WIP: Shh Now

Recently I have been stitching away on my first ever monochrome and portrait cross stitch. You may remember that I began stitching the cross stitch pattern for Shh now from Heaven and Earth Designs back in March. I'm really enjoying stitching it, there are areas of block colour which are pretty quick to complete, interspersed with more patchy areas, to keep it interesting.

Here is where I'd got to in my update from March.

As you can see most of what I had done was white block, which was fairly boring, so I was pleased to reach her hair. I can proudly say that I finished Page 1 on Friday, and here's the picture to prove it!

As you can see her face is taking shape nicely. I can't wait to finish her eye, as it was one of the features of this cross stitch chart that drew me to embroider it. I have spent the last couple of evenings stitching away, so it shouldn't be too long before her eye is completed! Anyway, enough nattering, bring on the needle and threads!

Happy stitching!

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You Shall go to the Ball: Charity Ball and Cinderella Cross Stitch

Happy St Georges Day

It's 23rd of April, St Georges Day (the Patron Saint of England). The sun is shining, the sky blue, and the breeze is warm. Flowers are blooming, shrubs and trees are covered in buds, the birds are chirping, and Spring is finally here! Hip Hip Hooray! So, as a little celebration and a thought for St George, I have found some lovely St George celebratory cross stitch kits! How awesome are they? I should probably stop looking for cross stitch kits, as my wish list grows much faster than I can stitch...

St George and the Dragon
www.sewandso.co.uk

St George & the Dragon
www.heavenandearthdesigns.com

St George & the Dragon
www.johnsoncrafts.co.uk
 

Happy Stitching!

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You Shall go to the Ball

Me, Libby and Sarah

I went to a Charity Ball on Saturday at Kenwood Hall which was loads of fun, and a really good excuse to get all glammed up. I dug out my fanciest dress and even curled my hair for the occasion, after all when you don't get all glammed up that often it's good to completely go for it! What do you think?

My friends looked gorgeous in their pretty dresses, we all had a bit of sparkle too, which is essential for any ball!

We had a yummy 2 course buffet dinner, followed by a disco (The Macarena is only ever played at Disco's, which is a shame because I do enjoy dancing to it!) and finally a taxi home for us sleepy heads!

Ball's of course, have been around for years; what stately home doesn't have a ball room? But I remember my first time hearing about balls, and it wasn't my sixth form ball, or year 11 Prom. It was the fairy tale Cinderella, whose Fairy godmother transformed her ragged dress to one of jaw dropping beauty, a pumpkin to a classy coach, and rats to elegant horses. I am a fair fan of fairy tales. I have several fairy tale compilation books, and one day I'd love to have lots of fairy tale cross stitches or embroideries, (not Disney ones though, I prefer the traditional ones best). Here are the Cinderella cross stitch charts that are on my short list (wish list).


SeeSallySew  Cinderella 'Stroke of Midnight'




HAED Cinderella's Coach



123 Stitch Cinderella




I figured I'd best make some more progress on my 2 current Work In progresses' (WIP), Shh Now and my Peak District Photo Conversion before I get started on my fairy tale collection wish list!

Happy Stitching!

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WIP: Shh Now

A few weeks ago I asked for some help to choose a monochrome cross stitch pattern from HAED.  After advice you, my lovely readers, and some further thought on my part, Shh now made the cut. It's all about the eyes.

Anyway, since receiving the chart, the 25 count even weave fabric and all the embroidery threads (including a quick trip to my local craft shop, Craftastic, as I cleverly got my numbers mixed up and managed to order some pink thread instead of dark grey, I have been stitching away. The first part was a bit boring, as it was block white but at least it was quick. I've just started on her hair now, so it's getting a bit more exciting! It doesn't look like much yet, but hopefully it will before too long.

The downside of having a new cross stitch chart to stitch away at, is that I have neglected my Peak District photo conversion, so it's time to pick that up again for a bit and stitch some colours!

Happy Stitching.


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Apologies and Monochrome Projects

Sorry my postings have been pretty sporadic the last couple of weeks, quite a lots been happening. Chris and I have parted ways after nearly 6 years together. It hadn't been right for a while and I'm looking on the positive side, there's no point dwelling on things I can't change. So I'm 26, single, and that means I have more time to do the things I want to do and enjoy myself, one of which includes more stitching!

For quite a while now I've wanted to do a monochrome cross stitch. I also fancy stitching a portrait, but I lack the confidence (and defiantly the skills) to design and edit my own monochrome cross stitch pattern. Luckily, Heaven And Earth Designs (HAED) have a fantastic range of patterns for me to browse. Even better, they currently have a 35% off sale on many of the fantastic charts available. If you're looking for a project, then head over to their website for a range of mystical, gothic, art deco, animals, and much much more choices. (My wish list is 35 charts long, but could easily be much longer if I browsed through more of their beautiful cross stitch charts. Anyway, having had a browse of monochrome portraits mostly of ladies, here are my favourite ones.

Blue Butterflies: I love the innocence of this design by Zindy Nielsen. The girls expression is almost sad, but also thoughtful as if she's pondering something from long ago. The rose and butterflies give hope to this cross stitch design to make it a truly beautiful piece of art.

Midnight Secrets: Selina Fenech's design is truly magical, and appeals to the fairytale loving girl inside. This cross stitch embroidery speaks to me of a fair maiden either escaping from evil clutches or rescuing a loved one in need with her faithful unicorn steed. the mist adds an air of mystery that draws me in...

One was Innocent black and white: Another design by Selina Fenech, this lady is powerful and strong. It reminds me of a heroine in a story, one who is innocent and kind, but intelligent, beautiful, and knows what she wants. Someone who won't rest until she gets it. Determination to do what is right.  














Shh Now: Another Zindy Nielsen and my favourite of the four designs. She beguiles me. i want to know what her secret is. She looks soft and intense all at once, with hidden knowledge. She is young and innocent, but her intense eyes speak of an older, wiser mind. I want to know her, and learn what she knows.







Which is your favourite? I can't decide between Blue Butterflies or Shh Now. I love looking at Blue Butterflies but my eyes keep wandering back to Shh Now. I will definitely stitch one of them, but which...? 

Happy Stitching


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Fairytale Cross Stitch Kits

Since I was a little girl I've loved fairy tales. My parents would read them to me when I was small, and they said that I asked for the 3 little pigs so often than I could 'read' it from memory. It didn't take long for me to become a bookworm, devouring them in the evenings, and unable to resist the lure of a good story for even 10mins while I eat my breakfast before work. If I'm going away for even a night, and know I will be with people the whole time, I still have to stick a book on my bag, just in case. While I now mostly read novels (I'm currently busy absorbing Diana Gabaldons novel, Drums of Autumn, the fourth in her Outlandander series, which are my favourite books), I haven't abandoned the fairy tales altogether.

A few years ago at Christmas time Chris and I went to Bakewell, which has a second hand bookshop. We had been to Bakewell several times before, as a start or end point to a walk, but this time we went to explore Bakewell and the unique shops there. It wasn't long before we found ourselves perusing the shelves in the bookshop, me the novels, and fairy stories, Chris the maps and stories of the Peak District. I found a large book, 'Enchanted fairytales' with gilt edged pages, and over 200 fairy stories from various origins. I couldn't resist, and it's now happily sat on my bookshelf, having read it from cover to cover. We also emerged with a 'Tales of the Peaks' book, which was full of various tales based on people who may have lived in the peak district.

Not too long after, My best friend Rhian (who is a bit obsessed with fairy tales) bought me Angela Carters 'Fairy tales for adults' which old tales from many origins which were told in the long evenings, before the distractions of today. (The Inuit ones were probably the rudest, with stepmothers using whale bones to fashion a certain appendage, to enable them to pretend to by their son, and so service their daughters-in-law!)

Some are funny, some are sad, most have morals, and several are retold in various guises, but I enjoy them all, and the illustrations that go with many of them. I would love to have a Fairytale room full of books, and pictures, and given my hobby, cross stitches of my favourites, and with that in mind, here are some of my wish list favourites.

Rapunzel, by Heaven and Earth Designs. I love the classic black and white drawings you find in old fairytale books, It reminds me of a book of my Grandma's I would always read. The pages were falling out, dog eared and worn, but I loved the stories. My mum remembers it from she was a little girl, and The Goose Girl was both of our favourites!

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales too. I remember watching it at my friends house when I was a little girl, and must have told my parents constantly about how fantastic I thought it was, because, one day, my dad came home with the video! I was thrilled, and wanted to watch it straight away. I particularly like this cross stitch kit from Cross Stitch World because it shows the castle in the woods, a well as Bell and the Beast.

Mermaids have always held a hint of mystery to me. I love swimming, and just listening to the waves breaking at the seaside. Ariel the Little Mermaid has unsurprisingly enchanted me, and I remember feeling sorrowful for her when I read the original Grimms fairytale in which the prince married the girl who found him instead, and the little mermaid became sea foam. This design by Mirabella is stitched on 32 count even weave, so is recommended for experienced cross stitchers.



I love the magic and enchantment of this chart, by Cross stitch corner  of the 12 dancing princesses. It is a story I have always enjoyed, of how the 12 princesses would sneak off to a magical castle where they would dance the night away each night.

Heaven and Earth have once again produced this lovely chart, which a more grown up version of Little Red Riding Hood. I love the vulnerability portrayed in the image, and the use of colour to enhance the cloaks vibrancy. Heaven and Earth Designs have a wealth of fantastic fantasy charts, I definitely recommend having a perusal.

Anyway, enough of fairytale dreaming for now...

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