animals! Animals! animals!

...yep, that's right!!!! E and two others are having an exhibition...

still here...

...I haven't forgotten you - but as I predicted work has swallowed me up... However I have started on another UFO - Love Sampler - but not enough to be worthy of a photo... I have chosen this one for a particular reason - the end of year Tapestry Guild Exhibition theme is 'Inspirations' and I thought that the sampler would suit it... Plus it now gives me a date to work to - this one would be just under half finished and I figure that a little time spent on it each week will see it finished well before the due date. I looked at it yesterday and thought it isn't as bad as I thought it was. I do tend to be my harshest critic...

Until next time

S xx

...the day's doings...

... a lucky find at the local op-shop today. Someone had had a stash clean out and there were at least twenty cross stitch charts. I believe that they were from the same stash as some had a definite theme. There were some really nice ones among them however common sense prevailed and I only bought these. The Kingsland are seasonal charts - each season is depicted by a different quilt pegged to a line which is tied to a tree. Yes G, I know I already have an incomplete WIP (work in progress) of a similar theme. But these are very lovely... The Gentle People is of Amish children going about their daily life. The Sweet Hearts chart is quite cute but my favorite one is Helen Kathryn and Mama's Goose - there is a gentleness to to this design and a sense of peace which struck me when I first unearthed it from the pile. This one and 'Sweet Hearts' are by the same designer- Barbara Bourgeau-Richards. The numbering on the front suggests that they may be part of a set but whether it is the same set I'm not sure. Perhaps whoever owned originally them was wanting two which complemented each other... All of them have definite possibilities... However I think any of the seasonal ones or the Helen Kathryn are close to the top of the list... How much were they you ask ? One dollar. Each? No, for all of them... I felt very fortunate... More stash to fondle... :-)

Not such a great photo.. These FQ's are part of a plan for a crazy block using plain fabrics. I wanted to use a variety of the same colour range as a background and experiment with different stitches and thread weights... I am debating whether to have a 'feature' piece and have two as contenders... I am going to try and track my progress with this one by way of a visual journal... I am almost frightening myself with this organization!!!!

The packets of beads came from Go Lo of all places - they were purely and simply a stash buy... I couldn't decide which ones so I bought one of each design. They were only $2.50 so not bank breakers but the sort of thing if you don't buy when you see them are gone the next time you go looking for them...

...now where is Mouse you may ask??? He is still here and nearly finished. I have to stitch the remaining dandelion 'floaters' and back stitch the flower stem. A little frame and he will be off to his new home... As promised I will post a farewell photo...

Not a photo - however I am well on the way on the second last block of Gail Pan's 2009 BOM... After stitching the last block it will be onto the construction of the quilt. I plan to keep it simple as I want the blocks to be the 'centre piece' so to speak. I have 'auditioned' some fabric but keeping my mind open for other possibilities too..

In a way I can see myself making progress with my stitching as the sub heading to my blog suggests - one stitch at a time... But I am determined to have a finished pile at the end of the year. I believe by next year I will have more of a direction and then I shall start to cull what I don't want. I know I'm not a quilt maker but I do like embroidery and associated stitching and I am also keen to increase my drawing skills and perhaps look to painting as well. I'm not sure where all this will take me but I hope that it is fun...

Of course once next Monday dawns I may disappear into the work void forever...

Well I'm off to do some stitching - taking every opportunity to do it while I can...

Until later please take care - especially those of you in Queensland flood affected areas - you are in my thoughts and prayers...

S xx

a day with G and Val..

Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend a delightful afternoon with G and Val at Val’s home... We sat outside in an enclosed veranda which was shaded by a large tree. After some general chat and a delicious lunch we got down to the “business end” of the day – show and tell... Each of us had something to talk about... Val showed us the paper projects she was working on as well as some cross stitching she had been doing – Val is a late convert to cross stitching and has done some lovely pieces to make up for lost time... I wish I had thought to take photos of Val’s little books that she makes - she has more patience than I have with her cutting and constructing. Val earlier on had shown me her work room I was slightly envious of her space and again lamented the lack of one of my own... In my next life perhaps...
G showed us the backstitch sampler that she was given as a kit for Christmas from a friend - the sentiment of the sampler is about friendship - a worthy thing to nuture and preserve...
Me, well I had a couple of books plus a copy of Vignette the Leanne Beasley publication... We all agreed that it was a lovely introduction to this new venture of Leanne’s. G was enthusiastic about Leanne’s design for a fabric noticeboard headed “Remember”. G – could see that its construction could lend itself to a project she has in mind using her Op–shop finds...
G and Val decided to have a go at making some Suffolks Puffs as they had seen a miniature doll’s house quilt at the Johnson Collection exhibition earlier on in the week... So as they set about doing that I started on with stitching block seven in the Gail Pan’s Christmas BOM... It was so relaxing sitting there in the quiet stitching – it was salve for the soul...

...let's read the instructions...

...now is this where the needle comes up????


...look I have made one...

...me too!!!

...an afternoons work...

The photo of what I did was a bit dodgy - so I will save myself the embarrassment...

Until later S xx

a little mouse stitching...

Now I don’t want to overwhelm everyone with my constant blogging – I’m on holidays don’t you know – however I thought perhaps more now will make up for less later on if you can follow my thinking... If you can’t - don’t worry - not many sane people can.

2011 - Wow... we are already into January with gusto and this is my first post here for the year... I have started the year in the way I mean to continue - stitching!! The little photo is proof of that... Yes I know it’s not on my “All Stitched Up” list but I did want it for something special - a friend’s birthday – which of course has past like a bat in the night – however I intend to finish it this week so I can at least give it to her in the month of her birthday. I am positive that cross stitch and I aren’t easy bed mates as I tend to see the pattern quite differently to other people – which of course results in lots of re-stitching. My friend A could have this little one whipped up in a day - me, it has taken nearly a week - true I haven't sat at him all day but I am so s-l-o-w... But I have persevered and hopefully he is on his way out the door next week... Before you ask me - he was a little kit on one of the english cross stitching magazines a couple of years ago... I will take a "farewell" photo of him before he goes...

The next waiting in the line is the Gail Pan BOM of 2009 – threads and needle are at the ready and once I have finished ‘Mouse’ they will be the centre of my attention. I feel like I am repeating myself here. Must be too much of a good thing like sleeping late etc, etc...

Well I hope whatever you are doing at the moment you are enjoying...

Until later...

S xx

* a bit later - May you all have had a positive start to 2011... May it be full of unexplored (only the best of course!!!) adventures for you And lots of "diamond" experiences to enjoy..May it be healthy, wealthy and wise in all ways that are meaningful to you... Happy New Year!!!

I'm back...

Well, as I predicted, nothing in the way of putting needle and thread together has happened since well before Christmas... Now that the BIG day has passed and will be out of sight for another year my mind has turned back to what I planned before the madness set in... Today I thought more about projects for my ‘All Stitched Up’ stitching (taking control of UFO’s) list. I have added another one – the cross stitch ‘Love’ sampler which has been on the go for more years than I care to remember. I also hunted out the Gail Pan BOM Christmas stitchery and I traced the final two blocks ‘Magic’ and ‘Noel’ – this one has been over a year since I started it – Feb 2009 to be exact - you never know I could have it finished for Christmas 2011.

I feel good that I have made a start and that they are all at the ready for me to pick up from where I left off... So far that is three out of the allowable five – enough without me going into overwhelm... Mind you while I was trying to locate those I found others... G, I don’t think I will be going to another show for quite awhile – only kidding!!

I would like to think that this time next year I will have a completed a strike through on each of these. LOL- unfortunately there are many more to take their places when the first three are complete. I have thought about making an entire list but I believe that would just overwhelm me at the moment. However, I am seriously thinking about selling some of the ones I know will never see the light of day...

My Christmas gifts among other things included two books. One was ‘The Art Quilt Collection – Designs and Inspirations from Around the World’ – looking forward to spending some quality time with this one soon... The other book I received was ‘The Big Book of Cross-Stitch Designs’ put out by Readers Digest – I couldn’t count the number of times I have borrowed if from the library and I have debated buying it. There are lots of lovely designs including a couple of samplers...


P bought me the first two seasons of The House of Eliott for Christmas and I can imagine some nights with me, the telly and my stitching... Ahhhhh... Bliss!!!!

But for now I bid thee fond farewell...

S xx

a mixed bag...

Yesterday, Saturday I went into the city on a mission... I had two gift vouchers which were both rapidly approaching their 'shelf life' date so I needed to spend them quickly... The first one was for an art supply shop and as I am about to do a two day workshop on introduction to botanical art it couldn't have been better spent... For the most part the voucher covered the major items on the list of requirements for the course...

The other voucher was for Clegs - a material shop - that was a little more difficult to spend without just buying more stash - however just as I was thinking I was going to have to just spend it on 'something' I spied these knitting bags - the lady at the counter was ever so helpful and opened a couple so I could see inside... Loads of roomy interior with a great long side pocket Now I am no great knitter however I saw this as a potential for using it for my needlework - I was also pleased that apart from $0.70 my voucher covered it... Not a great photo but it is rather a natty bag...

I also took the opportunity to visit l'uccello. G had visited there and in her words said it was 'neat'. To quote i'ccello's blog description - "l'uccello carries - Vintage haberdashery and ephemera, hand made vintage style homewares, craft kits and greeting cards" - see, I couldn't have said it better... l'uccello is situated at The Nicholas Building 205/37 Swanston Street Melbourne 3000 l'uccello is in room 5 on the second floor, enter via Cathedral Arcade ph: 9639 0088 info@luccello.com.au

l'uccello is well worth a visit especially if you are after something just that little bit special...

Of course my visit wouldn't have been complete had I not purchased a little something...

And of course last but not least an update on my stitching - as you can see precious little has been done... With Christmas bearing down on us like an out of control Santa and me working in retail I see my stiching hopes for 2010 fading, but I shall stitch on - when I get the chance...

Until next time - take care and stitch well..

Sharon xx