tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58593562011-04-21T20:27:11.377+01:00Thoughts on writing, stitching and anything elsekarensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.comBlogger5141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1169150222640378082007-01-18T19:55:00.000Z2007-01-18T19:57:02.670Z

Hi,I promised I would be back and I am. You can now find me at http://karensthoughts-karen.blogspot.com/I started on a new blog as I felt like starting fresh. I will be round everyones blogs as soon as I canKarenxxx

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1155185559921142402006-08-10T05:46:00.000+01:002006-08-10T05:52:40.003+01:00

Most of you have probably noticed that my blog has slowed right down in the last month or so. I am working on a lot of things just now and this has taken a back seat to everything. Until I can spend more time here I am going to take some time out. One of the things I plan on learning to do is basic web design, so you never know you might have something nice to look at when I come back. I will try

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1154336719617157702006-07-31T09:33:00.000+01:002006-07-31T10:05:19.956+01:00

My stitching has sort of taken a back seat to everything else just now. I've not completely given up on it and I do still enjoy it. It's just the rest is grabbing my attention more. This is Archie in the bath and he is in the second square of the afghan. As you can see he is a long way from finished. I have been working on him for a while now as I only seem to pick him up every so often. I am

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1154115935741292362006-07-28T20:36:00.000+01:002006-07-28T20:45:35.843+01:00

There is a site called "Illistration Friday". Every Friday they post a topic for everyone to illustrate. Some of the things that people come up with are amazing. Honestly, you should have a look. I decided it would be fun to give it a go since I have taken to picking up a paintbrush. That doesn't mean I will take part every week. The topic posted last Friday was opposite and this is what I came

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1153916895267445872006-07-26T13:19:00.000+01:002006-07-26T13:28:16.070+01:00

I did the last few final touches last night. I actually started designing this at the start of the month. This time I had a clear image of what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a pot pourri sachet with the sunflower at the centre. I had printed off some images of sunflowers for inspiration. I then drew a rough sunflower of paper before converting it onto square paper. The beads were done first

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1153825300419320422006-07-25T11:56:00.000+01:002006-07-25T12:01:40.460+01:00

My computer is finally up and running which basically explains why I haven't been around. Despite that I really haven't been up to much. I blame the heat!I am still messing about with paints and journaling. I also finished the sunflower challenge which I will post tomorrow (with any luck). I've done a little reading. I went to see Superman Returns. Other than that I haven't done much of

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1152855024367789012006-07-14T06:15:00.000+01:002006-07-14T06:30:24.486+01:00

I decided to post an image of one of my journal pages after all. As you can see I have no real artistic talent but I enjoyed doing them. Also what you see represents the kind of day I had or at least the part of the day that stood out the most. I am having lots of fun with using paint. I haven't used paint since I was at school and this is my first attempt at using Acrylic paint. I love painting

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1152694306485766182006-07-12T09:27:00.000+01:002006-07-12T20:08:45.773+01:00

I think I may have mentioned a website called 1000 Journals. If you don't remember it don't worry as it was at least a year ago. The founder of the website came up with the idea of creating journals and sending them out in the world for people to fill some pages and then pass on again. They were then supposed to make their way back to the founder who had plans to set up some kind of exhibition

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1152426143965353962006-07-09T06:45:00.000+01:002006-07-09T07:22:24.000+01:00

A while ago I may have mentioned that I wanted to begin an Archie bear Afghan. I have been wanting to stitch and afghan for the past few years. I finally thought of a theme for it and ordered the fabric a few days ago. When it arrived I couldn't resist making a start. It was calling to me and despite all my good intentions of ignoring this inclination and just continuing with bugs, my will power

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1152091901232037762006-07-05T09:53:00.000+01:002006-07-05T10:31:41.853+01:00

This issue treats us to an exclusive country companions design. I quite like Edwina Hedgehog and this design is pretty with the pink flowers. My mum is very fond of these designs so I can see myself stitching this for her at some point.Maria Kelly has designed a set of birthday cards for girls who like to shop. They aren't my style but I do actually have friends who would appreciate these and

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1151747031877237862006-07-01T10:25:00.000+01:002006-07-01T10:43:51.906+01:00

Not literally! I have been wanting an ipod for about a year now. The ex had bought me an MP3 player and at the time, not wanting to hurt his feelings or to seem ungrateful I kept my mouth shut. My mp3 player holds about 10 albums and it is difficult to work so I have been stuck with the same ones playing over and over since the split. I decided it was time to treat myself to the ipod. I have

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1151568398364202422006-06-29T08:42:00.000+01:002006-06-29T09:41:46.553+01:00

Another week another freebie. This one took me a little longer than the others. I love the forever friends bears. I remember in high school my friends and I loved them and a few of us even collected them. Although an anchor design the backstitch isn't nearly quite as bad as the tatty teds. However, remind me never to stitch Roses on an anchor kit again. I had to force myself to finish it and

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1151037257269356352006-06-23T05:07:00.000+01:002006-06-23T05:35:16.473+01:00

You can't really see it well but I have been working on bugs, honest! I have filled in the silver down the left hand side, the bottom left hand corner, the bottom strip and made a start on the right hand corner. I had meant to do more but last night I fell asleep while reading. Nothing to do with the book. I have just been doing this a lot lately. I feel refreshed in the morning so I must be

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150954368214112972006-06-22T05:54:00.000+01:002006-06-22T06:32:48.266+01:00

"Misfortune" by Wesley Stace.Rose Loveall started out life as an abandoned baby. Her life was saved by Lord Loveall who took her into his home and brought her up as his heir. His hope was that she would replace his beloved sister who had died years before. The problem is that Rose is actually a boy. In his grief for his sister the Loveall can't see this part and poor Rose is brought up believing

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150784275051930532006-06-20T06:53:00.000+01:002006-06-20T07:17:55.096+01:00

I stitched another freebie. This one is from March's issue of Cross Stitch Crazy. I think that I will probably keep this for my mum's birthday as she is a fan of these designs. I attached it to a plain white card but used some purple paper to back the design. I wanted to brighten it up a bit and I quite like the way it turned out. I am sure my mum will like it. My best friend was someone else I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150612729989506012006-06-18T07:17:00.000+01:002006-06-18T07:38:50.016+01:00

I still haven't been that much in the mood to stitch. So this week I haven't done much. I haven't even bothered with Hardanger that much. I've been doing a tiny bit of the black matt at a time. You would think it was large in size the time it is taking me. The truth is the black on black is putting me off. It's just so hard to see. I did pick up Bugs again for a while. I finished off the black

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150180711172995312006-06-13T07:20:00.000+01:002006-06-13T07:38:31.213+01:00

I still haven't sorted out which of the freebies I am sending to charity but I did pick out a small pile that I want to stitch to begin with. This little ballerina was from Cross Stitch Card Shop and was at the top of my pile. She was easy to stitch up. Mind you if I had read the instructions before I began stitching I wouldn't have panicked about running out of thread. She was supposed to be

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150099925183858962006-06-12T08:48:00.000+01:002006-06-12T09:14:21.816+01:00

"Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden.Not long after Chiyo discovers her mother is dying a local businessman sell her and her sister. They are separated and Chiyo soon begins training to become a Geisha. Chiyo fights this destiny as she plans to find her sister and return home. She soon accepts what she has to become but the head Geisha of the house stands in her way and does her best to

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1150005842754596322006-06-11T06:42:00.000+01:002006-06-11T07:04:02.790+01:00

Well I finished the matt and it was all going well until I began to cut. I really should have paid more attention while I was doing it. The first thing I did was cut some the thread. The second thing I did was begin cutting out a square that should not have been cut. My third mistake was to cut yet more threads. So it is looking very messy and is unusable. That and it is a little small. It think

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1149949810011890222006-06-10T15:24:00.000+01:002006-06-10T15:31:26.496+01:00

Kathy tagged me with five things I have;Five things in my fridge; Milk, cheese, orange juice, diet coke and salad dressingFive things in my closet; jeans, work t-shirts, cream skirt, DVDs and my back pack with work folders.Five things in my purse; purse, digital camera, MP3 player, notepad, lip balmFive things in my car; I don't own a car, still haven't got round to learning to drive.Five peopl

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1149945729884709112006-06-10T14:13:00.000+01:002006-06-10T14:22:09.926+01:00

Which X-Men character are you most like?You are Professor X!You are a very effective teacher, and you are very committed to those who learn from you. You put your all into everything you do, to some extent because you fear failure more than anything else. You are always seeking self-improvement, even in areas where there is nothing you can do to improve.Take this quiz!QuizillaJoinMake A Quiz More

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1149762687838371962006-06-08T11:21:00.000+01:002006-06-08T11:31:27.876+01:00

Hardanger proves to be very easy to cut out of the fabric without damaging it. My second go at this bookmark was more successful. I started with the outline first this time. I really like these button hole stitches, it really sets off the edging. After I did that I basically made up the rest as I went along. Originally I had planned to cross stitch a little motif in the centre. However, it just

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1149424361017804842006-06-04T13:20:00.000+01:002006-06-04T13:32:41.056+01:00

I have some time off work just now and I have been doing nothing. Well, I knitted a few block towards my sisters blanket but who wants to see photo's of that! Other than that I have been watching DVD's, Doctor Who, reading and sleeping. I can't remember the last time I slept late. I don't let myself do that on my days off because it feels like I have wasted the day. But I slept late yesterday and

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1149149623094851322006-06-01T08:54:00.000+01:002006-06-01T09:13:43.123+01:00

I finished the sampler I was working on. The stitches are untidy but I am pleased with the end result. I think I am pleased with it more for that fact that I put it together myself than anything else. I am encouraged to keep going though which means poor snowmen have been neglected. It's not that I don't want to stitch them it's just that the hardanger is calling out to me more.This is the latest

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148891092708104502006-05-29T09:07:00.000+01:002006-05-29T09:24:52.736+01:00

So here is my finished challenge. From the start I knew I wanted to stitch a black cat and that I wanted it to become a little matt. I got my inspiration from the calico cats but the design itself is my own and I decided to go with a silhouette cat in the end. I also knew that I wanted to create a border using my newly learned hardanger. The silk stitch hearts were added as an extra to fill in

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148796976431886082006-05-28T06:59:00.000+01:002006-05-28T07:16:16.486+01:00

I'm afraid everything else went out the window yesterday as I began to work on San's challenge. A while back I bought chart paper and hunted it out yesterday. I got a few cat images to use as inspiration and started drawing cats into my sketch book. After a few attempts I moved onto the chart paper. The cat itself is now fully stitched and I am just doing some finishing touches. I am making it

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148740706345861912006-05-27T15:21:00.000+01:002006-05-27T15:38:26.403+01:00

I don't really have much of a stitching update. I have done a little work on bugs but not enough for a photo update. I also haven't done much more to my hardanger. Thank you every one for your encouragement.I just wanted to mention San's challenge. Everyone knows her website and so have probably read it for themselves. She also advertised it on her forum. She has challenged everyone to design

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148547627135856822006-05-25T09:34:00.000+01:002006-05-25T10:00:27.180+01:00

Thanks everyone for your lovely comments on bugs. At this point though finishing still seems a long way away. There is still the silver filling in the border, the shading inside the border and then the dreaded back stitch. I managed to get quite a bit more of the border done. More than what I thought I would have by now so there is a little hope that I will finish that part by the end of the week

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148361919337669512006-05-23T06:04:00.000+01:002006-05-23T06:25:19.370+01:00

I managed to do a little work on Bugs yesterday. The top corner has been filled in and I have started to work my way along the top. My hope is that I will get the black of the border done this week. But as I said before this part is slow work. It looks as though it should be straight forward but it is bigger than you think. While stitching I listened to the Big Finish Doctor Who story "Spare

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148197162043955052006-05-21T08:23:00.000+01:002006-05-21T08:44:56.906+01:00

When I first started card making I couldn't stop. I loved nothing more than getting all my supplies out (which were few at that point) and seeing what I could come up with. As time went on though I had certain things in mind before I started. And now when I don't it puts me off so I haven't made as many cards of late. This one I made for a friend and I went back to how I used to do it. No clue

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1148030188737954802006-05-19T10:03:00.000+01:002006-05-19T10:16:28.803+01:00

Managed to do a little more work on the firefly fairies. A lot of her dress is now filled in. I am hoping to get that done for Sunday. The rest of the filling in involves beadwork which I am going to leave until the end. I am now looking forward to moving on to the next fairy although there is still some work on this one. It's just because the next one is blue which is my favourite colour. I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147955992355716452006-05-18T13:05:00.000+01:002006-05-18T13:39:52.393+01:00

"The Cider House Rules" John IrvingHomer Wells is an orphan from St Clouds. He is the oldest orphan there due after three failed attempts at adoption. Homer sees himself as belonging to St Clouds and so begins to learn from Wilbur Larch. He learns to take care of the pregnant women who come to St Clouds and to take care of the orphans. Wilbur Larch hopes that Homer will take over his duties as

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147669768395915712006-05-15T05:51:00.000+01:002006-05-15T06:09:28.436+01:00

I didn't do much more stitching on the snowman. Just a little bit of red on baby snowmans hat which wasn't worth taking a photo for. This week I decided to do a little work on the firefly fairies. Yesterday I picked it up again and was able to get quite a bit of her dress done. It is now really starting to take shape. I am hoping that I will get most of it finished by the end of the week. Next

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147323560444775402006-05-11T05:39:00.000+01:002006-05-11T05:59:20.513+01:00

This is the work I have put into the Snowman this week so far. It looks a little strange because I am working on one sheet of the chart at a time. You can see some of Bert's lower body and part of the outline of the banner. The black and white stripes is part of the hat of baby snowman. Once he has a face I will let you all think of a name for him (or her). I plan on continuing with this for the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147257487804636692006-05-10T11:12:00.000+01:002006-05-10T11:38:07.860+01:00

There is only a few years between my sister and I but we are very close. I like nothing more than spoiling her. I look forward to her birthday and Christmas as it is so easy to chose a gift for her that she will love. When I am out and I see something that I know she will like I find it difficult not to buy it. This time I ordered a CD for her and had it sent in her name as a surprise. It was one

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147166700847996902006-05-09T09:53:00.000+01:002006-05-09T10:25:00.876+01:00

It turns out that I had done more to the snowman stocking the last time I picked it up than I thought. Last night I only had to add a few stitches and the top half is completely finished. A little unexpected surprise. There is still quite a lot to do on the bottom half. There is another snowman (I'll call him baby snowman for now) and then of course the banner to put a name. I am leaving the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147082195815927382006-05-08T10:47:00.000+01:002006-05-08T10:56:35.816+01:00

Two posts in one day after days of none. I'm really sorry about that. I was sick again and it took me longer to recover. Nothing series but it took a lot out of me and I had to spend most of my free time sleeping. I did manage to slowly get back into stitching though.I picked up Bugs again and managed to get a good but of the border done. I have put him aside for now though. This week I am going

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1147081628431661112006-05-08T10:12:00.000+01:002006-05-08T10:47:08.476+01:00

This is my first attempt at a magazine review so I apologize for its poor quality.The exclusive design to the magazine is an All Our Yesterdays chart called "Out Paddling". I do normally like the AOY designs however this one is a little dull. The colours are paler than normal which makes the design seem a little bland. To make up for this though it asks for light effects for the water. While it

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1145260603602782192006-04-17T08:47:00.000+01:002006-04-17T08:56:43.616+01:00

I got this from Mary's blog. She made up a meme called "Six Degrees Of Booking". The point of it is that you link six books within your collection. Here are mine;1. Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland, this is a book which uses a Beatles song for its title as does......2. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, which has a character that gets psychiatric help as does the writer of the next book....3.

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144947554753282822006-04-13T17:25:00.000+01:002006-04-13T18:29:58.510+01:00

"Hokkaido Highway Blues." by Will FergusonThe Cherry Blossoms are very important in Japan. Every year they bloom and fall and the people of Japan set up parties to watch this and celebrate. It is said to begin in the south and work its way up through to the north. During this season there are constant updates on the news and it is a permanent topic of conversation. The fall of these flowers

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144747682043286482006-04-11T10:20:00.000+01:002006-04-11T10:28:02.103+01:00

No stitching updates. I realise I am letting the side down, sorry! It has all been work, work, work the last few days. Hence my lack of posts. I did promise book reviews and I hope to get them up tomorrow. Also, I still have Easter cards to finish. So the next few days I will be a stitching maniac. I now have my doubts on getting them finished. Thanks for the comments on my first two. I decided

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144491107671460382006-04-08T10:44:00.000+01:002006-04-08T11:11:47.770+01:00

Booking Through ThursdayThis week's questions were suggested by Kim.Do you have a favorite character(s)? I love characters in books. That sounds a bit stupid but the characters themselves is the one thing that can make a break a book for me. If the characters are dull and 2D then I am not likely to stay interested in it for long. I'm not sure if I have a favourite though. Here is a list of some

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144304340922011852006-04-06T07:04:00.000+01:002006-04-06T07:19:00.936+01:00

I added little punch out chicks and bunnies to the bottom of the card. I was too tired to come up with anything more creative. Work is nightmarishly busy just now so my stitching has suffered. I've been really too tired to do much when I get home. I sit glazed in front of a DVD before I drag myself off to bed. Or I attempt to read and usually fall asleep. I have been reading the same book for a

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144131420430093562006-04-04T07:05:00.000+01:002006-04-04T07:21:29.013+01:00

My sister finally left for work and ten minutes later I had put together her card. You will recognise the letter from San's blog. I am used the same Easter alphabet from one of the cross stitch magazines. After little souffle I liked the affect using only one strand and decided to do the same with this little character. Again I like the subtle affect. Kim, stitching with one strand isn't

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1144053658942777152006-04-03T09:29:00.000+01:002006-04-03T09:40:58.956+01:00

I am still working on Easter cards and this is my first one complete. These bunny cards are from "Cross Stitch Card Shop" magazine and they take longer to stitch than I thought they would. The back stitch round the daffodils is probably the longest and most tedious part of the card. Although well worth doing. The rest of the back stitch takes no time at all. I did want an aperture card for this

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1143970429005357822006-04-02T10:27:00.000+01:002006-04-02T10:33:49.106+01:00

Did any of you ever visit Bloggers home page? There it would list some blogs worth visiting and there would be at least one or two interesting ones there. Blogger has now created a Blogs of Note page for this purpose. Although I don't comment on them I do read non cross stitch blogs. I came across one that I thought people might find interesting. It's blog about this woman's cartooning called

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1143880241977465372006-04-01T09:13:00.000+01:002006-04-01T09:31:43.680+01:00

Booking Through ThursdayPick one of your favorite authors.Just one? Okay, at the moment that would have to be Haruki MurakamiWhat are some of your favorite books by this author? "Norwegian Wood", "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" and well, I love them allWhy do you like this author? His books are just so different (they are even different in comparison to other Japanese authors).

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1143790513034656522006-03-31T08:32:00.000+01:002006-03-31T08:35:13.046+01:00

I got this story from Boing Boing.Sorry for the absence. Computer problems which are sorted now. I don't have time to write a proper entry just now but will try to soon.

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1143184787234638872006-03-24T07:01:00.000Z2006-03-24T07:21:13.280Z

I saw this meme on Rene's blog and couldn't help but copy it. Here is what you do. Type in your birth year on google and then search under images. Chose a photo that you like and then attach it to your blog. I tag everyone for this. The first photo is from a University campus and the bottom half is inside the computer lab. I liked this image because it just screamed 70's. Well, it did to me

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142928462805105812006-03-21T07:53:00.000Z2006-03-21T08:07:42.853Z

The second grandson now has a face. I think I am going to name him Bert after our dearly departed snowman. If anyone has any suggestions of names for the first grandson I would be happy to hear them. The stitching for his face was done pretty quickly. For the rest of the body there were a lot of colour changes. If it wasn't for that I think I could have got a lot more done. It was worth it

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142866643283237482006-03-20T14:48:00.000Z2006-03-20T14:57:23.310Z

I finished the bottom part of the border on bugs and I am now on to the second corner. The stitching is going slower than I thought it would. It is a little frustrating but I will persevere with it. Plus I do like the way the border looks. It also makes the design seem smaller. I will be working on the border for the next few weeks. I think it will take longer than I initially thought to

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142675569954835452006-03-18T09:36:00.000Z2006-03-18T09:52:49.973Z

I have been dying to see "Walk the Line" since I first saw it advertised. I'm not a Johnny Cash fan but I am a fan of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. I finally got to see the film this week and I really enjoyed it. You don't have to be a fan of the music to really enjoy it. It is really a love story. Johnny's love for his brother, music and then June Carter. Then if you are like me you

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142598239957262502006-03-17T11:35:00.000Z2006-03-17T12:23:59.976Z

This really is the last photo of Bert. As you can see it started snowing again but it didn't last long. As soon as the sun came out the snow was gone within half an hour. It did snow again later in the day but the ground was too wet for it to stay. With any luck Bert will be reincarnated somewhere else in the world."A Wild Sheep Chase" by Haruki MurakamiThe narrator has just divorced his wife and

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142495940737058312006-03-16T07:14:00.000Z2006-03-16T07:59:00.823Z

"The Eye of the World" by Robert JordanIt has been a hard winter in the village of Two Rivers. It has been going on longer than normal and the wolves are now attacking people. The village though is determined to still carry out their spring festival if only to give them some hope. Everyone is excited as a storyteller and a mysterious woman has come to their village. They are then attacked by

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142328441493605572006-03-14T09:22:00.000Z2006-03-14T09:27:21.506Z

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142240902188007392006-03-13T08:41:00.000Z2006-03-13T09:08:23.370Z

For all I hate snow I actually went out playing in it yesterday. My sister and I made our first snowman in years. This is Bert the gay, koala like, snowman. Poor Bert wasn't created until after it had already been raining. So the snow wouldn't roll properly. Instead he was made with a pile and pack technique. The potato was all we could find for a nose which sadly fell off a few hours later. And

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1142157934737660532006-03-12T09:54:00.000Z2006-03-12T10:26:31.276Z

I didn't get much done on the snowman stocking. I did finish off filling in the white of the sign. However, you can't really see that in the photo which is why I haven't bothered taking an update photo.I finished off the marble post that bugs is leaning on and then made a start on the border. I actually spent more time on him than I mean to yesterday. The border takes longer than it seems but I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141991670434899392006-03-10T11:36:00.000Z2006-03-10T11:54:30.450Z

I'm afraid I didn't get any work done on Bugs. Just too much to do. Yesterday I did get some work done on the Firefly fairies. You can now see the neckline of her dress and I have even began work on her neck. With any luck the next time you see this I will have her face finished. I am definitely liking the gold with the pink (looks a little more like pink now). I noticed that there are a lot of

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141822275099555222006-03-08T12:33:00.000Z2006-03-08T12:51:15.170Z

Kim challenged us to post our favourite tea/coffee mug. So here is mine. Like Kim I got this mug because of my collection. I collect frog things. Have done since about the start of high school. I have a few other frog mugs but Kermit here is my favourite since I am also a huge muppet fan. I also have a few other Kermit mugs but this one gets used more than the others. Not sure why, it has just

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141722839881324562006-03-07T08:52:00.000Z2006-03-07T09:13:59.896Z

I was only able to do a little work on the snowman. I did the lettering and the decoration inside the sign. I am now halfway through filling in the sign with white. I have to admit that the sign is the boring part of the design. Mostly because it's not the same as watching the snowmens characters evolve. And then filling in lots of white is a little dull. I am still enjoying the design though. It

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141636788118475842006-03-06T09:05:00.000Z2006-03-06T09:19:48.130Z

Yesterday was Firefly Fairies day. I am slowly working on the pink fairies dress (still think it looks more peach than pink but never mind). On the bottom half I used gold krenik thread and I like the way the two colours look together. You can't really see it from that photo. Once I have finished with the backpiece of the dress I am going to work my way up to her face.Today it is back to the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141537569114600052006-03-05T05:35:00.000Z2006-03-05T05:55:44.866Z

Managed to get quite a bit of Bugs done yesterday. I finished his hand, cane and made a good start on the marble post he is leaning on. The aim for this week is to get the marble post finished and then to begin work on the border. It feels like I don't have much more to go but the border is quite large. And then I have to fill in the rest of with half stitches. It's to give it that aged look.

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141468670687146732006-03-04T10:32:00.000Z2006-03-04T10:41:22.833Z

Yes, I was actually able to get some stitching done yesterday and actually managed quite a bit. I finished with the white on the upper half of the snowmans body. I also stitched his glove and made a start on the sign. Where the sign ends at the bottom is where grandson number two begins. I'll make a start on that once I have finished with the sign. Today I am going to try and do some work on

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141286037765297292006-03-02T07:51:00.000Z2006-03-02T08:14:42.973Z

I got this from Anne You are autumn, self-actualized and totallyrealistic. You concentrate hard on yourstudies and work. People look up to yourintelligence and beauty. You look for thedeeper meaning in anything and love helpingout others. Active and accomplished, you liketo keep things organized.Which Season Are You?brought to you by QuizillaZohrah, I've done the spurting beverage through my nose

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141203830633252412006-03-01T08:58:00.000Z2006-03-01T09:03:50.633Z

I haven't done much in the way of stitching over the last few days. So no updates. I have been busy with studying. I have some time off next week so hopefully that will allow me to play catch up.I did make time to watch "Serenity". For those who don't know what it is about. It is a sci fi film about a crew who will take on just about any job just to get by. Two of their crew are running from the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1141203150450897532006-03-01T08:41:00.000Z2006-03-01T08:52:30.476Z

I got this from San( ) Crashed a friend’s car( ) Stolen a car(X) Been in love(X) Been dumped( ) Shoplifted( ) Been fired( ) Been in a fist fight( ) Snuck out of your parent’s house(X) Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back( ) Been arrested( ) Gone on a blind date( ) Lied to a friend(X) Skipped school(X) Seen someone die(X) Been to Canada( ) Been to Mexico(X) Been on a plane( ) Set a

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140863233715778122006-02-25T10:16:00.000Z2006-02-25T10:27:13.806Z

But sadly he is married. I heard an interview with Jack Johnson a few days ago. From what I heard of him his personality actually fits his music. That's not something I usually notice but in this case it wasn't difficult. He comes across as very laid back and mellow. Happy with his achievements but doesn't seem to make a big deal out of them. I love this album and have it playing all the time

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140780549779145822006-02-24T11:28:00.000Z2006-02-24T11:29:09.803Z

Your Eyes Should Be BrownYour eyes reflect: Depth and wisdomWhat's hidden behind your eyes: A tender heartWhat Color Should Your Eyes Be? I was hoping for a new colour, oh well!

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140780217187702742006-02-24T11:02:00.000Z2006-02-24T11:23:37.203Z

I didn't bleach the fabric again. You can see here how faint the markings are. I am just hoping that it will stand out more once the stitching is finished. In my defense though I was using a weak bleach (which explains why the stain is so faint) and the instructions recommend that you keep going until it is as light as you want it. I have stitched one of the fairies arms. In the picture on the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140506471220174852006-02-21T06:28:00.000Z2006-02-21T07:21:11.303Z

I just want to thank everyone for their comments on the dragon bookmark. I really appreciated it. I think if it wasn't for all your support I probably wouldn't have though twice about not finishing it. I am now glad that I did. Also thanks for the luck on bleaching my fabric. It went okay. It's not as bright as I expected and I am tempted to go over it again. My sister on the other hand has

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140428746513686142006-02-20T09:40:00.000Z2006-02-20T09:45:47.803Z

I FINISHED!!!!! You have no idea what a relief it is to have finished this one. I don't know how many times I almost gave up on it. I loved the colours and I loved the design. However those tiny stitches dotted all over the place were a nuisance. And they didn't make the back stitch any easier. I would love to say that I will carry out my plans of stitching this in blue. I severely doubt I will.

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140337992659956922006-02-19T08:16:00.000Z2006-02-19T08:40:18.620Z

I haven't done much stitching since my last post. Too busy studying or reading. I am hoping to finish the dragon bookmark today though. So hopefully there will be a post celebrating a happy dance tomorrow. I also haven't had the guts yet to try bleaching the fabric for FF. Thanks to reading all your comments though I am going to bite the bullet and do it tomorrow. I am also now thinking about

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1140166209334239192006-02-17T08:32:00.000Z2006-02-17T08:50:09.360Z

I didn't get as much done on Bugs as I had hoped. I did finish his jacket and I really like the way it looks now it is finished. I had hoped to get a really good start on his gloves too. However, because of work I only managed to get a little start to one. I am now itching to see him finished although I know it will take some time. The border is quite large and then most of the background is

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139907653019792822006-02-14T08:44:00.000Z2006-02-14T09:00:54.056Z

I was able to finish the rest of snowman twos hat and did the outline of his face. His eyes make him look a little sad. That will change once the back stitch is done. He actually has laughter lines. And he has a little grin like snowman one. You just can't see it yet. Hopefully you will the next time I update. There is actually very little back stitch to this design. Another reason for me to love

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139822616832940752006-02-13T09:18:00.000Z2006-02-13T09:23:36.843Z

I am nearing an end with my stitching nightmare. I would ignore the rest of my rota just to get this done but the rest of my rota keeps me sane. I don't think I would mind those tiny stitches so much if they were all together and weren't in so many different shades of red. He is getting there though and I am sure I will like him better when he is finished. It is a little disappointing as I had

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139732741262296012006-02-12T08:04:00.000Z2006-02-12T08:25:41.276Z

A few days ago I asked if anyone kept a craft journal like myself. Lili really took to the idea and has asked to see others if they have them. So here is a photo of two of my pages. This one is about a journal I made. It has an example of the paper I used as well as photo's and diagrams. This is quite a long one as it was a large project (for me anyway). Most take up only one page. The reason I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139570003160853212006-02-10T11:05:00.000Z2006-02-10T11:13:23.173Z

This is going to be a short blog entry as I have some studying I want to do. So here are my updates of Bugs and the dragon bookmark. I am steadily working on Bugs jacket and it seems to be coming along. The dragon bookmark is a lot slower than I thought it would be. It's all those annoying little stitches that is taking so long. I doubt I will stitch this again after all. I just hope that it will

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139378064798585432006-02-08T05:34:00.000Z2006-02-08T05:54:24.863Z

I know I said that the rest of my UFO's would take time to finish but this one was just as much a surprise to me. Last week I was doing a little tidying. I went through a folder of some charts I had planned on working on soon. In one of the polly pockets I found this little guy just about finished. He has been left this way so long that I really have no memory of stitching him. I do know that it

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139308927009621492006-02-07T10:28:00.000Z2006-02-07T10:42:07.066Z

Until yesterday it had been over a week since I stitched on him. Looking at his little face I feel a little guilty about leaving him behind. I surprised myself with how much I managed to get done. I finished off the blue trim of his hat and then stitched the rest of it. I even managed to make a start on the next snowman. The red at the top belongs to the second snowman. I think that by the end of

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139220165480177422006-02-06T09:57:00.000Z2006-02-06T10:06:45.240Z

I told you that it isn't that exciting. This is the beginnings of a dragon bookmark. As I mentioned before I fell in love with this design as soon as I saw it. I didn't expect it to be so difficult though. The chart is a little hard to follow and have already had to do unpicking to fix one or two mistakes. Also As well as the normal two over two stitching when it comes to linen. There is also

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1139117673106570892006-02-05T05:22:00.000Z2006-02-05T06:31:03.423Z

"Tremeraire" Naomi Novik.Britain is at war with Napoleon and the British nave are doing their best in the fight. Including Lawrence, a young naval Captain who has made a great start to a bright career in service. That is until they attack a ship which turns out to be carrying a dragon egg. Good for Britain but not good for Lawrence who's career with Navy is at an end when the dragon insists on

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138963139102377862006-02-03T10:16:00.000Z2006-02-03T13:35:46.976Z

Thanks again for all your lovely comments. I loved stitching The Christmas Elf and I do recommend her to anyone who loves mirabelia designs or who would like to try one but is daunted by the size. I found out from Jenn's blog that the next one will be the Easter fairy. So I look forward to seeing what that one will look like and hopefully adding it to my collection. As for what I am stitching

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138906725220034822006-02-02T18:32:00.000Z2006-02-02T18:58:45.296Z

I just want to thank you all for your support. I appreciated your comments and I do realize that time will heal. It is just hard to see it just now. My reactions have been pretty strange. Or at least they seem strange to me. Already I miss him. But at the same time I am angry. Angry at the way he did it and angry at myself for not seeing it coming. Angry at him because when I look back at the

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138810740757984242006-02-01T16:09:00.000Z2006-02-01T16:39:35.280Z

Thank you for all your lovely messages. And yes I am back and will eventually catch up with everyone's blogs. Just don't be too surprised if it takes me a while to get completely back on track. I guess you are all wondering what happened. It wasn't anything serious, at least no illnesses or anything like that. Basically I came out of a long term relationship. And I wasn't expecting to. While I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138476282204329872006-01-28T19:23:00.000Z2006-01-28T19:24:42.243Z

I'm going through a few things just now and so don't feel up to posting much. I will be back when I'm feeling better.

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138170008487356702006-01-25T05:56:00.000Z2006-01-25T06:21:21.683Z

Sorry everyone. I'm still being good and sticking to my rota but thank you for all your encouragement. I really appreciated it.Yesterday was UFO day which lead to another finish. Yep, the castle which has sat untouched for months is finally finished. I classed it as a UFO because I basically had to force myself to pick it up. It's amazing how much I have went off this chart. I'm sure I will grow

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138083936605089772006-01-24T06:16:00.000Z2006-01-24T06:36:49.100Z

Jobs you’ve hadI have had a total of three jobs in my life and they have all been in retail4 films you’d watch over and over1. Lord of the Ring Trilogy2. Star Wars3. Miss Congeniality4. Muppet Treasure IslandFour Places I Have LivedI have lived in the same area all my life.4 T.V. shows you love to watch1. Doctor Who2. Star Trek3. Battlestar Galactica4. Desperate Housewives4 Places you’ve been on

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138082620112643312006-01-24T05:45:00.000Z2006-01-24T06:03:40.130Z

Yep, I was a good girl and stuck to my rota (sorry Lili). Actually I had very good reason to. I start work early today (hence the early post) and new that if I worked on the charismatic elf fairy I wouldn't go to bed until she was finished. As it turns out I wasn't able to do that much as I was very tired. But you can see what I have done. My little snowman now looks like he really is part of a

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1138002623162547112006-01-23T07:41:00.000Z2006-01-23T07:52:36.190Z

Well, I didn't do any reading last night after all. Instead I plonked myself in front of the TV. It was only meant to be for five minute. But as soon as I picked up my stitching it was fatal. I managed to give the Christmas elf hair, hat, boots and the start of wings. I would have finished the tree too but I'm not sure about using the krennik. Anyone any suggestions? Basically the chart says to

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137919182324267372006-01-22T08:32:00.000Z2006-01-22T08:44:31.826Z

It doesn't look like I have done much but I am about half done with this shade of grey. The rounded part at the bottom will become bugs hand. I'm not sure if you can tell but he has his arm resting against something. To be honest it won't really look right until the filling in is done. A lot of that will be done on the next shade. As yet I'm not becoming bored with the colours. I am just enjoying

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137842934604615872006-01-21T10:55:00.000Z2006-01-21T11:28:54.633Z

Not that much work done on her. I did manage to finish the skirt. And she now has hands and a face. A floating face but still a face. The floating part won't change until the very end when I make a start on the beads. I think they will be the first beads I attach though. If you want to see this finished take a look at Kathy's blog. She is planning on turning hers into a Christmas cushion which I

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137744295053439902006-01-20T07:40:00.000Z2006-01-20T08:04:55.113Z

"Haruki Murakami" by Jay RubinThis isn't a biography but a book about Murakami's writing. It has some biographical details but they are all related to his books. It goes through just about all of the books that have been translated and published here. Describing possible influences and his ideas. It also explained why he describes a lot of Western culture in his books and how he was criticized

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137666199417776582006-01-19T10:05:00.000Z2006-01-19T10:23:19.440Z

Well, Bugs may look sly but he will also look suave. I finished the shirt and bow tie. You can see the bow tie a little but I was right about it not really standing out. At least until I do the backstitch. The white at the side of his shirt looks a little like a hand but it's not. It is actually a flower and a handkerchief which will also stand out more with the backstitch. I have made a start on

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137580240494104852006-01-18T10:18:00.000Z2006-01-18T10:30:40.510Z

I decided to copy Flosslady and set a day aside for UFOs. This design is called "Jewel of the Orient" and is from Dimensions Gold collection. I first bought this kit about five years ago with some birthday money I had received. I had not long taken up stitching so it was a bit of a challenge for me and my first large design. I did get it just about finished. There were a number of mistakes but

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137491135288549772006-01-17T09:39:00.000Z2006-01-17T09:47:36.006Z

I managed to get quite a bit done on the stocking. You can now see more of the jumper and an earmuff. Or at least the start of one. It looks as though half has been cut off. The reason for this is that the chart comes in four sheets. And I have decided to work on one sheet at a time. So until I get onto the next sheet these poor snowmen are going to look like they have been cut in half.I'm still

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137400224400928322006-01-16T08:20:00.000Z2006-01-16T08:30:24.416Z

Well now that my CW marathon is over I brought out Christmas Elf Fairy again as promised. I managed to get quite a bit done. Although what I have been calling a dress I am now pretty sure is a coat. And the dress is the part at the bottom I am stitching just now. Anyway I finished the pinks in the 'coat' and also managed to do the white trim. For that I got to use a lovely white fluffy thread

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137318413532019582006-01-15T09:39:00.000Z2006-01-15T09:46:53.633Z

I did some work on Bugs as promised. I filled in his ears and eyes. Almost sorry I did the eyes. He looks kind of sly. I am sure that will change once I finish the design and do the backstitch. I have moved onto his body and I am working on his shirt and bow tie. I am not sure if they will show until the backstitch is done because they are all in the same colours. I am enjoying stitching him

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137142662928853892006-01-13T08:07:00.000Z2006-01-13T09:02:41.530Z

And this one was a hit. I made Southern Fried Chicken. It was fairly easy to make. Also a lot quicker than the soup since there was no chopping involved. The only problem I had is that the breadcrumbs slid off in places once cooked. As you can see it is quite a large plate of chicken. I had a couple of pieces with my dinner. The rest of my family were all out for dinner. About an hour after they

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1137058575748982502006-01-12T09:25:00.000Z2006-01-12T09:36:15.830Z

All the beadwork is done and Celtic Winter is now finished. I am not sure exactly how long I have been working on her but my rough guess would be six months. I was only going to work on the beads a little last night. I thought I would do one side of the border then go onto something else. When that was done I thought okay I'll do the top of the border and then go to bed and read. By that point of

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5859356.post-1136972388696002432006-01-11T09:35:00.000Z2006-01-11T09:39:48.726Z

This is just a quick update. I got my speedy needle out and finished stitching the outline of the border. I was originally just going to go to bed after that. But of course I had to at least make a start on beads. Just to get me going! Next thing I knew I had finished the beads in her hair, neck, dress and muff. Now all I need to do is the beads in the border. There is more of that to do so it

karensffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08064729579331244412noreply@blogger.com2