Celtic Winter

Last time I wrote about Celtic Winter I said I was going to use the camera to post the next picture because the sparkle of the Anchor Reflecta metallic thread I'm using looked so dull - like it isn't metallic thread at all. Well I can't - I can't connect the camera to this computer - it doesn't work anymore. This has partly been my stumbling block at keeping this blog up to date. Cross stitching blogs really do need pictures. I can use the scanner but Celtic Winter is too big for it now. So, despite the fact I can only post pictures of smaller amounts of stitching (for the time being at least), i do still want to keep some sort of log of my progress, and this blog is as good a place as any.

I have been in full stitching flow since the beginning of the year. I am working through my six project rotation, working two consecutive days on each one. It seems to work quite well, I get a reasonable amount of stitching done, but don't have a chance to get bored with any one project. The only time I strayed from this was 4 consecutive days on Lily of the Valley fairy when I was away from home for a few days and took her with me. Currently Lily is the closest to being finished, followed by Taj mahal, then Celtic Winter. Fanstasy Triptych and Sleeping Beauty are still a long way off and Waiting for Neptune has an estimated date of completion some time in 2016!

The past two days has been on Celtic winter - lots of work since its the weekend. She started off with an almost bald head - all the dress and face was done, but not the snowball, or any beads, I',m leaving them 'til last. I've now completed the hair, except the beads and the bits with Wisper Thread - The blue line down the left hand side and the first horizontal line of the top border - the letters W and I (except beads) and half of the letter N. I am still not in love with this project and will be glad to see her finished. My thoughts - I won't use Anchor Reflecta again, if I'd used two strands instead of one it probably would have looked better but the worst thing about it is it frays. I also used the wrong fabric, the pale blue is too close to some of the blues in the design. I will continue with CW, and finish her, but I will have learned some lessons from my impulsive decisions.

In other news ...... a week to go until my 40th birthday. Aaaaargh!!! I already have two birthday presents - Yamaha clavinova - electric piano ..... love it! All those piano lessons my parents paid for when I was a child are being put to use! Aaaaand .... a bicycle! A real one that goes along rather than one of those that sits stationary in the living room. Exercise with a purpose! I only got it today, and I will use it, and I will get thin. I will!