Friday, June 23, 2006

Off on my travels

Thanks to everyone for the lovely comments on Trick or treat. I am pretty critical of my stitching sometimes but I can assure you all that the seams on the base of the box are a bit wonky. But its the base and no one will see it.
I've got an early start tomorrow but I really don't mind because I"m off to a stitchers GTG this weekend. Two stitchers, Belinda from the US and Angela from Australia, are visiting our shores just now and Karoline is hosting a GTG this weekend so we can all meet up. I'm combining it with a few days away in Yorkshire and visiting Leeds and York.
The suitcase is almost packed and I've got a few stitchy things still to pack, I'm hoping to get a bit of stitching progress while I'm away so I should have a few pictures to share on my return.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Holiday mode

I'm in holiday mode this week as I'm off on holiday. One of the advantages of working for the NHS is that the holidays are good so with all my public holidays added on to my annual leave, I have 8 weeks in total. With the nights getting lighter here too, it feels like summer is here except for the fact that we had a gale and rain all day today.
I have no particular plans this week apart from a GTG at Karolines this weekend in honour of Belinda visiting the UK. I'm really looking forward to it. Other than that, I'm trying to get some finishing done. My to be finishing pile is, as I have mentioned, is getting huge.
So here is the first result of this - Trick or treat box by Just Nan.





The finishing instructions were good but it was a very fiddly finish. I'm not 100% happy with some of the seams but I've got them as good as I can get them so it will have to do.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Some answers...

2 posts in two days. I think the hot weather is affecting my brain. I got to work this morning to find the heating on.. Thankfully after a quick call to the works department, it got switched off. I can't imagine why it would be on. It was 28 degrees yesterday.


I got a few questions in the comments for my last post so I thought I should answer them.

First off, to the other Paula. The Taj Mahal design is by Chatelaine designs and you can buy the chart and materials at http://www.europeanxs.com/mandalas2.html#039 I'm a big Chatelaine design fan and European cross stitch has so many lovely designs. I accept no resonsibility for any additions to your stash that the link will cause.

Secondly for Debbie in San Diego, there used to a company called Gamrie Classic who did a kilted wedding sampler design but they went out of business last year to retire. I have found a Gordon tartan design at http://www.mearnscraft.co.uk/catnmacpherson/mactartan1.htm# I hope that helps.

And finally Jenna, Spooky night is a flat fold. Its my second attempt at making something into a flat fold and I find it reasonably easy to do. Its also cheaper and easier to store than loads of framed stuff. I only have so much room. The Purple box is actually a box canvas which I decorated with some oil pastels. I couldn't think how to display this needlepoint piece so I had a little play with some pastels and the canvas.

Anyway its nearly time for bed here. I've got a busy day at work tomorrow. I hope that helps.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

28 degrees..

I think summer has arrived. Its 28 degrees Celsius here and its been that or slightly cooler for the past week. And no rain either. I am enjoying the lovely weather except at 2 am this morning when I couldn't sleep because it was so warm. For those who don't live here or have never visited, Britain isn't really an air conditioning country mainly because it isn't usually warm enough to need it lol. So at 2 am, I decided to stitch for a bit until it cooled down. I've got to work the next couple of days so I'm hoping its a bit cooler tonight

Recently I've been trying to make an effort to get my to be finish/framed pile down a little. With the trip to the US in September, I'm trying hard not to buy stash too so I'm trying to stitch from stash also. I"ve come to realise that I have far too much stuff waiting to be stitched and its not really very finanically sensible.
So first off some finishing photographs - Shepherds Bush Spooky time and an Orna Willis needlepoint design.



I've also finished a couple of things Meadow Hill by Shepherds bush and May's Essy friends piece which was designed by Drawn thread.



I'm off to watch Doctor Who now and try to cool down a bit.