Belly Dancing Time

Yup, the Egyptian Belly Dancing CD's had another outing yesterday for another Happy Dance. LOL

Here is Queen Cleopatra, in all her unwashed and unpressed glory, thanks to me being too excited to wait before posting a pic to share:

As ever, the scan makes the colours look a little washed out - they are more vivid IRL and so typical of Ancient Egyptian colours. I enjoyed stitching her and am now trying to decide if I now fancy starting one of the sister kits to go with this. No, not another Egyptian one: there's a Venetian and a Moorish woman to go with. I thought there was a fourth as well but I must have imagined it, as I couldn't find it when I looked (sheesh - yet another brain fart moment!).

Then again I may opt for something completely different. I've been eyeing the LHN chart Always and Forever as a potential start. I've got some R&R 30ct fabric in Goldfinch to stitch it on but am dithering over a thread colour, as I don't have the recommended one (Belle Soie in Mer Blue). It doesn't necessarily have to be blue so, folks, to help get my imagination going with this: what thread/s and colour/s do you suggest?

I had a stash package with a difference arrive this week, with no threads, no charts and not a single evenweave or linen in sight. What kind of stash do you call that? Patchwork and quilting stash or, to be more precise, fabrics and wadding samples that I bought from an online patchwork and quilting shop called Cotton Patch:

Aren't they lovely? No, I'm not taking up yet another hobby (mighty tempting as it is, as I've always fancied taming the sewing machine and having a go at P & Q). These 9" x 11" cotton fabrics and the wadding were bought solely with the intention of using them to make up cross stitched ornies of varying kinds. I enjoyed the browse through all the fabrics on the site and will most probably go back there again at some point....... there were lots more lovely fabrics that were mighty tempting. :0)

Tonight I shall be phoning my DSis, partly to check if she's got over her trauma (LMAO) but mainly to see how her day of babysitting our nephew Fin went yesterday - his teachers were on strike and DBro and SIL were working, so DSis stepped in to help out as it was her day off. She was well prepared for it: DBro was leaving Fin's booster seat, in case they decided they wanted a trip out in the car, and she'd also bought a packet mix to make some choc chip muffins and a badge making kit. Nice - brings back memories of when my DS was little! :0) I did ask if I could go for a play too but she wasn't having it and reckoned I'd probably eat most of the choc chip muffins. Huh! Right cheek, I told her - I'd probably have to fight her off first so I could get a look-in! LOL

Other plans for tonight? Well DS will be at the theatre again, as he managed to get roped in to helping out with a dance schools production of Mouline Rouge all this week, and DH will be out on a works male bonding night out in town (an excuse to go for an ale or three, as he'll not be driving)........ so I shall be in sole charge of the TV remote and have a selection of stitching projects that need some attention. Night Watchman is feeling neglected, as I haven't had him out of my work bag for ages and the same with Mother Earth; then Memories is waiting for me to get round to stitching the final part, as is For Amanda, and there's the thought of a new start beckoning. Guess I'll wait until after I've had tea and seen the two fellas off and then see what mood takes me. :0)

Weekend plans haven't been decided on yet. My DSis is working, so we'll not be going to hers, so I guess it all depends on what the weather is doing...... if the last couple of days are anything to go by, then it'll be more rain showers. Still, there are enough DIY jobs to do in the house to keep DH going for a very looooooooong time. LOL

Julie: if I suggested that DH would still be running next week - and not because of the beetle! LMAO ;0)

Well, that's it for today. Hope you are all having a good day and have a fun weekend planned. Enjoy! :0)

Here's The Proof.....

that I did actually stitch on Guenevere this Tuesday UFO Night, after a lack of stitching on her during the previous two weeks: I don't fancy tackling lots of metallic thread stitching right at the end of this, so decided to do all of the infill with it this time around - it really sparkles IRL.

Actually I stitched on her Wednesday night too, as I had numerous interruptions on Tuesday night and didn't get much done. DH kept wanting my input for various things on the computer - shouldn't complain, as he was sorting things out for me but it did get frustrating as I only got the odd few stitches in here and there.
Then I had a long phone call from my DSis. She was all traumatised from having a large beetle drop down her cleavage while she was sat watching TV! Apparently that had had her jumping around like a whirling dervish and speaking in tongues, although I reckon what she yelled would have been far from Biblical and the racket she made would definitely have had her next-door neighbours wondering what on earth she was getting up to. She said it was a good thing that the blinds were shut, especially by the time she'd done fishing the beetle out. When I stopped laughing for long enough I rather helpfully pointed out that she probably wasn't as severely traumatised as the poor beetle......... what she said next was most definitely Anglo-Saxon in origin. LMAO
Actually she was quite restrained: after she'd put all her clothing back in place, said beetle was scooped up in a newspaper (not flattened with it) and rapidly evicted from the house into the garden....... so he lives to tell the tale to all his pals. Wonder what they'll make of all that, then? ROFLMAO When my poor DSis rang off she went to have a bath. :0)

By the time I'd done with Guenevere last night there wasn't time to pick up Cleo again, so no HD just yet. I plan on making up for that today though, so watch this space..........

Pics of my Monthly Challenge piece have arrived with Karen and gone in the album - now it's a case of waiting for Reveal Day to see all the finishes. Can't wait!

Helen: hope you enjoyed the coffee, toast and peanut butter. :0) The optician told me that my eye muscles were doing something they shouldn't be doing (over compensating or something) and that was likely responsible for some bad headaches I'd had (in the eye exam it also meant that the vertical black line didn't stay central to the white dot but kept looking like it was wandering off). The prisms are to stop that from happening and help the eye muscles go back to doing what they are supposed to do. Despite the weird optical illusion with flat surfaces my eyes are much better now and there's been no sign of a headache since the first couple of days of wearing them (touch wood!). I'm a happy bunny because I can, once again, see to stitch and watch TV when there's a really good programme on, like Lewis or Bonekickers. :0)

Thank you for taking the time to visit and especially to those who leave comments - it's lovely to get the feedback and know I'm not just rambling away to myself. Hope everyone is having a good day. :0)

Belated Birthday Post

My DH has finally transferred everything, including my pics, to the new computer tower, given me a lesson on how to transfer pics from the digicam memory card to it (correct slot now found!) and I'm rocking and rolling again. Yay! So where do I start?

DH and I went to my DSis's on the Sunday 6th - DH went home in the evening but I stayed until the evening on Tuesday 8th, my birthday, when DH came over to take me home again. It was a good break and DSis took us out and I was very good when it came to helping her spend her money. LOL She bought a new fridge/freezer, a TV for her bedroom, a set of bedding, a vase and other household odds and ends. My tiny haul included some hair scrunchies, stickers and some make-up applicators (these are for cardmaking, as they're very good for chalking with!) - DH sighed with relief when he heard that's all I bought. ;0) I'm not very familiar with the roads around my home town any more (many changes since I left when I married) and my DSis openly admits that she can't navigate her way out of a paper bag......... so we went the scenic route a couple of times, which added to the fun. :0)

I had some lovely cards and gifts for my birthday and I thought I'd share a few pics. Here are the lovely cards I received from Sally and my PenPal Maggie:

A seriously cute bunny. Thanks again Sally. :0)

I also received this stunning handmade card, along with some lovely Polstitches threads, from Helen:

I hope my pic shows the glossy look of the mount and the sparkle of the metallic threads that are in the stitching. As I love all things to do with Ancient Egypt this is so me! Thanks again Helen, my friend, I love my card and gift. :0) In anyone needs to know: the figurine is Isis/Hathor.

Next up is a pic of the lovely card and gifts I received from my friend Alex:

The centrepiece of the card is made up of pieces of handmade paper made to look like patchwork with the addition of rub-on "stitches". There are also added brads and motifs - I love it and it makes me think of Alex's stitched patches. The fabric is Polstitches Stormy Skies, the Caron Wildflowers thread is Morning Mist and those black threads are different thicknesses of Mulberry Silk, ideal for blackwork. I also received some DD silks from DH (lush!), the DVD The Other Boleyn Girl from DS and my DSis gave me a gorgeous bracelet watch (the bracelet part is made up of Picture Stone) and a gorgeous handpainted Memory Box - that will be going on my downstairs altar and I shall probably keep my crystals and precious keepsakes inside.

Since getting home I've been "breaking in" my new specs. Not pleasant initially: for two days I could actually feel every single one of my eye muscles, as they ached badly, and I felt quite queasy, especially as the prisms ensure that flat surfaces do not look anything like flat but look to have a downward slope away from me. No stitching got done during those few days. :0(

Glad to say I seem to have adjusted to them now - although the downward slope sensation will not go away - and have been making up for lost time since. I can see my stitching and watch TV once more. Yay! The Monthly Challenge piece is now finished and, now I know what to do with the pic transfers, a pic will be winging it's way to Karen shortly. I also hope to be having a HD by the end of the week too: I've made Cleo my focus piece since Sunday and it's paid off well. :0)

DH and I were out and about quite a bit this last weekend, shopping and visiting a garden centre where we managed to get another pot for the other fuschia plant Dad gave us, and we got some jobs done in the garden. We also celebrated our Wedding Anniversary on Monday - that's 24 years together. As I said to DH: do you know, you can commit murder and get less time than that and you're let out even sooner for good behaviour. I thought I heard him mutter something along the lines of if only he'd realised that much sooner but I must be mistaken. LMAO. Guess I'd better make a start on a 25th Anniversary piece for next year........ I had initially fancied doing a red piece but that's more apt for a Ruby anniversary, so I'm now thinking of stitching the Elizabeth's Designs piece "Love Grows Here". Better extract my digit - initially I got the maths wrong and thought there were two more years to go, so hadn't factored this in to my stitching plans! Doh!

If I can find the wedding pic I know was on the old computer, but can't currently find on here, I shall post a pic another time......... and thoroughly depress myself on how young we both looked back then and how slim I was. ;0)

Well I guess that's enough for now, especially as I've just spotted the time - I really should have been in bed around two hours ago, at least!

Many thanks for visiting and especially for having the patience to read that little lot....... I so hope you made a coffee and put your feet up first! :0)

Weekend Witterings

Thank you for all the lovely comments about Alex's fabric box, she will really appreciate them. It's such a shame she doesn't get as much time as she would like to indulge her passion for embroidery.

No stitching pics of my own to share yet. I've completed stitching the JA/S&S Monthly Challenge piece but can't share any pics until Reveal Day, later this month. So far I'm pretty pleased with how it looks and I know how I want to finish it - just hope my skills are up to the new finishing technique I'll be trying!

I've stitched a bit more on Cleo but not enough to make a pic worthwhile. Here's one of a card I made the other day instead:

It's for my next door neighbour's youngest DD. I bought a Fiskars circle punch whilst at The Range last weekend and making this card was the ideal opportunity to have a play with it. I love those funky 3-D butterfly embellishments too and think they should appeal to my neighbours little girl. :0)

This morning (Saturday) DH and I had to pop down the local High Street. No fun at all, as it was absolutely persisting down with rain at the time. Despite using brollies we still got quite wet plus I also found out that my showerproof anorak isn't any more! Anyways, the errands got done and we also picked up our glasses from the opticians.......... and went home quite a few quid poorer for it. DH seems to be getting on with his new vari-focals OK but my new lenses made me feel nauseous and I couldn't focus properly, due to them having prisms in them, so they will take some getting used to. As we are going to my DSis's tomorrow and, in all likelihood, I'll be staying with her for a few days (she's got the week off) I've decided not to permanently change to the new lens specs until after I come back. If we are going to be out and about I have to be able to see OK, so I can give total concentration to the full shopping experience, don't I? LOL
Hopefully, once I get used to the new lenses, I'll once more be able to see clearly to stitch with my specs on and keeping them on means I'll also be able to see the TV. Yay!

When we'd finished down the High Street we went to a local garden centre for dinner and came away with a bird seed feeder, to replace the grotty old one, and a new pot. This pot is for a small fuschia bush my Dad gave me - it's currently in a plastic pot he set it in but it now seems to be struggling in that, so we decided it's time to give it a bit more room to grow. Hopefully it'll like it's new home and start to do as well as the one that is currently planted in the garden.
I have to say I enjoyed the trip to the garden centre more than the trip to Wickes DIY we had afterwards but, thankfully, it was a quick visit for a couple of items. Next was Brantano: I went in for a pair of slippers and some canvas shoes, didn't see any I liked, but came away with a pair of very comfy Skechers shoes instead - DH didn't spot any trainers he liked. We came out to bright sunshine and when we got home DS was pretty pleased with the change in the weather: it meant he and DH got to sort the fan belt on the Mini......... meantime, I fell asleep in my armchair. It seems I can no longer stand the pace! LOL

Well I have got a bag to pack so I'd better go get on with it. I will have a catch up with everyone after I get back from my DSis's - hopefully she won't walk my little legs off too much! LOL

Thank you for visiting - hope you are all having a good weekend. :0)

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Miss376

1. What were you doing 5 years ago?
Sheesh, I struggle to remember what I was doing 5 days ago, never mind 5 years! LOL. Absolutely no idea.

2. What 5 things are on your to-do list today?
Wash the pots; do some laundry; potter in my garden; carry on stitching the Monthly Challenge piece and Blog. Not very exciting but it keeps me busy, happy and out of mischief. :0)

3. What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
McVitie's Milk Chocolate digestive biscuits; melon; Doritos & dip (don't have very often); crisps (occasionally); cheese and biscuits (occasionally).

4. What 5 things would you do if you were a billionaire?
Pay off my DBro's mortgage; help my DSis refurbish her home; totally refurbish our house and give it to DS; get DH to retire to our new bungalow and buy a motorhome so we can travel the country; plus I'd help as many cancer charities as possible, especially the hospices.

5. What 5 jobs have you done?
Shop assistant in a toy department; untrained nursery nurse in a private day care nursery; nursing assistant in a residential hospital for residents with learning difficulties; playgroup supervisor and, last but not least: housewife and mum.

I won't tag anyone, as I know some of you have been "got" a few times lately, but if you want to take part please feel free. :0)

Alex's Fabric Box

Here it is in all it's glory, Alex's Japanese kimono silk fabric box:

Unfortunately the camera flash has bleached the colours a little, as they are a bit darker than shown - the blue is actually navy.

The inside of the box has a removable inner that is lined with a contrasting fabric (again it's quite a bit darker IRL):

The back of the lid and an overall view of the beaded edging:

The beads used are: malachite chips; freshwater pearls; fimo leaves and some tiny pinky brown beads (that I can't remember the name of) and they go with it so well.

Each side has a different part of the silk fabric pattern covering it:

Every piece of the card and fabric for the box was cut out by hand, the card was then covered with the fabric and handsewn in place and all the individual pieces were then handsewn together...... for which a curved needle came in extremely useful. Not a drop of glue in sight! There will be a small knob on the lid when just the right thing for it has been found/made.

Alex made this at a workshop run by the local branch of the Embroiderers Guild, of which she is a member. The box feels as lovely as it looks too, as the silk is just gorgeous, and every time I looked at it I saw something different.

Many thanks for taking the time to visit and I hope you've enjoyed seeing this as much as I did. :0)

Some Tasty Treats

Not of the food variety but of the needlework kind - much kinder on the waist I find. ;0)

First up for viewing are the contents of this morning's pinkie:

July's Fabric Club is a piece of Polstitches 32ct Mythical Mermaid (Jayne knows me so well) and another stunning rainbow of Carrie's Creations. My favourite has to be Sea Mist and I really want to stitch a design using only this thread. What a great way to start the day. :0)

The seriously tasty treats are courtesy of my friend Alex, who not only brought her gorgeous stitchwork with her yesterday but has kindly let me hang on to them, so I could take some pics to post on here. Remember those little embroidered patches I mentioned in a much earlier post? Well here are my rather poor pics of them:

Whilst some stitched areas on the patches may be repeated on more than one patch no two are alike. Aren't they so pretty? Her plan is to put all the patches together onto one piece of fabric, using bands of black dupion silk between them but, as they are all different sizes, they won't be in a strict geometric pattern, as you get in a patchwork quilt. I am so looking forward to seeing it when it's finished as it will look amazing and yes, I will take a pic. :0)

I'll put pics of the fabric box up another time - it deserves a post all of its own.

Today has been a long, hot day and I'm really tired so I'm keeping this short and sweet, for a change, and going for an early night. I can hear the cheers from here. LOL

Wherever you are I hope you've all had a lovely day and thank you for visiting. :0)