New Toys

Well this has been an exciting week here at Chez Gonsalves.  First, on Wednesday my new Needlework System 4 stand came in.  I've always wanted a cross stitch stand, but never could justify spending the money.  But lately my wrist and elbows have been making it clear that I need to change something.  So after seeing Angie's, I knew it was time.  I found one for a great price, but with not-so-great customer service.  But 3 weeks later I finally got it (ignore the box it came in in the background, haven't gotten around to getting rid of that yet!):

I'm still trying to get used to it.  I've stitched the same way for 20+ years and now it's like I need to learn all over.  I keep forgetting to stitch with both hands - I'm good for a little while, but revert back to one handed eventually.  I'm also stitching on the darkest fabric I think I've ever used which is not helping matters either (tumbleweed linen for Mirabilia's My Lady's Garden).  But I think with a little practice I'll get the hang of it. And actually I've found a way to deal with these giant Mirabilia charts (at least as long as I'm working on the bottom half of the frame!)

And secondly, I FINALLY got my new car this week!  After a month long wait after the dealership somehow sold me a car that wasn't actually theirs to sell, my car finally arrived.  Luckily I had a free loaner for the month so it really wasn't that bad.  Who would have thought that the Honda Fit would be so hard to get?  Here it is - a teensy little car that's just perfect for going back and forth to work...

I also had one little finish this week.  I've been wanting to try my hand at some different finishes for small pieces (a la The Twisted Stitcher and Stitching Dreams) so I tried this little freebie from 123 Citrouille.  The blog is in french, so I asked my coworker Stella (from France) to translate some of it.  Apparently it means 123 Pumpkin!  She chuckled at the name saying after living here for so long she probably wouldn't have remembered the french work for pumpkin until she saw it written down.  Anyways, the chart didn't have any colors called for so I used GAST Chives, Cherry Wine, Sarsaparilla and Midnight.  I also changed the pot a little so it would be symmetrical (remember my whole OCD post?)

Flower Pot (c) 123 Citrouille

32 ct antique white jobelan

started 7/10/14, finished 7/23/14

I did make a tactical error with this little piece.  I decided to cut my small piece of jobelan in half in order to get two projects out of it figuring this would fit fine on one half.  And it would have been perfect - if I had stitched it in the right direction.  Instead I stitched with the design going horizontally across the shorter width of the fabric, which means I have about an inch on either side of the design (and tons of room at the top and bottom).  Rookie mistake!  I guess that will impact what type of finish I end up using.  I'm thinking maybe a little pillow?  We'll see!