Friday, July 1, 2011

Time for a catch up ....

This is what I managed to accomplish all the way back in May!!! I couldn't believe how much I had done until I sat down to write this post.
  1. Eldar - 400 stitches done
  2. Storykeep Masquerade - 400 stitches done
  3. QS Curl Up with a Good Book - 400 stitches done
  4. Polar Bear Fun - 400 stitches done
  5. Roses Friend - 400 stitches done
  6. QS Dragon Luck - 400 stitches 250 stitches
June was a complete washout, and now we have reached July. This month I plan to work 600 stitches on all my current projects and I also have a new start because I couldn't help myself. I joined the 2011 SK SaL on the HAED BB, (what was I thinking!!!).

Here she is in all her glory. This is Ice Wind by Linda Tso. So, I have gridded up my fabric and I just need to get a couple of extra threads. I have decided to work this one on 22ct Hardanger, mainly because that is what I had in my stash, and I haven't actually cross stitched a piece on Hardanger before. I am looking forward to how this will work up.

I won't be able to make an actual start on this though until later in the month, but first up in my rotation this month is QS Curl up with a good book, so I should have some progress to show you next update.
    Until next time, happy stitching

    Sunday, June 26, 2011

    Missing in action ....

    The last 6 weeks have been absolutely hectic (4 deaths in the family and happily a birth and a 21st birthday), sounds like a really bad movie title. As a result of this I haven't been able to update my blog or get much of any stitching done. But, fingers crossed life can only get better. I have managed to put a few stitches in and will take photos and update you all in my next post.

    Until next time, happy stitching

    Sunday, May 1, 2011

    May Goals ....

    Here we go! It's the beginning of the month again!
    1. Eldar - 400 stitches
    2. Storykeep Masquerade - 400 stitches
    3. QS Curl Up with a Good Book - 400 stitches
    4. Polar Bear Fun - 400 stitches
    5. Roses Friend - 400 stitches
    6. QS Dragon Luck - 400 stitches
    Until next time, happy stitching

    Friday, April 29, 2011

    I survived, and made a new start ....

    I've reached the end of the month. Woohoo!! I survived the NO BUY challenge that I set myself. It was really difficult, so many beautiful new releases came out and my fingers were itching to make them a part of my stash.

    This is my latest new start. It's called Roses Friend by Molly Harrison and charted by Heaven and Earth designs. I saw this and immediately thought of my Aunt. She was also my Godmother and I was her "Namesake". She passed away 17 years ago and this is the first time I have come across a design that reminded me of her so much.  So I am making this in her honor, much missed and loved by me and my family. This is my progress on her so far. I am stitching the background, and finding it really therapeutic, because not as much concentration is required.

    I'm ending this month by working on QS Curl Up with a Good Book. It had been a nightmare for me until I restarted on 18ct and it seems to be working out for me.

    Okay, so, from what I achieved last month, I am really glad that I did do a rethink on my rotation. I feel so much happier about the progress that I have made with all my projects and I've been able to decide which projects are a priority and give them the time that is needed to get them finished quicker. Last but definitely not the least I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my musings. I appreciate all your comments.

    Until next time, happy stitching

    Monday, April 25, 2011

    Rotation rethink ....

    I really needed to do this because I had other projects that I wasn't getting anywhere with. So I have decided to work on each project in rotation for four days and then work one day on either of my two focus pieces. That way I may be able to get some progress on everything. I might even be able to post updates more often
    .
    So here is an update to Polar Bear Fun. This was the first chart that I brought from HAED. I got it because my husband loves Polar Bears and this is one that really appealed to me. Very slow progress, because I haven't worked on this since August of last year.

    Until next time, happy stitching

    Saturday, April 23, 2011

    Update time ....

    Here we are at Day 25 and I still haven't brought any more HAED charts. Woohoo!!! It's been difficult, but I'm ever hopeful that my children will come through. If not, oh well, it's okay. It's not the end of the world.

    So, now it's time for some updates and I have a few so I am going to spread them over a couple of posts. First off here is QS Dragon Luck. I haven't worked on this in a while. I've been busy listening to all my other WIPs screaming for attention and this one got neglected. But I brought it out again and I have made this a regular in my rotation.

    Next up is Masquerade SK. This is one of my goals for this year and I need to make progress with this. I'm excited because she finally has two eyes (well almost) and I'm getting close to being half way finished.

    Until next time, happy stitching

    Monday, April 18, 2011

    I'm trying not to cave in ...

    I was doing okay until I saw the added bonus of the extra 25% off sale on the HAED website. I was really glad when it ended yesterday. To stop myself from buying I sent emails to my children reminding them that it will be Mother's Day next month and that there is currently a sale on. So, I'm hoping they get the hint. They are normally very good at taking direct advice.

    Oh my goodness, being proactive really does work. My daughter said to me, "Mum you know how you asked us to buy those cross stitch patterns? What is the name of that other place where you get all the bits from? Woohoo, Mothers Day this year is definitely shaping up to something wonderful.

    I also made a new start, it is called "Rose's Friend" and I have really enjoyed working on this so far. It is mostly background that I am working, so it's a nice change from all the intense confetti in my other projects, making them seem more interesting rather than a chore.

    Until next time, happy stitching

    Sunday, April 3, 2011

    A few technical difficulties, but onward we go ....


    Blogger seems to have decided that I am not allowed to post the normal way so I am trying something else and reverting back to the old editor. Weird though, because I am able to post from my laptop, but not able to, from my desktop.

    My previous post was definitely not an April fools day joke, but I am beginning to feel a bit of a fool for making the decision. But here we are at day 3 and so far so good. Mind you it has been difficult especially when HAED are having a 25% off sale until April 17. I will not look, I will not look ...

    Anyway, on to much better things like stitching and progress made. March was not the most productive month. But, every stitch counts right? I managed to do work a "little" on QS Curl Up. See what I meant about "little". Never mind.

    I also got almost 1/4 of a page completed on Eldar. I was really enjoying this and then I got a migraine and it has managed to knock me around a bit, so I haven't been wanting to do too much "thinking", but I hope to get back to it soon.

    Oh! I almost forgot, here is an update of SK Masquerade. I completed a 1/4 of page 2.

    Until next time, happy stitching


    Friday, April 1, 2011

    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

    Saturday, March 12, 2011

    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