Thanks ....

Thank you all for the very kind wishes for my grandson. They are all very appreciated at this time in our lives. He is growing well and looks healthy despite having breathing difficulty.

On to other things in life, I completed my second assignment for one of my papers and now I can spend time focusing on the other paper. I should have three quarters of the final page on Storykeep Masquerade completed by the time I get around to posting this update, which means I will have a photo op - YAY!! I did finish the 3rd quarter of page 3. Now I would like to get it finished hopefully during this month. Full steam ahead!

Until next time, happy stitching

2012 February WiPocalypse update ....

I wasn't sure how I was going to do my updates but I think this could be ideal. I have a few projects that I want to make progress on, so they are all in my monthly rotation.

SK Masquerade

QS Curl up with a good book

QS Crabby Crush

Eldar

QS Teddy Bear Tree - New Start

Until next time, happy stitching

Time to join everyone else ....

I decided to participate in this years SaL on the HAED BB and my choice of chart is QS Teddy Bear Tree. The chart choices for this SaL were really wonderful, so my decision was not an easy one, I figure that is a good thing, because I want to be eligible to receive the other charts at the end of the year.

I have been a bit slow at getting started on my piece, but here is my quarter page update. I was surprised by the amount of detail and hesitant about some of the colours, but the mantra is "trust in Michelle's charting", and sure enough that is so true. My teddy is currently "winking" at me, next time I get to show him to you I hope to have his other eye completed.

Until next time, happy stitching

I found something that might help me ....

I found the 2012 WIPocalypse in the last week, while browsing some of the blogs I like to visit and it turned out that the deadline for being an "actual" participant was the 15 January. So, with 5 days to spare and absolutely no time to think I decided that I would participate.  Woohoo!!! If you would still like to be a part of the Stitch-A-Long you can visit here and all the details are outlined by Measi.

Joining this SAL meant that I had to evaluate the vast amount of projects that I currently have in progress and decide which of them I wanted to make the most progress on.

I am going to focus on my Heaven and Earth design projects, because I have so many patterns and I just love them so much. Which is why I had to come up with a short list and when those are done I can add new goals or extend the goals on the projects that I already have on the go.

Sounds good to me!!! If you would like to see what I decided on I have made a special page for the 2012 WIPocalypse to keep track of progress etc.

On with stitchy stuff. I have completed half of page 2 on QS Curl up with a good book. YAY ME! I have been struggling with a rotation for a while now, but I discovered towards the end of November last year that because I print out my chart pages in quarters;

• a) so that I can see them properly (blind as a bat), and
• b) I like things to be uniform, 

that it was easier to just complete a quarter page at a time. That way I made blocks of progress on all my projects and I have been really enjoying it.

Until next time, happy stitching

An ice wind blew through ....

I decided to work on my SK Stitch-a-Long "Ice Wind". I was surprised that I managed to complete the top half of page 1. I put this project away back in August and it never really yelled loud enough for me to grab it and stitch.

But I thought it needed a bit of TLC. It really is beautiful to look at. Interesting, I was not really "that happy" with it when I first started it. I actually regretted putting it away at the end of November. But, I had too, it was somebody else's turn. Next up is Roses Friend again.

Until next time, happy stitching

Making progress

I really have missed not having a set schedule for stitching. I really didn’t think rotations could be that necessary but it is comforting to have structure back. I haven’t posted anything in a while for the 2011 QS Stitch-A-Long. I really love this piece, so I have a progress picture for October and here is another for my November rotation.

I was really excited about completing the first page, but once I got started again on page 2, I couldn’t believe how much I really had missed working on this. The last time it had been in my rotation was way back in July. Goodness!!! I really did need a kick in the pants to get on with it.

I think I was a bit put off at first because the decanter had so much confetti in it, and then I had to restart on 18ct because 28ct was doing my head in for this project.

Just to make my life even more exciting, I added another project to my ever growing pile of WiP's. I will post a photo of my progress on this next time. Oh and I thought I would make a couple of changes to my blog title. As it is Spring here in New Zealand I thought that is was time for a freshen up.

Until next time, happy stitching

No buying of charts for one whole month ....

Hi, my name is Helene and I have a HAED (Heaven and Earth Designs) addiction and I have become a Serial Starter. I started this blog with a plan to get a few of my WIPs completed. But all that is happened is I have become enthralled by these beautiful designs and all I want to do is start a new one. I need to get a grip on myself otherwise I will have so many projects that have one page completed and no way of getting any of them completed.

I really do think that these designs deserve to be completed and I need to make a conscious effort to do so. Otherwise, what good are all these started projects going to be! I've decided that I have to be vigilant about not buying anymore charts for the next month. I know that doesn't seem long, but it is in my world. Especially with new charts coming out almost daily. So that's NO BUYING NEW HAED CHARTS until May 1, 2011 and then I can decide then if I am able to continue for another month.

I will keep you all informed of how I am doing, so instead of reaching for my wallet I will be threading my needle and getting stuck into my goals that I have set myself for this year. Fingers crossed I can do this, any support that anyone cares to offer will be gratefully accepted and appreciated.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lots of goings on ...

I am so sorry for being so absent. I have had my daughter staying with me for the past 6 weeks because of her difficult pregnancy. We've had a few scares, so she was basically put on bed rest at seven months. So we have been preparing for our new additions eminent arrival.

I was able to do a little bit of stitching though. I was getting frustrated with all the confetti on my HAED SAL project "Curl up with a good book". Originally it had been worked on 28ct White Lugana, what a nightmare. So, I decided I would like it in a bigger format, so I changed to 18ct White Aida, and it has been a lot easier to work. So I managed to complete a quarter of page 1.

I even managed to work on last years SAL project "SK Masquerade", I really would like to get this completed this year, because I have my eye on so many other projects.

So at this point in time "she" has half a face. I really have to force myself to work on this though, and actually now that I take another look at this photo, I've noticed that I have actually gone on a bit further. But I will post an updated picture next time. So I haven't been able to get back to "Eldar" yet either, I was more focused on restarting "Curl Up", but I hope to get a bit of work in on "Eldar" before the end of the month. With all that has been going on I didn't even get around to setting goals for myself this month.


The wonderful news, my daughter had her baby last weekend. A beautiful little baby boy "Caleb Jonathan", named after our eldest son (Jonathan). He came into the world in a bit of a rush because he had foetal distress, so we had every possible midwife, nurse, and registrar available to help, in case of complications. When his head had delivered it was discovered that his umbilical cord was wrapped once around his neck and again around his body. SCAREY!!! I was finding it very difficult to keep it together, because my daughter kept saying "Mum is he okay?" That was the longest hour, that I have had to go through.

Our daughter had a really bad tear and she was rushed off to theatre, so she asked my husband and I, if we could go with the baby to the NICU, because she said "He would be okay if we were with him". That was not what I wanted to hear. All I could see, was this tiny little baby with an oxygen mask on, struggling his little heart out to just breathe. The nurses in NICU, managed to get him to breathe comfortably, and then eventually without a mask, the joy I felt when I was allowed to see him again, was so overwhelming, all I could do was cry.

When both my husband and I had managed to calm ourselves down, I asked him to go and find out how much longer our daughter was going to be in "Recovery". He wasn't allowed to see her but the nurses said that they would ring when she was being brought out. I had just left my husband with our little baby so that I could call both my parents and my inlaws, and my daughter was wheeled around the corner. She was so relieved when she saw me standing there. I told her all about what had gone on and then took her into NICU to see her beautiful baby boy. WOW, what a rush!! He arrived at 5.29pm on 6 March 2011 and weighed 3.225kg (7lb 10oz) I think.

March - plan of attack

• Stitch on "Curl Up" (HAED SAL) project
• Stitch on "Eldar" - 1000 stitches
• Stitch on "SK Masquerade" - complete 1/4 of page 2 - (done)

Until next time, happy stitching

New starts and catch ups ....

I'm finally going to get around to showing you my most recent new start. It's the new HAED BB SaL for 2011. This time around we will be working on this over the year and I have been really looking forward to making a start on this. I got everything ready, found fabric, gathered floss in one place, and began gridding my fabric and this is how far I have gone with it. It's worked on 28ct white jobelan, using 1 thread over 1.

But, I have found that with all the confetti in this piece I am not a happy little stitcher and I feel that things might be easier if I change my fabric. So, I have made a restart and will update next month with that.

I have also been busily trying to sort out my rotation so that I can get some of my other projects moving, therefore completing them so I can have more new starts. I have had some success here though.

I had made a fairly loose plan of attack

• Finish page 1 of QS Dragon Luck (done)
• Work 300 stitches on Masquerade SK (done)
• Complete page 1 of Eldar (done)
• Complete 1/4 page of QS Curl Up (restarting on different fabric)

Until next time, happy stitching

A new year, a new start ...

I really couldn't help myself. This chart has been "yelling" at me so what could I do, but start it. I was going to wait until mid January, but at the end of November out it came.

So here it is, this is my first page completed on "Eldar" by Randal Spangler. I am making this as a special request from my daughter for the baby's room. (I think it will look really great in there).

I began on the 20 November 2010 and completed the page on 2 January 2011, it is stitched on 28ct Cream Lugana and is stitched in full cross stitch with 1 thread over 1.

I didn't work on it every day because some days were much better than others healthwise. I really wanted to get page 1 completed before I moved on to this years SAL project.

I also received and began the 2011 SAL from the HAED BB. It is a year long project and I was so overwhelmed with the choices that were offered, but I think I chose well. I picked another Randal Spangler chart "QS Curl up with a good book". I will post a picture next update because I haven't done very much on it, so I would rather wait. You will all have to wait in suspenders (oops, I meant suspense).

Until next time, happy stitching

Stitching along ....

I finished page 1 of MSK. YAY!!!! That is another item checked off my half year challenge. I have come to the realisation that I am probably not going to be able to complete my half year challenge but if I do some of the things on the list that will be ok.

I wasn't too good with my goals for October (I made an executive decision not to do my hand quilting goal), but I will persist and set a goal for November, even though we are almost half way through the month.

• Finish page 1 of QS Dragon Luck

I think that will be enough for this month. I probably should have started out small in the first place and then made the list longer as I made progress. See, that is the thing with being in charge you can may changes when you feel like it.

I haven't quite finished the baby shawl for my nephew's new baby. She arrived before I could finish it, but that's ok. I have about half a ball of wool left and it will be complete.

My daughter is now into her 5th month of her pregnancy and everybody keeps asking if she is sure that she is going to have a baby, I keep saying, "SHE IS" I was at her last two ultra-sound scans. The excitement is growing, we have all begun buying things, my husbands parents are really excited because it will be the first great-grandchild, and my wonderful mother-in-law is so over the moon, she couldn't wait to tell her older sister, who has just become a great grandmother at 90, my MIL is only 69. How funny I'm saying "only 69" like she isn't ageing at all.

Anyway, I can't be sitting here all day, I need to get a wriggle on. I want to get page 1 of QS Dragon Luck completed before the end of the month.
Until next time, happy stitching

Whats happening ....

I brought my Masquerade SK out to make some sort of progress on it and I have managed some. Every little bit helps. I will probably carry on working on this so that I complete page 1, this will help with my half year challenge. I need to get a move on with that, I haven't looked at PBF for a while now. That will have to move up in priority.

I have also been madly making lists because it will be my birthday shortly and I would prefer that my family brought me "stitchy" things, so I have all these little lists stuck on the fridge, so when DH or one of the kids asks, I can just refer them there. Sounds logical, will let you know if it actually works though.

I am one third of the way through the baby shawl I am knitting for my nephew's partner. She had her baby shower last weekend, and when she saw the rabbit I made she was so happy because nobody had given her a toy, but mine was that much better because it was made with love. I had also given her a knitted jacket with a hood for baby and a baby book (sorry, forgot to take pictures). So, hopefully I get the shawl finished for baby's arrival at the beginning of November.

In other news, I am going to be a Nana!!!! YAY!! My daughter is four months along and yesterday we had a visit to the Midwife and heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time. This is going to be such fun preparing for this new little addition to our family. My daughter doesn't realise it but Dragon Luck is for her little one and when we were discussing Train of Dreams and Eldar last week that was also going to be for the little one. Oh Wow!!! So many things I want to do, but only so much time in which to do it.


Until next time, happy stitching

License to create ...

I don't need another WIP but when the opportunity presents itself, you grab it with both hands. The most recent SAL theme on the HAED BB was "A New Start Stitch a Long", but not just any old one, it had to be one that had been there for a year and you never really got around to it, for one reason and another. But because I only found out about Heaven and Earth back in about May of this year, I think, I was allowed a bit of leeway so that gave me the reason to start another project, (as if I needed an excuse. Haha).

 

So here is QS Dragon Luck (you can see in my sidebar what he will look like when he is finished). I was meaning to begin this project as part of my half year challenge anyway, and I am so fond of this little guy I haven't been able to resist working on him at any chance I get. I started this on 27 August, I forgot to take a photo after the first week, so this picture is after 2 weeks. I read a book during that time so I didn't do as much as I could have. But  what does that matter, I'm back playing with him again this week.


My son turned 18 over the weekend and this is part of my dessert. It was sooooo YUM!!!!

Until next time, happy stitching

I finished something ....

Well nearly, Polar Bear Fun was in rotation last week and I have completed page 1, so that is one small tick for my half year challenge. I ended up working on this longer than my usual weekly routine because I was so close to finishing the page. So I had to keep going until I did and I am really glad that I did.

Now, that I have completed my first page, I can add another project to my rotation, so I am currently gridding my fabric in preparation to begin QS Dragon Luck. I think I will have to set a goal to make my first stitches once I have completed my challenge for Poppy Night Adventure or Masquerade SK, whichever comes first. That way I am making progress with my challenge, seems fair.

Until next time, happy stitching

Busy fingers ....

I have been a busy little bee recently and forgot to post my latest updates so I am behind, but I will try to get you all caught up with what is happening, a couple of weeks ago was Storykeep Stitch a Long week with the HAED BB. I am happy with the progress that I made over that week, I had planned to complete the cats eye, but that just wasn't to be. I had other things to do.

While stitching away I have been thinking about what to make for my nephews new baby. The baby shower is sometime in September, OMG that's NEXT month, so I thought about making a sock monkey but DH found this wonderful rabbit pattern at the store the last time I was buying thread, so it could be just the right thing.

I managed to get all the pieces knitted and all that I had left to do was the stuffing and putting together. It was going together really easily, I was surprised, I was really excited because it was completed, and then it happened. I said to DH "I couldn't get the nose right", he looked at me and then he said "The head is upside down. It looks more like a dog, than a rabbit." I wanted to cry. I thought its okay, I won't call it rabbit, I'll call it something else, its for a baby.

But it just annoyed me. So I ended up performing very careful "surgery" to correct the problem and this is what I ended up with. Now I am full steam ahead on a shawl. I will post pictures next time when I have a bit more completed on that. Still early days yet.



Until next time, happy stitching

My 2nd SAL ....

Yes, I have become a bit of a Stitch-a-Long addict. I didn't expect that. But they have been so beneficial to both me and my love for cross stitch, that all I can say is "When is the next one!"

This is my update from the HAED Freebie SAL, I have chosen to do the Masquerade SK, the full picture is featured in my sidebar, and this is my progress after one week. I thought I might have finished the eye, but, not quite, that will have to be next time. The blue thread that you can see in the "centre" of the eye, isn't really supposed to be there, so just pretend it shouldn't be there, I meant to trim this before taking the picture, but I forgot.

Everytime I start one of these designs I realise that I have learnt a little bit more about the do's and don't's of working a HAED picture. Anybody would think with the way I'm going on that I had completed many of these pieces, but I have only stumbled upon these designs in the past two months and in that time I have started 3 pieces, and I have plans for many more. But I can say, these designs are going to take a lot of patience, but also give a lot of enjoyment.

Until next time, happy stitching

Here it is ....

Here is the photo for the Fairy Stitch-a-Long. I ended up not getting around to working anymore on this today, life always gets in the way.

Never mind, but I think I will continue to work on this until the SK Stitch-a-Long begins later in the week.

Until next time, happy stitching

All things must come to an end ...

Normally when you are beginning to really enjoy them. Today is the final day of the Fairy Stitch-a-Long. So I am just stopping by to make a short note. Things went slowly at first. I was trying to make a plan of attack, but after I had put in the first few stitches, it got better so I persevered. Then the most wonderful thing happened... my Q-Snaps arrived. I quickly unpacked them and put them to work and all I can say is WOW!!

In one afternoon I managed to complete 3x the amount of stitching I had done previously using a hoop, not only that I learnt about a previously unknown phenomenon called "parking", and I like that too. An old dog can be taught new tricks

I am off to do some more stitching before I have to take "that photo". Catch up with you later.

Until next time, happy stitching

Two days later....

I have just about gathered up all my floss and I even managed to find a piece of fabric in my stash exactly the right size. I've gridded my fabric by page and basically I'm ready to go. Even though I need to get a couple of threads, and I'm waiting on my 8" Q-Snaps, I'm not going to let trivial things like that hold me back. Here goes. See you in a few days when its time to post my photo at the end of the stitch-a-long, I do need all the time I can get to work at this you know.

Until next time, happy stitching

My First Stitch-a-Long ...

Around the middle of this month, I decided to take on the challenge of joining the annual fairy day stitch-a-long on the HAED bulletin board. The challenge is for roughly 10 days and you must be working on a project fairy related. At the end of the stitch-a-long you are able to submit a photo of your progress. OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I would so love to do this but.... yeah the but's have started

1) I don't have a fairy project or pattern... That's okay, I can buy a pattern - solved
2) I won't have much time to do a lot... That's okay, it's about the participation really
3) I don't think I'm ready to do this yet... If not now WHEN!

So after a lot of thought I brought two patterns. One that I absolutely LOVE and the other that would be loved very much by someone else I know. Can you guess which one I picked. You will have to visit in a few days to find out.

Fairy Ball

Poppy Night Adventure

Until next time, happy stitching