Biscornu done and posted and no photo

i have posted my biscornu to Doreen in Canada today and forgot to photograph it so I am hoping she will send me a photo when she gets it.
I have finished another beaded christmas cracker and also a chicken humbug but no BJP stitching yet as I am trying to get Heart of a Cabin done.
busy week this week with a meeting on every night until friday and then saturday night we are going to see Sir Cliff Richard at the Bowl of Brooklands - most awesome outdoor concert venue in the World.
Sunday I was teaching a beaded dream catcher class but not enough have signed up so it will be cancelled and my night class members will do it on monday nights. that is great as sunday i can spend the day getting the kits made up.

Biscornu nearly done!

On swap-bot this month I signed up for a swap with a red biscornu. I stitched a lovely little one using aida and a varigated thread then had an accident with dye so I space dyed the fabric and restitched part of it. I have sewn it up now so it needs its corner decorations and then to be posted. yeah for me getting it done before the deadline of 27 feb. I will post a photo after that as I am pleased with it.
Watching the winter olympics has been a popular pasttime over the weekend so the stitching did not get done but nearly finished another log on block 5 of heart of the cabin.

On a more exciting note mum and I have chosen our classes for Colombus and in two weeks we will be able to book them and hopefully get our choices. I had three classes that I wanted to do on a more teachers side of things but two of them were on the same two days. I have decided to do a four day class with mum and then we are both having a day off and a two day class - different for each of us. It will be exciting to do this.

BJP is very slow and this week is the starting week I think so get a move on is my instruction to self. Hoping to have finished January by the weekend.

February starts with excitment

Excitement this month.

Karen getting ready to ride off from Stratford on the next leg of the cycle race.

The last weekend of January saw mum, dad and I meeting Karen and Phil as they were doing the round the mountain cycle race. I then went up to New Plymouth to have dinner and drinks with them. Managed to see more cousins, Graeme and also Mike Sandle (who had come to pick up Graeme). It was a really nice evening and got sprung by the Assistant Principal, drinking in the main street.

Sunday then saw mum and I off with Gemma and Denise to the final of the provincial 20/20 cricket match. We met Karen and Phil there so it was a battle of the provinces - Central District Stags (our team) vs. the Auckland Aces (boo). It was a very exciting first half with a good score posted by our boys and a number of sixes into the terraces at Pukekura Park. The weather was not the best but at least I think we have converted Gemma to cricket.


Susan and I in the Kitchen.

Sunday night I had visitors from Florida for two nights. Susan and Art Rochlin are visiting NZ and she found me on the beaded journal project. It was really exciting to meet someone who beads in a creative way. Susan and I spent Sunday night looking at all her pictures and then going through my room looking at my beaded pages, goddess dolls and various pieces of embroidery that I have around. It was loads of fun.
Monday night Susan cooked a wonderful meal for us and we invited my mum and dad as well. Dad and Art talked the night away and it was difficult to get them separated. The only unfortunate thing was that the mountain did not appear at all and the weather was not a treat for visitors. This week it has been much better.

The school week has been busy and lots of things happening and it looks as if our roll could be increased. The weekend has been busy – I have finished two books and done my design page for creative stitchers next weekend. Have to paint the backgrounds for the BJP then I can start.

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.

Inspiration Sorted

Just a short post today to say that I will be asking friends, colleagues and even acquaintances about their favourite song or words from a song to use as the inspiration for the pages this year. I have had a late start with being away and having visitors so have only emailed the first friend today.
I purchased a special visual diary which I am going to use to put all these pages in and so will be able to keep them together. Last year's journal pages will be mounted onto a wall hanging so needing to complete that as well. The size will be kept at 10 cm by 7.5 cm either portrait or landscape orientation depending on the theme of the piece.
Yesterday I walked to Onehunga and stopped at a patchwork shop. I purchased a book on maiking fabric backgrounds and embellishments so will use this to make some of the backgrounds for me to use.

First Thoughts for 2010 BJP

I have finally decided. I will ask 12 different people if they can give me their favourite song, words, poem and use that as my inspiration for each page.
For January I will use my friend kim hopefully she will reply with her favourite and for February I have already got David's faves so the first two months are sorted.
Off to auckland and hoping to use this time for some design ideas so will take pens and pencil as well.
Size has been decided as 4inch by 3 inch as maximum and I am going to mount them in a book which I purchased earlier this week.

Decorations for Christmas

Two aprons named for Aaron and Nadine's wedding on Saturday. I thought I was not going to get them in time but Marilyn had them. They are done and I can deliver them to her tomorrow so that is out of the way.

Finished three decorations for friends in Australia for xmas and sent them on their way today with Neil. He has departed for a few days in Christchurch and I will be off to Auckland for visits as well. The purple ball is my sample one so the girls from night class can see what I am doing.