Gobelin

22 March, 2017

Pluto, Marlanu’ and Stitching

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Pluto, Marlanu’ and stitching, make the best days off. I love spending time with my pets! I am pretty certain that they love spending time with me. We love to hang around, play, sleep and even do nothing, if possible. 

But mostly we love playing. 

It can be at home, when I am trying to browse the Internet for new stitching kits. 

 

#marlanu #playtime #cat #gingercat #petofinstagram #pet #catsofinstagram #catoftheday #cutemoments #cutcat #fatcat

A post shared by Alina Constantin (@creness) on


 Or, it can be outside.


 But my favorite moments is when I stitch and they just lay around. Those are the moments that define our relationship, and strengthen Johnny’s belief that we are all lazy bastards. I just think that he is jealous of us, since he has to work during the day.

Even so, I am happy they allow me to indulge in one of my favorite hobbies: stitching. It has been a long time since I finished something, and I am amazed that I managed to stitch for months at just one project. 

It might not look like much, but it is a pretty big stitching project. Truthfully, I was expecting to get bored of it in a couple of months. It seems that was not the case, and I have not worked on anything else. Hopefully, I will finish it till the end of summer. 

I am being realistic here, since I know that there might be times when I will not have the chance to touch it.

25 September, 2015

Work in progress

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There’s nothing better then a bit of stitching therapy. It is a work in progress, but in two weeks I’ve advanced more than I could imagine.

Progress

I just needed something to take my mind of things. Stitching always relaxes me. It offers me the possibility to go to my happy place. A place far away from my current anxiety. I’ve been worrying more than usual, which is really not me at all.

I’ve also managed to go through a few audio books from the Inspector Morse books by Collin Dexter. I intend on finished the needlepoint and the Morse series at the same time if possible. This is the current state of my needlepoint project. 

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I’m also happy to see that Marlanu’ has not given up on his old habits and has been keeping me company for the many hours that I’ve spent stitching. I wish I could make such good progress on my other projects. But, they require time, patience, hard work and a lot of determination on my part.

All I can do is enjoy my free time (what I have of it) and just keep going forward.

I’m also happy to see the cold weather bringing some changes in our household. Mostly for Pluto and Marlanu’, who have taken some cute habits.

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They can be so cute sometimes. I like the fact how they decided the that our bed is the best place to get a good night (day!?) rest. I guess I’m just happy that they get along so well, considering the Marlanu’ is 4 years old and Pluto just turned a year old two months ago. I couldn’t have asked for better pets.

Oh well, hopefully I’ll have more updates on the progress of my needlepoint project.

2 April, 2014

Days of Spring!

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It’s April and I’m happy!

I’m happy for no particular reason. OK, maybe my good mood was triggered by the lovely weather we are having, my stitching projects, the fact that I am on the morning shift at work (and I’ll be on it for the next 2 months as well!), and by many others.

Don’t worry, life is not that perfect for me and John but it certain has some good things in it.

This is my only free day for this week. I plan on taking advantage of it. Besides the cleaning, washing and even a little blogging I intend on stitching some more and just chill.

I finished my needlepoint poinsettia from Krif. I was really happy with this project because it was small and very easy to stitch. And, I made a resolution to myself to buy smaller projects that I can finish before I get bored of them.

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I did a little shopping for more needlepoint projects, but I started a medium one. In fact, last week I had a stitch-a-ton. I am almost done with the black floss (which has become really boring) but I am happy of the way I advanced on it.

Needlepoint Project

Oh well, I think I shall blog more next week. Until then I’m off into my stitching world. After all, we have to take advantage of the lovely sun.

9 April, 2012

End of the hiatus?

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Is it wrong to enjoy a hiatus?

I must say not blogging for a period was good for me. Not only did I had time to focus on my normal life (work, university, stitching, photography, Johnny… well not in that order) but it was refreshing. Taking a break from time to time is good for the mind.

In a week time I’ll be 25. Yup, I’m getting old.

Around this time I ask myself “What have you done with your life so far?” and I ponder for a while, and then realize that I did nothing worth mentioning. Almost 25 years old and still a lazy bum. I don’t know what’s worse: me thinking that it’s not something to put myself down for (considering there are 7 billion people on this earth and only a few are successful) or the fact that everything I start is doomed for failure.

Maybe I’m just a laid back person that doesn’t get to upset if things don’t turn out well, or maybe I suffer from chronic laziness. I don’t know why but that’s the way things go for me.

And, can you believe I started this stitch work in 2010 and I haven’t finished it even now?

I found it when I was Spring cleaning. Shame on me, how could I forget about my tulip needlepoint? Darn you memory…

I actually stitched a little more on it but forgot to take pictures of it. Hopefully we’ll have sunny weather this week and I’ll be able to take a few decent photos of it. Until then, I’m going back to my work. Hopefully, things will go a lot smother.

28 October, 2011

Ikebana gobelin

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Hmm, I’ve read books, went to a convention, managed to practice Japanese at a normal (slow) and constant pace (even if I’ve had no major improvements), I’ve seen movies, read mangas, went out with friends, went out with Johnny and I even have dentist appoinments (that I managed to go to, so far).

Hmm, if I wouldn’t knew better I could swear I’m doing good.

Oh wait, I just forgot to add the stress (a new source by the way, fresh out of college and full of herself) I get from work. I guess that just balances everything out.

I know that presentation is everything in life, but I’ve never been good at this kind of things and until I manage to find time for artistic photography I’ll just post the scan. Yup, you heard right, I scanned my new stitching project.

I’ve had it done for a couple of days but just never found the time to iron it and to take a decent picture. That and the lighting has never been good enough. This Ikebana was a gift from my sister in law (for my birthday) and I liked it not because it’s a great model (truthfully I don’t find it pretty) but because it was therapeutic. Whenever I was in a bad state of mind, I just picked this up and stitch. It really calmed my mind and at the same time I was doing something productive.

I know I should’ve worked at my cat project, but I seriously can’t work at this project for just 1-2 hours per day. I need days when I can stitch from morning till evening without having to worry that at the end of each day I’ll have to clean up my floss and charts. Meaning, I need alone days, when I won’t be bothered by my family or even Johnny. Sounds mean, but it isn’t, we all need this kind of days.

I have a lot of projects that I’m working at and truthfully I don’t know how many will be finished. And I’m not talking about finishing them this year, I’m talking about ever being finished.

Strange, this post made me a little sad. It just made me think about what a “long life” really means. I don’t know how my thoughts connect to each other, but I was thinking that in a way I am wasting my life away, but then again I’m not. A long life shouldn’t be measured by how many years we live and by other people standards but what we do in our life and by our own standards.

Yet, the thought of stitching my life away comes into mind whenever I stitch for more than a few hours each day. But then again, it’s the only hobby that makes me have these thoughts.

27 January, 2011

A bit of butterfly?

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I actually found a picture that actually made my day. It’s an old picture from last year taken by my brother. It has nothing to do with butterflies but it does has something to do  with hand made products.My brother is starting his very own Hand Made shop and this is how his “business” looked last year when he was barely starting. Well, I’m not sure if anyone noticed but in the left corner down you can see my framed stitch work. I did said it was a gift for him, to help him start his business but even to this day he still hasn’t managed to sell it. I’m glad he wasn’t counting on selling it, that would’ve been a big disappointment.

I may be a “newbie” at stitching but even now I still feel sad giving away my first gobelin. I feel bad because I had fun stitching it and I felt really great when I finished it. Even after I finished other cross stitch projects I didn’t felt that good. Deep down, really deep down I’m hoping he won’t sell it and that he will have to keep it. But, I will also be happy if someone does buy it.

Somehow, I think I am now ready to start working again on my cat gobelin.

PS: My brother’s website is not yet completed. Caution, Johnny at work!

15 July, 2010

My cat gobelin (Part 2)

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I’m still working at my cat gobelin.

I know it will take a month or so to finish it but I just realized something: I’ve been working so far with just 6 colors.

The gobelin has 28 color threads.

So, about 60% of the gobelin is made out of 6 colors and the rest 40% is made of 22 colors. Wow! This is a shocker to me; cause that means it will take even more time to finish it. It will probably take more time changing the thread in the needle then to actually work on the gobelin.

Also, I noticed there are some portions of the gobelin where there are many colors mixed together. Well, I can’t back out now. I like the model so I will just have to suck it up and finish it.

And, just to not get bored with the current colors I did a few stitches with a shade of red just to keep me going.

26 May, 2010

My dog gobelin

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I’ve finished my dog gobelin. I’m really happy about it (it turned out better then expected).

I wasn’t expecting to work for more than a month at it, but it seems time flies when you’re not paying attention. Either way, can’t wait to have it framed and to start my cat gobelin.

3 May, 2010

My new gobelin

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  I started liking gobelins since I was in primary school but never found the time to work on one.  

I did start a few some years ago but I never got to finish them (because they were big and complicated and I was just a beginner) and after a while I lost interest in finishing them. But two weeks ago I saw a very cute model; I bought it and started working on the gobelin. I’m almost half way throw it and it’s a good thing. I think in a week or two I will finish it.

 

What do you think? Is it cute or not?