christmas letter

Dear all
The christmas letter follows. I will try to add the photos into an album so you will be able to see them. They will be on my facebook page for all to look at.
diane

Well the Christmas season is coming up fast and it seems not long ago that I was preparing to travel to Ewan’s for Christmas in 2008. We had a wonderful family holiday and it was unfortunate that Neil and family could not join us for the excitement of Ice Hockey games, winter lights and decorated houses, Marilyn learning to ski and watching the others go off every day. After the new year mum and dad shouted all four grandchildren, Marilyn, Terry and myself to four nights in Los Angeles to visit Disneyland, Universal Studios and California Adventure. It was a great time and the four kids all get on so well it was neat to see. Marilyn, Terry, Dad, Alice and David travelled home and mum and I stayed an extra week. We went off to San Antonio in Texas for four days and had a wonderful time. The weather was quite warm when we arrived (80 deg F) and then the next morning it was about 42 Deg F. most extremes but no rain so that was great. We had a day trip to the Lyndon B Johnson ranch (mum’s family name is Lyndon) so that was good and we found the most wonderful bead shop in the middle of a small town where we stopped for lunch. On our trip back to the airport we stopped at another bead shop (cost $2 more for the two taxis) but about $150 in beads. We then had a couple of days at Ewan’s and then home. I arrived home on 17 January at 10 in the morning and Raewyn, Kim and girls arrived about 4pm to stay for several days. Good timing all.
Raewyn and Kim’s visit meant that we had a house warming party so that was fun with quite a few in attendance and I could show people the new house. Unfortunately the garden was not done and it became a bit of a mission. The concrete pavers were down but that was about it. The saga continued and finally in April I had someone else lay lawn and tidy up all the edges etc. it looks reasonable now and not too bad. I did have a lawnmower but the old push mower is not the best so dad is still doing them. Shellie’s son Keith did the edges of the garden with the left over pavers from the old house so it looks quite nice now. Still have to complete the lawn and planting of the gardens but they are happening slowly. I have a few rhododendron’s in and they are mostly flowering so that is good.
March saw me travel to northland with the netball team once again as no parents could go. I had a great time but not very successful at driving the van so have to have more practise. Alice was also on the trip so interesting to see her with her friends. We had two great games of netball but one was close and the other a whitewash really so it was a shame. The kids did really well with the heat though and performed on the Marae wonderfully when we were welcomed on. We had lots of fun, especially making them go op shopping and then out to dinner in their outfits.
April – Stephanie and I went to Sydney for the weekend and had four fun filled days. We climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge which was amazing. I am so proud of myself and would like to attempt it again but will have to see what happens. We ate at nice restaurants, visited lots of attractions, mostly for free as we had a Sydney pass and even went to the movies “The Reader” one of the great movies of the year I think. Term two at school was fairly much the same as usual but we did have the building start on the renovation of the Tech Block so that was neat. Finally it has happened; after 13 years the school board have been trying to get it done. Now in November it is nearly completed and all classes have moved into the new areas.
June - mum and I went to my cousin Karen’s wedding in Auckland (mum was staying in Tauranga, so I did a lot of driving that weekend), while the rest of the family went to the all blacks game in Wellington. Also had two embroidery birthday parties so a very social month as well.
July was busy with a trip to Wellington with Shellie to see “Starlight Express”. Quite different to the London version but I really enjoyed it. I then went up to Tauranga to stay with mum for the last five days of her break up there and then came home. July saw the sale of the old house and then the tenants that I had moved out. The new ones are friends from school so that has been good and they are a nice couple so that is good. I miss the house sometimes but still love the new one more. Also in July I had the new teacher, Gemma stay with me for a couple of weeks. She arrived from the Bolton area of England and is a really lovely young lady. Most enjoyable time with her and she is a big Harry Potter / Twilight fan so managing to go to a number of movies and things with her.
In August I went to the secondary principal’s PA’s Conference in Hamilton which was loads of fun and caught up with a few friends. September was really busy with Marilyn, mum, Alice and I going to the World of Wearable Art in Wellington, then my friend Cathy came and stayed one night. October was the theatre month with Miss Saigon in New Plymouth, Mama Mia in Wellington (with Stephanie and Shellie), Hawera embroidery guild 25th birthday, guild weekend retreat and regional day for the opening of the regional embroidery exhibition. As well as all these events I went with Marilyn to Auckland to see El Divo. We stayed with one of Terry’s nieces and caught up with out cousins Maree and Karen so that was great.
The Lithgow clan have had a bit of success at the regional embroidery exhibition with Marilyn getting a second place for her mat, Alice winning the secondary school section, while I won the Home Décor original design section and also got a judge’s choice for my second piece. Mum was the only one who did not get any awards. Our friend Maree won the other judge’s choice for her apple needlework accessories set. It was really wonderful and I will try to put a photo of it on my blog www.didi-beadwork.blogspot.com
As most of you will be aware I have now been in the new house for a year and it certainly has been different. No chopping the wood and lighting the fire when I get home the house is already warm (too warm sometimes). I have bought new linen and thinking about a new television but I keep looking at the cost. I also fell in love with the Nintendo Wii when we were at Ewan’s last Christmas and thinking of buying one of those as my gift from Santa for myself. Not certain but going to talk to David about it and see if he will go shopping with me possibly. Some good deals on them at the moment and it looks as if it would be about $700.
We have just had the senior prizegiving here at school and Alice was the Proxime Accessit – runner-up to the Dux but she won the cup for best in Mathematics and Science which was great as Andrew (Dux) did not do well in either of these subjects. She is all signed up for Otago University for Health Sciences for 2010, on her way to going into medicine and becoming a doctor. The only thing she has wanted to do as far as I can see.
This month has also seen a big shock at the school with Warren, resigning from his position as principal and leaving in two weeks. Think that losing his father in September was the catalyst for this but I personally will be sad to see him leave. He has been great to work for, a real fun sense of humour and interesting in his approach to lots of things in the school. Still he may be back in the district one day.
December will be busy again with Neil coming from Melbourne to share in Christmas. Neil my brother was here in October for a few days and I think he was shocked to see how much his parents have aged after two years. It was interesting to see him at home as he has not been here for a long time and quite different to when Ewan and family come.
I have just put the entries into the art society show so hoping that they sell well. Then I can make some more although having to make a number of Christmas decorations for presents and currently trying to make a stocking for Neil for Christmas day. It should be a fun day as we are planning breakfast at mum’s, lunch at my place and then Marilyn and family will be off to the Walshes for their dinner. Boxing day will see us visit the Burnnand family as usual. I hope that the new year will bring lots of fun and prosperity to you and your family, and that your Christmas break was fun without too much added to the stress levels. May the blessings of the season be with you always.

Merry christmas to all

i hope that any taht read this blog have a safe and festive season with lots of family fun, friendship and frolics. (I love alliteration, don't you).
We are starting to have summer so that is really nice and it looks like a fine day for christmas here.
Diane

PS I will post my christmas letter if I can work out how to get all the pictures in.

heart of the cabin - block 1

This is the first block for the heart of the cabin cyber workshop. I have generally got the same colours for the dark family but have moved into the rust colours for the alternate family. I had to use a cording thread for the hearts in log 1 as we do not get the renaissance threads in New Zealand. Still I think it looks okay and we are using varities that work as we go. I have not put the beads in as I thought I would do that last as I may have to source special beads from USA. I have enjoyed this and have done most of the log 1 in block 2. very slow progress I know but hoping over the summer holiday to continue with more.
diane

Week nearly over

Thank goodness the week is nearly over.
I am pleased to say that the school magazine is coming together and I think we have to thank three students for this.
I am still trying to get Neil's christmas stocking made so it should be finished. I have also finished (nearly) my nutcracker for the Homes for Hospice on this weekend. He looks great and think he will be fun.
this weekend is going to be very busy so hoping that I get enough sleep.

It is here!

The final day is here and Warren has departed the shores for another land. Very sad to see him leave and hope that all his dreams are fulfilled.
School will be a quiet place on Monday without his John Lennon, Arsenal, Yoda and other esoteric references.

This weekend having the second christmas function of my year on. The A&P show is on adn Sunday will find me at the Gallery watching the Art exhibition. I intend to take some beads to make a couple of beaded balls as I need to make more for christmas presents.

If you manage to read this enjoy life, while it still shines and when the rainy season starts, don't live in the memories or regrets but go out and find more sunshine.

Been to see maree about finishing hte BJP pieces for 2009 and have an idea so hoping to find time in the next month to do it. I will then manage to post the pictures of the finished pieces.
Next years work has also been under consideration and extending the inspiration could be my theme.
Diane

christmas is coming

It is now only a month to go before christmas arrives and it seems as if there is so much to do.
school has been really busy with lots going on and only three days before Warren finishes. The board is also in a bit of turmoil with a couple of people resigning before the elections next year. It should be fun.
I have done the first christmas cards. I spent most of sunday making cards and did a whole lot using one of the kits I had purchased from Megan. Saturday was exciting as I finally purchased a kitchen whizz and spent the afternoon unpacking it, then went for a walk to Marilyn's and did some stitching on my stocking. I will try and upload photos of the various pieces I have nearly finished as soon as I get the photos off the camera.
We have the homes for hospice in a couple of weeks and things are getting busy with getting prepared. Went today to see about the furniture for the room.
I still have two beaded journal pages to finish beading but have decided that I will not do one and get the August piece done and then can spend some time in the holiday break framing them up. That is my job for tomorrow - I am walking to Maree's and asking for her advice about the finishing of them.

news of the day

not embroidery news but still important in my life.
my principal, whom I have really enjoyed working for and he has given me lots of encouragement to be bold in my life is leaving in two weeks. Warren will be moving to Qatar - one of four local principals to do so.
still absorbing the news and feeling that there could be a bead page in there somewhere.
diane

Exhibition entries nearly there

My two exhibition entries for the Regional exhbition are nearly finished. i have used the book cover done in the Anne Brocas class for one entry and have to complete the book mark tonight before I go to wellington for the weekend.
The other - my goddess for creative stitchers needs more beads sewn on and her hair done so I am quickly posting this and running for the evening.
have a great labour day everyone.

pictures of projects

this is the beginnings of the August man. the circle of material is from an old school blazer and will not be completely covered. this man will also not be filled in as if to say all the inspiring ideas and creative thoughts have been spread around him over the past 12 months.


this is the beginnings of the Canvas piece called Heart of the cabin.
it is loads of fun and tonight i am completing the first two bars so i can do the next one tomorrow. This is from an ANG cyberworkshop and the third one my mum and I have done.

signed up and ready

I have signed up ready for the 2010 BJP. Yeah me making a committment early.
Had a great week - we had snow again on the hill (Mount Egmont) and it has been bitterly cold as well.
Mum and I have started the Heart of the Cabin project for ANG and it will take a while to stitch but I have a month for the first two blocks so that should be okay. last night I took my piece of the really big stretcher bars and put it on the 18inch ones so it is slightly easier to handle.

Nearly finished the August piece for BJP and will post the picture of the little red man tonight. Tried last night but no internet.

Halfway through the making of my Autumn goddess for the regional exhibition which starts in three weeks so need to get the skates on. The leaves are all lined up on the floor and I want her out of the way before night class starts again on 19 October.

It has been a busy holidays with two trips to auckland and one to wellington with a funeral, World of Waerable Art show, El Divo concert and catching up with cousins and friends also.
diane

BJP continuing on!

A message from robyn about the continuing nature of the BJP. This one will be a calendar year so for me summer to summer yeah!! what can i do.

Important info:
The Bead Journal Project starts in January, 2010.
Registration starts October 1, 2009 at beadjournalproject.com/reg.htm.
No experience is necessary! The goal is to create one visual journal piece a month for a year that includes beads. Participants work can be seen at beadjournalproject.com/bjp.htm. Thanks for all your support!!!Susan

Procrastination - is it happening this month

I tried to give up procrastinating over the weekend and made a start on the last two pages for the BJP - I have done the backgrounds for June and August so they can be started now. I looked at all the pieces on the wall and decided that red – a colour I had not used was the deciding colour for August. I found fabric from an old school blazer to create a circle for the man to rest on so that was quite exciting. I think this little man will be all gold and sparkly as a celebration that I have finished the project. My June piece is on purple as that is my cousin's favourite colour.

My ohter highlight for the weekend was that I started making a new Christmas decoration for class for next year. I discovered that the pattern was in the book in the wrong order. It showed me that I should have read all the instructions first and not procrastinated about it. I wasted about an hour by the time if found the mistake so I was slightly bothered but managed to get about half of it made by the end of the evening.

Still I had a great weekend and was really trying the 15 minutes I can do anything philosophy so accomplished quite a few things including seeing a movie, hosting the embroidery guild for a work day in my house, starting on my creative stitchers piece and even doing all the ironing.

here is april

April is finished and the sense of achievement is almost that of climbing the harbour bridge again.

I still have June and August to complete but I still feel a sense of satisfaction as I have managed to keep going with the project. I have found that in the past I start well but do not complete well a long term project so this has been great. I have this month to complete the last two pages and then I am starting a cyberworkshop with ANG www.needlepoint,org so that will be great.

I am looking for threads to do this project with at the moment.

My other accomplishment for this past weekend is the completion of the stitching of my embellished canvas piece and hopefully next weekend I will have made it into the book cover and taken a photo for the blog. yeah!

We have wonderful spring weather here over the past few days with the most glorious mountain (http://www.taranaki.info/visit/ go here for a visual tour of the province) Mount Egmont/Taranaki and the daffodils have been great.

just two months to do

I have finished april but forgot to take a photo last night so that will be tonight's job. only two months to go - June and august. june is practically sorted in my head but august i am not sure off.
will have to put my thinking cap on and see what happens.
beautiful weekend here with fathers day on sunday and we had lunch at my sisters then spent the first part of the afternoon stitching a christmas stocking. it was great.
I have completed the stitching for my book cover so started on the journey to make it on sunday morning but decided i did not like the stitching so an undo is coming up this afternoon after work.
also started the christmas ornament in bead and button and it is fabulous. I need to order more beads for everyone so will do that i the holidays.

April BJP

April was an exciting month as my best friend Stephanie and I went to Sydney, Australia for a weekend getaway. While there we climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge which was a real challenge for both of us as neither of us are great at heights and my climbing with my asthma was an unknown event.

It was a magical experience and so neat I would do it again. We went up in the daylight and came down in the dusk so we saw the sunset over the opera house which was fabulous.

This month I have tried to show the harbour bridge in the background with me being excited in my grey suit. The blue was chosen as so much of sydney revolves around the harbour and while we were there we went on ferries, jet boats and over the bridge on the train so lots of water in our visit.

More stitching done.

I have a face on my July piece and the Little pink lady is the may piece. not certain how she came about but she is very gay and a friend of my March piece.
the background for May is my crazy machine stitching that i did a lot of several years ago and made cards from. She looks like a little cracker, very lively.

month finished

I can't remember if I had posted the picture of March but here she is again just in case.

This is my July piece which I stitched while on holiday with my mum in Tauranga. We sat each morning on the deck overlooking orchards towards the bay and pacific ocean. It was wonderful.

This couple are the juxtaposition of the sea and earth on the landscape. The little lady is waiting for a face but I am thinking the earthman also needs a face. I shall see what happens this weekend when I do some more stitching on them.

The background was constructed with threads laid and chiffons in the colours of the earth and sky. I know the blue is the bay with the white of the sand and the green of the orchards. I tried this several ways but this was how it kept telling me to sew my people on.

Diane

Holiday Break

The winter holiday break is nearly finished and I have completed the stitching on Pukeko Patch, my piece from 2008 embroidery conference. I have almost completed two more bjp pieces just need to tidy them up and post them on the blog so then only two more to do and 1 to finish in august. it has been a fun year and not certain if i will do it next year as comtemplating another cyber stitch class.
also been doing my swap bot entries so need to get them all done this week for posting away.

Creative canvas comes alive

embellished canvas class at the weekend was great. This is my book cover half done so I am getting excited about it. I have four more nights that I can stitch on it before I have to put it aside for another piece - Pukeko Patch. It has been fun using stitches in a more random way than I traditionally do.


Inchies number 2. This is the set that I have sent to Cheryl in USA. I hope she likes the beaded stars done with #15 beads. I love these stars and have made lots using plastic beads for christmas trees.

Gatsby gals are on the go again

I am making my gatsby gals again. Here is Serafina a christmas angel and I have a number of her friends nearly ready to send for sale at the Wanganui Community Gallery. I have made over 100 of these brooches / angels and I thought I was finished but had a request to make more. Oh well that is what the weekend is for.

Off to Tauranga and then Auckland this weekend for my cousin's wedding so that will be a big trip. I am hoping that the weather is not going to be too bad as it has been a bit cold and very frosty here today.

Dottee Goddess #1

I received this little pattern for an Altoid tin dottee doll from CC - Hawaii and this is my first one. She was fun to stitch and I have lined her little home but need to finish decorating the top.

This was what I stitched instead of my april bjp piece but I am on track now and have planned some time away this month which will see some stitching done.

Diane

January Man is well travelled.

Here is the little January man with his mickey mouse ears because that is where he went with all the family. Also his colours were decided because we were in the snow and ice for new years day and then LA so some fireworks (hence the background fabric).

After that mum and I went to San Antonio - his little brown dusty feet and he picked up a wonderful horse shoe while there.

When he arrived home in New Zealand after his travels he had a party (more fun in the background) and settled into a little beach holiday as well.

I hope that you love him, he has been finished for a month but i have been able to get onto my computer to post his picture.

I have april and may to do but I have completed a couple of other things including nearly all the satin stitching on a piece of whitework. - yeah for me that was my goal to finish it in May.

Diane

Inchies sent

I completed the first swap-bot and sent these little inchies off to Missouri City, Texas so I hope that they arrive safely.
I am now onto the second lot and think this time I will use some of the clipart and beading things that I have done previously for inspiration. This weekend should see them started.
diane

Inchies Completed

I have just posted the inchies for the first swap-bot off to texas, USA. I was really pleased with them as they looked very cute and the flowers I made worked okay. I am going to try some more for the next swap.
I had a few difficulties cutting the card so resorted to some corrugated card that I could cut with my scissors. My little guillotine did not like the thick card so will have to try another cutter next week.

Also I have finished my first Altoid goddess and she almost has a decorated tin to live in. Need to finish the top then post a couple of pictures.

Swap-bot joined

I have just joined swap-bot to try and extend myself with beading and other creative things. I have looked all over this site and most of the things seem smaller so hoping that I will be creative in a small way.
My first swap i have signed up for is for inchies. I have been reading about these and think they will be fun - have to make five for a swap so I have the thinking cap on tonight to start.

I swap with Swap-bot!

Stitching is coming along

Inspiration is coming out my ears this month it seems. I have been making up some kits for a couple of friends to make a beaded angel and also thinking about some new patterns for christmas decorations.
My mum and I usually make about 20 of a pattern before I teach it to anyone so I have to make up some new ones for next year. this year i will be teaching a set of three decorations called "Neptunes Waves" using a combination of a honeycomb net and russian braid. Neptune because I was at the beach when I was fiddling with the pattern. I really love the russian braid and find it a great way to cover a shape, especially an egg or oblong but sometimes the joining of the ends is always fun.

six months done

I have done six months of the programme so really excited. Here are my six with two backgrounds not fully stitched yet.

March completed

My march lady is done. She is a pink floral lady with fun on her mind. The silk flower petals came from a friend's daughters 21st birthday party - it was a tropical theme party and Loreece is a very pink girl so the pink petals have been outlined with beads and then the young lady stitched with purple krienik braid. The petal area inside the body have been covered in beads. If you look really closely you will see where I have run out of beads but I am hoping to get some from my mum soon so I can finish the last little bit. (its only because I dont like the missing bit.)

I am hoping to get more lei petals from Loreece so I can make her a goddess doll with a flower petal skirt.

Part of my plan for this beaded journal project was to experiment with some 3d bodies to cover to make goddess dolls. I have partially done the first one and he is becoming a little caveman so not certain if I will cover him completely in beads yet. I am making some little faces out of polymer clay which can be attached as well as printing some on silk to apply.

March is in the pink!

I have started on the March page and I have been inspired by a 21st birthday celebration that I went to. It was a tropical theme and the young lady is very into pink. I snaffled two pink flower petals and these are the background with other pink material underneath. my little man is stitched around with purple braid (very fine) and I started by beading some of the flower petals. It looks as though he is going to have a very big halo or sun hairdo.
I also am going to try to put on a couple of buttons and other found objects into this piece.

Also this month I have been looking at the ways others have finished their pieces by checking out the 2007 BJP finished pages and am thinking of sewing a little leather top or side to each piece and making it like a book. I have mostly got the same sized pieces so this could work and a friend has an eyelet punch to make holes in the leather for binding.
My other thought was to use a found book and cut out pages and mount the pieces inside them. I may experiment with this also and see what happens.

Mr Invisible done!

Well, I have finished two months so only two to go and I will be up-todate again. Here is febraury's invisible man. I am really excited about the way he has to be searched for in the crowd, that's how I felt, but if you look really carefully you will see the crown on the head of the man.

My January man is being started along with March's gal. She has to be a woman as she is all pink and floral and plays netball.

Hope that you are enjoying these little men, I am already thinking about the next challenge for myself which is making a goddess for our Creative Stitchers group here in Central Taranaki.

Diane

December done

December man is done and I am pleased with him. Think that he his a bit scottish with his tarten looking kilt. Unfortunately he could not have his sharks flag in his hand. I enjoyed working this young man and unfortunately he did not quite work out as the skier that i wanted.

Diane

Punto Mat Finished

I have finished my punto antico mat and I am very excited. It has been a two year project with stitching on it once a month until the last six months when I tried to do more.
This weekend I have been at an embroidery retreat for our area and it was loads of fun. lots of sharing ideas and seeing wonderful things that others do as well as a couple of projects to make.
We made wonderful encrusted tassels, using beads and rajmahal threads and also a origami box.
We also received some coloured pellon so that has given me inspiration for one of my men.

February coming along

This is the layout and partial stitching for the February piece. January has been skipped at the moment until I get this piece out of my head. I spoke earlier about going to a function and appearing invisible. I hope that you can see my invisible man appearing in this stitching - he is hidden by the black and white figures all over him. He has been fun to stitch and lots of time spent thinking during this one. I think when his face bead is stitched on he will appear.

The background was white silk with a striped (pale yellow) chiffon and I machine stitched rows across the figures. My little man was cut out of a piece of fused fabric with a satin stitch edging and stitched on with the beads.

December BJP

My december piece is about halfway there, but faceless at the moment. This young lady is dressed in her christmas best and enjoying the festive season with stars on her shoes. The background is constructed with threads fused to pelmet vilene and then a chiffon scarf fused over the top. The chiffon has white spots representing the snow that occurred while I was on holiday in San Francisco. I think this little lady will be called Emmy but it will depend on her look when her face is attached. Having the little face beads means that proportion has gone out the window as her face will be little compared to her body. She is also dressed with a wonderful necklace - obviously her christmas present.

Bee Material

Detail of the fabric - two sided use.

A couple of people have commented on the bee material that was used in the corner of the November lady. It was a sample piece from the furniture factory in San Francisco a number of years ago. It has been used in a couple of items but this is one of the major pieces that I made using the material.
This bug bag that I made with the bee material several years ago, is called Bert and is the third of the bags that I made using this pattern. The first was called “Matilda” – she is yellow and green, while the second was Esmerelda – all green in colour.

BJP stitching is continuing with December piece started and also the February piece semi beaded. Today was going to be a day with more stitching but unfortunately my mum phoned at 9.30 am to say that we were going to preserve peaches at my sisters. It was a fun time with the three of us working together – an annual event and a reminder of when we were young and my mother preserved lots of fruit for the year ahead. Her 16 year old son kept coming and sampling the wares and saying that bottle is enough for breakfast. We ended up with about 30 jars of peach slices all different sizes so that is great.

November Done

This was my inpsiration for the november colours - it is a polymer clay face that I made a while ago and my first attempt at encasing a face with beads. A friend and I followed instructions to make the polymer clay canes, but as we only had blue, yellow and white the colours are quite strong. I have a mould which makes the faces hence the one that I have used on the November piece.

I felt that my patchwork man was turning into a woman and after I attached the face she looked a little lost and not quite frazzled enough for the November month. I added two colours of drop beads so it looks like her hair is standing on end.
Hope you enjoy this young lady, with her bounce in her step. I have still not named her but I am sure if she hangs on my design wall she will be named soon.

Catching the comments.

Thank you for all the comments. I forget to read them but glad that people are seeing them. To answer a couple of questions the little faces are glass beads that I found in the bead shop in Queenstown, New Zealand (www.queenstown-nz.co.nz ) when I was there in August last year for a conference. Unfortunately I only bought 10 of them but I have an idea for a different face for the January piece so hoping that inspiration will come for another month.

I have had lots of fun doing the backgrounds that I think the beading is covering it but I am also learning how to put less into the background. I have found in my stash several other things that might get used for backgrounds so my idea of having 12 peices the same size is officially flown the coop. I like the way I have finished the november piece with the machine stitched edge and the fact it is not square I found hard to work with initally but put the scissors away (I kept trimming the edges) as the perfect, logical me was coming out and I was forgetting the creative part of the process. I am looking foarward to stitching on the february piece and have decided that my calendar is obviously from Mars or PERN (Practically Earth Resources Negligble - for Anne McCaffrey fans) as it is different ordered to the Gregorian Calendar in my day job.

backgrounds being done

I have been working on the backgrounds for several of the months and my trial for November - which ended up blue as I did not want black again was not at all what I wanted. Here are the two backgrounds - tried for a patchwork look but it was too busy so used a second piece with a large piece of blue and patched at the edges. I have finished it so it looks like an ATC. I am trying to make the man patched as well as my life in November was very much several patches; Prizegiving, school magazine, christmas functions, farewells and preparation for the 2009 school year.

The second backgrounds I have been doing are the january / february ones and here is the February composite - called "Invisible". The january background will also be white but looking at doing some printing of a photo from our holiday on it. It is possible that it may also have a cactus / mouse / skis as part of the printed background.
I realise that December month is missing but I have to print out the logo of the San Jose Sharks and use that colours for the inspiration along with 50 as it was my brothers birthday celebration and that was exciting. The turquoise beads might be a problem for me but I will have something in the stash to use I hope. I have done the sketches for january and february and hoping for stitching time this weekend.

Stitching projects

Punto Antico Mat - half completed

This week I have been stitching on a couple of counted thread projects. Our embroidery guild, Central Taranaki has a project using threads and fabric from a NZ supplier. This project is a square mat and I have completed one corner with faggot stitch and am on the second.

My other project is a "Punto Antico" project taught by a member of our Guild Lee. She is a wonderful guide in the many counted thread styles and although I have had this project on the go for nearly two years it has been enjoyable. I have completed half the mat and this week trying to get the third quarter done.

Black out completed

October is done and I am pleased with my little man. I printed the background fabric on the computer and then ruched chiffon over the top. Unfortunately the chiffon was darker than I thought and the background printing does not show through so well.
A friend has made a quilt using black and grey fabrics and a couple of scraps were cut to applique onto the fabric to show the crowd at the game. My little man was beaded outside to show that even though the stadium was filled with people wearing all black in support of the All Blacks rugby team you could still identify the individual character. http://www.allblacks.com/



November is still undecided but the background for December and January is being constructed as long as the sewing machine works (slight problem with the tension). Both of these will be blue in theme.

While I have not been posting I have completed a beaded picture of a snowman, several christmas stockings done in conjunction with my sister and mother for our family christmas in San Francisco and the major project of a felt and beaded wall hanging for my sister-in-law, as well as complete the move into my new home. This month has seen me start a piece of linen embroidery which is a project for our embroidery guild (Central Taranaki Embroidery Guild, New Zealand).

This week is the last week before our students start school for the 2009 school year so after this week I will be busy teaching again and also working my normal hours so I am hoping to get lots of the background pieces done in preparation for the coming months.
Hope you like my little man
Diane