June 25: A Photo A Day & WIPocalypse

A Photo A Day June 25: Something Cute

I think this stitch counts as something cute. Also it is WIPocalypse time!!! I am nearly across the line with the Marjolein Bastin Four Seasons sampler.

The outer border has been completed and I have stitched boxes around the ladybugs, spotty eggs, and nuts (that one is almost done).

I have a one stitch wide border left to stitch around the inside and outside of the main border.

The biggest decision was choosing what colour to stitch that as the kit suggested a yellow border. Anyway who knows me knows that yellow ain't my colour so I am going with DMC 644.

Thanks for walking in my garden...

                                                        Jan x

June 24: A Photo A Day and Theme-alicious

A Photo A Day June 24: "On My Mind"

July has arrived (I am behind updating my Photo A Day posts but I don't care) and updating Theme-alicious has been on my mind.

My Marjolein Bastin sampler fitted perfectly with the Jumangi Jungle theme as there have been many animals and birds to stitch. It am so close to the two borders joining up. I have counted perfectly as well so I am one happy girl.  Tonight will be the night they will meet me thinks.  I then have two one-stitch wide lines to stitch on the inside and outside of the main border and it will be completed.

Happy stitchy week.  Thank you for stopping by...

                                                                        Jan x

June 23: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 23: "Movement"

In our household "movement" is equated to my daughter constantly moving which is usually in the form of dance. So what is more appropriate than taking a photo of my daughter dancing!  I have recently got the urge to scrapbook again after putting it aside for 5 or so years.  One of my first "return to scrapbooking" layouts is this one using photos from a Russian jazz group in 2004 when my daughter was only tiny and 5.

Happy stitchy weekend...
                                      Jan x

June 22: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 22: "From A High Angle"

I didn't want to get my tootsies cold this morning so photographed this heavy frost on my veggie patch from my balcony. Brrr... perfect stitching weather.

Wherever you are in the world, happy stitching.
                                                                        Jan x

June 21: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 21: "Where You Slept"

In keeping with my stitchy theme for a photo a day, I am sharing a special present which is in my son's bedroom. My darling sister stitched this gorgeous teddy bears' picnic 11 years ago for my then baby boy, Jack.  I don't know the name of the designer or pattern. The cross stitch is now positioned over toddler Tom's cot. I took this photo just after he woke up from an afternoon sleep.  He pointed to it and said "Charley" which is his favourite TV bear.

Happy stitchy day...
                            Jan x

June 20: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 20: "Fave Photo"
January 6th 1996 - Our Wedding Day

Thank your for visiting my garden...
                                                       Jan x

June 18: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 18: "Something We Don't Know About You"

My secret is now out.  I adore alphabets, texts, words and numbers as art.  Hence I couldn't resist joining The Prairie Schooler Stitching Bee and started stitching  my first letter "L for Leaves". I am stitching it as an individual letter. Even more fun - I have organised friends who want to stitch this alphabet so we can meet together fortnightly and stitch it together.

Enjoy a stitchy weekend...
                                        Jan x

June 17: A Photo A Day & TUSAL...

A Photo A Day June 17: "In Your Bag"

Dear Readers,

A big Aussie wave to my new followers. I have hit the magic "100" followers so I hope you can imagine me doing heel clicks in my happy dance.

Like most women there is always a pencil/pen in my handbag and usually more than one.  Stitching this pencil on the Marjolein Bastin sampler fitted in perfectly with today's photo theme organised by Fat Mum Slim. This post shows where I have progressed from.

Such a small area left to stitch!!! Just two little sides of the border. Watch my blog for a finish very soon.

My TUSAL...lots of orts this month.

I hope you enjoy lots of stitching this weekend and if you can't stitch may you have time to daydream about it...

                     Jan x

June 15: A Photo A Day

A Photo A Day June 15: "Yellow"

Good morning, afternoon or evening...

My first "yellow" thought was a lion so I stitched on the lion in the Noah's Ark cross stitch.  This creature has a special spot in my heart and that is because I am a Leo.

As you can see there is still a bit of stitching to go because I had to frog a bit. The Noah's Ark chart has confusing symbols so I used the wrong colour.  For example, severeal symbols are an "n" - a black "n" symbol stands for one colour, then a green "n" means another, a red "n" another etc.  I think charts are easier if the symbols are all the same printed colour as my brain just simply reads the symbol and not the printed symbol colour.

If you aren't a big fan of lions then watch this amazing You tube clip. It might change your mine. I remember when I first viewed the video, it brought tingles to my skin.

Finally, if you love the Noah's Ark theme then here is a comedic piece on '10 things Noah would have tweeted from the ark'.

Enjoy basking in the sun today if you have it...

                                                                        Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 11

June 11 A Photo A Day: "Door"

I knew straight away what I had to stitch for the theme "door" in the Fat Mum Slim blog's A Photo A Day.

Presenting Noah and Emzara standing in front of their newly stitched door to their ark.  This pattern is called "Promises Kept" by Designs with Scissors. Aren't they a handsome couple! It is stitched on 32 count raw Aida using kit threads.

Thank you for throwing bread to the ducks...

                                                                   Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 9 - A Dark Alphabet stitch

June 9 A Photo A Day: "My View Today"

Today's theme for June's A Photo A Day inspired me to start a NEW project. Hey, I needed a new view. Hooray I hear you all say!!! My view today is the stitch pattern called A Dark Alphabet which is a freebie project available here and designed by the talented A Note of Friendship blogteam.

This is the letter "A is for Apple" block. I am stitching it 1 strand over 25 count Evenweave using my own DMC conversion.

I was first introduced to this pattern by the wonderful Jo from Serendiptious Stitching. I hope she is proud that I started!

Excuse the terrible photo but my laptop isn't working so I am having to take photos on my iPhone.

Thank you for picking an apple in my garden..
                                                                          Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 7

June 7 A Photo A Day: "Drink"

Need I say more...

Cheers...  Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 6

June 6 A Photo A Day: "Hat"

Aren't witches hats the coolest shape?

This stitch is called "Hallow's Sampler" by The Primitive Needle. This post is for A Photo A Day organised by Fat Mum Slim.

Thanks for walking through my garden...

                                         Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 5

June 5  A Photo A Day: "Sign"

This sign I cross stitched today, features Toddler Tom's favourite phrase for us all to remember

"oh no!" 

I am waiting for the day he becomes an "oh yes!" man.

I might be waiting a while he he.

Thanks for sitting inside on this rainy afternoon...

                                                                            Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 4

June 4 A Photo A Day: "Close-Up"

The "Close-up" theme for A Photo A Day run by Fat Mum Slim reminded me of faces. And what is unique to faces? Moustaches.

I was inspired by MaMagasin and stitched my own moustache button.

Want to see more quirky cross stitch moustaches?  Check out these sites:

1. Moustache cushion
2. Framed cross stitch moustache plus many more
3. Free moustache pattern Mr.Distinguished\

Thanks for helping with the weeding...

                                                           Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 3

June 3 A Photo A Day:  "ON YOUR PLATE"

Today's A Photo A Day theme reminded me of what I wished was on my plate - cherries. Wrong time of year darn it.

But I stitched a cherry for a lolly jar instead and filled it with raspberry and black berry lollies and had them on my plate. Quite yummy if I don't say so myself. They are fruit right?

The cherry cross stitch pattern is of course from Sweet Treats stitched in DMC threads.

Thanks for having a cuppa in my teahouse...

                                                                      Jan x

A Photo A Day: June 2

June 2 A Photo A Day: EMPTY

You can tell when the local dancing Eisteddfod is on as my kitchen cupboards are EMPTY!!! Only a cross stitch cupcake to eat.

This cupcake is stitched from the delicious craft book Sweet Treats.

You can check out my "morning themed" June 1 A Photo A Day here.

Thanks for sitting under the umbrella in my garden...

                                                                                  Jan x

A Photo A Day - June

A unique way to remember June is to participate in A Photo A Day. A photo theme is suggested for each day. My cross stitchy blog will be inspired by these photo themes.

June 1: morning

To honour "morning", I designed and stitched a sunrise on 32 count evenweave using 2 strands of DMC thread.

Since moving to my new house 18 months ago I marvel at sunrises almost every day. I have never had this luxury of a house with a view and blindly ignored sunrises most days. Magical.

The sunrise from today is extra important. It's the first sunrise for Winter.

Thank you for crunching the frosty grass...

                                                                      Jan x