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

Easter Wishes and Chocolate Kisses

Happy Easter to you all!  I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday and have enjoyed the break.

Hubby and I stayed home this weekend except for the odd shopping trip to buy weekend supplies and a wedding present for my brother's big event next weekend.

We have spent the weekend at home with the furry babies, catching up on all the TV shows that have filled the IQ box over the last couple of months and crafting - me stitching kitty cats, hubby sewing up a quilt top.

I have finally finished the third cat for the MS Lovers Blog SAL #1 Culinary Cats. Yes, a big tick off my stitching list for 2012 - little happy dance happening here!!

Margaret Sherry Culinary Cat #3 - finished

MS Blog Lovers SAL #1 - Culinary Cats
Margaret Sherry design - Cross Stitcher issue 222

Remember this little package?

MS Lovers Blog Spring Exchange

Well, it has now arrived at it's destination in Italy so I can now reveal to you the contents....

No, cat wasn't included in the package! He just had to be in the photo!

Contents of the eggs in the basket

Back of the cushion

The design that I stitched was Margaret Sherry's "Make a Wish".  This design was featured in the Cross Stitcher issue 215, August 2009 and was actually the free gift kit.  I have had this sitting in my stash for the last couple of years thinking one day I'll stitch it... and the Spring Exchange was the perfect time to do it!  I stitched little beads in the centre of the flower rather than french knots to add a bit of sparkle!

Once stitched I made it into a small cushion - with hubby's help.  I sewed the front part but I got him to actually make the cushion as he is much better and quicker at cushions than me.  Thank you my dearest clever hubby :o)

The fabric I used was a panel from a range called "Peony Tales" by Betty Wang.  The main panel we used on the back and the side bars trimmed the front of the cushion.  It is so pretty and I still have about 1/2 of the fat quarter left - bonus!

So that's my latest stitching update for this week, however I do have something else to show you.  While playing on my blog today and going through my finishes I noticed that I hadn't shown you two finishes from last year and early this year.  How did I not do that.... no idea at all!!

So here they are!

Back in December I posted about the the MS Blog Lovers Christmas Exchange and I promised to reveal what I sent to my partner... but for some reason I forgot to post about it here after posting on the MS Lovers Blog.....  I found my design in the "Best of  Margaret Sherry" bookazine and then did a 3D image to complement the stitching.  Actually the truth be known I saw the image first that I wanted to do as a 3D card and then looked in the book for a matching design.  The 3D image came from the Margaret Sherry "Snow much Fun" CD that was a freebie with a craft magazine.  (I only bought the magazine for the CD!!)

Both images were then layered onto a Christmas candy stripe paper and placed onto a gold card which I had already covered with a vintage Christmas paper.  The label also came from the CD collection.  The final step was to add some lovely shiny red rub-ons which I put in the bottom corner.

 MS Lovers Blog Exchange Christmas 2011 card for Nia

Now for the other finish that I forgot to show you!  This was a freebie that came with one of my magazines and I stitched this in January.  It is a little Christmas card designed by Joan Elliott.  So cute.. and just what I needed to stitch one weekend as a fill in.  Can't believe that I didn't tell you all about it though!!

Joan Elliott Christmas Card - Cross Stitch Card Shop

After a marathon posting effort I think you are now all up to date with my stitching exploits!  I am now stitching another small Margaret Sherry design that came as a freebie with the last Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine and then I will be starting my second kitty for the MS Blog Lovers SAL #3.  Hopefully I will remember to show them to you when they're finished!!

I will now say bye bye and sign off.  I hope that you all have had a safe and happy Easter.

Til next time, happy stitching.

Liebster Award

Hello!  Guess what?  I have been nominated for the Liebster Award - not once but twice!

I have been meaning all week to post about my nomination by Mary Joan (Mary Joan Stitching) for the award but just didn't manage to find the time until today.... and now I have had an email from Threadbear (Once Upon a Cross Stitch) to say that she has also nominated my blog for the Award!

Thank you both so much for the nomination and for the lovely words that you have written about my blog.  It is lovely to know that people enjoy reading what I post, even if I haven't been posting very much over the last couple of months - I am still here and it's great to know that people are still reading my ramblings!  Thank you :o)

So what is the Liebster Award?

If you aren't familiar with the Liebster, which means 'favourite' in German, it is a way for bloggers to help each other out by spreading the word about their blogs.  As part of the Liebster tradition it is passed along to 5 bloggers that have motivated and inspired you.  To accept the award you must -
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.
2. Post the award to your blog. 
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value. 
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.
5. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you. 

I have been thinking about the 5 blogs that I wish to nominate and this isn't as easy as it sounds.  To choose only 5 out of all of the blogs that I read/follow is difficult, but is made easier by that fact that the blog has to have less than 200 followers.  So here goes....

1. Mark's Quilts - ok, this one is actually hubby's quilting blog but I am still nominating this blog.  Hubby starting blogging before me and if he hadn't started to blog then I probably wouldn't have either!  I know that hubby doesn't often update his blog but when he does he has the loveliest of quilts and cushions to show.  Unfortunately life often gets in the way of his quilting but when he does get some quilting done it is lovely to behold.

2. Lumivalko ja Ruusunpuna - Maija has a beautiful blog.  While she writes in her own language for the most part she does gives us a translation of what she has written about, but often you don't need the words as her lovely pictures tell the story!

3. Kitten Stitching - Kaye's blog is a delight to read.  She is currently on holidays in the USA and I have really enjoyed reading her travel diary while she has been away.

4. Fee le point - Valerie (Valma) is a new addition to my reading.  We "met" via the MS Lovers Blog and Nia's blog a couple of months ago.  Valerie won the Christmas competition that Nia was running and she sent me part of the prize - a lovely snowglobe because I love snowglobes!  I just adore all the clever ideas that Valerie has for finishing her stitching.

5. Stitches and Cats, Oh My - Robin has a lovely blog.  I love seeing her gorgeous stitching and the pics of her cats.... well how can I go past a blog that has cats :o)

Ok, so that's five blogs nominated as per the award instructions, however I would like to now nominate every blog on my reading list!  The stitching that I see on all the blogs I read is so amazing.  Some of the designs that other stitchers do are mind blogging and I can only dream of being a stitcher in their league, and the speed of some of you is unbelievable!  I also follow a number of quilting blogs and other types of craft, as I find that inspiration can come from all sorts of places and I do get inspired by all the blogs that I read in one way or another!

Now part 2 of the Award instructions is to tell you 5 things about myself - so where do I start?

1. I love English TV shows - murder mysteries (old and new), period dramas, comedies - I could just keep on going but I must think of something else to tell you!

2. I love food but pasta is my favourite - oh and so are desserts, and pastries and cream and jam donuts!

3. I love thunderstorms.  Lightning is just the best skyshow!

4. I adore watching movies with those wonderful old style actors and actresses - Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Clark Cable, Humphrey Bogart - but my all time favourite is Katherine Hepburn.

5. One of my all time favourite books is "These Old Shades" by Georgetta Heyer.  I love reading and read lots of different genres - mystery, historical novels, science fiction and fanstasy, the odd chick lit., even the occasional autobiography..  "These Old Shades" is probably the first "grown up" book that I read when I stopped reading Nancy Drew and the Chalet School books!  I have re-read this book many times since.  Don't ask me why but I just love reading it!

So that's it girls and boys!  A little bit more about me...

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Till next time, happy stitching

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

The IHSW that wasn't.....

Hello again!  Yes, it is little old me back again.  I have been a little bit MIA lately, haven't I?  See how life just seems to get in the way of all the fun things like blogging and stitching!?!

It has been over 2 weeks since my last blog.... and the only way I am actually getting time to blog today is because I am at home from work as I am not feeling very well.  Nothing too bad wrong with me, just a general overall tiredness, headache and yicky tummy.   But it does mean that I can get on to the laptop and do some blogging.... after I have attended to my work emails of course!

So here I am typing a much belated stitching update while watching "He Knew He Was Right" and getting itchy fingers to finish my little Autumn kitty.

So without further ado here is my stitching update!

Last weekend was the IHSW but unfortunately I forgot to sign up for it... which probably doesn't really matter anyway given that I didn't get an awful lot of stitching done over the weekend!  But I did manage to "finish" my piece for the Margaret Sherry Lovers Blog Spring Exchange.

Sorry you're not allowed to see it yet.... but I can show you the box that is currently winging it's way over to Italy.

Package on it's way to Italy

Once the package arrives at it's destination I will post a pic of what I made and sent....

But I can show you a picture of the finished kitty card that I sent over to the UK last week for the Craftbubble "Crazy for Kitties" Birthday Exchange.

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

As regular followers will know this is the second kitty from the series that I have stitched for the Craftbubble Birthday Exchange.  They are such delightful designs to stitch and I may very well stitch the other 2 for the upcoming birthdays in May and June.  The papers that I used to make the card were in my stash but I can't remember which magazine exactly they came from.  The paper had brown flowers on it which I thought would frame the stitching nicely.  I then added some shiny bling to the centre of the flowers to give them a wee bit of shine!

Now I was going to give you an update on the MS Lovers Blog SAL #3, but as I am nearly finished the backstitch on Autumn Kitty I think I will wait until the next post to show you the finished product.  Gives me a reason to do another post this week!!

On Saturday Hubby and I decided to go craft shopping.... and that of course means spending $$ on more stash!  I was looking for some material for my Autumn Kitty and for something that can't be mentioned just yet.... but I also found some other bits and pieces which I will show you shortly.

Hubby was on a mission to get some backing fabric for the two quilts that he has been doing over the last couple of months.  So on Saturday morning we packed up the car and grabbed a water bottle and a cut lunch... well not exactly!  But from where we live and where we were going it is about an hour's drive... but the shops are well worth the trip! 

The first place we went to was Carol's of Midland.  The fabric selection was fantastic and I could have spent all day in there playing with the fabric and notions!  Hubby found a wonderful range of William Morris fabrics which are on the stash wish list!  I found the perfect fabric for my not to be mentioned Spring Exchange!

The second fabric shop that we went to was Handcrafters House.  This shop also has a wonderful range of fabrics and bits and pieces.  This was where I found the perfect piece of fabric for my Autumn Kitty.  Hubby also found the backing fabric that he was after so both of us had ticks in boxes!

Now after all that spending it was time for morning tea.  We found a lovely tea shop in Guildford called "Maddison Cottage".  This delightful tea shop is set up in a little cottage and is also a shabby chic gift shop.  All the sweet treats are made in store and they even have gluten free options.  Hubby and I shared a piece of the scrummy apricot and sour cream tart.  We so should have had a piece each!!!

So after being re-energised we then made our way over to Armadale and went to visit Colours Down Under.  Now this is a shop that I can truly get lost in.... all the charts, the threads, the notions.... oh heaven!  So what did I buy to add to my stash?

Cute little pins, thread winder and Thread Heaven



Fat Quarters of fabric to add to the stash.... my stash not Hubby's!
Although I am quite happy to share.. ;o)

 The Halloween pins and the thread winder are from Just Nan.  Aren't they just gorgeous.  The "Colours Down Under" beaded needles are just the thing to use to count stitches on big projects or just to have sitting in a pin cushion!  I also bought a little tiny box of wonder - Thread Heaven.  Now I have read about this marvel but never seen it to buy until now.... Will have to give it a go soon and see just what all the fuss is about!

So that was Saturday!  Sunday was spent finishing my Spring Exchange piece with the help of my wonderful husband.... his machine sewing skills are way better than mine.

I guess that's about it for now!  Time to say good bye and to leave you with an Oscar and Felix update!  Felix loves anything that is in a plastic bag... including threads.  Oscar loves getting on the cupboard lying on tea towels or anything else that may be on the cupboard!

Felix the Thread Snatcher

Oscar the veggie gardener
Home grown apples and zucchini

My next post will hopefully be just in time for the March TUSAL update on 22 March (or thereabouts!).  My ORT's jar is filling up nicely so at least there will be something in the jar to show this time!!

Till next time, happy stitching