Thursday 30 April 2009

This package is on its way

Today I paid a visit to the Post Office and mailed this pretty package -well I managed to cover it with brown paper, airmail stickers, customs form and stamps! Once it arrives at the home of the birthday girl I will show you photos of the inside!

And a gentle nudge to all my readers - do go visit Edgar's blog. He is having a draw for the book that has Lo A Rose sampler but you need to check out his movie commentaries too. His blog is the first one I read everyday - how's that for a recommendation!

Wednesday 29 April 2009

An update on Anne

I'm now on page three of my Anne of Green Gables - the sampler that is destined to become a book. While stitching I wonder what I would have chosen out of the book to fit the letters that don't have a picture. 'K' would definitely have been Kindred Spirit - isn't that what Anne always passionately declared Diana to be. But I was satisfied that 'I' was for Ipecac and I remembered Anne's extraordinary self-satisfied explanation of how she used this to cure croup. And surely 'J' could have been Josie Pye?But the 'L' for Lovers Lane is great. Gilbert at last makes an appearance. I mean 'G' had to be Green Gables but where did that leave the love of Anne's life - I was pleased to get to 'L' and satisfy my romantic soul.
Tonight I have no time for stitching so the rest of the letters will come later. Watch this space.

Saturday 25 April 2009

Today has been a profitable day!

Tomorrow is our turn on morning tea at church so I have been baking. Here's a couple of shots of some of the biscuits. I also have a caramel shortcake made and will do a loaf of bread into asparagus rolls. Then because I am so very kind and irresponsible ( ha ha) I will take jelly beans and marshmallows for the children - their mothers will just have to make sure they clean their teeth properly!!

But it hasn't been all cooking - I finished off page one of the Anne Book. This is such fun - have you read the book? At B I remembered Anne's imaginative and totally false confession to Marilla in order to ensure that her punishment for the loss of the amethyst brooch didn't cause Matthew any more heartache. At C I laughed aloud thinking of the 'cordial incident" and Marilla's horror at the resulting drunkenness. Then of course D had to be for Diana her bosom friend! Oh my I am really really enjoying this stitch and almost regretting having given my copy of the book to my nieces some years ago as I feel I'd like to read it again. Still perhaps they love it as much as I.
I am now on G which of course is .... yes! Green Gables - but no photo of that page yet.

I finished off two exchanges and packed a surprise birthday gift which will fly away over the seas on Monday. But no photos of those either - wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

Friday 24 April 2009

A confession and some photos

Last night I said that I would start the apple blossom for my Anne of Green Gables book. Well I freely fess up I didn't - instead I found the sampler chart and started that. Here's a badly lit snapshot. This is an Alphabet sampler and of course it has to start with "Anne with an e"! I am loving this stitch as much as I loved the book.The floss is actually DMC 500 so is a lovely dark "Anne Green". Hopefully some daylight over the weekend will produce a better shot.

And today I took some shots of my morning - it was a hard one today being the last of the working week. That dratted clock it always wakes me too soon!
Breakfast. It's autumn now so Rolled Oats season Lunch ready to take. The wee Hello Kitty container has almonds for the late afternoon munchies!Today is Anzac Day when fallen servicemen are remembered - particularly the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (=ANZAC!) who fell in the singularly disastrous battle at Gallipoli. In a symbol of the red poppies that grow wild in the war cemetries in France, these artificial poppies are sold each year here to raise extra funds for the returned servicemen.
So I wore my poppy in remembrance.

Good morning from my computer and the beginning of another busy day. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Thursday 23 April 2009

Tonight - a new start

Tonight I plan to start on a piece for our Embroiderers Guild exhibition in August.

I want to make a small stitched book about Anne of Green Gables -Last year was the centenary of the red headed Anne and I found a sampler -forget where now- and had several other ideas so look forward to starting.

The first page I shall do although it may not be the first page of the finished book will be to embellish a printed photograph of Anne's favourite apple blossom. I took a photograph of some blossom, ironed some calico carefully on to waxed freezer paper, cut that accurately to A4 size and printed off the photograph from the computer directly on to the fabric. Once the paper is peeled off preparations are complete. Now it needs some stitching, some beads and some general titivating.

Also I need to mention that Valerie at Fog City is having a 4 year blogaversay. What an achievement to reach that milestone. Congratulations Valerie.

Tuesday 21 April 2009

The green chicken is in its new home

Today my friend Yuko in Asahikawa emailed me a photo of the chicken which has gone to live at her house. Green Chook lives on the shelf in front of the sampler I did for her as a house warming in 2001!!! Yuko might live in Japan but she actually has a "Sweden House" and is thoroughly international so the chicken has a good home.
I am working on a couple of exchanges but tonight plan to start something new. One thing I want to do is a basket band for a couple of lovely woven wood American Traditions baskets I had sent from the States a couple of years ago. I'd love to do a Quaker Band - does anyone have a chart for such a thing. I'd love to borrow, do a swap or some such so please let me know.

Sunday 19 April 2009

Link to a giveaway


Have you ever seen such an exqusite charm? If you go to Alicja's blog and leave a comment you can be in the draw to win this. Its amazing! Go for it.

Monday 13 April 2009

Mother's stockpile!

I can't show off any of my stitching at the moment although I am itching to do so. Its for an exchange and a snap here would hardly be fair at this point. So instead here's a blog with a difference.
Every year my Mother knits cardigans and sweaters for small children and takes the stockpile to the local Hospice Shop where they decorate their window and sell them for a good price. Isn't that a pleasurable way to make a donation!! The cut off point is usually Easter so this time the colourful jumble looks like this. My favourite didn't photgraph well but I'm sure most children would feel cheerful and warm in this rainbow!

Saturday 11 April 2009

New Stash!

Wallet cooperated and I had a most enjoyable visit to The Embroiderer. This is one of the needlework stores in Auckland but as it's a journey across the Harbour Bridge I don't often visit. They are well stocked though and it is difficult to resist temptation when actually in the shop. I noticed this morning a pair of Sajou "Eiffel Tower" scissors priced at a mere $120 - I can't think that there are too many obsessed embroiderers who would be prepared to pay that much in this current recession!!

Here's a shot of today's stash and hopefully in a week or two you will see this stitched up. I have signed up for a couple of exchanges so will be a busy stitcher for the next little while. The second shot is the floss drop for the other exchange. I rather like these colours and am looking forward to seeing this rainbow transferred to the fabric. Have a great weekend everybody.

Friday 10 April 2009

The Green Chicken!!

Finished! And I am happy with this one but wonder will she lay green eggs? Nope! Chocolate ones will accompany this happy chicken to its new home. Hopefully the recipient will take a photograph and send me so I can show you her new home. Meanwhile as it is public holidays here she will stay at my house until the post office opens again.

Wallet and I have been having a chat. She really is most uncooperative so placed in a hard place she was given the "softening up lecture"Me: Tomorrow you and I will visit "The Embroiderer" and I require complete obedience!
Wallet: I thought you weren't going to add to your stash.
Me: This visit is for necessities not for stash enhancement. Remember I am the boss!
Wallet: I haven't been fed much lately and am positively anorexic - I won't have the energy for a trip to the LNS.
Me: Nonsense. Nothing is required of you but to open your mouth when requested. Lets practice now. I say open and you don't squeal. Simple right?
We shall see!

Monday 6 April 2009

An update on the green chicken and the final piece of framing.

The green Quaker Chicken Pin Cushion is coming along. The Needle Necessities thread makes this an interesting stitch and yesterday I got the beads for the comb and the waddle as I intend to finish this over the coming long weekend. This chicken is making a journey to an as yet unsuspecting friend and the chicken coop - oops box! - is all prepared and the local supermarket has provided some chocolate eggs to accompany this unusual chook!
The third piece I had framed is to go in an embroidery exhibition later this year and after that will hang on my wall - yes I have to confess that I don't give away all my needlework although there is a fair amount spread among friends and relatives around the world. I took a close up shot too that shows the dandelion tufts which denote the hours. Installing the clock mechanism was a challenge for the framer but she was delighted with the result - as am I!

Sunday 5 April 2009

A surprise from the mailman and another piece framed


The mailman kindly brought me this amazing Easter postcard from Finland. Taija whom I met through the Crazy Exchange sent it to me. Isn't it great!!! I just love the colours and the rosy cheeks of the ladies - and their mittens. It must be still cold at Easter time in Finland - we are having warm and golden Autumn days here :-)
Also the second piece I had framed "Quaker Faith Hope and Love". This was a really relaxing piece to stitch and I am so delighted with the framing. Can you see in the closeup shot how the framer covered the spacer with the same fabric. She pays such attention to detail and I am always more than satisfied with the results. This piece hangs in the hallway of my apartment - I hope to add to the sampler wall and to enjoy them always instead of having them languish in the drawer!

Saturday 4 April 2009

Today I collected my framed pieces

Today was a beautifully fine and golden Autumn day so Mother and I took a trip to Hamilton (around 1 hours drive from where I live) and after some shopping for new winter clothes for my new job (!) we went to the picture framer to collect my three pieces. Here's the first. The Suzanne Sampler from Wiehenberg Samplers. I used 28 count confederate grey linen and Weeks Dye Works Deep Sea colour overdyed thread. This photo was taken at night and I am hoping for a fine and sunny autumn day tomorrow to take a better shot but at least you can see. Being totally useless at choosing frames I bowed to the superior wisdom and experience of Sarah the framer and am really pleased with this. It is basically blue black but with a slightly pewter patina so suits the blue of the embroidery well. This piece hangs above my bed where I can enjoy it daily.

I shall show you the other pieces tomorrow as its getting late and I need to put some more stitches in to a green Quaker Chicken Pin Cushion!!!!

Thursday 2 April 2009

A date with Eliza Dolittle

Last Saturday I went to a production of My Fair Lady which was great. The last time I had been to the show was the night after my last exam at University - nearly 35 years ago! But the catchy tunes and the elaborate costumes have lived in my memory ever since and this production lived up to expectations. Eliza was wonderful and Professor Higgins most suitably academic and proper. This is a shot of the photograph that was on the ticket.

The green Quaker Chicken pincushion is almost half stitched now and I'm starting to dream of what I shall do next. We have a four day weekend April 10 - April 13 for Easter and my LNS is open on the Saturday - so three guesses where I will be going. Today the boss at work gave me totally spontaneous review and a surprise increase in salary - after only three weeks on the job! So before going to my LNS I will be brainwashing wallet and ensuring her full cooperation!!