Been Quiet Around Here!

The second half of November was busy - had a couple of things, stitching-wise, I wanted to get completed. Managed them but only just!

My November ornament:



Tipsy Tree by Charland Designs - Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament Issue

Stitched on 28 count natural linen with GAST threads

My Thanksgiving ornament for the Seasonal Ornament SAL blog:



Turkey Ornament from Lizzie*Kate's Fall Crazy leaflet

Stitched on mystery hand-dye remnant with DMC threads

I also completed a needlecase (my first ever) for the Monthly Finishing Challenge blog but I'm less than impressed with the finishing so didn't bother taking a pic and will probably ditch it.

I've been doing a LOT of reading over the last few weeks which means very little stitching so far this month! I have got myself hooked on the "In Death" series of books by J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) in a big way (just check out my Goodreads widget in the sidebar!!)! No sooner have I finished one then I start on the next one even when I should be doing something else!! Not sure what it is about them that gets me in. I guess they have all the elements I enjoy reading - crime, action, humour and in-between-the-sheets action (although not necessarily always in-between-the-sheets!!) which takes me out of my reality for a while :)

I need it because the next few weeks are going to be crazy busy, next week is bad enough!!

My parents are coming for a visit in a week's time so I need to finish getting the guest room ready. The beds are made but I still need to move my craft stuff out of the wardrobe so they have room for their clothing, etc. They are staying for nearly six weeks so I won't have easy access to the room.

DH and I decided to revamp the upstairs activity area for the kids for Christmas. A new bigger tv, wall unit, new couch, get rid of the computer desks, give them more space, trend it up. Since the bigger tv is downstairs they (and their friends) have made the loungeroom their second home which means DH and I have to fight for the remote to watch what we want when we want or even just the chance or space to stretch out on the couch and chill. Another reason I haven't been stitching as much. They do clear out when we tell them too but they wouldn't need to if they had their own decent fun space :)

Anyway, because of that brilliant idea, I've been waiting for goods to be delivered - the wall unit came yesterday but one of the side pieces was damaged so it is still in pieces until they can bring a replacement one on Monday. Because of that I had to re-schedule the delivery and installation of the tv which has put things back a few more days. There is stuff everywhere, which will eventually go into the wall unit, but it is starting to drive me just a little bit batty.

I also decided, in a moment of insanity, that the kids' bedroom closets needed a thorough de-cluttering and re-organising - a process which is still ongoing and which probably would have been done by now if the kids were at school. They've been off since the beginning of December for the UAE National Day and Eid holidays. DD goes back to school on Sunday but only till Thursday when they break up again for the winter holiday until January 4th. Due to some program the high school has on next week, which has cause for the majority of teachers and students to be absent, DS is off till January 4th. Apparently there will only be six teachers and the remaining students will be split into groups and doing some sort of "fun" program instead of their regularly scheduled classes. I've given him the option of going to school or staying home and helping me out with the shopping and various other errands and the sorting out of things around the house. He opted for staying at home and helping me only because he doesn't think I'm serious about him helping. Boy, is he in for a surprise!!

Somewhere, somehow in the next few days I need to finish the Christmas shopping! It would be so much easier if I knew what to buy - the kids are easy and are pretty much done - but DH and the parents - bah!! DH, DD and I did a little today and I got a couple of ideas for DH so I'll hit one of the nearby malls one day next week and try to get him sorted out. Of course, it doesn't help that his birthday is three days before Christmas! I do have something in mind for that though, thank goodness! The parents I'm thinking I'll take Christmas shopping when they get here! I also need to figure out what we'll be having for Christmas lunch and start buying the food for that, although that could probably wait until mum and dad get here too. Mum, at least, would probably enjoy the chance to come along and help. I plan to do a quick grocery shop on Sunday for the regular stuff which DS will be thrilled about, no doubt - muwahahaha!!

Somewhere in between things being delivered and the shopping next week, I need to squeeze in a doctor's appointment, take the dog to the vet for her annual check-up and vaccinations, helping out with DD's class Christmas party (for which a date hasn't been set) and get my bicycle to the repair shop. The back tyre has a puncture courtesy of a massive bougainevillea thorn.

I will get it all done but I don't usually leave things like this to the last minute - my usual spark just isn't there this year. DH has travelled for work quite a bit over the last 12 months (and is off again tomorrow!) and I guess I'm just plum tuckered out :)

Well, this has turned out to be longer than I anticipated - if you've made it this far through my ramblings, congratulations and thank you :) I'll say goodnight now and go bury myself in a book!

October Ornament

Snowflake 2007 by Heritage Series
Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament Issue Magazine

Stitched on a grab-bag piece of CountryStitch hand-dyed evenweave with Petite Treasure Braid PB10 and white Mill Hill beads. Finished as a frayed edge pillow (a finishing technique I borrowed from Ruth - thanks, Ruth!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my Jingle Sparkle Joy finish - ever so much appreciated :)

A finish and a few starts :)

Happy Haunting by Lizzie*Kate

I finished this around 11.30pm on Wednesday night - tried to post yesterday but Blogger wouldn't let me for some reason.

I stitched this up on a 30 count hand-dyed linen remnant I came across in my fabric stash with DMC threads. I can't find the tag now but I think the linen colour is called "Iced Cappucino" - no idea on the company though.

I am thinking of making my first flatfold with this finish for the Monthly Finishing Challenge. I'm limited with backing fabric choice but I thought the one in the pic might work - what do you think?

After the Lizzie*Kate finish I started another Halloween design - Just Nan's Ghoulies & Ghosties. Should have gone to bed but it wasn't yet midnight and I had everything ready to go. Managed a few stitches before nodding off :)



I stitched some more on it this morning. This is my progress so far :) I'm using CountryStitch's 28 count "Cappucino" lugana and DMC threads for this one. Mmmm, seems to be a bit of a theme happening with my fabric choices there - lol!

I've put the JN aside for now though as I need to make a start on an exchange piece plus my October ornament and I also want to get a BCA piece finished before the end of October!





The BCA piece is a free design from Romy in Austria's blog. I'm afraid the camera flash has washed out the colours but the lighter pink is Dinky Dyes "Linda's Roses" (Limited Edition silk) and the darker pink is HDF's Rose Quartz 1369. The fabric is black 28 count Monaco.

I sat stitching at my dining table yesterday as the natural light coming in through the windows was wonderful and I could spread out more than I can in my usual stitching spot in the lounge. There is stuff everywhere although not as bad as my finishing frenzy day :) I really need my own stitching room!

Now on to something totally unrelated to stitching. DH and I don't go out a lot but last night we were to meet some friends/work colleagues of DH's for dinner. Octoberfest is on - one of our friends was particularly excited by this fact so thought it would be the perfect excuse for a night out :) Thursday night is the beginning of our weekend here. Our dinner reservation was for 7.30pm, the hotel is a 10 minute drive from our place, maybe 15. We left home at 7pm - you can see where this is going can't you? At 7.02pm we hit a massive queue of traffic - all of which appeared to be going in the same direction we were. It took us AN HOUR to get to the hotel! At 8pm we finally pull up to the front entrance of the hotel only to be told that valet parking is full (despite us having a reservation)!! We would have to backtrack to the public carpark, park there and walk back to the hotel. It would probably have taken us 25 mins in traffic to get back to the carpark (road system all one way in that area), then a 10-15 minute walk back to the hotel ... in high heels. Uh no, I don't think so! So we gave up, called our friends and apologised but we're going home! It took us less than 5 mins to get back home!

DH rang another couple that were supposed to be going and found out they were about 15 mins in the queue of traffic behind us - warned them there was no valet parking at the hotel and to park in the public carpark which they hadn't got to yet.

I've since heard there were apparently 600 people there - nobody would have heard what anyone was saying anyway!!!

Right, I'm off to clear off the dining table so we can have some lunch :)

Finishing Frenzy Pictures

Here are the pics as promised. Hover your cursor over the pic for the design details.










Remember when I blogged about this? Well, I finally finished sewing on the beads and found something to put on the top of the tree. I wanted a pale pink heart but just couldn't find one so I settled on the silver star instead. I thought about another pillow finish but decided to make up a needleroll instead. This is my "pink" contribution for Breast Cancer Awareness month.



I went looking for a bigger display container and found this wooden tray tucked away in a cupboard. It works well although I need to stitch and finish a few more items to fill in the empty spaces!



Now I need to get cracking on some Halloween ornaments!

September Ornament

A Star, A Star by The Sunflower Seed
from the JCS 2007 Ornament Magazine

I used DMC floss and substituted Kreinik 002V #4 braid for the PB01. I also used Mill Hill 42011 beads instead of 40557. Stitched on 32 count Kiwi Illusions "Oyster" lugana.

Started and finished 30 September - put the last beads on at 11.54pm!

I haven't been doing much of anything since we returned from holidays, except to read (boy, have I read a load of books in the last few weeks!). I came back feeling restless and disenchanted. I do enjoy (for the most part) life here but there are times when the constant heat, humidity, dust, construction, roadworks and the ensuing traffic chaos get the better of me. The fact is I'm not a big city type of girl yet I find myself living in one - go figure! It was also Ramadan (officially ended today) - not being able to eat and drink in public during the daylight hours doesn't bother me - it is the morons on the road who become even more moronic on the roads, the shortened business hours and the insane amount of time it takes to do something relatively straight forward and simple. Then I get angry with myself because I have much to be thankful for. Unfortunately, this feeling of blah has affected my motivation to stitch - it just hasn't been there - in fact this ornament is the most I've stitched in weeks! I did pick up the knitting bug while away but even that has been put away.

Still, there are signs of hope of a return to normality :) I've stitched some on a HAED WIP tonight and have pulled another out of hibernation to work on tomorrow. I got my September ornament done and I have an urge to get out the sewing machine and have a finishing day - perhaps over the weekend. I've also signed up for an Ornament exchange which is the first exchange I've participated in for a long time! Last but certainly not least, I've blogged :)

Ornament for August

Rudy by Glory Bee - JCS 2007

Stitched on natural 28 count linen
Graziano, I think - it was a scrap leftover from another project)
with DMC threads.

Oh, and a bead from Mill Hill :)

My apologies for the creases! I haven't had a chance to give him a press as DH has gone to bed and the iron and board are kept in our walk-in closet - it will have to wait until I have a finishing day.

I will be a little quiet for a couple of weeks - our dog/house-sitters arrived today and DH, myself and the munchkins head for the airport tomorrow for a little summer travelling. We will be taking a laptop so I may have a chance to do a post or two while away. Depends on internet availability, cost and whether DS will let me use HIS laptop - lol!!

Something I've been remiss at lately (!!) and that is thanking those of you who stop by and leave me a comment! They put a smile on my face and I really appreciate them. So, a big thank to you all :)

I must go and check my list and make sure I have everything packed and organised, and then to bed I think. The last few days have been a whirlwind of grocery shopping, laundry and re-organising my kitchen cupboards, and I've been awake since 5.30am this morning - it is after midnight as I write this! I can go away safe in the knowledge that my house guests have a well-stocked fridge/freezer and well-organised cupboards :)

Oops, almost forgot! Here's an update on Morag (aka Moonlight Guardian by Dragon Dreams). She is coming on holidays with me - which reminds me I'd better replace my scissors with my Clover thread cutter for stitching on the plane :)

July Ornament

I started this little guy on Wednesday and finished him up last night :)



The Decorator by Full Circle Designs
Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament Issue

Stitched on a mystery hand-dyed 28 count opalescent
evenweave with DMC threads

June Ornament

Peace by Country Cottage Needleworks from the 2007 Ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch.

Stitched with DMC threads on 28 count mint lugana.

I was hoping to finish-finish it before photographing but up until a couple of days ago I hadn't found the right backing fabric (I'll probably finish it as a pinkeep). I'll try to get it done this afternoon ... if the kids will give me a few minutes peace!!!

May Ornament

Another one done for the 2008 Christmas Ornament Challenge!




"Quiet Night" by Erica Michaels Designs
JCS 2007 Ornament Issue

Stitched on Polstitches "Welsh Mist" (Dragon Shades) 28 count Jazlyn with DMC threads. Subbed the called for Rainbow Splendor with two strands of Dinky Dyes' "Icicle" stranded cotton (I'm pretty sure this was from a collaboration pack) and one strand of Petite Treasure Braid.

This ornament is quite large as it should have been stitched on a 40 count linen but the Welsh Mist was the perfect colour and it was already in my stash :) The construction side of things was a little challenging but I think it turned out reasonably okay :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Calling in the cavalry!

Yep, DH wants me to call the guys that painted the outside of our house last week and get them to finish off the inside.

I think I mentioned before that the walls are quite high in the rooms that are left to paint and I can just barely reach the top. DH is going to be away for work quite a bit over the next coming weeks so I guess the last thing he wants to be doing when he is home is climbing up and down a ladder finishing off the painting.

I probably also shouldn't have told him about the little tumble off the ladder I had when I was painting the hallway either?! It wasn't serious - a couple of bruised knees and an elbow. I just stepped back off the ladder when I thought I was on the last step when in actual fact I was on the step above it - oops :)

Anyway, I've requested a quote and should have that in the next day or two.

Oh, and I finished the stitching on my May ornament tonight too. Will post a pic when I've finish-finished it :)

I'm off to make a start on my biscornu for the Monthly Finishing Challenge.

Enjoy your weekend!

Doing my bit for DMC :)

Thank you all for the lovely compliments on my recent ornament finish. This is only the second pinkeep I've made and I decided to lace both the stitched piece and backing fabric this time, rather than use glue on the backing fabric like I did for my first one. I'm really pleased with how it turned out :)

April Ornament

Front


Back

Toy Shop Sign by
Carriage House Samplings
from the JCS 2007 Christmas Ornament magazine
Stitched over one with DMC thread on 28 count Natural Cashel linen and finished as a pinkeep.

Painting, ornaments and noisy neighbours!

I know I said last week I would bore you with my painting progress but with DH out of town again and me feeling a bit off-colour with some sort of tummy bug this week, I didn't quite get there :) I'll bore you today instead.

So far I've managed to paint both bathrooms downstairs (okay, one is really just a toilet and sink), the entrance way and hallway, and the dining room. Okay, so not much but I like to take my time, wash down the walls, tape everything up and cover up any furniture and the floor with plastic drop-sheets. I then go around and carefully do all the cutting-in with a paintbrush and then finally the roller work. My neighbour thinks it's funny - she just slaps it on and probably would have had her whole house done by now! If we were still in our old dogbox house in Australia, that probably would have been the case, but this house is considerably larger with much higher ceilings. We will have to get someone in to paint the stairwell walls (two floors high) though - they'll have the proper scaffolding to reach right up to the top. As it is I can just barely reach the top of the walls from the last (safe) step on the ladder in the lounge, guest room and bedrooms upstairs. I will roller up as far as I can reach and DH will have to do the cutting-in for me. No painting this week though - ran out of paint :) I replenished supplies on Wednesday however so I'll have no excuse next week!



Last week we handed over a rather large amount of dirhams (local currency) to have the outside of our house painted - DH had done some repairs and it was looking a bit shabby with all the patched-up areas. It looks great now though! A large number of painters turned up on Monday morning and by late Wednesday afternoon they were done!

I did get a little stitching in this week. After doing a few chores in the morning I sat down on Tuesday and finished off the stitching on my March ornament. I was stitching my version of A Colonial Christmas Ornament by Cherished Stitches from the JCS 2007 Ornament issue and only had the third panel to complete. That afternoon I finish-finished it ...



A Colonial Christmas Ornament
by Cherished Stitches
from the Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament Issue

Stitched on black 28 Quaker cloth with HDF "Tugtika" silk threads

I had a little trouble with the construction so it hasn't turned out quite as nice as I'd hoped. I think I will ignore the instructions and do it the way it makes sense to me if I ever stitch it again.

I've made a good start on my April ornament and all going well I should have it finished before the end of the month.

I'm off to stitch a little before bed - hopefully I can keep my eyes open! Our neighbours had a bit of party last night and were extremely loud! Our villa is in a block of four - I guess it is really a large townhouse - we are on one end, two in the middle and then another end unit. Our bedroom is upstairs at the back of the house and faces their back garden which is where the neighbours and their guests all were. Normally with the double-glazed windows and doors and the aircon running we can't hear anything from inside the house. Last night though their wooping and hollering and banging of doors was loud enough that it kept DH awake, and he usually sleeps with earplugs! Now DH had earlier only just returned from being out of town all week and was extremely tired. The last thing he needed was to be kept awake till the wee hours (I'm talking 2-3am here!) with inconsiderate neighbours. Thank goodness it is our weekend and he was able to sleep in this morning! He got the drill out after he got up though and proceeded to put up some picture hooks on the shared wall, hoping to get his own back - lol! You don't want to mess with DH when he's not had enough sleep!

Unfortunately, it sounds as though they are having another party tonight :( I think there will be a call placed to security if they're still carrying on after midnight! Our good friends live in the other middle unit next to them - I've suggested we coordinate our efforts and starting drilling from both sides 7am tomorrow morning ... mwuahahaha!

More Plum Gothic QS

This is what I managed to get done during the HAED BB Background SAL last weekend. Not too bad considering it was a busy weekend.

She is still on my stand so I will probably continue to work on her when I can this weekend although I do need to squeeze my March ornament in there somewhere!

Thank you for dropping by and leaving such lovely comments, especially on my previous Plum Gothic post. I'm hoping to get back to stitching and blogging normality next week!!

Ornament for February

"Joy" by Lizzie*Kate, Inc
JCS 2007 Ornament Issue
Stitched on 32 count Light Mocha Belfast with DMC
(and Petite Treasure Braid PB10 added for the "snowflakes")
Finished as a pinkeep (my first)

Busy Weekend!

Boy, what a crazy busy weekend!

Friday night DH and I attended a corporate function at one of the nearby golf clubs. It was put on by our hometown State Government (they have an office here) in honour of a visiting bigwig. Lots of produce specific to our hometown region was flown in including Balfours Frog Cakes and Vili's Meat Pies!!! Plus local seafood (prawns, yellow fin tuna, barramundi and King George Whiting), Wagyu beef, Berenberg strawberry jam, Medlow fruit gels and Bickford's beverages.

On Saturday Australian Rules Football came to Dubai - Collingwood vs Adelaide - and with DS being a huge Adelaide fan we had to go :) The game was held on a polo field which was converted into a football ground for the event! It was a fantastic day and much fun was had by all. Adelaide won so DS was very happy!






Unfortunately, DS was off school sick today so my plan to spend most of the day with Dream of Purple for the HAED BB February Challenge SAL didn't happen. Instead, the day was spent catching up on the laundry I didn't do because we were out all weekend and taking DS to the doctor. He's fine and should be back at school tomorrow.

I did manage to put in the last few stitches left on my February Christmas ornament though! I'll post pics tomorrow :)

2008 Ornament Challenge

The Aussies Institches Yahoo Group (of which I'm a member) are holding a 2008 Christmas Ornament Challenge using the 2007 JCS Ornament magazine. Each month we vote for our favourite two ornaments from a set page in the magazine. We can then choose one from the top two to stitch the following month. So in December we voted for January's ornament and we are currently voting on February's ornament and so it goes. This way it gives us plenty of time to gather our supplies etc. I am going to be using it as an opportunity to use what I can from my ever expanding stash pile!!

Anyway, because of this blasted cough/cold I have kept myself at home the last couple of days and have spent my time stitching and gathering supplies online for upcoming projects (more about that in another post) as well as throwing in the odd load or two of washing!

We can stitch the ornament at any time during that month but I decided to get in early as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weekends are alloted to other SALs (mostly with the HAED BB!).

I sat down yesterday and started on my choice for January and this morning finished it off ...



Fill With Love by Designs by Cathy Jean
2007 JCS Christmas Ornament Magazine

Stitched on Natural 28 count Cashel linen
with The Gentle Art Sampler and Simply Shaker threads

Started: 8 January 2008
Finished: 9 January 2008

This chart was a relatively quick stitch although the backstitching for the branches/pine needles and wording I am positive took longer than the stitching up of the stocking!! I didn't have all of the Sampler/Simply Shaker Threads called for in the chart so I substituted the ones I didn't have with similar colours. I think it turned out reasonably close :)

I must say that after stitching over one for so long it felt rather alien to be stitching over 2 again, especially on 28 count. The stitches looked enormous!

I hope to have an ornamentifying day towards the end of the month to completely finish it off. It is finished off as a pillow ornament in the magazine but I am not sure if I will do the same or use some other method. I will need to go in search of backing fabrics and stuff though as I don't have any of that sort of thing here. That will take up pretty much most of a morning - no quick dash to Hobby Lobby or similar store for me here! Hopefully, I will feel like it one day next week - might ring around and see if a friend or two are interested in coming along :)

Okay, well it is the Quick Stitch Wednesday SAL on the HAED BB today and I want to put a bit of time in on Plum Gothic before bed so I will end this for now (and so I can blog about her tomorrow!).

Happy Stitching!