Thursday, January 31, 2008

Aphrodite - Aion Designs


I started this yesterday. I had to stop for a while till the postie arrived with needed threads, but then once he'd been with my parcel it was all systems go. The above photo is where I finished it last night.

And these two photos are where I've stopped today to take an update photo. There are all kinds of speciality stitches on this thing, some of which I've never done before...like Maltese Interlacing on the hardanger heart.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

More Pics

First off, here's a late birthday pressie, from my friend Lynn. Isn't it beautiful? She remembered that I collect paperweights. I didn't have one like this.

And this is the latest update pic of the Mini Mandala by Martina Weber. I didn't get as much done down the left hand side that I thought I would but still done quite a bit. I've put it away for a couple of days so that I don't get bored with it. Just trying to decide what I can start next. I'm hoping my order from Sew & So will arrive tomorrow some time. It's been dispatched today, so fingers crossed.

WIP Photos

Yesterday afternoon I started a Mini Mandala (Chat038) and I'm doing B out of the three that were in the chart pack. The first photo is after I finished doing the metallic thread in the middle, and the second photo was taken about an hour later. I have since done a bit more, the gazebo on the left hand side is in progress, but don't want to spoil you with too many photos. LOL.

  • PMSL = Pee myself laughing

Monday, January 28, 2008

Heard from hotel

I received a letter in the mail today from the Thistle Hotel - where I went for the job interview - and I didn't get it. I wasn't really expecting to get it to be honest. Receptionists are nice and slim and young. I'm none of those...PMSL.
  • Lynn who asked about Colly's chart - I have it available for you if you still want it. I found it while I was sorting out my charts earlier and have pit it to one side for you. Email me with your address - email addy in side bar - if you want it.

Specially for Kate

HERE YOU GO KATE, THIS IS SPECIALLY FOR YOU!

Quaker Autumn Tree, Freebie from The Workbasket


Freebie - stitched in SSS Jelly Beans

I finished both of these yesterday, the quaker one will probably be made into a pinkeep, and the other into a needlecase. But not any time soon cos I can't be arsed to get the sewing machine out to make a needlecase. The pinkeep will be handsewn.

I've been having a good sort out of my charts and have kitted up a few, as well as making a huge order to Sew & So for when Craig gets in with his debit card. I've given him some money to put in his account but need his card to actually pay for the stuff.

I'm going to start something new in a few minutes, a chatelaine from Matina Weber. I'll post a WIP photo when I've done some. I just need to find some material to do it on.


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Birthday Treats

Yesterday was my birthday, and I had a great day with lots of pressies and cards. From Craig and the kids I received a daylight lamp, very handy now that I'm in a different corner away from the window, especially in these dark and dreary days when the sun doesn't want to shine.
These Indigo Rose charts were from Angie on A Crafty Natter board's birthday exchange. She very cleverly looked at my wish list (note to self: delete these from wish list LOL). I can't wait to start them but they could be a while, got a whole heap of other stuff to do first.

Above and below are some of the things I got from the TS ladies birthday club. Every card I opened from the ladies contained a thread, or some charms or a little kit/chart. They're all lovely and I was thrilled to bits.



From my parents I received these three Patricia Cornwell books and some money. I already have some of the Kay Scarpetta series, but I am missing a few and these were on my C'mas list. I'll have to start reading them again but that's not a hardship...after Harry Potter is finished that is.
And from my sis Kathy, I received this gorgeous chart, also from my wish list. Kathy included a couple of treasures, some beads and threads too but they're behind the chart in the bag so you can't see them. They're great, thanks Kathy.

Once I was showered and dressed I tootled off to the Metro Centre to have a wander round the shops for an hour or so. Then I picked XDH Mick up and he took me for my lunch in the pub. He gave me a card and pressie (Jackie CD) and when I came home I took the poster out of the CD case and hung it on the sitting room door. It has Donny Osmond on one side and David Cassidy on the other. Donny is currently smiling at me, and I've told the kids that there will be severe consequences if there is ANY poster defacement. PMSL. Dene and Ian don't even know who these two guys are, but Dene wants to get a pen and black Donny's teeth, or give him some spectacles, a couple of scars, bolts in his neck, swastikas on his shirt collar, black fingernails...you know, the sort of stuff we did when we were younger to posters/pictures in magazines. I've told Dene he'll be evicted if he so much as goes within 5 feet of the poster with a pen.

Last night, Craig brought me home a lovely bouquet of flowers, and once I'd put them into a couple of vases, Craig took me out to TGI Fridays over by the Metro Centre. The food was nice but it wasn't very hot. We were home by 8.30pm, with a vodka and coke, my stitching and skating on the telly. All in all a great day.

January Tinsel Time

On TS we've started having one day a month (25th) where we work on our Christmas stitching, be it ornies or whatever. I had just started a LK design pulled from a magazine called Peace to All. The chart recommended either DMC or Anchor threads. I totally changed every single thread and used a variety of WDW, Ozark and Rainbow Gallery metallic for the snow. This first photo is the 'before' pic.

I worked on it, on and off, all day. My cousin Michelle came round for a couple of hours, and I had a 2 hour nap in the afternoon so that was four hours I lost. By about 11.30pm this is where I was at...

And then I thought...well I'm so close to finishing I might as well get on with it, and I did lose out on four hours worth of stitching this afternoon. Trying to justify myself here. LOL. It only took me another 45 mins or so to finish the whole thing off.

And here we are all done. Quite pleased with myself. Of course, now I have to find something else Christmassy to stitch for Feb 25th. I seem to have just small stuff coming up in my to-do pile at the moment, so watch out for lots of pics over the next week or so.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Follow The Leader Designs


I stitched these today and made them up about an hour ago. The tassels are a bit dodgy but they're not too bad. The big one is a pin cushion and the little one is a scissor fob. Thanks for looking and for all the lovely comments about my other finishes.



  • Lynn asked about the hardanger design, and why she can't find it on Colly's website. That would be because she did it for Jayne's 40th birthday pack in 2006. As far as I know, she's re-doing the design with proper stitch diagrams (which she didn't have a program for two years ago) so it could be available soon.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Dimensions Finish

The Earth Is Our Home.... - Dimensions


I've been working on this since last year. And today, it's finally finished! WOOHOO!!! I even remembered to initial and date it. Impressive eh? It's the second time I've stitched this, the first time was on aida years ago, and I framed it myself - very wonkily. Is 'wonkily' a real word? Tis now.

Monday, January 21, 2008

L*K Blessings Finish
















It's a blessing it's finished let me tell you! I mainly used DMC threads on this, with a couple of Weeks Dye Works and a metallic for the star on the tree and the candle flames. I think there could be a couple of Six Strand Sweets threads too. Stitched on a Sassy's Fabby material, sort of light coffee coloured - can't remember the proper name.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Bits & Pieces

Just a quickie to answer some questions in the comments section...

  • Kate hasn't had any dodgy calls since last week. She has a new sim card for her phone and once she's used up her free weekend thing she's going to change it, so that'll be Monday.
  • That hardanger mat shown below is now totally finished. I trimmed off the excess material and did a simple hem on it.
  • My interview on Thursday seemed to go ok. The woman who interviewed me is going to let me know by the end of next week.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Finish #08/2008




Have slogged my guts out on this today. I've taught myself how to do doves eyes properly, and also square filet and also spider web filling stitches. The webs look a bit dodgy but I think they'll pass muster. LOL.

Lovely Mail Day

I received some great mail today. I was snowballed by two of the ladies from TS, two lovely freebie charts that I didn't already have. Then there was a parcel from Jayne's Attic containing this months JCS that has lots of lovely designs in it - for a change. From Angie I received two gorgeous Patricia Ann Designs charts (Moonlit Orchid and Silver Frost) in exchange for some things I sent to her a couple of weeks ago. Also from Angie, as part of the birthday exchange on A Crafty Natter board, I received another parcel, but I can't open that till 26 January.
I've done lots more work on the hardanger project, and I'm now at the wrapping and filling stage. With any luck it'll be finished later today, if I don't keep being side-tracked by the laptop. PMSL.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Current WIP

Green Mat - Colette's Creations
DMC White Perle

I started this a few days ago and have just finished stitching all the kloster blocks. I've done some of the other stitches on the way round and am going to finish those off before I start cutting, hopefully by the weekend. Although it's called Green Mat, there's nothing green about it. It's stitched on a slate grey/blue fabric (no idea what it's called) using white DMC perle thread, #8 and #12.

I'm stitching this for my friend Marilyn, whom I'm going to visit in Spain next month. Hope she likes it.

And this is Mollie making herself comfy on the arm of Craig's chair while he's trying to do stuff on his laptop. She even wants up there when he's trying to stitch. Mad dog!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Back in business

YAY! I hope. The new hub arrived yesterday and Craig fixed it up last night. Five minutes after it started working it stopped again, so after another phone call to BT, and an hour and a half later, it was up and running properly. More or less. Had to unplug it again at about 10pm last night to reset it and so far it's been fine. Touch wood.
I had a phone call from someone at the Thistle Hotel in Newcastle yesterday offering me an interview for a receptionist vacancy. So guess where I'll be next Thursday lunch time. I hope I can get parked somewhere near the hotel. It's right opposite the Central Station and is always busy down that end. Apparently the hotel has a car park but I'm not sure where, so back permitting, Craig and I are going to have a tootle into Newcastle tomorrow to scope it out.
AND I had a letter from the DSA (Driving Standards Association I think) about another application I made. They received my application and are reviewing it. Just a standard letter I suppose. No offer for an interview yet.
Today I'm up and about and I'm going to do some stitching I think. I started doing a hardanger mat the other night. I'm going to give it to Marilyn next month when I go to visit her in Spain. If I remember later I'll take a photo to show you my progress so far.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

BT is a pain...with a capital P!

We've been having problems with our home hub (broadband connection) since Saturday evening. I spent most of Sunday morning speaking to various foreigners who tried to help and by the time I'd finished everything appeared to be working fine. However, yesterday, the connection went off again, so last night Craig spent the best part of an hour on the phone...again...trying to get them to sort it out. They decided that the hub is screwed but we would have to pay for a new one. That stupid black box is less than 6 months old so should still be under warranty! There was no way I was going to pay for a new one. Craig could connect to the internet using the ethernet cable, so he looked up various other providers and we were going to go for a Sky package but we needed a MAC code from BT. So...another 50 minutes on hold just to be told that he would have to ring another number. Another 45 mins on hold - luckily a free phone number but the battery was going flat on the phone. Finally he got to speak to another foreigner and asked for the MAC code. The guy wanted to know why we were leaving BT. Craig told him cos the broadband service was crap and we'd been told we would have to pay for another hub. This guy said he'd send us one out free as we'd only had the other one since the end of October and it was still under warranty. Craig told him that we'd try it and if the broadband service was still crap then we would be ringing again for the MAC code and definitely changing providers.
I've managed to get online - sans cable - this morning, but I have no idea how long that's going to last. Ooooo, and it's blowing a gale outside.
On the Kate front...she rang me up yesterday, late afternoon, to let me know that Vikki (I got told the correct spelling) has been ringing her again. Kate had rang the police while Vikki was on the phone and put her on loud-speaker so they could hear what she was saying, but maybe Vikki knew she was on loud-speaker because she suddenly got all polite. However, while Kate was talking to me, her phone rang again and Laura answered it for her and put it on loudspeaker for me to hear. It was some guy, claiming to be Vikki's brother, hurling abuse at Kate and asking her why she keeps ringing his sister. Kate doesn't even have Vikki's phone number (Vikki always rings from a withheld number so how could she?) and she tried telling him that but he was just mouthing off and swearing at her. Kate hung up on him in the end. I told her to ring the police again. The officer who visited her yesterday was finished for the day, but the one she spoke to last night said he would email his colleague and get him to ring her today. I wish this would get sorted out.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Hi Lynn

Kate only went down to Nottingham yesterday and didn't arrive till after 3pm so she hasn't even been there for 24 hours yet. Last night she got another phone call from Vicky, so she rang the police up here who told her to ring the police down in Nottingham as she's down there now. She did so and they're definitely going to take it further now. There's a chance that Vicky will be arrested and prosecuted and Kate might have to go to court. We shall have to wait and see. I'm waiting for Kate to let me know what's happening next.

For Laura

Hi Laura

Hope my brat of a daughter is behaving herself at your house. And when the police come round to take a statement from Kate, please make sure you wipe up any drool (unless of course it's an old fart of a copper!) cos you know what she's like. Actually, maybe you should just wipe up your own and let her do her own...I know what you're like too. PMSL.
Both of you be good.
Hugs
x

Monday, January 07, 2008

7 finishes in 7 days

I made this up this morning. I actually did the stitching over New Year, but only got round to putting it together today. And yes those are beads around the edges, and bloody fiddly they were to do too!
Kate has gone off to Nottingham this morning to stay with Laura for a while. She has an open ended return ticket, valid for 3 months, so she'll probably be gone about that long. She's going to look for work while she's down there. Kate is totally pee'd off with Matt and his new girlfriend Vicky. She keeps ringing Kate up and hurling abuse at her, so Kate has reported her to Vodafone and the police. I don't suppose much will happen but at least it's been reported now. Vodafone will change Kate's number but it can take up to seven days.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

S&S January Challenge

On Stitch & Stash they're doing a monthly challenge, where they vote for which design they'd like to do, out of a choice of three, then you get a month to stitch it and make it up however you like. This month's choice was Eliza's Pyn Pillow, a freebie from With My Needle. I've had this in my to do pile for months so it was a good excuse to get it out and finally get round to stitching it. I didn't make it up the same way it said in the instructions, far too fiddly for me, I just did it the way I normally do.

And look at this! Craig has had a finish. He started this back in November when we were in Nuneaton, but he's been so busy he's only just got round to finishing it. Mind you, saying that, I had do the backstitching on the roof, as Craig isn't good with pale colours on pale or white fabric. I have no idea how it's going to be finished, probably framed for Dene.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Quaker Hedgehog Part 2

I stitched this up this afternoon and then made it and the snowman below into pinkeeps. The hedgehog is stitched on off-white 28 count fabric, using Royal Blue Carrie's thread which arrived in the mail this morning, along with the other 11 new colours from her range. I've done this one for Angie on A Crafty Natter because she took a liking to the one I had in Nuneaton back in November and I promised I'd do her one.

Snowman Finish

On TS we're doing a monthly colouring book page, and this is January's. You get the basic outline and then you get to choose whichever threads, fabric and embellishments you like. I've stitched this on a Sassy's fabric called Stars, using all SSS threads apart from the outline of the tree, the snowman, the swirly bits and the layer of snow along the bottom, where I've used Kreinik #4 braid in silver. You can't really tell on the pic unfortunately. Thanks for looking.

Phew, what a relief

Thankfully all that horrible white stuff turned to rain later in the day and today when I've got up there's none left at all. YAY! Mind you, I don't think I'm going out anywhere today either. I have a little design that's almost finished, then I got a model from Jo at Polstitches Designs in the mail yesterday that I need to make a start on, as she needs it for Olympia in a couple of months time.
  • Someone asked me in the comments how I do some of my finishing. Well mostly I just stumble along, but there is a blog in my favourites called 'Focus On Finishing' that I find really useful, and there's one called 'Cross Stitch Finishes' (I think), that I found the other day which has a few useful tips. Hope this helps.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Set for the day


Ugh, we've got our first snowfall. It might not look like much but even this little bit is TOO much. I hate snow and won't go out in it unless it's absolutely necessary. You can't really tell in this photo but the snow was actually falling quite heavily and going sideways cos it's really windy too. This was taken at 10.20am. I'll take another photo in a few hours and see how they compare. LOL.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

First three finishes for 2008




Have finished-finished these tonight. My first finishes for 2008. WOOHOO!

Forgot to say...

I have put some books and charts for sale on my web site. There's a link in the right hand side bar. They're in the charts section.

Didn't quite make it...

Last January I wanted to see if I could average one post per day, but I didn't make it, so I'm going to try again this year. It might be a complete load of bollox that I type, but as long as I can average once a day I'll be happy.
Kate's friend Laura from Nottingham has been here since last Friday and we've just come home from taking her to Newcastle bus station so she can go home again. Kate is not a happy camper, not just because she's gonna miss Laura but also because THAT BASTARD that she was engaged to ('scuse the French) spent the weekend in Coventry with some lass that he's been talking to on the internet and now Kate and him have split up. That was his second chance (he's done this to Kate before) and hopefully she won't be giving him another one.
I am hoping to finally get some stitching done today. I have a few things that need making up but I can't do them till I've finished this design that I'm stitching on the same piece of material. I'll probably make a couple of ornies and/or pinkeeps, but I think I'm going to have to have a trip to Dainty Supplies for ribbons and pins. I can do most of the glueing and slip stitching though so it's not too bad.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

All the best for everyone in 2008. May your needles never blunt and your stash be plentiful. LOL.