A few more stitches...

LOL - you will be very bored by the time I have finished this block. But I guess this constant up-date is more for me than you. I want to keep some sort of a pictorial record of my progress...


I decided that the bullion roses looked a bit lost so I decided to add some leaves using a fine fishback stitch. The stitch is really easy but it looks more of a satin stitch on my work than fishback - but the leaves look reasonable so I am not going to re-do them. I have added some curling tendrils to give it a more 'attached' look- now roses don't look like they are free floating. I am still to add a tenderil down at the other end to even it up abit.

To the ric rac I have stitched some softly coloured variegated perle cotton and I have added some predominately mauve beads with one deeper coloured bead to add a little interest as they follow the ric rac curves.

And by sheer accident I have solved what I am going to do with the empy space on the bottom of the cornflower blue section. As I was picking out the darker coloured beads for the ric rac I dropped the packet they were in which was a sort of a 'soup mix' of all different hues and shapes and sizes of blue beads. I actually dropped them onto the block and most of them fell over that section - as I went to pick them up I saw there was a self made bead trail across the bottom of the piece. BINGO!!!! Now that was really exciting to see. Another piece of the jigsaw fallen into place - literally!!!

I have enjoyed doing these extra bits as they have fired my imagination and slowly I can see the embellishment taking place. I have decided that I will make a cushion from this piece and because I am largely a practical person this has given me a goal - and end result- to work towards.

Unfortunately '6x4 lives' has fallen off the stitching line as today is the last day of March and the weekend is not going to have much 'stitching allowance'. And I would imagine after Monday stitching will be the last thing in my thoughts and actions for a few days...

A little explanation...

On Tuesday I was offered a permanet part time job in a local bookstore - infact it is the store which I used to 'haunt' before I became employed in a bookshop myself. I have been looking for part time work since starting last July and this position sounded perfect... But they wanted someone ASAP - there lay the problem

Yesterday I went and met with the couple who own the store and we hit it off really well -after a lengthy chat we came to the business end when everyone lays their cards on the table... I then told them about my impending op - expecting the job offer to vanish infront of me. Instead, they said that they would wait until after my op, for me to commence the position with them. I was struck speechless - which if you knew me - that is some feat. I felt like I had won the lottery - only better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now just to get this op out the way...

Guess what!!!!!

I got the job and the op...

More additions...

I have made a little more progress on my block... I have added the ric rac to the cornflower blue section, some half wheels with beads to the multi colored section, french knots onto the lace section, sequins and french knots to the chain stitch and the some bullion roses and beads to the floral section... The bullion roses are my first attempt so are a little rustic - I kinda got the hang of them by about the third flower - it is all in the way you hold your MOUTH!!!!!!

I seem to have lost momentum with this block but I am determined to complete it... The french knots to the lace section don't thrill me and I have some beads to add there which I hope will lift it... I have removed the other lace for the moment but will add it towards the end... The peacock green section at the back of the block has me stumped I have been through my bits and bobs and I may have something, but it would be a complete departure from the floral theme - plus it would have the eye romping off 'the path' and trespassing on the grass... Hmmm...

I have also received J's daughter M's block- this has only had one section done so I am looking at a great expanse of block... I have read M's log book and apparently cats, butterflies and the colour purple are the orders of the day... I am looking forward to putting my new found skills into practise...Busy, busy,busy...

The next couple of days are going to be interesting - I have some decisions to make... More about that later...

Op shop...

A find yesterday... Made a quick and unexpected visit to the op shop and found all this - there was actually a stack of it but it was about 10 minutes to closing time and I didn't have time to pull it all out. This was what was on top of the box. Most of it apart from the floral in the top corner was furnishing fabric there was also a swatch of colour samples... I made sure that all of it would be reasonably easy to sew. Best of all it was only $5.00. The whole lot were quite large pieces so I can see a lot of CQ blocks 'happening' from here - well, that is the plan anyway... :-))

The latest gossip...

It has been a full on few days...

Thursday - M & D returned home so there was all that catching up to do - photos to look at and gossip to exchange. They both had a wonderful time with lots of stories to tell. They even managed to stay awake all day as to try and help their body clocks to adjust by going to bed at the right time. It was really good to have them home again. Miss Yookie was as predicted giving them the cold shoulder and it took a piece of fish from the fish and chip shop to 'smooth over the waters' so to speak. We had fish and chips from M & D's favorite shop for lunch and Miss Yookie only lasted a few minutes when she knew what was on offer for lunch. I really don't know who was bluffing who though...

Friday - Unexpected shift change at work means that I was there all day instead of 1/2 day...

Saturday - P took me to a wonderful embroidery and needlework shop quite near us called Bustle and Bows. As I said this morning I felt like I had died and gone to heaven - it is a truly beautiful shop that is just perfect to accommodate for my new found CQ passion. The bits I bought are at the top of the page. I can see I shall go there again soon... It may be a little more expensive - but the customer service is just great, so helpful and patient with someone like myself. One of the other customers even commented on my block which I thought was lovely... The sun definitely shone brighter this morning. P and I finished up the morning with a coffee and cake - what a nice way to spend a Saturday morning...

When P and I got home we decided to attack the bookcase we have in our hall. We have a problem in so much as we have far too many books for the amount of space we have. So today we had a culling. We both decided to keep only the books we haven't read or that are favorites. What it amounted to have a very large pile in the middle of the floor. Then begun the task of putting the remainder back into the shelves. We did as humanly possible put 99% of them into alphabetical order by authors name. At this writing we have managed to get the largest majority back into the shelves with only the kids books to go. Mind you this is only one bookshelf and the novels and non fiction - not any other books or magazines else - that is still to come. I have made a promise to myself come the end of the year the house will have had an entire 'spring clean' from top to toe. There won't be anything that won't be accounted for, no corner which won't have been peered into, nor cupboard that won't have seen the light of day. But of course with all this tidying up and one tends to makes messes in other areas - but I have the rest of the year to get it just right!!!!!

M & D are home...

As we speak, M & D are home... After six weeks of wandering aound Paris, Spain, London and Poland on their belated honeymoon - they are Aussie side again. It was a wonderfully romantic way of celebrating their first anniversary together and I know they have only been away for 6 weeks but I have missed them. Not that we live in one and other pockets so to speak but I think knowing they were so far away played a big part in it. If I sound like an overprotective mother I am not, but this time (2nd) they went away I felt quite odd about them going. Perhaps if I had to be honest, a lot has happened in the world since they went away last time and I was a little concerned. But they are home again - travel weary I expect- looking forward to their own bed and those little comforts that make up home. I can imagine that there is one four footed creature who will be purrrfectedly happy to see them. Yookie (sp may be off here) is a bit of a sook and dislikes being babysat - ask P and I - we know only too well about her antics!!!! Now when they get home it will either be to an ecstatic reunion or the ' Well, your home are you? See if I care!' accompained by a tail up - glance over a departing shoulder, coolest of looks... Those of you who are cat owners can probably relate to that one. Mind you from all accounts she has been treated like a princess by the friends they have had housesitting. M & D may well have to put up with a snub or two for a few days until things return to 'Yookie normal'.

I spent yesterday cleaning - well partially... Let me explain I am a Virgo, but please don't hold that against me. Since I have begun my latest passion of CQ parts of the house have gone to pieces. Now while I can live in a chaotic state while I am creating - it wears thin when I am not... I don't possess a sewing room or nook or even a cupboard which makes it worse so I have bits all over the place but mainly in the lounge room. And at the rate those bits were 'growing' you would have thought I was feeding them - no comment here from anywhere!!!! I digress - so yesterday I started by 'just moving one little pile' which lead to another little pile and so the story goes... By yesterday afternoon I was cursing about the mess I had made... But at least I have a 'tidied' shambles as opposed to an untidy shambles. Strangely all that sorting helped me in some sort of way 'clear a path' about my block for sharonb's classes... I think that I know what I want to do on it but am a little afraid just to 'let it rip so to speak'... I am sure I have a split personality in regards to my crafting... One side of me like to do little tiny stitches well executed and dainty - the other side wants to have bold swirls and curls that leap off the (what ever I am doing) saying 'Look at me!!!!!' I tussle with this conflict of interests all the time... But at least my block is 'speaking' to me again so now that I have tidied it all up - I am going to pull it all out again... But isn't that just what Life is about...