NOT exactly impressive!

Let me explain what isn't impressive before I go on to the better stuff, and that is my progress on the Ornamental Pool. I had only a few minutes' stitching time during the time we had house guests and have only just been able to pick it up again now. I have yet to make a stitch today though and will get on with that once I'm through with this post and the back-up CDs I'm creating at the same time.

What is rather nice, though, is this certificate I got yesterday morning when I did my viola Preparatory Test. It's not a qualifcation as such, but it was a type of exam that required preparation to a set syllabus and helped me to feel that I could indeed do OK at proper graded exams. I don't think I'll be taking my Grade 1 in November as I fear it would take over my complete lesson time again and I'd like to be able to work towards it alongside my regular course, but I think March next year might be possible. I also took my Grade 2 Theory of Music on Saturday 14th and that was so do-able that I'm aiming for Grade 4 in November and Grade 5 in March. It's nice to achieve something and I like to learn and be tested on things. OK, go on then, call me odd!!!

I forgot to show these, the needlework tools I got as part of my anniversary gift this year. Here we have a stuffing tool for small things (so good for trapunto etc), a stilletto for making holes, a hedebo stick for making various ring shaped things and a set of 3 half cone sticks, most of which will be great for stumpwork things, esp. needlelace stuff. Looking forward to one day having time to do some of that. I'm aching to start a C&G course, but there's no money just now and I have too much other stuff to do anyway. I'm so sick of things being like this! Even the stitching I have planned is all for gifts and feels like work, not hobby fun. My visitors last week were having a great time using some of the fab pencils I showcased earlier in the year and I've been borrowing one library book on drawing buildings for several loans already in the hope of ever getting chance to have a go at working through it. Well, it's still on the shelf virtually untouched. Ever wanted to dump all adult responsibilities and just be a child again who only had to do her school stuff and then play all day long?? I may not have a full-time job or kids, but I still wind up feeling that I'm working all the time.....=( Waaah!

The Happy Dance of the Child of Spring!!

HURRAH! I've finally got COS sewn up into that cushion/pillow after hanging around for about 11 months! I did the stitching on it last June/July and then it was delay after re-take after re-start.... Anyway, I got it done last night and here it is:

I can honestly say that, from start to finish, this project has been a complete pain in the rear! The embroidery part was a great deal more tricky and fiddly than it looked like being and the instructions and chart were not as good as VS normally is. In fact, had this been the first VS design I'd ever done, it would also have been the last, but thankfully I'd already worked two others!! Then we got to the finishing up part. First I used too dark a red border and sewed it on skew-whiff, so that had to come off. Then I used the right red and made the borders too wide, (some of you will remember that!!). Then I got it right, but there was a long delay until I found some decent backing fabric (I finally settled on a matching red with white spots on). I pinned that on and started tacking only to find that I'd got it all square with the spots, but the front was cock-eyed again!! Start again.... Then I had to have two starts in inserting the zip as I started to sew through too many layers. What I have really loved (HEAVY sarcasm here) about this project is the sheer amount of times things have had to be re-done and/or have driven me potty! If it hadn't been for Baby Sis (not baby-sitter, Chiasmata, I have no kids and am too old to need childcare myself!!!! Tee-hee!) I probably would have given in to the frequent temptation to burn it! However, I'm pleased with it now.=)

Carole-Anne said she couldn't imagine how I found time to do embroidery in my busy life. Well, I thought I'd tell you all!! Apart from applying time management principles, the following help:

I have no kids.
We have no pets.
We live in a small, inexpensive home, which requires much less time and money to keep up to than a larger one would.
I don't work much secularly, probably about 150 hours a year as opposed to the about 1700 a full-time worker puts in.
We don't have TV. Well, we have a set, but it's only for playing videos and DVDs and isn't used much. A month can go by without it being set up and watched.
I don't play video, TV, on-line or hand-held electronic games.
I don't make long 'phone calls.
Most of our meals are ready within 30 minutes. Our social life is fairly modest. We're not out 4 or 5 nights a week.
My internet time is kept to a minimum. I read/scan some blogs 2 or 3 days a week, but I don't spend many hours reading dozens and dozens.

DH said that made it sound like we have a very boring life, but it works for me!! I'm never bored.=) BTW, I don't think there's anything intrinsically wrong with any of the above, I just feel that I could lose too much precious time on many of them, so choose not to.=) Anyway, you can see the time savings from the list, can't you? Not that mothers can just put their kids up for adoption, sell their family-sized homes, dump their kids' dogs and so on just to get more stitching time, but I don't have these responsibilities, so I can do other things, although I still feel I would like more me-time!!! I've only actually completed 3½ pieces this year, 2 of which were very small. COS is just finishing up something from last summer. I have 2 WIPs right now, but something else I find makes me quite productive in terms of stitching is that most things are done for other people's special events etc. Deadlines are hugely motivating, don't you think??=)

Snail slow progress

Here's what the 'Ornamental Pool' design is looking like just now. Haven't been able to do much as I've either been mad busy, or dead tired!!! Boom and bust is my life!!! Had a couple of low key days though and hope that will help a bit. I have to do some interpreting tonight for which I don't feel at all well prepared, (the fact that I hate prep doesn't help!), but I expect I'll feel better when that's out of the way.


Home is still in chaos after the redecoration and re-carpetting of the study, so there are still piles of stuff all over the place, just look at the hall here seen from the study doorway! I can't really get the vac out very well! Carpets are dreadful! This is something DH got for himself in Taiwan and has put it on the study door.=) Well, he is the president of his own business, so it's accurate!!! He's also the office junior and the tea-boy..... Cute, though, isn't it? I bet that shop sell as many for fun as they do for serious business!

Hobbycraft clearance spree!

I finally got chance to go down to the Leeds Hobbycraft branch and take advantage of their decision to discontinue stocking Kreinik metallics and YLI silk ribbons and bought these, pretty much all the colours they had:

Hobbycraft's prices are pretty high for most things, but they sometimes do good deals and, although I could still get these, metallics at least, cheaper from the States (and with the pound at US$1.95, it's a great time to buy from across the Pond!), I added them to my collection anyway. It was just a shame that I missed some of the other colours, but you never know, I may be able to get to another branch in the next couple of weeks and see if they have anything.