SBQ's and a very quick update

And still no stash photos - just haven't had time ... have hardly spent any time at my PC all week, but have been working hard to get my exchanges finished instead, as well as trying to unpack after my holiday, and tidy up a bit (my little flat looks like a bomb has exploded in it).

Anyway, just quickly I've managed to get my scissors fob exchange into the mail to Nicola (I'm safe to post piccies, because she doesn't read my blog) - the stitching was all finished before I flew to NZ, I just had to whipstitch it, make the tassel and cording, and put it together ... then while I was in NZ I just never got around to getting it done, and ended up bringing it back home with me (geez, I'm useless!!). Anyway, it's finally in its little envelope and on its way back to NZ again phew!! And just for a change, blogger is having a hissy fit about posting photos, so I'm giving up ... here are photos uploaded from Photobucket - and if you want to see a close-up of the front click here, and the back is here.


My mail art is all finished with the stitching - I hope the recipient likes it, but I have to admit to being a bit worried about it ... I think I struggled as I couldn't work out the recipient's preferences, as there is no online album that I could find, or wishlist, so I feel like I've been stitching 'blind'. Today I have the job of putting it all together into it's envelope shape etc - I was going to do it yesterday, but it was day 7 of work, after doing the last 3 days with 5am shifts, and I was worried with my tiredness I'd stuff it up ... best to leave it until today ... although I still feel half asleep, so I don't know ... haha.

This weekend is our needleroll SAL, but I don't know whether I'm going to manage to get one stitched, as I really do need to get that mail art 100% finished - maybe I'll get some time tomorrow to put a few stitches in. If I do, I think I'll be working on my half-finished 'sample' one I was making for the Melanie's Exchange, and try to get a little bit more stitched on it.

Rightio, lastly on to the SBQ's before I sign off ... I now have 4 SBQ's to catch up on, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and get them all out of the way today, 'cos before I know it there'll be another one being posted :P I've decided to just answer the first 3 initially, as the other one needs photos, and I'm not yet organised for that one.

17 May - Today's SBQ was suggested by Jenna and is:

"Lately, it seems that many stitching bloggers have experienced a loss of their stitching mojo. Have you ever lost your stitching mojo? If so, how did you get it back and how long did it take?"

I lost my mojo when I first moved to Melbourne, due to appalling living conditions that just weren't conducive to stitching - but as soon as I moved out with Fraze and we got our own place I bought a cheap recliner, set up my stitching station, and never looked back ... in fact I've stitched more in the last 24 months than I've ever stitched, I think :) I did get a bit overwhelmed with my commitment stitching etc over the last couple of months, which has been detrimental to my overall stitching ... I think sometimes it's a bit of a carry-over from when I had concussion years ago - even now if I get over-tired, I struggle to 'focus' on things - I find I have to make lists etc to keep on track, but when I get overwhelmed with 'stuff' my head almost gets too cluttered and I lose track. I can sit in a chair, knowing I have lots of things I must get done, but half an hour later I'm still sat there, and don't know where the time has gone hmmm. Now I'm realising that I need to be more realistic with my stitching time, especially as sometimes I get really tired with my shift work, so I can be more in control.

24 May - Today's SBQ was suggested by Nancy and is:

"What is your favorite specialty stitch? Which one is your least favorite? Why?"

I don't know what my favourite stitch is at the moment - I enjoy doing Rhodes stitches in whatever shape or form (which is probably a good thing, seeing as there are so many in the Bordeaux Mystery Sampler!), and I really enjoyed doing the Waffle stitch for my Melanie's Exchange needleroll - I just enjoy the variety of loads of different stitches. Probably my least favourite would have to be bullion knots and french knots ... definitely a lot easier to answer! haha.

31 May - Today's SBQ was suggested by Carol and is:

"Do you collect charts by one particular designer, yet have never stitched anything by that designer? If so, which designer and why do you collect the charts but have not yet stitched any of them?"

Perhaps the designs that come to mind here are Teresa Wentzler ... I went through a phase where I had to buy every single design that TW had put out, and continued to do so for quite some time, including trading and tracking down copies all over the world (prior to knowing about Ebay!). I've never actually stitched any of them in their entirety, although I do have two of them that are currently UFO's, so I do expect to eventually finish them both. I doubt I'll stitch much of my collection, but it's the only one I'll be hard pushed to part with. Even if I never stitch them, I love flicking through the charts in my folder like a book of fine art - it's uplifting for the soul to just feast your eyes on such beauty :)

I also started doing the same with Mirabilia charts, and used to received her new charts automatically - but the designs changed and I no longer loved them as I used to, so I stopped ... I'll still buy one if I fall in love with it, but it's more rare these days, and I've even been putting a few up for trade that I know I'll never stitch in a month of Sundays. They're probably the main two designers I'm guilty of collecting.