Apologies for the lack of posting since Friday. I just haven't felt much like blogging. I'm struggling a little at the moment with feeling low. I don't like the way I look etc and am desperate for some new clothes to pep me up but everything I look at I don't think I'll look right in so end up not bothering. Jess and I went to Freeport yesterday and I wouldn't even go try stuff on. I need a big kick up the ass I think! I also feel useless at finishing my stitching off. I won't try new ways as I don't think it'll look right when I'm done ( a reason why I won't do exchanges because I don't think my pieces will be any good). Sigh. I really wish I had more confidence in myself.
Thank you for all your lovely comments about Jess' pictures. She had a brilliant time at the ball and I think she was surprised at how good it was! Lol!
Anyway last week was my week on Heaven and Earth Designs Winter and here it is. 
I didn't get as much done as I had hoped as my neck and head were playing me up terribly last week and I must admit that I maybe tried too hard to carry on through it but by Thursday I had to give in and did no stitching at all. I am happy with what I've done though. As Helen says even a few stitches is progress. Here is my progress from last time if you'd like to see how much I've done:)
I didn't get as much done as I had hoped as my neck and head were playing me up terribly last week and I must admit that I maybe tried too hard to carry on through it but by Thursday I had to give in and did no stitching at all. I am happy with what I've done though. As Helen says even a few stitches is progress. Here is my progress from last time if you'd like to see how much I've done:) On Monday I should have carried on with Chatelaine Summer Afternoon but I just cou
ldn't face it for some reason so I decided to try and finish the Papillon Creations freebie Love Letters. I didn't quite manage it so added the last few stitches yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish this as yet but I really must get on top of finishing things off instead of dumping them in a drawer and thinking I'll finish it later! I chose to use the colours Yvonne did on the design and I love the way they look together.
ldn't face it for some reason so I decided to try and finish the Papillon Creations freebie Love Letters. I didn't quite manage it so added the last few stitches yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish this as yet but I really must get on top of finishing things off instead of dumping them in a drawer and thinking I'll finish it later! I chose to use the colours Yvonne did on the design and I love the way they look together.Anyway I did pick up Summer Afternoon last night as I knew if I didn't it would get missed this time in my rotation. I found I'd made several mistakes last time so had some frogging to do which only made me not to want to stitch it all the more! Lol! I did restitch the bits I'd had to frog and stitched a bit more besides so am determined to make the most of the rest of the week and get this bit finished. I really must do the 7th part of Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV too or I won't do that either!
I am doing fine on the chart stash wagon! How is everyone else doing? I haven't really had the urge to buy any charts although I will admit there was once I had a bit of an urge but that's all! I did RAK a couple of friends with a quick stitch each in the HAED sale but have been very good for myself. I think my first treat come 1st December will be Ink Circles Sea Stars as Karen and I are doing a SAL and I also want to get Elegant Stitch This Too Shall Pass then.
That's it from me today:) Thank you to all of you read my blog and special thanks to all those who comment. I love reading them.
19 comments:
Your PC freebie looks lovely, very pretty colours.
Sorry you're feeling a bit out of sorts at the minute. I know this is going to sound like a bit of a plug, but why don't you have a go at one of the classes on the Focus on Finishing blog? (http://focusonfinishing.wordpress.com The whole point of the blog is to try and encourage people to branch out with their finishing a bit more and develop some new skills. If you don't fancy any of the classes, there's loads of tutorial links to have a look at. If you start off with a small piece, like a freebie, that you're not too bothered about botching up (I'm sure you won't, BTW! ;) ), I'm sure you'll find your confidence growing when you realise that you can finish things differently :) We've all been there - my earliest finishing attempts were a bit hit and miss at the best of times, but the trick is that the more you do, the better you get.
Also, if you're worried about exchanges, why not try out Becky's new board for newbie finishers for you to test out your skills alongside people that are at the same level, so it's less intimidating.
OK, I'll stop plugging and leave you in peace now ;)
Oh Sally I know just how you feel. I'm feeling rather low myself at the moment, but I know it should clear up in a couple of days, hopefully. I hope you'll feel better soon as well. I don't think this dismal summer we're having helps matters either. We need the sun!! I also know what you mean about exchanges. There is some really exquisite finishing about that I just can't hope to compete with. As I also have plenty of stuff to do I've decided to stop worrying about it and to stick to what I know, which is mainly stitching that can be framed. Mind you I'll run out of wall space before I finish all the charts and kits in my stash. LOL Your Love Letters is beautiful, I've got that one to do myself.
I'm sorry you are feeling down. I think we all go through stages like that and hope they don't last too long. I'm trying to ward off feeling down in the dumps myself, I weigh more now than I've ever weighed and feel terrible physically because of it. I've had to go up a size in clothing *ugh*. Look up, even when we don't feel like we can love ourselves very much, God ALWAYS loves us.
On the brighter side I love your HAED, it is beautiful
sorry you are feeling down Sally . I know what you mean about worrying if the way you finish things will be as good as others lol I worry for every exchange I join. Just remember those of us who are in exchanges do not do it to see how well you finish things off we do it because we love to have stitched items from people we know it means so much more to be able to look at something and say so and so stitched that for me, and know that you did your best whilst stitching it
I feel just like that too sometimes. The best thing that you can do is make a real effort to accept the way you look and your talents (see my post for Friday June 22nd: http://tajinaz.blogspot.com/2007/06/talent.html). On my blog also you will find that I too struggle with the skill of finishings, see my bellpull, that was a miraculous feat. When you feel down about your appearance, remember that most people are looking at your spirit, attitude, and demeanor more than anything else and this is what makes you so beautiful!... Lol, I was just reading your blog and I switch over to my blog and see that you left me a comment, how coincidental, omg. Take care.
I seem to feel like you do a lot of the time. I went to Tesco to buy some new trousers for work and nearly walked out in tears because nothing would fit (I'm not THAT big - only a size 16ish) but I just felt ENORMOUS! I only ever finish my stitching as a picture or card for the exact same reasons as you - too scared to take a leap into the unknown. Daft isn't it? Lets face it, what is the worse that could happen? Next time you're feeling down just think of the little, fat woman in Nottingham who is feeling exactly the same way! {{{Hugs}}}} x
Oh Sally, I think we are all depressed and I put it down to the weather! It's just not good enough all this rain. :( We NEED the SUN!!
As for your finishing, well the only real advice I can give is to give it a go and practice, practice, practice. The first couple 0f trys at any finishing will be horrendous, mine usually are, but you learn from the mistakes you make and the next ones will be better. Also in my case the finishing on other peoples exchange pieces are 10x better than the ones I keep for myself as I take more time and care over them. If I remember you did some finishing the other week, they were wonderful creations.
Your PC is lovely, very pretty colours.
Take care. x
sorry to hear that you are feeling down Sally, feeling a bit that way myself at the moment and worrying way too much about every little thing. I am still managing to stitch though but haven't felt like blogging for ages.
I feel like you about finishing - p- I have managed a scissor fob but worried myself silly over whether it was good enough so don't think I will do any more.
hope you are feeling better about things soon
hugs xx
((((Hugs)))) I know what you mean about finishing...I don't even attempt it! Your stitching is beautiful! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your comments!
I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling down. :( It may be because of the miserable weather - crappy weather will do that to you. Hope you feel much better soon!!!
Know what you mean about the finishing - I'm scared witless to try my hand at new techniques. I'm always worried that I'll screw it up. Oh wait, I mostly DO screw it up. ;)
You did get a good bit of Winter done. It is so nice to have progress pictures. I especially like them when I'm on a larger project as then I can see that I'm really making headway even when it doesn't seem like I am.
Love Letters turned out very pretty. Like you I'm not much on finishing, my sewing skills leave a lot to be desired. While I did get a couple framed recently, I really need to do something with others that are just sitting in a box. I'll enjoy watching you do Sea Stars when you do your SAL. This one is such fun with the various sea creatures. I picked up CdC by Ink Circles a little bit ago, but don't have Sea Stars yet.
Sue
It's lovely! oh and you are not the only one who feels that way with finishing as i have some here and just don't have the courage to try like flatfold especially!
Hope you feel better soon though.
Lots of {{hugs}} coming your way Sally, I often feel the same way about how I look.
Why don't you try stitching some really quick, almost 'throw away' pieces to practice finishing with, or even drawing on some scrap fabric to do it? That way the pressure will be off about 'ruining' a piece cos even if it takes a few goes to get it right, it won't really matter.
I forgot to say - well done on staying on the wagon! I'm doing well too and haven't bought anything since I started. I've been very tempted by a few things though!
Sorry to hear that you're feeling low Sally. Like alot of the other stitchers here, I feel the same. I'm sure it'll pass when we get a glimmer of sunshine.
Lovely progress on Winter - it's one of my favourites of Sara's pieces. Hope you can stitch on it lots!! Love Letters is gorgeous - I love those colours together.
{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}Sally, so sorry to hear you're having a bad week, wish I was there to give you a hug and a kick up the butt!! Seriously I do hope you feel better soon.
Your stitching is wonderful as always Sally and you do some gorgeous finishings too....I've seen them. You are braver than me, everything I stitch goes in a frame!! Maybe one day I'll get up the courage to make some tucks or pillows or something different ...I'll be running out of wall space soon with all my frames.
The weather deosn't help Sally, we need some sunshine me thinks to cheer us all up.
Take care you and feel better soon.
Big huggles to you......
Sally, you've got nothing to worry about as far as your finishing is concerned, you do some fantastic work !! Every one is feeling down this summer, it's been awful, but I've found that putting on my boots and grabbing the umbrella, then going for a walk, has helped me enormously. The excercise produces some 'feel good' chemicals and it realy helps, even just walking around the streets for 20 mins. Try and keep your chin up, pet. xx
Your WIPs are looking beautiful. I know how you feel, frustrated with where you're at with things. Big hugs - it will get better. I agree with Karen V., I was also going to suggest Becky's new board, and the Focus on Finishing blog is fantastic. That's where I figured out how to do a biscornu!!
I have found myself here at your blog and think you do beautiful stitching. I hope you don't mind me commenting as I don't know you but thought I would say I admire alot of the finishes people do out there and some things look terrifying to attempt ;-)) The bags I have just recently made... to tell you a secret my hands were shaking when I was doing them as I knew I just didn't have the time for them to go wrong and I was making it up as I went along. Just go for it and have a go , you might just surprise yourself, I know I do everytime something turns out OK...honestly!!
I have to comment on the next thing as it is what I am trained for/want to do (to make people look/feel nice about themselves and their appearance)....As for feeling down about your image I'm sure we have all been there, I know myself!! Now I just think if I have got ready best I can for that day then my motto is 'this is the best I can look today' and if I look horrible in my opinion then I might well look better tomorrow with an extra deep bath and slap of cream, some days I have the time to care more, other days not but know I feel better on the days I have made time... As there is a bit of a difference in getting a quick daily shower/sort your appearance out so you look reasonably presentable... to the days/nights when you spend a bit of time/make the time for caring for yourself just a little bit more. Maybe a bit of a home-done facial (cleanse, tone, scrub, mask, moisturise) do your hair or at the very least spend a little extra time shampooing it and conditioning it, massaging your scalp a bit... even once a week, as time will allow, these things all make you feel better... pick your clothes, bag, shoes and accessories out for the next day and use nice bath products and moisturise your skin when you are out of the water. These are the days/or next day you will feel the best and often however hard, it works to force yourself to do the opposite of what you feel like doing :-)) And there is nothing like a bit of make-up to highlight your face ...however small, even just mascara and a tinted lipgloss to make any womans face look alot more lively and fresh.
I hope I have not spoken out of turn and /or offended you, I only mean well :-))
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