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Sunday 28 September 2014

My week at Cuboree

So last week I was the crazy person that went away on a scout camp with 600 cubs as a carer for one of my old Joey Scouts. For those that don't know cubs are 8-11 year old scouts. It was an absolutely crazy and exhausting week and I had an awesome time but I know I'm exhausted and a little sick from the sheer craziness.

 On the way up my friend and I sat next to each other on the trip.

 I got challenged to do the obstacle course ( or maybe I challenged my charge to get her to do the course. )
 It was great fun and all the kids stepped outside their comfort zone to try things they hadn't before.
 I realised how much monkey bars hurt your arms! I used to love these as a kid!
 We had pillow fights :D They of course called on me next to challenge them.

 The second day we went whale watching.

 We saw lots of awesome humpback whales and it was a great experience.
 Though my camera isn't great at getting good photos at that distance.
 Then we went to the discovery sphere where there was this amazing statue it was enormous!
 On the third day we travelled through time and made some awesome crafts.
 and were challenged to throw spears at the emus.

 Then we met Mary Poppins and played with the circus.
 The best part though was panning for gold in our own special stream. (we found lots of brass and aluminium but they didn't hide much gold in there!)
 On the second last day we woke up to this amazing fog. It didn't lift until mid morning so it made it interesting finding the toilets.
 Of course once it lifted it showed the absolute exhaustion of all the leaders. The kids are being entertained by the scouts and we took the opportunity to rest our eyes and bodies just a little.

Of course as soon as I came back I took the opportunity to sew my badges on my blanket. I got a whole new pile sewn on and I'm really excited that I managed to swap for so many awesome badges while I was away.

Hope you had fun for the first week of the holidays.
Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Show your Stash: Threads

I have been reading a number of blogs recently who have all been participating in a show your stash: threads edition. It started with this blog where she didn't want to show off her cross stitch fabrics, they're really boring so instead we get to show off our gorgeous threads.

What thread do you usually stitch with?
DMC threads the plain normal ones. I love to work with them and very rarely use anything fancy. Though I do use the DMC metallics, they are just the easiest to get a hold of. 

When you shop for threads, do you buy on impulse or do you buy only what you need?
I stopped buying impulse when I realised I had 4 skeins of some colours and none of ones I did need right then. Since then it's been my goal to eventually collect all the colours. I bought a thread app for my phone and have been using that to keep track of my threads so I don't buy too many of one colour. The only problem is it's not multi device though it works really well. 
You can see the range that it covers is pretty good and it only cost $1 or something like that. I can't remember it was a while ago that I bought it. It's called floss checklist and the avatar for it on android is a purple horse.



How do you sort it? 
I sort my stash in purple bobbin boxes. I do have a blue one for my Afternoon Tea HAED and a couple of little ones for other projects but my main thread stash is in my purple boxes. 



They're getting kinda crowded so I need to buy another one at least.

I also have some random other threads that get kept in bags in my craft boxes. They unfortunately don't get used much I generally forget they are there or am afraid to use them up on a project because they're too pretty.


What tips do you have for building a stash?
Considering I'm trying to do just that at the moment and failing I can't say I have any tips. My plan at the moment is every time I get a new pattern I go and buy the threads I'm missing and slowly I will have the full collection. It should get bigger and bigger hopefully sooner rather than later.

How much is too much?
When you have more than 2 of most threads it becomes stupid. That's where I stopped when I realised I was buying up 3 or more of the same colour without checking what I already had.


How do you whittle your stash down when it's gotten too large?
I don't I just keep buying more :D Or just trying to use some of the colours I already have when I can substitute!

Do you have a current favorite in your stash?    
Yeah I love all the Australian hand dyed threads by Cottage Garden Threads. The colours are just gorgeous. 



 The African Violet is just scrumptious and the others are beautiful too. I will have to work out the perfect project for them one day.

Happy Stitching
Caitlin

p.s. I know I said in my goals I would post a weekly craft update on a Wednesday but as I'm at a cub camp all week with NO reliable phone I had to plan this ahead of time and I'm still posting on a Wednesday just not a WIP update. That will happen as planned next week!   

Friday 19 September 2014

Motivation!

What's your motivator? How do you keep yourself motivated on finishing a project?

I have been trying to do an assignment for my business course for the last 6 months but I have had issues with the administration of my course and feeling like I'm getting no support through this. But last week that all changed I was invited to an online meet up at one of their campuses and I took the opportunity to go. This was exciting as the moment I walked in the door I felt welcome and invited to participate. I was able to get the information I needed and deal with what was required. I finally felt like I was supported again and I was hanging around on the side with no help. It's amazing what that does for my ability to actually finish my assignment and move onto the next unit. I am finished the assignment TODAY!!! WOOHOO!!!!

This also goes for crafts as well. It's sometimes hard to find motivation to actually complete something not just keep starting endless projects.I was good for a while going to a craft group once a week and enjoying the company and talking about projects. I found I actually got stuff done particularly those finishing tasks that keep getting put off. Of course when craft group got cancelled I had all sorts of plans to use the time and the chance to get out my sewing machine. Then plans get lazy and when you're by yourself nothing gets achieved well nothing when I have all day to do something I procrastinate all day and then wonder where my day went.

Recently Cate from Life Behind the Purple Door my partner's sister, asked me to join her for our own craft group which I jumped at! Though not always achieving much every Wednesday I do find that I get something done. This last Wednesday I did achieve something small. I worked for 4 hours on my assignment and then I did a row of crochet which is more than I've done for a while. Working with other people is such a major motivator.
 
You can see my post about my progress here

It's wonderful having help to keep you motivated. So here are my goals for the next month for EVERYONE to read so that you can all be my motivators and keep me on track.

1. Start and Finish another unit of my course in 3 weeks like I am meant to.
2. Do another 2 colour rotations on my blanket. So this is at least 24 colours. This is doable by the end of October.
3. Finish the square on Baroque that I'm currently working on.
4. Start the Christmas gifts. I think I know what I'm making this year and I need to get them started or else no one is getting anything!
5. Post every Wednesday at least with a summary of my on the go projects. 

I think these are good goals for this month. SO by the end of October I should have these completed. That is my plan and this is my motivation... all of you lovely peeps and your kind words!

 SO What is your motivator?

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin



Wednesday 17 September 2014

Work In Progress Wednesday

Well I haven't achieved too much today but I have done something. I've done another colour and a bit on my blanket since last week.

I have been busy though today and have been doing some of my assignment and I'm getting closer to finishing which kinda still makes it a WIP but not one I can really show you or that you would be interested in.

 I added the dark green today and started the dark purple.


 It feels great to be making progress however slow.


I also have a little bit of progress on Baroque by Ink Circles.

It's not much but it's better than nothing. Little bit by little bit I will get there. I need to get myself motivated.

Hope you enjoy my little bit of progress.
You can see more pictures at the moment if you follow me on Instagram, it's so much easier to post photos quickly there as my phone posts to Instagram but I need my computer to post blogs. Anyway my name is NaughtsCrossStitches on Instagram which you can enjoy.

ETA: I linked up to an Australian WIP link up. Join up if you want to.
Little White Dove
Happy Stitching,
Caitlin



Thursday 11 September 2014

Life update

Well I have been quite busy this past week though I can't claim to have any cross stitch finished or even done this past week. That would require being organised.

First I'll start with the bad news, well kind of bad. We were in a fender bender accident on the weekend. Someone ran up the back of my car. So I am spending my week running around trying to organise the quotes and insurance. Thankfully it is just the back panels of my car and everyone is alright. Though 5 minutes up the road someone else ran us off the road, again no one was hurt and thankfully this time the car didn't get hurt either.

But on better news I had a performance on the Sunday and it went really really well. After the performance we managed to get to the Redcliffe Kite Fest.

 There were some amazing kites on display up in the air.


The kids were fascinated and loved looking at all the cool kites. They also enjoyed the rides and making wax dipped candles.

To make myself feel better about an assessment for my car that I had to go to today I bought a couple of new magazines.... actually it was the owl on the front cover that did it for me.



I love this newsagent! They had a shelf full of the little books that come on the front of magazines. It was great as I was able to get a Joan Elliott magazine and a couple of other little designs. I may have to torture my family and stitch them all purple shiny ornaments for Christmas this year! Though none of them would be perfectly happy as no one likes purple like me.... maybe then I can keep them all??

Oh and that cute little owl sitting on the front of the magazine...
Well it was just begging to be started so here he is... though I will say the yarn is awful to work with but it looks soooooo cute already! and there is enough yarn to make another one if I want.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin



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