So many new things

Where does the time go to?   I've worked it out, time goes into learning new things all the time.  My good friend Nan told me about Swap-bot because I wanted to swap cross stitch items. I checked it out and joined up.  Now I'm in a cross stitch bookmark swap and a cross stitch surprise swap.  BUT - in reading the profiles of different people I discovered words like "Inchies",  "Atc's" and "Zentangles".  What are these things?  They say curiosity killed the cat - well I'm not a cat but to be on the safe side I did a Google search to set my curious mind at rest.   Oh Deary me!!!  I shouldn't have done that.  Found:  three more things to add to keep me occupied.  I realise I have been Zentangling for many years but back then it was called abstract art or doodling.  I actually have some drawings done in January 1979 which were a form of zentangling.  Inchies, now there's something a bit different, or should I say a bit smaller, I could even do some zentangling on them.   ATC's - now I can do that!  
All I have to do is take a bit of time from "here" and put it "there" and then take some time from "there" and put it with the "other there" .... Hmmm - I think I'll just take it day by day whatever mood takes me on the day that's what I will do.  My favourites will always be cross stitch and art - but I can find the time for Inchies, ATC's and Zentangles too.   Variety is the spice of life so I guess I gotta lota living to do yet.
Happy stitchin (or hobbying) till next time.  

   

Time Flies by fast

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted, I've been really lazy and every time I think of posting something else comes up and it slips my mind again.  But here I am and I'd like to share a couple more bookmarks with you.  This is the gum blossom book mark and beaded scissor keep I made for Elaine in Ireland, I thought something Australian would be appropriate for a swap.

The bookmark Elaine sent to me is fantastic.  I love the greeny/blue colour of the evenweave, it's like the ocean in colour with lovely blue flowers stitched on it.  Can you see the beautiful little pink heart button flowers - they are about an eighth of an inch "tiny" and so sweet.

I sent Jerry this Celtic dragon bookmark to keep all his books safe while he reads, LOL.  One of the things that Jerry said he liked was fantasy - so I thought a dragon fitted this bill really well. 

I'm really enjoying doing these swaps, it gets the creativity going working out what to make to swap with people when you find out their likes and dislikes.  I hope to do a Round Robin soon and maybe join up to do some more exchanging.  While I was working I didn't have time to exchange with people but now that I have retirement going well look out world, here I come.
Happy stitchin till next time.

Bookmark swap

I joined a bookmark exchange on a group I belong to and today I received this wonderful X-stitch bookmark and a Threadworx floss from Linda in Albuquerque.  I love anything to do with Christmas and he is such a cute Santa peering over the top of his little gold eye glasses. It's always lovely to receive an item that's been worked just for you, comprising things you like. 

I've been working on my Abecedair but haven't done enough to warrant another photo just yet, but maybe in a couple of days time. I've a few WIP's but there aren't enough hours in a day to do something on them all, and of course there are always new things to start - sigh.... and so many I would like to buy.  Oh well - one day at a time - a stitch here and a stitch there and they will all eventually get done -maybe!
Happy stitchin till next time.

WIP

Just a short post today, I wanted to put in a photo of my WIP of the Grand Abcedaire.  I still don't think that the colours show up properly but at least it gives you an idea of what it looks like and how far I have got with it.
Happy stitchin' till next time.

Bits and Bobs

Well real life certainly got in the way for a couple of weeks, but hopefully everything is now back to normal and I can get back to sewing.  I was asked how I did the corners of my work when I was framing it using double sided scrapbooking tape.   I first measure the size of my backing board and make creases in my work at the exact place where it will fold over the edge of the backing board.  I've used a patterned material so that you can see how I do it.  First I fold over the edge at the corners and secure it on the backing board with the double sided tape.  When all four corners are done I then do all the edges.  I've been doing this for quite a few years now, and as the double sided tape is acid free it will not harm my fabric.  Hope this helps.

 The following is a Christmas cross stitch I did a few years ago.  I was cleaning out a cupboard the other day and came across it again.  I just love it as it's so bright and cheerful.

 These are some of the cross stitch items I have made, or I have received from friends overseas in the Twelve Days of Christmas Swap. The items were one twelfth scale.  Some of the smaller pictures on the back wall are done on 120 count silk - even the black cameo.  I might add these were not done by me though. 

I hope you've enjoyed my little display of goodies - I treasure all these things and they are all displayed in a little shop front in 1/12 scale.  I will take a photo and post it next time.
Happy stitching everyone, until next time.

Craft Bag

I'd like to show you photos of my craft bag.  There is one big pocket on both the front and back and each house is another pocket, the pink house is the front, the green the back.  The beehive opens up to reveal a needle holder.  It took me about 220 hours to finish it - many times I wanted to give up on it but I kept at it and I'm glad I did.

Hopefully real life settles down and I can get back to stitching my Abecedaire, just another WIP.  I want Just Nan's Barnabee (all three parts), too.  I guess  I'll have to stop searching the net for cross stitch because if I buy everything I'll have to live to be about 150 to finish everything, LOL.
Happy stitchin' till next time. 
  

Side tracked

Somehow this week I have been side tracked by real life and haven't managed to post, so I thought I would add a few more pics of things I've done.  This is the quilt I made for my mother's 90th birthday.  Our relations all signed squares of material and I copied some pictures of my mom onto material then pieced everything into a quilt.  She loved it.

 

Grand Abecedaire

Wow, I found a link to the charts for the Grand Abecedair that was done as a SAL, and saw all the variations of colour people useed to make the sampler their own..  I've always wanted to do a sampler but could never find the right one, well now I have.  32 count Natural Belfast Linen was my choice, with two main colours and a contrast.  I've worked on Aida, 25 and 28 count fabrics before but never 32 count, so this will be an exciting adventure and  I can't wait to get started. 
The photo doesn't do justice to the colour of the linen or the floss.  The DMC colours are 315 Md Dk Antique Mauve, 3727 Lt Antique Mauve, which both look more pink than mauve,  and for contrast 647 Md Beaver Grey which is more of a dusty green. I'm hoping this will have an old world look when finished.

I've been working on a Lanart floral sampler and the Lavender & Lace Santa of the Forest.  I don't have photos yet but will post my progress soon.  I'm also stitchin a couple of bookmarks to exchange so I can't post photos  of them until I send to my partners, but I will soon. 
Happy Stitchin till next time.      

Where do I start

 Trying to decide which photos I should put in here has been quite daunting for me, how far back should I go, or should I keep it more up to date?  Well I chose to mix it up a bit, and put a bit of everything.  The mountain scene and rosellas live in a room box I made of a sewing room.  The rosellas are on either 40 or 60 count silk, I can't remember which.  It was the first time I had attempted anything so fine, but I was pleased with the finish.  The wardrobe scene and sewing machine both hang in my craft room.  I've got 4 WIP's at present - it just depends on how I'm feeling as to which one I work on, but there's no hurry. 
Happy stitchin' till next time. 

Fun Times

I love reading everyones' blogs but never knew I could set one of my own up until yesterday.  I'm still not sure of the ins and outs of blogging but I'm sure I'll have lots of fun learning as I go along.
Here are a couple of needlebooks I made.  I'd just learnt how to do bullion roses and I thought rather than practice on scrap material I would make something useful out of my learnings. The little girl is a copy of a needlebook my mother has had for many years, if you lift her skirt you will find the needles tucked away.   I hope you like them.

 And how about a couple of Christmas ornie Koalas.  I couldn't resist the cute sleeping Koala on the candy cane and the roly poly Santa Koala, I just had to stitch them.   

 Happy stitchin', see you soon.

My first blog

This is my very first blog as I have just started the blog this morning.  I'll be posting photos of my stitching from time to time as I get the hang of blogging.  It's 10.19 a.m. here in Australia on Friday 11 February 2011.