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Saturday 31 December 2011

Challenges for next year

Well I have signed up for WIPocalypse (link in sidebar), I have so many things I want to do and I love the idea. I signed up months ago though so it has been changing and being added too! Here is my wonderful list as it stands at this point in time... we shall see what happens this year. 

Current Projects for the WIPocalypse
Finished - Started - Kitted - Chart 

  1. Boxers - Anchor
  2. Carres Du Printemp (biscornus) - Jardin Prive 
  3. Winter Fairy - Joan Elliott
  4. Afternoon Tea - HAED
  5. Warm and Fuzzy - Dimensions petite gold kit 
  6. Beacon at Daybreak - Dimensions petite gold kit 
  7. Sampler aux Fleurs - Jardin Prive 
  8. Here's a Treble & First Bass - Ink Circles
  9. Kathleen and Summer - HAED
  10. Maskerade Pale Dawn - HAED

I also signed up for the TUSAL. It just looked like so much fun this year to watch the TUSALs grow. I just need a good jar for all the threads! and a way to collect threads when I'm out and about....

I have also signed up for a reading challenge to read as many books as I can from my collection without rereading (that will be hard) and without buying any new ones that are allowed on that list. I'm starting with the tiny list of read 12 books but I might be able to get up to 100 books! I will start a new page for my book list when I get home and can see my bookcase. (I'm also going to use my mother's bookcase to help me as well :D)

We shall see how this year goes with stitching and having fun :D I will keep everyone updated.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

talk to you in 2012!

Caitlin


My Year in Stitches!

Well I started blogging in April this year, and I only started cross stitching in October last year. Though I have dabbled in cross stitch I never bothered getting around to finishing anything. (I was 12 at the time so that kinda makes sense)

This year I decided to work to goals and finish pieces.

My favourite finish for this year has been:

Land In Sight
This piece won the Novice cross stitch section of the Ekka!

I've done everything from putting my work in competitions this year to stitching for other people. I've particularly enjoyed the stitching for other people including this piece for my mother
Tree Frog Trio

I've had so much fun stitching I enjoy sitting down at the end of the day and stitching to relax. But to twist it up I have tried my hand at designing my own work as well.

This little guy still needs to be finished and one day I will actually get him up onto a computer program so I can share the design with all of you.

I've also spent a LOT of money on new stash because really I haven't had any! I've bought all sorts of charts and interesting things including fun charts from overseas. It was interesting ordering from Jardin Prive because I had to order it in FRENCH!

With a little fiddling I made my first BISCORNU! I am now hooked and have made and designed a couple more.

Another of my designs

When my cousin had a baby in October what did I do? I made a sampler for the little tyke.

Of course bad me STILL needs to frame it!

I also made a wedding sampler for some friends who were married in September

This one I did frame but silly me didn't take a photo of the framed stitch before giving it away! Hopefully I can get a photo down the road.

That about brings us up to Christmas and the penguins! I have had such fun with these penguins from Rhona at Tangled Threads. I have made 14 of the little things to give as Christmas gifts this year.

Here is just 6 of the penguins. The great thing about these penguins, that made my mother really happy is, I actually got my sewing machine out again!

Except I had to set it up on the floor!

Also for Christmas I made some Biscornus.

I had some fun designing them and using speciality stitches that I haven't used before. The metalics make this fizzle too. Though I did one for me without the metalics and I love it as much.
But I will be taking some stitching into the new year.

Boxers will still be on the go as there is no way I will finish it before the new year.

Also I will be continuing with Carres Du Printemp as I'm making a set of biscornus out of this design.

In stunning colours they just sing.

I do have to wonder what will happen in the new year and what projects will come out from under my needle!

Caitlin

Thursday 29 December 2011

War Memorial and Stitching

Well I have been having lots of fun stitching :D

The next Jardin Prive Biscornu is almost finished which is great :D I do love these colours. They are just so different.

I've also been working on Boxers. Most of the chest area is now done and the white is almost almost done! This dog might even get finished while I'm down here!

I also have tonnes of photos of the Australian War Memorial. We had a wonderful day learning more about the history of Australia. I will try to explain each picture properly.

The Australian War Memorial was created after the first world war to commemorate the Australian efforts in the war. It was meant to only deal with WW1 but it was finished at the beginning of WW2 where they realised it would have to document all wars.

Any time ANZAC is mentioned it means Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. We have been fighting together since WW1 and the battle of Gallipoli.

There are displays starting from the 1800s where the Australians fought in Zululand through to displays on the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars.

This is one of the statues outside the building. It commemorates Australian Forces.

As you walk into the memorial there are two lions on either side of the entrance. They are called the Menin Gate lions and they were at the gate of Ypres in Belgium where many battles were fought during the first world war. We lost over 6000 soldiers during that time.


Inside there is a pool and what's called the eternal flame. It stays constantly burning to remember the soldiers.
Around this courtyard is the list of names of those men and women killed in the service of Australia. There are 60,000 names from WW1 and 40,000 from WW2! So many people died.

The poppies are a symbol of remembrance and this is just one tiny section of these walls. It's so sad to see so many names up on this wall.

This is the view from the top of the War Memorial looking out over the top of Anzac Ave. towards old and new parliment house.

Here is a model used to show the land around Gallipoli. That was such a doomed battle as the Australians were directed to land at the wrong place on the peninsula. They should have landed in safer ground. As it was many of the landing fleet died that first day.

I will go into more detail about the story of the ANZACs on ANZAC day next year to give everyone a bit more of an idea. I know most of you don't know much about Australia.

Many souvenirs were brought back from overseas and one of the most interesting is this mosaic. It is a floor of a building that they excavated and sent home.

This is an example of a Nurses' uniform they wore the red capes so that they would be easily recognised as medical personal and hopefully would not be shot at. They worked tirelessly and it wasn't until the late 1970s that they managed to get the proper recognition and pay that the men did.


This piece just interested me from a musical standpoint. It's an old trumpet that was used in the 1850s in war.


We're going back next week to go see more of the galleries we saw maybe half of the place and we were there for 5 hrs! There is always more to see.

Hopefully I haven't absolutely bored you. I'm having fun on my holidays.

Caitlin






Monday 26 December 2011

Xmas celebrations :D

Well now that most of the Christmas celebrations are done. I have some cool photos :D

Phill got given a Nerf gun by his brother for Christmas! I am not happy with him at all because I became a target! So did the TV!


Shooting at the TV!
The results on the floor!

  My family loved the penguins :D The look on my mother's face was just priceless!



She absolutely loved it and so did everyone else. They thoroughly enjoyed all the penguins. I managed to pick perfect penguins for everyone. My youngest cousin even named his, and the one cousin I was really worried about absolutely adored it!

  
My Sister!
Grandma :D
Dad
Mum also got a awesome painting. She just needs to find room!


We decorated the house for Christmas including the toys!



I gave Phill Lego for Christmas as has become the custom but I spent Christmas putting up my own lego because he gave me a cars 2 set :D I have now remembered that I LOVE lego it's so much fun.

Flo's Garage Lego Set :D


Our dogs were really worried about all the excitement. They came and laid themselves down in the middle of us and fell asleep. Lazy dogs!

I ate so much bad stuff! I cooked up a Rocky Road that was to die for!

There was a pack each of marshmellows, licorice allsorts, snakes and two packs of malteasers. Then over the top of it I poured 4 packets of nestle melts in milk, white and dark chocolate. It filled two enormous trays! Doesn't it look yummy?

I finished the other biscornu for Phill's grandparents and I gave that one to his grandma today. She loved it and it went straight on her tree.
I'm now down in Canberra, we spent 15 hours driving yesterday. We left at 5am in the morning and arrived here at 8pm! It was a long day but so glad to be on holidays. Not sure how often I will be able to update. I have done some stitching, which is great fun as we have spent time visiting grandparents today which meant sitting and talking while they knitted and I stitched.

We're going to go to the War Memorial tomorrow so I will take lots of photos so that I have something to show you. Hopefully stitching photos as well!

Caitlin

Saturday 24 December 2011

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

a Disney Classic to enjoy! Here just in case!


Merry Xmas Everyone!
Caitlin

Thursday 22 December 2011

GoMA visit yesterday! (very picture heavy)

I took 5 kids to the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane yesterday! Now the youngest was 7 the oldest 12 BUT it was interesting!

GoMA is AWESOME! website here

The general gallery was interesting though the kids ran through it too quickly and I couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. But the cool part was the kid sections. There was one room that had been painted all white and as you walked in you were handed a sheet of dot stickers to stick where ever you wanted to!

It was stunning to look at! Here are some of my photos of the room.





 Some people got quite creative as to where they placed the stickers! And that piano actually played!


 There was also a display called we miss you magic land (click the link to get the official flickr photos)

















Sorry this post is very picture heavy. We had such a fun time there and the kids enjoyed it. Which is the main thing.

Caitlin

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