Downunder Discourse

Please don't forget to..

2007-03-08T11:53:00.000+11:00

change your links to my new blog address.......http://ausxser.wordpress.com - I'd hate for you to miss all the fabulous things I have to say :)

Tannia
x

Yippeee!

2007-03-01T17:39:00.000+11:00

Thanks to Alison, and Anne's comment on her blog - I have moved all my posts over to Wordpress!

Soooo for the future please point any links to:

http://ausxser.wordpress.com/

See you over there :)

Tannia

A Mini-Finish

2007-03-01T11:37:00.000+11:00

I've now completed part 3 of the four-part M Designs piece I am doing. I've just one more initial to do in the top right corner! A "W" and I have to wait for it to arrive from Dragonflydreams to do that.

Here is a picture of the "T" all done. I'm using a Week's Dye Works overdye for all four squares. I'm really liking how this is turning out!

Now, because I'm having a few days off work (I've had all this week - darn girl troubles) and quite possibly once I see the doc tomorrow will still be laid up for a little while longer, I am really getting my stitching mojo back! I am really enjoying putting stitches int o fabric once again.

I 'd like to do a few more little things to reinforce the 'finishing' feeling and then get stuck in to some of the things that have been on the back burner for ages. I wont list them here because I've made promises to myself on this blog before (ha ha!) but I think for every two finishes I will allow myself a new start. How does that sound? I mean I don't have as many starts or UFOs under my belt as 'some' people eh Janine :)

First off the block will be An Open Heart, Then " the pesky Dad's Sampler" ( I quite possibly need to get a new magnifying lamp for that one - the over one is killing my eyes!).

Oh and I"ve discovered the "Google Blog Reader" thingy which is really cool - I now just have to figure out how to get my list into this page. I needed somethign because the pesky blogroll thing never lets me know when blogs are updated, so I went hunting for something else :) THis seems to be working ok and perhaps I will be able to keep up with comments and things now!

I've also started aWordpress Blog but I've yet to figure out how to get THIS blog's posts over to there - I know it can be done though - I am sure I've seen it! If you have any ideas, please let me know :) The template I chose over there is really pretty! You can have a look here!

Stash Enhancement

2007-02-26T09:29:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I visited a lovely friend who had been 'clearing out' as we all do.

She had in her "I dont' need these anymore" pile a bunch of Shepherd's Bush designs so I decided to rehome them for her. Aren't I helpful? They are:

Simple Threads
Angel Pie
French Openwork (I REALLY like this one)
Wandering Vine (an afghan), and
Gathered Hours

I've not stitched a SB design but the are so sweet, I think I 'could' become addicted. The stockings are very cute too and one day I could be tempted to stitch a couple of them for the littlies...before they become 'biggies"

I need more hours...

State of the nation

2007-02-26T08:43:00.000+11:00

Last night I started one of the initials in the M Designs project....the letters seem to be a really quick stitch because there's so much more 'space' and less stitches! I should knock over the "T" today. I will need to order the other initial this week I guess so I have it here when I need it!

As an aside - if you happen to have the "W in your stash and you've used it already and you want to trade it - let me know :)

EDIT: Oh I just ordered it from DragonflyDreams so not to worry!

I've had a few health issues lately so am having a week off. Going to sit on my butt in my stitching chair for the entire week I think (that's my plan - but we all know that it is highly unlikely as I need to have medical appts etc....!). Might visit a bead shop or two, visit some blogs I've neglected and generally bum around. Might even just stay in my jammies today...we all need days like that sometime!

Wow! Take a look at these!!

2007-02-25T10:58:00.000+11:00

Have you seen all the lovely new things over at DragonflyDreams? I've not been over there for a week or so and my jaw literally hit the floor today!

I'm very tempted to pick up a few of the Satin Stitches hardanger designs - they're really beautiful and I really enjoy hardanger. Also Karen has some new candlewicking designs. I've not tried this yet, but my mother is very good at it! I could however, be tempted with these...lovely! Now where is my credit card?

Given my new found interest in stitching smalls I was also really taken by the Cat's Whiskers Alyssum Scissor Pocket, Blessed With Happiness Box, The Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag and the Peacock Stitching Chair although I suspect the latter two would REALLY test my modest finishing skills!

Last time I visited DFD I picked up the Needleprint Samplers (yes I got all four!!!!) They are just charming and I can't wait to start one (or all) of them! The sampler printed inside the dust jacket of "Quaker Schoolgirl Samplers" book is wonderful too and I am just so tempted to drop everything and start one!

I've had a really busy and exhausting few weeks and asked my boss for some 'more' time off this week - so I am going to spend a week stitching and just doing things for me.

(Just for a laugh, the Blogger spellchecker asked me if I wanted to change 'hardanger' to HEADBANGER...I know some will get a giggle out of that because hardanger is a source of great frustration!)

I'm turning into a 'stitcher of smalls"!!!

2007-02-25T10:38:00.000+11:00

Here it is...biscornu number two! This one is a motif form the Ackworth Motif book and I used Caron Watercolours in Bark and a really creamy uneven natural linen. It has a very open weave so the watercolours covered really nicely. Again I didn't button it because I didn't want to cover the design up AND I only decided to stitch it yesterday AND I didn't have a suitable button handy ha ha ha! Excuses excuses!

It's for a friend and I doubt she will look at my blog before she gets it so am happy to post a picture today!

I really like these things and I have a few large designs which would lend themselves to bigger versions of this, like REAL cushions!

Can you tell I'm a little distracted from my 'normal' stitching?

I've been making jewelry (SP) too. My dear mum's birthday is in a few weeks and I have started something special for her so will post a pic when that's done as she doesn't read my blog! I'm really happy with how it's moving along.

I'm also thinking about doing a class in polymer clay so I can learn how to make my own feature beads....that should be fun. Will certainly let you know how that goes and show you the results!!

Biscornu - what exactly does it mean...

2007-02-21T18:33:00.000+11:00

Not knowing what biscornu actually meant sent me on a bit of a research mission today. I checked my "Pincushions" book by Averil Colby. While there were lots of little cushions, none of the biscornu kind appear in there. (I'm thinking I might try a couple of the examples she shows in her book!)

You can find it here at Emli's or here (same edition as I have) for 10% of the price, failing that from ebay if you're lucky! Most of the the ones I have seen though seem to have more modern pincushions featured on the cover...be sure to ask if you are buying a newer edition that it has all the great history in it as well :) It's a fabulous book!!

A google search was productive however and as Josephine correctly refers, 'biscornu' is not a noun...rather an adjective, as explained here in Google "Answers". If you're interested, take a look at the whole thread and find out that what I made is acutally a "pique-aiguilles biscornu" or an irregular pincushion :) or a " coussinet biscornu" an irregular little cushion....

All very elegant terms...I'm not sure which I prefer!

Ta da!

2007-02-20T21:40:00.000+11:00

Well here it is - le biscornu magnifique! (is a biscornu feminine or masculine? I'm going with masculine for now!) Crikey! I just realised I don't even know for sure that 'biscornu' is actually FRENCH....someone please feel free to correct me!

I am not sure I've stuffed it enough and I have yet to find a button for it - but none the less I am happy with how it turned out. Carol WAS right - they are pretty easy to make!

I'm sending this on to someone as a surprise. This person always does lovely things for other people all the time so I thought I might do something nice for this person too :)

I hope they're surprised when they open the package :)

The design is a Judy Dixon one and for the life of me I can't find the page withthe name on! I will hunt it down and edit this post when I do find it!

I'm going to be making a few more of these :) I've not been into needlerolls or smalls in general, but the shape of these has taken my fancy :)

I also feel good about a finish - no matter how small!

A biscornu.....almost!

2007-02-18T20:39:00.000+11:00

Well I achieved an almost done biscornu this weekend. It's three-quarters stitched, but I realised too late that I dont have any stuffing so I have to wait until after work tomorrow to stuff it and sew up the last side.

I ended up using a Judy Dixon design, blue lugana and Caron watercolours in Charcoal and a complimentary DMC....I must say it looks ok and I am pretty pleased with how it's finishing up!

Picture tomorrow!

The Cat in the Hat is 50!

2007-02-17T20:40:00.000+11:00

According to the Borders newsletter I got today, "The Cat in The Hat" is turning 50 on the 2nd March 2007!!

In our lifetime, there may never be another revolution like it. And, as revolutions often do, this one started in a small way. In 1957, Dr. Seuss was asked to write 'a story that first graders can't put down'. Given a list of 236 words drawn up by three experts, Seuss wrote 'The Cat in the Hat' and changed the world as we know it.

The Borders Kids Webpage lists the Cat in the Hat Project 236. On the 2nd of March 2007, at 2:36 pm we are all encouraged to read aloud the Cat in the Hat!

I know I will enjoy reading it to my chickadees! : )

A brand new finishing blog and some interesting facts about mine!

2007-02-17T08:37:00.000+11:00

If you're a finishing numpty (like me), wander over to a wonderful new blog set up by Anne and Karen "Focus on Finishing". Here, generous stitchers are giving up their time to bring it all together for those of us with limited skills in that area!!!

Today I am going try making a Biscornu from a free chart so graciously provided by Aurelle. I'll post a picture when done - I'm not sure which of the 14 freebies I will choose but they all look small and easy to complete...wish me luck! A Bisornu is a little pincushion-y thing.

I've also been taking a look at my stats to see where my vistors have been coming from, what you have been searching for on Google that led you to me and taking a look at where you all live :)

It seems Nigella's Ham Recipe has been very popular around the world, because I've had vistors from the UK, India, Switzerland and all over the US looking for that - I hope the story was useful for you! It really was a great feast!

Stitchers have been searching for:

Sew To Be Seen Designs -I've completed just one - Maiden's Walk, but I own nearly all of Judy's Sew To Be Seen designs;
M-Designs Celtic Heart (I've stitched this several times!);
Bargello Fantasy -I'm lucky enough to own this very hard to find chart, but I've not stitched it yet;
Bargello - a lovely technique and I'm very partial to how Victoria Sampler uses this one in some of their sampler designs;
Genny Morrow's Nova - again I own it but it's not started

As for visitors, you've visted me from:

In Australia, Victoria, The ACT, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland (where are the Tasmanians and Northern Territorians????)
The UK
The Netherlands
United Arab Emirates (hi Mel!)
In the US, North Carolina, California, Massachusetts, Atlanta, New York, Virgina, Arizona, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, New Jersey( I think I should aim for all states to have visted me before the end of the year!)
Cyprus
India
Korea
Turkey
Canada
New Zealand
Japan
Greece
China
Afghanistan
Brazil

Edited to add

Italy
Singapore
Mexico

I also note that some of you have visted my other blogs too! I've been a bit slack on the wine blog - not that I haven't been partaking, but I've been very lax in writing about my wine lately - a shortness of time mostly. My music blog will become busier too and if you have a question about Aussie music feel free to ask me there!

Wow - that makes me feel sensational to think that people from all over the world have taken a minute to vist me :) Thanks! I hope you enjoyed your visit and please leave a comment and let me know if you have a blog I can visit too!

Have a great Saturday!

A Mini Finish!

2007-02-10T20:55:00.000+11:00

Tonight I finished the second of four squares on the M Designs piece. I wont post a picture until it's completely done now so I don't bore you :)

My Christmas Miracle....NOT!

2007-02-06T22:55:00.000+11:00

Thanks for all your comments on my Christmas Ham and as promised....here is the tale that surrounds it and will ensure that last Christmas goes down in the family memoirs as one to remember!

This post is a copy of a post I made to the cooking bulletin board at work.....

You may recall my request for ways to prepare my Christmas Ham...after much deliberation I chose the Nigella Lawson Coco-Cola method and I wanted to be sure to share with you the experience I had AND the outcome.
Firstly, let me tell you about the ham......I toddled off to my local butcher. George the Butcher and I have a very special relationship; I ask for a kilo of something, he gives me 1.5 kilos (same price for you beautiful lady!) If now you are thinking of Con the Fruiterer, you are in the exact same brainspace as me! George and his lovely wife Helen have been my butchers for 8 years and look after me VERY well....(they even said they would deliver 50k to me in my new house!)
I asked George to source for me a small leg of mildly cured ham, about 5-6 kilos or so would be fine! George (bless him) calls me on the Tuesday before Christmas to tell me that he has a beautiful leg of ham for me. "A little larger than 5-6 kilos," he says, "but will make for fabulous Christmas lunch, you wait and see beautiful lady!!!" A "little" larger turned out to be 11 kilos! And if you recall the Nigella method of cooking (simmering in Coke, then baking) you may well pre-empt my next dilemma! When I told George how I was going to prepare it - he was flabbergasted! I was flabbergasted at the size of it but didn't want to make him feel bad so took the ham anyway!
Firstly, I had to all but clear out my fridge to fit it in for the few days before Christmas!
Secondly - I didn't have a pan big enough to simmer it in! But, luckily after much searching and yellowpaging, on the Friday I found one at The Chef's Hat in South Melbourne (WOW what a shop - cooks' paradise). A nice 40 litre boiler made for my 11kg ham! What a relief - I had mouthed off about this ham so much I was committed to doing it (with hindsight I should be committed for committing to it!). Next, the ham only JUST fit in my oven diagonally, but didn't fit any of my baking trays. However it did fit one of the throw-away foil ones! Again.....Lucky me!!
The next issue was the four litres of coke I had purchased weren't quite enough to cover the massive piece of pork, so I picked up 4 more litres on the way home with the saucepan. You guessed it - after many screams of "I NEED MORE COKE" there was another mercy dash (or two) to the Seven 11 for more of the sticky brown stuff....heaven knows what the neighbours were thinking! EIGHTEEN LITRES OF COKE LATER my ham was covered and simmering nicely. The saucepan just fitted in the space between the cooktop and the range hood and I used all four burners to get the liquid to simmering point.
Now, the recipe called for 1 hour per kilo of ham, but I wasn't game enough to leave it for that long, so I simmered it for a little over 4 hours, but I did leave it sitting in the coke till it was cool(er) and easier to handle. I must tell you here that the smell was NOT the most pleasant thing I've smelt cooking....hot sickly coke with onions? Uuuuugh! And it stuck around for days.
Once simmering was complete, getting the massive saucepan, with 18 litres of coke, and 11kg of ham OFF the stove was a nightmare and had the entire household in fits of giggles for most of the evening! We did get it out the saucepan and into the backing dish eventually, removed the skin (which came away very easily), basted (maple syrup and mustard powder - NOT treacle) and baked. At this point, I was concerned and had to try a little piece and I was not disappointed. I then adorned it with the traditional pineapple and cherries, basted a little more, baked a little longer and VOILA! Sensational Christmas ham.....we did have to reinforce the Christmas table with steel girders to carry the weight of it, but it did look fabulous!
For all this trouble, I The taste was sensational and while I may WILL ensure I get a MUCH smaller ham next year - I will be cooking it in this manner again. It was a hit. The entire family enjoyed it and begged for leftovers!

I KNEW Nigella wouldn't lie to me! I can highly recommend this method of cooking your celebration ham!

(PS: The Christmas Cake Trifle was a hit too!)

And here's the recipe for those game enough to give it a go:(I'm sorry this is from a website somewhere I suspect, but the link and referencece was not provided to me, however I did happen to catch the episode of Nigella on Fox a week or so later and it's almost word for word).

Ham in Coca Cola by Nigella
This recipe started off in How to Eat, but has been subject to some rejigging since (just because it's not in my nature to leave completely alone), and I don't apologise for reproducing, or rather recasting, it because I simply cannot urge you to try this strongly enough. The first time I made it, it was, to be frank, really just out of amused interest. I'd heard, and read, about this culinary tradition from the deep South, but wasn't expecting it, in all honesty, to be good.

The truth is it's magnificent, and makes converts of anyone who eats it. But, if you think about it, it's not surprising it should work: the sweet, spiky drink just infuses it with spirit of barbecue. I have to force myself to cook ham any other way now; though often I don't bother with the glaze but just leave it for longer in the bubbling Coke instead. And the salty, sweet liquor it leaves behind in the pot after it's cooked makes an instant base for the most fabulous black bean soup.

But just one thing before we start: don't even consider using diet Coke; it's full-fat or nothing.

2kg mild-cure gammon
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola
Glaze
a handful of cloves
1 heaped tablespoon black treacle
2 teaspoons English mustard powder
2 tablespoons demerara sugar

I find now that mild-cure gammon doesn't need soaking, but if you know that you're dealing with a salty piece, then put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to the boil, then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here; otherwise, put the gammon in a pan, skin-side down if it fits like that, add the onion, then pour over the Coke.

Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on, though not tightly, and cook for just under 2 and a half hours. If your joint is larger or smaller, work out timing by reckoning on an hour per kilo, remembering that it's going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the gammon's been in the fridge right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give it a good 15 minutes or so extra so that the interior is properly cooked.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 240ºC/gas mark 9.

When the ham's had its time (and ham it is, now it's cooked, though it's true Americans call it ham from its uncooked state) take it out of the pan (but do NOT throw away the cooking liquid) and let cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed, you can let it cool completely then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want). Then remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes, and stud each diamond with a clove.

Then carefully spread the treacle over the bark-budded skin, taking care not to dislodge the cloves. Gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat. Cook in a foil-lined roasting tin for approximately 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.

Should you want to do the braising stage in advance and then let the ham cool, clove and glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 180ºC/gas mark 4, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.

Serves 8

Some progress pictures...

2007-02-03T12:09:00.000+11:00

This is the progress on "Dad's Sampler". It is from the "Australian Embroidery and Cross Stitch" magazine and if anyone really wants to know which issue just ask...I will look (I do think I've posted that info before.)

I've completed all the dividing bands (after much frogging and restitching) and all the lettering is over one - I think the fabric is 32 count Dublin linen but it's been so long since I started this one - I forget!

It uses DMC threads, and horrible DMC shiny stuff - can't recall what that is called (edited to add RAYON! ) and while the effect is nice, the stitching is painful! Lots of lovely Thread Heaven put to use for that stitching!

I will endeavour to finish 'off ragged mountain ranges' during February.....

EDIT: The magazine is Australian Cross Stitch and Embroidery, Vol 7 No 2. You can often pick these up on Australian e-Bay.

Next is Drawn Threads' 'An Open Heart'. I've really been enjoying stitching this again. I've completed the drawn thread areas (5 and 7) as well and the instructions in the leaflet made that a much easier task than how I would have tackled it. My process would have been to withdraw every second thread and re-weave every second but because the border is stitched over the top of the cut threads, there was really no need to go to all that trouble. I love Drawn Thread charts - the instructions are always pretty clear.

The colours in this one are lovely too and so much nicer in real life. I'm using lovely Heritage linen for this one in Cafe Au Lait.

I'm aiming to finish all the 'sampler' during my holidays ('til Feb 13) and then work on the border during February and March.

My M Designs piece in red is coming along nicely too now I have found and fixed the mistake in counting that I made many months ago! I am aiming to finish this square, tomorrow :)

The Celtic Heart design is one I've stitched a few times now as gifts, it is quick and easy to stitch, but so effective depending on the thread and fabric you use :) As I have discussed before there are initials going in the two opposing squares but I'm just not sure whose yet. I'm leaning towards keeping this one myself.

Found the mistake!

2007-02-02T08:24:00.000+11:00

Last night, after many months of having the M Designs piece screwed up in the bottom of my stitching bag, I sat, and counted, and recounted, and counted again, then frogged, stitched, and re-frogged till now it is right - because I had made an error somewhere and I couldn't find it!

Yay - I am excited about stitching this one now I have found where I boo-booed and fixed it! The mistake was such that I HAD to find it to continue - it wasn't one that I could just 'personalise' and move on!

It should move really quickly now - as long as I dont make any more errors!

There's nothing like knowing you've made a mistake and not being able to find it, that steals all your motivation away from a piece is there?

Progress...There is some....

2007-01-30T13:11:00.000+11:00

I have been stitching with renewed fervour on An Open Heart....in fact I have progressed past my June 2006 goal (ha! ha! ha!) and completed down to the end of the drawn thread work in area 7! It wan't too difficult and is beginning to look pretty good if you ask me!

My new goal for this piece is to complete the stitching while I am on holidays (not including hte whitework and blackwork borders). That takes me up to Valentines day! If I accomplish that - I might treat myself to a new start!

Would post a photo but my dial-up connect is tooooooo slow! You will have to wait!

Change of address...

2007-01-24T15:05:00.000+11:00

And we're in....but not without a few small dramas.

Firstly, settlement didn't happen as planned on Friday.

The vendors couldn't come up with enough cash to discharge their mortgage so their bank wouldn't settle! bummer - I feel really bad for them as really their conveyancer should have let them know long before settlement day how much they needed to pay. I just hope it was only a small amount and not tens of thousands of dollars - who knows? We had to apply for a 'licence to occupy' so we could move in on Saturday still.

The removalists arrived with a huge truck and I thought that it was a bit of overkill however it was full to the absolute brim – the driver had to push the doors shut! I am not sure where it all came from in my tiny little Yarraville townhouse. It is so much nicer to have a bit of space and while the new house is ‘full’ there is lots of space around everything and looks lovely. We are all very pleased.

So now we're in and unpacked and enjoying our new home. All the rain on the weekend highlighted a small leak in the pergola roof but nothing that can't be fixed!

We finally settled on Tuesday and my conveyancer forgot to phone me and let me know! (Conveyancers are good eh?)

Tuesday we went to clean Yarraville. I got there at 7 a.m and made everything ready for Bill to do his tip run....the blind man (but not the type with a cane or seeing eye dog) came to remove the blinds and clean them at 7.30! The carpet cleaners didn't show up so I had to go back there today. I tell you I am not displeased to know that I don’t have to drive all that way again tomorrow.

Cleaning was a chore, and the blooming light fittings even more so - we broke two shades from one light fitting and looked everywhere to try and find replacements - not to be found anywhere - in fact I think the landlord had light shades cut down to fit as the rims were very uneven and jagged. After several trips to the light shop to try differnt ones, we decided just to replace the whole darn lot! $$$$ later.....

I am so tired and I hurt all over. Tomorrow I am having a day off (except for enrolling Liam in school and getting his books!) I might even get my stitching out.

My Ackworth book arrived on Monday and it really is a beautiful work. I can recommend it as a beautiful reference of the Quaker Samplers and in particular the Ackworth schoolgirls. The proceeds from the sale of the book are being used to fund the upkeep of the Fitzwilliam Museum's textile collection too - so it's a winner all round!

On a stitching front, a few of the stitching ladies of Melbourne will pop by on Saturday for a visit and a few friends on the music side in the evening so Saturday will be a nice relaxing day with friends!

Thanks to everyone for all the emails wishing us well and we look forward to hosting you for a cuppa very soon.

x

Somebody stop me!!!

2007-01-15T22:32:00.000+11:00

I did it.....went ahead and ordered the book...

In case you're wondering....this book!

I can't wait till it arrives :)

How did this happen?

2007-01-13T15:20:00.000+11:00

ow on earth did I happen to collect so much Tupperware? I just managed to squeeze it all into one huge box, and I ditched anything I couldn't find the lid for! Honestly if anyone invites me to a Tupperware party anytime during the next ten years - I really must refrain from going because it looks like I can't stopmyself from BUYING!!

I also seem to have collected a LOT of kitchen appliances - scarier thing is I use them all; rice cooker, electric pans, electric steamer, coffee machine, blender, food processor, indoor grill, you name it - I seem to have it....how do you pack those up too?

On another note I am just starting on the ironing - 3 massive baskets full. During this process, I am also going to toss out any odd socks - I am NOT going to my new house carrying odd socks with me!

To relate this back to stitching, I am not sure HOW I am going to pack my WIPs, or other goodies. I think I will leave most things in my cabinet (dad's handiwork) and my little case-thing on wheels... but i am terrified of not knowing where it all is. I am leaning towards taking it all in my car... except for the cabinet which can be wrapped and carried on the truck.

Blocked at every pass!

2007-01-12T19:58:00.000+11:00

My wonderful friend Janine and I have very similar tastes....so much so, that every time I find something on e-Bay that I think I might bid upon, Janine has already bid on it! Bugger! I guess she just needs the stash more than I do...hee hee hee...I don't believe that for a single minute!

But happier news...today was my last day at work for a whole month! Saturdayweek, SOH, LHM and I move into our very own house :) I am so excited - a place for everything and (sooner or later) everything in its place! I am looking forward to some of my stitching friends visiting on the 27th! I haven't seen some for a very long time and I am looking forward to catching up :)

A very funny thing happened today while I was cleaning up my desk...I found a parcel, closed and addressed ready to send....I "think" that it may have been a present for Kaz at some time but I can't recall what is in it. I am so slack. I will open it up, placer her Christmas Pressie in it (that I've also not sent yet) and post it tomorrow!

Might stitch tonight.....An Open Heart MAY get a few more lengths of thread :) It's much cooler tonight and more stitching-friendly temperature wise :)

Yesterday I stitched...

2007-01-07T16:35:00.000+11:00

...for two whole hours on "An Open Heart".

No pictures yet but once I move house I will update all my piccies of works in progress.

Promise.

Now about moving house....I've stipulated that all my framed needlework (especially Desiderata) is coming in the car with me.....am I being a bit precious? I mean if I pack it nicely will it survive in the truck?

News

2007-01-05T19:54:00.000+11:00

I've not accomplished much at all lately stitching wise - but I did get just a little sidelined by beading....

I have in the past 6 months inherited an adorable DsD and at 7 years of age I figured she was ripe for the crafting world so I started her off on a bit of a beading eand then happily joined her!

Here are some of the things I've made lately!

A necklace, bracelet and Swarovski chrystal bookmark

Scissor fobs and keyrings (for those of my friends that don't use scissors)

A bracelet made from amethyst beads and a synthetic moonstone (for me)

A necklace with floating amber acrylic and glass beads.

So I have been busy but with Christmas, New Year, buying a house, packing, cleaning, oh and cooking the Christmas Ham.....I've not had a lot of time for my craft pursuits. Things should settle down after we move...I hope.

Just to make your mouth water - here is a picture of the Christmas Ham. When I get around to it I will post the Christmas Ham Story.

In all it's glory and it tasted every bit as good as it looks :)

D'oh (in my best Homer voice)

2006-07-08T10:57:00.000+10:00

I did something really stupid. I bought a book on Ebay. Of course this in itself is not a bad thing, I buy things on eBay all the time - the stupid thing is, I bought a book I already own!

Again!

Yes, you guessed it - this is not the first time I've done it either!

This particular book was published by the Embroiderers' Guild (Jane Greenoff, Brenda Keyes and Jo Verso) and is a lovely book that covers a range of areas on sampler history and symbolism as well as some hints on designing and stitching your own samplers.

The book also has sections on crazy patchwork, wessex embroidery, and map samplers.

So, one of my lucky friends will get a parcel in the mail this week or next...I already know where it is going.... :)

Opps - missed an important date...

2006-07-03T19:01:00.000+10:00

I didn't realise that 23 June was my blog anniversary!

Time flies when you're having fun....

Happy blog day to me!
Happy blog day to me!
Happy blog day to me-ee!
Happy blog day to me!

M Designs in glorious red!

2006-06-26T18:39:00.000+10:00

This is the M Designs piece I mentioned earlier. I have completed one heart and started another in the diaonally opposite corner. (sorry for the skewed piccie). I'm using Needle Necessities 510 on white linen. The other two corners will have initials but I'm not sure whose yet :)

One down...one more to go.

2006-06-26T18:21:00.000+10:00

I sat one of my two exams today...I think I did ok, but you never can tell, can you? One thing I have found with post graduate study is...it's bloody hard work and takes up a lot of valuable time I could be doing the things I love more, like stitching and singing! Oh well only another 4 semesters to go although I might stretch it out a little and have a semester off somewhere in the middle...

Liam is with his dad at the moment (in Sydney) so I had a quick trip to Canberra to meet his dad who drove down from Sydney. Consequently it made me very tired for my exam today. I guess sitting up until midnight last night doing last minute study didn't help!

Tomorrow night I am taking mum and dad to see my friend Andy sing with the swing band - absolutely my favourite place to be on a Tuesday night. I have tomorrow off to study for my economics exam on Wednesday afternoon, so the disruption of some great music will be welcome.

Tonight I am resting and I will try and finish my June goal on An Open Heart and perhaps stitch a little on the M Designs piece :)

There has been progress!

2006-06-26T18:17:00.000+10:00

Finally! Here is the latest progress pic of An Open Heart. This is one project for which the colours look so much nicer in 'real life' than on the chart picture....

eek time...need more of it!

2006-06-17T20:01:00.000+10:00

I haven't stitched hardly at all this week, although I must admit I was STRESSED when I got home from work the other day so I did a little to calm down....AOH got some of area 3 stitched so I'm on target for that June goal :)

I have exams in just over a week, Economics (26th), and Management Science (28th) so I probably wont post much, but will try and read al ittle in my forced study breaks. I've been finding study very hard - it's been a long time since I studied anything and its been a real challenge. Hopefully I will do ok! I think next semester I will just do one unit rather than two.

It's also school holidays, my parents arrive tomorrow for a three week visit and I have to go to Canberra next weekend (the weekend BEFORE my exams) to take LHM to see his dad!

There's always something! Why does it all seem to come at once!

For the Movie Lover

2006-06-14T20:47:00.000+10:00

Stumbled across this blog that has movie reviews for just about anything you can think of! Great! They're quite detailed so if you don't want to be put off....probably best not to read them till after you've seen a movie! (Just to see if you agree)!

Move along...nothing to see here...

2006-06-12T09:21:00.000+10:00

It has been a long weekend here in Melbourne and although I had nights out on Friday and Sunday, I've spent all the days studying...so no stitching.

However, I am all studied out right now, so today I am going to relax with some chocolate, chick flicks and some stitching. I'm not sure what I will stitch on - perhaps the M Designs piece that I have started...it's four sections, two Celtic Heart designs in each corner and will be two initials. I had first thought this would be for a friend, but she has gone and changed her colour scheme, so the beautiful Needle Necessities variegated red just wont do for her now...might keep this one myself...I will try and post a picture later.

I might also get the never-ending "Dad's Sampler" out of the WIP roll and do one or two letters to appease my guilt over not finishing it yet (started in 2000 while I was in hospital and my parents were here looking after me and Liam). These over one letters will be the death of me! I really must finish this....it's beautiful but the over one stitching is really hard on my eyes. I will try and post a progress picture of this one too.

An Open Heart will definitely get a look in as it is out and ready to be tackled!

All in all should be a good day...now to choose movies!

How to make a me!

2006-06-10T08:06:00.000+10:00

I saw this on Mel's blog and just HAD to have a go!

Accurate description of me don't you think???

How to make a Tannia

Ingredients:
1 part mercy
5 parts self-sufficiency
5 parts empathy

Method:
Layer ingredientes in a shot glass. Add a little caring if desired!

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

My Exciting Saturday Night!

2006-06-04T12:16:00.000+10:00

Last night my dad was visiting from Tasmania!

"Why don't you go out dear?" he said, "I'll look after Liam."

After getting through to about W on my mobile phone with no takers, I decided to stay home and stitch!

I worked on An Open Heart and am now down to the dividing band under the second row of text and I started the area underneath that....all in all a good night AND I got to have a good gasbagging session with my dad! Love him to bits!

Sometimes those nights are just the best!

June Goals

2006-06-03T09:13:00.000+10:00

During June (and remembering that I have exams on the 28/29th June, I would like to accomplish the following:

Finish something.....anything.....ornament, fob, bookmark.....anything at all!
Stitch down to at least dividing band 6 on An Open Heart.

And for two goals not stitching related:

Complete the two economics assignments I am behind in.
Complete the 1 Management Science assignment that is late!

Faring well in my exams is a goal I really don't need to list here ....is it?

The other side of me.....

2006-06-01T21:01:00.000+10:00

I've started another totally un-craft related blog.....

Some of you may know I fancy myself as a bit of a rock star (in my dreams) but I have done quite a bit of singing around the traps, in bands and musicals over the years and more recently in church.

( I like singing in church because I figure everyone there is so nice they all love you even when you sound like cr@p!!!)

Anyway I thought I would start a blog about my music making adventures and also listing a few gigs and bands and things...you may or may not find it interesting...I do!

Here is the link to "Musically Speaking".

They're here!!

2006-05-31T21:07:00.000+10:00

Woohooo I am so spoilt! Three parcels in three days!

My ebay purchase was a modern reproduction of "The Praise of the Needle" which was written by John Taylor in 1631.

And my parcels from Dragonflydreams and Colours Downunder arrived as well so all in all I'm a happy little stitcher!

I just love Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly! I only get it for the pictures you know.... :)

Australia Post Service...or Not!

2006-05-29T22:24:00.000+10:00

I got cards for two parcels today...nothing unusual about that...was expecting them.

However...one card directed me to the local post office which incidentally is just across the road from my house...but it closes early...it NEVER stays open until the times it says on the door - never!
The other card directs me to the Area Post office about ten minutes away from my house. So I wander across there hoping that the Dragonflydreams parcel is the one I can pick up tonight. I am really looking forward to catching up on SANQ!

No such luck...it's my ebay purchase.

So, now I have to telephone the local PO (across the road from my house) tomorrow, ask them to send my parcel to the area PO so I can pick it up after I finish work. This means it will be another two days before I get it!

Now I am also expecting a parcel from Colours Downunder, so I bet what will happen with that one, I will have the DFD parcel redirected to the area PO and on the same day I will get a card saying my CDU parcel is at the local PO and I will have to go through it all again!

Waaaah I am being stalled in all directions!

An Open Heart 29 May 2006

2006-05-29T21:55:00.000+10:00

I did some more on An Open Heart tonight...it's been cathartic - this is a lovely piece to start stitching again after so long.

I might start something new tomorrow, SAPAW says I can. I am not sure what - perhaps one of the Long Dog's waiting for me at the post office.....perhaps something little that I can finish fast....will post my decision tomorrow!

More stash.....

2006-05-28T07:27:00.000+10:00

I am so bad...last night I made an order for three samplers - it was very late, I am sleep deprived - I didn't know what I was doing. I've been a bit naughty with stash this week, first a nice order on it's way from Dragonflydreams, and some stash from Alison of course, and now some lovely charts from Colours Down Under.

I ordered:

I've wanted the first two for a very long time....and the third, well I had to make the postage worthwhile didn't I?

Now I am VERY impatient for the postman!

Very Victorian - Shamrock Sampler

2006-05-26T14:11:00.000+10:00

This is a really old finish. I did this for a girlfriend's birthday a couple of years ago but have never posted a picture of it on my blog, so here you go. It's "Very Victorian - Shamrock Sampler" by Eileen Bennet and it uses some over one, some pulled thread stitches and ribbon weaving too :) I really enjoyed stitching this one from memory - it was an 'easy' but interesting project.

Stashy Mail

2006-05-26T13:50:00.000+10:00

How exciting - my first stash mail in what seems like forever.

I got from Alison C. Drawn Threads "Generosity" chart (which is really cute) and Victoria Sampler's Pansy Sampler and Accessory Pack...lovely! I had only seen the VS one on the web and the chart photo is lovely...I ove the box top, my bedroom is lavender and green and white so that might make a nice pillow for my bed :)

I must admit though I have been off work with the flu for two days and I've been rather impatiently waiting for a parcel from Dragonflydreams with 3 issues of Sampler and Antique needlework Quarterly....I was so hoping it would be here before the weekend! Just to make it all worthwhile posting, I also ordered two long dog charts too!

Anyway much to my disgust of Australia Post - it hasn't arrived and it's making me stash-cranky!

TW Intermediate Ornament

2006-05-26T13:40:00.000+10:00

Finally I can post a picture of the ornament that I stitched for Mel as it arrived for her today. I'm glad you like it Mel. I used Needle Necessities overdye floss in I can't recall which colour (the tag came off) and I think but am not entirely certain that the fabbie is white (or antique white) linen....I may be wrong about that! The ornament is lined in burgundy felt that shows through the cutwork areas. It's not a really good picture. I've been seeing a lot of those nifty eight-sided pincushions (biscornu?) on blogs all over the place and I think I might try and give one of those a go :)

I'm not the only one...

2006-05-26T10:14:00.000+10:00

It would seem that even space heros have laundry dramas...stumbled across this on Jean-Luc Picard's blog on blogspot.com....I've never been a Star Trek fan - but the blog is funny.

Progress on "1663"

2006-05-25T11:10:00.000+10:00

Here is the progress on my Permin 1663 Sampler.

The bands at the side are half of what is on the chart and the amount shown in the picture is around 25-30 cms so you can see just how big the sampler is....it's around 80cms wide I think....BIG!

I've done quite a bit more across the top than what shows in this picture - it's a very large sampler. I am using a combination of Madeira Silk and Needlepoint Inc silks for this one... sorry about the photo, the colours are just gorgeous, really much more vibrant than what shows here. I do enjoy stitching this. I had forgotten how much.

An Open Heart - 21 May 2006

2006-05-25T08:30:00.000+10:00

Here is An Open Heart taken on Sunday. I stitched on it on Monday evening too so have done a little more - will post another picture soon.

Bad luck in threes? I have proof!

2006-05-25T07:41:00.000+10:00

This week has been a nightmare as far as appliances go!

My washing machine, my dryer AND my vacuum cleaner all needed 'repairs'. Well I manged to get my dryer and vacuum fixed ($160 later) but my poor washing machine has died (R.I.P Hoov...) So out I went yesterday and bought a new one. I got a nice Fisher and Paykel 7.5 kilo beauty ($900) ! My old one was only 5 kg so this one should be better...and I am hoping it wont sound like a 747 taking off in my laundry when it spins also!

It's a factory second which means it had a little dent in the side (so what??) and the retailer can't sell it as 'new' any more because of the little dent and the fact it doesn't have a box....again I say....so what? You don't do the laundry in the box....do you?

So today, while LIam and I are both off wiht the flu, I am going to do laundry as my new machine should be here very soon! I do feel a bit sick though.....really....sick of the sight of dirty clothes!

Besides, I can't go to work....I've got nothing clean to wear! (The bonus being I can stay home and wait fo rmy DFD parcel to arrive!)

Day 1 of the 'next ten days' down....9 to go.

2006-05-22T20:46:00.000+10:00

I did a good two hours on DT's An Open Heart this evening...I am now down to the the area below the dividing bands after the first line of the verse....not very far I know but further than I was yesterday...

I also have some new things coming in the mail, the past three issues of SANQ and 2 Long Dog's Rosemarkie and St George from Dragonflydreams (the best INS on the web) - I think I will do those at work in my lunch breaks...the one colour stitching will help alleviate stress I think. I also am waiting on a book from ebay, a Victoria Sampler chart and accessory pack and DT's Generosity Sampler chart from Alison C . I have assisted her in de-stashing by taking these unwanted items off her hands. How helpful of me. : )

After stitching a while, it is funny how much more relaxed and open to my economics textbook I was....still doesn't make any sense but at least I am doing it!

Goal for the rest of May

2006-05-21T20:51:00.000+10:00

Now I've been in a bit of a stitching slump, so slowly, slowly I need to get myself back into the swing of things... For the remaining 10 or so days in May, I have decided that my goal will be to stitch for at least an hour each evening....on any project....EVEN a new start if that is what I so desire.

In a week or so I will post goals for June (which will probably encompass some of those old ones I didn't achive last year!)

Wish me luck!

Eek I had no idea

2006-05-20T17:24:00.000+10:00

I really had no idea it had been so long since I had posted.

Oops....perhaps it is because I haven't done any stitching in ages...my stitching mojo has been gone...gone...gone.!!!

Anyhow my last post had been that I started Drawn Thread's An Open Heart, well I am sorry to say I hadn't actually done that much more on it since then... but today I picked it up for a few hours and I will post a picture next week.

I have found in the past if I post regularly I seem to get more done, so on that note I will endeavour to post my progress on all things (stitching, study, work etc) to see if I can make some good progress in those areas. I will also post some goals and maybe that will assist in me achieving them.

43 things might get a look in too!

Happy 2006 and a half.......to get myself going i stitched TW's Intermediate Whitework Ornament as an ornament for an exchange - will post a picture of that too - when the recipient gets it.

2005-09-19T09:36:00.000+10:00

Here it is! Day one progress on Drawn Thread's An Open Heart. I am using Legacy Linen in Cafe Au Lait and it is gorgeous to stitch on, a beautiful hand feel. I am also using the recommedned Needlepoint Inc silks so this is a real luxury project.

It took much consternation and many visits to the fabric calculator at Dragonflydreams before I cut my fabric for it. I counted, re counted and then counted again to ensure I started in the right place, and I managed motifs 1-7 last night. I've had this chart for a long time and I never really looked at it to see just how much WORK it is :) The colours also look much nicer in real life than in the chart photo.

This was really nice stitching time for me. I have a couple of days off work so will focus on this for these two days as then it will probably be only Sundays that I get to work on this one.

I have heard from Carol this morning and had a look at her progress and we look like we're making a similar rate :) Kaz is busy this week with guests...I'm sure we will hear from her soon ;)

I'm off to walk my pooch who is feeling a little neglected lately - the weather has been atrocious so she hasn't been getting her two walks a day....

A new start..yes...another one!

2005-09-16T18:06:00.000+10:00

This Sunday/Monday I am starting a SAL (Stitch-A-Long) with a couple of friends.....one of whom I haven't met yet :) The piece we're stitching is Drawn Threads' "An Open Heart". It's a piece I have wanted to stitch for a long time. I am stitching it on some evenweave in Light Mocha ( I think..... will have to check) and I am using the recommended silk threads...I will post progress photos :)

Getting out of debt...slowly but surely

2005-09-11T21:05:00.000+10:00

I’m working on it – a little bit each fortnight but slowly I am forging ahead….every little bit helps!

I find by paying a little each fortnight on utilities, it is making the bills less daunting! This is a good thing….The credit card is coming down and by down I mean it’s not up to it’s limit each fortnight now…..it’s up there – just not WAY up there :)

Feeling much better about this!

See more progress on: get out of debt

2005-09-11T20:48:00.000+10:00

Here is a finish for August :) It is a second M Designs Celtic Heart - a gift for a friend :) Off to the framers next week for this one :)
I really enjoy stitching this design and I have a couple of the letters I want to do for other friends as gifts too. Six finishes in 8 months....That's not too bad for me! Just wish I could get motivated to finish that fairy....!

So far so good...

2005-06-13T09:29:00.000+10:00

This year I have made it a year for ‘finishing things’. Not just needlework, but I figured that needlework would be a good start.

To this end I have managed to finish one major project each month so far this year. Halfway through June it isn’t looking good, but I hope the *insert swear word of choice here* fairy will be June’s major finish. There will of course be a party to celebrate that one!!!

Thanks to jfox for suggesting I post some pictures to help spur me on! Will do that today!

See more progress on: Finish one major needlework project every month of 2005.

Long weekend

2005-06-13T09:19:00.000+10:00

I can surely say that I have not worried this weekend.

It was actually a little longer than a weekend as I also had Friday off (sick child). But as we get closer to Tuesday, I feell the pangs of anxiety setting in.

Today, to try and overcome this I am taking Puku (pooch from “walking the dog every day” item) on an extra-long walk in the sunshine.

I am going to stitch on the fairy, and start the working week with an ordered household.

All these things should help.

See more progress on: Worry less.

She loves me......still.

2005-06-12T16:42:00.000+10:00

Two days in a row and she loves me – I swear you can see the smile appear on her face when I reach for my runners.

Such a gorgeous winter’s day here in Melbourne as well…..a pleasure to be outdoors enjoying it!

See more progress on: Walk my dog at least 5 kilometres every day!!!

Art? Or Not

2005-06-12T10:31:00.000+10:00

http://www.briangrossfineart.com/exhibitions/ssollins05.html

There has been quite some discussion on a few needlework groups I belong to about this particular exhibition.

"New York artist Stephen Sollins opens a show of new work, Domestic Scenes, at Brian Gross Fine Art.. ...In this exhibition, Sollins examines the disparity between "high" and "low " art by systematically abstracting sentimental cross-stitched, vintage embroideries. "

You will have to bear with me as I am not that eloquent when it comes to topics such as this - but I will do my best to explain what I mean and my reaction.

My opinion has always been, "Art is 'art' as long as the person who made it says it is", I don't always understand it or like it on a personal level, but I do appreciate the thought processes and the personal philosophy behind it. The artist is really the only person who 'knows what it's all about', they are the only one who can give it total meaning. The rest of us have to guess unless of course we have an intimate knowledge of the artist, or are privy to their private thoughts.

Some think that the additions to these historical pieces of embroidery amounts to desecration of women's history; and the comment "Sollins eulogizes the anonymous craftsperson while elevating commonplace linens to fine art." has riled some so much as to send email to the artist. I say this means that his exhibition is a success....he has garnered a reaction to his 'art' and isn't that what art is about - an artist making a statement and people's reactions to it? Our reactions become part of the artist's work and justifies the existence of the work.

I am NOT an art student, I am not an art critic other than to say what I do and don't like.

I like Boticelli, Manet, Picasso, but not particularly da Vinci; I like Mozart and Vivaldi but not particularly Beethoven. So I don't particularly like Stephen Sollins' latest work, but I looked at it and can appreciate it for what it is. HIS statement, HIS idea, HIS work.

Did any of that make sense?:

I can't help it - I'm a worry wort!

2005-06-11T23:00:00.000+10:00

I’m worried…..and when I have nothing to worry about – I worry about the things that I SHOULD be worrying about!

At the moment it’s work…things are just not going my way, so my assistant and I made up some little laminated signs which I have hung in my office and over her desk that say IOW (which between you and I means “It’s Only Work”. I figure if I keep telling myself that it’s only work, I can get through each day without worrying about being asked to do things that aren’t my job, and if my boss wants to pay me exorbiatant amounts of money to do things that she should be doing herself – well that’s her problem.

It’s only work!

See more progress on: Worry less.

Day 1 - completed!

2005-06-11T22:57:00.000+10:00

And boy was she happy….

Yesterday I was at home with a sick child so Puku (said pooch) was very unhappy with me because she got neglected.

Today she loves me all over again as we did about 6 kilometres – she even got a nice drink of water at the cafe, (and I got a latte).

All in all a good walk!

See more progress on: Walk my dog at least 5 kilometres every day!!!

Debt Relief

2005-06-11T22:55:00.000+10:00

Perhaps this goal should really be “to use my mobile phone less”!!!

I dont have that much debt really – just enough to make me feel uncomfortable…..One credit card and a rather large phone bill, and just the usual every day stuff.

I started paying a small amount off all the regular bills each fortnight and that helps me to be able to concentrate on the biggies. I want to achieve a more stable financial position by December. By more stable I mean that I have a little bit of cash stashed away for emergencies, and I have no outstandings of more than say 30 days!

See more progress on: get out of debt

A Concerted Effort

2005-06-11T22:52:00.000+10:00

I must admit that I have been doing ‘ok’ with this weight loss things since last November (20kg), but lately it’s just been ‘ok’. I have decided that I have had enough rest and I am getting back into the swing of it with avengence! (See the walking the dog goal) which should help, and I also want to go to the gym three times a week – so perhaps I should add that to my list of things to do as well!

See more progress on: Lose 10 more kilos before December 6!

I knew it!

2005-06-11T22:49:00.000+10:00

I didn’t even look at the fairy today. She is lying over the back of my couch just waiting for me to notice her but I averted my eyes each time I walked past!

She didn’t get any attention today!

See more progress on: Finish the fairy!!!

Long weekend

2005-06-10T15:57:00.000+10:00

Another long weekend is upon us and if I have some definite ideas about stitching.....ok they're not definite with a capital "d" but part of me wants to spend the entire three days stitching on the famous fairy and actually FINISH it! It's possible, but in honest reality I know that wont occur! It could be my June finish and I suspect it will be but exactly when in June I can't say! I can honestly say I HOPE it will be this weekend, but the honest part of me knows it wont!

"1663" is coming along well - I am really enjoying it.

"My Country" is moving too and after the weekend I will post some progress pictures.

I've not stitched in the past two weeks at all. I know that it's because I have been so stressed with work issues, and I also know that at times like this that I probably need to stitch more - but I just haven't had the energy or inclination.....hopefully this three days will get me back into the swing of things.

Warm Christmas Wishes

2005-05-28T15:51:00.000+10:00

Warm Christmas Wishes

6 Hem Sampler

2005-05-28T15:49:00.000+10:00

I thought I would add a couple of pictures of things I have had framed recently. Warm Christmas Wishes is an Emie Bishop (Cross 'N Patch) design that I finished a long time ago but hadn't gotten framed. The 6 Hem Sampler is designed by Catherine Strickler of Indigo Rose Designs and was finished quite recently.

Want to see My Son Framed....?

2005-05-20T19:24:00.000+10:00

Here it is finally.....I picked this up from the framer a week or so ago but hadn't posted a picture, so enjoy. LHM is very happy to have 'his needlework' at home and hanging on the wall. As an aside, it is the LHM's last single-digit birthday tomorrow *sigh*. He is becoming so grown up. I really miss my 'baby' but I am enjoying seeing him grow into a great little man!

Stitching Goals for May

2005-05-03T19:13:00.000+10:00

This is what I hoped to do in April....
:
1. Finish Indigo Rose's "My Son" (WOOHOOO DONE! Pick it up from the framer Saturday!!!)
2. Complete at least 20 hours on "My Country" (A bit more than 20 - it's really progressing well now!)
3. Finish MvS "night" (about 10 hours to go!) (Ummm errrr no didn't even touch this one but THIS MONTH!)
4. Reward myself with a start on the Permin Sampler! (Was strong - held back! but I did do the other two little projects :)

SO for May *drum roll please*

1. I WILL finish MvS "Night" no matter what.
2. I WILL complete at least the third line of text of the My Country Sampler.
3. I WILL have a new major start.....not sure which piece now!

Wish me luck!

Embroidery......a great decorative art

2005-05-03T18:48:00.000+10:00

I am reading "Samplers" (Cambridge University Press, 1997) by Carol Humphrey which is a handbook describing the Fitzwilliam Museum's collection of samplers. I read through the 'Preface', which describes how the collection was bequeathed, etc (an interesting story of two very different collectors. But it wasn't till I started reading the 'Introduction' chapter that I got this funny little furrow in my brow?.

Let me quote from the very first paragraph.

"At the end of the twentieth century the story of the sampler is far from over. Surprisingly, at a time when virtually all textiles are mass-produced and women are increasingly employed outside the home, there has been a revival in embroidery. Of course embroidery can never again be one of the great decorative arts that flourished prior to the Industrial Revolution."

I would be very interested in others' opinions here....why would embroidery have ceased to be one of the great decorative arts, and just when did that occur. Embroidery is by default decorative in all its forms......now, it's not one of the "great" decorative arts? I find this statement disturbing to say the least. I still consider it the greatest of the decorative arts, perhaps someone forgot to tell me of its decline.....Yes, I know its popularity has declined, but I just can't agree with that statement. Perhaps the practice of 'hand' embroidery has dwindled, but even modern machine embroidery is still decorative is it not?

The book however, is a great reference and is full of gorgeous pictures and very detailed histories and descriptions...a must for any sampler lover.

What 'gender' is MY brain.....?

2005-05-03T12:21:00.000+10:00

I saw this on someone else's blog and though it was a bit of fun. I think it describes me pretty well!

Your Brain is 53.33% Female, 46.67% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female
You are both sensitive and savvy
Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed
But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

Take the quiz yourself....

Celtic Heart - M Designs

2005-05-02T21:21:00.000+10:00

My Latest finish is a design by M Designs called Celtic Heart (Just Crossstitch Magazine - August 2004). This was stitched on an unidentified piece of blue-ish grey 32 count linen I found in my fabric drawer and Caron Waterlillies Antique Rose. I might do a few of these as gifts for friends - four days from start to finish. I call these projects 'holiday stitching' - they are the things I stitch when I want to take a holiday from a difficult or larger piece!

Forgive me it's not pressed yet :) I was keen to have a picture posted so I just threw it in the scanner :)

Framed Egyptian Treasures...

2005-04-30T20:55:00.000+10:00

Egyptian Treasures - Finished and Framed.

I just noticed that I hadn't actually posted a picture of the finished needlepoint from last year! Silly me! So with that in mind - here it is in all its splendour! Amazing what you can find when you clean out your hard drive :) Piccies of lots of things....some you wish you hadn't found (like the 15+ year old WIP) ....but we wont go into that here!

Today I finished the border on M Designs Celtic Heart (the one from Just Cross Stitch Magazine) which I started on Friday night - should knock that over by the end of the weekend I suspect!

Dad's sampler is looking wonderful - perhaps I will post a picture of my progress on that one tomorrow - after football!

It looks like rain tomorrow.....just my luck - off all week with the flu then have to stand about in the rain watching my little AFL Star playing football! Wouldn't miss it for the world!

An unexpected day on my own.

2005-04-30T13:31:00.000+10:00

Every now and then a knight in shining armour comes to my rescue.....Hmmm a bit dramatic perhaps, but Liam has a friend from school named Josh whose parents quite often call me out of the blue and say "we going on a picnic/fishing/camping/football trip - would Liam like to come too?" Of course Liam always wants to go - so I get some very much appreciated time to myself.

This is what happened this morning! Liam has quite happily gone off to some lake in Ballarat for a picnic/bbq and I have the whole day to myself.

Housework is now done (even the dusting), pooch has had a nice long walk and I am settling in to stitch till Liam comes home.

Yes sometimes I am the luckiest person in the world!

Good news and bad news....

2005-04-29T12:00:00.000+10:00

Bad news...I still have the flu.

Good news...I have made the most of my sickbed and have only one more band to do on Dad's Sampler (i.e the bands in between rows of lettering).

Bad news...I still have 6 rows of over one lettering to go!

Good news...It's still looking good for a June finish,,,,

Stay tuned!

Hello Mother nature - it's APRIL!!!!

2005-04-28T07:30:00.000+10:00

Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature it's APRIL - almost MAY!!!

It's football season and I went out and bought a new hat and gloves to wear while I am standing around in the cold watching my AFL Star play at 08:30 every Sunday morning. It's football season - it's meant to be FREEZING at 08:30 on Sunday, cold, and foggy and wet!!! Last Sunday I wore a T-shirt and sunglasses!!!!

It's meant to be cold and damp and dark - then at least I could understand why I have the flu. It is meant to be 30 degrees (Celsius) today and I am cold and shivering and I just want to stay in bed. I didn't go to work yesterday - just couldn't drag myself out of the house and today I am not much better. Nothing you can do for flu though - drink lots, rest and hope you come right quickly. I had my flu shot this year as well, perhaps next year I wont bother! Although I can just about guarantee that if I DON'T have the shot - I will get the biggest dose of flu ever and wonder why I didn't have it! You just can't win!

Current state of MY stitching nation!

2005-04-26T20:03:00.000+10:00

I thought I should update the current state of my WIP pile!

A couple of things are missing from my post (a whole year ago almost) so that is good - but there are a couple of really tough hangers on that I really want to get rid of!

Firstly - My Country - the sampler I am doing for my dad, Fair dinkum this has got to be the WORST chart I have ever worked from - hand drawn, terrible instructions for the specialty stitches, the model isn't what's shown in the chart, etc.....very poorly drawn, I really want to get this done and off my plate by the end of August......wish me luck! I have managed 20 hours in April and at least 20 hours each month till August should see it done! The over one lettering is KILLING ME!

Secondly, the MvS "Night" that I have been so slack and not worked on in months! It's for my local LNS and I really have to get it done - so close to finished it's not funny. I am hoping to get that done for my May finish and in a perfect world I would get dad's finished in June - not bloody likely! but this is MY dream!

Other things in my WIP pile are:

2 x Cominos House (STILL)
1 x Lavender and Lace - Angel of the Sea (no progress for months)
1 x Mirabilia - Shimmering Mermaid (can't even really call this a serious start)
1 x TW - Celestial Dragon (no progress for months either)
1 x Butternut Road - Celtic Banner (about 50% done)
1 x Emie Bishop - Peace Sampler (just the alphabet to go)
1 x TW - Castle Sampler (about 60%, but no stitches in the last 6 months)
1 x piece of Assisi from a magazine

So that's 11.

I also had a sampler that I just KNEW I wouldn't finish so I passed that on to someone I knew would stitch it! (thanks Julie) And there was an over one on 28 count piece from a Jill Oxton Magazine which I just can't bring myself to stitch any more - it's after a painting of a girl with a water dish - Circe I think it's called and for some reason the girl's legs just look too long and it bugs me - I was going to take a piece out of the chart to make her legs more proportionate but I haven't so I decided to retire that one too. Sometimes you just have to do that!

Okies, I think that's it......but I might be wrong. I have fought the urge to start anything new (hee hee the one I started AND finished at the weekend doesn't count as there is no lingering evidence) although I have several really gorgeous reproduction samplers I really want to start! The Permin 1663 Sampler, the FR Spanish Sampler and the 1808 Spanish Sampler. Also high on the list are the Indigo Rose charts I listed yesterday and a few other samplers as well.

I also have a HUGE list of Sew To Be Seen designs I want to stitch as well :) One for my parents' 40th Wedding anniversary (which I wont list here as mum might accidentally read it!), and one for my grandma's 90th birthday next February.......with all that said....I better get cracking!

I am on a bit of a sampler bender at the moment :)

An AFL star in the making!

2005-04-26T19:41:00.000+10:00

Games - 1
Goals - 1
Behinds - 1

This is Liam (LHM). On Sunday he played his first game of Aussie Rules Football for the Yarraville Eagles Under 10s.

Now Australian Rules football is a weird game for the most part - but Under 9s and 10s even more so....If the two teams don't have the same amount of players, i.e one of the teams is very short, then some of the players have to play for the opposition to 'even it up'. So in his first ever game for the Yarraville U/10s (up an age group from his normal team) Liam had to spend half the game playing for the opposition - the Laverton Magpies no less!

Anyway - the superstar that he is, scored a goal for his own team in the first half and a point for the opposition in the second :) All in all - a successful game :)

His mother (that's me!) is very proud!

See......yes, I do finish things!

2005-04-25T21:55:00.000+10:00

I started this (and finished it) this weekend. I used some 32 count linen in cream, Caron Waterlillies Java for the border and Burnt Toast for the letters - I changed the DMC as well - but don't ask me to what! (I just noticed - java and burnt toast - sounds like my usual breakfast!!!) I also used Treasure Horde beads for this one and I must say I am very impressed. I used one strand of DMC and a petite needle and not one bead got stuck on my needle! Very impressed I must say! I've had Mill Hill beads get jammed on a beading needle!!!

As you may have guessed from previous posts - I am a big Indigo Rose fan! So far I have completed Desiderata, My Son, Betsy and now the 6 Hem Sampler. I have a big list of want to dos as well! Among them...

- A Fair Little Girl
- The Four Seasons
- Folding Cross Needlebook
- Millenium
- Skyler Wayne
- Nathaniel

and the list goes on.........

Lest We Forget

2005-04-25T18:42:00.000+10:00

On this day, April 25th......

1915: Australian, New Zealand and British troops landed at Gallipoli and the ANZAC Legend was born
1916: First widely observed commemoration of ANZAC Day in Australia, Egypt and London

The Ode.. from the Laurence Binyon poem "For the Fallen"

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
we will remember them."

And finally.....a beautiful poem written by one of Australia's most revered poets which tells of how Australians from all over the country came together to fight side by side under one banner.....

"We're All Australians Now" A.B. (Banjo) Paterson

Australia takes her pen in hand,
To write a line to you,
To let you fellows understand,
How proud we are of you.

From shearing shed and cattle run,
From Broome to Hobsons Bay,
Each native-born Australian son,
stands straighter up today.

The man who used to "hump his drum",
On far-out Queensland runs,
Is fighting side by side with some
Tasmanian farmer's sons.

The fisher-boys dropped sail and oar
To grimly stand the test,
Along that storm-swept Turkish shore,
With miners from the west.
The old state jealousies of yore
Are dead as Pharaoh's sow,
We're not State children any more
We're all Australians now!

Our six-starred flag that used to fly,
Half-shyly to the breeze,
Unknown where older nations ply
Their trade on foreign seas,

Flies out to meet the morning blue
With Vict'ry at the prow;
For that's the flag the Sydney flew,
The wide seas know it now!

The mettle that a race can show
Is proved with shot and steel,
And now we know what nations know
And feel what nations feel.

The honoured graves beneath the crest
Of Gaba Tepe hill,
May hold our bravest and our best,
But we have brave men still.

With all our petty quarrels done,
Dissensions overthrown,
We have, through what you boys have done,
A history of our own.

Our old world diff'rences are dead,
Like weeds beneath the plough,
For English, Scotch, and Irish-bred,
They're all Australians now!

So now we'll toast the Third Brigade,
That led Australia's van,
For never shall their glory fade
In minds Australian.

Fight on, fight on, unflinchingly,
Till right and justice reign.
Fight on, fight on, till Victory
Shall send you home again.

And with Australia's flag shall fly
A spray of wattle bough,
To symbolise our unity,
We're all Australians now.

Stash Empire Building!

2005-04-25T14:51:00.000+10:00

Boy have I acquiring on a large scale lately......a summary of the latest additions to my stash are...

Indigo Rose
- Fair Little Girl
- Skyler Wayne
- Nathaniel
- Six Hem Sampler (already completed)

Scarlet Letter
- Pattern Record

Hesters Needle
- My Path

Samplers and Such
- FR Spanish Sampler

Homespun Sampler
- Bless This Child and Keep Him

Needle Adventures
- Bargello Fantasy - a gorgeous needlepoint /bargello chart!

I also received a heap of books I ordered from e-Bay, mostly sampler books and some OOP stuff :) and the magazine fairy sent me a Dutch magazine with the 1808 Spanish Sampler that I have been looking for.

I am treating myself to a large start...Permin's 1663 Dutch Sampler reproduction.....it's gorgeous and I am doing it over 2 on 30 count fabbie so it will be quite large. I can't wait to start!

So many samplers.......so little time...........

Indigo Rose - My Son

2005-04-25T13:12:00.000+10:00

I did this for my son Liam (the LHM) - he is quite stoked to see it completed and can't wait for it to come back from the framers. It's another Indigo Rose design - My Son. Catherine Strickler is a very talented designer and while some of her designs are quite small - they are interesting to stitch with all the specialty stitches and a little bit of hardanger!

This one is stitched on 28 count Lt Mocha linen and with the Caron silks and Anchor stranded cottons.

Maiden's Walk - Sew to Be Seen Designs TA DA! Finally done!

2005-04-25T13:06:00.000+10:00

I finished this in January - FINALLY - Kaz must be so pleased to finally have it - although I did warn her that I was a slow stitcher!

This is a model for Dragonflydreams and the fantastic news is they are about to open a REAL shop (as opposed to the online store)! I am so excited - makes me want to hop in my car and drive the ten hours to Sydney to go there :). I can't wait to see it! Kaz and Bren are fabulous - singularly the best ONS (and soon to be LNS) ever!

More framing

2005-04-25T13:00:00.000+10:00

and this one :)

A nice little framing HD

2005-04-25T12:58:00.000+10:00

I bought these tiny little pieces of Abbey Lace on e-Bay and had them framed - they were brooches - but I would never wear them as such. They look lovely hanging by my front door!

Mum's Birthday Sampler

2005-04-25T12:56:00.000+10:00

A Gail Bussi design from Just Cross Stitch Magazine.....I completed this for my mother's birthday in 2003, but she lives in Tasmania so I didn't frame it for her before I sent it. Mum has just been visiting with me (taking care of my son for the school holidays) so I asked her to bring it so I could have it framed for her....Am happy now - she can hang it up when she goes home!

Indigo Rose - Betsy

2005-04-25T12:53:00.000+10:00

Indigo Rose - Betsy. I finished this one in 2002 but only recently had it framed...it is tiny - just 40 or so stitches wide and I did change the colours to five colours in one colour family! It really is very effective.

A Baby Sampler Finish!

2005-04-25T12:51:00.000+10:00

I've had quite a few finishes lately :) This is a little Drawn Thread Sampler - Birth Bands (or Baby bands- I can't recall) that I completed in January for my god-daughter Georgia! I am impressed with myself for finishing it before her first birthday! I told her parents that anytime prior to her 21st was an acceptable time frame for a stitcher!

Weather

2004-09-05T09:15:00.000+10:00

I live in Melbourne....the Australian one. Recently though I have been hearing tales of Frances (the hurricane that is about to batter our friends in the 'other' Melbourne - the Florida US one ). Families are boarding up and batting down and evacuating, taking their valuables and most cherished items to safer places. This got me to thinking....

I am fortunate I guess that here in Australia, cyclones (hurricanes), earthquakes, tidal waves and other natural weather-related disasters are few and far between... I have never experienced an earthquake, or a cyclone, the worst I can remember is walking out my back door to find my back yard underwater. I remember Cyclone Tracey which battered Darwin (NT) one Christmas Eve in the seventies and a shocking earthquake in Newcastle (NSW) in the nineties, people might say I am lucky. I have never had to evacuate, or choose what is most important to take with me.

So this past few days I have been considering - what IS so important to me that I would have to pack it up and take it with me if there was a necessity to evacuate my home? After me and my son and clothes, etc, the list is a bit like this and not in any particular order...

Photos
Passports and other personal papers
Banking and Insurance stuff
Some Antique china that was a gift from my mother
A box I keep my son's "treasures" in you know hospital birth stuff, the newspaper from when he was born, special gifts, special schoolwork prizes, etc
Scruffy and Pegasus ( my son's two favourite toys) and probably a game boy or similar to keep him amused.

Then there is the "if there is time" list:

my finished and framed needlework
my important stash items
Liam's other important to him 'stuff'

A bit selfish you might say.....but I wouldn't care if I had to live in a tent as long as I could stitch I would be stress free about it.

Here in Aus we are experiencing another kind of weather disaster. Drought. And although we have had substantial rain lately, it doesn't seem to be falling in the right spots! Wheat farmers at the moment say if there is no rain soon - there will be no crop this year...

Funny how we moan and groan when we have a couple of days of rain... We are never happy.

Until next time.....

lost for words

2004-08-03T21:43:00.000+10:00

Today, I read on one of the communities to which I belong - that the 4 year-old son of one of our members has been missing since Sunday morning.

As I sit here in stunned silence, the tears are streaming from my eyes and I can't for one minute imagine what Stacey and Robert must be feeling, even though I am a parent myself. Several times this evening, I have looked down upon my own son sleeping safely and thanked God that I have never felt what Stacey and Robert must be feeling.

My heart is aching for this family and my prayers and that of my community here in Aus will be for this family until some news is received.

I hope that whatever you believe, whichever God or entity you worship, you can spare some prayers, thoughts, white light for Stacey and Robert and for little David. Stacey and Robert my prayers for courage and strength are with you. I pray David will be returned to you safely soon.

Question of the Week 12 July 04

2004-07-13T19:02:00.000+10:00

How do you choose a project? What “calls” to you the most?

Hmmmmmm...generally, it's something totally different to anything I have on the go at the moment. Like just recently I did the needlepoint because I had never done any before....mind you I am now an addict! For a while, it seemed that everything I started was green or varying shades of so I couldn't wait to start something with colour and LOTS of it! Now, If I am 'bored" I just pick up the project that is yelling the loudest :)

This is probably why I have 13 works in progress!!!!

Cheers

Tannia

Question of the Week

2004-07-10T10:03:00.000+10:00

Which project (finished or in progress) are you most proud of? Explain why.

Good question....well asked!

My greatest achievement in stitching is finishing Indigo Rose's "Desiderata". It's the first sampler I finished, the first piece with specialty stitches of any great number and the first 'real' hardanger I completed! I stitched the date on upside down.....but never fixed it before it got framed, so it reminds me that I'm not perfect! Stitching the verse as well made me really take it to heart. It's hanging in my lounge room and I look at it every day and it makes me feel good to see it.

I am also stitching a sampler for my dad (pic in a previous post somewhere) which is really hard going...I guess when it's done I will have to rethink my 'most proud stitching achievement"

Blessings

Tannia

Wacky Week

2004-07-10T09:21:00.000+10:00

I have had a fairly weird week. Work has been "weird", personal life has been "weird", love life even weirder (but I wont get into that here)! I feel a bit like I am sitting on the outside watching what's going on in my life and I have no control....all kinds of things happening that I don't like but there's not much I can do! Hmmmm.....all I can say is....weird! Ever have a week like that?

Stitching wise, I am working on the Fairy (MvS' Night) it's so close to being done but it seems like every two or three stitches I have to change colours so it's not moving along as fast as I had hoped. I had wanted to finish her this week - but that's not going to happen. Maiden's walk is having her cut threads removed and I am terrified that the last thread I cut will be wrong or something horrible like that - so as all the good books all say I am counting three times, cutting once! Hopefully it will be fine.

I was so tempted last night to start something new...but I was strong...I resisted...went to bed instead (actually come to think of it this morning, it was pretty weak of me really). I know if I had stayed up I would have started....DT's An Open Heart, or Sew to Be Seen's Silent Thoughts, or Antique Fancy, or one of a dozen things I have kitted up already...but I just want to get these two models finished before I start anything new!

I have been bidding on a few things on Ebay...unsuccessfully...bummer although I did win a lovely beaded pincushion for $10 (AU). It arrived this week and is lovely although I thought in the picture it looked more purple, but it is actually quite pink. I also won a collection of needlework/craft books and I am looking forward to them arriving this week. Some good ones amongst them, some I am not interested in but I might be swayed.

The LHM comes home today after spending two weeks with his Dad in Sydney. I have missed him, but he told me last night he didn't want to come home...*sigh*. I am sure he will settle in at home ok.

Apologies for not posting for a while, things have been getting away from me.

A Merry Time Was Had by All!

2004-06-23T16:13:00.000+10:00

Well I had a good time anyway.

The LHM has been in bed all day. (Would you believe he has watched Monsters Inc three times in succession?) So made the most of it and had a bit of a wander around the Blog Community! I have drooled over stitching finishes, perused wish lists, checked out Works in Progress (WIPs) pondered Questions of the Week and generally had a very relaxing and stimulating time. Saw some amazing mail art and might be tempted to 'have a go'!

And to add (so you don't think I have been slacking on my enforced time off) - I also stitched for an hour or two n Maiden's Walk! Counting, counting, counting cutting and weaving! Someone told me to count three times, cut once : ) So far so good! Still not happy with the 2-stranded satin stitch which isn't really satin-y, but.....still not sure what to do! Will keep looking at it and perhaps something will jump out at me!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to my enjoyable day!

Tannia

Days off no longer a bonus!

2004-06-23T10:07:00.000+10:00

The LHM is still ill....what started as a sore throat and headache slowly morphed into gastric upset and this morning it has altered form entirely to become an earache! We were up all night last night with LHM coughing his little 8-year old lungs up poor darling....and I am exhausted. I will have to relent and head off to the doctor today. I generally try not to see the doctor until 48 hours has passed. I just hate it when they suggest pumping a kid full of antibiotics for a head cold - it just doesn't do any good!

So three days after the first cough and laryngitic scratch, I am still at home. I don't 'do' the SAHM thing very well. All I can think of is the pile of work on my desk, the deadlines I will fail to meet before going on LEAVE on Friday. I think this says something about my personality.

Anyhow just when you think you might get some quality stitching time in - LHM in bed, house clean and quiet...nope....foiled at every turn! I just don't know where the time has gone. Perhaps today! Maiden's Walk is calling! (one good thing though - I did finish the laundry!)

Oh and I did try to take some piccies of my framing! Failed dismally - I think my memory card for my camera is wrecked! Or the card reader is or something......it's frustrating the heck out of me! Will get a new one today and see what happens! I can't afford a new camera!

Need coffee.....

Tannia

Stitcher's Five

2004-06-23T05:18:00.000+10:00

Seen enough of these to want to participate :)

Here we go - my first Stitcher's Five

1. What was your first finished stitched piece?

A piece from a magazine "For the Love Of Cross Stitch" when I was around 15. My Mother still has it framed and hanging on her dining room wall.

2. What was the first piece you used beads on?

Warm Christmas Wishes by Emie Bishop and a piece of hardanger I designed myself for a friend. This was only last year....never been one for embellishments but I have several pieces on the go at the moment that will have tons of beading when complete!

3. What was the first piece you used blends on?

Teresa Wentzler's The Castle Sampler - still a WIP and has been for some years!

4. What was the first piece you used specialty stitches on?

Hmmm in any great details I would have to say Indigo Rose's Desiderata (as opposed to the sampler I designed and stitched myself for my mother!)

5. What was the first piece you stitched on evenweave or linen as opposed to aida?

The same piece as in answer number one. I have only ever stitched four pieces on aida and two of them were the same chart!!!

More later....

Tannia

A Bonus Day Off!

2004-06-21T21:51:00.000+10:00

Today my precious Littlest Household Member (LHM) was off school sick with a sore throat and barking like a circus seal - poor darling! So he and I had a bonus long weekend....much to the delight of my staff I suspect! While the LHM stayed in bed till around 11.00 am and spent the next couple of hours watching Star Wars movies, I finished the knitting previously mentioned and actually stitched for a while on Maiden's Walk! Yay Me! I didn't even feel remotely guilty about not being at work.

The Maiden's Walk chart calls for silks, but the shop owner has requested it stitched in the DMC alternative and I have to say the satin stitched motifs are not covering well in 2 threads, but three threads looks yuckier! What to do? I have stitched them in three and frogged, and stitched them in two and the coverage is not good.....I'm not happy but will wait and see what the owner thinks!

Tonight the best season for stitching starts!!! Wimbledon! Yes, this English Tennis Tournament means I will get mountains of stitching done as I try and keep myself awake for hours on end watching little green balls getting thumped around a tennis court by nicely shaped young men in white!!! (oh and of course there are women too!!!) The funniest thing is, that I am not really an tennis nut, I just like Wimbledon for some reason. Perhaps its the effect it has on my stitching output.

I am off to Canberra on Friday - to take the LHM to see his Dad. While I am up that way I intend to nick up to Sydney for the Stitches and Craft Show at darling harbour and meet up with a couple of Sydney girls.....spend some money...and head back down to Canberra on Sunday night. A fleeting trip but should be fun! I have a course to do for work on Monday morning which is excellent, as it means that work will pay for my travel...a bonus to spend at the Show :)

LHM will stay with dad for two weeks, I will drive back on Tuesday and LHM will fly back later. This means I have almost two whole weeks child-free which is an absolute God send! Doesn't mean my social life will be any better, but it does mean that if I wanted to go out - I can! This will not happen though I am renowned for being a homebody!

I am hoping *crossing fingers, toes, eyes and everything* that a friend who is visiting the US will be able to procure for me Genny Morrow's "Nova"! I am soooo in love with this chart! I want it! I will stitch it! I MUST have it! I am having a torrid affair with needlepoint at the moment! I do hope my other stitching doesn't get jealous!

Anyhow.....back to work tomorrow where every second staff member will be bleary-eyed from watching the opening round of the tennis! I believe our boy Lleyton Hewitt is up first!!!

Aussie!!!! Aussie!!!! Aussie!!!!

Tannia

Monday Mayhem and Music

2004-06-16T21:21:00.000+10:00

Hmmmph! So much for stitching all day Monday - didn't even pick up a needle...!

By the time I had picked up the Littlest Household Member (LHM) from his sleepover, visited a friend, had lunch, waited till the huge rainstorm passed and got home, all I had time to do was frog everything I had done the night before on the Maiden's Walk model!

Bugger!

Two more days and I pick up a heap of stuff at the framers. Three pieces of stitching (one is not mine) and three pictures from a fantastic Calendar I got from Israeli Airways. All the pictures were drawn by children and they're really lovely and colourful. I had a picture of Jerusalem framed for my only Jewish friend for her birthday - it's lovely! The other two are for my bedroom - really bright and colourful...I can't wait to hang them. Will post pics of the framing after Saturday! Stay tuned!

One of the needlework pieces is the needlepoint you can see a picture of below and another is a little sampler I did for another friend for her birthday last year and I am getting it framed for her this year *chuckle*. Am I the only person to have done this?

Anyhow this week so far has been a little more forgiving! Re-stitched what I frogged and accomplished a little more...right on target for handing it over to its owner in two weeks...that's the plan.

I got a bargain today on the electronic notice board at work - a 15-speed mountain bike (like new) for the LHM for the miserly sum of $50! Too cool - now we can ride together - or we will be able to once the weather fines up again! Can't wait! I really miss cycling and doing these kinds of things together.

So to the music part of this post.......Got the new Joss Stone CD today! Wow! What an awesome set of lungs on such a young girl! If you're into 'soul' then you have to give this one a hearing. My favourite after the first taste is "Dirty Man". I love it! I really am a sucker for a great song and a fabulous voice!

Two more days to the weekend - thank goodness - this weekend I really AM going to stitch lots....House is beautiful, weather will be freezing, no better climate for stitching I think!

Happy stitching!

Tannia

2004-06-16T19:00:00.000+10:00

Mtrl_Girl thanks for asking about "My Country". Just for you - a picture of the finished design. It's from Australian Cross Stitch and Embroidery, Vol 7 No 2. The chart is hand drawn, the lettering is all stitched over one and there is drawn thread work and I forgot to mention - it uses rayons *Sigh*. Certainly not my favourite piece to stitch but it will be gorgeous! The lettering is a killer!!!!
Thanks for your interest :)

Knitting!!!

2004-06-13T20:14:00.000+10:00

On one of the message boards I frequent, the 'inhabitants' have this week been constantly been going on and on about KNITTING. Now I can knit...very well in fact, but quite frankly...when I have time to knit - I would rather be stitching...BUT...today I picked up some wool I had and started knitting....grrr 'wasted' so much precious stitching time.

Tomorrow I am stitching all day...I mean it....from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed...just stopping for meals....I MUST get this model finished and I had to frog a heap this morning and that made me cranky as a public school principal!

I have to learn to close my ears to all these people who would have me do other crafts...I mean I have successfully come away unscathed from the scrap booking craze...why could I not say no to KNITTING!!!

More later

Egyptian Treasures

2004-06-11T10:33:00.000+10:00

This is the gorgeous Needlepoint I finshed last week...I will be sure to post another piccie of it framed when I get it back! I forgot to take one before i sent it to the framers...d'oh! (edited to add finished and framed piccie) .

The designer is Heather Wakefield and the kit is available from Heirloom Creations in Reid Street, Wagga Wagga. I first spotted it at the Caulfield stitches and craft fair, but by the time I got there to buy one (I was working at the Stitches and Spice stand across the hall) they had run out of kits - just my luck! I just phoned them up the next week - the girls were very helpful and I had the kit in my hot little hands in a matter of days!

It uses Anchor gold knitting thread, gorgeous multi threads from YLI and DMC perle threads. ALso has some 10 mm satin ribbon. It's stitched on mono canvas!

2004-06-11T09:27:00.000+10:00

Yipppeeee! Today I am starting an extra long weekend. It's the "Queen's Birthday long weekend Monday so I decided to take Friday off as well! Hooray for flextime!

After I have finished my domestic drudgery, I am going to sit myself down with a hot chocolate and my "Sew To be Seen" model "Maiden's Walk" (MW). I sooo want to get this done in two weeks so I can take it to Sydney with me for the 'owner'! It's hardanger so I have to take scissors to a perfectly good bit of embroidery and I am not looking forward to this one! It's my first hardanger model and I want it to be perfect!

My stitching plan for the next few weeks is to finish MW and also another model of Maria Van Sharrenberg's "Night" which I would say is at about 85%. I have really enjoyed this one - MvS uses colour really well and the combination of single thread and double thread really makes the design!

After my 'committed' stitching I have one or two (or ten) things that I want to get finished....I have decided that for every three finishes I can start something new....

My list of WIPS is as follows

Sew To Be Seen - Maiden's Walk (75%)

MvS - Night (85%)

Butternut Road - Celtic Banner (40%)

Mirabilia - Shimmering Mermaid (10%)

Lavender & Lace - Angel of the Sea (30%)

Teresa Wentzler - Celestial Dragon (20%)

Magazine Design - A Sun burnt Country (50%)

Graeme Ross - Cominos House (x 2 - don't ask!!!) (40 and 60%)

Emie Bishop - Peace Sampler (50%)

Indigo Rose - My Son (90%)

Teresa Wentzler - Castle Sampler (65%)

On the list of "possible starts" are....

Drawn Thread Toccata 1 AND 2

Drawn Thread An Open Heart

Homespun Sampler Celtic Band Sampler

Sew to be Seen - Antique Fancy

Sew to be Seen - Silent Thoughts

Indigo Rose - Millennium

Leon Conrad - Medieval Majesty

Laura J Perin - Heap of stuff that I want to buy!!!!!

But the list goes on!!!!

Anyhow did I mention that I finished a needlepoint project last week - actually started it last week as well - will post a piccie as soon as I get it back from the framers!

Have a great long weekend!

Tannia

Downunder Discourse

Please don't forget to..

Yippeee!

A Mini-Finish

Stash Enhancement

State of the nation

Wow! Take a look at these!!

I'm turning into a 'stitcher of smalls"!!!

Biscornu - what exactly does it mean...

Ta da!

A biscornu.....almost!

The Cat in the Hat is 50!

A brand new finishing blog and some interesting facts about mine!

A Mini Finish!

My Christmas Miracle....NOT!

Some progress pictures...

Found the mistake!

Progress...There is some....

Change of address...

Somebody stop me!!!

How did this happen?

Blocked at every pass!

Yesterday I stitched...

News

D'oh (in my best Homer voice)

Opps - missed an important date...

M Designs in glorious red!

One down...one more to go.

There has been progress!

*eek* time...need more of it!

For the Movie Lover

Move along...nothing to see here...

How to make a me!

My Exciting Saturday Night!

June Goals

The other side of me.....

They're here!!

Australia Post Service...or Not!

An Open Heart 29 May 2006

More stash.....

Very Victorian - Shamrock Sampler

Stashy Mail

TW Intermediate Ornament

I'm not the only one...

Progress on "1663"

An Open Heart - 21 May 2006

Bad luck in threes? I have proof!

Day 1 of the 'next ten days' down....9 to go.

Goal for the rest of May

Eek I had no idea

A new start..yes...another one!

Getting out of debt...slowly but surely

So far so good...

Long weekend

She loves me......still.

Art? Or Not

I can't help it - I'm a worry wort!

Day 1 - completed!

Debt Relief

A Concerted Effort

I knew it!

Long weekend

Warm Christmas Wishes

6 Hem Sampler

Want to see My Son Framed....?

Stitching Goals for May

Embroidery......a great decorative art

What 'gender' is MY brain.....?

Celtic Heart - M Designs

Framed Egyptian Treasures...

An unexpected day on my own.

Good news and bad news....

Hello Mother nature - it's APRIL!!!!

Current state of MY stitching nation!

An AFL star in the making!

See......yes, I do finish things!

Lest We Forget

Stash Empire Building!

Indigo Rose - My Son

Maiden's Walk - Sew to Be Seen Designs TA DA! Finally done!

eek time...need more of it!