Tuesday 20 November 2012

IHSW - It's all over for the Lovers!!







Hello my stunning stunners!!


Welcome aboard Johanna, Mountain Ash, LesleyAnne Smith and Emma and thank you for joining me and my other followers on this cross stitch adventure. You're just in time to witness a miracle! 2 not 1 but TWO finishes!!!



The star crossed lovers have met their end WooHOO!






QS Lovers
They are my first yearly goal to be completed (and more than likely my last). I still have 2 more finishes and 6 (large charted) pages on Golden Wood to truly realise my cross stitch dreams for 2012.
Sorry the photo is really yucky but I just couldn't get the light right no matter how many location changes I had. So this is the for now photo and I will post a better one in the gallery when I can figure it out!   

And I also completed my first of four charts that I have in the Bothy Threads Gorjuss range.

So here is I found my family in a book.






She is stitched on 14ct Aida from the hand dyed range from the lovely boys at Sew it all. Next will be "Puddles of Love"


As most of you know HAED had a brilliant 50% sale recently. I could have bought a whole load of charts but the ones I picked were just a different variation of charts I already had. So I decided to only get ones that are truly different to what I own.  Weirdly I could only find one.




BOOTSTRAP BETSY - JASMINE BECKET-GRIFFITH

Bootstrap Betsy

I just loved the bright red parrot and I was curious about how the tatts  would turn out.

I so so so so want to start her but I'm still on a high about my 2 finishes that I kinda want to stick to my rotation and score a few more finishes under my belt. 

I have already planned 6 new starts as my rotation goes. These include QS Salvatore to replace Lovers in the rotation and I will be starting a SAL with the very stunning Kim from Scully's cross stitching fame with Rose Cerise in December. Just waiting on fabric and thread to arrive on that baby!

So Betsy is gonna have to wait her turn I'm afraid but she is right up the top of the list!



IHSW

With the advice of the Lovely Nina I started on the Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL for the IHSW.

It started in July and we get sent a page every month for a year. I joined late and had to catch up on 5 pages. They aren't huge but I have been waiting for ages for the sparkly threads that I ordered to arrive. So I thought I would stitch on what I could which is just the normal threads and some beading. It's my first time beading and I found it really really difficult. If anyone has any tips I would welcome any advice as there is a tonne of it in this chart!!

So I made a start on page 1 and 5.



She is being stitched on 40ct sparkly peachy coloured linen 2 over 2. It's pretty cool not knowing what the final picture looks like - when you receive the email the first page is what the final pic looks like up to that page. So I just close my eyes and keep clicking till I get to the chart so I don't peek at what it looks like so far. I know I'm an idiot. But you were forewarned LOL!!!


Moving on!!

HAED have released the 2013 Freebie SAL. Sign ups are still open and the charts are fabulous! I vowed I wouldn't join in next year as I have alot going already, (Yeah yeah I know you've all heard that from me before --- and guess what you'll probably hear it from me again in the future hee hee) but when I saw them there were actually 3 that I really wanted to do. They changed the rules a bit which I think was a pretty cool change as it gives you more incentive to actually continue the SAL all year.


So my choice was Ciro Marchetti's

QS Theatre of the Absurd



Theatre of the Absurd could actually be the title of my autobiography. That's the stage my life is played out on. Truly!!! LOL. Well it makes sense due to being a lunatic in all facets of life especially cross stitch.



I loved the full version when it was released but decided I had enough Marchetti's in my stash so I didn't get it. But I couldn't pass this one up. Isn't it just dreamy, I love how the purples and gold look together. Also the tally as of this date is only 19 stitchers signed up for it with a whopping 106 doing Spanglers Literate Dragon. So I had to go for the underdog!

My second choice was Mystic Garden (another Marchetti).






The full version is actually called "Peacocks Garden"



Although the Peacock's are lovely it was really the white tigers that I adored in this chart. So it was serendipity that HAED released the QS with only the tigers...OMG the universe is friendly!

Anyhoo I already have "Peacocks Lagoon" in my stash which is very similar and the Peacocks are nicer in this one. So it was completely win win for me. I plan on keeping up with this SAL so I will be sent the rest of the charts in the end.


Peacock's Lagoon

Man that was a real plug for Ciro Marchetti huh? Well he deserves it for producing such beautiful art!





That's all stunners. Talk soon and may your world be filled with sunshine and rainbows..now I'm going to check out every one's progress on IHSW mwah mwah!

xoxo Alicia


42 comments:

  1. Congrats on your awesome finishes!

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  2. Yummy - Lovers looks wonderful! Makes me want to keep going on mine, but alas! Christmas gifts must come first.
    Did you use the original chart or the second version to stitch her face?
    I decided to go with Nostalgy for the SAL but Theatre is the first other pattern I'm requesting if I get far enough :D I'll enjoy watching yours grow!

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    1. Thanx Tama. I used the original chart, I thought the lack of shading in the second version was a little bland. Also I had already finished the cheeky bit and was not about to frog for anything. xox

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  3. A gorgeous finish. Lovely new stash. I joined the HAED sal for Literate Dragon. Look forward to seeing your projects in 2013.

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    1. Well you will be a good company the current tally for Dragon is 110. That's alotta dragons. Thanx stunner xox

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  4. Congrats on your two finished design, they look great. I am not taking part in the SAL 2013, but I will look forward to watching your progress.

    Ciro Marchetti is a great artist I have some of his designs, bubble telescope and the city of Wands and Coins. Just need to get them stitched.

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    Replies
    1. Thanx Lesleyanne. I love the City charts of Ciro's. I hope you get a chance to stitch them soon. They are spectacular. xox

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  5. Congrats on finishing Lovers - I also signed up for Theatre for the SAL - I do love Ciro Marchetti (Breaking Free (mini) and Touch of Color) - I always pick him as one of my most favorite - Cheers to new Starts, finishing WIPS and 2013 SALS

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    Replies
    1. Yay, that makes you the third person I know that's doing the crazy Marchetti. Rachel the HAED administrator and Johanna from stitchstitchknit is also joining in. Well I'm in awesome company :>

      Definitely cheers to new starts, finishes and SALS I can't wait. xox

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  6. Congrats on your finishes. They are lovely. Great new charts.

    Linda

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  7. Lovers looks fabulous - congratulations on the finish. And your second finish is SO cute.

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  8. Thank you for the warm welcome! :) Congrats on your two finishes, they are both lovely.

    I too have joined the HAED SAL, however I am doing Mystic Garden, I was the same as you - when I saw how many people were doing Literate Dragon I decided I wanted to do something else, hehe! My other half has a phobia of peacocks so the QS version is perfect for me! :)

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    1. Great to meet you Emma, thanx for the followship. Looking forward to your work on Mystic Garden. Will be fun xox

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  9. What beautiful work you do. I am new to this blogging stuff. How do I follow your blog?

    (Yes, I know it's a silly question. I'm just figuring out the bells and whistles of blogspot)

    I am about to embark on 2 Heaven and Hearth Designs. Perhaps even 3. One of those on Black. Why? Because I'm nuts, that's why.

    Clearly I need to surround myself with other HAED nutjobs, so I can feel the safety in numbers, and I won't feel so alone when my non-stitching friends declare that I am a bonafide nutjob for attempting these patterns.

    So, whaddya say? Friendseys?

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    Replies
    1. Welcome Rai Rai!!

      I see you figured out how to follow, that's fantastic. Thank you for joining us. I found your blog too and looking forward to stalk your progress on your HAED's...

      All lunatics are so welcome to my blog, you will feel well at home here. In fact you may even feel comparitively sane LOL!!

      xox

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  10. Congrats on your two finishes =) They both look amazing =)

    I'm also doing QS Theatre of the Absurd, it is just stunning. I love those red/violet shades and the yellow/golden colors (they remind me of Rheingold).
    I'm looking forward to see your new starts =)

    I'm a bit afraid to ask this, but.....How many projects du you have on the go? ;-D

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    1. Thanx Johanna, I'm glad you will be joining in with the absurd. It's going to be fun. Don't be afraid stunner I only have 34 wips at the moment. My philosophy is the only way you will get a finish is to make a start!!! LOL. xoxo

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  11. WOW..congratulations on your finishes!! Beautiful stitching! :)

    Bootstrap Betsy is a cutie! I know how you feel, itching to start the ones we buy!

    I'm looking forward to seeing yours and Kim's updates on your Rose SAL!!

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    Replies
    1. Aw thanx Lesli,
      Yes Kim and I are very excited about it too. We keep emailing each other about where we are with gathering the supplies. If my thread gets here by Dec 1 we will be good to go!!!! YAY!!
      xox

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  12. Congratulations on a gorgeous finish!!!! Those other wips are dreamy too!

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    1. Thanx Kate, my wips will be even more dreamier for me when they are finishes. Need to make way for those new starts!!! xox

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  13. Awesome finish! the lovers look gorgeous -- congrats!

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  14. Congratulations on finishing the lovers! I love your pun about it being all over for them. LOL

    I can't wait for the rest of my threads to arrive - surprisingly I had quite a lot of them in my stash - who would have thought? LOL

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    Replies
    1. Aww Thanx Kim,

      I so can't wait to start Cerise. I haven't received any of my supplies yet...gettiing worried!!!! My fabric is with the boys as we speak being pimped (ie sparkalised)
      and I the silk threads from Vic Clayton still have yet to arrive. But I have black silk so I can make a start on Dec 1 as long as the fabby gets back to me in time. Which they have assured me it would.


      xoxo Alicia

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  15. Congrats on your two lovely finishes, especially QS Lovers which is looking so gooood. I'm really tempted to stitch it by myself when I'll get the rest of the SAL pieces. I've fallen in love with Betsy too, there's really something in her. Maybe I'll get to stitch her someday, lol. But I know for sure she'll be lots of fun to stitch! So I'll be looking forward to your start :D

    And I'm so glad to see we are doing the same SAL again, LOL! And I'm not talking about PR Mystery SAL (which is looking great, you've made an excellent start by the way!). I've also chosen QS Theatre of the Absurd, and planning to keep up with the sal as well as I can. But it'll be so great to see yours and Johanna's progress pictures too, I reckon we all have different styles to stitch. Mystic Garden was my second choice too and will be in my must stitch-list too :)

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  16. Happy dancing with you! Lovers looks wonderful!

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  17. You did a beautiful job on that piece.

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  18. Well done on your finish!Where are you going to hang it?xxx

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    Replies
    1. LOL I have to frame it first and I am such a lazy framer. But I was thinking of giving it to my grandma for christmas as I used to take it with me when I visited her and stitch it whilst she knitted. And she always admired it.
      Thanx for your nice comment xoxo

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  19. Wow, there's so much in that post I don't know what to comment on first.
    Congratulations on finishing Lovers, it's such a gorgeous piece and you've stitched it beautifully, and congratulations on your Gorjuss finish... I've got one chart of hers that I'm going to have to stitch it one of these days... I've also recently discovered that you can get Gorjuss hamdbags, and I'm basically going to be ordering one of those the day I get paid!
    Your progress on the Passione Ricamo SAL is beautiful, I started it on time and I'm still really behind, currently working onpages 3 and 4 together in an attempt to catch up a bit, and yours looks gorgeous!
    Lovely choices for the BB SAL, I'm not on there so not joining in, but I am starting the full sized Heather in the New Year for a SAL, so I'll sort of be joining in in spirit!
    Happy stitching, sorry for the monster comment, there were just so many pretties to comment on!
    Oh, and the JBG is gorgeous as well, I keep debating over her pirate girls
    Kim x

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  20. Hi! Just thought I'd answer to you hear. I'm using only one strand of sparkly threads. I don't have a clue whether you should use one or two, but my stitches are pretty lax (hope that's the right term, I'm meaning the opposite of tight stitches). So I couldn't even consider of using two strands, it would be way too bulky. And I'm usind Petite Treasure Braids too. Hope that helps you :) And I'm saving the beading part for the last. I'm not really fond of it, but because it'll be the last thing before a happy dance, therefore I'll bite the bullet and get it done. Have you seen the bead napper? You can find one from 123stitch.com. It's quite handy and helps with beads when they tend to roll around.

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  21. Thank you everyone for your fantastic comments and praise. You all rock my craft world! xoxo

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  22. Congrats on the Happy Dancing!!

    A HAED finish is worth Double Dancing as you don't see so many of those. Lots of starts though LOL.

    Beading tips - use a 28 petite needle as it's easier to thread than a beading needle. It's not so sharp so you don't prick yourself either!
    Use a thread colour which matches the stitches around the bead or the bead itself. Either is okay. Or you can use "invisible thread" which is really tricky to stitch with but better for beads which attach to plain areas of the fabric.
    Put the beads into a small shallow lid then put that into a slightly large shallow dish so if you jolt it they go into the outer dish not on the floor.
    I leave my beading until last because otherwise I catch the threads on the beads. I start at the top of the design for the same reason.
    Hope this helps!

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  23. Your stitching is amazing! I am always so intimidated by the really large cross-stitch pieces.

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Hello Stunner! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope it made sense as I can rave on lunatic style when left unchecked. Any comment is appreciated and thank you for taking the time and brightening my day! xoxo