What I have been up to...

Nothing crafty I can say. Company I work for has been updating their system and expanding their shop unit so we have been all working like mad people, doing overtime, working from home, and all the perks.
I have been putting together things that I want to stitch and if I get 30min every evening Im happy.
Angie has already sent the new part with deadline for 27th September and I havent touched it yet. Need to start soon, or I will get behind on this one.

I have however received a lovely parcel last week. Gaynor (Stitcheranon) sent me the halloween exchange from one of the Yahoo X-Stitch groups. It is one of her designs and Im honored to own a piece designed and stitched by her. Isnt it cute?

And she added in the parcel a pressie for my son Edward. A lovely wall hanger which Eddie thinks it is a blanket and we are fighting over it, because I want it on the wall and he wants to cover his teddy with it.

I found in my stash a lovely hanger I bought 2 years ago in the RDS show and it goes perfectly with the pattern. Thank you again Gaynor for my swap and pressie.

And last Sunday was our monthly stitching meeting with the Dublin ladies and it was my time to host. I'ce managed to finish my swap then and this morning got the sewing machine out to turn the stitched piece into a hanger and here it is

(sorry, cant figure it out how to turn photo here, when it is showing in my folder in perfect position... If anyone has any ideas would love to hear it)

Anyway, thats all my stitching this month. I have been bold and bought more stamps which I just managed to start colouring last night so watch this space :)

talk soon

Cami

A finish and two starts

Why do I have the feeling it's been a long time since my last post? Am I getting addicted to blog?

A have a finish! My first in 2013. Roll the drums....

I have added a charm instead of stitching the pair of scissors. It was a gift from a friend (who Im trying to bring to the dark side of needlework) and it suits the pattern so well, dont you think?

And for my new starts:

First is the Emerald Isle SAL called 'Lets Stitch' from a designer called Patty Carbaugh and pattern is bought through her Etsy shop. I cant find the link I used to post, sorry.

Im using 11count fabric I had in my stash (remember: stash diet!!!). It has lovely flowers printed on it and it matches the colours used. This will be my Sunday stitching project which is just great as TSS has a new Sunday SAL and I can use this at the moment.

Lets Stitch - Patty Carbaugh - Emerald Isle SAL

Second is Birds Sampler from Angies Designs. She sent first part yesterday and I just needed to start it as soon as I could. My new rollers arrived on Monday so fabric was already gridded and ready to start.

Birds Sampler SAL - Angies Design - Part 1

And then, when I thought postman was done with his work, I receive this:

Angel is from Dusty from TSS as a thank you for a pattern I sent before Xmas. Im just in love with her work. And the pillow ornament is from Bev from XStitch Exchange Group. Unfortunately the first parcel she sent me went missing in the post (boohooo post office!!!) so she kindly sent me a second parcel after new years. A big Thank You ladies for my pressies.

I havent started HAED yet. Im waiting for the exact moment, when all SALs are up to date and my needle is in need of something different. I struggle a lot with high count fabric and whatever way I have my stitch-station I cant attach my magnifier, so need to move to dinning table and thereI dont have enough light. And with the dark days we have had in Dublin on the past few days I just cant get myself to start at it. Soon!

And I need to post a photo of my ORT jar. I know, cant believe it's the 11th already.... Will do it tomorrow hopefully.

Talk soon,

Cami

Happy New Year! And projects kitted up...

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all readers! And may 2013 be better than 2012.

Looking back, there wasnt much going on this year for us, and by us I mean DH, DS and me. There werent big changes in our lives, that's what I mean. We did buy a car, because our family car, that carried part of our house in the boot - apart from the kitchen sink, died a horrible death and ended up for scrap, so dad kindly gave us a pre-loved and much looked after one. But other than that 2012 was pretty standard. Eddies health (my DS) has been improving and now that we know what we are fighting, it is much easier to deal with attacks and episodes. As I said, pretty much standard. 2011 was such a bad year that I didnt think 2012 could beat it, and it didnt! Points for being optimistic!

Anyway.... Lets talk stitching!!!!

Jenny has dragged me to her New Year Resolution: NO MORE STASH. Yeah, that's right, you heard me. A full year without adding anything to our stash. To be honest, I do think I have fabric for 3 life times, but hey, what crafter is not in this position? My problem is that I dab in other crafts too (cardmaking. scrapbooking, crochet...) but at least I dont knit. Have you seen a knitters house?? The same for quilters. They have piles and piles of wools everywhere :) I have told SIL to store them in one of those vacumm bags to see if stash would like slightly tidy up. 

So, no buying stash for me. Or at least try. I even returned credit card to hubby, just in case I feel compelled to with all those Sales around.  

So, photos!

This is my House of Needleworker. I do hope to finish it soon as I need the scroll bars for a new SAL.

And postman got tired of being stalked and decided to delivery my parcel from 123. All my threads for my new projects. (PS: that was bought in 2012 so it doesnt count on the new resolution). Here it goes:

HAED project - 20 count evenweave Cream/Pink ish (Thanks Maud!!)

Bird Sampler SAL - Angies
Design - 17count Aidan Beige

And this is a birthday present from Jenny. Isnt it beautiful??? Im sure she put a lot of hours and effort and Im so happy with it. It was meant to be a needle case but I made one myself (see previous post) so she changed  a bit and didnt add the felt on it. I just love it!

Front

Open

Back

Lets see if I get this right. These all my projects for 2013:

* SAL Papillon Creations - ATW80

* SAL Angies Design - Birds Sampler

* HAED - Floral Filigree

* SAL Emerald Isle group - You will hear about this one soon

* LHN - I have a couple of patterns that I want to stitch, but not sure if I will

And that's all folks! Talk soon

Cami

Crazy week, Christmas Exchange and RAK

Hello all,

I've had a crazy week.  Don't know if it is the cold weather or the imminence of my 30th birthday (next Tuesday), but it has been very strange

It all started with my hands going very sore on Monday. I suffer from carpal tunnel and sometimes the pain flares up and it goes away after a couple of painkillers. But I think I overdid the previous week (stitching, cleaning the house, laundry, ironing, crochet...)  now i have to deal with it.

First is my House of Needleworker. Im enjoying this sooo much!! And it is coming along nicely. Havent touched since last week but there was a bit done before Monday:

LHN - House of a Needleworker

I've seen this little apron on a craft fair and it really caught my eyes. I thought it was sooo cute. When I got home, off I go look through my fabrics and I remembered I bought some fat quarters with fruits prints. My hubby caught me measuring my bottle of Fairy liquid (i just wanted to make sure I would get it right the first time..) He thought I was going crazy... Anyway, here it is. Doesnt it look cute??

Fairy liquid Bottle - Apron

On Wed, I stalked my post man (literally). Helen from Emerald Isle group emailed me to say she posted my Christmas exchange and it was a registered post. My post man comes around at 8.30am, but I had a hairdresser appointment at 9am (the second time I have been in the hairdresser this the year...) so I went around the house estate looking for him. The depot is not far from my apartment but I was dying to see what she had done for me. It just couldnt wait. Postman now laughs when he sees me and called me Mrs Impatience.

Christmas Exchange - from Helen - Emerald Isle Cross Stitch Group

Then on Thursday, Maud (here) sent me this beautiful pressie. I have been looking at this pattern for a while but the size and amount of threads scares me deeply. I enjoy big projects, but HAEDs projects are not my cuppa. Anyway, I told her one day that if I had to stitch one of their projects, this would be it. And now I have it!!!! Thank you soooo much Maud. Off I go to buy threads now and this will be my 2013 project

Pressie from Maud - HAED filigree Series

Then on Saturday, Angie from Magicas Puntadas (here) has posted she is taking names for her next 2013 SAL. I just love how she place flowers together in one big project. So I have joined in for the Bird Sampler. Isnt it just gorgeous?? I know some of the girls from my local group have done some of her sals before, and I know she is very strict on her rules and how she sends the parts monthly, but I think that for a fee of €3, I might give it a try.

Bird Sampler - Angie Designer pattern - Coprighted - for illustration only

Then it is Sunday (today), and hubby got called into the Barracks for some shooting training and of course he's not coming back til Thursday (maybe...?). So that means spending my birthday by myself. Well, not by myself as I have Edward, my nearly 3yo boy, to keep me company but you know what I mean. The joys of been an army wife!

Since I havent stitched all week, I've decided to read all the books on my bedside table. So far, I read Fifty shades (book 1 and 2) and Im reading a book from August Cury at the same time. I do hope to be back on track this week.

Talk soon

Cami