Exciting News!

Did that get your attention?  

No, I haven't won the Lotto or 
had a date with Channing Tatum,

but I am halfway done with the background

on my blackwork piece.

Well, I think it's exciting...

After the background is completed,

I'll still have some shading to do on the petals,

and then I'll be done.

But it's a very, very slow process.

And just in time for May...

I've developed a renewed appreciation for Aida cloth.

I began my cross stitching life using Aida cloth,

and then abandoned it for linen.

I belonged to the group who had "moved beyond" Aida.

But now Aida comes in so many pretty colors --

the above is an over-dyed piece from Picture This Plus --

and it is so easy to work with and hide your thread ends,

that I've started using it again.

I wish I had chosen it for my blackwork piece!

The pattern is from Hands on Design's

A Year of Celebrations leaflet.

Here's Heart in Hand's Checker Bird...

I used the called-for colors,
but changed the bead color to red,

because I didn't think the included white beads

would show up on my... 

light-colored Aida cloth.

Am I being a reverse snob?

Just slap me if I am.

I don't think I've mentioned it here,

but for the longest time I've wanted

to get one of Charley Harper's

designs for needlepoint.

They are painted canvases and,

therefore, very pricey.

So I not only had a birthday in March,

but I had a 20-percent-off coupon from

my local needlepoint store, too.

The perfect storm.

I was planning on buying only one,

but I couldn't decided between these two...

I have a thing for birds.

And there were a lot of bird designs to choose from.

It's a miracle I was able to

whittle it down to just two.

If you're not familiar with Charley's wonderful designs,

you can google Meredith Collection

to see what I was up against

in picking just one two.

They all make me smile.

Last but not least,
I've been doing so many colorful pieces lately
that I had a desire to do something
a little bit more drab.
Enter my only other WIP at present...

...Kathy Barrick's Good Intentions.
This fills the bill for drab!

That's it for now.

Thanks for stopping by.