Ka-Ching!

SBQ

This weeks SBQ was suggested by>Vash

Have you ever used a magnifying glass while stitching? If so, did you find it helpful?

A little while back, I came across a great find in a LNS. These magnifiying glasses where on special for $35.00, with a 40cm reach and clamp to attach to your stand - so a bargains a bargain and I picked one up for myself and also one for my sister.

Prior to picking up this special I had only stitched on Aida and was really hesitant about using a higher count evenweave or linen to try. So in this regard the magnifying glass was great as it gave me more confidence to tackle the different fabric types. After a short period of time though, I found that it really did start to irritate me with the distortion from lifting your eyes to check your pattern and then looking back through the glass to your stitching. I was starting to feel quite head-achey and so it became more of a nuisance than anything else. Hence I dont use it anymore. Thats not to say that I wont use it again in the future. Right now I am only stitching on 28ct fabric, but I do want to tackle higher counts so I am sure the magnifying glass will come into play once more. Its a confidence thing for me obviously :)

Splurge Alert!

Phew all monies have now been deposited! *does a happy dance* I am feeling so relieved about this, as I knew by my own standards that I was really starting to stress in an unhealthy way... but now since everything has been finalized, the weight that has been lifted off my shoulders feels amazing!

My darling husband *P* knows how much I have been itching to buy some Chatelaine designs, and has been urging me to purchase. He has actually fallen in love with the Japanese Garden Mandala, so I didnt feel much guilt at all in spending what I have.

I do however, now know that I am going to be unable to resist the call of the "Chatelaine".

Firstly of course I purchased the charts from Martina Weber for both Japanese (left pic) and Persian Iris Gardens right pic). Hopefully by the weekend I should have an email from her, letting me know I can download them :) I am aware that she only does this twice a week so I do know that it shouldnt be too long to wait :)

I then ordered both kits from European Cross Stitch. where Cindy is just wonderful, and her email replies were really prompt, and really friendly :)

I didnt end up ordering the Watergarden Kit through her, even though her store is the cheapest around. I'm just itching to get stitching and really want to start this weekend. Naomi from Stitches and Spice is gorgeous and again so helpful! I must have bugged her with about 50 questions regarding her kits for sale, and she didnt get bothered at all. Her site is really great and from there I also ordered the chart for Taj Mahal Garden and Designing Ladies Finishing instructions for 2006.

Off I went to Country Stitch and ordered some 28ct Opal Lugana - Linda the lovely lady dealing with my emails has popped it in an overnight delivery bag for me so that hopefully it will arrive by tomorrow.

I even managed to find some Q-snaps in Australia! Helen from Stitch About has free postage, and even when I explained that I wanted to pay for them to be overnight expressed, she wouldnt hear of it and insisted on paying for the postage herself - what a darlin! If all goes well, these too should arrive tomorrow.

If all does go as planned, (though to be honest I am not counting too heavily on Australia Post) Friday night will see me stitching my Chatelaine!

My splurging didnt end there *blushing* I then found myself at Elegant Stitch where I ordered "Quakers Odds" by the Workbasket, "Victorian Elegance Kit" and "Marys Pin Cushion by Indigo Rose. I finally started to feel guilty, so forced myself to stop looking at some Shepherds Bush designs, and get to blogging :)

I plan on having a very busy weekend if everything I ordered arrives tomorrow! Fingers crossed!!

Monday-itis... or is it?

Phew! Kids are eating dinner, and I am finally getting some peace! Its been one of those mad Mondays where all you seem to do is rush around, *thinking* you are accomplishing a million and one things, but in reality when you turn your head to admire what you've done, you seemed to have started a great many things, but have finished very little.

Yep I have a case of Monday-itis!

Lets see.... *G's* Party on the 17th of June - was wonderful! I had an absolute blast. He flew in a band from the Eastern States that were his favorites in the 70's and they were actually quite good! They played three sets, and even though I didnt know any of the songs I found myself up there and having a wiggle. Yes I got semi plastered - I cant remember the name of the band *blushes* but I didnt get a hangover, and I didnt make a fool of myself, like some people *slides a look at her darling *P*. After the band had stopped for the night, a jukebox came on (these songs I remembered!) and everybody started dancing. To be honest I think those who hadnt imbided were probably really cold, (as it was freezing!) and felt the urge to stomp around to keep warm.

The name of the park was "Woodman Point Recreation Camp", which is a park/centre with dormitories that I can remember going to school camp at in grade seven! (12 years old) When we got there it was easy to see it hadnt probably been used for many years... Half of the place was a major construction job happening, whilst the dorms we slept in had new wooden floor boards with the smell of the varnish still quite strong. It was hell on high heel boots as you made your way back and forth through the sand from the ladies to the function hall I can tell you!

~House News~

Monday up and arrived and I thought finally.. the settlement surely will go through today - I couldnt believe it didnt! It wasnt until Friday that wet managed to settle! I cant understand the thoughts and reasoning behind some people - they bargain us down with the house (which is fine - its what you do) but then string the settlement out over another 30 days and end up paying the five thousand they haggled over to start with!!

Of course, the drama doesnt end there - the house settlements on Friday morning - money should be in the account by 12 noon (as per the settlement agents statement) Check the bank at 3.30pm - mind you this was with European Cross Stitch ordering cart open and ready to press the buy button and no money ARRRRGHHHH! I ring the settlement agent to find out what the hell is going on, and they hadnt even deposited the funds as yet!! Ok, calm down I tell myself - ordering from European Cross Stitch can wait till Monday - cant it??? So after much discussion I was told that the funds would be deposited by close of business and as they had a clearance money should be available straight away... Could you tell I was itching to buy some Chatelaines? Friday 5.00pm - still no money.. Saturday check the accounts... no money... Sunday - check again (well it cant hurt right?) Monday morning 9.00am still no money.... Monday 12 noon... same old, same old... Monday 4.00pm.... ARGGHHH! Monday at 5.00pm it finally shows up in one account, but wait.... the other account (we split the money between two) hasnt shown up! and it still hasnt!!!

At least half of it is there I suppose...

Onto Stitching

Last week was a right off and I didnt pick up my wip until Saturday morning, where it had the much needed effect of calming me down LOL! I'm really enjoying stitching the "sancturay" so far and have just started doing the reversed cushion stitches - which are easy!! The chart is so full of information, and the stitch diagrams are really easy to read and understand - thank goodness! I hope the Chatelaine instructions will be as clear.

So now I am off to order my Chatelaines - did I mention the money that we received at least went into the right account so I can finally purchase my "love its!"

Over a week already...

I didnt mean for it to be this long - seriously I didnt! and unfortunately I dont have a great deal of time to fill you all just yet!

I know I have a weeks worth of blogging to catch up on, and as you can see I also have been fiddling with the design too! So if anything seems a bit sqew-if - hopefully within the next few days I will be able to sort it out.

Updating more this evening..

I get to post!

Well, I dont know what has been happening with blogger, its been eating my posts! I have tried to update for the last four days, and everytime I hit publish post - they disappeared. The world wide web of blogger must have been hungry!

Finally got my camera back last Friday - yeah it takes pictures! Try to upload them to my computer and nothing!!! Argghhh.. apparently my memory card needs replacing, so hopefully I will be able to purchase that today. I'm getting real antsy about not being able to take and upload pics to my blogger account, especially since I started "The Sanctuary".

I also wanted to let you all know, that I received my silks from Vicki! Really quick considering that they came from the USA and I got my hot little hands on them in exactly a week.

On another note, apart from starting a rotation for WIPS, I think I'm going to have to start one for the forums I visit - especially Chatelaine. I find myself on that EZBoard more often than not, drooling over all the progress pictures of the Mandala gardens, and asking for opinions. The ladies and lads over there are so nice and helpful - its lovely!

Im going to order four kits from European Cross Stitch - Finally decided on Watergarden, Taj Mahal, Persian Iris and Japanese Gardens. Yep - I'm being greedy! and I am treating myself because of the sale of our old home. It was supposed to go through on the 16th (after a 28 day delay) and same old, same old - it hasnt gone through once again. The purchasers bank are just pains in the behind, as their settlement agent was waiting for a discharge notice, and then didnt get the check splits in time for the settlement to go through at 2.30pm Arrgghhhh!!! Now, hopefully it will go through by Tuesday afternoon at the latest. I can only hope.

Already they are being charged penalities at $96 AUD a day, but it doesnt seem to bother them at all - they are already over the $2,000 mark, but still no bee's in their behinds - mores the pity. Oh well enough moaning about the house, the sale will definitely go through, its just a matter of when.

Onto stitching matters....

I actually havent done a great deal as of late, and I only started "sanctuary" on Tuesday morning. I had found myself in a bit of a slump I guess, due to house worries etc.. but finally picked up my needle and thread once more. I am stitching it on a 28ct Jobelan fabric and am finding it lovely to work with. The speciality stitches which I have never done before are really well explained and so far no problems.

No stitching for me tonight however, as I am off to a 50th birthday party where we are all meeting up at a campsite with dorms. *G* has even flown in his favorite rock and roll band from the Eastern States, so its definitely going to be a big night. I cant remember the last time I have gone out, so its going to be just lovely.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

A Little Stash Update - no pics as yet..

Received my stash from Stitches and Spice yesterday, it was so quick! I have to say that I adore the colour as well as the feel of "Tundra" a 28ct jobelan. Its so silky and smooth that I cant wait to stitch on it! I've also been eyeing off Peacock Fantasy - in the Spice Blend range - it looks divine.

I also received my first chart from Drawn Thread "The Sanctuary" and its absolutely lovely! I'm really pleased with the little booklet - especially the diagrams for the speciality stitches, its going to make my world a whole lot easier me thinks!

Now I just have to wait for my silks! Vicki sure is quick though, because I received an email from her on the 6th letting me know that it has been shipped! Fantastic service!

It will be interesting to see just how long it takes to get here, and I cant wait to feel the silks!

On another note, still no camera - but have been told that hopefully it might be ready on Friday for me to pick up - I think I am having picture snap withdrawals LOL

Two in One!

I finished the Urban Princess! Oh yeah, oh yeah!! I'm so happy cause I felt I was really dragging along with it, due to the fact it was an obligation stitch more than anything else. I mean I did *have to* complete it, as I had already done one for my first daughter, so I couldnt leave my second one out! and boy am I glad to have it completed!!

So feeling pretty happy with myself I then had a bit of time for some online LNS.

First I found a new shop (well one for me anyhow) called Stitches and Spice From there I purchased "The Sanctuary" by "Drawn Thread" as well as some spice blend material called "tundra" - and my hands are already itching to get myself on this material.

What next I thought... well...

After reading Sharon's blog a few days ago, and being envious over her purchase of some silks, I decided I had to have some. *evil chuckle*

I found myself at Vicki Claytons Silks website and fell in love with her silk conversions. She had done one for "The Sanctuary" and that was it.. First item in cart :)

I then spied True Wisdom by "Examplars from the Heart" and had an instant melting moment. Second lot of silks tumbled into the cart. Quick I thought to myself I had better checkout, otherwise my cart will start to over flow!

I then then spent the rest of the afternoon looking for the chart "True Wisdom". Could not find it anywhere! So thought better send an email to Vicki and thanks to her quick response, realized it hadnt even been released as yet!!

Well at least I am prepared!

*grins*

Oh nearly forgot to add, I received a call from Stitchers Corner on Sunday, and my order for both Victorian Strawberries and Heraldic Rose (needlecases and fobs) had arrived!!!

Now singalong with me (to the theme of eagle rock)
*doooooiiinnnng the stitchers dance*