Tis the season to be competing...

... so the video camera was charged and in use!

Jess competing WAG L5 at the Waitakere comp on May 10. Watch carefully, as it is her first and last L5 video as she has since quit artistic gymnastics. Sigh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvo-J85n_MQ&feature=channel

Tamsin competing WAG L1B at the Kerrin Bishop Memorial, held at Counties Manukau, trying so hard to not shuffle her feet (cos each shuffle = .2 deduction, doncha know?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t01798usxmc

More to come in due course as Tamsin has 4 more comps to go.

Don't say I didn't warn y'all!!

old WIP finish - YAY

"Anniversary Sampler" from The Sweetheart Tree.Started 5 years ago, did about 3 bands then it got put away until March of this year when I figured I'd really better get onto it since the anniversary it's for is this year, LOL.

So off to the framers it goes this week.

It's not a good pic at all. Too big for the scanner, I had to use the camera. Tried lots of things but to no avail. It just stays looking fuzzy, pale and no detail. Admittedly it isn't the most brightly coloured of designs, but still you'd think it would show up better than this...grrrr.

Cameo - I need you to come give me lessons!!!

Friday Funnies

A quote found in one of those insert magazines in the NZ Herald this week made me think of sharing some pics from my favourite cheer-me-up website - icanhascheezburger.com.

The quote (from Jacquelyn Mitchard)

Cats regard people as warm-blooded furniture.

The pics

Enjoy!

Leotards AGAIN

I'm a sucker for pretty leotards. If I had a limitless budget, my girls would each have 20 different leotards in their drawer. I can spend ages on the GK and AlphaFactor websites just window shopping - but at at up to US$140/ leotard, they stay in the window though. The high performance little girls (under12s) at TriStar have mums who do buy lots of leos, and I love seeing every new one they wear. There's someone on TradeMe that is doing good business out of those mums, LOL.

Jess 'earned' a new GK leo last year and she adores it (Dancers Wardrobe in Remuera stocks some and will order in). Who wouldn't when the fit is comfy and it has pink leopard print fabric with crystal embellishments? I must get a photo now I think about it....

This year, Tamsin needs a competition Rhythmic leotard. There's not "club" leos like there are in WAG that get ordered through the gym club. Only the groups wear the same leos (Rhythmic has individual and group routine categories), and gymnasts get to chose their own styles and colours and only wear the club track suit to show which club they're from.

These aren't available "off the shelf" quite as readily as WAG leos. Fortunately, in Auckland - just around the corner from Grandma in fact - is the wonderful Angel Fabrics. The lovely Linda specialises in dance fabrics and making custom gear for dance, ice skating, aerobics and gymnastics.

Tamsin and I popped in there yesterday to discuss Tamsin's Rhythmic leotard. I'd been thinking about one using neon lycra. Miss Tamsin, however, spotted a bolt of fabric on one of Linda's very well stocked shelves. Bright white background with variegated metallic ribbon printed into a rambling rose design.

Well, how could I not love it too?

So, in a couple of weeks Tamsin will have the most gorgeous Rhythmic leotard (they have short skirts, a bit like skating ones) in this fabric, custom made for her.

How cool is that?

An Award!!

A dear blog friend, Cameo, has very sweetly included me in an award round:

XStitch Friends

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines.

Choose eight friends to share this with.

The blogs that I follow most days are in the list on the left. I often find moments of shared experience, inspiration and companionship therein. My experience has been enriched from being able to read their blogs.
So on that note, I'm passing this award on to:

Rene la Frog

Floss (Another Day in Paradise),

Blog Antagonist (Blogs are Stupid)

Judith (Smokey in the Nederlands)

Andrea (Stitch it Andie)

Katrina (A Kiwi Stitching)

Barb (My Stitching Treasures)

Antique Mommy

Nice weather for ducks

It's raining here - as is it over most of the country. Still very hot and sticky though.

My mum would say "nice weather for ducks" so here's the duck for the weather:

Souffle the Duck, from UK's CrossStitcher magazine. He needs gumboots for some of the puddles around here!

Now, everyone please send good weather vibes to Rowyn for Saturday as it's her wedding. All the best for a fab day, Rowyn!!!!

Be My Valentine

Finished yesterday (Feb 14), very appropriately don't you think?

Pretty little piece, one of a series, from JBW Designs called French Country - Love. I did it over one with DMC (two variegateds and one plain).

Really must get back to the WIPs. Especially the one that I need to have done and framed by the beginning of September...