The postman has been twice!

It's not very often that I get pressie's in the mail but this week I got 2....

The first one was from a friend that I met through Craft Bubble.  Maribeth lives in New York and she sent me a really gorgeous bookmark that she stitched along with a fabulous kitty Christmas card.  Maribeth also included a picture of her cat Cuddles checking out the Christmas card that I sent her!!  The bookmark is currently sitting in pride of place on the desk in the lounge room so that everyone can see it.  It's too nice to use - I just want to look at it!


Thank you Maribeth



The second package that I received was from Emily.  She sent me a gift for being her 25th Follower!  This came all the way from Florida.  In the package was a box of chocolates (yummy), a roll of bright red ribbon, Valentine's stickers and some Florida stickers, along with a lovely card.



Thank you Emily

So, what has been happening this week.... I haven't been doing much blogging so I must have been doing something else - right?!

Right!  I have been busily stitching my Valentine's exchange so that I can get the package in the mail early to ensure that it will arrive in time for Valentine's Day.

And I am very pleased to announce that it's finished!!! YES!  And on time!!  The package is all ready to be mailed tomorrow to start it's journey to.... nope you can't trick me into telling you where it's going!  You will just have to wait for 2 weeks - all will be revealed on February 14th!!!

So that makes 4 finishes so far for 2011.... aren't you impressed - I know I am!  My little TUSAL jar is getting nice and full, and is looking very pretty with all the new colours that have been added this month.  Which reminds me I must take a photo of it soon as the New Moon is fast approaching.

So what's next on the stitching list....

1. Start stitching "Wings" for Quilts 4 Kids - due 30 March
2. Start stitching a Margaret Sherry Cat for the Margaret Sherry Lovers SAL - (stitch 3 of the Culinary Cats over the next 3 months to have a final viewing in May)
3. Start stitching "Winnie the Pooh" for Quilts 4 Kids - due 15 April

As the biscornu exchange is probably going to be deferred for a couple of months (or possibly cancelled) I have also requested to sign up for another Quilts 4 Kids child - hopefully will hear back this week to see if my "monkey" has been accepted.  There is a fifth child I would like to stitch for but I want to see how I get on with "Wings" before I sign up for yet another one....

I have plenty of stitching to get on with over the next couple of months.  I do hope that we don't get too much more of this sticky humid weather as it is not really the best weather to stitch in!

Well, that my news update for another day... see you on 3rd Feb for the TUSAL update

Til then,

Another Finish, Another Start.. I'm on a roll!

I hope you're sitting down.... yep the title says it all!  I have had another finish for 2011....  Bit excited coz I have also managed to turn the gorgeous "purrfect day" kitty into a birthday card and it is ready to be mailed.  So glad it is a public holiday today for Australia Day as it gave me an extra day off to craft....  (That doesn't sound very patriotic, does it?? - oops)

Sorry, but I can't show you a photo of my latest bit of craft handiwork just yet as I need to send if off to the UK.  Once Julie gives me the nod that she has received her birthday card and magnet all will be revealed!  So stay tuned to this Bat "Cat" Channel!

Ok... so that's the birthday card done for the "Crazy for Kitties" birthday exchange, it's now time to get cracking on my next project - a stitched gift/card for Parsley's Valentine's exchange. 

I actually started that on Monday night after I finished the back stitch on the kitty... so this is well in hand.  The gift part of the exchange has been purchased and is just waiting for me to finish the stitching and then I can pop it in the mail to...... (secret destination)


Oscar helping sort threads
Photo has been cropped to hide
what I am stitching!!

As I don't have a stitching photo to show I thought you might like to see a photo of Oscar helping me get started on my latest project! 

Luckily I had my phone on the table otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to take this photo.  Usually what happens is the cats (and Daisy) stop doing what they're doing when you go and get the camera!

I was sorting out my threads on Monday night for the Valentine's stitching and the gorgeous puddy tat decided to plant himself in amongst the threads! 

I was fine with him helping sort threads until he decided that he wanted to hold the skein and help me cut the thread to stitching lengths.... then I had to put the thread under the table in my lap so he couldn't see them!!  I was rather nervous that I would end up poking him in the eye with the scissors....

Well, it is back to the Cricket and more stitching for me...  Have a safe and happy week, and if you are an Aussie, have a safe and happy Australia Day!

The Ashes Bears
They are out today while the ODI is on!

Til next time,

Which Beatrix Potter character are you?

I'm Tom Kitten
Playful, quite cheeky
- slightly on the round side


I've been blog stalking again!  It's amazing what you can find out there in the blog world.... one blog leads onto another and then another....

Anyway, I was visiting a blog and saw another blog with the picture of my favourite Peter Rabbit character (besides Peter himself and all the cats!) - Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.  So I thought I'd wander over and see what was going on.  And what did I find but a link to a quiz to see what Beatrix Potter character I am.  Well, I just had to have a go... and guess what - I'm not Mrs Tiggy-Winkle... no, I'm Tom Kitten!  Quite appropriate given my love of all things kitty!

The wonderful Mrs Tiggy-Winkle
who I would so like to be!

So why not go and visit the Peter Rabbit website and take the quiz to find out "Which Beatrix Potter Character" you are.  Would love to hear what character everyone is.  If you take the quiz there is a little treat at the end.

Til next next time,

Two does go into one!

Well, this is a first - I have had two finishes in one day!  Never before have I managed to do this....  don't think it will ever happen again either!

Firstly, I have finished Thomas the Tank Engine.  I stitched Thomas for the Australian Quilts 4 Kids organisation.  I started him on 27 December 2010 and put in the last bit of the backstitch today.  I even totalled up the hours I took to stitch him - 30 hours all up (give or take 1/2 an hour).  I will now wash and press him and mail him off to the Quilts 4 Kids organiser during the next few days.

This square is due on 28 February, so I am way ahead of schedule so far!  Just as well too as I have quite a bit of stitching to do in the next month....

Thomas the Tank Engine
completed 16 Jan 2011
Design from
Cross Stitcher Magazine (April 2002)

The second finish of the day is a little cat fridge magnet but as it is a birthday exchange gift for someone in the UK I can't show you a photo until it arrives there safely along with the birthday card that I now have to start stitching.  This exchange is due in the UK on 3 February.  Not much time to stitch and send but the card I have chosen shouldn't take long to stitch (I hope!)

Once I have done that exchange, I need to get onto the stitching for the Valentine's exchange that Parsley has organised.  I have my swap person's name but I'm not giving you any hints as to where this exchange is being sent or what I am doing - you will just have to wait until February 14th!

After stitching the Valentine's exchange, I then need to start on another square for Quilts 4 Kids.  This one will be the butterfly design for little Sarah I.  That square is due on 30 March.

Then it will be the Winnie the Pooh square for Alexis W which is due 15 April.

If I get a good head start on these two I might sign up for a fourth square but I suspect that really would be biting off more than I can chew or I should say stitch....

And, I have also signed up to do a Biscornu exchange for the end of February - although I am still waiting to hear if that is going ahead or not.  I have never done a Biscornu so I am quite looking forward to doing this... I hear that they are addictive though!  Oh, well what's another harmeless addiction to add to my other addictions - cross stitch, blogging, cross stitch forums, exchanges... the list goes on!

Of course, I still have to find time to finish off the "Edwardian Country Lady's Diary" that I started in November last year, and I also need to put the needle back into Bonsai and Buddha.  Buddha is feeling very neglected!

As I have mentioned before I always work better with a deadline, and it appears to apply to my stitching as well as my job!  Stitching goals are just as important as any other goals....



Oh, and before I go - have a look at Felix with his "Precious".  This is a little blue toy mouse that he plays with.  He has been walking around the house with this in his mouth over the last couple of days and meowing like he has caught a real mouse!  He then took it outside into their enclosure yesterday morning and wouldn't let Oscar anywhere near it!  My Precious!!  (and yes, he did bring it back inside so that it was safe and sound and no other pussy cats could steal it)

My Precious

Til next time,

It's Saturday, and all is well - or is it?

As I sit here today pondering what to write my heart goes out to the people in Queensland that are going through such a traumatic and heart breaking time.  The power of water is something to marvel at when it is the sea breaking on a sandy beach or a beautiful waterfall, but when it is rain and storms, and swollen creeks and rivers wreaking havoc on the land and people's homes and livelihoods, and lives are being lost (both human and animal) it is something to be very fearful of.

We have been watching over the last few weeks what has been happening in Queensland, and especially over the last few days, and have also seen the floods in our own state of WA in Carnarvon.  There have been devastating floods in NSW as well, and now there are floods in Victoria and heading for SA.  I have also read that Tasmania and the NT have been hit by severe rain as well.  The scale and horror of this disaster in Queensland just seems to keep on growing.  Even now there is more rain expected for the East Coast as well as a cyclone!

The Courier Mail has a series of photos of the Queensland floods which tell a tale of a state torn apart, not just a city.  There have been some amazing stories of survival, but there are so many more stories of heartbreak.  At times the images that we have been watching have been so over-powering that I am struggling to believe what I am seeing.  It is like watching the 2007 disaster movie "Flood" where London was flooded when a tidal surge overwhelms the barrier in the Thames Estuary.

Except what we have been watching this week is real... not Hollywood hype and make-believe and computer graphics!  Mark and I have been to God's Own Country (Queensland) a couple of times now - we have walked along those streets in Brisbane that were flooded and no longer visible 2 days ago, and as the water recedes are now covered in this revolting stinking mess of mud and goodness knows what else!

As I have been reading some of the Aussie blogs that I follow, and the local papers, I have been heartened to see how much the Aussie spirit is flourishing.  Armies of volunteers are heading into Brisbane to begin the mammoth task of cleaning up the city.  Clean ups are also beginning in the other towns and communities that have been flooded.  There are some areas that are still water logged and will be for some time to come.  The road back to normality will be long and hard, and I don't know how many will actually be able to stay the distance.

While blogging I have also seen a number of crafters wanting to do something to raise funds to help the flood victims.  I have listed some links to crafters who are doing something to help raise funds for flood relief.  I am sure that there are many more people out there doing things to help online, these are just the ones that I have seen so far.

Also the Queensland Government has set up a relief fund to raise much needed funds to help out the people of Queensland.

Our hearts and prayers are with all those people around Australia that have been affected by this devastating show of nature's fury.

And while all this is going on in our backyard, there are now devastating floods in Brazil.... Words truly can't describe what we are seeing at home and around the world at the moment, all we can do is pray and help out where we can.

 

Among the Gum Trees
Gum Tree Designs Flood Appeal 2011

  

Carrol Nielsen

Hugs for Queensland 



Retromummy

Quilts for Queensland

Make it Perfect

organising a huge auction
of handmade items

 

Til next time,