Saturday, September 29, 2007

Scatterday

Scatterday W
It's Scatterday and this weeks letter is W.

First of all we have a black thing, my wallet. Always too many receipts and not enough money. Anyone else have that problem?

Then we have tools, and whisks, more kitchen utensils I guess, but I reckon they're close enough. I don't believe I've got any interesting whisk stories though...

Finally we have games, and a wooden game chest
. There is also a Where's Wally jigsaw puzzle in there, but basically the whole thing needs a good sort out. Although it's not high on any to do lists.

Friday, September 28, 2007

12 inch square CAL: August easy square

Only two to go...but I'm definitely finishing this CAL late. Never mind. Although I'm quite impressed with the amount of stuff I'm managing to get done at the moment, particularly with the amount I'm working. I just need to stop signing up for swaps!

Here is the August Easy Square for the CAL, the pattern comes from here.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Briar Rose Quilt Square

Ceilidh has received one of the squares I embroidered for our personal swap (and liked it, yay!). The other two I sent on in the Aussie Tour (because our personal swap was for a couple of extra squares), but I didn't manage to finish this one in time.

I had lots of fun on the border with this one, and it turned out just how I wanted. I'm so glad the ribbon roses turned out too as it was my first time with them (I did woven wheels with the ribbon). Ceilidh is a spinner too so I wanted a spinning wheel on one of the squares I was embroidering, although I got half way through embroidering the wheel before I realised it was the wrong way for the old woman, but that means it's the right way for Briar Rose!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Scatterday

My creation

Happy Scatterday! I hope you've all had a good week.

This week's letter is B and the categories are:

My favourite things: So Easy! I love books and here's a quick snapshot of my bookcase. I love taking a peek at other people's bookcases to see what they've got so I'm sure you'll enjoy looking at mine. I'm a bit of a fantasy nut and my books are vaguely arranged in order of preference from top shelf down (although rules may be broken depending on series length and available space). I've been rereading a couple of books lately which is why there are some gaps. I've also just started double stacking my books which is A Bad Thing. It leads to the accumulation of more books.

Big Things: A Bear. This is Freddy Teddy who belongs to my sister and is almost adult sized. One of her friends mum's made it for a birthday years ago. He lives upstairs away from the dogs because Barney would like to suck on his fur and make him dribbly. Disgusting isn't it?

Shop: I don't like using plastic bags and this is my favourite bag to use when I shop. It's also a bookcrossing bag, so there's another B. It's great because it folds up very small and fits into my handbag. Although I do have a yearning for one of those knitted mesh market bags...

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

TAST Week 16: Palistrina Stitch

Week 16 in the TAST challenge was Palistrina Stitch and I'm really happy with how this has worked out although the colours are a little washed out.


I probably won't be posting very often for the next couple of weeks because I'm working way too many hours and it's putting me in a foul mood. Stupid twelve hour days...and that's if I can leave on time. Grumble Grumble Grumble

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Scatterday

My creation

Looks like it's scatterday and for once I have Saturday off. Woohoo!

This week's letter is Q and we have:

Music: A Queen CD. Lots of fun. I'm not much of a singer but last year I'd often sing when I was doing my night checks (the acoustics were good - high ceilings, and it was better than listening to barking dogs) and random Queen songs were a favourite. I'm not sure if I should have admitted that.

Square: It's a quadrilateral (a shape with four sides and four corners - so all squares are quadrilaterals, but not all quadrilaterals are squares). My granny got this for me as a Christmas present about 6 years ago. At the time she was caring for my grandpa and couldn't really go out shopping and they were staying at the Leukaemia Foundation. She bought this at a fundraiser event for the Foundation. I've been wanting to do something with it for a while but couldn't think what because it's not really a quilt. A couple of weeks ago I had a brainwave and decided to brighten up the wall above my bed.

Clothing: A quilted jacket. Probably from about 2001? I still think it's kind of cool (which is why it hasn't been donated to an op-shop yet). It'll come back in eventually won't it?

Friday, September 14, 2007

Aaargh Matey! We have treasure!

I've always been jealous reading other peoples blogs when they have a really fantastic thrift shop/op shop find. I've found good bits and pieces but nothing that's got me really excited...until now that is.

I took this random tied up plastic bag which looked like it had some zippers and stuff in it to the counter along with some other stuff I'd bought and asked if the whole bag was for sale. After some brief consultation the two women decided it was, and priced it at $5. Look was I got!



I'm so impressed...although it probably means I need to learn how to sew a zip now! It also made my day a lot better, I'd been working on what was supposed to be my day off, and it ended up being so quiet it wasn't really worth me coming in. Never mind, I bought some good craft goodies.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

TAST Week 15: Oyster Stitch

Not a terribly exciting contribution for Oyster Stitch but it didn't quite end up looking as I planned. I was going for a bit of a rain drop effect and I guess I got that but it's not one of my favourite bookmarks. Nevermind, not everything turns out beautifully!



I found this to be a bit of a tricky stitch intitially, but once I got the hang of it, it was quite fun.

Monday, September 10, 2007

12 inch CAL: August experienced square

Three squares to go in the craftster CAL, although with all the swap embroidery I'm doing at the moment and being very busy at work it may take me a while to get onto them!


The colours in this don't look as mismatched in real life, but I did run out of red yarn with very little left to go.

The pattern is from here.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Scatterday

My creation
Once again it's Scatterday and here are today's photos.

Today's letter is R, and the categories are the plant world, the arts and childhood.

First we have a rose which is in a bouquet of flowers for...my sister, but it was one of the easiest things to find.

Next we have two photos which fit both the arts and childhood categories, and they are relatives. It's my aunt and uncle and I skillfully drew them when I was 5. My uncle kept them and then framed them and gave them to me for my twenty first birthday, which I think was a pretty amazing thing to do.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Craft Show Goodies

I went to the Craft and Stitches show on Wednesday and bought myself a couple of things.



I got some pretty fat quarters...and some of them are even for specific projects, some beads (not for anything specific - naughty me!) and some more embroidery scissors, because they always come in handy.

On the topic of buying things, I'm working a lot during September so I was thinking of having a big craft book splurge in October so have a think about any recommendations between now and then and I'll probably have a big of a competition with suggestions!

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Personal Swap Goodies

When I was in the Aussie Shop the Swap I ended up doing a personal swap with cmc_aust, related to another swap we're both in, the Aussie Embroidery Tour swap/round robin. I've embroidered three items (including mine) so far, but I'll wait until the end to post all the pictures and keep it a surprise.

Anyway, she sent me some lovely hand spun and hand dyed yarn (isn't it pretty!).



She also sent me some additional squares to embroider for her quilt (she's sending squares for the tour), which I won't show yet (because they haven't been embroidered). Although it should mean I'm ahead for the next part of the swap, because even if I don't get the original square done I'll have at least one to send on. I think by the end of the year I may want a break from embroidery!

Monday, September 03, 2007

TAST Week 14: Bonnet Stitch

Week 14 in the TAST challenge was Bonnet Stitch


I'm calling this one "Tentacular" because I like the sound of it and I think this looks like tentacles stretching into the air.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Scatterday

It's Scatterday and here's my entry!

Scatterday 2


Today is brought to us by the letter G...with the categories vehicle, colour and household item.
First up we have a goat cart (not my picture, I borrowed it from here because I couldn't come up with a g vehicle, but a goat cart it pretty cool.

Next we have colour and green, because it's better than grey (which I thought about) and all my green embroidery threads, aren't they pretty.

Finally we have a household item, and graters. Do you think four graters (actually one of them comes with an additional grater attachment - see Dy's blog for more, that one is my favourite too!) is a little excessive for one household, especially as we really don't use them that often? Two of them I've never used. But they are shiny...