Paradise Island Progress

While Hayley slept in on Saturday and during yesterday afternoon I got some stitching in on Paradise Island.


This design comes from a book called Cross Stitch Pictures by Jill Gordon (and was also in an early edition of The World of Cross Stitching). It is supposed to be a scene from a real island atol somewhere in the Indian Ocean. I think it might be one of the Maldives. With the Tsunami that hit last month - makes me wonder if the real scene is still there?

I started stitching this in October 2002. I'm still only about halfway there with it. Previous progress pics can be seen in my Webshots.

More Strange B3ta Links

Ever heard of the slice of toast with an Elvis imprint in it? These are more along the same lines:

The Museum of Food Anomolies

Cat lovers will love this one:

http://www.clean-your-screen-for-free-now.com/

Cute pic of the week:

Fame!

Went out last night, had a really good night in St Ives. My friend Hayley is still sleeping it off as I write this - she still for the life of her doesn't know why she smoked that cigar!

Went to a nightclub after a pub crawl of St Ives, and there on the dance floor was a 70+ yr old pensioner raving it up! I watched him for quite a bit of the evening, he'd have a couple of dances, sit down - have a rest - and then he'd be up for a rave to a few more songs. I think he left the night club at about 12:30, but you've got to admire him for his stamina. A raving pensioner: How cool is that?

By 1:30 there was me trying to jump up and do the splits in mid-air to the tune of Fame! Quite a few people fell about laughing watching me do that - but by that point in the evening I was past caring how silly I looked. ;-)

Margaret Sherry Cross Stitcher Subscription Offer

Got the February issue of Cross Stitcher today. There's a really nice oriental design in it that I must stitch. When I started reading the article associated with it I realised why - it's another Sheila Hudson design (Mt Fuji, Amalfi Coast) and that's probably why I like it as it reminds me of the others. Definitely going on my "to be stitched" list.

Cross Stitcher are also offering a decent free gift if you subscribe now - I've been wanting to sub to this magazine for years - but have been waiting for a decent free gift for the subscription, and now there's one I want: a kit of Margaret Sherry's Catterflies, or her Hedgehog in a plant pot.

Problem is, to get the kits you have to subscribe by DD - but I don't want to sub by DD. I just really hate giving my bank DD authority over the account. I hate the toy shop bank! So what I did was splice two subscription application forms together. I stapled the credit card section from one leaflet to the Margaret Sherry subscription sheet. I wonder if that is going to work? We'll see. I've opted for the Hedgehog design because I already have a chart of Catterflies in my stash.

Webshots Picture of the Day: Playful Kittens

Isn't this entirely too precious? It's now gracing my desktop. All together now Awww!

Stitching Blogger's Question of the Week: Framing

Do you frame your cross stitch yourself or do you take it to a professional
framer? Why?

I usually frame my work myself. However I have used a professional framer
for one project that was especially previous to me, and that was my late
Aunt's Elephants which I finished off for her after she died. I was too
scared of making a mess of it myself.

In the past, I did get my cousin to build a frame for the Cats in the Hats.
He used to do technical drawing so he was the ideal person to cut out mounts
as well. He cut the mount for Mount Fuji - at the end of last year, I had
to cut the matching mount for the Amalfi Coast project and I realised then
what a difficult thing it was to get the curve right.

In your opinion, what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of putting
your work behind glass when you frame it?

The advantages of framing, is that it keeps the work clean, gives you an
excuse to display it and if you use coloured mounts you can really set it
off well. I think the only disadvantage of framing is squishing beads or
charms if you've attached them.

Nerd Alert

About what I expected really.

A Cornish Winter

I took this picture on Sunday morning when I was walking along the promenade in Penzance.

Would you believe it was about 16 degrees C on Sunday? It was a lovely day - not a cloud in the sky, and yes, there are palm trees in that picture. I post this picture today just as the first snows of the year are forecast to hit my former home in Kent. ;-)

Cautious Complete

As promised yesterday, I stayed in stitching all day and now Cautious is complete.


I think the next round of the robin is going to get delayed again because at least two people still didn't receive the fabric they were supposed to get at the end of November.

Cautious Cattitude

Here's my progress on Cautious Cat for the Cattitudes Round Robin

The weather's going to be pretty crap today - the rain doesn't look as if it's going to let up - and besides the fact that I need to go shopping, I think I'll stay at home and finish him off by doing all the backstitch. The backstitch is my favourite part!

The mailing date for the Round Robin is the end of the month, so I'm set to meet this goal if I finish him today.

Canterbury Fairies

The latest WIP shot of the Canterbury Bell Fairy

I've been stitching this in my lunch hour at work, I usually am only able to get it out once or twice a week for about 20 minutes at a time, but the slow way is the sure way of getting it done.

Stitching Bloggers Question of the Week: Anchor vs DMC

Do you see a difference between Anchor and DMC floss? If so, what do you think the difference is? Do you have a preference between the two?

I think Anchor floss may be of a little better quality - but I prefer DMC because I've got the whole set now. The only Anchor floss I've bought has been in an emergency because I've needed a DMC colour, and a shop was able to provide it's Anchor equivalent (some times they match - sometimes they don't) and couldn't find one at short notice.

The only stitching shop in Penzance (well - I say only - there's one down near the harbour "Cornish Stitch Designs" - but they only sell kits and they were quite horrified when I asked them if they would sell me one of their DMC spools - they are only allowed to buy these because they use them to make up their kits, and the thought of selling one of these to a member of the public was more than they could take!!! They seemed quite shocked when I showed them my silkweaver reflections fabric - and a bit snooty too: they only sell kits, nearly all of which use Aida - shudder!!! despite the fact that some of their local designs of the landscape and landmarks are really rather good - ok better stop ranting here.... just as well I can buy online really ;-)... ), up in Chapell Street sells only Anchor - so I can quite easily see me buying more Anchor threads in the future in those future stitching emergencies.

The Smell of Wet Cat

The smell of wet cat is what greeted me at 5:00 am this morning. Jade came back into my bedroom and jumped up onto his brand new pillow on my bed sopping wet - so of course I had to get up and dry him off! Why do cat's insist on going out in the rain?

Anyway it's Wednesday and it's my afternoon off again and I've achieved something - I got the wireless network working on my laptop. Hurray!!

I took it to an Internet Cafe that has a wireless network and let them have a fiddle to see if they could get it connected. The guy behind the counter seemed to have as much luck as I did - but at least he knew more about what he was doing - but he still drew a blank.

Then their 18 yr old trainee arrives back with everyones rolls and sandwiches and finds out the missing key - there's a function button on the keyboard which activates the WAN function! Now why couldn't we see that? DOH! Well I did see the symbol which is (((O))) but I thought it meant speakers or surround sound or something - dopey or what? So now I can turn it the WAN on at home too! ;-)

Pet Pillow

We love to spoil our pets, don't we?

This Weeks Interesting BT3A Links

Bt3a is an online magazine of strangeness - they swear far too much and post quite a few naughty links, but also some strangely bizarre and interesting ones:

• The Japanese Blog of Cute
• Supper with the Stars
• Rupert on Coon Island
• Bt3a Question of the Week: Pure Ignorance

I think this should have won the Action Granny Photo Competition:

Cornish Stitchers

I love the support of the online stitching community, but I do admit to missing the feel of a real life sewing circle, and as of yet - I've not been able to find any local stitchers. I've even asked in some of the few stitching shops in the area - but they don't know of anyone who is running a local club - so..... with a view to hopefully meeting up with some local cornish stitchers I've created this group:

Click to join cornish_stitchers

What's your outlook on life?

What's Your Outlook on Life?
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First Finish of "O" Five and it's a Fairy

Mirabilia Angel is finished. I started her in the middle of November and I just finished her off tonight.

She is stitched on a piece of Silkweavers' 32 count Reflections fabric called Coral Crystals.

This was my first attempt at beading a major project. I had not realised how fiddly it was or of the need for a beading needle.

The Angel has definitely given me a taste for more Mirabilia Designs, this was the first free Mirabilia chart that I've seen printed in a cross stitch mag - it was in The World of Cross Stitching issue number 91 - which was the Christmas 04 edition [someone's bound to ask ;-)]. The magazine said it would take about 6 weeks of stitching time - I think it took me closer to 8 weeks, but then I've had a lot going on in my life.

Karen F recently finished her Angel off too - we have sort of been stitching them in tandem - but Karen beat me to the finish by 4 days - well done!! And I started long before her.

I think Karen stitched hers on 14 count aida, and I think Karen's looks a little better than mine because of it - my opinion is that the beads seem a little bulky on 32 count - anyone else had the same problem with beading?

Stash from the Attic

Still not quite finished the beading on the Mirabilia Angel - the blue beads seem to be quite a bit smaller than the silver ones I've stitched on already and more are being rejected by my size 26 needle. This size 26 needle isn't ideal for beading - you should really do it with a size 28 which is smaller, and I can't find my 28's at the moment.

I ordered some beading needles from Jayne's Attic yesterday via a IM chat window with Jayne and they arrived today. I might actually be able to get the Angel Finished tomorrow afternoon now during my half day off!

Jayne is talking about arranging and indulgent stitching weekend in Milton Keynes in March. It would be great to be able to go, and to meet some of the ladies I've known from the groups over the last couple of years.

I need to check to see if Sam will look after Jade for the weekend - but all he really needs is a few extra biscuits put in his bowls once a day, and the odd cuddle - if only children were so easy to take care of!

A New Breed of Jaffa

Only fans of stargate SG-1 will appreciate this.

Here's Keith - Jaffa to the great god Vodka VK Blue!

Only in Cornwall...

Only in cornwall would they sell hot pasties in a nightclub...... the mind boggles.

I still can't get my head around the concept of eating these pastry pies. Every morning on my way to work I have to walk past 3-4 shops cooking them and the smell wafting out makes my stomach turn at that time in the morning, every lunchtime I walk past half the population of cornwall standing outside shops and munching them.

I've got the distinction of only eating about 4 pasties in the whole time I've been here, quite a feat really considering their readily availability - I just wish there were more sandwich and/or burger bars.

The lost or abandoned bike

The Abandoned Bike

Ever since Sunday evening there's been a bike chained to the railings in the alley near where I live. It's even still got a saddlebag attached. I can't think why the bike is still chained up there after all that time - maybe it's owner forgot where he left it?

I guess it's a testiment to Cornwall and the honesty of people down here that the bike has been left untouched for as long as it has. It's even still got the saddlebag attached. Back in Kent, the chain would have been broken and the bike stolen within hours, the saddlebag would have been opened within an hour, even if the chain wouldn't break the bike would have been wheeless within a day. If it's still there tomorrow, I may see if I can get a picture of it on my way to work.

Should Have Stayed At Work

I should have stayed at work this afternoon - my only afternoon off in the week - for instead of doing the sensible thing of going home and doing housework I bought a new laptop to replace the one that died a couple of months ago.

I was forced in the end to get one from Dixon's (I really hate that company), but there really isn't that much other choice shopping wise down here - so Dixon's it was. I was served by the Manager and I asked him to chuck in The Sims 2 as a freebie - and he did! Well, you have to ask these things - don't you?

Anyway, got it home this afternoon and spent several hours fiddling around trying to get the wireless network card to detect my wireless router. I admit failure - in the end I trotted out and bought another ethernet cable - but at least I got it working which is how I'm posting this now.

The Geek Corner

It's the last day of freedom today (Bank Holiday Monday) before I'm back to work tomorrow. I felt a bit hungover for most of the day after last night's drinking session with some friends. I had too much to drink as usual - so much that I was singing Madonna's Beautiful Stranger on the Kareoke! Well I was singing, but no one could hear me because I've got a really quiet voice and they never turn the microphones up load enough.

I watched Alien Vs Predator in the morning (on a dodgy Div-x CD) which I've posted a review of on my other blog and settled in to watch Van Helsig in the afternoon. I'm not sure whether I liked that film or not - a lot of it seemed to have been done before in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but Hugh Jackman did look quite good at the end of the movie with his shirt off! The vampires were pretty cool though, but that Dracula character was crap, I could sense no real sense of malevolance coming from him at all. I was stitching my Mirabillia Angel while I watched - maybe that's why I couldn't really get into the film. I suppose I'll have to watch it again properly when I'm not being distracted by something else.

I'm almost done with the Mirabilia Angel now. Just a few stitches of metallic green left and then I'm on to the beading. I'll have to dig out my beading needle and find my beading instructions as I've not attempted this properly before.

One word of note though - the chart says use two strands of the Kreinik threads, I tried this and after having a nightmare trying to thread the needle, the stitches turned out to look way too bulky on my delicate 32 count Coral Crystals Reflections fabric (from Silkweaver) - so if you are stitching this too [big tip for Karen F], ignore the instructions and just use one thread instead.

I went out again tonight with some friends. One of them said that he was going to be having food in the Weatherspoons first so I thought that I'd better eat something first too and not repeat last night's experience, and ordered a steak. Weatherspoons are doing this Jim Bean Bourban Glaze at the moment, it's really delicious - yum!!

My other friend turned up about 7:00 and we all got on quite well. We got a bit loud towards the end of the evening, talking about Star Trek, Enterprise, Deep Space Nine and Voyager and it amused me to turn around and see half the pub looking with disgust at the sci fi geeks sitting in the corner.

Armed for 2005

Armed for 2005.

Well at least my Mirabillia Angel is. Here's the progress I made on stitching her yesterday (New Year's Eve).

Happy New Year to all my blog readers.