Damask Roses update

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. I worked on a Popcorn freebie after my last post, but he's been abandoned with just his inner ear to go because I just wanted to get back to Damask Roses. I am even thinking of taking her overseas with me in a few weeks. She's a fairly easy stitch due to the big blocks of colour and I am hoping there'll be plenty of relaxation time, despite the full schedule. It might be quite apt for her to be my travel project since she's Grecian and once place I'm going to is Cyprus!



I am looking forward to some guilt-free stash spending after the holiday (and on holiday, of course). There are so many charts I like at the moment, but then I remind myself that I just never know what lovely stuff I might see on my travels. I did pick up this magazine last week though, since I hadn't bought any in quite some time. It has a few nice projects in it - including Ladye of the Castle which is a cute sampler.



It's freezing here, the Tararua mountains have a very thick covering of snow on them, and have had for over a week which is quite unusual for this mild corner of the world. Here's hoping you're keeping warm or cool, depending on where in the world you may be.

Squishy Chicken

It is amazing what people search for on the internet. I was checking out my blog stats and saw someone found my blog because they were searching for 'squishy chicken'. This of course relates to my earlier post re 5 things I have in my handbag.

This is my squishy chicken....



I don't know (nor do I want to know) if the term 'squishy chicken' refers to anything more sordid, so I hope the searcher knows that this is a stitching blog!! LOL

I agree Nicki, those snow leopards were stunning. I read that the camerman was brought to tears while filming them, realising he had some very rare and precious footage. (Didn't he just!)

I haven't answered a Stitching Blogger's Question before, because I've never taken the time to find out where these are posted. But I saw this question on Margaret's blog and thought I would answer.

How many cross stitch books do you own and how often do you use them?

I have five:

Donna Kooler's 555 Fabulous Cross Stitch Patterns
Jo Verso's Cross Stitch Year
Jo Verso's World of Cross Stitch
Ultimate Floral Cross Stitch
and (as can be seen in my last post) The New Cross Stitch Sampler Book



I've used them quite a number of times, especially 'Jo Verso's Cross Stitch Year'. I love looking through them and pull them out quite often for a flip through. I'm really looking forward to stitching some designs from the Sampler book I bought on Wednesday. I guess I would buy more books if they were more widely available and weren't so expensive.

Losing it

Do you find in this technological day and age that there are just too many passwords to remember? I couldn't for the life of me remember how to get into my voicemail at work on Monday, today I couldn't get into my online banking which I was only in yesterday (I didn't even realise I'd forgotten my password until I was locked out and had to phone the bank)... I fear my brain is having a password meltdown.

One thing I haven't forgotten is how good a new stitchy purchase is - especially when the items are discounted. LOL. I picked up this book in a sale yesteray it has quite a few nice designs in it, and then I arrived home to find a CraftWeb catalogue to browse through. A lot of people have a glass of wine while cooking the dinner... not me last night it was wooden spoon in one hand and the CraftWeb catalogue in the other.



Have any Kiwi readers been watching the BBC series 'Planet Earth' on Sunday's at 8.30 pm (on Prime?). Wow! If you want to be reminded of what an amazing and beautiful planet we live on it is sooo worth watching. But right now I'm off to watch the start of 'The Amazing Race'. Hope you're all having a great stitchy week.

A stitching post

I haven't blogged a whole lot lately about stitching... but I have been working away on my exchange piece - and tonight I finished it (in time for tomorrow's posting date). Hurrah. Here's a pic (you can click on it for a clearer view) -



I received the latest monthly installment of Rainbow Club fabric from Country Stitch today. It's a lovely blue called 'Seaside'. I haven't yet thought about what I'll stitch on it.



You would be forgiven if you thought I only had one cat - Tess. She is mentioned regularly on this blog because she's such a pesky, lively character. But I do have two other cats who I love just as much - Meg and Giggsy. So here's a pic of the big fella having a wee sleep tonight. Meg stole his beanbag, so he's had to retreat to the bedroom.



Giggsy was named after a Manchester United star - Ryan Giggs (OH is a big Man U fan) - and would you believe it OH's work mate was up the town today and a radio station was giving away miniature World Cup footballs - and he got one especially for our Giggsy. LOL.

I can't believe it is Friday again tomorrow, and on Saturday just six weeks until our holiday! Some Northern Hemisphere sunshine will be fantastic, it's been very, very cold here lately.

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday Fives.... on Saturday :-)

I've been tagged by Jane. (By the way Jane, a boysenberry is a bit like a blackberry in looks, lighter in colour and perhaps a little sweeter taste wise).

5 things in my fridge
1 leftover Boysenberry Marshmallow Delight (guess what I'm having for dessert!?)
2 several varieties of beer (imported and local)
3 diet coke (since I don't like beer)
4 Camembert cheese
5 Marmite....mmmm yummy

5 items in my closet
1 clothes
2 old family photos
3 stuff I'm selling on TradeMe
4 iPod, digital camera and other electronic guff
5 handbags

5 items in my purse
1 my purse (like Jane my 'purse' is for holding money)
2 perfume
3 squishy chicken keyring - if you squeeze it an egg pops out it's backside (I didn't realise this when I bought it - errrk!)
4 mobile phone
5 swipe card for work

5 items in my car
1 CDs
2 tanning lotion for the solarium
3, 4 & 5 not much else, we keep it very clean

5 people to tag
anyone who feels like putting this on their blog!

Houston...we have lift off

Tess has finally cracked it. We came home from work today and she had clearly used the cat door (she was outside when we left for work, and peering out at us when we arrived home this evening). She has since used it several times tonight... here's hoping it now arouses the curiosity of Meg and Giggsy. Thanks heaps to Karen who suggested taking the magnet off the door. I told OH who thought it was an excellent idea and promptly removed it. It sure makes a difference.

Now for something a little different. Feel like completely ruining your diet? Then this is the recipe for you -

BOYSENBERRY MARSHMALLOW DELIGHT
(Serves about six to eight people)

500ml cream
1 large tin boysenberries
large packet of marshmallows
2 tablespoons of icing sugar
1 tablespoon of cornflour
2 tablespoons of sugar

Drain boysenberries and reserve syrup

Whip cream and icing sugar

Fold boysenberries and marshmallows into the cream and chill (don't worry if the boysenberries break up, they are inclined to do this)

Heat juice and sugar (I put it in the microwave for a minute at a time)

Thicken with cornflour

Cool sauce, pour over cream and boysenberries in a bowl

Finally, enjoy (and don't feel guilty, afterall you only live once!!).

I made it tonight for our visitors and it went down a treat.


I have been stitching away on my exchange piece and am happier now I can see it progressing. I hope to have a photo to share by the end of this long weekend (we can thank Queen Elizabeth for being born for having Monday off - go Queenie!).

Have a great stitchy weekend!