The Tiger and The Mother

Well the tiger is coming along, slowly but surely.... unfortunately a bit more slowly than planned, due to the start of a bad case of gardening fever. Yup, the warm weather finally kicked off this week making it impossible to ignore the pull of the garden. Who can resist being out there when the blackbirds are putting their hearts and souls into their songs? Not me, that's for sure. :0)

Here's where I left off the stripey one by the end of the week:

It's rather intimidating having those eyes staring right back at you whilst you're infilling the rest of the face, I can tell you. The expression seems to say: Come on woman, get on with it and get me finished.... this is totally undignified! LOL

I was really good at the start of last week and brought Mother Earth out again. Well, I'd spent that long under the naughty chair I was in danger of taking root there! I didn't do a great deal (just about enough to make an update pic worth posting) but it felt good to be working on Her again. Here's where I left off:

In case you're not sure where I was working: a start was made on infilling the last section of the trees on this page. I forgot to zoom in on the pic so you get to see just how disgustingly grubby the material has got along the edges. * Hangs head in shame* Still, this piece has been on the go for several years..... but I'm not fessing up as to how long or my head will be hanging even lower! LOL

So what have I been up to this time around? The usual Development Circle session on Tuesday night - this week we did psychometry. I like doing this, especially as I seem to do reasonably well at it.... though do better on personal objects that have been worn, rather than not so personal items. Then there's my weekly acupuncture session..... those little needles are wonder workers where my arthritic aches and pains are concerned and I highly recommend it. Then I had my monthly Reiki session on Saturday.... always a guaranteed chill out, and this session has made me realise that I want to pursue this avenue but from the other side - I want to take this up as part of my development towards doing healing work. I hope that Aureen, my Reiki practitioner, will be willing to teach me..... or be able to recommend someone, if she's unable to do so. I also bought a couple of plants from a local shop and planted them up in the evening, when it had gone cooler. DS had also brought back another five strawberry plants from the market so I planted those up in a large container - we should have a good crop very soon. :0)

Then I've been out in the garden quite a bit. As DH and DS were busy for much of the weekend, what with the local farmer's market and the theatre Get In for this weeks performance of Blackadder II, I had a trip out in my car to one of the local garden centres........ unfortunately a big proportion of the local population had also decided it would be good to do this too. To say it was heaving would be an understatement.... but the Angel of Parking Spaces was with me and someone pulled out of a slot opposite the doors just as I drove through the gates. Thank you Angel! LOL I had planned on staying for dinner but the busy-ness of the place soon made me change that plan.... too many rude, impatient and ignorant people around, it just wouldn't have been enjoyable. So I grabbed a barrow (the last one by the doors - thank you again, Angel!) and started the rounds of the plants and into the barrow went: a lovely Lavendula; five assorted alpine plants and two Osteospernum (sp?). I couldn't find the decorative wall planter (menopausal brain fart moment) so I found a very obliging female member of staff who took me to where they were.... and she was also good enough to show me a selection of plants that would do well on a north facing wall, for which I thanked her. I wouldn't have had a clue, otherwise! LOL So into the barrow went the wall planter, three trailing plants and two flowering plants...... but please don't ask me what they're called because I can't remember. The Angel was still with me because, when I got to the tills, the large queue that had been there when I arrived had totally gone (thank you, again), so I paid, loaded up the car, put the barrow back by the door for the next customer and exited so the patiently waiting chap could have my parking spot. I guess his Angel was looking out for him too. LOL It was a very hot day on Sunday so, once I'd unloaded everything from the car, I had a cold drink and a sit down before doing much of anything else. Later in the day, when it had cooled off some, I planted up some of that days buys. I'll post pics in another post once the planter is up on the wall.

I've also had a cardmaking session. Nothing too taxing, just making up some kiddies cards from a kit I bought from Tesco a while ago.

Don't you just love those goggle eyes?

Very quick and easy to make.... and a lot of fun. All I had to provide was the foam pads and glue dots. I shall add numbers to the cards when I send them out. Am hoping that this will kickstart the cardmaking mojo, as it's been sadly lacking this year.

The sorting and moving things into the craft room has stalled again..... the garden can take the blame for that. LOL Oh, and I'm now waiting for my new specs to arrive, to complete the new look - hopefully they won't be too much longer.

Many thanks for all the lovely comments on my new look.... hopefully it hasn't scared too many of you. LOL Hope life is being kind and you're all having a good week. :0)

Mother Earth Update

The update for the 2010 Weekly SAL Blog was posted on Sunday so I thought it was about time I posted a pic here too, just in case you didn't get to have a wander over there yet for a look-see. :0)

This time I concentrated mostly on filling in the skin areas, with the occasional foray into the annoying confetti stitching realm........ after a while those little white patches in the middle of all the colour get to bugging me enough to make me persevere and not mind all that tail-end thread weaving on the back. Weeeellll..... not quite so much. LOL The rainbow will have to keep its white patches for a while longer though because I just can't work out which of the two very similar symbols it's meant to be when the only difference is that one is a bit thicker than the other. Unfortunately that similar symbol thing has been a big issue with this chart, despite DH getting the pages enlarged to an unwieldy A3 size........ until that beloved magnifying lamp came into my life. It has proved to be a gem with that too. Yep, I can now see the difference between most of the similar symbols...... apart from the one on that flippin' rainbow! Now curious, as this is my first HAED so I don't have anything to compare it with: has anyone else had a similar problem with their HAED chart?

The old stitching mojo seems to have decided that, yes, it definitely is going to stay around for a while, so I've been taking full advantage of it. The Monthly Challenge piece has had a fair bit of attention lately..... though it doesn't seem to be growing that fast, despite this. That has been another pain in the butt chart too, overcome by sitting at the computer and looking at the online version and writing notes on my print-out as to what bit is supposed be stitched in which colour. It certainly reminded me as to why I waaaaaaayy prefer symbol charts! Oh, and this is another piece I can't show you all as it has to wait until Reveal Day. Sorry!

Are there any Ink Circle Designs fans out there who are thinking of stitching The Bramble and the Rose? Well, some of the girls over at the Ink Circle Stitchers Blog are going to be having a SAL with this one around March time. I say around because, by the sounds of it, they are all itching to get going and may just jump the gun a bit. LOL They say the more the merrier, so you'd be welcome to join in. I'm trying so hard to resist temptation with this one as I already have a few BAP's on the go......... but I can't help wondering if I might just have finished Sea Stars by then and have an empty scroll frame that will cry out for another project to go on it. ;0) ROFL

As for other things: the Panto is now finished so the chaps are around again - exit the peace and quiet and being boss of the TV remote every night.... right when I was getting used to being in charge of it too. LOL Still, it's worth the losses as it meant that two more panels of the flooring got layed last night. I am sure DH is trying to see just how long he can make this one job last..... and just how far my patience will go. Not too much further, I can tell you, as it was supposed to have been finished before Christmas. I want to start moving things into my new Craft Room and get everything organised NOW! Oops.... guess I'd better keep on working at that patience thing. ;0)

The Development Circle went well last week (have updated my other blog now) and I'm looking forward to tonight's session and seeing what's in store. DH will enjoy his night off and a half in the pub while I'm there. Hopefully I'll not be too tired to pick up Sea Stars after I get back - I need to get some stitches into it or Julie and Mr Stick will be on my case. :0)

Thank you for visiting and also for all the lovely comments you take the time to leave - they are very much appreciated. Hope you are all enjoying some serious stitchy time. :0)