OK I give up

Have been slowly working a new stitching project this month as my headaches allow.

Yesterday I had a very relaxing day and stitched on and off almost doubling the size of the stitched area. Discovered late last night I had made an error right back at the beginning of that morning.

Its a symmetrical sampler motif design so yes it needed frogging and restitching.

This afternoon I undertook the mammoth task of frogging the whole area I had stitched yesterday.

Tonight I have attempted to get past the mistake site eight times. EIGHT TIMES I had to frog it again.

I don't know what it is but my brain with these headaches just cannot deal with counting to four.

So I've frogged it one last time and put that project away.  I'll come back to it after I don't need headache painkillers!

Tomorrow night I'll pull out a different project and see if I can work on it instead.

Mel's Change of Year Roundup

Well the 2009/2010 changeover went very well for me :)

 Christmas brought lots of presents and thanks to the mail strikes both international and domestic, the presents keep coming. All gifts listed in the Christmas 2009 folder.

On 28 December a few of us got together for a stitching day at Colours Down Under.  A few of the ladies let me take their pictures here.

At that same event, I finished the 2006 Incircles Christmas Ornament, bringing my stitching finishes total up to 10 for the year.  Double digits is fine by me :) Especially as Vienna Ball took most of my emergy last year what with changing states, changing houses (twice) changing work (twice) etc etc.  My 2009 Finishes folder is here.

After a tiring long day at work and getting very close and personal with some helicopters collecting water for firefighting, I decided to spend New Year's Eve at home. So New Years Day I got a lot of stitching done :)

My new starts in late December 2009 and 1 January 2010:

• Wicked by Lavender Wings
• Hannah Hummingbird's Knot Garden by Liz Turner Diehl
• New York by Vervaco
• Ash by Firewing Designs
• Bunny Battle by Arelate Studios

Since I have returned to work and the reality of finances etc etc the stitching has almost stopped.  I'll have to move house shortly so all of these lovely new starts have been packed away except for Hannah Hummingbird which is on a deadline.

I'll get back to the others when work slows down and the house move has been completed.

So how was everyone else's change of year?

Mel's Sunday Update

Wow a BIG update from me this time!

Presents Out
I have stitched two presents this year.  Both for friends who read my blog so I wont be putting up pictures until after the presents have been opened.

I took both pieces to the Grand Opening of the Colours Down Under bricks and mortar store yesterday and one was snapped up to put on the wall.  I had to apologise and snatch it back to post to my friend.  I think I might be stitching a second copy of that chart up. Pictures of the new store are here.

I have sent out a few non-stitched gifts and a few more Christmas cards to friends, so crossed fingers they all arrive in time.

Other stitching
On Halloween this year Tracy Horner of Inkcircles designs made available the chart, Four in the Bush.  As she suggested here I am stitching this with Carrie's Threads: Soot, Peach, Pina Colada, Dried Sage, and Garnet.

I'm using Carrie's silks! I'm loving these silks! They are the easiest threads I have ever stitched with! They glide through the fabric and no tangles or knots. These are the threads you have dreamed about !!!!  Anyway WIP pictures are here.

Presents In
I have received and opened my first Christmas present this year and by sheer coincidence it is from Tracy!  I purchased Reindeer Games: The Huddle and the Celtic Cat notecards from Tracy last month. When Parcel number 2 finally arrived (parcel number 1 is still lost somewhere) it contained all of these goodies:

• A Beautiful handmade card - stunning!
  
• A "Practice Safe Hex" badge {snicker} Will wear this to work!
  
• A beautiful red and silver heart fob (so beautiful!)
  
• The Inkcircles chart: Smell of Sulfur (my favourite)
• Some gorgeous Carries Threads in *my* sorts of colours: Epiphany, Jewel of the Nile, Wildfire, Thanksgiving, Green and Wild Orchid!
• Inkcircles chart: Mother Maya (which I am tempted to stitch in Wildfire!)
• Inkcircles chart Celtic Beasties: Christmas ... or Knot (one of my all-time favourite charts)
• Inkcircles chart Much Heralded Sampler (which includes all the medieval motifs I adore!)
• And finally some MEL chocolate (90% bitter) It must have been made for me LOL!

Thank you so much Tracy! This is completely unexpected and just like you to be so generous! Thank you so much my friend!

Picture of this treasure trove is here.


Wow lots of things happening. How's everyone else's last couple of weeks been?

Yes I had to include an obligatory photo of Abby!  Trubs was sensibly away from the sun in this near 100oF heat!  Multiply wont let me just upload a pic to a blog entry at the moment, so there's a series of five *action shots* added to Abby's folder.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Christmas 2009

I purchased Reindeer Games: The Huddle and the Celtic Cat notecards from Tracy last month. When Parcel number 2 finally arrived (parcel number 1 is still lost somehwere) it contained all of these goodies!

A Beautiful handmade card, A "Practice Safe Hex" badge
A beautiful red and silver heart fob
The Inkcircles chart: Smell of Sulfur
Some gorgeous Carries Threads in *my* sorts of colours: Epiphany, Jewel of the Nile, Wildfire, Thanksgiving, Green and Wild Orchid!
Inkcircles chart: Mother Maya (which I am tempted to stitch in Wildfire!)
Inkcircles Celtic Beasties: Christmas ... or Knot (one of my all-time favourite charts)
Inkcircles Much Heralded Sampler (which includes all the medieval motifs I adore!)
And finally some MEL chocolate (90% bitter) I can't wait to try it!!!!

Thank you so much Tracy! This is completely unexpected and just like you to be so generous! Thank you so much my friend!

Presents cards etc that are stitching related or from stitching friends for Christmas 2009.

Four in the Bush

Four in the Bush
Inkcircles Designs

Inkcircles Halloween freebie chart. Found here: http://inkcircles.blogspot.com/2009/10/four-in-bush.html

Stitched with Carries silks: Soot, Peach, Pina Colada, Dried Sage, and Garnet.

As suggested here: http://inkcircles.blogspot.com/2009/11/mel-flashes-her-bloomers-in-public.html

Mel's "What day is it?" Update

Well life has had its downs recently and now it has a few ups.

I've landed a part time role at my local library as a skills librarian - a training role.  This is quite different to anything I've been formally hired to do before so I'm actually looking forward to it.  I start on 15 June 2009.  Its only part time and very poorly paid, but any money is better than no money.

I've also been stitching a lot lately.  As the above pic shows, I have two main forms of therapy and I get depressed when I don't pay attention to both of them. 

I have updated my finished album.  I have three pieces finished so far this year and they are all Inkcircles designs.  This is pure serendipity!

I've finished my section on Claire's RR in our private round robin. 

I've finally finished Part 2 of Vienna Ball.  On the day that Part 7 is released!

But I'm making progress and life looks like it might be on the way up.  I even got half of my books unpacked and on the shelves yesterday.  Now just to get the unpacking fairies to unpack while I sleep so I can spend the last remaining week of unemployment stitching.  Unfortunately that is not likely :(

Black Bloomers Finished!

This is the new Black version of Inkcircles Bloomers chart.

Original colour scheme can be seen here.

Finished: 24 May 2009.

I'm very happy with how this came out, but I need to finish removing all the speciality fibre (i.e. cat hair as soon as I unpack my tweezers) .

Also I need a better camera to get a really good photo.  My beloved has offered to take some pics with his camera sometime soon.

Pics in finished album and WIP album.

Hugs
Mel.

Green on black

My favourite colour combo!

And yes I have now stitched all the green on Black Bloomers.

I've taken a break from unpacking and dedicated the last few days to stitching on Black Bloomers. The next update should be of a finish :) :)

In the meantime the unpacking and search for employment continue.  I have another job interview scheduled for tomorrow morning.  And then I MUST spend some time on Claire's RR.

Unhappy stitching news

The lighting at Mr NTB's place is not good enough for me to reliably stitch on black or stitch to a great enough degree of accuracy and uniformity on any other colour.

So Black Bloomers and Claire's Round Robin will be put to one side until we move and I can set up my usual stitching spot.

I hope this doesn't upset too many people - I just really feel embarrassed if I do a shoddy job on either of those projects.

I'll stitch on some of my own projects where uniformity and quality of work is not great :)

I'll hopefully get back to these in a couple of weeks .....

Stitching Update

Well I think I've finally managed to get my camera connected to Mr NTB's computer.  I can't edit or "clean up" the pics in any way so these are just raw photos.  Sorry.

First up is an update to Black Bloomers. 
Apologies for the amount of cat hair.  I don't have my lint brushes with me.  I'm loving the way this one is turning out.

Also update to Vienna Ball.
Yes I have the whole border finished. Finally.  Apparently the amount of teeth gritting and golem like behaviour has been increasing as this part of the project seemed never-ending :yes I will finish my precioussssss".

So - now do I go back to Black Bloomers, start on part 2 of Vienna Ball or start something else I have with me?  Or read a book?

Today's picture is one of the last ones I took of Trubs in the old house.  As you can see there are a number of strategically placed baskets around the room and she sleeps directly on the floor right in the middle of them all.  She's a cat.

Mel's Sunday Update

OK so its Monday and this is actually the first one I've put up for the year - I'm a slacker :)

Finishes:
Well I've only had one finish so far this year and an almost finish. BoInk is finished a scant couple of weeks ahead of the pack and Moscow I'm waiting on replacement threads from Vervaco in Belgium.

Round Robins:
Well the International Round Robin is off to a good start this year.  Mine is now with Laura and I've just finished my part on Kay's.  Kay's was quite fun because its all speciality stitches. Not a standard cross stitch in sight!  Of course I shouldn't have tried to stitch it with a head cold .....

Chatelaine's:
Well thanks to the vagaries of International mail (and an incompetent nincompoop who actually delivers the mail)  I've only received one of my Christmas presents this week.  So Chatelaine Workshop 1 will start at some point in the future even though the actual group is now closed.

I have however started Vienna Ball.  I'm still not 100% happy with my fabric.  But I'm using it anyway.  Part One is the border and I'm less than half way through - but I've got a while to catch up, we're only on Part 4 in the group ....

Black Bloomers:
You've all seen Tracy's pastel masterpiece Bloomers?  Well Tracy has sent me a variation to stitch called Black Bloomers.  I hope to be starting this tonight.

Gifts:
Speaking of International mail, a gift Kay sent back in September 2008 arrived this week!  I had been sent here, never delivered, never found by local postal staff, eventually sent back to the UK, repackaged by Kay and posted to my new Post Box and ta da! it is here. 

I adore the stitched dragon in the frame!  This sits next to my monitor every day!  Surprisingly the chocolate was still edible (urp).  The Socks look so kewl and I adore the Devil keyring :) The cat toy squeaks as well as being filled with catnip and on an extra long elastic.  I can't wait for Trubs to wake up to try this!

After Tracy showed a computer mock-up of Black Bloomers I decided I had to stitch it.  I begged Tracy for the conversion and put in an order for the chart (and the Celtic Ice ornament kit also fell into my basket),

Tracy added the fabric, all the threads and a copy of the Twisted Heart chart to my package.  Isn't she the sweetest!



Stitching wise that's about it from me so far this year - I know I'm a slow stitcher :)  The picture at the top of the screen is a type of pigeon that I'm now getting to my feeder station.  Sorry for the blurriness of the picture its taken through a screen door and a glass door.  The little things are still fearful and fly off as soon as I poke the camera out the door.

OK time for dinner and then to prepare my clothes, resume etc for an agency interview tomorrow morning.

"gorgeous Growth Rings by Ink Circles"

Hmm - catching up on the Violarium blog today I noticed this snippet:

"March/April issue of Just Cross Stitch arrived today! " .... "Then there is a cute St. Patrick's Day design by Prairie Moon, gorgeous Growth Rings by Ink Circles and a cute bunny and lots more!"

Have I been asleep again or has our favorite designer been characteristically humble about a new design ....

Hmmm - when its cool enough to go outside, I'd better go and try and track down a copy of said magazine .........

Mel's Sunday Update

Wow - I think this is the first actual proper Sunday update I've done for the year!

Lets see so far I have one finish which I can't show until late next month.  I have finished the Inkcircles Mystery Book of InkCircles (BoINK).  You can see all the sections that have been officially released so far here.

For those who want to join in, the parts can be found here.

I didn't get to join in the unofficial Chatelaine SAL this month, but I am itching to join in next month!  As soon as my 2009 RR piece is finished and on its way to the next person.  I haven't done much on my RR yet, but photos can be seen here.

The only other piece I have worked on this year is a Vervaco kit called Moscow.  Anyone who remembers "Black Beauty or Something in Red" dresses from last year will recognise this as a similar style.  This kit was a gift from Chele.  Pictures here.

More Vervaco kits can be seen in my temporary Lust List here.

And that's it from me so far this year.  Except to ask the same question I ask every Sunday evening - why do I have to go to work tomorrow?  Oh yeah that's right, because I haven't won Lotto yet.  Maybe I might buy a ticket this year.

Today's picture du jour is Alison on Christmas Eve.

IT'S DONE !!!!!

Its done Its done It"s DONE !!!!!!

I have my first finish for the year and I can't show a picture.

The very final panel of BoInk is not a difficult stitch but for some reason I had an infestation of Cane Toads!

It is however, after three discs of Farscape Season 1 episodes, finished which therefore makes the whole project DONE!!!!

{happy sigh} Now a spot of dinner and then Farscape Season 1 disc 4 while I go back to starting my RR.

Picture here is Trubs curled up on said RR with a my Chibithulu and Cricket Bear ... Yes I love my plushies, (especially my men) ....

Mel's Sunday Update

Eben and Snooch?  Garfield and Nermal?  No just Trouble and Hemingway sitting in front of mum's fireplace :)

Well this is my first Sunday update in a while - and might be my last for a couple of weeks :)

I'm driving to Melbourne tomorrow and it could be another two weeks after that before my Internet is connected at the new place.

Stitching Update:

Corn and Beans by Inkcircles designs
This is the last of the stitching I did on the train commute.  There isn't much progress, but it is the very last of the "stitched on a train" production, so I wanted to commemorate it with an update.

Sisu's RR - Friendship Tea Sampler 
A difficult project - I hate blending thread and metallic filaments :) :)  But I did a good 10 hours and got this little bit done after mucking around with a previous bit that had a a few problems.

Garden Cat by Cross Stitch Art
This one was in mum's stash.  A recent acquisition she showed me.  I loved it so we looked through her stash and mine and we kitted it up.  I started it Tuesday evening and finished it Saturday evening.

As well as the pics in its own album - I also have a pic on my 2008 Finishes folder.

Finally I've also got another section of BoInk finished - but pics for that will have to wait until this part is released.

Mel's Sunday Update

Yes Don't fall over in a faint - I know I haven't posted a Sunday update in quite a while .....

While I was in Perth last month, I started Wizard's Inkwell.  Thank you so much to Paula for the suggestion - this looks like a fun project and the colours so far seem to be working well.  I am waiting on some Kreinik braid to arrive before I move onto the next part of this one.

Also while I was in Perth, I started some of the masses of back stitching required for Jasper.  Two side of the frame have been fully back stitched.  the other two sides are barely started and the actual middle is barely started. I worked on this for about 15 hours ......

Finally this week I gritted my teeth, swore at my eyesight and did BoInk Part 7.  I loved this part - I love Celtic Swirls .....  This part's photo was taken outside so the colouring is quite different from previous photographs.  The dark blue stands out so much more but the green looks muted and washed out ....

Anyway - that's my progress.  Hope everyone else had a good week this week.

Mel's Sunday Update

Well what a week - eye infections, job applications, adverse reactions to the antibiotics for my eyes.  My Director and the University Librarian being very kind to me.

Very little stitching got done.  However I did make a lot of progress yesterday last night and this morning.

I have finished Part 5 of BoInk.  I have finished Part 6 too but pics in a couple of weeks.  It is a very fun part - my favourite so far.

I also finished off Something in Red.  Pics in my finished folder here.  And in its own folder here.  I've decided that I will re-start Black Beauty completely and have already ordered another skein of GAST Black Crow and cut more fabric.

Only other stitching news is that I got all excited about my eyesight returning so I started Lyne's RR last night.  This morning I discover I'm off by one one row so three hours of stitching will need to be frogged and redone ......

Finally I received a wonderful RAK this week.  Gail sent me this chart which she so nicely named after me.  Actually she included two versions.  The original and a variegated

I'm partial to the variegated version but I'm not sure - any thoughts on which version I should stitch first?  Variegated on the left and original on the right.

Hope everyone else has had a happy and productive week - I'm off to frog Lyne's RR.

Mel's Sunday Update

Well this is the second non-update week in a row.  Only started stitching again for the first time in two weeks yesterday.  Finally over the flu and sinusitis enough to pick up a needle again.

Well the ten stitches I put in yesterday weren't worth a photo, and it is a small model stitch for Tracy of Inkcircles anyway - so you'll have to wait :) :)

However I do have photos of the previous little object I made for Tracy.  Its a biscornu using motifs and the second colourway for an upcoming design Hanky Psanky. I can't wait for this whole design to be released!  I adore it!

Fire Flower - finished!

Yes its my second finish for the week - yee haa !!!!!  Pics in FireFlower album and Finished Pieces.

Pity I've got to go to work tomorrow and Sunday - but then I have another five days off before going back to work full time.  Doubt I'll get another finish done before I go back though :)

Oh hang on I might, P's giving me a hand to move some boxes tomorrow night so I can find the things that Tracy asked for so I might have one of her items finished shortly.

So what do I work on next?  Singularity? Faïence (The Castle)? Dutch Beauty? Midi Mystery I?  A new start ???

All suggestions welcome - I'm off to bed shortly.

Oh Marc and Tracy - I'll try to get a better pic of FireFlower on Sunday morning outside with my camera.  The scanner bed here has a tendency to wash out the black to a grey background.

Mel's Easter Update

Morning all,

Welcome to Easter Monday.  Had a fantastic few days visiting mum.  Did some Spring Cleaning (well its Spring somewhere in the world) and did some librarian type work with mum's books (she should be able to find most of them now ...maybe).

We also planted the two roses I gave mum as Easter presents and we've stitched.  And stitched.  And stitched.

I started worked on and completed Stellar the newest colourscape from Patti at Moonflower designs.  I also did little scattered bits on Singularity by FireWing Designs and FireFlower by Needlemania designs but not enough to take pictures.

I also received a gift from mum.  She finished the little cat piece she was working on and presented it to me.

Have about another 20 hours here before heading home, so more relaxation today.  I'm loving this !!!!!