Quick post

 It's a grey overcast day here in Timaru, with quite a bit of fog about at the moment. So a good time to get in a quick post, while I wait for that to lift.

First of all, I have found a way to get my wee singer gif back onto my posts. Originally Tony had hosted it at his photobucket account and a code was added to my blog which automatically popped it onto the bottom of each and every post. (However, like many folks, he is refusing to pay the annual fee they have decided to ask for. There were only a few images on the account plus my gif, so not worth all that money.) He had hoped to find a way of doing that from another image hosting site, but was unable to make it work. The work around is for me to upload it each time, in the same way we upload our photos. So older posts will sadly continue to have that photobucket message on them. :-(

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And, because you can't write a blog post without an image....

A frogs foot!! LOL

The froggies are progressing nicely and the first one has a whole foot!

I have to say, there are a lot of colour changes which I find frustrating, but hopefully I'll get a break from that soon once I get onto the body of the first frog.

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It's a day off work today, so after the domestics are completed and I have done my chores in town, it will be play day. I keep telling myself that I should go and make a few blocks for my bitty rows quilt, but I keep hearing the froggies calling to me. LOL

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Look, she is back.

Can you help?

Edited to say

YAY!!

I found out how to fix it. 

I really could use some help here. We recently shut down our photobucket account and as you can see, that is where my cute wee sewing machine was hosted. Now try as he might poor Tony can't get it to work again from another hosting site. He has gone through all the help files and even posted a question on the help forum in an effort to sort it out. So far, no joy. We both think the issue may be something to do with google+ having taken over blogger. I did upgrade for a while, but didn't like it so reverted back to the old blogger. Have any of you had similar issues? Does anybody have any bright ideas that may help?

I want my lovely wee sewing machine back.

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Speaking of sewing machines, my new friend has been busy and has helped me to create another two rows for my bitty quilt top. I also have another five rows cut and ready to sew.

Tony and I were both off work last week and spent a good deal of time at home crafting. As well as cutting I powered on with my secret cross stitch project. It's now all done and yesterday I was able to make a start on a new project. There isn't much to see yet,.....

 It's a designer threads kit which I purchased while we were in Auckland earlier this year.

I have stuff to do this morning, but later today I'll be either sewing or stitching, I didn't decide yet.

Then back to work tomorrow.

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Did this work?

See no sewing machine spelling out my name.......:-(

Loulee. xx

Remember this one?

Moonbeam.

She was stitched back in 2013 when I tucked her into my portfolio, where her slumbers began.

She travelled across the world in a container, still slumbering. Last year I pulled her out of the portfolio along with several other completed cross stitch pieces.

They all got hung in the cupboard in my sewing room, waiting for that 'one day' when they would be framed and put on display.

Well a while ago I got to thinking and yesterday I wound into action and took my self to the shop for black fabric and grey quilt batting.

Now she is slumbering on my bedroom wall.

I still have several of my WIP pictures 

Here is a slightly closer look as she just came off the roller frame I worked on.

It should be clicky for a better look.

I wonder how many other cross stitch pieces could be finished in a similar way?

There are only about a dozen of them in the cupboard. LOL

But first, I'll make some quilt blocks.

Changing Rooms

There were big changes made yesterday.

I've been struggling in my room for a while, it was over crowded with the quilting frame dominating the space. This week Mr H and I are both off work and both intent on doing our own thing, together at home. Well, he caught me moving into the kitchen with my cutting mat, iron and bucket of scrap fabrics.I explained my problem, it's something we have discussed often and he always suggests that I move my sewing room into the sun room, and I explain that that wouldn't work for me. There is no storage, it just isn't the right room for a sewing room. Well yesterday he got his tape measure out and started measuring this and that, then came up with,why don't we move the frame?

It fits.

Just.

It's a bit of a squish getting through the door, but it is accessible from both sides, with plenty of room 

to move around on either side.

And I'll have wonderful views of the garden.

Of course there is no room to sit in there any more, but I was the only one who did anyway.

So, that has really opened up my wee room again.

In the my efforts to declutter and open things up I took the majority of the teddies and toys down off the shelves and up went one or two decorative items.

There is room for an ironing board again! So my stitchy step count will fall somewhat as I no longer run out to the bedroom or the hall to press seams!

All of the manoverings created a spare arm chair, so it was tucked into the window, what a lovely place to sit and read, I won't miss the sun room in the afternoons and of course there is a comfy seat if he wishes to visit with me, or any visitor. Belle spent some time on it yesterday.

A secondhand desk was acquired last night and up went Naomi Janome.

It's a much better option than my old white table as it has a greater surface area and is also lower than the table.

It took nearly all day to get things sorted as they are now, so himself was unable to 'get another brew down'! I think that is what he had intended to do, before I took over the kitchen as a cutting station. LOL So today he is busy, getting down with his second brew. A stout this time he tells me.

The first one was a bitter. Yep, I can attest to that!

So while he putters about, taking up the whole kitchen, I'll be in my newly arranged room playing with my new sewing machine,

Making some more itty bitty stars, for my itty bitty quilt top.

Then maybe I'll get on a put together the itty bitty boats I cut yesterday, before the big change was suggested and happened.

There is a nasty storm heading our way, right up off the southern ice, it's bringing snow with it and some nasty winter weather. A good week to be able to stay at home warm and cosy and spend time with my dear, as we craft the week away.

My secret cross stitch is growing and I'm over the half way mark. I'm really pleased with it.

As I'm sure you all understand, I have the next three or four cross stitch projects all kitted and ready to go! But there is another gift to stitch first. I should be able to share that one with you though. And of course, now that my room is feeling more comfortable, I should be spending more time in there too.