It’s Saturday evening and I have now moved to my own wordpress hosted site !  I am very grateful to wordpress.com for the journey I have travelled with them and I have enjoyed the journey with them so far, but it’s now time to take the next step.  It also means that I can add new features to my blog for your enjoyment and entertainment !

For anyone that visits www.happythreads.com.au there should be no change and you will be directed to my new blog site.  For visitors from www.happythreads.wordpress.com please click here to to go www.happythreads.com.au.

If you visit happythreads when you see an update in your rss feed please make sure you are receiving the feed from www.happythreads.com.au not from www.happythreads.wordpress.com. This is the rss feed you shoud use;

Have a wonderful day and Happy Threading !!

Beach cliffs

15th August 2009

Another Saturday… I love the weekends because I have more time to do the things in life I really love.  Spend time with my family, stitch, knit, garden and design new charts for my blog.  The photo above was taken on a weekend away earlier this year.  Magnificent seaside and cliffs !  Nature is just awsome don’t you think ?

I have designed a very quick and simple beach theme design bookmark to stitch.  It is suitable for beginner’s too even if there is a little of backstiching to be done.

Full instructions and the free chart are loaded in the boxnet widget on my blog.  It’s the black box on the right hand side of my blog.  Remember these designs are for your own personal use.  That means you cannot use the chart to sell them commercially yourself or stitch the designs and sell them.  If you want to use the designs to stitch items to be used to raise money for charity then please ask for permission first.

By the seaside ©www.happythreads.com.au

Here is the chart

By the seaside © www.happythreads.com.au

So enjoy the rest of your weekend and look out for my new look blog next week plus other free charts and one or two on my new Etsy store soon !

Happy Threading !

Waterdrop

14 August 2009

Friday morning !  The photo above was taken with my macro lens and shows water which has collected in a small droplet at the base of the plant.  I love the way nature is so beautiful and amazing.

Thank you to all the visitors that visited my blog over the past two days.

Over the next few days I will be transferring my blog to a self hosted site.  This may mean that this blog may not be available for a little while and the address may change.  I will make sure however that you still know how to find Happy Threads from this site when the time arrives.

I have a few new free charts in the pipeline for next week including another bookmark.  Also I am opening my Etsy shop where I will be selling some of my more complex designs and some of the designs I have for free for a limited time only.   Closer to Christmas I will be offering the best of the charts I have designed for 2009 in an e-book but more on that in a few months.

I wish you a very happy Friday and hope that you have a lovely weekend.  In the meantime the thought for the day is from the little book by Patrick Lindsay “It’s never too late”

“It’s Never too late to

Slow Down

Look Around

Feel your heart.

Find the people and things that you love.

Care for them.

Happy Threading !

Pink Rose

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Good Morning !  I have been working on a new cushion design these past few days after work.  It will be something a little different and should be ready later this week.  In the meantime I thought I would give you a mini rose bookmark to stitch.  I am mad on roses and those who read my blog regularly will know that.  I took the photo of the rose above this summer and think it is very beautiful.

As I continue to work on my blog I regularly visit other sites and blogs to see what other cross stitch and embroidery designers are doing.  I will from time to time feature designers that I like. A week ago I visited the site of Blue Ribbon Designs.  They design beautiful cross stitch charts as you can see below.

Here is a sample of their designs which I took directly from their website.  Please note the copyright in all these designs belongs to Blue Ribbon Designs so if you would like these just visit their website where you can find out where and how to buy their charts.

Blue Ribbon Design

I really like this design…

Blue Ribbon Design - Americana

And what about these – Ornaments or Scissor Fobs.

Blue Ribbon Design - Ornaments

So thank you Blue Ribbon Designs for your gorgeous charts.  I look forward to seeing your new designs as they come out.

And now for my mini roses bookmark chart for you to stitch.  Again it is easy to stitch.  Enjoy !

Mini roses bookmark

The free chart and instructions are included in the boxnet widget on my site.   Have fun stitching it !  My new cushion cover to stitch with wool and canvas coming in the next day or so.

Mini roses bookmark chart ©www.happythreads.com.au

Today’s thought for the day is from the Little Book of Calm by Paul Wilson;

“Love the Moment – when you concentrate your attention on absorbing every details of every moment – savouring every taste, hearing every sound, noting every colour – you will be calm before you know it”

Have a wonderful and happy day – Happy Threading !

Pansy

10th August 2009

I am amazed at how quickly this year is passing.  Each year seems to go faster than the one before.  Maybe it feels that way because I am getting older.  I finished the pansy bookmark on the weekend.  I have loaded the chart into the boxnet widget over .  The boxnet widget is the black box on the right hand side of my blog.

Pansy Bookmark © www.happythreads.com.au

Wishing you a wonderful week and Happy Threading !

Trevor

7th August 2009

Say hello to Trevor our new gorgeous cat.  Trevor arrived on Monday and has now decided it is safe enough to venture out.  He is 2.8 years old and has a beautiful nature.  He is well behaved and very loving.  We are lucky to have him.

This weekend I would like to move my blog to a self hosted site.  I am hoping to add a few new features to the blog also.

I have also decided to continue providing lots of free charts but some of them I will remove from the free list in the next few weeks and sell them for a small fee on my soon to be functioning Etsy account.  I would like to cover the cost of the needles, threads etc that I am using to stitch some of the designs.  But don’t worry there will still be lots of free charts to come.

I am currently working on a bookmark with the pansy design I have created before but with a different twist.  I would like to make it for someone as a birthday present.  Applying some beading to the design would be fun too.

Anyway I leave you on this Friday with the thought for the day by Charles Dickens;

“Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks”

Happy Threading !

Pink Begonia

6th August 2009

Hello ! The photo on the blog today is a macro shot of a beautiful begonia plan I have at home in a pot.  I took the shot on the weekend and I love the color and shape.

The cat and the rain cross stitch chart is finally ready to stitch.  It is loaded in the boxnet widget.  It is also free to stitch for a limited time only.

The inspiration for the chart came from a photo I took of a friend’s gorgeous cat which I profiled on my blog some time ago.

Please note given the size of the chart is was not possible to have the chart on one page for downloading.  Once you download the chart simply cut the relevant sections and stick them together with tape for use. It’s that easy.  I also tend to keep the charts I print in plastic sleeves to keep the charts clean as I stitch the design.

Cat and the Rain © happythreads.com.au

So I hope you enjoy stitching the chart.  Feel free to let me know what you think by leaving a comment.  That would be great !

Happy Threading !

Pansy

5th August 2009

Quick post to say hello as I have not blogged for a few days.  Trevor has arrived and life with him is exciting and challenging.  He is a gorgeous cat but has not been sleeping much and is hiding under the sofa most of the time.

I have almost completed the free cat and the rain cross stitch chart but because it is quite detailed it is again taking more time than I had hoped.  I am still hoping to have it completed by tonight.  In the meantime here is a free little cat bookmark to stitch.  It can be in cross stitch or canvas and wool.  It won’t take long and should be fun.  I have used this design as part of the cat and the rain cross stitch chart.  Remember that the chart is free for personal use only and may not be reproduced for sale or business purposes.

Little Cat Bookmark

Here is the chart.  The chart is in the boxnet widget – the black box on the side of my blog.  Have fun !

Cat bookmark chart

Have a wonderful day and Happy Threading !

Hyacinth

30 July 2009

As I finish off my cat and the rain cross stitch chart I have been reflecting on the process I undertake to come up with a new design.  I have previously written on my blog that it is a challenge to find and create designs that are not already available on the internet.  Many of the these designs are free.  In fact there are hundreds and hundreds of them available on the internet for free ! 

There have been many designs that I have admired and even stitched.  I tend to enjoy the designing process rather than the actual stitching of the design.  I think that comes partly from the fact that I don’t actually have alot of time to stitch my designs at the moment.  Creating the design does not take as much time as actually stitching it.

I have enjoyed cross stitch but particulary stitching with wool and canvas for at least 20 years.  It is something that I never get tired of and I have also enjoyed the creations of all the designers including favourites like Kaffee Fassett and Beth Russell to name a few.  These stitchers are in fact artists in their own right.

My philosophy with embroidery generally is to enjoy the journey.  Love the design you are stitching and enjoy working the piece until it is finished ! 

I have found over the years that there are few designs other than those created by Kaffee Fassett and others of his calibre that I actually really like or would even buy.  Many of the designs around are a little too traditional for my personal tastes.  I understand however that these designs do appeal to alot of people.  I tend to like things that are a little different hence my desire to create my own and share them.

The great thing about the internet and the world we live in today is there is enough for everyone and there is enough room for everyone to create their very own designs if they want to.

Creating a design is not that complicated if the design is simple.  I cannot compete with the designs created by Kaffee or Beth.  I can however create images that I like and try to adapt them to be stitched.  For me its more about the idea and the process of the design.  It’s also about always having something new to think about and create.   

The cat and the rain cross stitch chart I am designing now came about from a photo I took of a cat at a friend’s house who was looking through the window outside as the rain was falling.  The chart is being designed as a result of a photograph I took which at the time was nothing more than a photo of a cat on a window ledge.

There are more straightforward ways of creating a design to stitch.  I have seen some individuals simply take a photograph put it though a stiching software package and voila the photograph is translated into an identical picture to be stitched.  Although an interesting process I find these designs to be simply a reproduction of the photo without much design interpretation involved.    In fact anyone with a stitching software package can do that. 

The other way to design a cross stitch design is to draw it by hand on graph paper.  This is fun to do too but takes a bit of time and requires more design interpretation.  That’s the fun stuff.

It is much more difficult to translate an idea or to draw an image that is original and unique and interpet it into a stitching design.  This is where the real skill as a designer comes in.  I am not pretending to be anything more than someone who likes to stitch and design.  I like my designs and enjoy creating them.  I also enjoy other people’s designs if they are a little different to those we see over and over and over again.   If people like my designs that’s fantastic, if not that’s fine too. 

So with those thoughts I leave you to enjoy your Wednesday and if you have never tried designing a cross stitch design then try it.  You might surprise yourself !  You actually don’t have to be good at “art” as much as have an idea and try to interpret it into a piece that can be stitched.  Everything is possible and it does not matter if it is not “perfect” or a work of art… As I said before it’s about the journey and having fun and trying something new.

In the meantime I have uploaded a beginner’s chart and the rabbit easter egg chart in my box net widget.  Cat and the rain cross stitch chart still coming soon !

Happy Threading !

The cats and the rain

28th July 2009

I love the photo above.  I did not take it and found it amongst many images on the web.  My kids and I are also getting a cat next week.  His name is Trevor and he is 2 years old and 8 months.  He is a maine coon cat and apparently very lovable.  His owner is going overseas so we thought we would make him part of our family.   I will take a picture of him and post it as soon as he arrives.  We are all very excited !

The cat and the rain cross stitch sampler is progressing well and I will post it later this week.

In the meantime have a look at this video from U tube.  The basic principle is that we are made up of 60% water and our emotions have a signficant impact on us and those around you. 

It’s amazing.

Happy Threading !