Tuesday 30 April 2013

Chansu ga matteru

Your chance is waiting. 
Oh yeah. (You'll understand if you read the whole post;) 


 My beads have arrived and I have started beading, the beads are not really the right colours, instead of gold I got antic gold which looks more like mustard yellow, but it works and I have no intentions to buy more.... The white looks more clear and the red looks like bright christmas red and not the red from the picture. But I am a bit fed up with all the beads and knots and all, and just want to GET ON WITH IT! Hehe. And I realized that I am not done with the grey on Henry after all even if I have broadcasted it everywhere, because his arm is grey too. DUH. And I am not done with his reds either, because, well, his clothes in the left corner is not done yet. What was I thinking about when I said I was done with both the red and the grey on Henry but still knew he was not done. You can see that with half an eye that he is lopsided and not done.... I must have been thinking he was done everywhere except his head. And I do know his head does not utilize red or grey, that is my story and I am sticking to it!


Another book down too. This was a goal I kept, so I am feeling happy and accomplished. (never mind that I did all that book sewing on Sunday and completely forgot WiSP Sunday AGAIN). We'll just pretend that didn't happen and continue to bask in the glory of a job well done.
I have started on the bird, which is this weeks goal. 
Tomorrow is a holiday so I will spend the entire day in stitching. Yay.


 We found some wild yummies for bunny today, and she was very thankful. First dandelion of the year.
I like living in a small town, no one is around looking weirdly at me when I find some edibles for the bunny in a ditch and precariously hold my shopping bags (this always happen when my arms are full anyway) and bend over in a ditch.... I must look very idiotic, but I don't know because no one has been around to tell me. (except boyfriend but he does not dare to tell me I look ridiculous.) But free treats for bunny is always nice, too bad we found them after buying herbs for her...
Almost home today, MIL was standing at the mailbox carrying free cake. YAY! Wish she had come before we went to the store, would have saved us buying cake;)

One of two Hello!Project song on my mind: I love this. This is Zoku Biyuden, not that I don't love old Biyuden, but since this  video had "Only you" AND "koisuru ANGEL heart" I had to choose this.

Ah, I wish I could go to France this summer and see the girls in C-ute. (yup, that is the groups name, not to be confused with this group that is singing, because as stated that is  Zoku (new)Biyuden, with two Morning Musume members (one of them has already graduated and not the one who is tone-deaf :X) and one Berryz koubou member.


I'll show you a proper music video, from morning musume. I hated the song when it was released, but I find myself singing to it daily... So I had to include it. Can you find the two members from the song above?


Friday 26 April 2013

Friday Dresser


So, I have started this work thing, and there I paint furniture. I painted and chose the colours for this little dresser. I am almsot tempted to buy if myself, but I did save the code for it so I can paint something at home this colour much to boyfriends chagrin.

I suggested that they make a little baby corner with loads of re-designed baby furniture, so we are busy doing that... I like painting, too bad it hurts my arm so when I come home I have no desire to stitch at all.

 I had the day off today though, so I stitched a bit on Henry before giving him a thorough cleaning.
And while he was drying off I did some work on Fred.


 Another book almost done. That is tomorrow's goal, that book and some bits of black in his fur... I do love how realistic his colours in the fur look, even if the black is a pain;)


Other than that, I don't think there are much news here in the basement.



Bunny says that the biggest news is her being neglected and not getting enough cuddles. 
But sorry for the boring post, I am going to bed as I am so knackered.....


Monday 22 April 2013

Tied Tuesday


This is the song from the title from yesterdays post that was stuck in my head. Sunday shines for you. 

Lately boyfriend and I have been doing a lot of housework listening to this song. I could no find a better version than this, sorry.



Sunday 21 April 2013

Sunday shines for you


Regarding the title, I know it is really monday. But I am allowed a bit of creative headlining? And technically this post is up so late in the day that it is monday anyway...
Today, the sun shone, Yay, I think spring is really coming out. And about time.

So, I did not stitch the entire set on this that I said I would, because I have not stitched much today, I have been doing housework. Which is a bit dull, and boyfriend and I have played on the PS3 which was very fun.
But I am planning to stitch abit more before bed. :)


 Look at Henry, I am done with all the grey's on him, finally, and all I have left is his arm. Now he does seem a bit disproportionate in this picture, I mean, who has such broad shoulders? But then again he might have padded them somehow... Like they did in the 80-90s. He was after all the most handsome man in all of Christendom at the time, so he might have had shoulders like boulders, or he might have had a foreseeing fashion sense and started the padded shoulder look before his time.


Look at my bunny. Just the backstitch to go.... Just like everybody else, I love this design, but I HATE the backstitching on it... But it is going to be so worth it, just like in all of Margaret Sherry's designs.
 I love her designs. :)
I have one of her books too, but there were far to little bunnies in the book, a shame because I think her bunnies are the best from her range. (but again, I might be biased) 


So. I took Fred out for a bit, but all the black on black action was starting to get me down. So I gingerly started on a book instead, can you see where I started? There is a LOT of blending of colours on this design. And I wonder what will happen if I run out of one colour since it is not done in anchor or DMC... Want to know something that almost threw me off Fred? The colour that is used the most in this kit is BLACK. I am serious, there was like six times more black than any other colour... I am hoping it will be worth it in the end, even if I feel bored at the moment.



When I am done with Secret Project Number 2, I have another design in mind. I found this from here. And I just could not help myself. I bought the magazine it came from on the ipad, and I am now in the process of kitting it up. I have also finally bought from sew and so those beads needed on Henry and since it is a bit stupid to just buy small things I bought a Just Nan limited edition bunny, because it just screamed to me.

Friday 19 April 2013

I had not realized

 but look how much I have done on Henry since Sunday? That is not even a full week's worth of stitching... :D If I could keep this up I'd be finished in no time. But I know why my needle was on fire. Because I was being a night owl and stitching the night away and sleeping during the day. Oooops.
Next week I have a work thing so I have to properly change my sleeping pattern. Starting now, off to bed.



Just going to admire my progress a bit more. When I think about it, this means I am almost halfway through too.


Doing my own head in


With my own cleverness.


Do you love me? Now that I can dance?
Bunny was decorating, I only helped a little. Here she is demanding cuddles on the floor.
Sometimes when we walk past her she'll just plop into a ball next to us expecting cuddles and who can say no to that? She has indeed trained us well, I think.
Another thing she does; if your hand is nearby she'll position her head under my hand in the hope of cuddles. 


This week, boyfriend and I have started to watch QI. And it really is quite interesting.

Oh, onto Henry, he had to loose his head poor thing as I had mis-counted. That will teach him I thought, and promptly decided he would be headless until I had done everything else on him. Karma does come back and bite you in the head.


Look at that poor crease in my fabric... I miss my q snap, but I am using it on Fred, and he is behaving rather like a cat and sleeping for the most part. 

I have not done much designing, I am working on a veterinarian sampler at the moment, and instead of giving you heaps of bad designs I though quality over quantity. So you'll just have to wait.

As I am, I am waiting for "cute cross-stitch magazine". All the people in England have theirs, I want one too! I hate waiting.


Tormorrow I am going book shopping at the library with a friend, and on Sunday I hope to have finished all the cross stitches on Secret Wisp 2. 

Sunday 14 April 2013

Sparkling Sillyness

See, I did know it was that time of the week again! I have done a little on my secret WiSP 2.

Someone on the forum asked about the aforementioned sparklies and since I am sure I am not the only one in love with glittery things I will now talk about it.

I counted and there are three different types of sparkly floss in this kit. 
(the kit's name is a secret until at least may so if you have not guessed what it is you have to be kept in suspense until that time). 
The one used here in the pink to blend with. I like blending with sparklies, especially this type of thread as it is very thin and somewhat flat so it looks great blended. I must say, this is the second time I've used them and last time I had lots left over and they looked wonderful in a card I made, so I was contemplating getting more of this wonder thread that did not come with any other name than glitter in the kit... (If anyone here knows the name of it then I will be very happy and making glittery cards forever).
But I must warn you, it is a nightmare to work with, so use super short threads. Because it sticks to everything and will not lie in its place, it really need a lot of cajoling.

 Another type that you can see in this picture underneath and in-between all the purple, and that is called Kreinik silver. (which was my favorite) It did not frey one bit and glided through the fabric easily. The added bonus is that it looks fantastic!
  I will definitely buy lots of this, if I can figure out what size I need to buy.
The last type of sparkly threads I have not yet started on as it is used in the backstitch, but it is simply black speciality threads by DMC, and I've used that before, and I loved it! It does have a tendency to stick to the fabric, and not in a good way, and it frays easily, so again, keep it on a short leash.

Over to something else that should have been kept on a short leash....
Did I mention that I was feeling a bit under the weather today? I was so sick mind you, that I have not eaten a chocolate the entire day! So boyfriend went to his parents alone and I tried to stitch at home. I unpicked about half. But there you go. I could atleast watch my favorite program whilst unpicking, and in the middle of my show go and play at the computer and listen to music. (boyfriend can not stand my indecisive multitasking.) So all is well that ends well.
Fred had a break today.

Bunny is not happy with me today, as in her eyes, she has NOT gotten enough cuddles. But every time I try to she is not interested, but when I am busy she is desperate for kisses. This is the face I see when I look down as she is nudging my foot.

 She has gotten a new toy. And basil, which she loves, so she is mostly happy, although the tunnel is not used for tunneling but eating..... #Sillybunny.

And she is not content with just sitting near it/inside it/beside it and eat, no, she is frantic about eating the whole tunnel. But no tunneling. I could have just gotten her some branches from outside, it would have been far less expensive. But boyfriend and I felt she needed a present for staying alive through two surgeries....

Friday 12 April 2013

Party all night long Friday


It is really beginning to spring here. This week I saw the first little wildflower by the road. Other excitement followed where boyfriend and I was almost killed by a falling piece of lumber. The working people had failed to put up signs that they were working. And suddenly while we were minding our own business and walking we heard some frantic whistling and yelling, and boyfriend dragged me by the side. Apparently a little while later he heard a bang where the falling lumber had fallen. I was still busy thinking about all that wood for the bunny to chew....

Boyfriend and I have been playing a lot of Rayman lately for the playstation, so it has been cutting into my stitching time. But I have done some more black on Frederick. Hard to see black on black, but I promise I've done alot.

Secret WiSP 2. A small preview. If anyone recognizes this piece please keep it to yourself until may;) But I just had to show all the sparkling shiny threads. I am a sucker for sparkly things.


I have cheated a bit to start on Henry's head. I felt he would become a bit less scary with a head, but I think I might be mistaken. He looks very ghostlike. And he wasn't even beheaded!


Freebie Friday! A kokeshi. I love Kokeshi's.  And for some reason, they felt springy so I wanted to do one in green. I probably should have made a kappa to boot, since we are in the green japanese corner. But maybe next time. If anyone asks for one;)



And bunny got a branch of her own to chew. She wanted to sit in her cage whilst chewing so. I complied. :) I love my bunny! Even if she chews on my furniture.


Sunday 7 April 2013

I promise, I know what day it is!

I do. Even If I don't have any WiSPiness to show you lot.
I do on the other hand have a lot of Fred, Henry and Bunny x2 to show for it.



 Look, another book down, a start on the next one. And look, I have started on the cat. :) I am still in love with this piece, but it needs daylight. And I am still not happy with the stiffness of the aida. And another thing, I don't know who the manufacturer of the floss is, but it is fraying alot... A lot like the free floss you get in the magazines. Maybe I have my threads too long, but I like them that way, and usually I don't get into trouble with them. So I will not change my ways.
I am dreading all the finishing touches on this one, because there is a lot of metallics, but other than that I think this will be a fairly easy project... Especially all the big blobs of colour already in a row;)



Yesterday I finished all the red on Henry's arm. And soon I think the brown will be done too. My mum is visiting tomorrow, so I doubt it will be finished then. But I hope to be soon. Almost halfway!
-
I know it is WiSP Sunday, and I promise, I have done some on one of them, but it is on secret project number 2, so sadly I can't show you, but I can show you my travel project instead. I don't travel much these days, but I will be traveling a little tomorrow, so I have made a start on this so it will be easier on the bus tomorrow;)
A Margareth Sherry design, and of course, a bunny. For me. Yes, I am making a bunny birthday card for myself, because I usually don't get any bunny cards. (sometimes I get one from my friends :) )
I was contemplating joining in a birthday exchange, but I don't want to have too much on my plate, need to finish my course first...

 Bunny has a new hobby. Jumping up on this crate. We keep her hay in one of them and the bedding in the one she is sitting on. Maybe she could smell it? But she likes being on top of things to look around. (The higher the better, she says, sometimes I think she was a cat and not a bunny)
 I can honestly say that she seems completely healed when she jumps that high. Look at her smug little face. (and please ignore the clutter).


And another sign that she is feeling fine. The bunny flop. :) We have a small inexpensive IKEA rug on the floor under the desk between boyfriend and me where bunny loves to nap when we are busy.
You can even see how much she has healed in the fur growing back on her tummy if you look closely.


Oh, yeah, and I have 13 followers now, yay, I am hoping to have a giveaway when I reach another milestone. Either 200 blogposts or 20 followers, whichever happens first. ;)
Or if a post gets 100 views a day;)
My last entry received 92 I think, so almost there;)

Friday 5 April 2013

Spring has Sprung

So here is a chart I made. I am hoping some dandelions appear soon so that bunny will be happy and I can start drying them for next winter. Lol. We ran out of dandelion before Christmas this last winter and bunny was not pleased. There was no way I was going to buy any because it was ridiculously expensive...

But anyway, we are waiting for spring and here is a free chart.


Tuesday 2 April 2013

Tuesday Indecisiveness Tunes

So, I am going to show you what song I am into this week. 
But to be honest I just could not get it down to just one. Last week I decided that I would feature the next song on the double sided single, since it is Tanaka Reina's last single and all. But there were so many song this week that have been on constantly in my headphones.
 So. I will show you all three of the song I have on my mind.

And yes, they are all japanese and all from the same company, but they are three different groups.

(there was one more song stuck in my head, still japanese, but not from Producer Tsunku's mind and I could not find a decent video, so I will continue to search and one day maybe I can show you.)

First. Morning Musume:
The start is so lame I am loving it. The dresses is supposedly making them look like swans... And poor Masaki made a mistake ( yes, I know their names, and all the members from 1998 until today, I am such a fan)





 And then there is c-ute. I love this group. The dance is kind of cool and awkward at the same time, my kind of dance.....

   

 And, this group is totally new, finally Karin is in something good! Juice=Juice new single out today.
Karin is the one in the dweeb shirt;) 

 

And lastly, a picture of my Frederick progress, I am hoping to finish one book a week.
And the yellowish blob on the far right shows I am right in thinking I can do this because that is book number one.

Bunny has switched from morning laps to evening laps around the house. I prefer my bunnies to not be morning persons. But I guess when she is not let out of her pen until we get up she has limited choice in when to exercise. ;)

Monday 1 April 2013

HEAD ON

 Today on the blog: Update on Henry, Frederick and the long awaited review of my beloved q snap. Some complaining of a certain company and some bragging about another. Anecdotes about your favorite bunny and a promise. All illustrated by bad mobile phone pictures and spelling mistakes by yours truly.


All Heads look this way!


 All heads on Henry's right side are done! Yay! But to be honest I am struggling a bit with Henry, he just does not capture me in the same way his wives do. Might be all the greys. Might be his daunting size... Might be his all around beheading and disposing of his spouses. Might be simply because he does not have a nice dress. I love sewing dresses in pretty colours....

Soon I am going to order the beads to finish everything on this side, before starting on the other side. 
 I have completely given up getting an answer from DMC and there is no way I am going to call them all the way over there in France. I can't even speak french, and I am pretty sure they do not understand Norwegian. SO thats why I will yell at them on the blog instead. Oh heads will roll, I am not pleased with DMC in this kit and their customer service. So there. 

Oh, remember that my Mac-Stitch program was lost when the computer died? Well, the nice people over at Ursa sent me a replacement copy. So tomorrow I will be back to charting some more designs which hopefully will look a bit better. ;)  I am head over heals with this prospect.

Here is my start on Frederick. I am completely done with the shelf between his legs now.
I am hating on the fabric, it is so stiff it is standing on its own when I put it down. That can't be a good sign? I hope it will be better after some handling, but meanwhile it is making me cry. I couldn't even get it to sit tight in a normal hoop, I had to use the q snap and am struggling to place it....
Surprisingly the black aida is not giving me any trouble, just good lighting and something white on my lap and there we go. Last black aida failure might be because I was doing it without natural light....?

Can you see the q snap it is attached to?
I looove q snaps! Easy to put on (unless the fabric is being a pain in the head), and leaves absolutely no marks, I even forgot my stitching in it over night with my stitches covered by the plastic clamps and nothing. No distortion, no creases, nothing. Yay! Since I am lazy to take my stitching off hoops this is a heaven sent item. 

I might swap this picture with a better bunny one later;) But this was the only one on my mobile and I am too lazy to get out the regular camera. Maybe a nice headshot? Or maybe a full figure of bunny in action?
This day she let us sleep late too, so pretty happy. And all we had to do was make her a little more space to roam in at night. Yay. If we keep this up we are headed for success in the sleeping full nights department.

Easter is almost over. And there is even candy left over. We did have a visit from the easter bunny. Did you?


Oh, and I am NOT a day late. I just forgot it was Sunday yesterday... I blame it on the easter, all days are the same, at least when they only have names like easterday and not names like Longfriday ( the Norwegian name translated it is Good-Friday in English) which makes remembering what day it is much easier. Who can remember what day it is when it is vacation anyway?