15 minute Challenge...

This is my first time linking up with 15 Minute Challenge at Life in Pieces (found through Shay at Quilting in my Pyjamas)
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My Dear Jane cross stitch has been neglected of late. I did do a bit a few weekends ago but I have been busy since then. I am taking it with me this weekend and I hope to get at least 15 minutes worth in. Although those squares and triangles are fairly small, they do take time.
It's starting to look pretty, don't ya think?
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Joolz

Cross stitching with Mr Darcy...

A very lazy Sunday spent here. I got up at 7am because the corellas were making a racket
outside (as usual) and I had a reasonably early night so no probs there. I like the quiet of the house in the morning. Two cups of coffee later and I decided it was time to start cross stitching. I finished the first square on the second row and worked my way across. Then I did the two pink triangles on the right end of the top row and the brown design in the middle. Lots of progress today! While stitching this afternoon, I watched/listened to Pride & Prejudice - I can't watch with my glasses then stitch with them off - so I sort of took it in turns. Everytime Mr Darcy was on, I watched with my glasses! Lol!
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Roast pork a la Gus (in the old Weber kettle bbq) tonight with roast potato, pumpkin, carrot and peas. Yum!
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Ooh, I forgot to mention he has stuffed the pork loin with prunes, apple, orange zest, ground coriander garlic and macadamia nuts....
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Cheers - Joolz

Chillin'...

We are in for a hot day here - about 40C is expected. It's 11am (and currently 31C) and I am on the couch, cross stitch in hand and a glass of Liptons Peach Tea by my side. The house is still cool so I just have the fan going on me.
We were going to go to the beach but Gus has a sore neck (from driving a 12 seater Transit van (bus) back from Adelaide. So he has carked it on the bed again and Brianna hasn't even surfaced yet. We might go for a drive after lunch but if its too windy I think we will just stay put. I am in enjoying the peace and quiet with the TV turned down low and plenty of uninterupted stitching going on. Yay!
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Stay cool friends,
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Joolz

Delicious...

For a cross stitcher, there is nothing more delicious than a whole new set of colours and a pattern waiting to be started...
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Aren't they pretty?
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Lord only knows when I will get this started, but it's waiting for me, all sorted and ready to go!
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Joolz

Monday roundup...

I had a quiet weekend, although we did go to a dance concert which was fantastic. So much young talent. This is my herb pot which I have planted out with petunias. It's powering along...
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My geraniums and impatiens are doing well too...
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I planted tomatoes seedlings on Nov 8th...
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They are doing well and have many flowers on them so hopefully I'll be eating tomatoes soon...
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I dragged out this WIP and thought, there's only one person who this could be for so I am finishing it for Mum (who's 80) for Christmas. I made a fair bit of progress this weekend...
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... but I still have a looooong way to go. There is all of the back stitching and gold doily to do and also the eyelet stitched border. OMG! Wish me luck!
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See all that eyelet work? Erk!
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I took this picture at 5.40pm yesterday. Big menacing clouds but only a little bit of thunder and a few lightning flashes, making it hot and humid. By 7.30pm the rain set in and was steady all night. Happily, our rain water tanks are overflowing this morning.
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My thoughts are with those on the NSW East coast battling rising flood waters and crop devastation, especially in the Coonamble/Wagga Wagga region. It never rains, it pours.
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Joolz

More cross stitch...

Welcome to all my Un Finished Objects (UFO'S) or Works In Progress (WIP's). This is one I definitely want to finish, now I've taken it out of it's package and had a good look. All that lace work.... daunting!
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I'd love to finish this one but it's on linen and I think I'd go blind trying. Maybe one day. It would be so pretty.
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This is a picture of the finished product and how it should look framed up. I even have the beads (tiny) to embellish it with.
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This one doesn't really stand a chance because it has never been started. Loved the pattern, bought it and filed it away...
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This was probably appropriate for the 80's/90's but not sure if I'd hang it in my home today...
(Lordy, look at all that back stitching...)
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Looking at this one, I think if I sat for 15 minutes I could finish it off - isn't that crazy! It's about 18 years old!
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Another wild flower one, started with enthusiasm then left for something else. I guess I did do a lot of cross stitches for people of the years as gifts so each one of these UFO's suffered because of a item needing to be finished on a deadline.
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This one (Wedding Ring Bouquet) is finished but never got framed. Don't know why, just didn't. The aida cloth has discoloured in places now.
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I loved this one but Kirby never wanted it in her room so it never got framed.
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It's pretty...
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This is a really lovely one and I do hope to finish it off one day... a beautiful bouquet of roses up against a lattice fence.
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When Princess Diana was tragically killed in 1997, I adapted this pattern
and stitched this small design in honour of her.
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Diana was my idol from the moment she came on the scene with Prince Charles.
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This tiny one is stitched on fine linen.
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This is where I am up to with my Mary Wigham sampler. I have basically finished the first pattern sheet of 9 so I have a way to go yet...
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There is ecru and white stitching that you can barely see - I didn't enjoy stitching that bit at all.
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So you can see, I have plenty to keep me entertained. I haven't bought anything since starting the Mary Wigham sampler so that's a good thing. I just need time to sit...
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Cheers - Joolz

Christmas Cross stitch display ...

Brianna's stocking - I worked it but my Mum had to create the stocking for me.
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Kirby's stocking.
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This picture comes out each Christmas and sits on our mantle-piece.
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My Christmas decorations - I worked all of these exactly 20 years ago, when I was pregnant with Kirby. She turns 2o at the end of this month. They go on our tree every year.
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I hope you've enjoyed these. This blog-along has been great fun - Chookyblue has a list of participating blogs.
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Cheers - Joolz