Happy New Year!!

It's the last day of 2009 here in Australia so:

I hope you had a great 2009 and that 2010 is a happy, healthy and successful year for you.

More cupcake finishes

I forgot I'd finished the pink one and started and finished the green one on Sunday. Unfortunately, I've gone through all my freebie cross stitch patterns and can't find the design for the pink one. I'm 99% sure it was a freebie too. GRR. Don't you hate that??

Here they are:


Here's the details of the green one:

• Name of the design - Elisa Coeur Noel 2003 - the bottom design
  
• Chart - a freebie from this site
  
• Fabric is a unique piece of 28ct opalescent green lugana from silkweavers
  
• Thread is DMC 913
  
• Stitch count is 31 x 33
  
• Completed in December 2009

Here's the details of the pink one:

• Name of the design - a freebie I can't find for the life of me
  
• Chart - it's out there somewhere!
  
• Fabric is called "Fairy kisses - painted" and is a 28 ct Monaco from Enchanted Fabrics
  
• Thread is a variegated pink from Anchor - #1320
  
• Stitch count is 31 x 31
  
• Completed in November 2009. I also added a hot pink glittery button for a bit of interest
  

Have a great Christmas!

Another finish

A quilt square for Scarlett at Coles Quilts this time. This design was on my wish list and I splurged and bought it with some money I got as a gift. I really like the look of these bright designs but unfortunately I didn't really enjoy stitching it. It was a colour chart which I find a little hard to read, and there were a lot of weird fractional stitches too. By the time I got to the background, I wasn't in the mood for the fiddly change of colours so made an executive decision and chose one colour to just stitch half stitches. I do like how it turned out though.

Here's the details:

• Name of the design - Roses & Butterflies #601
  
• Chart - From Cinnamon Cat Designs
  
• Fabric is white aida
  
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count is 79 x 79
  
• Completed in December 2009

Chess Board Finish!

Here's the chess board I have been working on, finished, framed and presented to DS's school teacher. He seemed to really appreciate it. I painted some cheap chess pieces black and white and put them into small white drawstring bags to go with it.



Here's the details:

• Name of the design - Kim's chess board I guess
• Chart is one I designed and can be found as a freebie on this blog
• Fabric is white evenweave
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count is 122 x 122
• Completed in December 2009
  

So many things, so little time

Whew, it's been a busy few weeks! Let's see....
First of all DS #1 was awarded the annual "Outstanding Student" award at his primary school this year, which was exciting. Last year he won the English one and the year before that the Maths one! Little Mr Brainiac :-) I'm not sure if any student has won 3 in a row, none that I can recall anyway.

Then, the very next day he won another academic award during the grade 6 graduation. The award was given by the Apex or Rotary club or something similar. He won a Coles voucher for his troubles. On the night he even got up and made a speech and gift presentation to his teacher too, in front of 90 odd kids and their families.

Both kids recently had their school concert and performed well. DS #1 even had a main part. His grade did songs from the production they performed earlier in the year, and he even had a solo singing part during it. I still can't believe he did it, and so confidently too!

DS #2 looks like trying out for the state karate team next year too. He is about to turn 8 and will be in the 9 years and under age group, so will be up against slightly older and more experienced kids. We'll see how he goes, it will be great experience and he should learn a lot from the process.

Oh, and I almost forgot!! DS #2 has broken his right arm too. He was outside and kicked his soccer ball over the neighbours fence. He climbed the 5 foot high fence to get it, and fell backwards from the top, ending on the wrong side of the fence. He broke the bone right near the wrist, and had a massive bruise on his left thigh. Thankfully we got treated at the hospital quickly and they x-rayed it straight away, showing the break. He is now sporting a bright blue cast for Christmas. This is my child who, by his current age of 7, has had several bad Christmases. He's spent one in a cast on his leg for another broken bone, had Chicken Pox for another, tripped while decorating the tree and cut his brow- just missing his eye, and lost his voice. I think he's had 2 "normal" Christmases in his life, whatever that is! Next year he's going in bubble wrap for the whole month of December!

I also finished the chess board cross stitch design for DS #1's teacher which went over well. I also gave DS #2's teacher a stitched hand towel and found out she is an ex stitcher! She seemed to appreciate the time and effort involved and we talked shop a little. It's nice to know someone who speaks cross stitch!