I didn't think it had been that long since I had posted an update! This year is flying.
I wanted to upload some photos of my latest cross stitch for my own record.


My angel piece framed. It looks very sweet in my beauty salon. It catches my eye everytime I walk in the room. You can't really tell but the matting is a pale olive green and I think it works well with the colors in the cross stitch.


My two cheeky bathroom mice. I love how they turned out. At first I wasn't sure when I picked the colors but I wanted to have a bit of fun with them since they have so much character themselves.


First Holly Hobbie progress picture.


My second Holly Hobbie cross stitch picture.

I am really enjoying stitching Holly Hobbie and I have been doing most of it at night time watching the olympics. Oh and I've started a new t.v series 'six feet under' and it is so good and a bit weird. I have been stitching whilst watching that too.

Happy Stitching x

Adrian and I just got back from seeing 'sex and the city' at the movies. I LOVED IT! :-) So good. I asked Adrian to go with me and I think he enjoyed it just as much as I did, we laughed the same amount of times. :-) The movie was like seeing all my girlfriends again! haha... I think I am about the only girl in the world who still hadn't seen it yet but I wanted to finish the series first and I am glad I did. It was great to see all the fashion too.
Before dinner and the movie we had a quick look in JB HIFI and with me being the Led Zeppelin fan that I am I went over to their section and I bought 'Mothership' 2 CD and 1 DVD set for $15!!!!!!!!!!!! It is normally from $30 onwards and it was a special deal they had. I couldn't believe it, so of course I bought it! I had my eye on it for awhile.
It's been a great night. :-)

This is my first progress picture of my holly hobbie cross stitch pattern I recently started. It is my first time working on evenweave and I love it already. :-) It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It is my new addiction. I've actually really gotten into different types of stitching fabrics now with different colors since I have started evenweave! I can't wait to go to the craft show this weekend to have a look at all the different sorts. :-)
The picture is of Holly Hobbie's bonnet she wears and I like how it's coming along, there have been a few color changes but not too many so I am not stitch jumping much.



I had fun this afternoon stitching whilst watching twin peaks tv series. I've finished the sex and the city tv series now and I miss the girls already!! :-) Hehe...I loved that show.

Happy Stitching x

I think I am addicted to evenweave... :-/ hehe....since working on my holly hobbie cross stitch I have become to really love evenweave. I have become much more confident and although I am a little bit slower than I am at stitching on aida I still love the effect of evenweave. Counting takes me longer and almost makes me go cross eyed but it's ok. I don't do much count jumping on evenweave as I don't trust myself with getting the right amount of squares. I would most likely miscount and then stuff up my stitching.:-)
I have only been stitching on evenweave for a few days now but it get's easier every time, I really like it!

Yesterday I went to my local framers to get my stitching of my angels and mice piece framed. I decided to go to my trusted framers even though they are awhile away, I do trust what they do with my stitching and they do a fantastic job. I would never pain an insane amount of money at the other framing place near my house just because they are closer. I couldn't believe the quotes I got from them!!!!
Anyway, I had fun picking out colors of matting and frames with the lady there so I can't wait to get them back.
I also went to spotlight and bought some calico to put in between my q-snaps and my stitching as I want to avoid dirty marks on my fabric as much as possible. I can't remember who I got this idea from,but it's a good one at that. :-)
I will post a photo of my progress soon!
Happy Stitching x

Hi everyone, I am wanting to wash my cross stitch before I take it to the framers and before I do this I was curious to know how you all do it? and what you have found works best? I searched a thread on this and someone said basic dish washing liquid works. I've not used this method before as I've always been with my friends when I've washed my cross stitch and they both use washing flakes which has worked really well.
Before I head off to the supermarket I just wanted to know if I could maybe use general clothes washing detergent that I already have at home?
Thanks in advance. :-)

I finished threading my threads onto the thread holder I made for my holly hobbie kit today! It took me two days, as I needed good natural light. Last night I finished sorting them. Silly me, couldn't wait as I really want to start the kit so I sorted most of the threads out in artificial light! Probably not the best idea, my eyes started to hurt after working out 5 different shades of green....
I will be starting my kit tonight! Yay! :-)

On Saturday night I watched a episode of 'grey's anatomy' and finished stitching my second mice project. :-) They look great together, I think they are so cute.
I really enjoyed stitching the mice, very easy, a good change from my last project. All I need to do is wash and iron them and then take them to the framers. I can't wait to see them on my bathroom wall.



Speaking of framers I checked out my local shop near my house today to get some quotes on my stitching. They were lovely guys that worked there and very welcoming. They looked at my stitching and said how beautiful my work was. :-) I had the angel piece and the mice with me. :-) They gave me different ideas on how to frame each one with different matting and frames but WHOO EXPENSIVE! I am talking $80-$90 more than where I normally go to have my stitching framed. So even though they were lovely and helpful I think I am going to have to stick with my framers. With the two mice, they quoted $130 each! I think that is a bit too expensive. Especially since I've had my other stitching framed for alot less and they have been larger.
It is good to look around though.

I also started sorting out my threads for my new holly hobbie kit last night, it's not my most favourite thing to do, and it took me awhile with sorting out all the similiar colors, but now I can start my kit after I thread them in a thread sorter. Can't wait to start it!!

Happy stitching xx

Yay! for Spotlight sales....20% off everything today.
I went and left with stocked up DMC thread colors for a future pattern that I will be starting in the near future. :-) Ooh and a few other things, like aida. :-)

Tonight was my first time at stitching on evenweave. I'd always been so scared at having a go at stitching on evenweave because it looks so scary and confusing but I think I did well. As time went, I became more confident with it and I think I might begin to like it. :-) My friend Gayle taught me at our stitchy meeting this evening, as my new kit Adrian bought me has evenweave enclosed inside and I thought I should definately become confident with it first before I start my actual pattern. :-)
It will definately take me longer to stitch with all the extra counting, but I will enjoy it at the same time....I hope.
Happy Stitching x

Nathan and I went and saw a band called 'The Children of Bodom' last night. :-) They are a finnish band and are touring at the moment. They played at the Palace in the city and they were something different. Like nothing I've ever heard or seen before. They are a death metal band, so you can probably imagine what I am talking about. I had to laugh when I heard the support band play, they were what you could call interesting. I didn't understand the musician at all, he was screaming into the microphone and I couldn't actually hear any words. He had cool hair though, really long. :-)
Nathan loves that sort of music, and wanted to take me along as he knows I love seeing bands too. I am glad I saw them as I like hearing different music and they were really good, and quite popular. I probably should have dyed my hair black and worn black with heavy eyeliner to fit in more, but I just went as me. :-) We had such a fun night and had a few drinks together too,it was great.
I then spent the day after with my sister and neice, that was even better.....SHE IS SO CUTE!!!!

On stitching, I am still stitching the second of my mice in the series, they are coming along well. :-)

This past week I had one week off work which was so nice just to relax most of the time and this also gave me much needed stitching time and dvd watching. I've started watching 'sex and the city' tv series which I bought and is just hillarious. I never saw the seasons in the right order and missed many episodes so it is great to watch them all in the right order.
I finished my pattern 'bathroom mice' by Margaret Sherry that I started not long ago, and it didn't take me long at all.
I decided to stitch it on marbled blue and white 14 count aida, which I bought at the stitchy show at the start of this year. I thought it would be perfect for our bathroom and I think it came out really nicely, it compliments the colors in the pattern really well.
The mice are so cheeky and cute. :-) I've just started the other one in the series where the mice are sailing in a soap dish and are making bubbles. I think they will look great together on the wall.

A photo of the mice.



And this is a close up.




I will post a picture when I finish the other one too. :-)

In other stitching news, on my week off I went to a local needlework shop near me called 'the embroidery den' and it was so much fun looking around and talking to the ladies that worked there..The lady who owns the store loves cross stitch also, it's her first passion but she also enjoys doing other embrodiery too.
I couldn't help myself of course. I bought a hand towel with an aida band so I can stitch something on it and 2 bundles of variegated threads. :-) I've always looked at them and thought I would buy a couple to have a bit of a play around with.
It is so nice to know I have a LNS nearby. :-)

Happy stitching x

It's my birthday today, I turned 27. :-)
I was naughty and decided to take the day off work. I've had a nice relaxing day. I had breakfast with Adrian and then went and had a massage. I also did a bit of shopping too. :-) Tonight I am having dinner with my family.
I wanted to show you a photo of a cross stitch kit Adrian bought me for my birthday. I love it, and it's one I've always had my eye on.



I love holly hobbie! :-) Can't wait to start this one.

This is the photo of my 'little angels' piece. :-)
The details are:

By Candamar designs, designer is Steve Hanks. Stamped cross stitch. The finished size is 25.4 X 40.6cm. Stitched on 14 count aida, with standard cotton and blending filament. The pattern is 90% half stitch, so this is why it only took me a few months to complete, it was a quicker process. It was also my first attempt at stamped cross stitch, which was strange at first because I like working from a blank canvas, but it turned out well. I like the whole 3D effect.
I think it is very cute! :-)
This pattern is going to be framed and displayed in my beauty salon in the facial and body wrap room. It is a very relaxing room, the walls are filled with pictures of angels already, so this cross stitch is going to fit in perfectly. :-) I can't wait until my clients start to notice it. I will try and take a photo once it's framed and displayed too.


The overall picture. I'm not sure why it's a little blurry.


A close up of the pattern. I love the detail in the angels harps and halos.

This morning I had a bit of time to spare at work before my first client, so I started winding some of my cotton onto bobbins, which I have wanted to start doing for ages! :-) I have a whole bunch to go still, but at least it was a start.
I am going to start my mice project tonight, can't wait!

Happy stitching x

Tonight I finished stitching my 'little angels' piece by Candamar designs. Yay!! I am excited that I've finished another pattern. It didn't take me long at all, a couple of months. I guess the half stitches helped speed up the process. :-)
Unfortunately I don't have a photo to post as I will have to wait till tomorrow to take a photo of it because it is now dark and the light is not good enough in my house with the digital camera. I will definately take one tomorrow though.

Next I am starting a pattern out of 'cross stitcher' magazine called 'bathroom mice' designed by Margaret Sherry. I am stitching it for our bathroom at home. :-) I can't wait to start it. I get excited about starting a new project.

Happy stitching x

This is the finished framed picture of Tatty Teddy I stitched for little Heidi. I had it framed a few weeks ago and gave it to Kelly and Nathan on the 9th of May. I haden't gotten around to posting on my journal since.
They loved it, and I am happy how it came out. I decided on the double matting as I thought it added more to the cross stitch. :-)
I am so glad they loved it, they said it was the most special gift they had been given. I hope Heidi likes it when she gets older.



As for my ' little angels' piece, I finished the stitching last night and now just have the back stitching to do!! Ooh how exciting. I took it out of the q-snaps and had a good look at how it is looking. I think it's really pretty and the effect does look 3D. I can't wait to see how the back stitch turns out. I am almost finished it, and will post when I have.

Happy Stitching xx

I have finally been able to finish the last touches to Heidi's birth sampler. As soon as I found out Heidi's details, I got busy graphing all the details onto graph paper and then working out where to place her name and date etc. This had to be done this way because 'sweet dreams' was not a birth sampler, it was just a normal pattern that said 'sweet dreams' at the top. But because I had the alphabet it was easier to change. :-)
This is what it was supposed to look like:
http://www.vicstitch.com.au/p/314839/sweet-dreams---a-me-to-you-cross-stitch-kit.html

I finished it on Saturday night and added Tatty Teddy's french knot eyes which he didn't have before as I didn't want to flatten them while he was lying in the pillow case. :-) I think it has come out well if I can say so myself. I think Kelly and Nathan will like it, and I am sure Heidi will too once she's older. :-)
I went to have him framed over the weekend so I can't wait to see the finished product.

Heidi is so beautiful, I am so in love. I didn't realise you could feel such a strong protective love in your heart, but as soon as I saw Heidi I felt it straight away, it's a different kind of love, so I can only imagine how it feels when you have your own. I am a very proud Aunty as you can tell.


Tatty Teddy

Heidi Jean Snow was born at 6:30pm on the 9th of April 2008. She weighed in at 6 pound 11 and is 49cm long. I may be biased but I think she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. She has the most gorgeous character in her face, and she looks just like Kelly.
I am a very proud Aunty, and am very proud of Kelly and Nathan. It was nice to be there in the afternoon and wait until 8:20pm when we could finally see the new arrival. It was such an emotional feeling when they announced 'it's a girl'.
Now to go and find some gorgeous girls clothes. :-)

My sister went into labour this morning and she left for the hospital at about 8:00am. It is now 3:37pm and she is still in labour but progressing really well. The doctor said she will most likely have the baby around 6:00pm,7:00pm or 8:00pm tonight. I feel so excited,anxious,nervous and I feel a little sick in my stomach all at the same time. I wish that it was me going through the pain rather than Kelly, I hate to think of her in that pain.
Soon my sister will be a mummy and I will be an Aunty, finally the day has come. :-)

Since I have learnt how to upload photos from Adrian teaching me I am having fun and have uploaded a few more. I love photos, I used to be really into scrapbooking and I think I will be starting it again one day as I have to keep up with my photo stash. Oh and of course with a little baby on the way, there are so many baby scrapbooking things around.



My little Tildy, looking oh so cute as always. This photo makes me laugh as she is looking at me like 'what the hell am I doing on here, why did you make me get on here Mum'. Haha! I could squeeze her nose she is so cute. :-)



More pictures from the house warming. My sister Kelly and her fiance Nathan. They are expecting their first baby, it's all very exciting!



My sister Lori and our friend Frank.



Two of Adrian's really good friends Dave and Nick who I have known for many years. And me. :-)

I want to upload some of my cross stitch soon to show you what I have completed and I will definately try and get a photo of my framed cross stitch soon. I am going to continue with my cross stitch right now after I log off from here.
Have a lovely weekend everyone. :-)

Adrian and I had our house warming party on 29th of March and I wanted to show a few photos as we had lots of fun! We had a good turn out and everyone enjoyed having a few drinks and some finger food. It was nice to celebrate moving into our new house together.


This is a cupcake tree Adrian and I got as a housewarming present off my two sisters and I made some cupcakes to go with it. :-) I loved how it turned out.

Adrian and I


My sisters and I, me, Kelly (the one carrying my neice or nephew) :-) and Lori.


Adrian and a few of his mates who are all fun guys.


Adrian's sister Katherine and I, after I made her laugh.

This photo has nothing to do with my housewarming at all but it's a photo of my baby girl Matilda. She is my darling. :-) I know a few of you wanted to see a photo of her.


Now onto the stitching front.
My angel piece is looking good, I have almost finished the first angel and have just started on my second one. :-) It is looking really pretty with all the glitter thread. I am enjoying stitching this one for the moment, but can't wait to start one with a blank canvas so to speak.
Tatty Teddy is still sitting in his pillow case, as you would have guessed. :-)
Bye for now. :-) Happy stitching!