Update on the Paradise Island piece

Recently, on my post about completing the butterflies piece, Glenis asked me, 'What next?'  Well, one of the first things I'd like to do is finish the Paradise Island cross stitched picture.  The first shot today is the last photo I posted a couple of months ago, then the second one is with all the water that I plan to do at this stage completed.

This third one shows how far I've got with putting in the trees on the distant shore.  There's just one colour here so far and I'm ready for the next one as I've done as much as I reasonably could of this shade for now.

Other than that, I'm also cross stitching a little card for my hubby as he's now had official notification that he's passed his PhD completely and is now entitled to call himself Doctor!  So, he's now Doc Martin, or Dr Sir!!!  He's trying not to make a big deal of it, but I can see that he's really rather chuffed just the same.=)  Anyway, I'll show the card when it's done as it's only a small design and not really worth doing a WIP series for.

I also went through the drawer which holds my kits and project ideas etc and found this little lot:

This is what's in stock at the mo, (i.e. what's left when I sold off most of the kits etc that I used to have in my stash, but realised I was never going to stitch).  I'm also interested in another Coleshill stumpwork kit and hope to get hold of that one soon.

Having posted those, there's nothing to say I have to do any of these next and I'm also really interested on some more thread painting sort of work, polishing up some skills there.

So, the bottom line is, other than the current WIPs, I really don't know what's next!  Any suggestions?  Ideas?  Requests?  What are you working on or hoping to work next?

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2015

L*K 'Cherish All Living Things', another show piece

Those of you who follow me on Instagram will have no trouble recognising what my second entry into this year's Sheffield Horticulture Show was as I posted quite a few WIP shots there last month as it progressed.  I've saved the 'main camera' photos up until I was ready to post them all in one go on blog.

Fans of Lizzie*Kate designs will probably know this one, although it's a few years old now.

As you can see from the first photo, I had my tray of over-dyed threads to hand much of the time as I was constantly changing the colours for shades I thought looked better!!

 Here we have all the cross stitching complete.  Just needed to add the charms before finishing up.  With all the other L*Ks I've worked, I didn't use the trims provided as I wasn't that keen on them, but this time I like the ones in the chart pack, so decided to include them.  What I had in my stash just didn't work out with this design, most of them being too big.

Rather than spending £30-40 on framing, I decided to make this one up into a bellpull.  That way, I could use up one of the bellpull ends I had in stock and also present something a little different in the Show.

When I was stitching this piece, Sir asked me if I really thought it stood any chance of winning something and I said I did as it was very different from the entries I saw last year, which were mostly detailed, picture type pieces (very British taste) and I'd noticed that the judges seemed to lean towards the less classic, more whimsical pieces.

When we went to the Show after judging, he saw what I meant and agreed that this was a departure from 'same old same old'!!

I'd wanted to enter something in the 'Cross Stitch - Own Design' category, but thanks to computer use problems (the headache saga continues.....ad infinitum), I wasn't able to even complete my design.  However, I plan on doing one, or even two, for next year's competition.

There were four entries in this category (embroidery, on the whole, was poorly supported this year), but winning second place out of four was a lot better than first of one as with the butterflies!!!  Don't you agree?

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2015

Painted Ladies complete!

I took a few shots whilst the piece was still in the working hoop (above), then some more after having stretched it around piece of thick cardboard (below) (the back of an old art pad!)

And here it is in situ after judging at the Sheffield Fayre last weekend.

Don't be too impressed at the 'First Prize' docket - it was the only entry in the category!!!!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2015