JCS Publications and New Projects

Good morning, my dear friends,

As you can see, I am trying to get better at posting here: this time, it has only been a month.
My new Just Cross Stitch issue came in the mail Friday - and look what I found there!

JCS August 2018.
Design by Evdokia Nikolaeva

I stitched that (the feeling never seems to get old) and loved it. The picture does not do it justice - I remember how bright and vibrant the colors looked on fabric while I was working on it; it was like looking at the stained glass window in the sun.

A close up picture

While stitching, I could not help thinking of precious stones. When I was a child, one of my favorite books was "The Malachite Box" by Pavel Bazhov - a collection of tales about the Hostess of the Mount and her secret jeweled garden, so intricately carved out of precious stones that any mortal that ever glanced at it would lose interest in anything naturally grown ever again... This bird and her pomegranates might as well have flown out of that garden, I thought while working at it with my needle.

"Peace Angel" by Lesley Teare
JCS February 2018

This gorgeous angel was stitched by me back in... December 2017 (I think?) The whole time I worked on her, I kept calling her "The Autumn Fairy" - the green wings and the flowers suggested it for me... Somehow the doves (the international symbol of peace) did not click in the idea; among all this natural beauty they looked part of the nature set - birds that just happened to be doves.

Close up Picture

Did I like the colors, the flowers, and the butterflies? Definitely. But... look at that armband! It stands out - perfectly. Five French Knots each, two different colors - and it makes everything around it stand out.

The skirt and the doves.

I enjoy looking at the flower detail around the skirt - and the doves, of course. The back stitching gave their wings such detail, I can almost see the feathers.

The waves of the skirt, the curling flower vines, the birds - all these details give the picture the sensation of movement. She is not standing still, she is walking  - or, perhaps, dancing? In all her detailed glory, she is still hard at work - on her way... somewhere.

Recently, I have had more time to stitch for myself. The result is - better late than never - a finished "Twelve Days of Christmas."

"Twelve Days of Christmas"
by Plum Street Samplers

Maybe it's the weather and the season, but when I finished it, I could not stop thinking that it is so... red. Was it, perhaps, too much red? But then I thought - this was meant to be a Christmas sampler, it's not its fault that it has taken me three years to finish it. By next Christmas, when it's framed and displayed on the wall, it will look just the right amount of red.

Finally, I have (bravely) decided to start a new project. It will be "A Year at Hawk Run Hallow" by Carriage House Samplings. How long will it take me to get it done, I am not even going to guess. One thing is for sure, though - I am going to thoroughly enjoy it!

Until next time,

A Bit of Stitching, Reading, and Thinking

Good morning, dear friends,

Once again, it has been a while. What can I say? Life gallops on, with work, projects, books, commitments there isn't much time to sit and write it all down. Day by day, my life seems pretty regular and scheduled, same-old same-old, but when compiled, suddenly I see that a lot has happened.

Let me start with the highlights...

"Pumpkin" by Olesya Novoshilova

My stitching has been published! I received my copy of Just Cross Stitch - and look, there it is, the design I stitched. It is small, but so colorful and detailed. I really enjoyed working on it; the process felt very natural, almost like painting, thanks to the way the designer blended the colors.

Here it is, close up. I was in such a hurry to send it back on time that I forgot to remove the waste knot (easily fixed, thankfully)... Can you spot it on the picture?

There are a few more designs that have been published - mostly online and in pamphlet publications, and it was a thrill to see my work on the leaflets in the stores. There is a special feeling about seeing something you worked on in print, the picture of my stitching showing how it's supposed to look. Knowing - for sure - that I am good at something I love to do.

Here is the new project from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe that I had the pleasure of working on.

"Flower Seeds" by Nancy Turner

When I think of Nancy's designs, the word "earthy" comes to mind. Stitching her designs always gives me the feeling of slipping into a time loop and visiting the past. The touch and smell of fabric, the softness of the thread, the subtle yet vibrant colors - all adds to the richness of it. Whenever I get to pick up one of her designs, I know it's going to be a beautiful experience.

In the WIP section I have "Stocking Critters"  kit from Dimensions.

On top of the Penguin (if you can see him) there will be a bird with a colorful package. A totem pole of sorts (I keep thinking while stitching it). It was a whole lot of white for a while, but now, with more colors around it, it is starting to take shape.

With all the stitching done (and still to be done), I have been listening to stacks (is that word appropriate here?) of audiobooks. From Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike trilogy, to Agatha Christie's stories, to Edgar Allan Poe. After watching "It" at the movies, I thought of re-reading Stephen King - and got hooked. Book after book, story after story. I just finished listening to "Bag of Bones," read by Stephen King himself....

But, it is getting late. I will have to write about my thoughts on the read books in my next post. Good night, my friends.

Until next time,