Under The Pump

Sad news of Mark Skaife's retirement, has made the finishing of the cross stitch vital as Oran Park on the 7/12 , will be the last chance we know of to get it autographed, have resorted to taking it to work to get a few stitches done during the day. Getting itchy fingers for knitting, must resist

Bit the bullet last week and joined weight watchers, 18kgs to lose just to get into a health weight range, so that is another thing to report progress of , first weight in tomorrow.

And lastly our Elliot doing his favourite thing

I Can See Progress

Yes I can see progress, might even be able to say I'm half way , unfortunately I can also feel a couple of kilos through lack of activity, must take more calories to knit. Definitely considering Weight Watchers, need to lose about 20 kilos I think.

The roses are coming out, here is a Teddy Bear minature rose, named for it's browny shade of pink.

Another week gone past in a blurr

Got some goodies in the post today from my Aunt who recently visited , she is into card making and teaches classes in it in Tasmania. We spent a day touring the scrapbook shops around the area when she was here which was quite enjoyable. I want to give quilling a try and couldn't find any tools up here, this is her version of I'll send you a couple when I get back. She also sent me an e-mail about a new Craft show coming up in March 2009 in Sydney, and later in the year for QLD and VIC, website is www.craftfest.com.au (sorry can't get links to work).

And last but not least the cross stitch progress photo for this week, have a deadline of early December (doubt I'll make as you can see even doing some each day progress is slow) , my daughter wants to take it to Oran Park to be autographed. So no fibre action at all

Another Update

Slowing making progress , have had 2 lots of visitors from interstate in the last 2 weeks, but have managed to get a bit done each day.







My Aunt and Uncle came to stay from Tasmaina for a few days. It was lovely to catch up with them again. Took them to Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens on Sunday and escaped the heat a bit. All the waratahs were out, had no idea they grow on huge trees. It was a bit hazy, apparently due to the eucalyptus oil from the gum trees in the heat.

Xstitch Update

Moseying Along

Seven panels complete of the road scarf.

An update of the cross stitch , have decided to do a regular picture update to prove to myself it's progressing.

Misty

Misty who we adopted two months ago. She is really coming out of her shell, the stitches and craft show inspired me to pick my Mark Skaife Car crosstitch. Guess who been running off with highlighters and skeins of cotton.She likes to help knit too!

Had so forgotten what it was like to have a young cat around full of mischief.

So I think I made it about 3 weeks without knitting, but after a week of cross stitching and seemingly not getting anywhere ( the pattern has 30,000 stitches) needed some thing that noticably grew. Started on Lionbrand's Road Scarf in Tweed aran by elle (found in The Warehouse and out of the stash) a wool/acylic/viscose blend but quite soft. It consists of panels of basketweave, mesh, sugarcubes and moss stitch repeated 3 times, but I have decided to get out the Reader's Digest Needlecraft book, and attempt 12 different stitches. Felt a bit silly doing a scarf at the beginning of the week when spring seemed to sprung to it's full glory, but weather has now turned miserable cold and wet. Good excuse just to be crafty, not at all miffed that it's the start of my leave. Can't garden in rain & mud.


So for a moment I have found a balance of reading cross stitch, knitting and reading. Maybe because I'm not under pressure to complete anything , thinking I will keep the scarf for myself. Hubby is just happy I've picked up his cross stitch again as he has been waiting 4 or 5 years for it's completion. I have discovered my WIP for cross stitch is bigger than I thought with at least two more major projects(no little quick one's for me):-\\



In two weeks I've only achieved the top right hand corner tyre wall and a bit of grass. I had a colleague who I gave the pattern, it took her nine months of constant stitching to complete. My own fault I like things to look realistic and I suppose if I wasn't so lazy I would have learnt how to use the software properly so maybe get rid of individual stitches of just one colour, there is heaps of those. It has 100 colours in it. But I know from the finished piece, it does turn out well. I have a second one to do, in my wisdom I thought a set would be nice. If I ever get to it, the background will be half stitch for sanity's sake.