Hi everyone.
Happy Mothers Day to all those who celebrate.
I've been very quiet this last week on the blog and comment side because The MOTH took me to Perth, Western Australia for 5 days of romance & stash shopping. How cool is he? The weekend of my birthday, I suggested that we take the May Day long weekend and go somewhere, & the next thing I knew he had booked us both on a flight clear across Australia so that we could have the getaway and he could still get to his Perth office on Tuesday morning (long live frequent flyer points!).
Needless to say, we had a great time together.
Almost but not quite better still, when I kissed Paul goodbye for him to go to his office on Tuesday morning, I climbed the train and went to spend one of the best days of my stitching life with
Janine Smith, proprietor of
Colours Down Under, the most diverse cross stitch supply store I have ever yet visited worldwide (I kid you not), and the lady with the most wonderful personal stash & WIP collection that I have ever seen!
Janine was a true inspiration. She talked and talked & I listened and learned. At one stage I wished I could have filmed the visit just so that I could share some of the marvelous moments. I will never forget her sitting in 'The Blue Room' (which, by the way is yellow walled and covered with blue and white china & cross stitching) talking about
Teresa Wentzler and her use of colours in her art. I was in awe of Janine just as she was in awe of Teresa!
Needless to say, my stash supply shelves have three more fat quarters & 4 new charts (not to mention the week before's efforts). I've also been encouraged to rotate a few WIPs rather than stick with my 'work-on-one project' plan. As Janine said: "What's finishing got to do with it? It's also about the joy of stitching, Felicity."
The above piece by Teresa Wentzler has been on my shelf ready to go for a while, but just last week I decided that it wouldn't 'fit' my house style-wise. Thanks to Janine & her fine example hanging on her wall, I'm dragging mine out again and am going to stitch it because I like it and because it celebrates the something special between me and The MOTH.
I've also started to grid a few pieces of fabric. I've got just one start to replace the mermaid at this stage: Rosa, an adaptation of a work by Marilyn Robertson. Also, I'm using the aida that came with the kit, but Janine taught me that it's OK to start again if the stitcher changes her mind.
In a week's time, we are off to New Zealand for a fortnight. If anyone on the north island wants a visit or can recommend some stash shopping (cross stitch or knitting) please let me know.
Happiness & laughter to one and all,
Felicity
