September IHSW update

I worked on Beloved Child (again) during this month's IHSW. I have to admit, I am getting just a tiny bit fed up with this picture now and its colours. Expeciallysince I bought a bunch of new Rachel Anderson charts my fingers have been itching to get started with one of those instead. They're so beautiful and colourful.

But I made a promise to myself: No more new starts before Beloved Child is finished. I need to get this picture done for my friend. She's over halfway in her pregnancy, so I need to finish soon.

Here is my progress over the last week (and weekend):

Beloved Child at my last update, September 10

Beloved Child before IHSW

Beloved Child after IHSW

I am almost done with the mother's hand, so I'm getting closer. I still have to stitch the mother's face and the fading in the background.

Until next week! :-)
- Cat.

HAED Appreciation Week (another picture heavy post!)

Soooooo, we have entered Heaven & Earth Designs Appreciation Week! For those of you who do not know; Heaven & Earth Designs make some of the most beautiful cross stich designs known to man (well, at I think so), and they're currently having financial issues. Apparently not enough people buy cross-stich charts. So if there's a chart you've had on your wishlist for some time, pop over there and buy it! :-)

As some of you might know, I was not much of a "stash'er". All of the charts I own are the ones I actually stitch, so I've never had any charts waiting to be started. Well, that has changed now! I think I might have enough charts for a lifetime now - lol!

And I can't really decide whether I buy all of these charts for charitable reasons ("HAED might be closing, I better help out") or for purely selfish reasons ("HAED might be closing, and I still need all of these charts!"). Nevertheless, I bought even more charts today, and as you can probably tell from the selection I am a huge fan of Rachel Anderson's work.

Mini Amethyst by Rachel Anderson

Mini Emerald by Rachel Anderson

Mini Garnet by Rachel Anderson

Blue Topaz (full design) by Rachel Anderson

Ruby (full design) by Rachel Anderson

Mystique by Rachel Anderson

Titania by Rachel Anderson

Seraphina by Rachel Anderson

Vanity by Marta Dahlig

Sloth by Marta Dahlig

 Happy Stitchings and remember to sign up for this month's IHSW here!
- Cat

Beloved Child and New Stash Tab! (Picture Heavy)

As I wrote in my earlier post, I did not have as much time to stitch this past week. But I did manage to put in a few stitches:

"Beloved Child" as of September 3

"Beloved Child" as of September 10

Since it is Heaven & Earth Appreciation Week I have also bought new charts. I bought these charts in advance of the appreciation week though. I intend to buy more charts by Rachel Anderson and Marta Dahlig this week.

I have made a new "Stash" tab at the top of my blog, which will be updated whenever I buy new charts.

Here are the new additions:

QS Aquamarine by Rachel Anderson

QS Sapphire by Rachel Anderson

QS Diamond by Rachel Anderson

QS Pearl by Rachel Anderson

QS Peridot by Rachel Anderson

QS Sapphire is by far my favorite. I love those blue and purple colours!

Since I've bought all of these new charts, I had to come up with rules to prevent myself from starting all of them at once. I will not be allowed to make a new start before I've finished "Beloved Child" (it needs to be finished in four months anyway - that's when my friend will give birth to her son!).

Happy Stitchings Everyone!
- Cat.

Beloved Child and New Stash!

I've spend the week stitching the Baby picture "Beloved Child":

"Beloved Child" August 27

"Beloved Child" September 3

I'm not sure how much I will stitch over the next weekend though ;-) Since I also play The Sims 3 and a new expansion for the game is coming out this Thursday.

I would also like to encourage my fellow stitchers to stash up some more. I am usually not one for stashing, since I don't like having tons of charts laying around and not work on them. I like buying the charts and start kitting up for them right away. However, with Heaven & Earth Designs in trouble financially, I figured that has to change.

I've therefore bought five new charts from Heaven & Earth Designs, artwork by Rachel Anderson - because she is one of my favourites. When I have received the charts I will make a new tab on my blog called "Stash", for all to see the ones I've bought.

Happy stitching!
- Cat.