Hello Stitching Friends

I did mention in one of my posts my plans to visit Ghana, where I come from originally. Well, here I am! We (I travelled back to Ghana with my Mum, who spent Christmas with us in Perth, WA) arrived on 15 April after a 22 hour journey from Perth - Dubai (12hrs) + 2hrs transit in Dubai, then Dubai - Accra (8hrs). Apart from the obvious exhaustion, the trip was smooth and uneventful.

So, for the next couple of months I’ll be writing to you from Accra, the capital of Ghana, in West Africa:

First impressions -  I’d forgotten how humid it is here, so different from the hot dry heat during Perth’s summer. I keep breaking out into bouts of severe perspiration; it feels like I’m living in a sauna. I expect to get used to it in the next week or so; just going through an acclamatisation process right now. 

I’m catching up with family and friends over the next few weeks and not likely to do much stitching for a little while. I’ll try and share a little bit of my motherland with you through photos as I travel about.

Stay tuned and Happy Stitching

Marie-P asked to see the first ever quilt top I’ve made. Well, Marie, here it is! The pattern is Funky Chick Quilt (Margaret’s Wool & Fabrics, Vic) which I bought as a kit from a Craft & Quilt Show here in Perth quite a few years ago. The chooks(=chickens in Aussie) in the quilt have put on such hilarious poses - they won my heart. This is a true quilt in progress (QIP) - it’s been like this for two years at least. Last month I bought the batting and backing to finish it. I may just be lucky enough to get a lap quilt for the coming winter months

Happy stitching until next time!

Pokua

I had not realised how exhausted and off the planet I’d been at the end of 2007. I’ve just found out that Marie-P had tagged me in December, and I’d not even noticed it :oops: Well, it’s never too late to make amend, so here goes: 

The rules: Answer the following on your blog and then let five other bloggers know that you have tagged them to complete the meme.

1. When did you start to create and make craft?
I was raised in a home where needle, thread, fabric and sewing machines were always around. I used to make clothes for myself when I was a teenager and help my mom make outfits for her clients. In 1992 I bought a small cross stitch kit for my neice for Christmas. She asked me to help her to stitch it, and I got hooked.

2. Why did you start creating?
I was just doing what was natural in my environment. I also enjoyed it very much.

3. Why do you create?
It keeps me happy, grounded and it’s another way of expressing my self.

4. What do you create?
Mainly cross stitch. I also knit a little, sew outfits for myself and my daughter, make frames for my finished pieces.

5. Has this changed since you began crafting?
I’ve sewn a quilt top - ready now to be quilted. I’ve been ‘creating’ our home over the last 5 years by refurbishing our home inside and out. Cross stitch continues to be my obsession, though.

I’m tagging Sachiko, Wyora, Barbara, Harmien and Kim S. -if you haven’t done this meme already. Have fun!

Before I go, let me share with you the ornament I’ve created with the Fair&Square Round 4 exchange piece I received from Kim S. Thanks, Kim for a gorgeous addition to my redwork! I just love it

Wishing you all a Happy Stitching Weekend!

I put in on Barbara’s blog to participate in her unbirthday giveaway and look what the postie brought this afternoon!

Thank you so very much, Barbara. We share a love of tea for sure, and this cushion is especially special because it’s my first tea-themed stitching. I’ve already enjoyed some of the tea included in the back pocket of the cushion.

Happy Dance

Another month gone! How come time’s passes so fast when I’m on my year’s break? Not fair - it never happens like that when I’m at work! On the stitching front, I haven’t done a whole lot this past month, mainly because I’ve been attending to my Mum, who’s been quite unwell these past 3 weeks. It started with extreme nausea/vertigo which landed us at the hospital emergency and which turned out to be a middle ear disorder. On top of that Mum had to fast for three days in preparation for a colonoscopy. This proved too much for the 74year old, and she collapsed - another rush to emergency. Happy and relieved to report that she’s on the mend now. I was going to travel back to Ghana with her on 29 March, but we’ve had to postpone our trip to mid-April. 

Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to:

a) progress on Virtue Sampler Series, CHS - I’m stitching Love, Faith, Hope and Charity together

b) started the Stitcher’s Heart, AMAP to add to my redwork collection

Sorry about the dark pictures - it’s raining here in Perth today. First signs of transition into autumn…

c) finished my Fair & Square exchange piece for my Partner Christine R - but can’t reveal anything yet.

I’ve also created a separate page for the F&S exchange - click on the tab at the top of this page to get there.

Happy stitching

Pokua

Hello stitching friends

Have been meaning to post updates of what I’ve been up to, but have been too busy catching up on everyone’s blog. And my, have you people been busy I just drool seeing all the beautiful stitching happening everywhere - SALs, exchanges, WIPs, finished pieces… I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of stitchers around the world and I feel truly privileged to have stitching friends. I’ve also caught up with all the new designs released from Nashville and I must admit, I’ve been sorely tempted to enhance stash, but … resisting temptation not to buy any stash in 2008 :-( 

So, what have I been up to? First, I’ve been painting fences. Our 5-yr long home renovation is now in the exterior phase. Just before Christmas we had a new patio put up. The old one was a low flat one that made you feel like crouching when you went outside. The new one’s a very generous gable patio that gives us lots of room to entertain. Anyway, I thought I’d better get the fence painted now, so I can do some planting when  autumn comes - if we have one this year, that is. It’s been so hot  Yesterday we hit 39°C; today was a ‘milder’ 33°C. Painting is fun and I quite enjoy the rhythmic process involved . What’s plain inconvenient is having to wake up very early in the morning to paint, otherwise it’s too hot by mid-morning. This is what the fence at the front of the house looks like now. The colour’s a deep olive green - looks charcoal grey in the piccie, but trust me…

I’m having fun working through the design as I imagine the colours for the outdoor area - fencing, plants and other features. I’d love a water feature and sculpture of  some sort. I’m also looking forward to starting a veggie patch.  This is what the fence is looking like with a bit of colour added in by way of plants….

And I’ve kept up with some stitching. I stitched and framed LHN The Harvesters as present for a very dear friend of mine. I’m taking it to her in Ghana when I visit next month. Can’t show it here yet, as I want to surprise her. In the meantime, here are a few of my WIPs…

1) Stitcher’s Pouch Accessoires Quaker AMAP - I’m stitching this in non-traditional colours, fern green 32c belfast fabric with DMC 355

2) Country Threads - Fiona Jude

3) Virtue Series/Love - Carriage House Samplings

Wishing you all a great weekend and Happy Stitching  

She’s finished! - Eve (La-D-Da), I mean. Took me quite a while to get here, but my, is she worth it. Really beautiful - I love it! The colours are so vibrant and earthy. This one I’m definitely framing - need to dust off my framing equipment which I haven’t used in such a very long while. Hope I’ll remember what to do….

I’ve been chilling out for a month now, and gee it feels good ;-)  Can’t remember when I last felt this good I stitch all day (as long as my eyes will let me), walk and swim for exercise and watch movies at night or catch up on my reading. What more could I ask for? I know! - winning the lottery, so I can continue in the style to which I’m becoming soo…quickly accustomed.  Anyway, it’s my pleasure to present Eve….

Today it’s a “cool” 24° Celsius here in Perth, and such as welcome relief from the 33-38° that’s been raging over the past few weeks.

I want to say thank you to all of my cyberstitcher friends who visit me regularly - it means a lot to me. I continue to be wowed by the many stitching blogs I visit and truly appreciate the inspiring handiwork and technical information stitchers so generously share with me. Thanks so much for the pleasure

Wishing you all a happy weekend and hope you find the time to enjoy a bit of stitching!

My Fair & Square Round 3 Exchange partner Dani stitched me a gorgeous Elisabeth’s Designs Full Moon. Well, look what happened to it….

Merci, Beaucoup, Dani - Thank you very very much I shall treasure it always…

I’m working on a couple of other projects  - will show some progress soon. Having a ball with my stitching right now

Happy Stitching !

Dear Stitching Friends

I have the greatest pleasure in presenting to you my first finish for 2008 - Bent Creek’s Swirly Sampler - my own interpretation of it, any way. I showed you a WIP a couple of months ago.

This my first attempt at my own interpretation of a design and I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out. Hope you like it too. For those who may be interested, variations are: Fabric - 32 count white linen; Thread - DMC 1344 variegated, 209, 211, 327, 415, 964, 3753, 3766, and 3811; Beads - Mill Hill glass seed beads 02016 and 02017; and clear paillettes. All I need to do now is purchase and attach the charm and then it’s ready for framing

Happy Stitching !

Dear stitching friends

Here’s wishing you all a great stitching year in 2008! My thanks and appreciation to the many cyberfriends I have made in the last 6 months with whom I share the love of stitching and creating. May your stash double and your stitching times be filled with friendship, sharing and joy.

I’ve had a month’s retreat for Christmas and New Year. The preparations were frantic, but I cannot express how much joy it gave me to catch up with family and friends. I now start a year long leave from work for a well-earned break. Early in 2007, I had a health scare which forced me to review my priorities. I decided then that I needed a bit of time out to smell the roses and rediscover my mojo. Well, that time has come…. I have some travel plans, but I’m not committing to much… Hoping to do much more stitching, hanging out with friends here in Perth, catching up on my reading and whatever else comes my way. One of the things I’d really love to do in 2008 is to attend a stitching retreat, so if you know of one happening in July-Aug, please pass on the details.

I haven’t done much stitching, but I did receive many gifts during the festive season. These are the gifts I received from my Fair & Square Round 4 partner, Kim.  A beautifully stitched redwork, dark chocolate covered mint Altoids, LHN  Necessities Sampler and the threads to stitch the pattern. I’ve been truly spoilt by my F&S partner, don’t you think? Thank you very much, Kim.  This piece will be a part of my Redwork collection which I’m starting this year!

Happy Stitching