TUSAL - post 8, a finish and the zoo

Hello all,

I sat down to write this post thinking ... I have another biscornu panel finish to show you, but it turns out I haven't photographed it yet. What a dumpty. I had the camera out both this morning, and then realising I haven't pictured this month's orts, after work. Never mind I'll keep that for the next post ... but I have something even more exciting to show you ...

toy panda!

I bet he is saying I am not perfect but definitely cute

One of his ears is a bit lopsided, and the nose a little too high ... but this is my 1st attempt at sewing a toy in about 10 years or more. I'm sure I have sewn a guinea pig when I was little. But that was many years ago. So what has inspired this little beauty you might ask ... well my recent trip to the Edinburgh zoo of course. I had the kit for this panda bear on my projects to start shelf for about a year, but seeing pandas in real life inspired me to bring it out.

When I went to visit the pandas ... they were a little naughty ... and were right in the middle of their 16 hour per day sleep.

this is the naughty bear that slept with its back towards me

Tian Tian was a little better at posing while sleeping:

Ain't she cute? I really hope she is pregnant. She underwent artificial insemination back in April, but pandas take upto 10 months to decide whether they want to be pregnant or not. Ultrasound scan is scheduled for this month after she undergoes training for it. 

I have more photos of other animals from the trip to share in a later post.

And now onto TUSAL.

August 2013

2013 up to now and August next to it

the year so far

I am doing quite good for stitching. Many many orts ...

A few more giveaways I couldn't go past

#1 - 5th Blogaversary Giveaway @ Always Smiling

To enter click HERE

Deadline: 9th August 2013

#2 - Blog Hop Giveaway and Competition @ Stitchers Anon 

A very inspirational lady. She is the one who organised the 2013 SAL ... and I can't stop stitching the current designer we are working on.

She is doing a few giveaways, so one can pick between:

I think I have shared all ....

To enter click HERE

Deadline: 25th August 2013

#3 - Birthday Give-away! 100 winners @ Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Nancy organises the most exciting giveaways and this one is no exception. Do mention that it was me who sent you.

To enter click HERE

Deadline: 14th August 2013

Till soon,

Wipocalypse - December/Final post for 2012

December Update:

After the last update realisation hit me that there wasn't much chance of me being able to complete all set projects, so I set a mini goal to concentrate on completing Fizzy Moon and 1 page of my HAED for this year end. So...

A Fizzy Moon finish (which ended up being mums Christmas present ... so expect another pillow appearing on the blog soon):

September 2012

December 2012

HAED:
The latest page progress:

November 2012

December 2012

Overall progress:

November 2012

December 2012

I have even managed to start the next page.

Error corrections and unexpected stitching:

So then I had a little time to correct/start correcting a few errors I have clumsily made this year:

In Big Ben there should have not been any dark in the reflection ... silly me has mixed up symbols

May 2012

This error I have unpicked and corrected, then done some unexpected stitching:

December 2012

In Venice the events occurred the other way around. I have been working on it to discover that I did not account for the overlap of 10 squares in my gridding so there is a 10 square wide line down the centre where the 2 pages of design overlap.

August 2012 - part 1

December 2012 - extra stitching

December 2012 - extra stitching and the start of unpicking

Year Update

1) 'Handpicked by Fizzy [a new start and finish]:

Complete!!!

2) Country Trio [final of three start and finish]:

Complete!!!

3) Lickle Ted with a daffodil:

Started from:

And finished:

Complete!!!

4) Xmas Chums [a bit of failure this goal]:

So I have ended up with less than I begun with.

5) Good Heavens [failure as none done]:

6) Making Lickle Wishes: 

7) John Clayton: Big Ben [new start and ...]:

8) John Clayton: Venice [new start and ...]:

9) John Clayton: 'Calla Lily' [a new start and finish]:

Complete!!!

10) 'does my bum look big in this?' [from ... to finish]:

Complete!!!

11) Country Bouquet - The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady [completed]:

Complete!!!

12) The Snowman card [from ... to complete]:

Complete!!!

13) 'Meet Baby Newton' [from ... to a finish]:

Complete!!!

14) Fizzy Moon card kit [nothing done on]:

15) 'Tending the Flock' [same - shame]:

16) 'Picture of elegance' [and again ...]:

17) Dimensions kit [new start to ...]:

18) HAED [new start to ...]:

3 and a bit pages done

So a grande total of 8 complete. Next year although we are told to set the goals in the 1st check-in post I think I will do in advance hopefully before the year begins. This I think I will do by changing the Wipocalypse 2012 tab, and will have more SMART objectives (something I have learnt on my course). So I will update the sidebar links, and the tabs to reflect this update in the next few days. And now back to study.

Till soon,

                 
                                                       P.S. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!