An Update

I've mainly been stitching my Christmas Ornament for my exchange with my Xers group so I can't show that however I have rotated between two other projects as well - The Tropical Vacation Window and the Welcome Sign. I'm pretty close to finishing the welcome sign and I'm hoping to doa couple of "Teacher" ornaments before Dec 7!

And What I found in my Letterbox today!

Thank-you so much Gail. It is absolutely beautiful!

My First Biscornu Attempt

Now that it has been delivered safely to its new owner I can put in pics of my first biscornu. It certainly helped to while away some time while I was in hospital in October.

A Small Christmas Finish

I finished the Christmas Ornament for my niece on the night before last. Now I have to decide what else to add to my rotation!

I Am Still Stitching

But there's not too much to show for it at the moment because I've been back in hospital for three weeks without my digital camera. I've finished a biscornu I'm doing for an exchange but it can't be photographed for surprise reasons.
On the Tropical Vacation Window I've hit the waterline which is significant, my Christmas Ornament for my niece is being backstitched and I'm well into the bottom row of thongs on my welcome sign.
So the next time I'm at home I promise some photos and some evidence of my progress. In the meantime I'll leave you with a pic of myself with my boys and my niece with the Thomas birthday cake they chose for my birthday. (when I can get a signal strong enough to upload it!)

Land Ho!

I've hit the land on my Tropical Vacation Window and done a lot of the (fiddly) hammock. I'm almost up to the fruit bowl but will be doing more sky/horizon/water before I get to it.

The Work Cover decision is looming, I'm procrastinating about everything so I've been doing a lot of stitching!

Cute Thongs

This project needs some more attention but the ornament is nearly finished so then I'll put more time into this one.

Neice's Christmas Ornament

Almost up to the back stitching then they will both be finished.

Some Progress on the Tropical Vacation Window

I'm past halfway!!!!!

First needlework from resident 4 year old

Here is the first attempt at sewing from the pre-prep class. He was very pleased that he could sew like Mummy!

Christmas Ornament For Niece Started

One Christmas Ornament for Nephew Finished

Some colourful footwear taking shape

I rotate between projects at the moment. I do the Tropical Vactaion Window one day then this Welcome sign then another day of TPV then the Christmas Ornament.

Tropical Vacation Window

People kept looking at my chart in hospital which I colour in as I go and telling me I was nearly finished. Nup, Just nearly to halfway because there are two charts.

Noah is Framed and on the wall

I was just a day too late to have it included in the annual Art and Craft show at the hospital holds each year. It would have been ready on time but we just din't get it back from the framer's on the previous weekend.

So, dh who had already been to the hospital for an 8:00am meeting with myself and my case manager came back to the hospital on the same day at 7:00pm with both boys and they proudly marched in with it. I took it up to the Art Show and it was put on display but wasn't eligible for any prizes etc because the judging had already been held. It was nice though to have so many people comment on my work over the course of the week I've never had anything displayed in "public" before.

While I'm out of action

I've been doing lots of work on this - my Tropical Vacation Window. And because I'm in hospital I get asked copious questions about it every day.

Stitching in Hospital

I had a breakdown of sorts on Friday and have been hospitalised for an indefinite period with severe anxiety and depression. I think it all amounts to me looking after everyone else and not looking after me. I have my cross stitching with me and have been doing a hell of a lot of it. It's helping because it's about the only aspect of my life I have any control over. I'm rotating through my Tropical Vacation Window, my Welcome Sign and the Christmas Decoration for my nephew which is almost finished. I'm also going to keep blogging and e-mailing.
Life in general is very stressful because it's unclear as to whether I'll be able to work for a while and I have no sick leave left and only 16 days (approx) of long service leave so we're looking down the barrel of not having my income which is the main household income.
This hasn't been a very cheerful post but I thought I'd let people know what was happening.

Starting to "pop"

I'm on the home straight with this one now as I'm doing the back stitching so the design is starting to pop out at me. I'm quite pleased with it and looking forward to doing the other one for my neice.

Some Progress on Tropical Vacation Window

This one is starting to come alive for me now and I'm really into it and neglecting my other UFOs a bit. But life has settled down somewhat after a couple of horrific weeks and I should get regular stitching in again now.

A Very Small Start

It's a little bit of a thong which isn't what the Americans call a certain type of underwear but a type of sandal for wearing around in the Australian summer and it's part of my welcome sign that will eventually havea home somewhere near the back door of our house. Our back door is currently used as our main door because we have always used it that way and at the moment the house has shifted because of the drought and we can't actually open our front door at all!

It's very small but it will be my project for tonight.

But wait, There's more!

This my first Mirabilia pattern and I'm a bit worried! She's the Dreaming Fairy

Under E's Instructions

E (at age 6.5) is showing some appreciation of bible stories and now that I've finished Noah's Ark he said I needed to do Jospeh and Mary and Baby Jesus. So I obliged him by getting this kit which will be done on black aida - a first for me. I also got a second Christmas stocking. Do not ask which Christmas you should expect to see these finished.

For the Toilet!

I've never done a stamped cross stitch before but as the mother of two boys this was irresistable! Boys were most intrigued to see a cross stitch that included a bottom!

(The wording is "Please aim to please!")

My Show and Tell

These were made at a workshop conducted by The Lace Place which is actually at Milton in Brisbane. The "shoe" is a pincushion with mini "hatpins" all done with bead topped pins with extra decoartive beads. The little bag is thimble holder with beaded handle and embellishments. All very easy and quick - these took me about 40 minutes in all. And they have so many great ideas for things to do with doileys apart from putting them under vases!

Stash, Stash and more Stash - A Day at the Stitches and Craft Show

I think I could sit and stitch now for months on end because I've bought so many lovely goodies and thanks to the workshop that I did with Needlecraft Mailbox, I've learnt more about cross stitching in one hour than I have in last 5 years. But that wouldn't be hard seeing as how till today I was entirely self taught. First photos are of my "Tropical Vacation Window" before and after with my new Q-Snap extensions. I can reach the entire width of the piece now if I want to.

Tropical Vacation Window April 29

I'm loving this one and have done quite a bit on it. I expect to be hitting the blue sky part of it this week in between working on the shutters. Work and home duties are really getting in the way of cross stitching at the moment.

Have been neglecting this one bit

This is the ornament I'm doing on plastic canvas for my nephew Royce but I am so loving my other WIP - "Tropical Vacation Window" that it has been a bit neglected. I took it with me to the Train Museum today and stitched away while the boys played on the "Nipper's Railway" (which is the best railway playground you have EVER seen!).

I'm sorry about the sideways pic!

Tropical Vacation Window April 10

I'm steaming along with this and haven't worked on anything else this week. But I'm planning a bus trip to shopping centre with boys this afternoon so I might take my Christmas decoration along. It will be more interesting once I get past the top of the window - I'm a bit sick of light beige brown!

Tropical Vacation Window

This is my next large project and now that I've got to the top of the design and done the top edge of it I'm steaming along because there's a lot less counting to do. I'm hoping to get to the tops of both shutters tonight with an hour or two in front of TV. I'm loving the Q-Snaps with it but could use the extension bars as I like to stitch the long rows right across when I can. I guess it might be better with the stretcher bars but I find it hard to hold onto for an extended amount of time. I don't always leave the back stitching till last but I'm going to with this one as I don't think the Q-Snaps are too good being put on back stitching more than once. I've included pictures of the kit label and my progress to date. I started it on March 17. My photography tonight wasn;t the best bu I promise I'll do better next time.

I'll post with my progress on the Christmas Ornament in the next few days.

Here's Proof

I am stitching and stitching because I can't do much else and it's driving me crazy! More later but E (aged 6.5) took this photo this afternoon so I thought I'd put it in to show where I've been spending my time.

While I've been out of action

While I've been out of action with recovery from gall bladder surgery and then even more out of action this week - back in hospital with pleurisy, I've been able to start and make a fair bit of progress on this Christmas Boot ornament on plastic canvas for my nephew Royce. It was a nice little project that fitted ina small plastic bag and I find I can go really quickly on the plastic canvas as it is so easy to hold. There isn't too much actual counting involved so while I was under the influence of a few different drugs I could still manage to work on it.

With my enforced period of rest over the next few weeks I reckon I stand a Pretty good chance of getting the thing finished.

I have been stitching

But I'm back in hospital again having been ordered back to Emergency on Monday night with a suspected blood clot on the lung. It turned out that I "only" have pleurisy but that has proved to be serious enough. Anything that compromises your breathing is very inconvenient! I've been kept in hospital on IV antibiotics and bed rest but I've got the go-ahead to go home tomorrow.
I've been working on a Christmas ornament on plastic canvas which has been great because it's easy to hang on to in bed.
Judging by this afternoon's effort - when I was exhausted and having lots of pain after a trip to the hospital coffee shop I won't be doing too much when I get home anyway so I might get to finish the thing!

A BIG Finish

Noah's Ark is done as of about 30 minutes ago. I finished the lettering and "signed" it this afternoon. I'm very happy with the result and am looking for

ward to having it framed - when I save up enough money.

And a Little Boy Paints

Even more random colours here but lots of them and a lot more thna what big brother would have done at the same age.

Paint Your Own Money Box

E (aged 6.5) has been really enjoying this even though the colours are a bit random to say the least.

The Good News and the Bad News

The bad news is that I hate doing them and there were heaps in my Noah's Ark project. Mental note - do them as I come across them next time! Anyway the good news is that they are all done, plus lazy daisies plus 9 out of about 12 brass charms.

I've got three charms and some lettering to finish tomorrow. I'm thinking about 2 hours work at most. It's very exciting!

Up My Sleeve - Part 2

This is one of the Christmas stocking kits I have for my own boys and I'm bit nervous that I can't find the other one at the moment!

Up My Sleeve

There is undoubtedly some cross stitch jargon out there for Projects that haven't been started yet but when I was labelling my photos before I just put "UMS" for projects that I still have "Up My Sleeve". I have previously stuck to some very strict rules about never starting a project while another is in progress but I'm seriously considering starting one of these smaller projects so that I can take it with me for "waiting" type situations. I often find myself in a doctor's waiting room wishing I had something craftly with me instead of flicking through magazines with the same stories about the same celebrities. In fact I've found myself in doctor's waiting rooms far too often lately so it would be great for it to become a more productive time.

These are a couple of Christmas ornaments that I think I'll do for my niece and nephew. I did a similar one for SIL a couple of years ago and it was very well received. These would be good for taking on the road I think.

Noah's Ark - Progress - As of March 17

I've put in two pictures here - one showing my work held by the Q-Snaps and another of the whole piece so far. The oatmeal aida was tricky to locate but then a craft shop at Indooroopilly ordered in the exact fabric I wanted and then sold me a piece in exactly the dimensions I needed even though I was very happy to pay for a metre of the stuff. With the "natural" colours it looks really good I think and I'm looking forward to eventually getting it into a frame although I've got no idea what colour mat I'd put with it (suggestions welcome!)

Easter Paper Bags Part 4

These are my favourites although I couldn't make more because of the lack of foam letters. E doesn't like them as much because "they don't have mouths" but I think they are pretty funky in their foamie boots. I've had a bit of a spend up at the Art and Craft shop and have bought some noodle boxes as well which I'm going to keep for our family celebration of Easter. We've got plenty of feathers and eyes etc to do something cute on them and I bought of bulk pack of foam pieces a few weeks ago that I think will prove to be very valuable.

D was very happy with his work but I'm going to have to let them loose to do their own bags at some other time because they didn't always enjoy following my instructions.

Easter Paper Bags Part 3

The ones with letters provided a bit of a literacy learning opportunity. Here E sorts out foam letters to spell "HAPPY EASTER". They felt very important being special helpers.

Easter Paper Bags Part 2

I'm not too sure about the Bunny Bags but we're quite pleased with our Easter Chicks. I drew the feet for those and the boys did the rest with careful instructions from me.

Easter Paper Bags Part 1

First we cut some polystyrene eggs in half and painted them. Then we decorated them in a variety of ways to make bags which can be used for prizes in our school's Easter raffle in a few weeks. More pics coming!