The End Of May

Where is the year going?

I would like to welcome my new followers, thanks for taking time to see what I have been up to.  I certainly enjoy seeing what everyone else is doing.

I had a very silly accident during the week and broke a small bone in my foot.  It is enough to be sore and annoying and uncomfortable to walk (very slowly), but not enough to need plaster or to stay at home.  It will take about 6 weeks to completely fix itself.

I did not catch up with Parts 11 and 12 of Baroque before the end of the month but I will attempt to be up to date at the end of June.  Just waiting for part 13.  This is the centre 'border' which is quite long and divides the lower gardens into 2 sides.  I have changed it a bit from the original to make the brown and purple 'twist' around each other.  I wanted a bit more symmetry in this centre piece.

I also worked on Chinese garden and have quite a bit of the temple building done.  Just lots of backstitching to do on the temple.  I love all the specialty stitches, but especially the rice stitches for the temple roof.

Lastly, here is my up to date progress shot for 4 calling birds.  Still LOTS of beads and backstitching but almost all the crosses done.  Would like to get this one finished this week if I can.

Wishing everyone a lovely June.  As always happy stitching

My Eterna Silks have arrived

I have been waiting for my Eterna silks for Chinese Garden Mandala and they have arrived.

They are so pretty and so colourful

I fully intended to just work on Baroque this weekend but I think my resolve has gone out the window with this parcel!

Here is to a weekend of stitches.

My week in stitches

Despite the fact that my week kept me away from home for quite a bit of time I have made some progress with some of my projects.

I took my new 12 days of Christmas project - 4 calling birds - away with me and made a start on this.  Still more stitching and LOTS of beading to go.

My Chinese Garden mandala (Chatelaine designs) has also grown, but I am still waiting for some silks to arrive.  I love the richness of the reds in the frame.

I also caught up on my SAL - Tree of Stitches.  I have now done all 9 available parts and await Part 10 on Friday.  I am vey happy with how my blossom tree is blooming.

Part 7 - Jerusalem Stitch

Part 8 - Floral Stitch

Part 9 - Norwich Stitch

Think it might be time for a bit of work on Baroque Garden now

Happy stitching

A finish, floss and my feet!

Finally get to stitch and blog.  I have returned from my holiday in Tasmania, but work has been busy since I returned.

Today is the first day I have done any stitching in almost 2 weeks and I have finished 3 french hens.

I love the big red beads in the holly sprigs.  My mother's holly bush was in berry when I was home and it just asked to be photographed.

I had a couple of parcels waiting for me when I returned filled with stitching goodies.  I had ordered the kit for the Chatelaine design Walled Wisteria Garden and it had taken a long time for Cindy at European cross-stitch to get all the floss but it had finally arrived.  I am going to stitch this on baby powder blue 32ct Jobelan from Stitches and Spice.  I have had the fabric for ages, but I will not start this one straight away as I have too many other things to do at the moment.

There are some beautiful colours and textures with the flosses for this design.

I also had a parcel containing some more supplies for Chinese Mandala.  I have some more flosses and all my beads and sparkly bits.  I am still waiting for my Eterna silks and a few other flosses. (Now I just need to get stitching)

Finally, feet refers to my six days of walking through World Heritage wilderness in Tasmania.  I have picked some photos which shows how lovely this part of the world is and I did enjoy not having a phone or computer for six days (but still had a bed, a shower and good food and wine)

The boat shed at Crater Lake (Cradle Mountain)

Mt Ossa (Tasmania's highest mountain)

The way forward

Reflections on the path

Quamby Estate (where I stayed before and after the walk)

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter.

Happy stitching

Chinese Garden Mandala - day one

Here is my progress after my first evening of stitching Chinese Garden.  It doesn't look like much yet and I don't have all my threads so I am stitching with the ones I do have.

Wish I could say there was more done now but I did this on Monday evening and haven't been able to get near my stitching since.  I am not going to get Baroque done this month let alone this.

I am off to Tasmania tomorrow to see my mother, but I will take 3 french hens with me and still try to have a mini international hermit and stitching weekend (IHSW), hopefully I will get this one finished.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend and if you wish to be a hermit click here random ramblings

No stitching but the postman delivered a parcel

Hi

I have been away for work this weekend.  Very busy weekend and absolutely no time for stitching and very little done last week either.  There is almost a third french hen and that is all I did.

I am not sure I will get much stitching done in the rest of this month either.  I am away the next two weekend first visiting my mother and then doing a 6 day walk in Tasmania.

On the plus side the postman delivered a parcel.  I have got my fabric and about half the floss for Chatelaine Chinese Garden Mandala.  I have ordered my kit from stitches and spice (here in Australia) and Naomi will send the rest of the floss and the beads when she gets them.  I am stitching this one on 32 count linen in Wintered Marble, also from Stitches and Spice.  I love what has arrived so far and it is enough to make a start on Part 1.

I also received my pattern for 4 calling birds (Nora Corbett), the fabric and the sparkly bits that I did not already have to stitch this one.  Very nice colours in this design as well.  I will take french hens and calling birds with me when I go to visit Mum.

Might have to do a bit of Chinese Garden tonight.