Theme-alicous update and Blog Clean-up...

Hello fabulous readers,

Mid-June equals a Theme-alicious update. It is Jumangi June, so some of my stitching time has been devoted to stitching animals.  I have stitched the outline of these camels and their background on this Noah's Ark cross stitch. The cow outlines are next. Stitching this is uplifting like dancing a jig (and yes, I can do an Irish jig).

A before picture of Noah's Ark.

A current close-up photo of Noah's Ark:

My MB English sampler cross stitch has the addition of 2/3 a bowl of pumpkins. The colours have the richness of Autumn.

It is school holidays in Tassie which means more home time. I stumbled across a practical blog that gave tips for female bloggers on how to give a blog a facelift. It hit me that my blog was looking like my sewing room: m e s s y. I feel guilty now that I didn't actually spend the time cleaning my sewing room but at least I cleaned something (even if it was just virtual). 

Women Get Social  made me contemplate my blogposts are tagged. So gone are my two hundred different tag titles in a jumbled cloud.

How do you tag your posts? Do you have a tagging system?

There are also some new pages on my blog. An About Me page and a Links page to fun, blogging things like Theme-alicious and WIPocalypse.

Do you surf the net on how to improve your blog and blogposts?

Enjoy your time picking the bluebells in my garden...

                                                                                      Jan x

Theme-alicious...from May to June

I made the Theme-alicious May Memories theme fit so I could keep stitching the Marjolein Bastin sampler.  I want to remember May as the month I finished the squirrel! It was so relaxing to be able to wind down by working on the squirrel after a busy day at work or sorting dancing costumes for the big dancing eisteddfod which starts today!!! Here is progress on the bowl of pumpkins and the lower border of the MB sampler.

Theme-alicious has a new theme for June of course:

"Jumanji June "
Is it a jungle out there in your stash? Give some love to the projects with animals or birds.

I have the perfect project to fit this as I have stitched all of the animals and birds in the MB sampler. It is The "L" in the Prairie Schooler Alphabet featuring a gorgoeus deer. I am kitting in up and stitching it in a SAL. 

I also have a UFO that a friend gave me called Promises Kept by Designs with Scissors. 

It will be perfect on Toddler Tom's bedroom wall. It fits in perfectly with this theme so I will work on that too. Here is the progress so far:

                                                         

Thanks for visiting my flower beds...

                                    Jan x

It's all about Marjolein Bastin for my Theme-alicious update...

Thank you so much to all that drop by especially those that say "hi". I am having trouble with my email at present so cannot reply to you in person. Fingers crossed this problem is fixed soon. I get a glow from your comments.

Theme-alicious' Amazon April is over but not out as I haven't posted my update yet. My Amazon BAP (and I could only have one as I had to take my stitching on holidays with me) was none other than my Marjolein Bastin design.

I felt this squirrel part of the sampler was sooooo slow. Was it because I was stitching in bad light in caravan parks or was I too chilaxed from being on holidays? Any hoo I am plodding on with it and only have the scrubbing brush the squirrel is sitting on to finish.

When I photographed the whole sampler today I shocked myself at how little is left. The end is in sight.  How long do you think? Please keep in mind the next month is crazy with dancing costumes. Three months? Oooh, I so hope so. What will I start on then?  Shores of HRH?

Here are some links to others in Blogland stitching Marjolein Bastin designs:
* Elisabeth is a kindred soul and is stitching the English Garden sampler like me! Check out her gorgeous pics.
* The Shabby Stitcher has stitched MB's Summer Fruits. I have photo envy on this blog!
* PocandPoch has stitched the cutest MB bunny ever. I haven't seen that design before.

The next theme is May Memories. I am thinking that I need to get back to my HAED (which is a distant March memory) so that will be the goal and aim to get the first half page done.

Thank you for tossing Autumn leaves in my garden...

                                                                           Jan x

March Madness Theme-alicious update...

How did Heather (the organiser of Theme-alicious) know March is Mad? I seem to have been running pillar to post with organising this and that. I will be relieved to get on the plane very soon and have a family holiday. Escape the madness!

Saying that though I have done multiple "Mad" projects in accordance with Theme-alicious due mostly to sewing for a school fair (the Aussie term for "fete").  So here we go...

March 1st:

March 2nd:

March 4th:

March 7th

March 11th: mobile phone covers

March 13th:

March 14th:

March 17th :

March 23rd: new purchase - budgie cushion cover

March 25th:

March 29th: my HAED "Love":

March 31st: a snood knit along

Theme-alicious' Amazon April will be easy - MB design and my HAED! Bring it on!!!

Thank you for strolling through my garden...  Jan x

Vessel of Madness...LOL

I am a bit late starting my Vessel of Madness for Theme-a-licious this March. I have been sewing and stitching for a school fete's craft stall instead. Well tonight is the time for ....................................the Vessel of Madness!!!

 I plunged my hand in and pulled out.....

...so it looks like I'm stitching on my Marjolein Bastin design again.  I'll plunge my hand in tomorrow night and pick another project to stitch.

Toddler Tom's grandmother, Mim (or Mimmy as he likes to call her) cross stitched him his own special blankie. Isn't this the cutest thing? I love it with the red gingham backing.  It is a preprinted design.  She chose all her own colours. If you knew my mum you would know what a stress that was. She did so well! Tom's favourite pictures on it are the raindrops which fall on the umbrella ("rain rain"). Who would have thought such a tiny detail would be the first picture he notices?

Thanks for sitting in my garden,
                                                  Jan x

Theme-a-licious Fangirl February...

The Summer is officially over here in the Land Downunder. This means that Fangirl February in the fun Theme-a-licious year long project is over. Did I achieve what I set out to do? Well not quite.
I managed a little time on my HAED (Marta Dahlig's Love)...the black has nearly been all filled in on this first page.

The bottom border of the MB design has progressed this week and is nearly a third of the way across.

I didn't make any start on The Prairie Schooler sampler at all :(  I am sewing and stitching for a school fete so that has taken up some of my "me" time. There's always March Madness I hear you say!

Next up in Theme-a-licious is March Madness!!!
Stitch or knit on something different every day...it's madness...of the funnest possible kind.

I might do what Heather  suggests and do the Vessel of Madness.  So stay tuned....

I know there are quite a few cat lovers out there so I'll leave some photos of Bob with Tom's toys.

The lego just wouldn't be comfortable to sleep on now would it?

Thanks for picking flowers in my garden...
                                                                     Jan x

Theme-a-licious update and a local history snippet...

This summery month has seen me stitch according to the theme-a-licious  Fangirl February theme. Of course Marjolein Bastin is a favourite of mine so it has been the project with the most obvious amount to share with you. I am excited to announce I have started the lower border! You can see my progress from my previous update here.

I have done a little more on my HAED project ("Love" by Marta Dahlig) but not enough of a difference to warrant taking a photo. I have to confess I haven't started The Prairie Schooler Halloween sampler yet. Hopefully I will have something to show on those two projects at the next update.

Having the older two children back at school, Tom and I enjoyed a walk around the oldest suburb of Hobart, Battery Point, this morning. As I couldn't get Tom off this swing without tears and back arching, I soaked up the place I was in - Arthur's Circus. Can you see the circular street surrounding this green with quaint cottages (circa 1850s) lining the street.  How I dream to own a cottage here one day!

Sssshhh...don't tell anyone but the house with the red roof in the centre of the lowest photo is haunted according to local legend. 

Theme-a-licious update: Jardin January

Alas, the end of January is nigh. Living in Australia means we only have one more month of Summer until it's my favourite season - Autumn (and from the 1st of March too)! Jardin January was a perfect them for me as anyone who knows me know I love my garden.

Thank you to the creative and inspiring Heather who has come up with the Theme-a-licious SAL.

I have worked on Birds of a Feather, School House Sampler. Well, as you can see I have spent about 45 mins on it.  Better than nothing I guess.

My Marjolein Bastin English Garden Sampler is always a focus of mine. I hope you aren't bored with it! It fitted so perfectly with this month's theme.  It seems I have sent all of January trying to finish this part of the sampler. After last night's stitching of the basket edge I can see that the end is nigh with this picture.  Then I think it is pumpkins...

I love my garden so it has been a total pleasure to work on this theme.

Toddler Tom was enjoying some time with my knitting needles today which I have been sadly neglecting... I love the second shot.

"No I don't want a photo Mum!"

Thanks for dropping in to visit my garden....
                                                                      Jan x

Theme-a-licious update...

I have joined up a few blog SALS in 2012 - "Theme-a-licious" being one of them. Check out this link to read all about this SAL.What could be easier for me this month with the theme being "Jardin January". 

Fellow bloggers doing the Crazy January Challenge (you know who you are) have inspired me to start a new (and hopefully quick) project which I have had in my stash for a year.  It is called "School House Sampler" by Birds of a Feather. I have it kitted up and raring to go. The vase of flowers makes it fit perfectly in with the January theme don't you think? No doubt it will an interesting experience stitching on the almost black linen which came with the pattern.  I will have to use my day light me thinks.

My MJ project fits in perfectly with Jardin January also which I have been plugging away at. I have nearly completed another componenet - finches on rocks near a basket of holly . If you can tell that is a going to be a basket of holly you are doing well.

Here are the themes from Theme-a-licious and my ideas for the rest of the year:
Jardin January
The holidays were a little stressful...let's relax in a nice garden. Work on any piece with flowers or gardens.  That's easy - Marjolein Bastin English Garden sampler and BOF School House Sampler

Fangirl February
Send a Valentine to your favorite designer...or at least work on his or her designs for the month!
Oooh... I am bit partial to Prairie School designs especially the alphabet series. I think my credit card might be having a workout here. But which letter to start - the deer or rabbit?

March Madness
Stitch or knit on something different every day...it's madness...of the funnest possible kind.
By this month I will have quite a few WIPs especially after January and February so this will definately be possible.

Amazon April
Dip your needle into the vast swath of fabric dedicated to your BIGGEST projects!
My HAED project will get a workout this month.

May Memories
Remember when you took that class? Or decided to commemorate that event? And then abandoned your poor WIP? Take a stroll down memory lane by working on it again.
Not sure I have anything that fits into this theme.

Jumanji June
Is it a jungle out there in your stash? Give some love to the projects with animals or birds.
I have a half finished Noah's Ark cross stitch someone gave me so I think I'll have to work on this as hopefully by then the MB sampler will be finito!

Jolly July
It's a jolly holiday with your WIPs...you can concentrate on Christmas designs, ornaments, or even pick a different holiday to render in stitchy goodness.
I want to stitch my DH a Shepherds Bush stocking so well will all have them by Christmas 2012. This will be the month.

Altius August
Embrace the Olympic motto--Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger)--by elevating your mind. It's the perfect time to learn something new! Or maybe achieve some goals...
Probably achieving goals will be my plan for my Birthday month.

September Smalls
We all love gadgets, and none better than the teensy tools and holders we make ourselves. Let's stitch some smalls--needlebooks, fobs, biscornus, scissors keeps, pincushions--or knit some teensy things--amigurumi, jewelry, sachets....
I don't really do smalls (except for school fetes) but I'm sure I could manage something.

Obligation October
Wow, the holidays are only a couple months away! Avoid that last-minute crunch and work on some gifts now.
Great idea. Maybe some teacher presents for the end of year.

Nail It November
What's lying around that's so close to being finished you can't stand it anymore? Get to it and finish it!
Let's hope this month won't be finishing MB sampler but there's a strong possiblity this will be the month to finish it. It always takes longer to finish something than one imagines.


Delightful December
The holidays are a time for relaxing...at least, that's the theory! No stress here...work on whatever you want and enjoy!
It will be remarkable if anything is achieved in December if it's as crazy as last December was!

Thanks for stopping by my garden....
                                                     Jan x