26 June 2011

Finally an update.

So, you may ask what has finally prompted me to post?  Well did you see the ‘little’ previous post on MY blog?  Well that was my DH!!!  He has discovered my password.  I am not overly happy about that, (directed to DH who I am sure will read this at some stage) however, I am grateful that it was a nice message and not something horrible.  I think he owes me a stash order for this. LOL
Message to DH.
Please DH, leave my blog alone, if you want to make your own posts I would be more that happy to help you set up a blog all of your own!!!    
End of message to DH.
Even though posts have been scarce I have been stitching and reading your blogs.  I am using Windows Live Writer for the first time with this post, and it seems much easier that posting through Blogger, so you might even see more regular posts from me.  Well here is hoping anyway.
My work situation has improved, even for the short term.  I actually managed to get my sales quota for the quarter ending in March.  I wish that I could say the same for this quarter as I am behind again.  I had some time off over Easter, about three weeks, and unfortunately the organisation that I work for don’t adjust targets unless you have four or more weeks off from work, this totally sucks.  If I happen to be placed on performance review again I know that I will not be alone as there others who are in the same position as me.  I have still been looking for another job.  There are always full-time positions advertised but Joel and Caitlyn are too young yet IMO for me to not be around for them after school.  They are nine and seven.  At the moment they go to an after school care program on the days that I work but it is nice for them, and for me, that I am at home for them on the other days. 
Now for the good stuff.  Stitching of course.  I have been feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the number of WIPS, and the amount of stash, that I have on the go and have tried to come up with a way to not feel so overwhelmed.  I came up with the idea of selecting a few designs to concentrate on so I went to the random number generator and it selected five designs; two HAED Bubble and Gypsy Rose, Drawn Threads Sampler Game Board, Spanish Geometric Sampler by The Needles Content and Village of Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings.  I am really loving another HAED at the moment, Impatient Ballerina, and really wanted to keep on stitching on it so it was incorporated into mix as well.  So for six nights I stitched on one of the selected designs and stitched on Impatient Ballerina for the seventh night.  This worked really well and it was wonderful to see some long term wips get some attention.
I have never been very successful sticking to a rotation in the past but I will attempt to try hard to stick with this one. 
I did have another new start as well.  Another HAED.  It is called The General. It may not appeal to everyone but it means a lot to me.  My Dad worked on the railways and sometimes he got to work on the old steam trains.  In  October of 1988 there was a Steam Train festival to celebrate Australia’s bicentennial.  To help commemorate this occasion the Flying Scotsman was shipped to Australia and my Dad actually drove it. One of the highlights was when the Scotsman and two other steam locomotives ran from Melbourne to Seymour.  Dad was the fireman (shoveler of coal) on the engine on the right hand side in this you tube clip.  I remember standing just off from the rails taking photos in a little place called Donnybrook, I don’t have any photos here sadly as they are all with Dad.  So, a rather long story as to why I had to get that chart and start it.   
The Flying Scotsman.
In my last post (not the one by DH) I said that I would share with you my new starts, well here they are;
First off is Little Snap Dragon by Kustom Crafts.  I am stitching this on a 28ct linen which is a creamy yellow colour with DMC threads 2 over 2.
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And next is my meagre start on And They Sinned.  Every one of these that I have seen in progress have been started at the top, but I started mine from the bottom which is where I nearly always start my projects from.  This is being stitched on 40ct Navy Bean linen, using the recommended GAST threads 1 over 2.
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And last but certainly not least is my major happy dance.  This is by Fouroaks Designs and is called A Love Song.  I stitched this on 32ct antique white linen using Vicky Claytons premium silk in the colour of Garnet.
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See that date, yes I did finish it in 2010 and yes it has taken this long for me to share this with you.
Well I must go now and do some more cleaning, the bathroom is now done.


Take care everyone.

15 comments:

Patty C. said...

Change your password - lol
Your 2010 finish looks fantastic !!!!

Hazel said...

Husbands lol! Wonderful finish. Like your rotation idea too.

Gina E. said...

Hi Joanne! This has been such an interesting post for me to read. Apart from giggling over your hubby's intrusion into your blog and admiring your stitching, I was fascinated to read about your Dad driving the Flying Scotsman while it was here. I've probably met your Dad at some stage! Ken and I were actively involved with Steamrail for a few years, and many of our weekends were spent riding on steam trains and working on them at Newport.

Pumpkin said...

Oh dear! DH is going to be sleeping in the doghouse ;o)

Glad to see you posting again though! Love your current WIPs and your finish is just beautiful :o)

sharine said...

Cool update and I can remember watching the Flying Scoctsman go by when I was 7 at Wallan station, the next one up from Donnybrook
Cheers,Sharine

Bee Jay said...

Love your finished work AS - great that you've decided on a few pieces to work on - am sure you'll feel less overwhelmed that way. Hope a new job turns up for you soon - frustrating for you. Good to hear from you again though! Blessings!

Lynn said...

Okay, time for a password change, lol!
Loved the footage of the Flying Scotsman. I'll be showing it to my DH this evening. He loves the steam locomotives.
Love Song is beautiful!! Congrats!
I hope your rotation works well for you. I've never been able to stick with one. I have to be in the mood to stitch on certain designs.

Kathy A. said...

Nice to hear from you hon. What a lovely newsy post. Change your password!
Congrats on the BIG finish. It is beautiful. Good luck with the rotation. I never seem to stick to them lol.

Dani - tkdchick said...

Your happy dance is fantastic! I will be getting your gift from my March draws in the mail to you reall soon (like next week) we've had a postal strike and on top of that I'm AWFUL at getting to the post office!

Siobhán said...

Wonderful finish!! LOL at your husband!

Karoline said...

Gorgeous finish, congratulations

You remind me that I need to go and see the Flying Scotsman when it comes back to the National Railway Museum next month.

Sharon said...

Thanks J for leaving your comment over on my blog.. It was very much appreciated... Yes, things have certainly turned around for the better re my workplace...Now it is nearly time to turn my attentions back to my 'creating stuff'... I cringe when I see and think about ALL my UFO's and other bits and pieces...

sharine said...

Hi I emailed you but I'm not sure it went through My email is ksmcdougall@bigpond.com

mdgtjulie said...

You certainly have eclectic tastes, lol. I'm glad you've gotten a finish!! Those are always fun, even if it was a while back. And good luck with your rotation. I have Bubbles in my rotation too. I love Selina Fenech. Her charts are just gorgeous. Glad to come check out your site. I saw your post about having the seven deadly sins on another blog. I have the seven as well, and I want to start them all too!!! I thought I should follow you to see your progress!! I'm having an HAED giveaway, if you'd like to check out my blog!

demeter83 said...

Hey hun, can't believe your DH snuck onto your blog and left a post, but it's strangely sweet as well, but don't get me wrong, if my Ben did that I'd be more than a little miffed!
COngratulations on your new start of the General, I'll look forward to seeing your progress on it. And you've got the sins as well, I love those, I want to start Vanity first, but I'll have to buy it first, and I really don't need to buy more... not that it normally stops me!
Good luck with trying to keep your rotation to a manageable number, I'm trying to keep mine to four, and it's such hard work!

An Aussie girl who loves to cross stitch