Hello!

Hello….

Yes, I know I’ve been absent for a bit, but not without reasons which I wont bore you too much with here.

Paradigm Lost - Long Dog Designs

Paradigm Lost is moving along nicely - please excuse the wrinkly photograph - this large motif I am working on is HUGE…much larger than you think….but I am hoping to finish this one this week.  I am so enjoying the work on this one.  I still have to say I am not enjoying the VC silks much :(  Shame, because they are so reasonably priced, but I doubt I will use them again.  Ha I am a silk snob…who knew! 

Actually I absolutely LOVE Madeira silks, but they have their downside too….there are only I think 4 or 5 yards in a pack, and they’re a bit difficult to find sometimes, but I just think they’re wonderful - sensational coverage and well-priced too!

I also love Needlepoint Inc silks and A Ver Au Soie for special projects.

I took 8 pieces to the framers on Saturday so very soon I will have LOTS of framed pieces to show you!

• Victoria’s Quaker
• Quaker Kitty
• M Designs (2 pieces)
• Lettres a Mon Chat
• Spanish Sampler (stitched by my beautiful friend Marie Luise)
• Adorn Thy Heart (also stitched by Marie-Luise)
• Little Acorns Sampler

If they all turn out ok - I will take Faith, Hope and Love to her to see if she can fix it.  I was not sure that the guy who framed it originally could fix it so I decided just to walk away from there…fingers burned, but much wiser.

In other stitching news, Marg (who doesn’t have a blog yet) finally finished Moulin Rouge - or as hers is affectionately known Moulin Noire as it is black…it’s off at the framers at the moment, so as soon as it is home, I will toddle off and take pictures to share with you if she lets me.  While I am there I might snap a few of her other gorgeous works to show you too - seeing as she doesn’t have a blog yet!  I live in hope that now she is retired that she succumbs to the idea.  she is such an interesting friend and I’d love to share her with you!

Personally, I am still madly writing songs for my recording.  Great news, I think I’ve found a bass player so the band is almost complete.  This will make it much easier to produce an album!  I’ve also been working with some friends, doing backing vocals and other stuff so that’s been a heap of fun too!  I still sing every Friday evening at the pub where we’ve played for almost two years, but I hope to be playign the festivals in the summer with my original stuff.  Stay tuned for news about that (or I might start another blog).

Stewie is SO big now.  When he stands on his back legs, he is as tall as my 12 year old!  A very big boy and he has the bark to back it up.  He’s so good though - when someone arrives at the house, he just barks once to let us know.  This is a great thing because I think if he was an incessant barker it would drive us (and the entire street) insane such is the volume of it!

The MOTH, kids and kitties are all fabulous.  We’ve had a host of birthdays, high school introductions, sport, new jobs, you name it - it’s all been happening here at Chez Tannia!

My…how he’s grown…

Here is the latest picture of Stewie just hanging around in the hammock…..he’s almost too big for it now - he’s growing so fast!

He’s so gorgeous…if you happen to sit in HIS chair…he will launch from a great distance and end up in your lap! 

Pictures….finally!

On the 25th April 2007 a beautiful British Shorthair little kitten named Banjo came to live with us.  He’s brought us much joy and laughter and today, one year on, we are celebrating the anniversary of his arrival!  He is such a personable cat, always up for some loving and we do love him to bits.

Here is my progress on Paradigm Lost - I plan to sit and stitch on it for a good amount of time today while I watch the Anzac Day football match between Collingwood and Essendon!  Should be a corker!

FInally our new sofas arrived a couple of weeks ago and to celebrate I am going to share a before and after picture of my loungroom!

Here is what the lounge looked like when we first viewed the house…I must admit those curains were NOT my style at all…and those dolls were in every room of the house - creepy!

 

And now it looks a little like this.  Those lace curtains are GOING….to be replaced by white roman blinds and heavy organza sheers on stainless steel rods….then this room will be finished.  You can see my hand knitted throw rugs on the sofa and chair and over one sofa the very crooked Faith, Hope, Love, which I did take back to the original framer, but I didn’t have enough faith in him to have him re-do it - I will get it done somewhere else! 

If you look carefully - you can see Carra in prime position in “HER” stitching chair……

In this picture you can see the corner of my lovely dark red rug, and a beautiful piece of stitching brought from Vietnam by my lovely friend Marg (who doesn’t have a blog YET).

I feel good having stitched and blogged the past couple of days….perhaps I’m over my funk… 

 

Pffft!

I am lost.

Well not really lost as in I know where I am, but I have no idea “where I am” if that means anything.  Work, family, and life in general  is taking up so much of my brain space lately!

Work…is fabulous.  I am really enjoying my new position and it continues to be challenging and rewarding too!  It’s a good thing.

Liam has started football again this season and it ‘kicks off’ (ha ha ha I made a pun!) this week with a BYE…so a long weekend for me because of Anzac Day.

My ears and throat are still bothering me and I am off to see a specialist today about them….I can feel a tonsilectomy coming on…I really hope not though as I am concerned about how it will affect my singing voice.

As for singing, I’ve loaded two songs onto my myspace - the first is a cover version of a Cold Chisel song called “Rising Sun”.  This was done as part of a challenge.  Each participant chose a song and submitted it - then got someone elses song back to do a version of it.  My version is VERY different to the original…if you can search it out and have a listen, then listen to mine…let me know what you think. 

*Cold Chisel is a pretty full-on Aussie Rock Band for my overseas friends*

The second song is a song I wrote two years ago called “Sober Up”.  Pretty self-explanatory I think written at a pretty volatile time of my life - a time I am happy to say is well and truly over and done with.  This one is not finished yet, but I wanted to record it so I didn’t lose what I wanted it to sound like.

I’ve been writing a few songs and I will add them when I get them recorded.

Thanks and blessings to everyone who has inquired after my well-being.  I’m ok - just overwhelmed with ’stuff’.

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day in Australia and in honour of our fallen soldiers Australians wear a sprig of rosemary and recite from Laurence Binyon’s poem “For the Fallen” the stanza at dawn services all around the world….

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Petrol prices.

I just bought a new car….a BIG car….with a BIG tank (72 litres).

Petrol prices in Australia are around $1.40 a litre…my calculations make that AU $5.31 a US Gallon and in US dollars that is around US $4.70-something a gallon…..just so my American friends know…not sayin here in Aus we’re suffering more or anything….BUT I jsut can’t fathom why, if our dollar is so good agains the US dollar right now - why are petrol is so darned expensive.

AND I used to work for a fuel company and I still can’t figure it out!!!

Please say a big hello to…….Stewie!

Tonight after work, the children, MOTH and I went to VISIT the breeders of Stewie - not to bring him  home of course, but just to visit.

The breeder was Little Man’s teacher last year and a lovely lady with a wonderful family. 

Our little home has been so morose since Puku passed away and while we still aren’t really sure that we are ready for a puppy, Stewie is a white shpeherd and just 14 weeks old, so over that awful puppy stage and just delightful…I’m sure he will bring us lots of joy.

Cricket star in the making

My little man plays cricket in the summer and football (Australian Rules) in the winter.

This past weekend was his last game and he got his picture and a little write up in the local newspaper.

You can read it here.

I just love to watch young kids playing sport - I get so puffed up and proud of them all - not just my own.

Bit sad….

I’ve not really recovered from losing Puku and I’ve had an ear and throat ‘thing’ that even after several courses of antibiotics just wont go away!  Grrr…..not good for singing.

I’m stitching a little on Paradigm Lost and knitting a little on my shawl, I’m doing a little of everything I need to and not a lot of the things I want to.  I guess you could say I am a little on the depressed side of my usual chirpy self.

It’s a long weekend here this weekend coming so I am going to try and stitch a lot and perhaps go for a nice long drive in my new car with the family on Sunday.

There’s light….but the tunnel seems long right now.

June.

Today we learn of the passing of June, a much-loved member of the Aussie stitching fraternity.  I met June only once in person - almost exactly a year ago - on a get together in Sydney, but we’d emailed and particpated in groups for much longer than that.  As a group we are lucky to have known such a wonderful and gentle lady, her humour and  joy will be missed among many.

I will be making a donation to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Cancer Research in her honour. 

You can too.

Thanks :)

Mel in Dubai says my blog ‘makes her day’ and I am really happy that my little blog does that for someone

For me reading about everyone’s stitching and general daily lives is a relaxing and yet very thought-provoking pasttime.

I always find myself clicking though the links to somewhere I have never been, seeing things I would never have thought of searching for.  It’s educating, uplifting and so very enjoyable.

As for nominating 10 blogs that make my day.  I can’t.

Take a look at my sidebar…there are many blogs that I read regularly and enjoy.  Take your pick, you will enjoy your visits too.

Thanks Mel…

Ho hum….

Haven’t felt much like stitching this week, so I picked up my knitting instead.  It’s the candle flame pattern shawl I started back in August.  I’ve got ten balls of this yarn (a mohair blend) and I just started ball number 5.  No picture because it really doesn’t look any different than the last picture, just wider (300+ stitches) and longer

I think I will put a beaded fringe on it when it’s done.  I want to get it finished before footy season starts and I need something to keep me warm on those frosty footy mornings

A finish and some progress.

I did manage to finish Victoria’s Quaker in January - the 31st to be exact

Terrible photo but I will take another when she is framed

 

A Mon Amie Pierre - Victoria’s Quaker
Stitched on Brown Apple Bint 32 Count linen in Needlepoint Inc Silk conversion

Started on 22 August 07 - Finished 31 January 08

And my progress on A Quaker Study:

 

Thanks you so much to everyone for your messages after the passing our gorgeous Puku - the family really appreciates it.  I am so very sad.  We are going to plant a red rose in her honour by our front door.

But to bring a smile - here is Banjo relaxing in my hammock today

He laid there in my hammock in the sun for hours today - we had to put sunscreen on his ears

For February’s finish I hope it will be the needlepoint piece I started oh so long ago

R.I.P Puku

 With us April 2004 - February 2008

We will miss you.

Framing update.

My worst fears were realised today.

Framing shop girl called me this morning to tell me my “tapestry” was there and did I want to pick it up.

I wandered over at lunchtime…framing man nowhere to be seen.

She gave me my piece all wrapped up and said oh I didn’t want to unwrap it - too hard to re-wrap.  So I paid my money and took it QUICKLY over to my office where I unwrapped it and guess what…..?

It’s crooked.

It’s crooked and wavy.

It’s crooked, and wavy, and not stretched properly, and I bet if I took it apart there will be TAPE.

I am taking it back tomorrow to complain and I will ask him to unwrap it and take the back off it and prove to me there is no tape, then I will ask for my money back and take it somewhere else.

I am so disappointed. 

Next time I will listen to my gut feeling.

Updated For Sale Page

I finally updated the “For Sale” page.

Please take a look and email me at Ausxser (Gmail) if you would like anything.  Prices in AUD are a guide only.  Postage at actual rates, Paypal for OS stitchers and DD for Aussies

I also have a host of magazines, Australian Embroidery and C ross Stitch, Inspirations, New Stitches and Classic Stitches, Mary Hickmont, so if you’re after a particular issue - ask me and I will see if I have it and we can come to an arrangement

More to come.

So close….

 I am so close to finishing Victoria’s Quaker now that I think I will make the best use of my three day weekend and work on it all day tomorrow with a chance of a happy dance…I hope Carol and Kaz don’t mind that it’s not Tuesday tomorrow (Carol is done, Kaz is very close too!)  I am enjoying this project so much - it has been a really relaxing stitch.

 

This is Carriage House Samplings - A Quaker Study, my ‘train’ piece which is also a very relaxing stitch.  I tend to agree with Carol - there is just something about the Quaker pieces which is rhythmic and soothing.  I am enjoying this one also.  I am also very happy with my fabric and thread choices on this one.

 

I’ve not stitched much on Paradigm Lost this week - only a very short session, but perhaps tomorrow night I will stitch a little.  Not much progress to show after last week - but there was a bit of frogging!

Thanks everyone so much for your comments on my ‘bad feeling’.  I rang the framer again on Friday morning and he didn’t respond to me until late Friday afternoon - it wasn’t completed yet and he promises me Tuesday.  He thanked me for the extra time.  I”m still feeling very uneasy.  I have 6 other pieces to frame and I think I will just try and work in a long round trip to my former framer (that sounds funny doesn’t it) with whom I feel VERY comfortable.  She understands me and the feelings of attachment I get to my pieces.

As for the stash diet, everyone who knows me is certain that I wont be able to do it - but I am a determined little git and I have wanted new sofas for a year now and we’ve been looking and found them - I don’t want them to get away :)  As I’ve mentioned I will be listing a heap of stuff for sale soon and perhaps we can work something out to make sure I don’t run out of stash….again anyone who knows me understands that the likelihood of me running out of stash is about the same as me winning a Grammy - NOT LIKELY!!!

Oh and did I mention I just ordered a new car also :)  A brand new Ford Territory!

And exciting Australian Open Tennis…the Frenchman (Tsonga) is doing really well….I am barracking loudly for him

Stash Diet

Today I start a self-imposed stash diet for a year.  I promise to not buy ANY STASH AT ALL (other than my SANQ magazines) for the next twelve months!  THat means no fabric, thread, beads, candle making, soap making, or other crafty stuf…nil, nada, nothing, zip, zero, zilch.

This is the reason why. 

Today MOTH and I chose our new sofas AND a new stitching chair for me!  The sofas will be a really nice arctic white leather and my chair is RED!  It also comes with a matching footstool!  The good thing is MOTH loves them as much as I do!

 

My chair that will be red fabric together with its matching footstool!

  

We will have two of these sofas.  A 3-seater and a 2-seater in this colour shown.

Now just need window dressings and the front of the house will be done :)  Hopefully by the time our sofas arrive, the windows will be dressed :)  We have 6-8 weeks.

A Sampler Blog

The lovely Carol has started a blog especially to showcase samplers….I’ve joined and have started adding my few meagre offerings - there are lots of lovelies to see there already!

Keep an eye on this one….it’s gonig to be a great source of inspiration.

A bad feeling…

A very bad feeling.

I took The Workbasket - Faith Hope Love to a framer I’d not been to before - it is close to work and a big shop so I figure he knows what he’s doing.  I take it in, choose a frame, no matt or anything, just a simple framing job, I ask him about his method - he tells me “we use this really good tape” to which I recoiled in horror and said under no circumstances tape!!!!  He promises me no tape.  He quotes me $166 and I leave the shop feeling scared….but only slightly.

I go back in a week to see how he’s going - he says it’s not ready - no problem - I’ll come back next week.  He tells me sure - Thursday or Friday and waffles on about how difficult it is to get long pieces straight etc…I remind him - NO TAPE!

I went to pick it up today, rang first they didn’t answer so I wandered over at lunch.  The girl there says he’s done the deliveries today and it’s not there.  Says she will call him - I say I’ll wait while she does.  She says, “No I will need to wait till he’s back at the workshop”,  and says she will call me later. 

No call. 

I call again.

No answer, no response to my message.

Anyone ever have one of those feelings?

Stitching Update

  

Sorry for the lack of updates last week - I was stitching though and I am making great progress on ”A Quaker Study”.  This is my train project and it’s  benefiting from long and arduous train journeys (they’re not really that bad but definitely made much better by being able to stitch!)

I am hoping for a January finish for Victoria’s Quaker.  There are three more Tuesdays left (the last one is the 29th) and if it looks like it’s close, I will keep going so I can finish in January.

Paradigm Lost is coming along nicely - I would have hoped to be able to say I’ve finished page 1 -  but as you read earlier the frog visited me and I had to restitch quite a large chunk.  Hopefully after tonight’s stitching effort I can put page 1 to bed.  The motifs on this design are lovely - quite different to others I’ve seen - I am really enjoying it.

Once VQ is done, I am going to replace her on Tuesdays with An Open Heart which has been languishing.  I want to be able to finish that During February so will give her a lot of attention during that month.  I hope to finish one UFO each month or two during 2008.