New Start Mania!

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Hi stunners! 

Many apologies for the lateness of this blog and the lack of replies to comments from my previous post. I had computer catastrophes aka computer go BOOM! And even though I'm allowed to cross stitch whilst at work, I'm not allowed to update my blog....Go figure!

However, new computer has been purchased and set up so life is good again for blogging even with having to learn Windows 8 which I don't think is as user friendly as the previous versions. But I digress as usual...

A big welcome to A bit of Thread and Heather Cartwright, and thank you for your followship. I hope you enjoy my lunacy for all things cross stitch!

I have put up a link to Bloglovin as I believe Google reader will become extinct soon or something! So I have transferred all your blogs to bloglovin so I can still keep up with all your amazing work. There are many readers you can use but I just like the one that had "lovin" in it. 

As the title suggests I have spent the last month or so starting quite a few BAP's that I just didn't have the resistance to wait for a finish to get onto them soooo here goes:

Spiders Queen - Little Fairy Art (HAED)

Absolutely love love love working with all the vibrant orange in her hair. As with everything HAED theres about 10 shades of orange so far and it's only the 20th row on the first page! I'm stitching her on 18ct white Aida. So she is going to end up being quite a huge lady.

The photo really doesn't show up how bright the colours are but it's like using the sun for thread...

A Coign of Vantage - Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema (HAED)

Heaven and Earth Designs

Golden Kite

This is my comparison project. I'm completing this chart as charted by Golden Kite using blended threads and also by HAED using just solid colours. Both are being stitched on 18ct white Aida. 

The arrival of Guests, Venice - George Jules Victor Clairin (Golden Kite)

This is my biggest project ever! It's 999 x 607 stitches. One row is 21 pages!! I'm working it on Antique White 20ct evenweave 2 over 1, which will make it a whopping 49" x 30". It boasts 200 total colours in which 83 are solid and 117 are blended!! Fabby is from the lovely boys at Sew it all. It's the first time using 20ct and it's quite dreamy to stitch on. 

An Evening of Romance - Robert Finale (Tilton Crafts)

This is my first Tilton Craft Chart and I'm enjoying it so far. It's being stitched on Sky Blue 20ct evenweave 2 over 1 stitches and only uses solid colours.

Vampire Red - Maxine Gadd (Mystic Stitch)

Before

After

This was my very first BAP before I discovered HAED. I bought it as a kit from an online store in Oz. The kit came with 18ct white Aida and so I just used it as I had no idea about fabrics, never even heard of hand dyed evenweave and thought fabric came in either 14 or 18ct!!! I got as far as almost completing 2 rows (8 pages) when I discovered other cross stitch sites and then the stash enhancement and multiple starts began!!! So this project was abandoned for a while and I didn't store it as carefully as I should have and some of the white thread (which was a generic brand of DMC that came with the kit) used on her face became discoloured. 

I suppose I could have cleaned it but I was always unhappy with the coverage of the darker background and in her hair. There was so much white show through. So I decided to do a restart on a higher count. She is now being worked on 22ct white Hardanger and I'm so much happier with the coverage. The detail will really come through now.

I also worked on my current wips as well and managed a page finish. Guardian Angel is now 2 pages down!

QS Theatre of the Absurd also received some attention. I couldn't wait to get to the lovely purples and pinks of the performer so instead of doing the usual organised column by column I decided to just stitch the bits I like. So I just picked a random block of 400 and stitched it. 

As most of you stunning followers are aware, HAED is currnetly having a 45% Mothers Day sale. So of course there is some stash enhancement for the Crafty Princess. Not shocked are you?

QS April Fairy - Hannah Lynn

QS Alice Series - Hannah Lynn

The Butterfly Ball - Aimee Stewart

The Illusionists - Bec Winnel

Baby Grand - Andy Russell

Blue Moon - Andy Russell

The Illusionists and the Andy Russell charts were last minute decisions. I've always loved both these artists and I finally took the plunge and bought them. I couldn't decide between Blue Moon and Baby Grand so - well you know how it goes.  My only wish is that the piano wasn't that drab brown colour but once stitched it may look alot brighter! 

Take care my stunning followers and guest stars to my blog.

I wish you all a very happy month of May!

xoxo Alicia 

And the results are in...Pic heavy post stunnners!!

 Hi STUNNERS!!!

Well here it is finally the results of my January Extravaganza of no work all cross stitching and gyming.

Firstly though welcome to my lastest victims, I mean followers Tazzy, Chris, qtknits and Simona. Enjoy stunners and thank you for taking an interest in my stitching!

Well as usual life plays a hand in every plan no matter how well laid and the extravaganza technically didn't commence until the 12th January and finished on 13th February.  As for the gym, well that hardly got off the ground at all. So no more on that story!

So without further ado here are the before and after pics of all the wips on the stitching schedule. 

Passione Ricamo Mystery Faery SAL

Rose Cerise - (the hand dyed threads only arrived in the last week so this is only 4 hours worth of progress)

Golden Wood

QS Theatre of the Absurd Haed Freebie SAL 2013

QS Fragile Heart HAED Freebie SAL 2011

Managed to finish the first 3 pages, so only the bottom row to go! YAY!

And now for the BAPS!!


Vanity

 Faery 2

Faery Ball

Where is my Valentine?

A Coign Of Vantage (Golden Kite)

And I FINISHED QS Spring to Life!!!!

And what is a post from the Crafty Princess without a bit o stash enhancement pics...

Stash

Heaven and Earth Designs

Spider Queen

I loved her so much that I was in Spotlight the day after I bought her, buying all the supplies. When I got home I wound all the threads on bobbins, quaffed a glass of chardonnay and started her. I'll post a pic when I complete the first page! She's so much fun to stitch so far.

Tuscan Serenade

                         Tilton Crafts

Promise to Heart

Buttercup

So there you go stunners, a few page finishes and one complete finish. I'd thought I would get more done but I found there were days in there where I just didn't want to stitch. And instead of making it a chore and forcing myself I went and played games on the Xbox360.  

I've got a few new starts that I've commenced since the end of the extravaganza but I don't want to overload you all with wip's so until next time.

Take care stunners and find happiness in every minute of every day no matter where you are, and no matter what you're doing!!!!

Love 

Alicia xoxo

January Extravaganza aka No work and all Stitching!

Hi Stunners!

I know this is weird for me posting so soon after the last post but I found my SD card and as promised just sharing the latest Wip pics before I start my January extravaganza "No work and all Stitching!"

Below is the stitching schedule I have devised to work my way through my 32 Wip rotation. I'm trying to focus on 4 HAED BAPS at a time as I have now upped my stash of them to 60 so trying to get a giddy up on those babies.

Basically to keep me a bit disciplined and on track each element of the schedule must be completed before it starts all over again for 6 lots of the schedule. After 6 turns the rotation piece will change. I think 30 hours for every rotation wip should be sufficient.

STITCHING SCHEDULE

1)  2 rows on Vanity

2)  525 stitches on Faery 2

3)  450 stitches on Faery Ball

4)  1 row of 3 pages on Where is my Valentine?

5)  370 stitches or 2 rows on Fragile Heart

6)  2 hours QS Salvatore (new start only when QS Spring to   life is  finished)

7)  2 hours on Golden Wood

8)  4 hours on Passione Ricamo Mystery SAL

9)  500 stitches of the black border on Kuik Montage

10) 4 hours on Rose Cerise SAL with Kim

11) 200 stitches on Spring to Life

12) 5 hours on current Rotation piece

(additionally I will complete one 10x10 grid on QS Theatre of the Absurd HAED freebie SAL daily)

The first chart for the rotation piece is the Golden Kite chart "A Coign of Vantage".

I know this sounds like a lot but trust me I have used a variation of it recently and it's kinda cool as it doesn't give me a chance to get bored of a chart before I have to move on, and then it's a welcome sight when it's time again.

So here is where each Wip has progressed to as of January 8th 2013

Vanity  

Faery 2

Faery Ball

Where is my Valentine?

QS Fragile Heart

Golden Wood

Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL

Kuik Montage (new start)

Rose Cerise - still havent received silk threads from HDF yet for Rose. Fingers crossed they arrive during the extravaganza.

Spring to Life 

A Coign of Vantage

So these are the wips that will be worked on during the extravaganza.

By the way if you read my last post you may recall me mention something about a stash embargo well....BAZINGA!

Just a teeny bit more STASH

HAED just released a new one - Magic Spells and Owls by Annya Kai (damn that sale) and I've been looking for a Halloween one to go with Pumpkin Patch. Aww so cute..

And then just to add a little more lunacy to my cross stitching life I also purchased the HAED version of Tadema's - A Coign of Vantage. So this way I can compare the actual stitched difference between A HAED chart using just solid DMC threads and Golden Kite's version using blended DMC threads...crazy right??? Laughing at myself right now.

And thennnnnn.......

Kim mentioned Tilton crafts to me and I thought uh huh another website - let it go Princess you have enough at the moment. That restraint lasted a whole 2.5 seconds and once I hit the site..hee hee what's 3 more, right stunners you understand.

An Evening of Romance

Isn't this beautiful. It's just so full of colour and there's just so much going on. Not alot of background so bonus right?? I'll be adding this one to my rotation.

The Edge of Forever

I want to live here in forever forever land. I love the little creature in the bottom left corner with the eye patch.

Rainfall

I loved the mystery of rainfall. What has she done?? I think its an act of passion and she is trying to cleanse herself in the rain. Or at least clean her dagger. While the clouds are dark and thunderous there is alot of colour in them, as well as in the riverbank. So beautiful.

Okay stash embargo now back on!!

Hey stop that grinning and shaking of your head. I so mean it this time...truly...really...oh whatever!

My leave finishes on February 7th so I won't blog until then, I want to show you all my progress in its entirety. But don't worry I will take a break and catch up on all your blogs when I can. I apologise in advance if I miss a few though.

Take care my beautiful and stunning followers and guest stars. Hopefully I will be 10 kilos lighter and well progressed on my wips by my next post.

Love you always,

xoxo Alicia