Will power, what will power?

No new starts I said, this year is going to be a year of progress I said, how rubbish am I? Especially as I can see at least two more starts in my future. I really want to start an Aimee Stewart bookshelf, I was trying to wait for Heroes and Heroines but I also really want to start one. I've also got a couple of images with Sarah from Paine Free Crafts and she's looking into charting them for me (although I have told here there's no hurry, because I do have the secret stitch to finish first).

Anyway, my pretty new start, I've mostly been working on my secret stitch the last week but I had a day off with nothing much planned and this had been calling to me! This is Winter Geisha from Love Thy Thread (sadly now closed) and it's stitched on 28 count Dark Goddess from Sparklies. I can only work on this for so long at a time because I've discovered that stitching over one on 28 count on darker fabric really messes with with eyes. 28 count doesn't normally bother me, but this is rather testing. I was originally going to stitch with sparkly floss, but because the fabric also has sparkle in it it didn't look right, so I'm just going to white dmc instead!

Ta Da!

Could it be? A finish? And not just a page finish, an actual finish! I'm so happy, this is my first finish this year! This is Together Forever from Love Thy Thread stitched on 28 count Silver Lining by Polestitches... and you know what a finish means... a new start.... now, which one could it be? Mouhaha!

So close...

Don't say it too loud, but I think an 'F' word might be in sight... I've managed two full and two partial pages this week, I've only got one full and four partial pages left (and one of those has about 20 stitches on it). I'm quite excited... this has suddenly come together and the end is almost in sight. Which will give me an excuse to have the new start that I'm contemplating...

Thank you for everyone's comments about which new start you liked the idea of... I still haven't decided I'm afraid, but I'm sure I will soon.

It's been a while...

 Firstly Animal Fayre by Bothy Threads. I was hoping to be half way through by the end of this weekend, which means completing all the background at the bottom, as you can see, this hasn't happened yet but I do still have a couple of hours left this evening. I am enjoying how bright and happy this is, lucky really seeing as it's intended as a christening present for a small person.

Secondly is Together Forever by Love Thy Thread and on Polestitches fabric. Three pages done now, and while there are technically 9 pages left, 6 of those are partials and even the full pages left aren't that full, I'm looking forward to seeing this one come together, and I also strangely excited about the lovely had dyed thread that I have for the second balloon. Basically, everything about this project makes me strangely happy, as does the fact that it's intended for a good friends wedding, just as soon as they get round to setting a date!

And finally, the urge for a new start is definitely going to get the better of me some time soon. I've got a nice run of days off in about three weeks time so I'm promising myself that if I get good progress on both of these by then then I get a new start then when I can settle into it properly. The only question is which new start I have. The ones that I have kitted up are:

• One of the Aimee Stewart Bookshelves, either World or Steampunk
• Rendezvous, also by Aimee Stewart
• La Soiree by Golden Kite
• In Her Room from Tilton Crafts
• Vanity by Marta Dahlig

What do people think? It'll probably be one of the Aimee Stewarts or maybe In Her Room. I am in no way guaranteeing that I will be affected by other people's thoughts, but I'm still interested to know what people's opinions are!

Together forever has a balloon

Here's my latest update on Together Forever, I never seem to be able to get a decent picture of the colours on the balloon. Believe me that it's really pretty in the real world!

The presents grow

I've done a fair bit on this one know, enough that it's actually starting to resemble something... gotta love the back stitch on Bothy kits, it's simple to do (unlike some I could name *cough* Tatty Ted *cough*) and it makes such a difference to the project, suddenly everything comes together and looks so cute!

Secondly is Together Forever, which is lovely, I'm enjoying working on it but I wish I could get a decent picture on it. I had to use the flash for this one and it bleaches my lovely fabric and the lovely hand-dyed thread on the balloon and her flower as well... I'll have to get a picture on bright midday sunlight at some point and see if I get anything better.

In other news, is anyone having problems with blogger at the moment? I go on to read all the blogs that I'm following, and it only shows me one blog, it doesn't matter how many times I click read more, only one pops up!

Actual progress

This week I am mostly blogging about projects that I'm working on as gifts. First up is Animal Fayre by Bothy threads, which, thanks to the trunk, is starting to actually look like an elephant. I have to admit that I've had to force myself to work on this, not because I'm not enjoying working on it, I always enjoy bothy projects, it's more because I'm really enjoying the other project that I've been working on this week 

Which is this one. This is Together Forever by Love Thy Thread. The chart is only designed to have two colours in it. The outline in black and the balloons in red. While hunting out some fabric for this I found some pretty hand dyed threads so I decided that they'd make really cute balloons instead.The light isn't great and the colour in her flowers has come out looking a little grey, it's actually pale blue fading into pale pink. I'm hoping that will be more obvious when I work a larger area of it for the balloon. My second balloon, held by the groom, is a much bolder colour, so I'm not worried about how that one will come out at all. It looks lovely in life, it just doesn't photograph very well!