Name tag

For those of you waiting to see the finished name tag, I am happy to be able to finally show it off.

The rules were it was to be 3” x 4” and it had to have our name on it. I met both of these and actually made it into a small pocket to hold items such as a room key and I can hang it around my neck.

It was a challenge to figure out what was going to finally be on the name tag and what wouldn't work this time. What I was trying to show on this was some of the various parts of me as well as my love of various needlework techniques. The fabric is 32ct linen and the border is over 2 stitches. There are beads on the edges of the name tag as well. Now to try and explain each block.

1. Mittens (cross-stitch over 1 thread) – I knit and crochet for charity and mittens are one of the items that I make.

2. Computer (charm) – what part of my work is as a document writer and trainer.

3. Yarn basket (specialty stitches) – I have a large stash of yarn and would love if my stash fit into a yarn basket.

4. Name (cross-stitch) – I used over-dyed floss to show that I am not one dimensional and there are various parts to me.

5. Specialty stitches – some of the stitches that are used in needlework.

6. Cat and scissors (charms) – the cat or kitten refers to my nickname of Craftkitten and the scissors are something that a crafter that knits, crochets and does needlework requires.

7. Spools of floss (metallic threads) – some of the threads that I use when doing some of my needlework and also how I enjoy wearing brighter colours sometimes.

8. Deer and trees (cross-stitch and specialty stitches) – this is the view that I see out of my in-laws dining room window (aka Wildlife TV) and it also shows my love of nature.

9. Flowers (petit point) – I love taking pictures of flowers and the design is by Kathrin who taught me how to petit point.

Life is too short

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last couple of days and have really realized that life to too short to not enjoy it.

This weekend is the Cross Stitch Retreat that I have been looking forward to for the last four months. Hard to believe it's finally here but have to admit that I am extremely excited about it as well.

Last night we were talking to a friend while having dinner and I mentioned that a couple of times I had thought about not going to the retreat even after I signed up. His comment "You're going and that's it!" He continued to tell me that you need to do things that make you happy and not just do things for everyone else.

OK I listened and am now packed and ready for my weekend of stitching and walking to other cross-stitchers. It is me time and yes doing something that I love to do and leaving all the other pressures sitting in my spot on the couch. I can find the pressures on Sunday evening once I am home but for the next 56 hours I am walking away from them.

Enjoy your weekend and watch later for another post about my name tag.

Good week

I have been busy working on a cross-stitch that I will be taking to the retreat I am attending this coming weekend. I have started Celtic Knotwork Crosses Bell Pull by TW Designs. I don't have much done on it so there is no picture to show yet but hopefully after this weekend I will have something to show.

Another nice thing happened last week and this is what it was, the Sunshine award.The rules of this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
2. Pass the award to 12 bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

I have to say a big Thank You to Silverlotus of Reflections in the Pond.

So that is all that has been happening in the last few days so now to get ready for my retreat this weekend. I hope to have lot to tell you early next week about the retreat and pictures of progress on my cross-stitch.

Feeling guilty

I have to admit that the last couple of weeks I have been feeling extremely guilty about not doing the charity crafting that I normally do. I have a habit of putting everyone else first and in the last two weeks I have sat back and thought about me first for a change.

It's hard to believe but I have hardly crocheted at all over this time but have enjoyed cross-stitching and seeing progress on the various projects that I have on the go. I have put a list together of all my cross-stitch kits and the list is extremely long. I have been going to the Creative Festival every year and over the last few years acquired a large number of class kits. My list doesn't just include the festival kits thank goodness as the list is currently over kits to complete, most of them at least started, but it is over 50 projects and still haven't finished writing them all up.

Now maybe everyone will understand why I am taking some time to myself as I need to put a bit of a dent in this collection. My cross-stitch is something that I haven't done a lot of in the last couple of years due to other reasons but am happy that I have re-found the love that I have for it.

Sitting back and thinking through everything that I work on both craft wise as well as professionally is helping me regain a focus that I have lost. Now to continue on this process and hopefully see what I can do in the next few days.

Name tag and other items

I have been working on getting my name tag ready for the retreat at the end of the month and am happy to say that I need about two more hours and then it will be ready for me to wear. I am excited about posting a picture but that will happen after the retreat so that no one sees it before.

I have been working on a couple of other cross-stitches as well since I last posted. I have finished a biscornu and scissor fob that my mom asked me to stitch for her. The biscornu was a free pattern on line (will post link when I find it again) and then the scissor fob I used part of the biscornu pattern to make it.

The other cross-stitch that I have been working on is First Dragon Encounter by Dragon Dreams and I am happy to say that I am just about finished this cross-stitch as well. I started this one in October 2008 at the CreativFestival and then put it away and didn't complete it. I am now working on getting a few of my kits completed instead of just adding to the collection that I have. I made a list of all the kits that I have and well it's going to be quite a while before I can complete all of the kits.

The rest of life has been busy as well so now to finish up the work on my desk so that I can spend my evening cross-stitching and maybe finishing First Dragon Encounter and starting the cross-stitch I want to work on at retreat. Yes I am busy but loving it at the same time.