A Stitching Love Affair

Yes summer is on it's way! Daylight savings has started so that means I can go out cycling after work! Hooray!!! Still, it doesn't that it's going to be warm.... I haven't done a lot on Roses of Paris since my last post, instead I have been stitching Venice. Now I really don't like stitching on aida, it feels like cardboard, BUT this had a pattern on the fabric, so no choice there, and for all it's stiff scratchy feeling, it stitches up really fast! Most of it is done except for some half stitching on the bottom left corner. Roses of Paris Before- After- It's getting there! Next up is Italian View Before- After- I haven't been doing a lot of stitching with daylight savings started now, I'm usually out walking/running up the hill or cycling, I can't wait for summer! I couldn't resist a Ginga Ninja picture to finish :) Thanks for looking! Michelle

It has been a while since my last post...oops, ok so I have been watching the Tour de France Anyway I have done heaps on Rose of Paris Before: After: I have also picked up Lake Como again, I really need to do more on this Before: After:  July is also Tour de France month, so no guesses what I do at the weekends! Watching the tour and cross stitch! My favourite rider is riding for Astana and was doing very well, unfortunately he crashed and lost heaps  of time :(  I look forward to going back to France next year to watch. The lovely Jakob Fuglsang :) And last but not least I got Tuscany Town mandala framed, and it is huge! Happy stitching! Michelle

I have been doing quite a lot on this when I watch the Giro d'Italia cycle race, and there is a LOT of backstitching!!! Before- After- Hopefully this won't take me as long as the Tuscany Town mandala, I think next I would like to do the Paris mandala but first I need to finish this one!

Well what an interesting April I had... Firstly I went on holiday to Hawaii, which was awesome! I was in Honolulu for 3 days and Kona for 4. It was a jam packed holiday with not much time spend laying about on the beach (I'm not really a lie on the beach type anyway) I wish I had more time there to actually drive around the island, but maybe I will do that on my next trip! Then after the Hawaiian holiday I had another week off work as my boss was still away, so I had plenty of stitching time!! So to the stitchy stuff... Italian View Before: After: Roses of Paris Before:  After: I have mostly been concentrating on Roses of Paris as I am really enjoying stitching it, I think my next Chatelaine will be Paris, or maybe London...Hmmm decisions, decisions Happy stitching Michelle

Hello everyone I have finally finished the Multiplication sampler!! By The Historical Sampler Company (Kindly loaned to me by Nicola, as this is now out of print) Fabric 28-count DMC floss I have also picked up Athena by Mirabilia Before: After: I don't think I have picked this up for a couple of years, but it is now on my list to finish this year. Italian View is also coming along nicely. Before: After: Also and update on Lake Como Mandala Before: After: A couple of weekends ago I went for a walk up Mt Oxford. It takes about 7 hours, so it's not an easy climb by any means! But the view is worth it when you get to the top. The birds you see in the photos are Keas, which are New Zealand's native parrot, and they are very naughty birds! They will dismantle your car, well at least the rubber seals around the car windows and steal anything not nailed down. They also are not shy with people!

Well I seem to be a bit late with the Merry Christmas and Happy New year, but better late than never! I spend 10 days over Christmas and New Year in Sydney with some friends which was really nice and relaxing. I even managed to do quite a bit of stitching then too! We even had a very friendly kookaburra that comes to visit and you can get so close to him and just about feed him by hand. I went back to work on the 6th January, but I will have a longer break in April while my boss is away, and I will be kitty sitting for my parents when they go away. Its a great excuse to sit around and stitch all day and catch up on all the TV programmes I miss! Anyway here is my progress: Multiplication Sampler- Before After It's nearly there! I think last time I forgot to post a photo of my finish of the Beatrix Potter Alphabet, so here it is- Lastly I was reading a fabulous blog called My French Country Home  by Sharon Santoni, full of all thi