Its July and I have had my head in the clouds

Hello again, 

I have been having a little identity crisis.  I will try to explain:

As you all know I returned to higher education as a mature student and gained a First Class with honours Textiles Degree and a Masters.  I have been in education a long time and to be honest I am finding it really hard to readjust without having the reliable routine.  

What not many of you are aware of is that I have a diagnosis of Autism amongst other learning difficulties.  Returning to higher education was a massive challenge and at times I did feel like I couldn't do it, but persevered. My autism affects me in multiple ways, thankfully throughout all my of higher education I have had an amazing mentor who helped me though it as well as helping me to understand myself.  My main difficulties surround social contact, social interactions and conversation amongst other issues.  I threw myself into the deep end when I applied to university, and to be honest I still cannot believe that I actually went! And got a degree!! Having a reliable routine helped me to have a sense of order in my life, it's only now without it I can see I am not coping as well.  As this title of this post highlights, it's July and I have had my head in the clouds, literally have no idea where the time has gone.  That's another thing, I have no concept of time, I arrive and go everywhere really early as I don't want to be late.  

And what have I been doing? Tried to get back into my cross stitch and embroidery, but I got too overwhelmed with the choices I have and ended up doing none. In fact I ended up seeing my embroidery as an outlet that overwhelms me rather than something that relaxes me.  This went on for what seemed ages, I love to create 3D hand embroidery as it really challenges me.  So I made a bug, it didn't turn out how I expected at all but the process drawing, designing then stitching and making gave me a purpose again and I really enjoyed it.  This is him, I called him Boris, that in itself isn't odd from me, see I call everything Boris! Boris has a purpose too, doubles as a pin cushion, pins can be stuck in his spots.

 

 I then wanted to do something fun as I thought Boris was a little too serious, a sea inspired pin cushion.

I hear you asking, what's with the pin cushions? Why pin cushions? Interesting question, the answer is two fold, I design and stitch things to give myself purpose and I need what ever I create to have a purpose too.  

Now as I write this I am embarking on a major project, one that has given me purpose.  I am designing and stitching miniature house plants.  Sounds odd I know, but I need to feel challenged and this is really filling this need.

Here is where I am:

And currently embroidering a miniature spender plant, photos to follow.  

I will find my path, just may take a little longer that expected, as long as I enjoy what I am doing and feel challenged, that's really all that matters I think. In the mean time I will enjoy buying plants, I love nature, plants make me feel happy.

My cheese plant is rather large now (sorry about the dark photo)

It's darker than it should be within our home, the windows have a tint on them, bright UV light affects my eyes and by dulling the light I also find this more calming.  You can see through the open window the difference the tint makes and peeking through there is a lovely sky.

I am going back to my spider plant now, but wanted to leave you all with one last photo(s), me relaxing with a cat face mask, it appears I cannot get this right either! Very challenging, I put it on the wrong side! I did turn it over, not that it made much of a difference.  It was really nice on my face as I kept it in the fridge, cold, cucumber and aloe, very nice.

                                  

Until next time......

What am I stitching?

 Hello friends, 

I have had a little sort out and decided to give rotating various cross stitch projects a go!  I thought I would start with 3, just to see if I can manage them:

1. Blue Ribbon Design - Botanical Blessings

2. Blue Ribbon Design - Behind The Gate (A Halloween Calendar)

3. Historical Sampler Company - Heart Pot Sampler

1. 

The Chart, what eventually it will look like!

This is where I picked it up again after oh so long being on the shelf.  

Progress! It's slowly coming together.

These flowers are really lovely, I thought a good place to stop and rotate.

Goodness, I will have to try to take brighter photos! Looking very dull, I assure you the colours are really lovely.

2.

The chart, what it will I hope resemble!?

                        

Taken from the cover to help visualise what I am stitching.  This is for Han and K as they love Halloween.

                

This cross stitch had not been started so I decided to start with the hanging pieces.

HUGE learning curve making these!! OMG! well I only just left enough fabric around each square! Note to self leave a bit more!! That's not a design error, the instructions are really clear! I just cannot follow instructions very well! Somehow I managed to pull them together.

Front.

Back.

3.

Where I found the cross stitch, I was searching for something traditional that I could adapt and make more personal.  I will be adding a more personal touch to this sampler and turning it into a wedding day heirloom for han and K.

                          

                              

                            

This is where I picked it up again from.

This is where I am now after stitching.

A little personal touch added here, hang and K have a cat (on right) called Eggy Bread and a dog, a pug called Lancelot on the right.  Something to note about Lancelot is that he has a wonky ear that's always down! Also one eye after recently having it removed when he had a cyst. This is only one of many quirky personal bits I will be including.

Let's see how this goes! I am not sure how often to review this, maybe once a month? Then hopefully you will be able to see my progress.

Until the next time..

What have I been up to...

Thought I would share my stitching 'nook', it has some of the models I stitched for Hands Across The Sea Samplers.  Unfortunately the first picture has terrible glare, further down you can see the embroidery, this first one is more for position. I should say... I am useless at taking photos!

Incidentally the embroidery on my stand is a sampler that I am adding a personal touch for Han and Cat although I call Cat K! More on that another time.

This monstrous sampler literally fills one of my walls! It's one I model stitched for HATS called Sarah Braizear Mills, 1829, by far the largest sampler I have ever embroidered. 

This adorable sampler, another I model stitched for HATS is Ann Roberts, it's very quirky. And in the small picture frame below is Warm Winter Woolens from, Little House Needleworks.  I adore pretty much all their designs! And yes on the left are Easter shaped eggs I hand embroidered, I left up as I like them and thought if I get around to it maybe I can change the design or theme, Ha ha ha no idea how I thought I would have time! lol

This next one yes another HATS, this was the first sampler I model stitched for HATS and will always be special to me. It is Louisa Coulimore. Underneath the frame is a branch of hawthorn berries and a dog rose, seen better days now, it is getting old.

Yes! Another HATS model stitched called Sally Stansfield 1841, this is a really sweet design that I loved to embroider. The random branch below is a segment from my Protected Nature piece I created for my final piece for my BA Textiles degree.  I couldn't part with it, I love the caterpillar!

On the small cupboard under those HATS framed embroideries are some small 3 dimensional embroideries I have created.  The Zen Garden, everything embroidered apart from the wooden tree ring used as the base.

This has a collection of oddities, the fairy ring I designed and created, a random paper mache shark because why not! The small cross stitch in the frame is a design from The Trilogy called Happy Home, so cute.

The miniature rubber plant I designed and created, the pink flower is from the orchid family and I enjoyed creating it. I guess it's kind of like a larger curiosity cabinet! 

I  have been designing more cross stitch designs, really enjoying this new journey.  The first design I created is HOME, oozing with strawberries because it reminds me of summer but I don't like them! (This is in the same place as my free design, click the free design to take you to my shop).

Then I created an inclusive cross stitch chart, I should say, if you all don't know, I am a wheelchair user, that's me!!

Wheelchairs are not often represented within this community so I thought I would create a chart to change this.  Embracing my own disability to firmly say yes! highlighting that people with disabilities belong in this crafting community. (These are in the same place as my free design, click the free design to take you to my shop).

Have I been cross stitching or creating? Of course! more to come! 

I want to say it's been so so lovely re-connecting with so many of you from when I blogged previously, before going to university.  

Until the next time....

 

FREE For You To Enjoy

I am now dabbling in creating and designing my own cross stitch charts and have always wanted to provide FREE charts for everyone to enjoy.  

Now that I am able to do this I can offer my first FREE cross stitch chart: 'Spreading Kindness'.

If you look on the right side of my main page of this blog you will see this image below, click it and it will take you directly to my FREE cross stitch chart, it is an instant download.  Download, stitch and enjoy!

Until the next time...

Anyone out there?

Hello again!

I am not sure how many people still blog? It's only when writing new posts I realised how much I actually enjoyed this, writing as a why of remembering what I get or got up to! Also for the slim chance of another person to read what I get up to, I find this part the most fascinating, I love to pop over and read what others get up to within the bogging community.

I thought I had my fill of hospitals, seemed not! Han had to visit for routine bloods, this is some feet to get her to attend as she really does not like this procedure.  Her appointment had been continuously put off since March by Han, so we sat and waited.  Her appointment time came and went, odd we thought, so han checked with the nurse and apparently yes it was the right day of the week but the wrong week!! Seeing as we were already there I told Han we might as well see if there was space to get the bloods done.  Thankfully they slotted Han in and Han proudly showed her arm where they removed her blood!  Of course we had to visit the hospital cafe to 'recover' from the 'shock' ...... the words within ' ' are to be taken lightly as Han was fine! Nothing coffee and cake could not fix!                 

    

The Welsh Cakes were a little treat for Jon, I don't like dead fruit.  And to be honest they say they are Welsh cakes but they are nothing like a cake! Here in Wales they are everywhere, all different varieties, but fruit are the traditional ones. If you have never tried Welsh cakes let me know and I will see what I can do, maybe I can organise a Welsh parcel that includes something I make too? Cross stitch/embroidery and other things welsh?! I know people are busy and do other events with other blogs.  I guess I am enquiring if anyone would be interested in an exchange? No matter where you live, just thought it would be nice to do. I would love to stitch something Welsh too, make a Welsh parcel for someone? Not sure if anyone knows but Jon is Welsh, sings welsh but not a native 24/7 welsh speaker.  Welsh is a lovely dialect and I love to listen to it.  When I previously blogged I lived in Sussex, southern England, living in Wales, for over 4 years now and I love it.  Next time I go out and about I will remember to take photos so I can share it to you all.

Let me know what you think?

Till the next one......