Starting and finishing and mounting, oh my!

Wow, busy days! Forty-eight hours after deciding to take a medical leave of absence from college, I was back home with all my stuff. Twenty-four hours after that, I was hanging out with my family in Myrtle Beach. A few days later, I was back home and busy with lots of cross stitchy fun, despite my body deciding that this week ought to be extremely painful (at least it made me remember why medical leave is a good idea). I then embarked on a crazed purging and organizing of my room, which is currently in a state of chaos. And now, on to the cross stitchy fun! :D

I spent Saturday (with the aid of my mom at times) washing, ironing, mounting, and framing "Darth Vader" in preparation for my darling's birthday on Sunday. He was quite happy and hung it up in his room as soon as we went to his house. :) But without further ado, here 'tis!

 

The mounting was quite an ordeal, but I think it ended up looking quite nice. I used a foamboard and a small army of straight pins. Simple materials, pleasant result. I'm quite excited to have had my first taste of finishing!

I also purchased lots of fun cross stitch supplies on Saturday at my local needlework shop, which I have newly discovered and which is the most wonderful place.

And on Sunday I bought this magazine from Books-a-Million! I simply could not resist. And I have been loving pouring over it, so no regrets. :)

I've also finished "Live, Love, Laugh." :D

"Live, Love, Laugh"
Began October 5, 2012
Finished November 30, 2012

And while in Myrtle Beach, I explored my grandmother's knowledge of stitchery. She has some lovely cross stitches hanging up around the house - how had I not noticed them before? And she even let me borrow several wonderful old books on stitchery!

Look what came in the mail a bit earlier this week! :) I'm quite thrilled. I jumped up and down when I saw the envelope with "Crazy Annie's Stitchin" on it.

Aaaand, I have a new start! This'll be for my brother for Christmas. It's on some red 18 ct. Aida from my little needlework shop down the road. :)

"Quoth the Raven"
Began November 29, 2012

In the world of books, I finished listening to The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton, which is an amazing novel. I absolutely loved it! I'm nearly done with Brisingr, by Christopher Paolini. And December shall be the month of Russian novelists, so I am starting Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy) on Saturday and shall be listening to War and Peace (also Tolstoy) while stitching. I hope to have time for The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) during December, but if not, January shall get a taste of Russian novels as well.

Happy stitching to you all! :)

The products of procrastination...

Too little sleep, lots of cross stitch progress. You don't even want to know how late I stayed up finishing my paper. But it was worth it, because look! :D

"Darth Vader" by Chris (Osmosis)

Began August 21, 2012

Finished October 22, 2012

Now I just have to fix all those wrinkles and work on framing it! This has been such a fun project! :) I love my Friday nights, sitting in my room listening to Jane Austen or Charles Dickens audiobooks and cross stitching. :)

I hope you, dear reader, are having a lovely Monday! <3

All of my cross stitching experience. Ever.

On August 2, 2012, my family was driving up to New Hampshire from South Carolina. We were in... oh, Pennsylvania, maybe? And I was bored out of my mind. I considered buying Pokemon White (I already have Pokemon Black) from Gamestop... but then I thought hey, maybe I'll check out the craft section of Walmart. I picked up a beginner cross stitch kit on a whim, and I was hooked.

 "Tiny Turtle"

Began August 2, 2012

Finished August 7, 2012

Pretty soon I was back at Walmart, desperate for more. New Hampshire was hot, and all I wanted to do was sit on the porch and cross stitch. Crazy Northerners, with their lack of air conditioning.

 "Cupcake"

Began August 8, 2012

Finished August 11, 2012

And even once I was home, I couldn't resist some more cross stitching. Battle for Middle Earth? Nah, I'm stitching a strawberry! :D

"Strawberry"
Began August 13, 2012

Finished August 19, 2012

I still have no idea what I'm going to do with these three projects... Okay, so I lied. I'm considering putting them all in these cute little wooden frames (also from Walmart):

However, I'm not sure they relate well enough for that... You know? To me, they're my first three cross stitches ever, and they'd be in the order in which I stitched them. But to everyone else... it's a turtle, a cupcake, and a strawberry, entirely unrelated to each other.

On to current projects! :D

 "Darth Vader" by Chris (Osmosis)

Began August 21, 2012

What happened with that one? Why has so little progress taken two months? Well, reader, I went to college.

Also, yay for free patterns! http://www.dorkstitch.com/come-to-the-dark-side-we-have-cookies/. I super appreciate this wonderful, nerdy pattern. I'm stitching it for my equally wonderful, nerdy boyfriend. :) Shhh, it's a huge secret!

"Live, Love, Laugh"

Began October 5, 2012

Another Walmart buy! :D I couldn't take all the black anymore, so one evening I opened this kit up and stitched a bit of color. Haven't touched it since though. Soon, my dear, soon...

I love whoever just read this. Leave me a comment, so that I know on whom to shower my love. Have a fabulous, beautiful Saturday! <3