Hello lovely readers, 

Here's to you having a fabulous day. No doubt, if you have been following my blog for a while you would have seen dozens of photos of my large cross stitch project from last year, The Four Seasons by Marjolein Bastin.  I had an inspired idea to put a montage together of these photos so it's progress from start to finish can be seen. I hope you enjoy watching it!!!

 You can watch this montage by clicking on the link below:

Marjolein Bastin Montage Video

 

 

 

I have a busy few days away (daughter is dancing and we are having family time with hubby too) so will be absent from blogging until next week.  Have a great week and hope you get lots of stitching done...

                                                                                     Jan x

Cross stitch stash video!!!

Hello readers,

My 12 year old son, Jack gave me the most unusual but fabulous birthday last week - my own YouTube channel complete with a logo and music he had produced himself.

I cannot embed the video into this blog post for some reason so instead I will post the link if you want to view it:

    Click video link here!

 

I have never made a video using Movie Maker before.  It has taken me all day to make and edit it with lots of help from my children (who seem to know so much more about IT than their parents).

But I had lots of fun learning a new skill. 

I have based the video on my stash of Bothy Thread cross stitch kits.  The kits are fun and quirky so they are a good talking point for a novice video maker.

Featured in the video is the latest update on my Bothy Threads Cut Thru' castle which I am stitching as part of Linda's Bothy Threads Cut Thru Monday SAL.  I have made good progress on the page with less than a quarter left to stitch. The Dragon's Lair room is coming into view under the King's chamber.

 

 

I hope you get a good laugh out of my video. My husband and I cracked up at many points when watching it. I definitely need a more interesting backdrop next time and will have to practice talking without "ums" and "aahs" so I don't have to edit so much.

 

Thanks for visiting...

                           Jan x

Anglophile Alert!!!

Good evening friends...

As promised in my last post, I am sharing photos of my little purchases from browsing antique shops during my birthday getaway to a country village. Together they totally reveal my Anglophile side!!! I bought an Alfred Meakin coronation plate and a vintage tea towel. The tea pot was a birthday present and fitted my obsession perfectly (except I don't drink tea LOL).

In keeping with my purchases I couldn't resist stitching on my "London" sampler.  You can see my before shot here.  I happily stitched the "N" in the top left corner.

My Anglophile obsession is so crazy I need to purchase one of these!

Thanks for wandering through my streets of London...
                                                                             Jan x

Birthday celebrations...

Hello special readers,

I was totally spoilt for my birthday last weekend. Hubby (who is working and living in a city 4 hours away) surprised me with a two night getaway to a country location. Together (at last) we stayed in a gorgeous converted sandstone stable near a delightful convict village called Richmond, Tasmania.

Weekend highlights included:

Staying in bed in the morning reading a new book as the rain tumbled down

Exploring an old gaol

 

Birthday fun with the kids

 

Finding the flowers that herald Spring

 And being a Birthday Queen!

 

 

 

My next post will show you the results of the weekend's vintage shopping finds and stitching. So until then have a good day or two...

 

                                                     Jan x

Bothy Threads fun...

Hello happy Thursday readers,

Thanks to all who left sweet comments on my last thread. It appears not many readers have cross stitch design programs which surprises me.  It seems most stitchers don't do their own designing.

I am loving stitching on the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Castle! My heart does a little skip when it sees the little pictures form. It will be even more fun making them come alive with the backstitching. I have finished stitching the "king's chamber" and have started on the "dragon's den". This is for my three year old boy's bedroom. I have no doubt that Tom will be right into castles when it is finished. My 12 year old son, Jack is watching it grow keenly too so Tom had better watch out that his big brother doesn't steal it!

The other thing that is fun about stitching this is that I am part of a delightful SAL hosted by Linda called Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL. This project is stitched on 14 count light blue Aida which the needle glides through.

I need some advice here. Would you leave all the backstitching until all of the stitching is completed?

Thanks for picking the daffodils in my garden...
                                                                         Jan x

Cross Stitch Software Program help...

Happy Tuesday...

Last weekend started off with a chatty night with my local cross stitching friends.  I am stitching "L for Leaves" from The Prairie Schooler alphabet as part of this friendship SAL. It is stitched on white 32ct linen. I only have a third to go. I will definitely stitch more letters in this series. One of my friends is stitching "N for Nest" and boy is it cute.

Next up for the weekend was a three hour visit to my craft group friends (there are four of us in total) at a beach house on their weekend away.  I couldn't sleep over at this annual event due to a lack of babysitting :(  I made the most of the 3 hours.  I spent my time cross stitching on Noah's Ark. Non-stop chatting, drinking lots of cuppas, and gossiping. The girls have told me it was quiet without me sleeping over. Every year at this weekend we exchange a gift for our birthdays on this traditional weekend away.  We spend between $15 and $20 per person.  Some gifts were handmade and some bought but all gorgeous and thoughtful gifts. My gift was a card making kit complete with blank card, Dear Lizzy diecut embellishments  and letter stickers. My birthday is less than a week away now so it was perfect timing.  

Gillian filled the milk bottle with buttons and ribbons. Isn't it devine?  Fi made the sweet cupcake. What a fabulous idea for a gift and easy to make for fetes/fairs as it is put together using a hot glue gun. Lisa gave me yummy scented soap and a quote book filled with such cute illustrations.

I was wondering how many of you have a cross stitch software program. If so, which one and would you recommend it?  Your advice would be much appreciated as I contemplate purchasing one or not. I was thinking of designing small stitcheries for myelf.  I have downloaded the free trial of PC Stitch. Your advice much appreciated.

Thanks for dropping by my garden...
                                                       Jan x 

Noah's Ark Cross Stitch progress...

Good morning friendly readers,

My Noah's Ark cross stitch is coming along nicely. You can click here to compare with the previous post.

A half rainbow has formed across the sky along with a dove, berries on the tree and some birds.  The phrase across the rainbow just needs some backstitching so it can be read. I will keep the phrase a mystery for now so stay tuned. 

I have some cross stitching time tomorrow afternoon with girlfriends which should allow me to complete the rainbow. I am lucky as it is stitched in half stitch so it is two times as quick as cross stitch.

I love anything Noah's Ark so I really enjoy seeing this WIP grow.  This cross stitch design reminds me so much of Debbie Mumm designs. Remember her? I have always admired a Noah's Ark quilt that some of my friends stitched years ago.   Now I have found this quilt as a cross stitch design and I can see why the one I am stitching reminds me of her work.

Hope you get lots of stitching in this weekend. Thanks for dropping by...

                                                                                                           Jan x

Cross stitchy updates...

Hello gorgeous readers,
Winter holidays and internet hiccups have interrupted my blogging schedule. How rude! But they haven't interrupted my stitching schedule at least!

Bothy Threads Cut 'Thru Castle is choofing along nicely. A knight, family crests and a castle pole have been stitched. 

Some more time on CHS Shores of Hawk Run Hollow have produced some ocean waves, words and the start of a lovely sunbeam.

Finally for those cat lovers out there a portrait of my favourite fur-boy Bob. He insisted on being in the photo shoot by sitting on my Bothy Threads Castle! Luckily my three year old human boy, Tom was there to kick him off it.  Got to love their relationship. Tom totally wears the pants and bosses Bob around and Bob takes it so well. Only Tom is allowed to boss him around though!

 

 

Well off to keep enjoying my weekend. Potatoes planted-tick (Winter here in Oz). Now to visits some friends for a glass of vino then later on some stitching. Thanks for visiting...

 

                                                                                                          Jan x