A long time missing

celebration dinner

One of my aims this year was to blog at least once a month but I find that a third of the year has gone and nothing written. It's been a busy start to the year with my brother and his wife visiting for my dad's birthday and a celebration weekend in Wellington. It was really fun and we had a wonderful time with them here and they had a great trip down the south island for his 60th birthday.



Stitching has been continuing and a new project has come along but more on that later. Night class is still going and we are doing a tiny tin of treasures project this term hopefully. Some photos of that are here:

             

 Next project on the go is the piece for Taranaki Creative Stitchers: I was given Kenya as my county but quite a difficult one. There is no definite style of embroidery or stitching (only ndebele beading stitch could be called african) so I am exploring the african aesthetic and hopefully will produce a piece for the october exhibition.  As part of this process I have been doing some machine embroidery and made this couple of birthday cards which I will sell or use. I have also been making some christmas decorations using a similar technique so once they are finished they will get photographed. If successful I will make a few for the end of year Percys Place shop.

Card making has also been featuring and a neighbour is hosting the occasional afternoon of card making so I am taking advantage and going. I then come home and use a bit more of the card/Stampin Up stash so here are some that I have created (tiny gift cards) for Mackays Pharmacy to sell. Its been a great way to use up some of the stash and I am trying to do more.

This is the start of the next project. Our guild is having a Casalguidi workshop in June and the preparation foundation needs to be stitched first. The colour is looking grey but it is very similar to DMC 504 colour so that will be fun.

Well that's the catch up and here's to a term two with a principal who is on sabbatical and an open evening that is not too far away and no organising started. Oh dear just another year at school.

Its been a while

I am not certain where the time is going but the projects are not moving much on the stitching front but I have done quite a bit of card making and stampin up work. At the moment I am going to be looking at all my stamp sets to see which ones I need to get rid of and then also the stamp pads as my tower is full and I don't need that many more.

Here are some photos of the boxes we covered to hold your cards and the start of the one sheet wonder class. We did four of the eleven cards that could be made. I am hoping to run another one of these classes in June as it was loads of fun using up all sorts from a base. The next one will be done using one of the new DSP and card sets. What fun.

On the stitching front my ladies have finished our pendant – Archipelago. It was a great class and all the colour choices were wonderful. We purchased these kits from Melanie Potter and there were plenty of beads so the occasional flying bead was not missed. Our next beading class will be in ten days and we are going to be continuing the bezeling of items. I will have a selection of things that the ladies can bezel as well as one new student who wants to make beaded balls so I am currently getting her a kit of beads and accessories together.

 I have been very busy over the past month making perpetual poppies and selling a number through the Percy Thompson Gallery here in Stratford. It was fun and here is the latest in my brooches made from a fabric flower. A friend challenged me to do something and I had initially forgotten. This is what I came up with during the week. Our next little challenge is to do something with three yo yo flowers. Reveal day is the Wanganui sit n stitch in June. 

My brooch

 Our three entries.

Last photo for today is my latest swap bot ornament which is winging its way to the USA. I will repeat this one for the next swap. 

Another month gone!

Well the past month has been busy. The holidays went quickly with a bit of all sorts done around home and getting some of the major needlepoint projects done. I did not go to the Stampin up day as it was time away that I could not afford from home.

However, labour weekend saw me in wellington with Stephanie and Holly (see Stephanie’s blog for photos of our weekend). It was lovely and we had the most amazing summer like weather on the Saturday, nice on Sunday, raining on Monday but David came to breakfast with us so that was good.

Since then I have been stitching on walk on the wide side and started the Angelina fibre section. I have also been thinking about things to make to sell and for presents.

I have made a couple of luggage labels and they are quite fun. I gave one to Alice for her birthday this month as she is off to California for a short holiday before her last year of study.

Also I have been making a couple of prayer flags and here is the one that I posted off for a swap on swap-bot. This was great to make once I was started and thinking of doing a couple of bunting swags as well for Christmas to decorate the staffroom. I made bunting at the start of the year for the Amess house as we have been in charge of the social club this year.

Last weekend mum and Fiona came to stitch so we made up the kits for the guild Christmas party. On Sunday mum and I made a Christmas decoration, which was really nice. I am not making as many this year for presents so hope to have at least six done and that will be the end of them. Sometimes I think people don't appreciate them and then occasionally it is easier to buy something. This is always a dilemma for me as I like to make things but then get less in return. As we are off for Christmas I will have to make a couple to take with me. Who knows where we will be for Christmas.

Holly and I at botanic gardens.

A well photographed feature in Wellington airport.

Prayer flag - titled it a windmill of wishes as vanes are open to hold a small paper wish.

All posted

Over the past ten months mum and I have been stitching for ANY Auction. These are the pieces that have been sent back for this years auction in Chicago.

Egg stitched by me.

Xmas Deco beaded and stitched by Mum

 

Christmas deco stitched by Mum

Elf boot stitched by me.

The other piece that we have finished was on my last blog post. It is a cone which was loads of fun to stitch and showed me how much the choice of stitch affects the finished look.

I am hoping that they will be made up beautifully and sell for good prices at the auction. It has been fun stitching and I now have brought one of my canvases out with some inspiration for stitching.

The next project that we are making for our night class is going to be some of the projects from the Needlepoint Now magazine.


This picture below shows the display table from our recent embroidery guild meeting. We also had all the pieces for our guild challenge finished and on display. It will be exciting to see it made up by Lee for the conference in New Plymouth in July. Notice under the display my table runner that Marilyn helped me make. It is the french braid pattern and now lives on the TV cabinet in my lounge. The small rooster piece was another piece stitched by Liz Bartley and I have made into a snappy bag.

May 2014 Guild Display of finished pieces.

Another finish

I was so excited last night that I stayed up to put the last beads in. This piece has history. It was started by a member of our embroidery guild (Central Taranaki) who died at the start of 2010. Last year her husband gifted me with her stitch bags and supplies and this was in it. My night class had been stitching Laura Perins Floral Ribbons and Victorian Ribbons and I was about to start one of them. I decided that I would finish this piece and make it up.

At the weekend we had our regional embroidery retreat and I decided that I would take this piece and stitch everything that needed to be done except the beads. That would be my stitching for Monday night class and this piece would be done. It worked but after a lengthy discussion on the colour of the beads, opal disappeared, the greens were wrong, the pink was too wishy washy, we decided on silver pearl and raspberry. I did most of it during the class time but after all left I sat on the couch, watched my favourite programme “Person of Interest” and sewed on the final beads. It was 10.45 pm when I took out the pins holding it on and took the photo.

My decision now is what type of bag. I have been making snappy bags and don’t really need any more for myself so think I would like to make this into a pocket for a bigger bag that will hold a 14 inch frame. This may be the go but now to find material (is there any in the stash) and a pattern (I have a book).

The next exciting thing that has happened is my dad had his birthday yesterday and the birthday surprise was my brother arriving home at 9pm last night. Very exciting.

February finishes

2011 Guild Retreat project finished.

Our embroidery guild have a retreat every year at Opunake and we usually do a project for the weekend. Last year's project was taken from the Stitch magazine and we used the transfer paints on chiffon. This was really fun to stitch and most have finished it with one person doing two - a dawn and a dusk picture. I painted my canvas black to make the dawn setting pop of the screen.

2011- Lee's pomegranate scissor keeper.

My other finish this week is a pomegranate scissor keeper from one of our guild meetings. Lee designed this delightful keeper and I finally managed to put it together. I was not happy with the way the beads sat in the centre so added more. I have put it on a thread cutter for my travels. These are handy for the plane journeys planned this year.
I have also finished the sample ball for the Tania's Feathers class and will take a photo soon. Still doing ATC's for the BJP 2011 and have another three planned out ready to bead.

guild christmas a success

The 2011 Central Taranaki Guild Christmas party was a success with 30 members and guests enjoying a night of fun, frivolity and friendship. I did up the project kit which was found on the purl bee website.
I had lots of fun cutting them out and joining them up with vibrant threads.
The bottom photo is some of the finished brooches on the night. I will be using the remainder of the kits with a group of students at school during the activity week. Lots of fun and thanks to Molly and Laura of the Purl bee letting me us this pattern.

more work done

I have been a busy beaver and completed a tiny kit from School of Beadwork - Double Delish - onsie. It is lime and blue and very cute. I am attaching it to a key ring to give away as a christmas gift on my travels in December.
Maree and I went to St Mary's Cathedral in New Plymouth last night for the unveiling of the completed Peace Altar Frontal. We went one night to stitch as guild members so it was nice to be at the end to put another stitch in. Now the construction phase begins and in two months they will have the dedication ceremony. It was a nice service with reminders about Parihaka, Sept 11 2001 and the way of peace in the world.
Also made the new decoration in Bead and Button and now have put the magazine away carefully so cannot make another one. oh well I will find it.
Nearly completed the next month for my BJP so going to watch some tv and stitch some more on it.

Busy working

A busy fortnight has seen me make a number of coffee cup holders for small coffee cups but I am going to make some larger ones now. They have been really fun and I sold about ten of them so was pleased with the effort. I have made a number to give away as presents for Xmas so that is a start.


The next exciting thing that has happened has been my attendance at a creative stitchers play weekend. Jo and Anne from Creative Craft Supplies came and showed us how to use lots of their products; rubbing plates, polysol dyes, shiva stiks, xpandapaint as well as using some new materials polysuede and evalon. It was loads of fun and I have painted lots of paper with colour to start making some little goddess dollies. Think that they will look really cute and hoping to spend next holidays on making them.

Also I have started the ANG needlepointers piece of work “Sudoku” by Marilyn Owen. We met Marilyn at the seminar in Ohio and I am looking forward to doing this with the class. The class members have chosen the colours that Marilyn used (or slight adjustment) but mum and I are stitching differently. Mum is doing hers all in greys and I am using orange and black so it looks quite vibrant.

Went to see “Mozart’s Sister” last night at the Kings Theatre in Stratford and it was really great. Lovely costumes, sets and even the inside of Versailles I am sure.

Diane

Merry Christmas to all

Just a few days before Christmas and the weather has really deteriorated. It has been wet for several days so the farmers are celebrating as the drought season has been delayed for at least a while. It has been colder as well so time to catch up with all the watching on the tv and am nearly up to date with a number of programmes.

School has basically finished for me with just a few more things to do and then I am off until at least ten days before school starts. Hoping to get some time at the beach with mum and a few days away with Stephanie to Wellington. We are going to the European Masters exhibition at Te Papa so that will be neat. Not certain what else we shall do.

Christmas wishes to all friends that read this blog. I have had a wonderful 2010 although not all things have been completed. Heart of the cabin has stalled due to our travel to san Francisco and attendance at seminar. I have completed one piece from seminar and have most of my pages ready for my notebook but nothing to put it into yet. Linda’s piece walk on the wild side is still just sitting and am hoping to do some over the holidays to get at least the first canvas finished.

Beaded journal project was not a big success this year as I only completed three months with another three designed and not stitched. On the beading plus side I did complete three of Laura McCabe’s kits that I bought. I also designed three new decorations (Neptune’s series) and taught them. This last three months I have done another Christmas ball which my group of ladies did one night. This last weekend I have borrowed a couple from a friend of mum’s and am hoping to make them and then also make the patterns for them. I have made 12 of these decorations for gifts so that was a busy time. See them in previous posts.
This year I made my first ATC and did a swap. It was fun. As well I swapped a biscornu on the swap-bot network as well as a couple of other swaps.
A challenge has been presented to me for next year with the invitation to enter an ANZEG exhibition in October. I have a number of thoughts and this holidays will find me starting on at least one of them.
So to all friends I hope that you all have a wonderful season and that the weather good and bad does not deter your festive times.
Diane

Nearly finished

top corner of the front of the needlebook. This piece of lace was my colour inspiration along with the picture.

The back - colours are not as purple but more brownish. I really loved working with the different stitches.

I am very excited as I have nearly finished Stephanie's needlebook. I have loved doing this piece and hope that she gets many years of use from it. The inside pages are a fawn woollen material that I have buttonhole stitched and also used for the lining.

Month 2 of the 2010BJP will also be posted at the weekend after I photograph it and then onto month 3.

A Long week

It has been a long week and it feels like there have been three Wednesdays, two Thursdays and not enough Friday already. I have stitched this week mostly on my friend Stephanie’s needle book cover so it is nearly finished. Just the last area to stitch and then to embellish and make up. I think I will hand stitch it together using some ultra suede for the inside in a pale green colour or else beige felt.

Mum and I have received notice that we have our classes for Columbus in September so that is exciting and I am looking forward to receiving the needs list or the stitching supplies. There is some pre stitching for both pieces I think.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Seminar-10/classes/4day/40223.php this is the four day class which mum and I are both doing so I am very excited.

Beaded journal project is going very slowly with February about half done and march thought about but nothing in print yet. I am hoping to get to some of that this weekend and also to spend time trying to make up bead kits for a class next week. Think I need a four day weekend.

Guild meeting was this week so I think that threw me out of sync. We had the national president with us for the night Margaret Erskine so that was really nice and no-one took a picture. We are having a workshop next weekend at my place as well.
Diane

another square completed

This week has been a very busy week with my goddaughters 21st birthday last weekend and a public holiday. On tuesday we had the announcement of our new principal, http://www.shsinfo-centa.blogspot.com/ so that was very exciting and took up a lot of my time.

I have completed another square on heart of the cabin. That makes three complete and two started. only 13 to go. I am really pleased with this one as it has been a real struggle to get the right kind of threads - we have made lots of substitutions but that is okay we are still getting the colour values right. Mum has completed nearly four squares so she is ahead of me.

I have half done the first month for BJP and will take a picture to post later. It looks good but very simple.

Life has been really busy with most of this weekend I was at WOMAD and it was great fun, i have 3 great cd's of music to listen to now - jazz, irish and arabic. wonderful mix of things although I only went to two of the three days as I have too much to do at home.
diane

activities this week.

This week has been a bit difficult as I got to school on Monday to be told that a member of my night class had died. She had just over 12 months with cancer but finally went to peace on Sunday 17 Jan. her funeral on Thursday was very emotional affair with her family and a huge turnout.

Our embroidery this month is bargello and the workshop at my place was attended by a small but dedicated group. I completed the decoration below which uses the pine tree pattern. I have used a rainbow gallery rayon thread and carefully chosen the variation to give the illusion of the trees. Was most impresses and Mary showed me a new method of finishing which makes a nice decoration.

Heart of a cabin is coming along and I have found that some of the threads are too thick on the 22 count canvas so altering the threads to use #8 perle and less strands. Also because getting the anchor threads is sometimes difficult I have been substituting them slightly. Mum is further ahead with being on the 3rd block. I am hoping to finish block two this week and even get onto block three.

My embellished canvas piece is coming along but I have not really stitched any since I returned from Auckland. Having an internal debate about the colours so will see what happens to this. May remove some of the plain thread and use the variegated that I have self dyed some years ago.

School starts in earnest this week with two days of power cuts so that will be fun with all the reenrolments happening. Alice and David did okay but Alice was not pleased with her results overall. Used my slow cooker for the first time and it was okay. Was concerned all day about it being on but will get used to it I am sure.

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.

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

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.