New Start (D'oh) + Progress on Hannah Lynn Swip - Intervention required STAT!

Hi Stunners! Firstly welcome to my new followers! Thanks so much for taking an interest, it's greatly appreciated. I didn't realise that comments were blocked on my blog but I fixed the prob and received all of your fun remarks. Thank you!! I hope I don't scare you away too quickly. LOL!!

Okay I know this blog was started as a means for me to cure or at least curb my addiction of new starts, buutttttt - Heaven and Earth designs keep extending the damn Valentines Day sale end date and now I have found myself to be the proud but ashamed owner of 15 new charts!!! Good GOD. It's not my fault. Myself thought that since I cleaned my bedroom she would reward me with 3 new charts, and you can't return a gift that would be so rude! So thanx to me for the charts. Sigh!

So progress so far for the week

Emerald Forest - almost half page done

Spring to Life by Hannah Lynn (another HAED chart) is an ongoing project. I haven't really included this one in the rotation as I'm completing 2 sets of her. One is a gift for a work colleague's daughter as a present for when she was born (The kid is now 3!!) and the other one is for me. The featured project is my one as I haven't started the gift one yet - I'm so hopeless!!! So I kinda pick her up every now and then when I get bored of the one currently being worked on in the rotation and try and chuck about 500 or so stitches into her. It's 6 pages but only 2 are full ones so hopefully won't be too long.

Page 6 completed



Progress for the week 

The lovely fairy is being completed on 25ct Fairy Forest (how apt) Lugana from Stitches and Spice, using 1 strand over 1 full crosses. It's really fun to stitch as the colours are so vibrant and loving the fabric.

And now (drum roll) for the new start. It's another HAED from Jessica Galbreth's "The Vintage Angel" collection called "Release." It's such a beautiful collection. I had to buy "release" as I'm working through the Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin and it's all about releasing negative feelings and letting go in order to reach a level of peace in your life surrounded by an ocean of love yadda yadda yadda and I thought in my infinite wisdom this would be perfect to remind me to just let go...unfortunately that meant a new start. But I promise to the universe, god and everyone this will be my last start (fingers crossed) until I finish one of my forever seemingly ongoing cross stitches. Honest!



See so pretty. I'm trying out tent stitching for the first time. She's being completed on 28ct White Lugana 2 over 1 tent. So far not so sure how I feel about this method. I've only completed 500 or so stitches so early days. It does of course stitch up much faster but I'm worried about the coverage. What do you think??

Have a great week stunners! Thanks for reading (that's is if you're still reading!) Happy stitching and enjoy every day to the fullest. Mwah xox Alicia





Happy Valentine's Day

Hi Stunners!

I managed to complete Page 1 of Fragile Heart on Valentine's Day weirdly enough. Not that I have a fragile heart or anything.

Fragile Heart - progress as of V Day!

I received an awesome Valentine's gift.  TWELVE new charts from the HAED website for their Valentine's Day sale. How lucky am I? And I hear you asking what thoughtful person would give me such a wondrous gift??? Well ME of course. 

I just couldn't help but reward me for my friendship to myself. I always feed me when I'm hungry, provide beverages when I'm thirsty, I know just what I'm thinking and going to say next, I always make sure I have fun things planned for me to do everyday, I enjoy the same movies, music, games and books as myself. And most importantly I'm obsessed with craft just like me! So therefore had to give myself the kind of Valentine's day gift that I would have loved to receive. Makes sense??? Well it does to me and I did warn you as stated above - I am a lunatic!!

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

Happy stitching and always have fun in whatever you are doing!

Going to do a bit of stitching on Emerald Forest before making myself a beautiful meal for me. I hope myself can make it as I've got enough ingredients to feed an army not to mention a few bottles of champas - Yum!

xo Alicia

Going to the Forest and not the Wood



Page 1 completed

Well this is what I have accomplished on my "Valentine" rotation.
It kinda dragged over 2 weeks as I had a swing shift in the middle of my days off and it really throws your energy and body clock around. So instead of only getting 2 days on another project I just continued with her.  I managed to complete page 1 (yay - take celebratory sip of charddy) and a column and a bit of page 2. A bit excited as I've actually made a start on her, that's the top of her pigtail on the bottom right. Awesome!

Fragile Heart

This week is the Heaven and Earth designs freebie SAL (stitch a long) finishing on Friday morning. So I have been working on "Fragile Heart" a Hannah Lynn design.  I need to complete at least one row per day to finish the page. It's a really cool idea. Sign up on the HAED bb was end of last year. They send you the stash chart first and then on the 1st January 2011 the SAL began and page one only was emailed to you. We receive one page every 2 months. The entire chart is 6 pages so with this one hopefully everyone that joined in will have a completed cross stitch by the end of the year. The next page is due in March so I want to get her finished this week and then I don't have to worry about her for a while. There were 183 participants and 7 different charts to choose from. All you have to do is post a few Wips (works in progress) on the bb and you will qualify to have all 7 charts emailed to you for free, even if you don't finish you're chosen design. How good is that???

I was supposed to start Golden Wood this week but unfortunately those lovely ladies in the wood have been bumped yet again to the next rotation. Reason being is that I am very far behind Mrs. Dibble in the competition to finish Golden Wood. So wanted to work on them when I only had to concentrate on them and not on Fragile Heart as well.

So this week will be working on Emerald Forest as I am up to "Other" category on my rotation list. Other is pretty much made up of charts that are not Mystic stitches, Heaven and Earth designs or other BAP's (big ass projects).  So all my Mirabilia's, Passione Ricamo's, Dimensions etc etc charts come under this rotation. 

Emerald Forest is design by Collin Bogle. It's being completed on 14ct Khaki Aida 3 over 1 full crosses. This was purchased by my ex boyfriend back in mid 2009 as he loved it upon sight, but of course I was meant to stitch it. Well in the redistribution of property during the break up. I forgot all about it and so it's still in my possession.  I was going to give it away to someone else to do but as I had already started it when we were together and recall how much I actually enjoyed stitching it. I've decided to keep it. Besides there is no hard feelings between us, but when finished I think I may give it away as a gift to someone else. Or keep it as I would like to have an African animals collection...sigh...someday!





Well that's all for now. I've just started a month's leave so hopefully this blog will get updated more often and that I will have a hellava lot to show.

Take care my sisters and brothers of the thread

Happy stitching

xox Alicia

Still Lost but one page closer to a finish!



Page 1 Complete

Lost in You - Rachel Marks





I managed to finish page 1 on Lost in You! It's beginning to feel alot like progress. I also entered this project in the HAED confetti SAL so killed 2 birds so to speak. For my next rotation it will be another Jasmine Becket-Griffith (sorry Mrs. D I know you don't like her artwork) "Where is my Valentine?" This chart was the very first chart that I bought off the HAED website. I just fell in love with it. What's not to love she reminded myself of me! A little impudent girl with a hand on her hip demanding her Valentine!!! Plus it was sooo PINK.

However she also served in the beginning of my demise. There was a time believe it or not when I was only a one project at a time girl. But I couldn't wait to start her and once she was downloaded I was in my car and on the way to Spotlight to buy all the required stuff.

Now if you get away with convincing yourself to start a project whilst another is still going once then trust me you can do it 15 times. Which is why I find myself in a position where rotations are required if I'm ever going to achieve a finish in my lifetime!!!

I also realised that I haven't added the links to all the projects. So I have gone through my blog and added the links. If you click on the title of a chart in the text that is blue it will take you to the website I purchased it from and you can also view other charts by the same artist.

Where is my Valentine?

 

Isn't she gorgeous?? Got a long way to go though but she is fun to stitch and that's all that counts.

 Golden Wood was next in the rotation but after stitching for over a week on a monochrome project I just needed to work on a vibrant project. Golden Wood is pretty but with all the browns and yellow hues it was just not calling to me. So decided to swap those 2 in the rotation. Will head to the Woods next week.

I hope everyone is enjoying life and only seeing rainbows. Happy stitching to my sisters and brothers of the thread. Good to see some males are into cross stitching and breaking those gender stereotypes. I will speak to you next week. Take care stunners!

xox Alicia



Tragedy in Queensland

I watched the tragedy unfold on the news all day today whilst at work. The floods in Queensland are devastating. At the last count 8 people were killed including children and 72 are missing. It was horrible to witness a family trapped in a car and then being whisked away by the torrential water. I only pray that they are now safe and we didn't watch their demise. To all those affected by this my heart goes out to you and I hope that all Australians rally together in support of our northern neighbours. I recall in the Victorian fires that women bought and sent cross stitch kits to the families that lost all their belongings in a bid for them to start new heirlooms. I think crafters have the greatest hearts.

I pray the waters subside and the families can find each other and rebuild their lives. It is a lesson in gratitude and reminds me to be grateful for all the wonderful family and friends that I have, especially my sisters of the thread.

Everyone give your loved ones an extra special hug tonight and eat a huge gob of icecream just because you can.

On a lovely note though, congratulations to my parents Brian and Jeannie on their 41st wedding anniversary. They are celebrating this monumental event in Bali. Have a Pina Colada for me guys I love you very much.

xoxo Crafty Princess - Alicia

The Eyes have it!



Faces of Faery 88




This is my progress after 2 weeks Faces of Faery 88. I wanted to get two pages completed but this pesky thing known as Christmas kinda got in the way. But at least she now has 2 eyes and I don't feel so freaked out whilst working on her having this one baleful river eye staring back at me.

Had such an eventful Christmas - my car broke down on Christmas Eve. Luckily I was with my friend Lori Angel because those 2 hours turned into one of my most memorable and hilarious moments of my Christmas. Even the tow truck driver said that he has never picked up anyone from the side of the road that was so cheerful (nice word for lunatic maybe??). I guess our happiness was infectious because when we finally got home he stopped and posed for pics with us and didn't charge us a red cent for the tow. How's that for awesome Christmas spirit!! Thanx Andy from Metro Towing. Sometimes mine and Angels lunacy does pay off in a good way. I sorely wish I had photos of Lori pushing the car with one hand and smoking a ciggie with the other. She's only a tiny slip of a girl and this sight caused 3 young men to stop and once they finished laughing at her they pushed my car off the road. Good times, good times.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and Santa was generous. One thing I love about Christmas is all the time spent with family and friends. It's a magical time.

Now onto Craft business - this weeks rotation is Lost in You by Rachel Marks another HAED chart. This is my first monochrome project as I saw some completed in the gallery and thought they look amazing. I was a bit concerned I might get bored of it easily because I love working with lots of colours but surprisingly it's just as much fun to see the picture unfold. I'm hoping to get 3 full stitch days in this week, see how I go.

Lost in You

 

That's it for now and will probably be my last post for 2010.

Have a Happy and safe New Year everyone and will see you next year! xoxox

L for LOVE!



"L" - Selina Fenech



 


Well it's been a week and this is how much I have completed in the L sampler letter by Selina Fenech. I have decided to continue the Letters as a work project. The big blocks of colour make it easier to work at when you are required to frequently stop and start. Plus I want to get these finished ASAP and I can't wait the 13 weeks it will take to come back into my rotation. Although, I have used a sparkly Aida fabric I don't think it pops as much as it should. So I have bought the sparkly version of DMC 819 and will do a bit of the dreaded frogging on the pink background. I tried just using the sparkly on the top cross only to avoid frogging but it looks weird. But I will do this on the black letter and put another round of crosses on the border in some sparkly thread. The colours aren't very vibrant so had to add my Bling Princess touch.

Now for this weeks rotation it's Faces of Faery 88 by one of my fav artists - Jasmine Becket-Griffith. Below is the before pic. I have the next 4 days that will be devoted to craft and just a bit of cleaning when I need a little break so I'm hoping to get page 1 and 2 completed. As you can see I'm doing them simultaneously as there are big chunks of skin colour and parking was not required with this project. Makes it faster to stitch the 2 pages together. I'm loving the green in her eyes it really sets off all the purple in the background and the purple dragon that will be coming along soon.

Have an awesome weekend everyone. Good luck with your stitching or whatever will be filling your time. Just remember to always find time to do something you love no matter what!







D'OH!!!

I have completed the weeks rotation for Golden Wood, and as it went last week I didn't get as much done as I anticipated. I'm either really slow or not spending enough time on them, or I'm just over ambitious with my quotas. Time will tell...



Golden Wood







    

Now for the confession. I purchased 4 new cross stitch charts from the HAED thanksgiving sale. But in my defence I have a very good reason and I am not sliding back into my old ways. I am reading "The Power" by Rhonda Byrnes and it's all about Love and the power of Love. In order to have an amazing life one must harness the power of Love.  Anywhoo as I was browsing only BROWSING mind you the HAED website I came across the Selina Fenech Sampler Letters charts and the thought hit me like lightning - how cool would it be to have a cross stitch depicting the word LOVE to remind me of its power and to use it throughout my day. As the Law of Attraction advises one to act upon every positive impulse it was completely out of my control so I bought the charts and will be starting on the "L" today.

You see my friends I have to do this because I don't want to screw with the Universe. It guided me to this website as I promised myself I wouldn't even go there for temptation sakes but something told me to do so that day and lo and behold there was a sale on!!! It's beyond my control. This is my explanation - please don't judge or organise an intervention. I'm okay. It's all good! Happy stitching stunners!

 
  



Returning to the Golden Wood

     

    

The end of the rotation for Crimson Glomour and the return to the Golden Wood. This is another HAED chart by Ruth Sanderson. I bought it as a gift for Mrs. Dibble and loved it so much that I bought one for myself too. To make it interesting we are having a competition, whoever finishes first is treated by the other to a fabulous lunch at Doyles on the waterfront. It's kind of a win win situation but it's the principle of it all.

You can see Mrs. Dibble's progress on her blog, she has completed a page and half at this point, as for me weellll I'm not quite so far in. Anything can happen in a week! I'm using 2 strands over one on 22ct white Hardanger fabric and mounted on Q snaps as I'm running out of scroll frames and refused to allow myself to buy another one as I would only be indulging my naughtiness as it's my fault that all my scroll frames already have a cross stitch mounted on them. Anyway Q snaps make the cross stitch portable and I can take it to work to complete on those errr down times!

Everyone believes I will lose because I am an obsessive project starter but I believe that with my rotations I will be on a roll as I won't get bored and more importantly I won't start another cross stitch. Saying this when I first got Golden Wood and began working on it, I also started a Faces of Faery cross stitch but that was before this blogging started and my rotations which I believe has cured me of my evil compulsive ways.

Well that's my theory!



SK Crimson Glomour after one weeks rotation



 I haven't got as much done on Crimson Glomour as I would have liked. I was completing her hair and the confetti stitches involved was so hard going. Almost a new colour every stitch. So parking was required which helped but progress was still slow. I'm hoping next time she is on my rotation I will complete the first page.

Crimson Glomour

Crimson Glomour

    



This week I am working on Crimson Glomour storykeep. The artwork is by Ching Chou Kuik and I purchased this from the Heaven and Earth website, I started it around August 2010. Since then I haven't picked it up again as I was busy starting other projects (hang head in shame). This is the first cross stitch I have commenced using 25ct Lugana using one strand over one. I wanted to test the coverage of this before I embarked on the bigger HAED charts. This is my progress so far and I will post a picture at the end of the week.