TUSAL Update Time!

Well, I've been stitching more this month, but it doesn't seem to be showing in my bowl. Maybe it's because the bowl is so large that once a small amount goes in, it needs to have a really large amount to make any obvious difference.

It could also be that I'm stitching with Vikki Clayton silks, so I'm being very frugal with my orts. Anyway, if you want to join in the TUSAL click here. Yoyo is giving a small gift to the 100th sign-up, it's at 96 now.



Sorry about the quality of the pic, it's grey and gloomy today.

Well, I'm off to look at everyone else's update, and see who our new members are.

Tusal update, a finish and some competition links

Here's my Totally Useless SAL update for this month. Hmmm, not much of an increase, just some floss, some knitting wool (black and orangey) and some linen from fringing my ornaments. BTW, if you are reading the Twilight series, don't read past the competition details, there's a spoiler depending on how far you are into the series.



Since I finished my cross stitch gifts last month, I haven't been stitching much. I tend to stitch more closer to a deadline, and the next major deadline is not until November. I have been knitting though, as soon as the temperature drops I want to get my knitting needles out. I made a blanket for Jack cos he keeps jumping on the lounge or dragging it off to snuggle up on mine which is made of eyelash wool and is really warm and cuddly. I only had 4 balls of eyelash leftover, so it's about 24" square, but Jack doesn't like it. He wont willingly lay on it, and shakes it off if I put it on his bed. So, I've bought 29 balls of eyelash to make him a big one like ours- that dog is spoilt!




I've made 3 little ornaments for the survivors of the Victorian bushfires earlier this year. I haven't quite finished the tops off, I'm going to just somehow put a little gold Kreinik cord on the top. I must finish off the other two I posted a while ago.



It's a freebie by DaffyCat and a quick stitch. Rather cute, I think!


Now, there's a couple of competitions around at the moment, so I thought I'd post the links in case you've missed them. Of course, I want to win them, so I don't really know why I'm letting you know about them lol.

Bronny is giving away I chart I want,

Cindy is giving away 10 charts and

Carolyn is giving away a lovely assortment of stitchy things.


Just editing to add another giveaway- here's Kim's details for a pretty TW chart!


Editing again to add anoth competition- here's BrokenFairy's giveaway!


Next on my list of things to do is to stitch a Twilight bookmark for Nicholas. We're on the 2nd book now, I'm enjoying the reminders of first love and Nicholas likes the scary parts when they happen, and I hope he's getting an understanding about teenage relationships. We both had tears (me trying not to sob) when Edward leaves Bella.

And I'm going to start my gift for Alison in the UK, who doesn't know about my blog yet, otherwise she'll see what I am stitching for her 50th birthday, and just need to order all the floss so it's the same colour. BTW, I went into Spotlight to buy some DMC 500 at $1.29 (yikes) and that 500 is a different colour to my 500 I have at home (2 skeins bought at different times). My 500 is more Christmas green, this was more jade green, and the colours either side are more jade green. Interesting.

Well, of to look at TUSAL updates now!

Update- I'm trying to post to some blogs, but some blogs keep crashing when I open them, so if I haven't commented on your blog lately and I usually do, then your blog could be one that I'm having trouble with. I'm running Vista, and the message keeps saying the IE can't open the site. I send the details off to Microsoft. Anyone else having this problem?

A boy and his dog

I was going to post about my craft corner, but when I saw the pics I took, the reality of how untidy it was hit home, so I won't be posting until I've had a bit of a tidy up!

So, here's my sweet 11 yo Nicholas with Jack, aka Jackie Chan cos he prances around on his back legs so much. Notice so I don't say anything nice about Jack. I caught him with my TUSAL floss in his mouth, must have dropped some onto the floor. Why is it such a big deal? Cos I haven't got much to contribute so far this month....



I guess I'll be watching patiently to ensure that the floss to make it's way out- thankfully it wasn't much!

My TUSAL update by the lazy blogger

Well, the procrastinator in me had to work really quickly this month, in order to complete the finishing for my dear friend's birthday. I finally got her parcel away yesterday, her birthday is next week so I hope it arrives in time via airmail.

So, here's what I sent her,



I ended up making a pinkeep, using Swarovski crystals as finding pretty pins is quite difficult here. It's by Agnes Delage-Calvet and can be found here- crossing fingers- Creative Poppy

and the back of it is here. I stitched it on some evenweave from a grab bag from Joanne at 123Stitch using the suggested DMC floss.



Next is the floss tag, and I have to say that it was easier than I thought to make, and I now have the 'floss tag' bug!



And finally The Cat's Whiskers 'Heart Strings'. It ended up smaller than I originally had pictured in my mind (rattling around there with not much else!) but I remembered a quilt hanger that I had purchased some 5 years ago (see, I KNEW I would use it one day) and I thought it would look good with the stitching.


Can you see the sun making shadows in the photos? Well, we last saw the sun on Wednesday and since then, WE'VE HAD RAIN! It's been more than 12 months since we've had so much rain in 2 days, over 1 inch! That may not sound much to those who have too much rain, but we've been in an official drought situation for the last 3 years, with restricted water use. So the rain is such a beautiful sight. If it wasn't so cold outside, I would go out and stand in it. Instead, I just drove the car through any big puddles!

And, guess what?! It's TUSAL time, yes, time to show my 'Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long' progress, and time for another link! If you're interested in joining this highly satisfying SAL, then you can find the details on Yoyo's site Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long



It doesn't seem like I've contributed much this month, but I have been stitching. There's a bit of blue froggin' stuff, and another empty needle packet. Still, it's coming along okay. I showed great restraint a few weeks ago. A friend came over to stitch and I was just itching to snaffle her orts, but she binned them before I could even broach the subject of saving them for my SAL (with acknowledgement to her, of course!). Have to invite her over again soon...

What do you think? In my 'floss tag bug' induced frenzy, I started stitching a floss tag for myself. Now that I've finished the front, I'm kinda thinkin' it might be a tiny bit too BIG for a floss tag. So, what else can I make it into? In my hurry to make one, I failed to consider the placement on the fabby, so there's a lack of fabric on one side (or maybe two sides). It measures about 4" wide by 5.5" high (too big for a floss tag?)




Any ideas on what I can turn it into? BTW, it's a freebie by Berthi Smith-Sanders , I thought I downloaded from theworkbasket.net, but the site is down at the moment so I can't check.

Thank you for the help in making links, I think I've mastered the basics!

Finally, It's ANZAC Day here in Australia. Here's a good site with info about itANZAC Day

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Thank you to all those who lost their lives fighting at war. Lest we forget.

Totally Useless SAL TUSAL and Earth Hour

Well, here's my month's collection of orts in a reaaaallly big container. I've got high expectations for this SAL so I reckon I can half fill it by the end. In there is a DMC label and a needle along with DMC floss and Vikki Clayton's Hand Dyed Fibers.



It's gonna look real pretty by the time we're finished. Now don't tell anyone if I ask you to send your orts to me! We'll keep it just between the two of us...

Feel like joining in? You can find the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long details here

dragonmyneedle.blogspot.com/2009/01/progress-and-new-sal.html

you'll need to cut and paste as I'm technologically challenged when it comes to making links.

Oh, btw, we celebrated Earth Hour last night. We did so last year too, but this year we were out until 8.45pm, so we came home into a dark house. Jack, our funny Jack Russell wasn't too happy coming inside to a dark house and having to go to the laundry where he sleeps, in the dark. I really had to rattle the doggy treat jar loudly to get his attention! Nicholas had fun brushing his teeth in the dark, before heading off to bed. Personally, I'd be quite happy to spend the rest of my life going to bed at 9pm to save the planet!

I've framed one cross stitch piece already this morning, the Lizzie*Kate's Love Letters. 1 piece finished completely, only 8 more to go!

Happy Stitching