Is that a face?

It could be . . . a little of the side of my Fairy Tales Maiden is slipping in there.  The photo is a little "washed out", so you can't really see the nice colours making the shadows of her face.  I am really satisfied with the way it is coming around.  :) When I at last learn to use a camera properly, I will take a nicer picture (hubby is much better than I am!).

Isn't Cape Town beautiful?

(This picture is clickable)

Blog Candy

This is a great give-away!!  I would love to be the winner . . . check it out here.

Ending 30 September 2009

EDIT:  Congratulations Barb-Corgi.

Heritage day

Today is national heritage day here in South Africa.  We have such a huge variety of nationalities and cultures but the one thing all South Africans have in commen, is a love to "braai" (barbeque I guess would say it best in English but the term means so much more).  So today has also become NATIONAL BRAAI DAY.

Today is pretty dreary - it is overcast and it has been looking like rain will fall since this morning but I am sure most South Africans are standing in front of a fire, waiting to burn some meat right now :)    Hubby is a pretty loyal braaier but I haven't said anything about it . . . so it looks like we are going to give it a miss . .

I have been stitching some on my HAED project and here is a progress picture . . . I am really having a lot of fun on this one.

Want to join in the fun?

I was looking around different sites and I see so much different fabrics around - too many to ever be able to buy. So, I thought "wouldn't a kind of a swap be kinda cool"? Maybe we could all just come together and send two/three blocks (maybe 5" (13cm) to each other and then use it to make something special to showcase on our blogs on a certain date? Just a little impronto kinda project? Or do you have another idea?

More blog candy

We are helping to celebrate 29 years of marriage on this blog . . . wow, isn't that absolutely wonderful!!

See the lovely give-away here.

Ending 07 October 2009

Blog candy

Fiona is having a jelly roll give-away to celebrate her huge sale - see here for all the specials she has on offer.

Ending 30 September 2009

EDIT:  Congratulations Ariane.

Spring has sprung!

Today is the official first day of spring here in South Africa (although it doesn't feel like it yet - still have my long sleeves out). I absolutely love winter (nothing better than a fire in the fireplace and rain beating on the windows) but today I thought for the first time that a change from my winter clothes would be nice . . .

In celebration of spring, I have changed to a little fun spring background for the next few days . . . weeks . . . isn't it pretty?

Blog candy

Isn't that just the cutiest way of referring to a give-away (too cute!).

There is some blog candy here - but you have to hurry, its ending soon! You could win a jelly roll . . . I would love that!

EDIT: Mel won this wonderful gift!

And another weekend bites the dust.

It Sunday evening and I am trying to get my mind right so that I am not in a bad mood tomorrow when I have to get up for work. This week is only going to be four days long (yeahhh) and that is because Thursday is a public holiday. Hopefully that will mean that Friday will be a slow day . . . here's hoping! Last time I had that hope it turned out horribly (see a few posts back). It is still early, so I am positive.

I did do some stitching (off course) and here it is:

And let the confetti start falling . . . so far it is only red and black but hey, it's only page 1!! Still my favourite piece so far. MAMMA MIA is on the dish tonight, so I will be doing a little of the "good stuff" (as Nancy calls it) while watching.

It is that time again!

Yes, time for the Totally Useless SAL again - and here is mine.

I have started pressing down or else I won't be able to keep this container until 31 December :)

Isn't the web great?

I just love shopping online.

I will admit, I hate shopping IRL. I hate having to go from one shop to another, searching and searching. I used to love that when I was younger. I could go to the shopping mall for no reason and just browse . . . but now trying to get past hundreds of people that just stop dead in front of you for no reason - and the lines at the till . . . urgh! Just thinking of the Chrismas shopping lying ahead, is making me cringe.

This morning, I have spend the last two hours browsing "Sew and So". . . and filling a shopping cart. Yes, I know I will filter it out again and get rid of some for the next shopping date but it is just so much fun filling the cart with all your wishes without looking at prices. And all that without lifting a toe . . . :)

Fairy Tales

This is what have been keeping me busy (and sane) in the evenings this past week. This is such an easy and very relaxing piece so far. It is the Aida that makes it easy and the colors just flows and flows which just relaxes me . . . (I am sure the confetti stitches is still coming. LOL)

Goodness HAED patterns have soooo many different colors!! I have been buying the colors in drips and drabs because floss is really expensive here. But I will be spending a little tomorrow to get some of the colors I still need (what a surprise, huh? I keep on spending my extra money on stitchy things!). Hopefully I will then be able to get a little past the background this weekend. :) Can't wait to get some of her face in the picture. . .

It's Friday . . .

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I just bought Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol today, so I will turn to page 56 . . . and the fifth sentence . . .

Somehow, the oneness of this shared experience, the coalescing of millions of minds, had affected the randomizing function of these machines, organizing their outputs and bringing order from chaos.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Making cup cakes . . .

Got this email today and just had to share the cuteness . . .

MAKING CUPCAKES

"A Charming Give-away"

A sweet give-away on "Badlands Quilts". Take a look!

Ending 16 September 2009

EDIT: Congratulations ladmquilter

Among the Gum Trees

The designers at the new blog, Among the Gum Trees are giving free Chrismas downloads every Monday from October 5th. Go and check out their blog!

Pay it forward

What a surprise - my name was drawn by Elisa and I am now part of the "PIF" game!! PAY IT FORWARD works like this:

When you enter the draw (and are one of the chosen three) you will receive a piece of hand stitched work from me within the next 12 months. If you win, you must then also offer the same on your own blog and keep the kindness going on and on and on . . .

So if it sounds like something you would like to do, please leave a comment on this post. I will draw three winners on our public holiday on 24 September 2009.

EDIT: Closed

Oh the joy.

Oh the joy of easy stitching! The joy of just letting the stitching flow without having to count every few seconds (yes,that means not too many confetti stitches - yet). The joy of 14 count Aida (yeah the big holes one!), I have forgotten how much easier it is.

Mmmm, what a lovely Saturday . . . hubby was away at work and I had the house to myself. First I couldn't decide - would I go into town (I received a voucher for one of our shops that sells some wonderful edible goodies) or would I just laze around the house while I had not obligations. Well laziness won and I decided to sort through my materials and drool over my HAED designs. In the end, I though I would just let myself stitch a while on some 14 count Aida - just to relax and have fun. :) I took out another Quick stitch pattern and this time it had big bloches of flowing color - no confetti stitches so far. It was so much fun to just let it all blow over me . . . our cable station have a "Crime and Investigation" station and I let that play in the background . . . pure bliss! Not the crimes, the stitching!!! :)

I also stitched on the Gothic Girl a little and I will post picture tonight of both . . .
Have a relaxing Sunday.

Give-away for a 200th post celebration.

Elisa is celebrating her 200th post - WOW!! Take a look here. Some great goodies are up for grabs to the winner.

Ending 20 September 2009

EDIT: Deborah is the lucky winner.

Half the week is past already.

Thank goodness! I seem to live from weekend to weekend at the moment. But it has to get better sometime, right. I just need to hang on long enough. Or I need to just get to the point where I don't allow it to bother me this much. But that might not be possible for me . . . I tend to take things a little too personally.

What a midweek today is . . . 090909 - just look at that! Now we just have to wait for 9 minutes past nine tonight 0909090909 . . . LOL

I have been stitching and I have a little bit of an update on the Gothic girl. She is coming around slowly but surely. :) I just enjoy her so much at the moment. :)


BEFORE:
TODAY:

Give-away from a very talented quilter

Wow, just take a look at this blog MissyMack . . . there is a beautiful purple quilt a few posts down. Wow, I can't wait till the day I have enough experience to attempt something like that. I am in love with this quilt!!

Sam is celebrating her 100th post and are having a give-away of some yummy stuff. Take a look!

Ending: 12 September 2009

EDIT: Congratulatins Sue.

Another weekend gone.

I can't believe that this weekend is gone already! How is that possible? Weekends just fly past and then it is back to that place . . . that place I hate . . . that place that pays my salary and drives my stress levels insane! Weekends are just too short - it is not right! Thank goodness for a little stitching.

I did some stitching on Girly Gothic - and here she is. I just love this pattern!! It is so much fun (can't really explain why). Can't wait to order some fabric and start on the big projects . . . but in the meantime, I just love these little Quick Stitch ones. But they are not really so quick . . . they are pages long . . . but still in comparison with 40 pages, I guess . . .

Here is a picture of the progress. :)

Open house . . .

I found this wonderful blog this morning called Needle Little Inspiration - she is having an OPEN HOUSE with absolutely gorgeous give-aways. Head over and you will be absolutely blown away - WOW.
Ending 10/11 September 2009

I frogged it

Just a quick note to let you know that I decided that I won't be able to do it - so out came all I have done so far. I frogged the few stitches I put in. I will work further on Girly Gothic while I contemplate what to do further. Thank you for all your encouragement! You are the best!!

Don't know about this . . .

I tried stitching 1 over 1 on 28 count Jobelan last night - I don't know if I am going to be able to do this? The stitches are very small and very difficult to see especially since it is also black floss . . . I have only done one row (80 stitches) and think I give try another few lines before I make my final decision . . . but I have my doubts. If I do decide to go to Aida or a lower count fabric (or even over two) it is going to make this girl enormous!

I have decided that I can't decide

It is just too difficult for me to make a decision. I cannot choose between "Queen of Hearts" and "The Passing".
You have probably been thinking in those lines too, huh? Yes, you guessed it . . . I will have to do both (which will probably take years!!). I will put the first few stitches in the queen tonight. So many floss is needed for these three patterns that I will probably be doing it all in batches - just stitching on the one that I have the floss for at that time. :)
I really should stop looking at the patterns now, as a few more have caught my eye! I am really very, very bad at this.

Beary give-away

Just look at this cutie!! His name is Peeka BOO and he is celebrating the silver anniversary for Ginger. Take a look on her blog here.
Ending: 24 September 2009


EDIT:  Oh Cheryl, you lucky, lucky girl!!