A sampler finished!

Like many people in Blogland I am a big devotee of Soulemama. I love her style of writing and I love reading about her projects.
So I was quite excited to read that she and I were stitching the same sampler by the wonderful Alicia.

This was such a gorgeous project to do. I just love a sampler - all those little pictures to complete that end up creating something lovely overall. My cross-stitch obsession is continuing with avengance!
The colours in this sampler are more subdued than I would normally use but it is a winter sampler and it is done on a really gorgeous blue linen. So much nicer than a cream colour in this situation.

So...not only have I finished something (alway satisfying, and there is sometimes a big gap between completed projects) but it is something that Amanda and I did "together".
Well....sort of.
Off to finish off yet another sampler - wonder if I could devote a whole wall to embroidery samplers??

It's been a while.

Well, the last few months have slipped away and now I find myself in 2013. The first day, to be precise. I do like the possiblilities of a new year and I feel especially strongly this year about the newness because 2012 was not a great year for me.
With the death of my sister, Jane came so many emotions, so many ups and downs I may as well have been riding a see-saw for the latter part of 2012. But now 2012 is over and although I will never be the same person I was before Jane's ridiculously early death I am ready to resume my life and perhaps to tweak it in certain directions that now seem more important than they did 12 months ago.
 I have become very interested in the idea of happiness and how to attain and retain it. I read The Happiness Project and felt as though Gretchen was talking directly to me so I am on a bit of a happiness project myself which in it's early stages seems to be making quite a change in my life....will let you know how it all progresses.
I have also decided to return to my "career" of nursing. I start my refresher course in early March and feel pretty excited about this development in my life too. I think this blog may expand to include a little happimess stuff and maybe a little nursing stuff. I am beginning to realise that there is not a lot written about nursing and boy, there is a lot of stories banked in the memories of most long term nurses! Another book completed over the last few weeks is this book. For a nurse, this book is pretty funny and very relevant. For someone who is just about to return to nursing it was a bit off-putting, a little too honest. But still....I enjoyed it and hope to add a little of my own nursing experiences here in my notebook.

In the meantime you can still find me doing quite a bit of this,

Another gorgeous Alicia Paulson sampler. I do love her designs!
My New Year's resolutions? Well, one of them would be to be a bit more presnt in this space. Let's see how I go!

Finished!!

I am reconnecting with my early love of cross - stitch at the moment.
Cross - stitch was the first craft I learnt and it has been an enduring friend of mine over the years. There are photos of me as an 11 year old cross - stitching in front of the TV and here I am more than 30 years later still doing the same thing.
Cross - stitch used to bit a little bit muted and old-fashioned, I did a lot of country samplers in blues and maroon clolourways. Nowadays there are some great ideas and patterns out there. A lot more colour, more vibrancy and a lot more fun.
This is one I have just finished.

It was lovely to stitch, all those bright colour and what a terrific sentiment. I have hung it up in our back family room so that I can look at it when things get a little out of control. To remind myself that most of the time we have a happy home.
I got the pattern from this magazine and the pattern actually comes from this talented girl. I really love Emily's designs,  modern and quirky.
 And so good to finish something. Now just have to get on to all those other WIP around the place.....

Megan xx

Review on Whipup

Very excitingly I have a review published here on the wonderful Whipup site.
 I so enjoyed the reading and the reviewing of these books.
Thank you, Kathreen, for giving me the opportunity!

I am addicted to a charming print!

I do love to embroider. Cross - stitch, free embroidery, stitchery. Anything with a needle, hoop and thread - I'm there.
 At the moment I am so enjoying this embroidery panel from prints charming. Two very talented Aussie girls screen print the panels and then you, the embroiderer go wild and do whatever colour and whatever stitch takes your fancy.
 My colour choices are always a little eclectic but for someone who sometimes feels a bit nervous about deviating from a pattern it is a great way to become a little more adventurous.
 Believe me the meditative powers of chain stitch cannot be under estimated. Many a happy hour has been spent "colouring in" this panel.

 

 

 

Megan xx

Did I say I wasn't going to buy anything new??

I was feeling very virtuous a few weeks ago because the Quilt and Craft Show came to town. I said to Jules, "Should we go?" and very sagely, we both decided that we had enough fabric, yarn, threads etc to start our own craft outlet and that really we needed to stay away from the show...for our own good!

I was staying firm until my gorgeous husband said that he thought I "should" go. "You love craft", he said. "You could try not spending any money....", he dubiously said. That, I told him, would be impossible. Money would be falling out of my wallet before I walk two steps into the hall.
So I didn't go.
Instead I went to the Spotlight sale.  Just after the virtuous week end.
 I didn't buy too much - really I didn't.

Anyway enough guilt. One of the things I bought was some black Aida for cross-stitch. I have never used black Aida but I have just downloaded Alicia's latest sampler and I wanted to do it on the black background as she has done. Alicia used a black linen but I just find it so much easier and faster to stitch with Aida so I went for this option.

So, even though I did say that wouldn't buy anything unless I had finished 3 WIPs I have in fact bought quite a few things. But they were on sale. Does this let me off the hook??

Megan

Whipping those WIPs into shape

I am drowning in WIPs.
It's a big statement but I fear it isn't too far removed from the truth.
I've got little stashes of unfinished projects all over  the house. In boxes, in baskets, on tables, in shelves. It's time to finish things off.
 The trouble is it is so delicious to start a project. I love the whole process of starting. Choosing the project, buying the materials (the internet makes this bit ridiculously easy) and then the truly great feeling when you start with the first few stitches. A clean slate, full of possibilities - it will be the best thing you have ever made....until you start thinking about the next project!
 This is why craft is addictive!
So I am making a promise to myself. No more new projects until ten (yes 10!!) WIPs are finished.
Yes, I have to confess I definitely would have more than 10 WIPs.But let's start with three unfinished projects, one knitting, one embroidery and one sewing.

Firstly, an unfinished cardigan,

then an unfinished cross-stitch sampler ( I actually have a couple of these but lets have a look at one)

And finally, an unfinished skirt which I would look really nice in this summer - if I finished it!

Ok, my goal is to have these all finished by the end of the year.

I'll keep you in the loop.

Megan.