Back to the Mundane

Thanks for the comments on Lady with Lilac Flower. There is still a chunk to do at the bottom on the left hand side, but I'm on the home strait now. She's been put back in the drawer for another round of the rotation now because my eyesight needs a rest from the white on white.




I'm back on Celtic Christmas. I removed the candle tips and replaced them with 2 strands of PB01. They're better than they were, but still not good enough. Where I have used metallic thread in the top border I have used just one strand of PB01 and it lies much better, so the candle tips are going to come out again and be replaced with just one strand. Third time lucky I hope. I also removed the 'floating' beads around the candle wreath because I didn't like the way the invisible thread pulled on the fabric. I'm going to leave the beading 'til the end now, probably with a thread matching the fabric. As for the top border, I am having a nightmare with it. I KEEP doing it wrong. I don't know what's the matter with me! This piece really is proving to be my nemesis. I do eventually intend stitching all of the Celtic ladies so maybe I should regard this one as a test, a practice piece for all the others. But it is my favourite, so I really do want it to look good.

Stitching Bloggers Question
Q. Do you think that you stitch neater on Evenweave than you do on Aida
cloth? If so, why?
I haven't found that the type of fabric makes any difference to the neatness (or otherwise) of my work.


Stash Aquisition
I've been going a bit mad again. Passione Ricamo's Autumn Fairy Spirit (my favourite, this one is gorgeous!) and Summer Fairy Spirit, TW's Peacock Tapestry (have heard this is the most challenging TW - therefore irresistable to me!), the Myth and Magic book (can't find an online pic of this) featuring fanstasy designs from various designers, I'd been after this one for a while, and found it on the bargain table at my local bookshop half price!, Mirabilia's Midsummer Nights Fairy ....... there maybe more that I've forgotten about.

In Other News
Yesterday I baked cookies. Now doesn't that sound homely! They were for my children's school fete which is tomorrow, but this morning my son said he wanted to eat them so the children took shop bought fruit pies instead.

At the fete I will be facepainting, which is my other crafty/arty type hobby. Much like I am with cross stitching, I am completely non-creative, I just copy other people's designs, but I love the intricate, complicated designs best. When I was at school I used to hate art lessons because I hated paint. I hated the way it smelt and dried my skin. But I love face paint, it really is make-up rather than paint. I love the smell of it. Tomorrow afternoon I will end up covered in it but I won't care - I really enjoy it. And I like sorting out my kit afterwards after it has got all messed up - cleaning my paints and washing my sponges and brushes to get it all back in tip-top condition. Its a bit weird because I'm really not meticulously clean when it comes to other things in life, but with my facepaints they have to be perfect.