Haven't Been Around

So sorry for lack of posts the past couple of weeks. I have been out of town and just busy and really haven't had much energy or desire to do any stitching. I have been meaning to update everyone on my projects though.

Here is the Victorian Christmas Lady:

Got the third page done (sorry for blurriness of the photo yikes that looks bad!) I had to place another order online though for cross stitch stuff (oh darn) because I forgot to order one of the Krienik threads. So I also got some other projects to do for some family members and another pattern for myself!

And here is Mermaids of the Deep Blue:

I have had her done since before I left for my trip. I do plan on picking her up again very soon, I just need to finish my Christmas stuff before so I can get it all done for the season. I really can't wait to get all of the beads on her!

While on my trip I stocked up on DMC floss for a bunch of other projects. I think I ended up getting 208 DMC colors in total. I also ended up buying some fabric dyes and plan on experimenting with that in a couple of weeks. I want to dye some fabric for my Petal Fairy, I am thinking a light teal color to go with the orange and pinks in that one.

Mermaids of the Deep Blue

Now I promised myself that I wouldn't start any new projects until I have completed some but I was silly and started looking through my Mirabilia patterns. I came across Mermaids of the Deep Blue all kitted up and ready to stitch so there was nothing holding me back!

Just to refresh people's memory here is the finished pattern:

Mermaids of the Deep Blue by Mirabilia

I have spent the past day stitching and working on them so this is as far as I got:

Day 1 progress August 12, 2012

This cross stitching is rich in beads and sparkles. Everywhere you look on the pattern there is either a bead, treasure or Krienik! I don't mind though, just look how gorgeous it is going to be when finished!

Well this is just a quick update. I haven't forgotten about my Christmas Angel and Victorian Lady, I plan on taking those with me when I go to visit family at the end of the month. They are easier to keep track of and are more transportable than a Mirabilia.

Page 2 Completed!

Sorry been away for a little while, the heat sure has gotten to me and in turn made me super lazy and not wanting to move much hehe. However I managed to finish page 2 of my Victorian Christmas Lady. That makes 12 working days invested into working on her.

Victorian Christmas Lady

She is so beautiful and I can't wait to finish her! I compared her to my Christmas Angel (also by Joan Elliott) and the two of them really compliment each other. I am not sure the last time I updated on my Christmas Angel though so here she is:

Christmas Angel by Joan Elliott

The lighting of the two pieces isn't the greatest but in person the vibrant colors look amazing together. They are about the same size too so they can be framed similar if I want to do that.

Quick Update on Victorian Christmas Lady

I have invested a total of 9 days so far on working on her, not full days either so I can only imagine how far I would be if that were the case! I finished up her hair and did some back stitching tonight so her face didn't look as scary. The only areas left to do on this page is the tree and the boarder, which I am still unsure of if I want to keep it or not, so that will be a final decision once the other pages are done. Here she is so far on 32 count white linen:

Joan Elliott's "Victorian Christmas Lady" Update as of July 27, 2012

I placed an order today for the beads and missing Kreinik and hopefully should get that all within the next week or two. I also had some other patterns magically end up in my shopping cart as I was checking out! Oops ;) ...Those patterns are Mirabillia's Lily of the Woods and The Petal Fairy, and a John Clayton cross stitch kit "Charlotte", which will be for my nan if I ever find time to stitch it! I also have a couple patterns I am going to order from Joan Elliott for my mom and I....Oh dear!

Victorian Christmas Lady Update

Well the past couple days I have been puttering away at this pattern, little by little I am setting reasonable goals to finish for the day and tackling the one area. Yesterday I managed to get the presents done and today I got the arm and purple pillow completed and started working on the rest of her body.

Here is the work I got done yesterday:

Update July 17

And here is the progress I got done today:

Update July 18

Now I am off to bed! 5 in the morning, not too bad!

Joan Elliott's Victorian Christmas Lady

This lovely Victorian Christmas Lady pattern was given to me by a fellow stitcher from the cross stitch forums I belong to. She decided she wasn't going to get around to all the patterns in her stash and decided to give them to people who would enjoy stitching them instead!

"Victorian Christmas Lady: by Joan Elliott

I received her in the mail on Friday afternoon and raided my stash that night. I have spent a total of two and a half days on her and still haven't lost interest! I think she will be a nice sister piece to my Christmas Angel that I am oh so close to finishing!!

July 17 2012 Update

In order to keep the pattern in great condition I am working from photocopies and keeping the magazine portion in a plastic sleeve to reduce exposure to my hand oils so I can have the pattern for many years to come in case I want to stitch it again!

I will admit it, I am addicted to Joan Elliott's patterns. Including the two patterns mentioned above I also have all four element goddesses and Cinderella to do! Not to mention all the gorgeous flower fairies!

Emerald Mermaid is Framed!!

Ok Emerald Mermaid by Mirabillia has been framed for about a week now but I have been busy enjoying the nice weather and just relaxing!

We got her done locally at a small mom and pop shop and I have to say I am very impressed with their framing and I guarantee I will be going back to them once I finish another cross stitch! My mom and I decided to opt for no matte on this design because we wanted her to look as if she is floating. They ended up sending her to a friend of theirs down in Vancouver to lace the fabric because the technique they use would have shown the thread they used for the lacing without a matte. My mom and I are also very impressed with the frame we picked out. We think it compliments the design very well and makes her reddish hair pop out a bit more and just makes the whole piece come together as a whole.

My nan is going to be in complete shock when we give it to her later this summer. First she is not used to "her people" (my mom and I) finishing projects she wants done. And second of all I think the last piece we had framed was about 14 years ago! For the mean time though the mermaid is hanging in the dinning room so I can look at her every time I walk by and point at it telling my family over and over again that "I stitched that!"