACK!! Even if that sale hadn’t come thru I’d still have five bucks.

Jan-18
Budget $25.00
Spotlight 12 DMC -20.28
GiftOfStitching *4 Etsy -9.96
Irish Blessings Chart -2.73
   
SELL L&L * 4 50.27
Ashley RR 13.80
   
Rollover 0
  $56.10

 

November WIPocalypse

Posted in cross stitch, goals, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

WIPocalypse is a monthly check-in SAL hosted by Mel over at measi(dot)blog – click the icon on the right to be taken to her blog. You can now also find us on FB!

Stitch From Stash is also a monthly check-in, hosted on FB by Stephanie, Ms Oh Sew Crafty on IG, blogland & YouTube.

 

Nov-17
Allowance $25.00
Fabric from Lynne -38.00
LHN Bethlehem -10.57
Classic Colourworks * 7 -24.50
DMC * 5 -6.09
SELL L&L * 4 40.00
   
Rollover -$58.93
Total Available Budget -$73.09

I have virtually NOTHING to show you all for the last month’s work. There’s a little progress on Fairy Idyll, a little more beading on Jamaica, I picked up Mill Hill Believe for a road trip & am nearly done with the last third of the stitching, Honey  Pot *may* have seen a little more action but November has kicked my butt. Last night, I finally finished the greenery of Rose of Sharon for Becca’s piece so at least I got to something!

20171127_053952November goals:

  • Leave Fairy Idyll as the focus piece – YES or at least until the round robin piece arrived
  • Bead & FFO both Jamaica Santa pieces – NO
  • Bead & FFO Mill Hill Autumn Harvest Honey Pot pieces (started yesterday at work) – NO

December goals:

  • Complete Rose of Sharon for the round robin
  • Finish the uncompleted portions of Ashley’s Roses & Lady of the Mist
  • Bead & FFO both Jamaica Santa pieces
  • Stitch some Rhianna Fendi slippers for my work secret santa (plastic canvas ornie)

Question of the Month: What finishing style have you never tried but would love to do? I’d like to do a wall hanging for something a little different. Or a stocking. I’ve planned to do a couple but I haven’t even begun any.

#craft31days day sixteen

Posted in Christmas, cross stitch, family, grateful, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, photos, travel by

Not a lot of stitching tonight, maybe 80 stitches in all?

The main reason is that Si is sick, so after swimming lessons I drove back into town so B can go to his Force Fit meet. I walked around Silo Park & the Wynyard Quarter back towards the CBD. #masetheace wasn’t too happy as I only let him use the elevator twice, & forbade him from interupting a yoga class on the most amazing glass viewing platform (there was plenty of room for us anyway) but I enjoyed the fresh air.

And summer is coming! That top left photo? That’s the pohutukawa starting to bud. Its our Christmas tree, as its covered in gorgeous red flowers during December. Old Maori tales say that if the tree flowers early, we’ll get a long, hot summer. Yay!

#craft31days day fourteen

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

Saturday! Saturday! Oh bliss.

I did my volunteer shift collecting money for the Breast Cancer Foundation outside the local supermarket then (more bliss) I WENT SHOPPING BY MYSELF & GOT EVERYTHING ON MY LIST & ONLY THE THINGS ON THE LIST. The key word here obvs is “myself” 😂

This afternoon was lovely & warm; I got three loads of laundry dry on the line, everything unpacked & snack bags made for the week ahead; dinner; cleaned up after the boys (there’s only a little more gib to go up & next week I’ll be painting) & some stitching in while watching Maleficient. I’m a sucker for fairy tale adaptations.

And as I said on IG, it’s like Border Bliss. I worked my way around and the bits ended up in the right spot. Hooray!