It's my birthday - again!

Or so it seems. I had some birthday money to spend and decided to order some more hand dyed monaco fabric (a recent discovery and now my favourite fabric) . I was going to order from www.enchantedfabrics.com but before I got the chance, I learnt they were having a 20% off sale the first week in September. Needless to say I held off so I could get more bang for my buck!
Here's what I chose:

From left to right, my rainbow of colours are hocus pocus flair, fairy kisses painted (I bought this colour in flair last time and have already stitched on it - I wanted to compare the flair to the painted), fairy tears painted, fairy blush flair, eire flair, pumpkin pizazz flair and margarita flair. Most seem a little duller in person than the pics on the website, but a couple seem more vibrant. Either way I'm happy with what I chose.

Charity stitching finishes

Here's a couple of cross stitch finishes that just need washing, ironing and mailing. Of course I will cut the evil masking tape from the edges first :-). These are to be made into a quilt featuring just designs from Ellen Maurer-Stroh's animal baby series. It will be donated to the CFA (Country Fire Authority) to raffle off for much needed funds. This project came about after the devastating bushfires that hit Victoria earlier in 2009. Our upcoming bushfire season is also being tipped as potentially horrific too.

• Names of the designs are "Ladybug Baby" and "Bunny Baby"
  
• Charts were purchased from www.patternsonline.com and are designed by Ellen Maurer-Stroh
  
• Fabric is a 28 count white evenweave
  
• Thread is DMC cotton
• Stitch count 80 x 94 for Ladybug Baby and 86 x 90 for Bunny Baby
  
• Completed in September 2009 for Ladybug Baby and July 2009 for Bunny Baby
  

A whole lotta stitching goin' on

At least it looks that way. I have accumulated quite a few cross stitched pieces that need "finishing". They are all for Nise's bushfire survivors project, you can see the album of finished ornaments here. (Stitched items to be distributed at a Christmas lunch to those recovering from the deadly bushfires of early '09) I'm hoping that I'll soon be able to post the "after" pics, when they are all nicely completed and ready for mailing. Yeah, right, LOL!! They are due early November so I do have some time up my sleeve, and it is school holidays so maybe, just maybe I can get them done in the next fortnight?? Don't hold your breath!

Finally back to cross stitching

After some busy weeks where I had to concentrate on making and decorating bits and pieces for calisthenics, I can go back to cross stitching. At the moment I have a few things on the go. Somewhere I have a WIP of a welcome banner to be donated to the bushfire survivors. I'm not really liking the shading, a little too harsh for my liking but I'll keep plugging away at it I guess. The other is a quilt square to be made into a quilt to go to the CFA (Country Fire Authority) for fundraising purposes. That design is the ladybug baby from Ellen Maurer - Stroh and has caused me headaches as the key, symbols and chart did not match. I have it worked out now though and should be finished soon, especially considering it's due at the end of Septemeber! Speaking of September, I'm also organising a stitched cupcake exchange, due to be mailed about now and I haven't started. ARGH! I have a clue on what to stitch but just need to do it, it really shouldn't take too long.

Calisthenics Championships!!!!

What a crazy few weeks! With 2 weeks to go until the Calisthenics Victoria Inc. State Titles, our team lost it's 8th member. 8 is the minimum number for a full team, any less and you lose points. We were lucky enough to have one new lady join about a week beforehand and she filled in for 1 1/2 items. We also had another lady learn a bit more of 2 items, and the principal coach of the club learnt the remaining 2 1/2 items. All in all, a lot of stress building up to the big day! Not too mention I was still finishing off costumes.
We worked really well (the DVD is proof of that!) and gained 2nd place for all our items, except rods. Unfortunately we received a penalty due to a timing error and came 4th. Without the penalty we would have been equal 1st!! We came 2nd overall!!!! It's my 3rd year coaching, and our first year with a full team in every item. I am still on cloud nine! Our scores were really high and the crit papers encouraging. I got near perfect scores for my choreography and wonderful comments too.
Here's a picture of the trophy our team received.

Karate Tournaments

My 7 YO son had his first real karate tournament against other clubs recently. We got there just in the nick of time as the freeway was closed for 99% of the way, there was traffic everywhere, we got every red light known to man (and woman), I missed the turn off to get back onto the freeway, then I didn't know the way because of our detour off the freeway, etc, etc. I tried really hard not to let DS know how stressed and panic stricken I was. I'd have felt SOOOO guilty if we missed his first event, they always seem to start with his age group, (the youngest kids) so I knew we had to push it. We arrived just as they were organising the kids, phew!!

First up was his kata against about 13 other kids. He was lucky enough to get a bye in the first round, and won his 2nd round (and I think there was a 3rd round) both 3-0. Then he made the final and made a bit of a mistake, and lost 0-3 to take out 2nd place. The boy who won was strong, and obviously experienced in tournaments. DS did really well, he didn't really look nervous, although he said he was. The winner won a large trophy, while every one else got a smaller 2nd place trophy as "everyone's a winner" in their age group. The Australian government has made a recommendation to clubs that sporting events for kids under 7 be free from too much competitiveness and having "winners" and "losers".

Next up was his kumite, which he isn't quite as good at. He won his first round, 2-0 but met the eventual winner (the same boy who won kata) in the 2nd round. Again this boy was strong and very aggresive. DS lost his balance and fell to ground, before getting up and getting punched in the nose which is obviously against the rules. He did have headgear on, as well as body armour, gloves, mouthguard and shin and foot protecters on, he looked like the Michelan man! He was OK, and wanted to continue his match. His opponent got a warning and lost a point, while DS gained a point due to the illegal move. At the end of the round the score was even, 2 -2 I think. They went into overtime, with the score even again at the end. Then the referees voted on who they thought was best, and DS lost 0-2 knocking him out of the competition. It was unfortunate he got that opponent as he probably could have beaten most of the other kids. He did enjoy himself and had 2 trophies to show for his efforts. There were a few young first timers from our club there, and they all got 1st, 2nd or 3rd places.




On the weekend, our club had about 15 kids attend the AKF National Championships in Adelaide. They made up the bulk of the Victorian team I believe, as they tend to do each year. They all did well and took home a total of something like 6 gold, 6 silver and several bronze. DS is aiming for a place on the Victorian squad one day, hey he's even aiming for the Olympics and karate isn't even an Olympic sport, LOL (yet!)

It's lamb season!

And we have 3 more, a single birth, then twins. That takes the tally to 11, as we sold an adult. The twins were tiny. My kids, being the creative beings they are, named the twins "tiny" and "quiet".  

Not to be left out, there's also a pic of Stamper, the rescued hand reared lamb. He's now 3 months old and accepted the fact he lives in the field. He still doesn't hang with the rest of the sheep, and will come running for a pat like a pet dog. 

Same day....another finish!

My needle is smokin'. This is the cross stitch design I thought I had enough thread for, but ended up having to order another skein. This is going to be another ornament, maybe for myself, maybe for Nise's project. I started this on July 1oth and finished on the 16th.

• Name of the design is "Ink Spot #4"
• Chart is a freebie from
• Fabric is a 28 count white opalescent from www.sewitall.com
• Thread is cotton, in "Enchantment" from the Aussie company www.stitchesandspice.com.au
• Stitch count is 35 x 35
• Completed in July 2009
  
  

I really need to learn to iron :-(

Finishes that is. I am in such a hurry to post my latest cross stitch pics that I forget they look less than impressive all wrinkled with hoops marks. This one looks like it's slightly lacking, so I might find some buttons or charms or something to add to the middle somewhere. This is going to be an ornament for Nise's bushfire survivors project. I started this on the 12th of July and finished on the 16th. (P.S It really helps if you remember to post the PIC!!)

I also got the skein of "enchantment" in the mail today, so can finish the design from the post below.

• Name of the design is "Christmas Ornament 29"
• Design is from a pack of cards with charts, titled "Coloured Strings - Designs by Amy"
• Fabric is a 28 count white opalescent from www.sewitall.com
• Thread is cotton, in "Peacock Fantasy" - I think, I lost the tag - from the Aussie company www.stitchesandspice.com.au
• Stitch count is 42 x 42
• Completed in July 2009.

More "Works In Progress"

Back to the topic of cross stitch again! I am right into monochrome designs at the moment, using specialty threads (silks, variegated cottons etc). I decided to use up some left over cotton from www.stitchesandspice.com.au (in "enchanted" colour) and chose a 35 x 35 stitch count freebie. I figured I'd have enough to finish it, but did I mention estimation IS NOT my strong point? Needless to say, I ran out! I ordered some more so hopefully it will get here soon and I can finish it off. The greenish coloured one is also from stitches and spice, but I'm not sure of the colour as I lost the tag. I'd better have enough to finish it off or I'll be in trouble! LOL

Another day, another stitching finish!

I started cross stitching this on July 8th and finished July 9th. I left the middle stitching out, as I want to find a funky button to go there instead. I also have a matching hot pink tassle for it, I'm going to turn it on the angle and make it a diamond shaped ornament, with the tassle hanging at the bottom. It was intended to be donated to Nise's bushfire survivors project, but I think I like it too much, LOL. Update: Hot pink funky buttons are hard to come by. Instead I bought a plain round button, but it is hot pink, and glittery too!

• Name of the design - It saved as " Rosace-mini-aurore"
  
• Freebie from - Frimousse's blog - translated to English: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leschroniquesdefrimousse.com%2F&sl=fr&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
  
• Fabric is a 28 count white opalescent from www.sewitall.com
  
• Thread is silk, in "Hibiscus" from Vikki Clayton - www.hand-dyedfibers.com.
  
• Stitch count is 66 x 66
• Completed in July 2009.

More stitching

Although I should be working on calisthenics costumes instead of cross stitching :-(




It's been in progress for a while, mainly because I haven't been doing much on it. I made a bit of a mistake when stitching it, and changed the feet so they were mirror images of each other, but apart from that it's stitched as the design calls for. This design was the subject for my cross stitch contest earlier on this blog, which Alex won. Here's the design details:

• Name of the design - Technically it doesn't have a name but I've called it "Red Santa".
  
• Leaflet is titled "Simply Red Ornaments" designed by Diane Arthurs for Imaginating Inc.
  
• Fabric is a 28 count white opalescent from www.sewitall.com
  
• Thread is a variegated DMC stranded cotton, number 115.
  
• Stitch count is 58 x 65
• Completed in July 2009.

You are a lamb, NOT a human!

Our lamb has been drinking us out of house and home. I never really stopped to think how much milk he was going to consume when we first got him, but let me tell you it's a LOT!! Thankfully he is old enough to be weaned, and our research (gotta love google) tells us that cold turkey is the way to go. Poor thing, not only is he an orphan, but he gets the milk ripped out from under him too. So far he has been coping OK though. We've made him a lovely grass cordial which we've been feeding him instead of the milk. Although he has access to water, we haven't seen him drink yet so want to make sure he keeps his fluids up. He seems to look forward to his feeds, regardless of what's in the bottle. He has taken to nibbling at various grass and weeds so we know he's not going to starve.

He will come and stand at the downstairs door and baa when it's time for a feed. If he see's me down there he pushes up against the glass door as if he can just force his way in. Once inside he'll have his bottle, then try his best to hide so he doesn't have to go out again. Just this morning he climbed the stairs and tried his best to be invisible. I coaxed him back down but it was an effort. Then he tried to play chasy around the room, until I grabbed him and basically forced him out. He reminds me of a cheeky toddler who doesn't want his nappy changed.

Yesterday when the other 8 sheep were up near the house, I took the lamb out for a walk in the paddocks. I took some old bread to feed to the sheep too.  We went right up to the grandpa of the flock and the lamb had a bit of a sniff at him. I walked down to the dam with all the sheep, but once the bread ran out, they stopped following. Of course, the obedient little lamb followed me though. I'd go left, he'd go left. I'd stop, he'd stop. The plan was to get him to feed on what little grass we have, and to join the flock and go live in the paddocks with them. He had other ideas! 

I left him in the paddock while I checked the letterbox, and heard him baaing to me. Once I  got back though, he'd gone and I dared to hope he'd gone off to find the other sheep. No such luck! I got back to the house and who was patiently waiting in the backyard for me? I'll give you one guess. Not sure how he found his way in, but he did! He's now got access to the front and back yards, and will not listen when I tell him he is a sheep and must go and live with his kind. I'm happy for him to live where he pleases, but he hasn't got enough food where he is, and no company. The cat is still scared of him and keeps his distance. 

Here's another few pics of the lamb, he's 3 weeks old here. He's actually getting to be a handful, he's a big boy now and isn't exactly gentle. I had a massive bruise on my thigh because he stood on me in his frenzy to be fed. He races up whenever it's feed time and nearly bowls me over. He also thinks he's an indoor pet, as I feed him downstairs. He is very reluctant to leave afterwards, I have to force him out the door. He remembers the old lounge chair he used to sleep on when he was a newborn and jumps up there and tries to settle in for a sleep. He's a pretty clean animal, if we could house train him, he could live downstairs! He's also adept at climbing up and down stairs too!

How I started stitching

I'm always interested in how others started their stitching journeys, so thought I'd share mine. I had always been somewhat creative and interested in crafts, but hadn't found my "thing". Anyway, I wound up hospitalised (for a total of 5 weeks!) when I was pregnant with DS #1 and the hospital had a trolley with various bits and pieces on it go around the wards. I bought a clown mobile kit to make from it and after I finished that my MIL brought me a teddy bear long stitch kit to do, which I completed in record time. Once DS was born and I was back in the real world, I bought a cheap and nasty stamped cross stitch kit. I can't even recall what the design was, just that you could not tell what colour went where as the lines were all over the place. In the end I tossed it.

From there I tried my hand at stitching a greeting card for my sister. I seem to recall the pattern came from a book, maybe from the library? It was an urn with flowers in it, and a small bird. Even back then I changed patterns to suit myself, as I decided to balance things up and add another bird on the other side, LOL. The rest, as they say, is history! Here's a pic of it, bottom row, middle card:

I can't really remember what the rest of the pictured designs are but I'll give it a shot. The top left one was another card for a baby in my mother's group. The design may have come from one of the UK magazines, Cross Stitch Crazy or Quick & Easy Cross Stitch maybe. The top middle design was for my step-grandmother and came from a book. The cat card (top right) was also for her, from a UK magazine again. The golfer one (bottom left) was for my dad, as was the bottom right seahorse design, both from a UK magazine.