Time for a Change

I've been blogging about my cross stitch projects, stash buying, and the occasional stitchy gift for almost a year now. Several months ago I expanded my crafty repertoire to include stitchy card-making. Well, thanks to the influence of several friends, I am now up to my eyeballs in card-making paraphernalia (okay actually it's my own fault, they offered the use of their own stash, but I just had to have my own). I LOVE stamps and embossing and all the pretty, pretty paper ... I'm addicted.

And so, I have changed the name of my blog to reflect my divergence into a wider variety of crafts. One day (who knows when though) I would love to learn to tat, and I would eventually love to learn how to crochet as well. But for now I will only venture into the worlds of cross stitch and card making.

Below are a few of my beginner attempts at cards:

After a second card-making lesson:

I bought myself a card-making magazine and worked off a few of the ideas in there:

I did not abandon my stitchy roots, it's just that stitchy cards take a lot more forethought!

My Easter present from my Mom was an embossing heat tool, so this is my first try with it on my own:

I love making cards. It's stupid, I know, but the joy and sense of accomplishment I get out of it is awesome. Plus, I love providing random reasons that make people smile. :)

It's nice to be Home Sweet Home!!

I have too many projects on the go -- plain and simple.

For the last 6 or 7 weeks I have been trying to put time into my smaller projects to see if I could finish any of them. I'm now down to just 5 WIPs (works in progress). The downside to this has been that I haven't touched my big beautiful HAED project in far too long.

And so ... last night I started page 3.

I know it doesn't look like much, but it was the most enjoyable stitching I've done in weeks. I LOVE this project.

Stashmas - better late than never

On the cross stitch forum I frequent, they hold an event called Stashmas. It's on December 1st, and it's similar to a secret santa, but it's just about cross stitching. My original present either was lost in the mail or never sent (I don't know which), but another member stepped up and sent me a replacement gift and it arrived yesterday!!

I received a very pretty celtic kit, a cute butterfly kit, some skeins of DMC, a few bobbins of satin, and some hand made cards (pictures and all!). Such a lovely and thoughtful present. Thanks so much Talenaya!!

Walk in for one thing, walk out with something else entirely

I popped by my LNS today, not really for any reason in particular, just to poke around and look at the new things that had come in and ask about some beads I'd ordered.

After checking out the latest patterns, I headed straight for the hand-dyed fabrics and accidently found a great light brown 28 ct linen. Now I don't really like working with linen, but the colouring on this piece just called to me. So I picked it up (along with another piece that I liked, but not as much) and wandered over to the wall of thread. Specifically, I headed to the varigated HDF silks. Oh man I love silks ... they are beyond lovely! Next thing I know I was tossing silks onto my fabric and ideas for a project flooded my brain.

This is what I ended up with ...

If you recall, a few months ago I stitched an Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks design of a tree for my brother. Well, ever since I've wanted to stitch it again but in autumn colours. I think this might become another family heirloom. This time I'll give it to my mom, as those colours will suit her house perfectly. I plan to stitch it over 1 as well; it'll be a tiny tree!

How much can one person stitch in a lifetime?

I don't know why I keep buying charts. I don't think it is possible to stitch all that I already own in my lifetime. (Unless of course I win the lottery and do nothing but stitch for the next 40 years. Sadly that is not likely to happen.)

But I do love owning such pretty things. There is something reassuring about having a chart in your possession, and not in the land of "I'll buy it when I have time to stitch it." I always worry that a chart I adore will be discontinued or retired before I'm ready to stitch it.

And so ... I bought Ice Blossoms by Just Nan. I even got the embellishment pack with it. (More incentive to stitch it soon!)

Thread & Eye Mandala - February Update

I put a few days into this before the SAL at my LNS, but I don't feel like I really made much progress.

I really love how this design grows and changes as you add each element, and I love using HDF silks. I will eventually finish this project, but just not anytime soon.

A love affair with variegated silk floss

I admit it. I do. I love silk threads. I love beautiful silk threads. I love beautiful variegated silk threads. A lot.

I finally broke down and ordered a few gorgeous skeins from Carrie's Creations.

From left to right:

Pizzazz, Mostly Deadly Nightshade, Twister, Paradise, and Epiphany.

Do you like my pretties ... ?

My precious .... new fabric!!

I found an online supplier (Sassy's Fabbys) that hand-dyes 25 ct lugana, along with a host of other fabrics and counts. Finding 25 ct is a difficult thing, as most companies that do hand-dyed fabric only do 28 and 32 count evenweave. So of course I went a little overboard when I found such pretty things.

I picked up three 18" x 27" pieces of 25 ct lugana in (from left to right) Night Magic, Butterscotch Cookie, and Nightfall.

On the odd occasion I don't want to stitch so small, I picked up some awesome 18" x 13" pieces of 18 ct aida (Royal Purple and Amphibian).

I can't wait to find the perfect pattern for each piece of fabric!

QS Terra (HAED SAL) - Feb Update

My progress so far on the HAED Bulletin Board SAL:

I've almost stitched a 1/4 of the first page. The second page will be sent out at the beginning of March, but I won't be touching that anytime soon. I'll be happy if I finish the entire first page by December.

While the stitching is relatively easy right now because it's just big blocks of colour, I am really not liking the 28 ct fabric. My stitches are too small and they look uneven and funky. Bleck ... I don't like. But I refuse to restart (again) so will persevere in spite of my dislike. I'm glad I figured this out on a piece I'm not really attached to though. There is a distinct possibility that this may become a UFO (unfinished object) in the future.

Finally Finished!! The Blackwork is DONE!

I have finally finished the Blackwork Stitchalong project I started last October. Since I stitched it over 1 on 25 ct, I ended up having to adjust the pattern quite a bit in order to avoid having the fill patterns be too crowded. I decided not to do any beading on the central piece, and just kept the beading on the border. I also modified the border so it wouldn't be so heavy around such a small piece.

Words can't describe how glad I am that this project is finished. I won't say that I'll never do black work again, but it definitely won't be anytime soon. I certainly consider this a learning experience. I learned what I do and don't like about blackwork, and I will make very different fabric and pattern choices next time I try it.