Dani... Black Belt Stitching Wizard

Happy New Year!

Hmmm a new year for new chances and new ideas. What do I hope to accomplish this year. Well I've got to start training for my black belt physical in June. That's 16 laps of the track, 6 minutes of skipping, 250 push ups and sit ups both done over a 5 minute period so that's about 50 a minute. This means eating healthy, getting back on the treadmill and attending TKD religiously.

Stitching wise, no true lofty goals. I want to get my model stitching under control and out of the way. Or at least down to one project! Also to make my needle available to my favorite designer ;-) You know who you are! I want to stitch two Christmas ornaments a month, a goal I managed to almost keep in 2003... I kinda flunked out over October/November but I was trying so hard to get Peacock Tapestry done! Personal projects I have in mind for 2004? Well keeping up to date with Chatelaine's Mystery VI and today I'll be starting Celtic Banner from Butternut Road (Lavender and Lace). Also every second Sunday of each month I hope to work on a Dragon Dreams design. Very lofty ideas... lets see if I can keep to them.

As for stitching wise over the last two days... I've now put in 22 hours this week on my model. Pages 1-3 are done!!!! Page 4 doesn't have much to it, and that will be the top half of this design done. I don't think there is as much stitching to the bottom half. But I've eluded myself before! I realized tonight why I don't like stitching this design (besides the fact its on aida... evil stuff that is). Almost all the time when I'm stitching I'll pause or stop and hold my fabric up at an arm's length. I'll be awed by the design, be it how realistic, intricate, or the neat effect with this stitch or that backstitch. This design doesn't do that. Only one very small part has, I was putting the backstitches on this "fabric" being held up by one of the figures in the design, its a paisley fabric and by adding a touch of yellow backstitch it really made it appear like fabric with paisleys. Anyhow I'm rambling but I hope you get the point.

Today ... I mean yesterday (you can tell I like to blog late at night) I managed to finish off my second Christmas ornament for December. Just Nan's Christmas Peace Ornament c2003 This is stiched on a mystery fabric from my stash (that means I have no clue what it is or what colour, or exactly count). Definitely linen and I'm pretty sure 28ct using DMC floss and Mill Hill beads.

So Happy New Year and Happy Stitching!