Updating my gallery

I'm in the process of updating my stitching gallery.

Originally I had one that required me to fully html code it. I have accepted that I can't keep up with that sort of thing these days, so started using Flickr, but I still liked the gallery set up and the fact it has most of my finished projects in it.

So I've compromised. Clicking on one of the WIP thumbnails will now take you to a Flickr photo set that has all my progress pictures for that project in it. I've also updated the WIP thumbnails in the sidebar here to like to those photo sets.

But I'm going to keep the gallery for finished projects. That means I'll only need to update the html when I have a finish, but the gallery can be used at any time to find current WIP pics as well.

www.forty-two.co.nz/corner/gallery

Finish and Stash

I did it! I've finished my gift! No pictures until it has been received I'm afraid, but I promise to post once as soon as I can. I'm going to wash and press it tomorrow and then I'll take some photos.

I had a "loyal customer" voucher to spend at my old LNS here in Palmerston North (I'm down visiting my parents at the moment) so I went in today to see what I could find. They don't carry a lot of stock - certainly not of the kind I really like - so I didn't know what might be there, but since this was indulgence shopping I could pick something "pretty" that I wouldn't usually buy.

I came home with Victoria Sampler's Summer Garden Sampler which I think is lovely. The colours are beautifully bright without being in your face and I really like the whole "feel" of it. (It also reminds me to the tone of some books I'm currently reading - Nora Roberts' Chesapeake Bay Saga - which is the kind of thing that influences me to spend money.)

The only catch to this is that if I want it to look this pretty, I'll need to buy the Accessory Pack in from the States to get all the silks and special threads and that'll be more expensive than the chart.

Since I had some of my "free" money left over, I also ordered Mirabilia's Stargazer. I hadn't been sure if I liked it when it first came out, but now that I've seen some people's finished projects I find I want it for myself.

So all in all, a good crafty day.

A lovely afternoon

I spent a wonderful afternoon today, visiting Nicki. We caught up with each other and I got to check out all her lovely recent exchanges - I've even seen one that hasn't been posted yet - and we chatted about stash and stitching and cats and all those sorts of things.

Then we settled in to stitch. I worked on my baby gift - and made a nice amount of progress too - while Nicki started on a baby blanket. Nicki's husband settled down at the table behind us painting model soldiers (they are so tiny, I don't know how he has the patience, but I was very impressed). We put an episode of the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes on the TV and did crafty things for a very companionable few hours before I needed to leave to pick Marcus up from daycare.

It was fantastic, and we have good intentions to do it again. I hope we do, as it was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Encouragement please

My niece was born today. Her name is Emma and I can't wait to see a photo of her.

The only down side to this is that I'm nowhere near finishing her birth gift. I started it in what I thought was plenty of time, but my health has been so yuckky lately that I've done much less than I hoped.

I know I can't push myself too hard or I'll just make myself sicker, but I'd appreciate all and any encouragement anyone can provide to help me balance my health and working on it so she isn't too old before I send it to her.

Thanks.

Sleeping

Sleeping
Originally uploaded by rocalisa.

Sleeping

Journalling ~
My sleeping boy
Heading for Palmerston North ~ 5.53am Saturday 20th May, 2006

Credits~
Photo frame is from Deckled Frames 2 by Katie Pertiet; background paper is from Lucky Star by Gina Cabrera; shell and M alpha from Blue Water by Lynn Grieveson; BOY wordart from All Natural by Melany Violette; flower from Sorbet Blossoms by Melany Violette; stamp from Timeless by Melany Violette; pin from Chelsea’s Dream by Michelle Coleman; seal from Olde Worlde Charm by Michelle Coleman; starfish from Joshua’s Day in the Sun by Michelle Coleman and Diane Rigdon; font is FG Lova

Google Doodle Petition

On November 14th March of Dimes celebrates Prematurity Awareness Day.

If we can persuade Google to create a doodle for us on November 14th, we can potentially be seen by millions of internet users.

Please help us spread the word, and sign the petition for the top spot on Google!

Sign the petition

No QS Wednesday for me this week

I haven't felt well enough to stitch at all for the last week, so while I'm hoping to do a bit today, I really need to work on the present that has a deadline - of this weekend!

I know I'm not going to have it done by then, but I'd like it to be as little late as I can manage, so while I feel up to it, it's more important for me to stitch on that.

I'll get back to Aries as soon as I can.

My September Reads

I had another good reading month this month, although once again I suspect it was beacause I'm not feeling well enough to do anything much more energetic than reading. Still, it's great to be reading.

1. Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear (10/10)
Fantasy based on Celtic myth. Brilliant. Go and read it.

2. Imitation in Death by J. D. Robb (8/10)
Romantic Suspense. Spending more time with Eve and Roarke.

3. Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip (8/10)
Fantasy. Reread before reading Solstice Wood. I'm sure I picked up more this time that I did the first time around.

4. Solstice Wood by Patricia A. McKillip (9/10)
Fantasy. In the modern world which is unusual for McKillip but worked very well.

5. Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward (10/10)
Paranormal Romance. So it's smart-mouthed vampires but I loved it. You need to read the series in order though, I think.

6. Dark Dreamers by Christine Feehan and Marjorie M. Liu
Paranormal Romance. I bought it for the Liu story, which I gave 9/10. It was kind of dark in places, but very well done.

7. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh (9/10)
Paranormal Romance. Quite different from a lot of other paranormal romance and she's a New Zealander.

8. Black Powder War by Namoi Novik (9/10)
Fantasy. I love this series, I love Temeraire and Laurence and I hope Peter Jackson does turn it into a movie.

9. The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud (8/10)
Fantasy. A solid read, but Nathaniel is still a little sh*t and it suffers from book 2 in a trilogy syndrome.

10. Body Work by Fiona Brand (5/10)
Romantic Suspense. Not quite a waste of my time, but close. I'm glad I didn't pay good money for it.

11. Earth by David Brin (10/10)
SF. This was a brilliant book 15 years ago and it still is today. It's hardly dated and is being discussed on [Beyond_Reality] this month. David Brin will comment.

12. The Last Mortal Man by Syne Mitchell (8/10)
SF. A bit slow to start because she needed to build up herfuture before she could start tearing it down, but a good story and a good start to a trilogy.

13. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts (9/10)
Romance. I was surprised how much I liked this. It's about home and family and loyalty as much as, if not more than, how boy meets girl. I'll be reading the rest of the series.

14. Alpha by Catherine Asaro (9/10)
SF with a good touch of romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this, but I'm biased to like Asaro and this didn't disappoint, although it took a while to get moving.

15. Heart Quest by Robin D. Owens (8/10)
Paranormal Romance. Another thorougly enjoyable addition to Owens' Celta series and I look forward to the next one.

Note, I tend to be generous with ratings. I don't seem to be able to help myself.

Character Creations October Update

Seven Ravens - Abranda Sisson

Owl Woman - Nicole Cadet

Brigit - Pamela Matthews (both standard and deluxe editions available)

The Hermit Macro Edition - Lisa Hunt

As always, details are on the news page.