Computer Mishaps!

My lack of posting can be blamed on my horrible luck with computers as of late. The past month I have had the joy of buying 3 new computers (2 of which I was able to return for full refund)...I have to tell you though the novelty of a new computer doesn't last too long when you're constantly having to adjust all of the settings to your preference!

During the computer problem crisis though I have managed to finish off a few projects! As some of you may remember I was working on Mermaids of the Deep Blue for a while and ended up stalling on the progress once it came down to beading time, which is odd since I LOVE beading and sparkles. I was able to finish it last week and I am in love with it!

I added a few extra treasures and crystals from my stash. I also changed a few of the bead colors (they needed some "pearls" in their hair!) This is the first Mira I have done for me :)

My mom did the stitching on Nora Corbett's letter P, I came to the rescue and did the back stitching and beading. I made a few alterations on this one too, nothing drastic...just more beads.

This one is Nora Corbett's Letter M without the M and wings and done in a Christmas conversion. I am contemplating stitching something around her since I am going to frame her with fabric. She will sit for a while as I make that decision.

And this Donkey ornament...is something I would have never stitched for myself lol. This is for a friend of mine who is expecting her first baby and who loves animals (wants a donkey right now) and requested an animal birth sampler from me once she has the baby. We go back a LONG time, pretty much grew up together and it is funny how distance makes the friendship grow stronger and you find out who your true friends really are.

Victorian Christmas Lady Framed

Yay! Another one framed. I haven't been in much of a stitching mood recently but after I got this framed the other week I seem to be eager to work on more stitching, even though I don't have much time nor the energy.

 

I promise in the new year I will be posting more. Recently I have taken up dyeing fabrics and I am waiting on some new dyes from Santa. In the new year I will share with you all the fabrics I have dyed. It really is addicting to do! 

Merry Christmas everyone!! 

Victorian Christmas Lady Finished!

I have managed to finish yet another project this year! And finally this one is all for ME!

Joan Elliott's Victorian Christmas Lady

It took a while to get all of the supplies to finish her. When I ordered all of the beads I forgot to order one of the Krieniks that was just used for the outlines of the fur part of the dress. Then once I got the order I ended up having to go away for a week. During that week away though I managed to get two Christmas Ornaments stitched up, but I can't show them just yet since one is for a Christmas Ornament exchange I am participating in and the other is a gift.

I am going to get her framed in a few weeks so she will be ready for Christmas. I already have an idea of where she is going to hang! Now I just need to figure out how to have her framed. I am thinking of a double matte. Have the bottom matter in either a red or green and then the top matte can be a cream or beige. I want something neutral because all of the colors are so bright.

Has anyone else started their Christmas stitching yet? I would love to see some of your work!

Emerald Dragonfly Finish

I have been a horrible blogger I know I know. Between dog and house sitting, trips to the ER, and losing my stitching bug I just couldn't find myself cross stitching all that much and when I did it didn't seem like enough to post about. However the past two weekends I found myself with nothing to do since the dog didn't like staying downstairs so I picked up a kitted up project of Nora Corbett's Emerald Dragonfly and worked on it.

I didn't really like the project at first. The picture on the chart didn't do the cross stitch any justice. I had no idea how much Krienik or beads were in the pattern, but really how could I not think it would be dripping in sparkles and bling since it is a Nora Corbett design.

Again this project is for my sweet nan. She bought the chart about three years ago and handed it to me saying "My people will do this one for me, right?" and so it went on the list of projects to do for her. I think she has forgotten all about it though so she will be surprised on her birthday that I finished ANOTHER one in 2012.

This was just a weekend project for me. I spent last night putting the beads on which was about 3 hours. The beads really add to the piece though. It is stitched on 32 count on the recommended fabric.

I really can't wait to see it framed, it will be going to the framers hopefully this weekend. I want to finish off my Victorian Christmas Lady first so I can take them both in to get done at once. I am just waiting on the postman to bring my cross stitch order so I can get the missing Krienik plus the extras I got hehe.

Cupcakes Num!

I have been busy working on a Christmas fair that is coming up so I haven't been able to cross stitch much this past week. After a couple of days doing jewellery I felt like I wanted to do some cross stitching so I brought out my mom's collection of started and put together kits. In the process of sorting through all of her cross stitching stash I came across a project I had sat down and finished within 1.5 days. It was my cupcakes!:

The pattern was originally for a cupcake cushion and it was featured in Cross Stitch Gold issue 11 (April 2009) and was designed by Susan Bates. It was a pretty cushion but I wanted to just do one cupcake, the cherry on top one. I enjoyed stitching the lovely coloured cupcake so much that I had decided to do two more and make a wall hanging for my future kitchen. I changed a few colours in order to make them all work together and I made sure there was a fruit on either end with the flower in the middle to make it balanced.

I don't know how I should finish it though. It is between framing it in pink fabric with white polk-a-dots and finishing it off with it being kind of quilted...or just frame it in a frame with a soft colour mat in either a yellow or a pink. What are your thoughts? I would love to hear your opinions.