2016: A year of ups and downs

This morning we woke up to the sad news that Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) had passed away.  2016 has certainly been a rough year - Brexit, the Australian elections (with more backstabbing and "he said, she said" than usual, and a very volatile senate), the US election, more unexpected celebrity deaths than we can count.  My two cats died within five weeks of each other.  That was really rough.

The Awkward Yeti summed up the
year nicely in this cartoon
(c) Nick Seluk

Personally, 2016 has also been a year of good things - I moved to Brisbane to start work at a new school (which is going well).  Moving to Brisbane has meant I'm closer to two of my brothers and can catch up with them for board-game afternoons more regularly, as well as several old school friends. I was in England when the year started, catching up with old friends. I've been to the theatre several times - so much easier now I live in Brisbane!

This year I went purple, dressed up as Leia for my yongest brother's 21st,
played boardgames, and visited the UK

Fangirl Stitches did well in 2016: I exhibited at three different conventions and met some amazing fellow exhibitors, as well as lots of fellow geeky stitchers.  On that note, I also met Nathan Fillion and John Barrowman, as well as Piper and Leo from Charmed, Tonks and Seamus from Harry Potter, Osgood, Danny and Missy from Doctor Who, and Xena the Warrior Princess.  They signed my cross stitch pieces and all said nice things about them.

Markets and minions - House of Fandom Market Brisbane, Oz Comic Con Melbourne
Oz Comic Con Brisbane, and Supanova Brisbane

My signed cross stitch pieces

I originally sat down this morning to write a post about Carrie Fisher, and about how crappy this year has been from a world-wide stand-point.  But then I looked at my mum's fridge covered in family photos and I stopped to think about it.  I thought about my cousin's baby, born at 24 weeks who is at home now and meeting his adjusted milestones.  I thought about another cousin who gave birth on New Year's Day, and a third who gave birth yesterday (I have 24 first-cousins - it can get confusing).  I thought about my exchange-student brother from Japan whose wife gave birth earlier in the year. I thought about yet another cousin who graduated from High School this year.  I thought about close friends who got married in January, and in April (along with another cousin), and a friend who got engaged a couple of weeks ago. I thought about a cousin and a friend who both (independent of each other) successfully launched (and funded) their first card games on Kickstarter. I bet none of them would say that 2016 was a crappy year.

Every year will have its ups and downs.  Sure, 2016 had a lot of downs, but there were also a lot of highs personally, professionally, and even in the world at large.  2016 will be remembered for the good, as well as for the bad.  I'm going to concentrate on the good, and see the year out with a smile.

Ready to see in the New Year with a bang...
well, a cup of tea and comfy pj's anyway!

Happy Stitching.

Reflections on the A-Z Challenge

The A-Z Challenge is done and dusted for another year, and now is the time to breath and think about other things for a bit - releasing new patterns, and getting ready for Melbourne Oz Comic Con for a start.

This was my second year in doing the A-Z Challenge, and I set myself a mammoth challenge this year: cross stitch two alphabets AND write about my Harry Potter travels.  Why did I do this to myself?

1. I've been wanting to write a blog about my Harry Potter travels for a while and this seemed like the perfect opportunity
2. I didn't want to write about Harry Potter traveling under the Fangirl Stitches blog since that one is linked to my online cross stitch store
3. I wanted to get back into blogging on the Fangirl Stitches page (after being absent for about 6 months)
4. I couldn't choose between the two cross stitch alphabets!
5. Which all led to a crazy, busy, whirlwind month and a half.

Onto the reflections:

I completed the challenge on all three projects - which is the most important thing.  On that note, here are the finished pieces.  Both patterns are available from my Etsy Store.

The Pokemon Alphabet
Fabric - 14 count Bluescape from Sew It All

It's even been framed and given to my sister-in-law for her birthday!

The Supernatural Alphabet
Fabric - 14 count Stormy Sky from Sew It All

The Supernatural photo was taken before the Great Washing Disaster of 2016, which I will tell you about another day. 

I also finished the Harry Potter tour which you can read about on my other blog.  I have a few other places to add that didn't fit into the alphabet, which I will get to soon... I hope!

I met some new people and discovered some new blogs.  My favourites (of course) were the cross stitching ones, particularly the ones where people were stitching my patterns.

• Crafting Paws worked on the DC Superhero Alphabet, as well as researching each of the characters - several of whom I didn't know, despite designing the alphabet!
• Keebles World stitched up the Jane Austen Alphabet, as well as sharing her collection of Disney memorabilia
• Nerdy Girl Confession completed the Girl Power Alphabet, along with a second superhero cross stitch.  She also gave a lot of information on each character which was really interesting.
• Sara Writes where Sara shared some of her amazing cake creations.  I'm still drooling.
• Special Teaching and Pempi's Palace wrote about working as a teacher in special education.  As an OT who works with children with disabilities in schools, I found this very relate-able
• Other crafty blogs I enjoyed were Ten Hour Stitcher, Heather's Stitching Story, Bengal Cat Lover, Ink & Stitches and Ozzy Pip Quilts (which is written by my mum)

There were several others that I enjoyed and visited regularly, 

I didn't visit nearly as many as I wanted to, and didn't get back to visit people as regularly as I wanted to either.  Moving, not having internet for a few days in the lead-up, Easter, travelling, work, as well as trying to finish to cross stitch alphabets AND write two blogs took up most of my time, leaving very little time to read and comment on other blogs.  I'm hoping to do the Blogging Road Trip and get back to visit some of the ones I missed/didn't read enough of, as well as find some more to read.  Thank you to everyone who visited my blog, even if you didn't leave a comment.  Big thanks to those who did leave a comment, and those who managed to visit regularly.  I take my hat off to you.

I got back into the whole blogging thing.  Hopefully it will stick with me a bit longer this time! I need to work out a schedule/regular time where I don't feel so stressed about posting.  I have exciting stories to share with you over the coming weeks including the Great Washing Disaster of 2016 (and how I survived), Unique QR Codes, Market Stalls Dos and Don'ts, as well as several new patterns.

I'll certainly do the challenge again next year, although I will start my stitching A LOT earlier and only work on one... or post about ones I've already finished!  That or only write one blog!  Scheduling posts is certainly the key to surviving the challenge, and having time to visit other blogs - and for a cross stitching blog it means starting early so you aren't madly trying to get your stitching finished on time.  I learnt this lesson last year, forgot it, and learnt it again this year.  Hopefully I remember it about February next year :)

Happy Stitching

Ros