Moving day

I'm moving to a new blog! Please come join me here and update your bookmarks!

nothing but mumbles

Changes are imminent and I have lots to share but can't. Do you ever have those days where you have so much to say but are too tongue tied to know where to even start? I can just say things are going good but man am I busy!! I'll be moving my blog soon. I am frantically trying to write part 1 of my story (for those who asked I write erotica and I write it well. I don't tell my mother but I'm not ashamed either.) asap. My etsy shop should be open by Halloween if paypal will start playing nice. I have gobs of stuff to take to the thrift store. To replace the gobs of stuff I buy from them. I have craft ideas coming out the wazoo and no time for the next few days to do them. I have more swaps than I should going on right now too.

I'm stressed out but it's so going to be worth it. One day life is stagnating, the next it's going too damn fast. Isn't life a trip sometimes?

Free Hugs Campaign

Cat and mouse

I wish I could take credit for this photo but Dave took it:


And the mouse reference in the title? Why, I do believe that little guy is hiding under my fridge. Yet again Rastus has bought in a mouse and released it. Not the way I would have chosen. And the fridge is like 2 feet from my sewing area. Not a happy camper right now.

And it begins....

I'm doing it. I'm moving forward with creating a business. It's what I have wanted to do forever. And so I am. My business is called lovestitches. I have closed my old etsy account, created purely to shop and opened a lovestitches account. So I hope to have an etsy shop open in the next 2 months. It's rather like me to try this sort of thing too late for Christmas but not this year if I can help it. I have some secret things in the works to stock in the store if and when it comes to fruition. Watch this space!

Oh la la

A lame title indeed but when I look at these two little creations of mine with their simplicity, their mostly neat and tiny stitches, all nice and neat I can't help but go "oh la la, you did good girly".

Crochet, I will conquer you!!

Oh yes, I will conquer you!!




I managed to cast on a slipknot with the instructions from a kids book (always learn from a kids book, they will give you much easier instructions on anything) but I am having trouble actually making a stitch. Yeah, so maybe this book isn't brilliant to learn from but it might just be that I'm too stupid. You can never tell with me. I will persevere though. Crochet, you will be mine!!

Oooohhh, something new...sort of.

Spring is well and truly here and the sun has been out in force today. What better activity than embroidery in the sunshine. I started my first piece of redowrk last night, a simple little flower. I altered my 'technique' if you could call it that, and it worked. I used white cotton and very, very small stitches, and tried Anchor instead of DMC. Overall it all came together beautifully.



I finished it out in the sunshine today and turned it into this:


I'll glue it into the ramekin as soon as I can find the faffing glue. It was a lot easier than I expected to make. A thrifted ramekin, a scrap of cotton, some stuffing and a gathering stitch to put it all together and voila, I have a new pincushion and finally have something to show off my embroidery on.

I copied the idea from here in case you thought I was being devilishly original. Alas, no.

Mail day!!

The 6 bags of baby gear was picked up this morning so now I get to use my half share of the profits to mail off my Pay It Forward parcels and some swaps. Yay! Not yay for the post office ladies though, hehehe.


edit: Blogger chopped off one of the parcels. Damn you blogger!!! I've been considering moving to wordpress and you make it so easy!!
5 parcels and 2 envelopes. Will my money or mail run out first? Who knows....

The envelopes have bookmarks in for a swapbot swap. Not my best work but the linen is getting easier to sew and I think the fabrics I chose are beautiful. I just wish I had gotten more than a scrap of the apples and pears one. I love it yet I'm giving it away. Selfless, I tell you, selfless. Or stupid, whichever.





Oh, and....after sulking yesterday about the bad job interview I read my email and there was one frm a guy who I have written for in the past givng me a writing gig. US$500!!! Converted into NZ$ and after tax (first time I will have ever declared my extra income, what a grown up) thats still over NZ$500 for 500 words. Y A Y ! ! !

Count to 10

According to the book my toy was George the long eared giraffe. OK. And everyones guessing it's a dinosaur including Dave. So I made my first original pattern last night :-) and it sucked. Actually the dino toy is looking great, just sustained a few rips between the horns down his back so I have to redo the pattern with no gaps between the horns then I can try again. Only problem is I think I used the last 2 pieces of felt in the same colour so the next little guys gonna be 2 different colours.

Other than that I am taking the day off the internet. I found an ad asking for someone to look after a baby in your own home, which since we're 'trying' for a baby is what I want to do. The lady got in contact with me and managed to make me feel this small----> .

Do I have my full drivers license? No. The world is safer that way and your baby wouldn't die if we took a train or bus. She's too young to have ballet lessons to go to yet anyway. Do you have a first aid cert? I can do a refresher course no probs....but right now no. Fenced backyard? No and she's 8 months old, you think I'll lose her? So I feel useless today and am going to turn up the music, open the doors and let the sunshine in while I sew up a storm. See ya tomorrow.

When things turn out right yet look so so wrong

I'm having a few issues with this laptop. Namely the keys are smaller and closer together and my fingers aren't even a little bit small. I am making so many typos its driving me nuts. And I keep pressing the cAPS BUTTON INSTEAD OF THE A KEY. Not annoying at all.

I did a little crafting. I found a pattern in a book and thought it sounded cute. It turned out very unlike what its supposed to be. Look at the picture and leave me a comment on what your first guess was about what it is meant to be. I'm going to alter the pattern so the next one I make will be a totally different animal. Cos clearly this one ain't working but I do think it has potential.



Time for a little blatant begging to cheer me up. I'm hosting my first swap-bot swap. It's called Think pink!! If you like pink and are a member of swap-bot maybe you'd like to join the swap.

Seven Things project update

On Saturday I had the joy of giving 60 odd things to the thrift store. And really since I bought most of them from there in the first place it was fitting, like the circle of life. Plus all proceeds they make go to a hospice charity so its for a good cause.

40 books gone, almost all of Daves scruffy clothes gone (except that damn lumberjack shirt he loves), the sweaty sausage skin of a jacket I learnt to ride a motorbike in, a bunch of junk I spent my money on and barely used, all gone!! Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of that bloody shirt.

It's funny though....We dropped off over 2 huge bags which really cleared up a lot of space but still my little house is full to bursting with stuff I don't need. Your time is coming my little pieces of junk!

Web wierdness....and a crooked bookmark

First the funkiness that is my first fabric bookmark. Bear in mind that linen moves ALOT, or at least that my linen did plus the pattern lines were on the back, and so sewing the ribbon on the front was hard. I'm a brilliant sewer, it was just the plan that sucked. Yeah, thats it...



OK, I've had a lot of time lately thanks to my injury to surf the net. I have found some good stuff!! Here is some bad stuff though to make you laugh, and I hope it will make you never ever name your kid Jestaney Kalei or Jassity. Or Espn. Or pretty much any of the horrors listed on the site.

Etsy ideas

Beki asked me what I would sell in my as yet imaginary Etsy shop. Damn good question! I don't really have a 'thing'. Like Lisa sells bags, which are usually a dime a dozen these days. Except hers are *bright*, sassy, very cool bags. Thats taking an old thing and making it your own. Rhiannon makes hoodies and ball bags and things with felt applique. Very cool and original, I even have a ball bag.

(excuse me a minute, Dave's in Mr IT Guy mode)........count to 10 Steph, count to 10...maybe 20.

Moving on...I have a long way to go embroidery wise, I'm not even gonna show you my latest embroidery now it's finished. It's terrible and I can't send that out for a swap. So nothing embroidered in my shop yet. So I guess I'd stick to the tried and trusted stuff for now until I find my 'thing'. Bend-the-rules Sewing artsy clutches, I did them so well. Little felt teddies (which may become my thing once I tweak them) maybe? Softies, if I can figure out a cute pattern. Fabric bookmarks. I really need to flesh the idea out. It's funny how you think you want something but when asked why or what or probed about it the idea totally falls apart. Thanks Beki! LOL I mean that in a positive way really!

My back is a bit better today and I am finally mobile. Yay!! Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll be walking like a 28 yr old, not an 82 yr old like present. Ohhh, AND I got rid of 60 things today for the Seven Things project!! 60!!

This was my second photo I uploaded to flickr when I joined. In honour of summer coming I want to repost it here:

Tales from the sickbed (and crafting)

Into the third day of back pain and the second stuck in bed, the pain is getting worse if anything. I'm ok standing up so it wasn't a problem getting breakfast or going up to check the mail (in my robe - so glad its a quiet street!) but the groans involved on getting out of bed...not cool. I suspect I should be flat on my back but I tried that for all of 5 minutes before admitting total boredom. One of the cats has been flopped against me 'trapping' me in bed though so I'm not being totally silly.

The view from my sickbed yesterday:


Who can resist such cuteness?


Crafting!! I had to do something before I got TOO stressed over the pain. It's for a swap-bot swap:


Yesterday I was surrounded by the cat, the laptop, my mobile phone and my little embroidery tray. Today I have added the camera, cords to upload from the camera and phone, 3 containers of embroidery thread, tissues and soon I may have to lie on the floor for lack of room on the bed. I am BORED of being in pain.

Which finger are you?

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

Ouch ouch ouch

I have this major pain in my left side, making it a little hard to breath and seems to be spreading. Can't drive so still waiting on the bf to get back to me. Answer your emergency text damn you!! Lucky for me it means doing the dishes is out but it also means standing, breathing, moving like a normal person are out. It's ok if I sit in one spot though, so have found myself flat on the couch reading for a while. I don't like being forced to be still though.

I checked my myspace today, not something I do anymore that often and this is why. I used to get a lot of these messages, now thankfully only one a day at most. He's a keeper right? Read:

hello....how are you doing i saw you profile when i was search through for a soul mate when i saw your picture so i check profile i even saw your pic with ur friend and i saw where u wrote more about your self.....but there is only one thing i did not see is your name i will like to know your name.....am David by name am a friendly guy from africa...am single and really want some one to be my gf....i know you are in new zealand and am in nigeria it bit far but i think things can work out fine with me and you we can get to met.....I just finished an aviation school and am planning to get a job and further my education....it will be more easy for us to meet.....dont be afraid of me am not a scrammer but looking for a true love.....i dont mind people from a distance......your question will be why did i not look for someone from my side but love can take people to any place.....i will be expecting your reply....please get back to me dont just read my mail but reply me

Well, he says he's not a 'scrammer' so I have to believe him. Who knew my prince was hiding in Nigeria....?

On the home stretch

It's getting better around here by the day. We palmed off two of the six plants we're looking after to a friend so now only the remaining four are in mortal peril. I just wish I could figure out which one smells wierd. I don't like plants and they don't like me. I have managed to clear my desk enough that I can now get to my sewing machine again!! Crafting is imminent!! I think its 'quick crafts for sanity' time. Bookmarks, coasters etc. Just to take the edge off!!

I finally photographed all that baby gear (no Eva, sadly theres no news to report) and it is listed for sale (it took 3 photos to fit it all in) and I am eagerly hoping it'll sell so I can pay bills (buy fabric), buy food (buy fabric), generally act responsibly (buy fabric) and buy fabric. Just kidding. I need threads, felt, ribbons, buttons and needles more than fabric. As you may be able to tell I am kind of hanging out to craft. Now I am not working or doing much else sewing and creating something has taken on new meaning. It's either that or doing the dishes. Hard decision.

One of the plants we're looking after (and possibly the smell culprit) is a chili plant!! I'm strangely fascinated by it.

Randomness

• Things are often better in the daylight and today is better. I no longer have 4 machine loads of baby stuff drying above my head, it's all either folded or drying on the line outside. Yes, sunshine!! Yes, space!! Yes, money soon!!
  
• Today is my first official day doing the Seven Things Project. And on account of our house rapidly filling up this week will involve getting rid of a LOT more than 7 things. So far waiting to go to the thrift store are 3 bags containing 40 books (and a scarf), a bag of Dave's clothes (only bachelors dress like that, those clothes are going!) and a hideous plastic-y vinyl jacket of his that I wore to sit my motorbike license (that is a story for another day) and I'm sure that when I can move in my own place I'll find more. The project has certainly given me the incentive I needed to do something about the clutter other than whine. Only problem is I probably can't take it to the thrift store for 5 more days!!
  
• I do have to post off a parcel of card making supplies I sold on Trade Me last week. Until I do I can't get to my sewing machine and the stress is mounting. When stressed, must make something! I'm not stressed enough to hand sew though!
  
• I am sorely tempted to keep some of the baby clothes instead of sell them. I keep holding them up and saying to myself, rather than freak Dave out, "can you believe a human fits in that? I WANT one!!"
  
• I did a meme a while ago about 8 random things about me. In hindsight I have been thinking of lots more stuff, way more interesting. Like my real first name is not Steph, or short for Stephanie. It's Persephone. No, not pronounced Percyphone (can't think why I shortened it) which kids find hilarious and adults coo about, saying "Ohhhh, it's so pretty....how do you pronounce it?" I suspect my name alone has a lot to do with being a bitter, bitter person.
• Someone (sorry, I already forgot who, my memory is that bad) linked this ebay auction that went around. You have to read it. the woman who sold it is hilarious! Her blog made me howl with laughter.
• I'm terrible about updating the links down the side of my blog, I'm going to have to list all the lovelies whose blogs I never miss at some stage. I read them even if I don't comment. But recently I made a point of reading every blog in my bookmark list one day and yeah, thats how long it took to read them all. One day. Too much talent out there!!
  

*expletives deleted*

I had a blog all planned out with photos to show how cramped things have gotten with all the loads of baby clothes hanging all over the lounge drying so I can sell them. Even had photos of the crowdedness to make your eyes widen. Then plans changed. We now have all of Jimmys house plants, several boxes/baskets/buckets of stuff covering EVERY surface in the house on top of the baby sheets, towels and clothes hanging everywhere. Stress levels for everyone are through the roof. Jimmy is sleeping in his car tonight (someone 'kindly' let him park on their property) because his C*** SIL has said he can't stay with them. We would offer him a bed if we had more than our car and our 2 seat couch. His own relatives...shame on them.

Irony at its best

For those who asked this is the lining fabric of my new handbag. Star bursts..or fireworks... or whatever. It's awesome, you open this really classy, floral bag and POW this explosion of colour leaps out and smacks you in the face.



A friend of Dave's, Jimmy, had a garage sale today. He has to move because his drug addicted daughter keeps robbing the house (1. That man just cannot get a break from life and 2. Boy, are the next tenants in for a surprise!) and so we went to 'help out'. Thats code for get free stuff in case my sarcasm wasn't obvious enough. For one brief moment we thought we might finally have a couch big enough to fit more than one human and a cat. But nope, all the good stuff was already spoken for. Oh well. But we DID get a reclining leather desk type chair with matching ottoman, enormous lamp with 1980's faux marble base that I *had* to have even though it screams "I'm straight off the set of Days of Our Lifes in 1991", a plain TV thats good for the bedroom once Jimmy is finished watching the rugby world cup on it, a glass top coffee table , various little things and....his fish tank. We've already started muttering about how the tank needs a plant and a toy and it's too small so we need a bigger tank etc. Stop me now.

The cats were throughly curious about the new additions, Rastus was very very intrigued.



Ginga had a nosy but was overall too cool for it all, although if anyone is gonna work out how to get the lid off it'll be him.


Wheres the irony the title mentioned? Well, I'll write about it in my next entry. I'm going to take part in The Seven Things Project. You get rid of 7 things a week. This is coming from someone who got so much free stuff she has to store that new chair and ottoman in the kitchen for want of space to put it. This'll be interesting.

edited: I forgot to add before I got a comment, I also got a huge suitcase and an ENORMOUS plastic bag FULL of baby gear. So much stuff, all to sell on Trade Me and split 50/50 with Jimmy. So I will count that as this coming weeks stuff to get rid of. This week I got rid of a bunch of craft stuff I don't use. I still need to take stock of what I really do have, that stuff I stuffed in the wardrobe at the back never to see again.

*floommpphh*

*floommpphh* you ask? Yes, *floommpphh*. Thats the sound of me flopping down on the couch after making the most horrendously hard bag ever. I thought my last bag 18 months ago was a nightmare but this was actually worse. Don't get me wrong, it turned out great and I LOVE it!!! It really tested me though. I altered it from the Bend-The-Rules Sewing pattern, changed the bottom to box corners which was a lot easier and the straps are sewn in rather than held in by casings which added hours to the making and yet probably took years off my life. All in all though....I LOVE IT. The fabric was the perfect choice and now I want to go somewhere and flaunt it.

Have lemons, too lazy to make lemonade

Stuff lemonade making. That whole turn your frown upside down bullshite. I'm about ready to shoot the wireless router so my IT Guy will stop being the IT Guy and go back to being my guy. Every. fucking. night. this. week. Tweak this, install that, move that. It is nice typing in bed now but seriously I am not so lazy that I can't get up and type on the couch.

And now I read that Charlotte's mother just died of lung cancer today. My love is outside having a cigarette right now and it breaks my heart to think I could lose him that way. I went through it with my grandfather when I was 13, we lived with my grandparents at the time, and I never want to lose the love of my life that way. My mother smokes too and I can say from repeated nagging of them both that a smoker will find any excuse not to give up. Either that or just tell you to piss off when you try to make them quit.

I'm making a bag. I resisted for ages cos I have made bags for sale before and I got totally bagged out but I finally decided theres only so many artsy clutches I can make. Originally it looked exactly like the Charming Handbag from Bend-the-rules Sewing. It now looks nothing like it. It is turning into the very essence of the reason why I am obviously still bagged out. Cos I suck at them. Clutches, not a problem. Toys, trays, easy peasy. Might even try a zipper pouch soon (yeah right). But bags? Plain, ordinary, tote/messenger/hand bags I simply cannot do. And it's all making for a very long day. Oh yeah, and my 43 yr old ex is dating a 19 yr old. Dirty old man. Pfffft.

I will be a lot happier tomorrow. I just needed to get a few things off my chest.

Cleaning out the cobwebs

The urge to sew has passed for now, so it's the perfect time to sort out my fabric stash and notions and clear some of it out. I have some FQ's available to swap, and if I link the photo right they will be below, otherwise the link to my flickr photos is in the sidebar. Go have a look, maybe one will catch your eye?

Sprung sprung a leak

Nature is busy reminding us that yes, it IS spring now but it's still the winter end of spring, thank you very much. Sunshine one day, black skies the next....three. Jolly good. What to do when it's crap? Go to the thrift shop and buy more stuff to fill your tiny house of course! And when I say small I mean 100 square feet. I so need to (nearly wrote that I need to stop shopping lol) throw out some stuff soon.

Todays treasures included a metre of burgundy velvety suede fabric and this booklet:



I'm torn over selling/keeping/giving it away right now. I *had* to buy it but I just don't think I'll use it anytime soon. Go figure.

Fabulousness

Last Monday was so bad that Tuesday was bad and Wednesday too. Pretty much the week over before it picked up. But today was such a good Monday that there is no way this week will be anything but fabulous my dahlings, fabulous!!

Fabulous fabrics, including this Paris Hilton concoction:



Fabulous things made by me:
The cat ball even came out in a ball shape! My whipstitch is pretty shit-stitch (groan) but it holds things together well enough. Just got to make about 4 more mice skittles.


Fabulous mail:
Vintage transfers from Jane, thank you so much!! Plenty of stitching to pass my time!


And more mail fabulousness: The Spring and Winter Stitchettes to complete my set. I owe my brother big bucks for them (his credit card) but pfffft he can wait. I'm far too busy right now!


And to round out the fabulousness I sold an auction on Trade Me so theres money in the bank this week. And what a week it's going to be!

Envy

Sometimes I don't know how they do it. You know who I mean, those bloggers who don't blog for what feels like a maximum of 36 hours but when they do it's to report that they have 'only' been away for a week somewhere devastatingly interesting, sewn 50 bags/toys for their shop, found more at their thrift store in day than I find in a month, homeschooled their kids and got some fabulous new book that I want madly. In that same amount of time I have fought with the cats for my share of the bed/chair, sewn 1.5 things, stuffed up one embroidery, and found 2 things at the thrift store and had more naps than is good for me. So I just have to ask...how do you people do it??? And get 36 comments about how fabulous your photos of it look!!

I am currently making the cat and mouse skittles from my Toys To Sew book. Yes, ladies and gentlemen (and if you are a gentleman you are probably seriously lost but welcome) I have so far managed most of a mouse. Well, it IS Sunday. And as soon as I sew the mouses ears on the right way I'll begin the cat.

A road trip and mail

Today we took a trip over the Rimutaka Ranges (of Doom) to Masterton in the Wairarapa (lifestyle farm country). The real reason was so Mr I.T. Man could fix some friends PC's. My reason for tagging along was less altruistic. I wanted to go to the fabric stores. Well sadly Masterton hasn't quite taken to weekend shopping like the big city has. If they do open on Saturday they shut at noon on the dot. So needless to say they were all shut up tight including a shop teasingly called The Embroidery Shop. Dave says we can go over again another day but considering I get carsick driving to the shops and this is the only way to get to The Wairarapa I doubt it:


The weather was lovely for most of the ride and I distracted myself with thoughts of sewing on the trip over to keep the nausea at bay (it actually worked too). The only reason it was so easy was because I got mail this morning from the sweet Kellie:



FQ's and lots of cute scraps perfect for crafting! And I will enjoy them well, thanks Kellie!