Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 13 December 2012 Update

Well hello again.... yes, I am still alive and kicking!

Here we are again - another ORT report.  This is the last TUSAL for 2012. Hopefully Daffycat will host this great fun event next year.

This month I have managed to get some stitching done... but I can't show you too much as it is all secret still. Once the packages arrive at their destination I will show you the wonderful little things I have created.

The ORT's jar is again full... and lots of very pretty coloured threads have found their new home in the jar.  So where do we find the ORT's and the dragon this month?  As it's Christmas they can only be hiding amongst the Christmas deco's!

Dragon, ORT's and the Christmas deco's
December 2012 TUSAL

This year we have decided not to put up the Christmas tree just in case a certain puppy decides to pull it down on top of herself!  So in lieu of a Christmas tree we have a little tiny tree on the desk with the angels and some other deco's.

In the background you can see a little pillow that I recently received in the mail from Valerie from Fee le point.  Is this just lovely?!  I love this little stitched scene, and look at all those little buttons and bits and pieces that Valerie also sent.  Just gorgeous - thank you :o)

Gift from Valerie

I have something else to show you as well.... a stitched card all the way from Anne in Canada.  Last month I showed you the card that I sent to Vilma in the USA as part of the Margaret Sherry Yahoo Group Christmas card exchange; and this is the card and calendar that I received from Anne.  Thank you Anne - a gorgeous card, so sparkly :o)

Gift from Anne
Margaret Sherry Yahoo Group Christmas Card Exchange

This weekend is also IHSW.  This month I forgot to sign up.... oops!  But I have managed to actually get some stitching done... but I'm not going to show you as I was finishing off my last secret stitching for the year.

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report and IHSW update.  See you all again next year... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL, and don't forget to drop in on Joyce's blog to check out who joined the IHSW for the month.  Next year we will hopefully be doing this all again.

Til the next new moon in January 2013, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's begin again!

New Moons - 2013

11 January
10 February
11 March
10 April
10 May
8 June
8 July
6 August
5 September
5 October
3 November
3 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 13 November 2012 Update

Hello again!

Wow, another long absence between posts.... and again no excuse!  I have been stitching and reading blogs even if I haven't been leaving comments... sometimes I do a fly by read and promise myself that I will come back later and leave a comment and of course time goes by and then I don't get back to comment!!  So I must say sorry to everyone for not leaving lots of comments, I promise to try and do better ;o)

So what has been happening around our little ole' place....

I finished my Christmas Card for the Margaret Sherry Yahoo group Christmas Exchange.  I also made a little needle book and some Christmas pins to send to Vilma.

Margaret Sherry Christmas Mouse
MS Yahoo Group Exchange - sent to Vilma

Needlebook and Christmas pins sent to Vilma

I also had some birthday cards to finish off for the Craftbubble Birthday Exchange, but I completely ran out of time for stitching the cards, so I had to buy cards for the last 3 birthdays for this exchange.  But I still felt that I should make something for the lovely ladies... so I spent a couple of hours putting together three little pin cushions.  The cat panels were the perfect size for a pin cushion.

Pin Cushions for Craftbubble Crazy for Kitties Birthday Exchange

I suppose I had better show you my TUSAL photo for the month of November.... after all that's why we are here!

This month the Dragon has an owl for a friend.  The ORT's have a few more threads in the jar and some lovely purple ones on top from the little bit of stitching that I have been doing on Spring kitty - MS Cool Cats number 3.

TUSAL November 2012
Dragon and Owl

This weekend was also the IHSW - but not much stitching has been done in this house over the weekend.... hubby and I have been way too busy sorting out the house.... we are on the move... but more on that later.

Before I go I must leave you with a photo of Mitzi..... I went looking for her earlier today and this is where I found her...

Mitzi in Felix's basket with Felix's mouse!!

When we were cleaning up today I put all of the cat's toys in the top basket so that they wouldn't get sucked up by the vacuum cleaner.  And of course Miss Mitzi, who just adores the cat's toys, found them.  She climbed into the top basket via the bottom one and selected her favourite orange and white mouse - the same mouse that just so happens to be Felix's favourite one too.  I am sure that she thinks she is a cat most of the time!!

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report and IHSW update.  See you all again same time next month... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL, and don't forget to drop in on Joyce's blog to check out who joined the IHSW for the month.

Til the next new moon on 13 December 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 15 October 2012 Update

Oh my goodness... here we go again!  Another ORT report and another month has by without a post from me....  No excuses just one little itty bitty reason -

Mitzi!!

Nothing much seems to get done around here since a certain puppy arrived... no stitching or crafting, no blogging, no housework!  But we wouldn't be without her.  She is an absolute delight.  Slowly but surely she is growing and every day a little bit more of her brain is delivered.  For the most part she has got the toilet training right although every now and then we have a wee accident indoors...  Oscar is Mitzi's new best friend, but Felix is a lot more reserved and is still not quite there yet.

Now down to what this post should be about... the ORT report!

ORT's, Dragon and Pumpkin

Seeing as how it is October and the other half of the world is going into Autumn and is pumpkin mad, I thought I would take this month's photo with the last of our pumpkin crop from earlier in the year.  Our new crop of pumpkins are just starting to put their little heads out of the ground so hopefully we will have another great crop this season.

The ORT's jar is filling up slowly.  I have almost finished my Margaret Sherry Cool Cat #3 (Spring) but have had to put him away for a couple of weeks as I need to get some stitching done on a couple of cards and an exchange piece.

While there hasn't been a lot added this last month to the ORT jar, I did manage to finish the stitching of my kitty card last night.

Colourful cat designed by Jane Henderson
Cross Stitcher magazine, April 2007

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Now before I wander off to bed.... struggling to stay awake after being woken up at 4am yet again this morning by a beautiful puppy....

On Friday I went to a "Meet the Author" event to meet one of my favourite authors - Monica McInerney.

Me and Monica McInerney (R) after she signed my book

Monica is currently back in Australia doing a tour promoting her latest book "House of Memories".  She is a lovely lady and it was wonderful to hear her talk about how her writing and also how she got the idea for this book.  I am always fascinated by people that can write wonderful stories... how amazing it must be to have a idea that grows and evolves into a story that people like you and me then sit down and read and have hours of enjoyment while lost in a book.  The "House of Memories" was a wonderful story... I started it on Wednesday before going to the event and finished it Friday night.  I just couldn't put it down on Friday... if you haven't read it yet... try and get a hold of the book - it is such a wonderful read - happy, sad and every emotion in between.  Can't wait til Monica's next book comes out... which will be a couple of years away though.

Til the next new moon on 13 November 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 16 September 2012 Update

Finally I am here again!  Only a week late - well, not quite a week but almost!

The New Moon was last Sunday 16th September but time waits for no one - especially not me!  A week has gone by and I just haven't managed to get near the laptop to do a post.

I don't really have a lot of news to tell you for this ORT report as there hasn't been a huge lot of stitching going on this month.  I did manage to clean up a few little things that have been hanging around in the stitching  basket.

So what little raggy ORT's went into the jar this month.....

Winter kitty (Cool Cat - Margaret Sherry)
Crazy kitty (Cross Stitch Crazy design - Durene Jones)
Party Paws Panda (Cross Stitch Card Shop - freebie)
Pin cushion x 2 (Cross Stitcher - freebies)
Bear Hugs (Cross Stitch Collection - freebie)
All Our Yesterdays (The World of Cross Stitch freebie - Faye Whittaker)
Best Buddies (Cross Stitch Card Shop freebie - Adam Prescott)

Gosh, when I list them all it seems that I did a lot of stitching but most of the stitching was just little bits of finishing off.... but I will quite happily think that I was a prolific stitcher this month!!

I have also finished the AOY and Best Buddies freebies over the last couple of days and even managed to start the Cool Cats Spring kitty.  So while I didn't seem to have done much stitching on anything big, I did manage to put some more little ORT's in the jar over the month.

ORT's & Dragon - September 2012

This month's picture finds the dragon and ORT's looking after the material that Hubby is going to use to stitch a little quilt for Mitzi puppy to have on the sofa.  She loves curling up on the sofa but leather is not particularly warm for puppies so very soon she will have her own special quilt and cushion to sleep on!

Last weekend was also IHSW.  I didn't get a lot of stitching done with a certain little puppy stealing all the available time in the weekend, but I did manage to finish off a couple of little freebies that I have been  trying to stitch over the last couple of weeks.

"Best Buddies"
Freebie - Cross Stitch Card Shop, Issue 84
designed by Adam Prescott

"All Our Yesterdays"
Freebie - Word of Cross Stitch, Issue 190
Designed by Faye Whittaker

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report and IHSW update.  See you all again same time next month... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL, and don't forget to drop in on Joyce's blog to check out who joined the IHSW for that month.

Til the next new moon on 15 October 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 17 August 2012 Update

Goodness another month gone by!  Where does time go?  I know that each day is the same length as the day before but I am positive that some go way quicker than others!

Before I show you my TUSAL pic for this month I need to do a shameless promotion of Hubby's giveaway :o)

Hubby has put together a lovely package of 3 different types of fabric, a pattern for a little girl's dress (un-used), a new pair of scissors, a wheel of lovely white pearl pins, a handmade pin cushion (made by hubby) with 8 reels of cotton, a Chinese people pin cushion and 2 small coin purses from Hong Kong.  To enter the giveaway you just need to be a follower of hubby's blog and leave a comment on the giveaway post.  If you're not a current follower - no problem, become a follower and then leave a comment to enter.  Giveaway closes 2 September, so hurry on over and sign up now!

Hubby's giveaway - closes 2nd September 2012

Ok, so onto the ORT Report.  Do you know I can't even remember what I have stitched over the last month - I know it wasn't very much though....

I did finish a couple of little stitches that I can't show you just yet as I need to finish them off and then send them to some lovely pixies.  I have been very slow at getting myself sorted out lately with regards to my stitching..... I do hope that this malaise ends soon so that I can get back to normal.  Do you know the feeling where you want to do something but you just can't seem to get the creative juices flowing - that's been me for the last few weeks.

So here they are:  ORT's and the dragon for the August update

ORT's and Dragon - August 2012

This past weekend was also the IHSW for August - but I didn't get around to signing up..... oops!  Time got away from me again.  Funny thing is I didn't sign up but I did manage to do some stitching.  I have to do a card for the Craftbubble Crazy for Kitties birthday exchange so on Friday afternoon I started a new kitty card.  The design was in the latest issue of Cross Stitch Crazy (Issue 168) and was designed by Durene Jones.  The designs are all crafty animals and there is a kitty knitting - perfect for a birthday card for a crafty lady.

As of last night this is where I am up to...

Crazy Kitty designed by Durene Jones
Cross Stitch Crazy, Issue 168

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 16 September 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 19 July 2012 Update

Hello again.... it's me here again!

I am typing this as we watch the last leg of the Tour de France.  While our Cadel Evans has not been able to repeat last year's win, Hubby is happy as there will be a British winner instead!  Congrats to Bradley Wiggins.  A wonderful ride by a fantastic sportsman - and well done to all the riders that took part.  It has been fabulous to watch every night over the last few weeks, even if we couldn't stay up and watch it to the end every night.

So on to the ORT report..
Yep, I know - late again....  The ORT report was due on 19th July, but unfortunately the weekend has just flown by and got away from me.  But as they say - better later than never!!

So here it is in all it's glory - my lovely jar of ORT's with it's dragon protector.

ORT's Dragon and Miss Mouse

This month's ORT's and dragon are joined by Miss Mouse and her special beaded pins.  I have been making some beaded pins on and off for a couple of months now and the ones in Miss Mouse are the ones that I haven't as yet attached to a card or pin cushion.  I love doing these beaded pins - so simple to do but so effective when done.

So what craft things have I done over the last couple of months that I can show you.... let me see now...

Completed card for Catdragon (Alison)
Craftbubble Crazy for Kitties Birthday Exchange 2012

The first one is the finished card that I made for Alison as part of the Craftbubble Crazy for Kitties Birthday Exchange.  The card was about 2 weeks late....  The design was from a Cross Stitch Crazy magazine and the designer of the kitty alphabet is Maria Diaz.  A very quick stitch this one.  The paper, flowers, ribbons etc came out of the stash boxes and the pin was one that I made.  I love the beads that I used on this pin - the picture doesn't really show the pin off in all it's sparkle.

Butterfly & Buddleia - designed by Debbie Cripps
Needlecraft magazine issue May 1997

I stitched this card for Valerie from Fee le point as a thank you for the little snow globes that she had sent me  and also to say thank for the pixie gift that she sent me when my MS Lovers Blog spring exchange package didn't happen.  Valerie loves butterflies and I thought this card was just the ticket!  I also sent her a tinkling wind chime with a butterfly.  The design was a free cover kit that was in amongst my stash and as you can see from the date of the magazine I have had it for a long time just waiting for the perfect occasion to stitch it!!  The papers and flowers were all in my card making stash and the pins I made from the beads in my stash.

Card - Butterfly card designer unknown
Cross Stitcher magazine issue 70 (June 1998)
Scissor keep - Summer Strawberries designed by Debbie Cripps
Cross Stitcher magazine issue 110 (June 2001)

The card and scissor keep above I stitched as a thank you for Claire from Dulcinella's chaos.  Claire was also a pixie who sent me a lovely exchange replacement gift, and also as a pick me up as she hasn't been too well of late.  I read awhile ago on Claire's blog that she likes strawberries so when I saw this design in my free gift stash I knew that I just had to stitch it for Claire.  But, instead of turning it into a card I decided to try my hand at making my very first scissor keep.  I even made the red and black cording from some DMC thread.  The papers and flowers for the card came from the stash box... and the pins I made.  I was really pleased with the finished scissor keep.  The strawberries design is so lovely and I think is much nicer finished this way than as a card.  I even had the perfect backing fabric in the fabric stash that I share with hubby....

Back of scissor keep for Claire

I have 3 other little things that I have stitched this month, but I don't want to show them to you just yet as I have to finish and mail them before I can reveal their magic.  They will all be going to the other 3 pixies from the MS Lover Blog.

I will later this week do a post to show you the fantastic parcel I received in the mail from Olga (Ollie) in the Netherlands as part of the MS Lovers Blog Summer Exchange, and I can also show you what I stitched and sent to Olimpin in Mexico as that has also arrived safe and sound.  Oh yes, I was spolit again!!

Before I go I must show you what else I have recently received in the mail....

Chatelaine's fabric, thread and bead kits....
Can't wait to rip these open and start!

As you know I recently stitched my first ever Chatelaine designs - the Rose Garden Freebie.  I absolutely loved stitching Rose Garden and decided that I wanted to do another one.  I actually had a Chatelaine sitting in my stash that I have been a bit nervous about starting, but now I am going to start it.  I have been onto the European Cross Stitch website and purchased the thread and bead kits for the two designs that I have - Mini  Mandala II and Alhambra Gardens.  I decided that if I am going to do these I might as well do them properly with the proper silks etc.  And with the Aussie dollar being at parity or above the US dollar it makes heaps of sense to get these kits while I can.....

However, don't get too excited dear readers - I have to finish off a couple of things before I can start the Mini Mandala.... namely a birthday card for August & September Craftbubble exchange, 2 cool cats for the MS Lovers Blog SAL, and a Christmas Card for the MS Yahoo Group Christmas Exchange.  Once I have made a good start and finish on these things I will then allow myself to start the Mini Mandala.... that will be my reward!!

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 17 August 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Double Bubble! TUSAL & IHSW Update June 2012

Hello again!  Long time no post....  I do seem to be a bit behind in everything this month for some reason.  Not sure if it's the weather or just getting over the stress of losing Miss Dinky Dog....

Things are getting back on track now... so July should be a better month for stitching and blogging (I hope).

This post is a bit of a double bubble for you - a TUSAL update as well as an update on the IHSW that was last weekend... or wasn't as is the case for me.

My ORT's jar is full of lovely thread this month but as all my stitching was secret stuff I can't show you any pretty pictures.  Sorry.... pictures will come once the packages arrive at their destinations around the world.

ORT's and Dragon - June 2012

Now for my IHSW report - well there is not a lot to report here.  All I managed to do was a bit of stitching on Sunday as we were out most of Saturday.  My little bit of stitching is to be turned into a card for the Craftbubble Crazy for Kitties birthday exchange... a card that is late!!

Cat Alphabet - Designer Maria Diaz
Cross Stitch Crazy

I can't remember the issue of Cross Stitch Crazy this design came from but the designer of the kitty alphabet is Maria Diaz.  Such cute kitties!  I should get this made into a card over the weekend and then in the mail on Monday to the UK.

If you want to see what everyone else has done over the weekend, drop in on Joyce's post for this month's IHSW and click on the list of links!  There is lots of visiting to be had and no doubt a lot more stitching to see than I have to show you this month!!


Before I go I have to show you the gorgeous package that arrived for me last week on a day of rain and fog and cold winter winds!  Nia from Caixinha de Pirlimpimpim sent me a lovely box that she painted and then added this delightful Margaret Sherry hedgehog to the top.  And look what is inside!  Nia made these gorgeous flowers and filled the box!!  Thank you Nia :o)

Cute little hedgehog

A box of sunshine from Nia

This lovely little gift from Nia was a replacement gift from when the Spring Exchange didn't work for me..... I think I have been well and truly spoilt by the ladies on the MS Lovers Blog!  Thank you all so much :o)

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report and an update on last weekend dismal stitching weekend.  See you all again same time next month.... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 19 July 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

19 July

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 20 May 2012 Update

Goodness me.... It's time for another ORT Report!

This month I have mainly been stitching on my Rose Garden Mandala, but I did take time out to stitch a little birthday card for the Craft Bubble "Crazy for Kitties" Birthday Exchange.

Teacup Kitty - designer Margaret Sherry
Cross Stitch Card Shop issue 82
Stitched for Craft Bubble Crazy for Kitties Birthday Exchange

This cute little kitty was a freebie in the Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine, issue 82.  I used papers from various paper crafting magazines for the background and stitching frame.  The birthday greetings also came from a magazine.  The flowers and little butterflies were in my stash as was the gold ribbon that I tied into the bow.  The little bit of bling came from, of all places, the table decorations from my brother's wedding!  (Yes, I keep all sorts of strange things!!)  I made the 2 pins with beads from my stash.  I have also added a little chinese gold coin for good luck.  This little cutie kitty will be in the mail to the UK tomorrow morning along with a couple of little kitty gifts.

Also this month I finished my Autumn Kitty (MS Lover's Blog SAL #3) into a little pillow.  I found the fabric for this a few weeks ago when we went to Handcrafters House.  Once I started to stitch the pillow I realised just how perfect the fabric was!  The pillow ended up being bigger than I had originally planned it to be....when I stitched the large piece of fabric to the kitty for the back of the cushion, I looked at it and thought it actually looked nicer with the fabric on both sides of the kitty.... and so I continued along a different line!  Here is Autumn Kitty in all his glory!

Autumn Kitty - MS Lovers Blog Cool Cats SAL

I haven't as yet started my next Cool Cat for this SAL nor my piece for the MS Lover's Blog Summer Exchange, but they will be started in the next week.  I still have to "finish" off my Culinary Cats from the first MS Lover's Blog SAL.  All the cats are stitched and I have now finally decided how to finish them off.  That may take a few weeks before I have another update on the finish.

Now for the all important TUSAL photo for the month of May!

ORT's, Dragon and Tea Cup from Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

This month's photo shows the ORT's and the Dragon with a lovely tea cup from Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.  This event happens here in Australia in May as a fund raising event for the Cancer Council.  At my workplace we are doing our morning tea on Tuesday and Hubby's workplace is doing their morning tea on Thursday.  A bit of sweet pig out week ahead!!  My favourite kind!!

Now this weekend has been the weekend of IHSW... but unfortunately I haven't really stitched very much at all - but that is for another post tomorrow or Tuesday.  When I do the IHSW update hopefully I will have a picture of my finished Rose Garden Mandala.  I am in the final run up to finishing this - stitching the beads.  Almost done!!

You may have noticed that my pictures have all been prettied up!  I read somewhere on my blog stalking travels (sorry can't remember which blog) about a website called Picmonkey that you can pretty up your pictures... so I had a little play today and the pictures on this post are the result.  If you want to have a look and play with your pictures I recommend it.  It is a free website - for now at least!!  So make the most of it :o)

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month.... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 19 June 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

19 June

19 July

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 21 April 2012 Update

Hello again!  It's Sunday morning and the sun is shining in our part of the world.  A very different day to yesterday when it was overcast, cold and miserable.  We even had rain yesterday afternoon - which I am not complaining about by the way - we always need the rain.  Can't believe how 24 hours can make such a difference in the weather!

This is going to be a very short and sweet ORT report mainly because I haven't done that much stitching over the last week or so.  Sort of lost my stitchy bug there for a bit after finishing my MS cats.  But the little stitchy bug has come back just in time for this weekend!

And why is that good news.... well, because it is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend or IHSW for short!  I know that it is a bit late to remind you all about it today when the weekend is nearly over but better late than never.  Hopefully tomorrow I will get the chance to post a pic of what I have been stitching this weekend.  If you want to have a squizz at who signed up this month Joyce has a post where we have all signed on the dotted line!

So what have I been doing this weekend?  I kitted up a new project on Friday afternoon and managed to get in a couple of stitches before going out to meet Hubby at Handcrafters House in Midland for the Jinny Beyer Colour Workshop.  I did manage to get a couple of hours stitching in yesterday afternoon, but last night wasn't as successful - what with watching the first 2 episodes of series 2 of "The Game of Thrones" and a certain kitty who shall remain nameless deciding that mum's stitching was the perfect spot for a cuddle - not a lot of stitching was achieved!  Never mind there is still a whole Sunday afternoon to go yet :o)

Now for the all important TUSAL photo for this month.  As I mentioned Hubby and I went to a workshop on Friday night.  Jinny Beyer is currently here in Perth doing a couple of workshops and the one we specifically wanted to go to was her Colour Workshop.  We both enjoyed the evening and learnt heaps... I even had a light bulb moment about colour.  Who said you can't put one colour with another?  We bought the portable colour palette that Jinny has put together and this magic little tool is just amazing for working out how colours can go together.  So why am I rambling on about this... well this month's photo is taken with the colour palette!

TUSAL April 2012
Dragon, ORT's, Felix and Jinny Beyer's Colour Palette

Don't you just love those colours?  There is another wheel of colour underneath.  All up there are 150 fabric swatches in the wheel.  Hubby is so going to have fun with this - assuming Felix and I let him have it of course!!

Sorry, this is probably not the best TUSAL photo... Do you ever get those days when you know what you want to do but just can't get it to work the way you want to??

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month.... Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up or keeping in touch with what is going on with the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 20 May 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

20 May

19 June

19 July

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 22 March 2012 update

Oh my ears and whiskars - I'm late!

Finally I have managed to get my TUSAL update posted.  Better late than never as they say!

This month I have actually been very busy stitching and unfortunately frogging!  I made a mistake in counting on my Spring Exchange so had to remove about 20 stitches.  Just goes to show you shouldn't stitch when you're tired!  At least I noticed before too much damage was done and it was a very easy fix!

During the month I did manage to finish my Autumn cat for the MS Lovers Blog SAL #3, a kitty card and the MS Lovers Blog Spring Exchange piece, as well as start another Margaret Sherry design.  So quite a good stitching month for March.

TUSAL March 2012
Dragon, ORT's, Frog and harvest of apples from one of our apple trees
An Autumn Harvest!

This month's photo is taken with some apples from one of our two apples trees.  If I remember rightly these apples are the Lady Williams apples, the Jonathons are still very green.  Although that is not stopping the parrots from eating them!  Maybe my dragon should sit outside near the apple trees as he might manage to scare away the birds... not!!  Never mind, they don't eat much!

You may have noticed that I have a frog sitting on the lid of my ORT's jar.  The other day I was in the Red Dot store (type of $2 shop) and I spotted a key ring with a frog on it for $2!  So I bought it.... once I had removed the hook from his head I attached him to the ORT's lid with velcro and now I have a guardian of the "frogs" in the ORT's jar.

While I have finished stitching the "Autumn" kitty for the MS Lovers Blog SAL #3, I am still thinking about the final "finish".  I have decided to turn him into a cushion and have the material sitting there waiting - but so far the brain just hasn't quite got around to designing the final cushion.  But that will come I am sure in the next couple of weeks.

"Autumn" kitty - Cool Cats SAL #3
Margaret Sherry design

The start is another Margaret Sherry design - cat #3 from MS Lovers Blog SAL #1 Culinary Cats.  I am very pleased with my progress on this kitty.  I started it earlier this week and have managed to do about half of him already.  He is just so cute with his wedding cake!  Once I finish this little kitty chef I am thinking of finishing the whole 3 into a table runner or hanger.


SAL #1 - Culinary Cats - Cat #3
Margaret Sherry design

Well dear readers, that's it for another ORT report.  See you all again same time next month.... or maybe a couple of days later than the new moon!  It all depends on whether the White Rabbit is in charge again!

Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up for the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 21 April 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

21 April

20 May

19 June

19 July

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December

Totally Useless SAL - New Moon 21 February 2012

Oh my goodness I am so terribly late reporting on my TUSAL and my dismal effort on the ISHW.  Better late than never I guess!

Ok where do I start?  IHSW was last weekend.  I did get some stitching done on Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours, but Saturday was a complete washout.  We ended up being out all day and on Saturday night I was just too tired to hold the needle - but I did prepare everything for my new start!  So all wasn't lost on Saturday!

Bonus effort on the weekend though as I did manage to finish a kitty card on Friday night and Sunday I started my first Cool Cat for the MS Blog Lovers SAL #3.

Kitty card is another one from the Cross Stitch Crazy magazine issue 137 May 2010.  There are four kitties designed by Lesley Teare in the set.  So far I have stitched 2 and I may stitch the other 2 yet.   I do have some other kitty designs in the stitching basket for the Craftbubble "Crazy for Kitties" Birthday Exchange to choose from, so we shall just have to wait and see what comes up next for stitching!

Kitty Card for Craftbubble "Crazy for Kitties" Birthday Exchange
Designed by Lesley Teare, Cross Stitch Crazy Issue 137, May 2010

Once I make this up into a card I will show you the final result.... the card design is still brewing in the stew of my brain.

Now for my new start.  The MS Lovers Blog is having another great SAL. This one is stitching 4 seasonal cats - "Cool Cats" designed by Margaret Sherry.  The original designs appeared in the UK Cross Stitcher magazine Issue 194, and were also reprinted in the Margaret Sherry bookazine published by the Cross Stitcher magazine publishers.

I have decided to start with "Autumn" given that we are slowly leaving summer behind and waiting for the leaves to turn to the glorious oranges and browns of Autumn.  I will finish my four designs as little pillows using a seasonal fabric to back them.  Well that's the plan anyway!!!

MS Lover's Blog SAL #3
Cool Cats (Autumn) - designed by Margaret Sherry

I started this kitty on Sunday afternoon and have managed to stitch a little more during the week... but not much!  At the moment it is all the cream and white colours of his tummy but very soon there will be some black and grey to come.

If you want to have a squizz at what everyone was up to last weekend, go over to Joyze's post listing all the February sign ups and have a look at the 159 stitcher's blogs!  So far I haven't got very far down the list, but there is a whole weekend to go visiting (actually there's not as we are out all day again tomorrow - but there is still Sunday!)

Now the other reason for today's post is the very late ORT's report.  Don't ask me why but for some reason I thought the New Moon was today - 24th Feb - but of course it was 3 days ago....  I should have realised given how dark the nights have been! ;o)

ORT's jar this month is guarded by the dragon again as it is the Chinese Year of the Dragon!  Also this month the ORT's are posed with the wonderful Oscar Pants, the Stitching Cat!  Now when I was thinking about this photo today (admittedly in a hurried panic) I thought "oh my goodness Valentine's Day what can I use"... but nothing came to mind.... but what did jump out at me eventually was today is the first official game of this year's Super 15 Rugby series for our very own Western Force!  So what better prop for my February TUSAL than my Western Force scarf!  Unfortunately our boys lost by 2 points...... never mind.  There is always the next game!

TUSAL February 2012
Dragon, Oscar and the Western Force

As you can see the ORT's have multiplied since last month - thank goodness!  Still only a small start to the year but at least some stitching has been done.

Hopefully this weekend will see a little bit more stitching on the "Autumn" kitty and some black and grey ORT's will go on top of the cream and white ones that are so prevelant at the moment.

Pop on over to Daffycat's blog if you are interested in signing up for the 2012 TUSAL.

Til the next new moon on 22 March 2012, happy stitching and may your collection of ORT's keep growing!

New Moons - 2012

22 March

21 April

20 May

19 June

19 July

17 August

16 September

15 October

13 November

13 December