Christmas Crafts and photos from my break.

Before Christmas (only about the week before) I decided I needed to make certain gifts for the kids. Queue lots of earlier mornings and later nights trying to sew in secret but I did it. I made Lana some headbands (or partially made them) and Caiden got a pillowcase. I only partially made the headbands as I wanted to measure them on her head before sewing them all. So I finished one and made the other 2 up to the elastic part. They are all done now and I love how they turned out. I need to get photos of them still. I forgot and they have all disaappeared into the abyss.. aka. the BEDROOM!!!!!


The pillowcase for Caiden was very simple. I used these instructions and just cut it long enough according to pillow I already had. It worked out beautifully and I will need to make a lot more of these.



2 days after Christmas we left to go camping. I desperately needed to get away. I think we all did. It was kinda a family affair as we found a place to go and then my parents came along and invited a group of the Landrover people we have been camping with the last couple of years. My sister and her partner came along as did my cousin with his partner and kid. It was just a lovely group of people.

Here was the view from out the tent door every morning. Can I say we were just a little in love?

 
Though the boys didn't like me taking photos of them :D



We had a beautiful fire and some awesome music. There was even bagpipes one night :D



We went exploring and played games. I even took my cross stitch... I don't know how many people take a big cross stitch frame camping but I did it!

Camp chairs make awesome frame holders.

I think we are already looking forward to next year and the fun we'll get up to.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Wednesday

Oh gosh it's Wednesday already! It's been that sort of week. I spent Monday and most of Tuesday curled up on the couch feeling absolutely pathetic. Today I have felt much better though I'm still not through the worst of it. Since last Wednesday I have made some progress on Afternoon Tea but none since Monday as I haven't had the concentration. 

I found out something really awesome though about this piece. I have actually done some of the dragon. There is a little tiny bit of his horn showing up. I thought it was another star but it's a horn! It made me so happy to see it. and because I haven't shown you a picture of the finished piece in a while here it is. Look closely at that horn sticking up and see if you can spot it in the stitching below. 

I have only done another half column but considering my week that half column is pretty awesome! I always love working on this piece.

Can you see the horn? 

I hope to get more done for next week as I am starting to feel a lot better and more alert at night again. 

So happy Stitching, 

Caitlin 

WIP Wednesday

My excitement is high this week. I love my cross stitch and this weekend I stopped trying to force myself to work on beacon at daybreak.... it takes too much concentration as it's small and complicated. Instead I brought out Afternoon Tea. Yes I know I don't understand how afternoon tea can be simpler... that said I park the threads and don't have to think about the colours that I need I just work on the next thread and then fill in the colours that are missing from the parking.

I love working on afternoon tea and I managed to finish a column. It was such a productive day.

Here is what it looked like the last time I showed you. I was almost half way down the column and about to enter the crazy confetti area.

 It doesn't look like that much different. But it truly is.

I love working on this piece.

Also I will leave you with an update of my granny stripe. I caught him pretending to crochet it over the weekend and he hid from me under it when he saw my camera. It was so cute.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIP Wednesday

So I've been stitching on my Afternoon Tea - HAED. I've managed to get half way down one column but I know I will hit a snag soon as I hit the confetti of the purple seat thingy. I'm still finally working on this again ... which is a big step for me. I'm loving working on it.

And here is the close up. It's so much fun to work on.

 And my granny stripe is slowly moving forward. I just love the colours of this.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

Cup of Tea?

Well it's the perfect weather to be sitting down with a wonderful cup of tea. Although the sun is starting to come out from behind the clouds this morning it was pouring down rain. I have been in a cuddle down and stitch/crochet mood this weekend.

When I wasn't winning the softball Grand Final that is!!!!!!!!!! It was an awesome way to end the softball season. We have come so close many times before but this year was our year! I was so nervous on Saturday that come Saturday night I was drained. I curled up in bed with my crochet and a book and didn't move!

Back to the reason you are all here. I assume you want to see stitching photos :D I have been powering along with afternoon tea and managed to finish the column. There is lots of black then suddenly lots of confetti.

Before

After

 It never seems like much until you count how many stitches that is. I think I've done almost 1000 stitches in that small column. I still love this piece.

I don't think I've shown you the awesome bags my mum made. Each of my big projects on the millenium frames now has a calico bag to protect them from dust and dirt. It will fit the project with or without the stretcher bars in. I love how much nice than the pillowcase it looks. And my big frame for Masquerade Pale Dawn is in one bag not two pillowcases.

Now I did say crochet as well.

You can see the start of the blue row happening here as well. I love the way the colours are going in this piece.It is great to sit down and just crochet when my head is exhausted and concentrating just
isn't going to happen, or when I really need to keep reading that Terry Pratchet!


Now I asked a question at the beginning of this post.
Does anyone want a cup of tea?

I'm enjoying my gorgeous owl mug and my Twinings Australian Afternoon Tea. I have to have milk in tea but rarely do I put sugar in. Only when I want a really strong Assam Bold. I used to be crazy about leaf teas and although I have a lot I'm usually too lazy to bother. I do have a pretty purple teapot and mug when I do make up a pot.

How do you have your tea?
Do you have a favourite mug?
Milk and sugar?

Curiosity is getting the better of me :D


Happy stitching,
Caitlin

Last WIPocalypse 2013

I've been really bad and forgotten all about the WIPocalypse. With my life going stupid this year is was much better forgetting about it. But I figured I did need to sum up my achievements or lack thereof! I haven't done a WIPOCALYPSE post since APRIL!!!! I'm well overdue then!

I'll start with the easy ones. I've already taken pictures of these.

'99 is no longer on my list. It was going to be a gift for my partner instead I handed the partial work to my friend who showed interest and the pattern and she is finishing it in time. It will be hers. 

Maskerade Pale Dawn

It was only just started in April. I'm still loving this piece especially since I got my millenium frame to hold it tightly!

Now it looks like this :D

Quite a bit of work considering how little I've actually worked on it! I have done more than I showed you last night I did another 100 stitches today :D and undid one colour too as the last one I put in last night was one two high.

I want to have a page finish by the end of next year maybe two. Any more is a bonus. It is easy to work on when I start fiddling.

Afternoon Tea

Last time I showed you this.

I've done a little bit more but nothing near what I expected to be at!

I did hope to be finished the top row by the end of the year but that plan bit the dust... Maybe by the end of next year!!

Winter Fairy

I really haven't done much on this one.

I haven't done much more. I bought what I thought would be the right size millennium frame and its too small because when they cut the fabric they didn't cut it evenly! There is a 2 inch difference between top and bottom and silly me didn't measure both sides. But I think Baroque will fit but I haven't started that one. An excuse to start another project! Now I have all three projects on millenium frames the afternoon tea

As you can see I have made some progress with all my pieces but I haven't done as much as I would have liked. My life kinda changed a lot this year.

But better plans next year. I'm going camping for a couple of days tomorrow so I probably won't respond for a while. Have fun and Happy New Year!

Caitlin

April WIPocalypse

Well I have a couple of surprises this WIPocalypse. I may have made a new start ... I finally made a start on Masquerade Pale Dawn.

It will eventually look like this...

But it looks nothing like it yet. I started in the middle because I couldn't be bothered measuring and I don't have all the colours so this is all I could start with before I really need to go shopping but it's a START!!!

I have also worked on Afternoon Tea

It looked like this but now it looks like this...

Sorry for the really bad photo! It's night here and I'm using my phone. I'm halfway through the column I love working on this piece. I find it annoying to go to projects that are over 2 they don't have as good a cover.

I really haven't worked on any other projects. The only reason I have any stitching to show is I have done some this week... not that much... but a little is good. I have been crocheting but that doesn't fit in this post.

Happy Stitching I probably won't be posting again 'til I get back from New Zealand so that will be next week sometime!

Caitlin

WIPocalypse March 2013

Well I did promise to show some stitching. It doesn't seem like much especially considering how much I've been home. But then being home and having energy are two different things at the moment.

Here was afternoon tea last month!

Very close to a page finish :D and I managed to finish a page and another column.

I am so happy. I am on target for my goal this year of the row.

Just a random close up because it looks really interesting.

I also did a little bit of work on winter fairy. Not much I'm finding this one harder to concentrate on maybe because I'm not going in blocks so I get easily distracted.

I think this will become a bit of a focus piece as I am kinda hoping to put it in one of the shows but probably not this year!

Happy Easter everyone and Happy Stitching!

Caitlin

WOOHOO! I've finished page 3!

I'm so happy :D I've managed to finish another page on Afternoon Tea :D I only finished it about 30 mins ago but I had to photograph it straight away.

So 

It is looking awesome! I love the colours of this piece. It's so bright and happy :D and I am looking good to meet my goal of the first row. Just two more pages to go!

Here is a close up:

 So much to do and so little time. I also managed to finish painting the hallway today. I now have to start on the lounge room. That will probably take me another couple of months.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

WIPocalypse and Ornaments #2

I am making a big combined post as I have been thoroughly distracted and not feeling the best this past week. But I have been going to the doctors so hopefully all will be well soon. But on a happier note I finally have a WIPocalypse update and an ornament update.

Since last Wipocalypse I have been working a lot on Winter Fairy.

Here is what it looked like in January.

Now it looks like this.

Bit by bit I'm slowly getting there with this one.

I also did a very small bit on Afternoon Tea. I haven't found the energy to concentrate on this one.
Last month:

Now I have one more column of 10 completed.

Since I took this photo a couple of hours ago I have filled that little missing circle. Here is a close up of this months work.

I really hope to finish the last column and a half this month but we shall see. The best laid plans of mice and all.

I also have put in a bit of work on one of my gingerbread men. The red one if you can't tell. This is one of my crazy January challenge projects.

I had fun this week and painted my nails all pretty. On my gingerbread man I have a lot more to do, but I am almost there. Bit by bit I will get there.

I'm going to stop rambling now and get back to my stitching ... or maybe I might read some more.... I have been reading Robert Jordan's wheel of time series and I only have 3 more left to go so that does steal stitching time as well.

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin 

WIPocalypse January 2013

Well I'm very happy about my WIPocalypse post for this month :D I have MANY awesome updates.

To start the year I did the Crazy January Challenge though I'm not going to post about those in here. Here is for all my lovely big projects for this year.

I will start with my really exciting project. Last WIPocalypse Afternoon Tea looked like this

A few days ago I posted this update :D

Since then I have been stuck at home inside because of awful weather and I'm getting really close to a page finish.

If I continue in this vein I could have a page finish before the next update. I have two coloums left of the page.

I think I have finally worked out a slightly quicker way to work this project and it stops me from worrying over which colour to start. At the very least I want to finish this whole row of pages by the end of the year. I think that is a very doable goal.

I have also put a couple of stitches in Winter Fairy since last time.

From this to now...

I should have a finish of this sometime this year. It would be nice well before mid year so I can enter it in one of the shows.

These are going to start as my two main focuses but I will also have '99 but I can't show you a picture this time around. Same reason as always Phill is sitting in the same room.


Happy Stitching :D
Caitlin