Tuesday, January 3, 2012

A Finish, a Start and some Stashing....

Blogging Buddies.....  I wanted to start off the new year with a new salutation and this I think is all encompassing....  First let me thank all my Followers - new and old - and thank you for pushing me over the 600 mark.  I was wondering when that might happen!! The weekend was very low key - we ran some errands, did some laundry, push around the vacuum, took down some (not all) of Christmas, and I did some stitching.
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Let me show you the first completed piece of the New Year, you might guess it...

... "A la Belle Etoile" 
32ct "Smokey Pearl" -
11/12/11 to 01/01/12
I used my own conversion and added some extra colours...
Here is my conversion:
Beige DMC842 to Belle Soie "Sandy Beach"
Green DMC934 to Belle Soie "Attic Tea"
Red DMC 3685 to Gloriana "Cranberry"
Blue DMC 3768 to Belle Soie "Chester's Blue"
Pink DMC3774 to Belle Soie "Pink Quartz"

White DMC3865 to Belle Soie "Oatmeal Scone"

added colours...
Brown - NPI 955
Orange - Belle Soie "Carrot Cake"
Black - Belle Soie "Noir"

This was a really fun piece to stitch - I stitched my initials and date in that little circle, I had seen others do that and thought it was a good idea, I also stitched the berries as Rhodes Stitches and think that was also the right thing to do.
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We made a quick trip over to Needle in a Haystack on Saturday - I needed to finally decide what linen I was going to do the Cottage SAL on and I needed a couple of skeins of floss.  I took some snaps....

the "wall of silks..."  I love it!!

and there are spinning racks of lovely floss also....

a sort of overview of the shop.  It is a great place to just look around!!  I eventually got my linen and my floss - I was a happy camper!!


I have decided to make a start of the BBD "Anniversaries of the Heart" so with Kathe's help I picked out a great 36ct LL Vintage Light Exemplar, which I think will work very well.


I also picked up my linen for the Cottage SAL - again with Kathe's help - I chose 36ct LL Vintage Buttercreme, you can't really see it here but it does have a very pale yellow cast.  On the linen you see all the floss for January and February.  I have converted the February Pink floss.  The called for floss is VERY pink - just too pink for me - so I changed the called for CC Pink Champagne and CC Pink Posey to CC Sea Shelley and CC Cobbled Peach, I kept the CC Poblano Pepper and the DMC's, but those pinks had to go.  I kind of like the bright blues of January.   I started it on 1/1/12 and here is my tiny bit of stitched...


not much , but these charts are small and they should work up quickly.
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There you go sports fans.  Thanks again for stopping y and for you great comments!!!!  Do stop by again!!

Take care,
edgar

61 comments:

  1. Can't wait to see the Anniversaries piece. I am finishing mine this week. Love it.

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  2. Happy New Year, Edgar!
    Congratulations on #602...it just shows how much we all love you :)
    Your finish is gorgeous...the colors make me smile.
    I adore your stash! I have never been to Needle myself, but my sister heads in with a list for me every time she is up in SF, and she adores the shop. Your start on January cottage is great and I love your fabric choice and can't wait to see it's progress with the color conversions.
    I'm so glad that you had a chance to just chill a bit this past weekend, ours was pretty quiet too...not a bad thing after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
    Hugs
    Ma

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  3. Oh Edgar, the finish is just so fantastic, I am truly in awe of you - all of your work is amazing.

    I too am doing the cottages and started mine on the 1st of Jan and I am hoping to finish it this evening.

    I can't wait to see your Anniversaries piece, I have them on my 'to do' list but cannot make up my mind if I want to do them on 1 piece of fabric or as individuals!

    Keep up the good work and Happy New Year to you, Rico and the Doggies xx

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  4. Happy New Year! I have been reading your blog and admiring your stitching for a long time, and wanted to let you know that I look forward to a new year of the same.

    I can see already there will be much admiring of your beautiful stitching to come. I can't wait to watch your progress on Anniversaries and the Cottages!

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  5. Beautiful! Looks like 2012 will be a great stitchy year!

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  6. I am enjoying reading about all the new starts for 2012 on the various blogs I follow. Plenty of diversity. I love your two 2012 projects and look forward to seeing both the Cottages and the Anniversaries pieces develop. Just as I enjoyed your European Christmas sampler in 2011! For my own part, I have pulled out the tote in which I have stored all my unfinished class pieces ... so I'll be spending my 2012 with WIP/UFOs instead of new things ... well, maybe a few new things ... after all, who can resist the occasional new start?

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  7. Hey...guess who started AtoH on January 1? :)
    And I love your choices of linen for both those and the cottages. GO Go GO Edgar!

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  8. I love A la Belle Etoile! Definitely on my to-do list : ) I'm looking forward to visiting Haystack the next time my husband & I come to SF. Blessings, Shirlee

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  9. Your finished SAL looks fantastic! You did a wonderful job of thread conversion, and the blue fabric looks wonderful. I had fun stitching this sampler too. Enjoy your new projects. I look forward to seeing what you stitch in this new year!

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  10. Beautiful finish. The fabric choices look to be perfect, can't wait to see your progress. I am especially interested to see how your pink conversion works out as I agree that "February" is just too pink.

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  11. 600 followers -- wow! Congratulations! I love how your SAL piece came out -- the colors you chose are just wonderful! Love your stash too -- very nice! Nice start on the cottages too! Happy 2012!

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  12. Congrats on a beautiful finish! I love your color conversion, it brought so much life to the design. I am looking forward to your progress on CCN cottage and anniversary houses. Happy New year and Happy Stitching Edgar.

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  13. That is a fabulous finish for the new year! Love, love the colors you chose. That's a great start and can't wait to see more.

    Happy New Year!

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  14. Congrats on another beautiful finish! Stop showing great photos of your LNS - my New Year's resolution is to stitch patterns from my stash. You are tempting me too much with your photos of Needle in a Haystack LOL
    Carolyn

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  15. I'm looking forward to following your progress on the AotH sampler.
    I like your linen choice.
    Your finish looks wonderful!

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  16. Love your version of 'A la Belle Etoile' - so wish I had done mine on a blue linen.

    Thank you for posting pictures of the silk wall in NIAH - it must be wonderful in real life - maybe I will get there one day.

    I look forward to see in WIP of your new starts.

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  17. Lovely finish; congratulations! I like the way it looks like the girl is running out the door right into the snowman's arms. =)

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  18. Happy New Year Edgar!
    It looks like you had a wonderful holiday season. I loved seeing all about your trip to Florida and St. Augustine( one of my favortie places!).
    The finish is lovely as are the new starts. You are so lucky to live near Needle In A Haystack.
    Wishing you a wonderful 2012!

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  19. ohhh wow alll those silks droooollll .... and love your colour changes too for the cottages ... and I've got half the patterns for the AoTH its on my list to do soon ish heheheh .. love mouse xxxxx

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  20. A very pretty finish! I've enjoyed seeing the various Anniversaries of the Heart stitched and can't wait to follow your progress. :)

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  21. Your finished piece looks lovely. Good luck on all your new starts. Looks like you had a good time shopping.
    x catherine

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  22. The sampler is beautiful! Excellent fiber choices.

    I would have to get a firm grip on my wallet if I saw all those fibers in one location

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  23. Brilliant finish, so lovely. Just look at all those lovely silks in the shop, heaven!

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  24. Your first finish of the New Year is super cute. I love all the colors you have picked out for your new projects. Thanks for the fun photos of NIAH. They make my heart beat faster and make me sigh inc contentment all at the same time!

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  25. A fantastic start for a new year.

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  26. Beautiful finish!

    It looks like you'll be very busy stitching in the near future. Great projects.

    I just missed you at NIAH. We were visiting in San Francisco last week and DH drove me over to Alameda just to stop by NIAH. They have a fantastic assortment of flosses! Great shop.

    I came out with most of the silks needed for LHN's newest repro/adaptation sampler...Elizabeth Hancock, I believe. (I have trouble remembering the name for some reason.)

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  27. Happy New Year, Edgar. So glad you had a wonderful trip at Christmas!!

    Love the snaps of the shop, all your goodies, new starts, and your lovely finish...your conversions were perfect for that piece too.

    Looking forward to all the stitchy goodness that 2012 is sure to bring.

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  28. LOVE the finish! The colors are fantastic! I am also doing the Country Cottage stitch-a-long. I changed the colors of the snow flakes on January but left February alone...I am so jealous of your stitch shop you have access to! I really wish we had something like that here in NC.

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  29. Great start on the cottages and your Belle Etoile finish is just gorgeous!
    I am quite jealous after the virtual tour of the needlework shop.

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  30. how wonderful that visit to the shop must have been. I would have been glued shut to that silk wall!!!
    great fabrics you chose. I'm planning to start the Anniverssaries too, but will do each on a different fabric I think.
    Looking forward to see more of your projects

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  31. forgot completely to tell you how wonderful your finish looks. Congrats :)

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  32. I love your finish!! It's beautiful, and the colors are great. You will love Anniversaries of the Heart. I'll be getting back to mine soon. Love the photos from Needle in a Haystack - how fun! Happy New Year to you!

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  33. It is always so much fun to read what you are doing and look at your beautiful finishes. Happy New Year!!

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  34. Beautiful finish! I think that you will be happy with the "calmer pinks". I wish I had changed them out.

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  35. Lovely finish! congrats. Happy New Year.

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  36. OHMIGOSH Edgar, that wall of silks just about took my breath away! I've never seen so much of it. You are so lucky to have a shop near you like that. I have to rely mainly on the internet.
    Your finish is stunning and love your start.

    A new year....new beginnings!

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  37. Hi Edgar,

    I would love to stitch the A la belle Etoile sampler. Where did you get it? Darby Logan darbylogan@aol.com

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  38. I am particularly partial to being called "sports fans," and it's how I always think of you: as the only guy I know who could conceivably refer to me as a sports fan. hah! Love your acquisitions!

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  39. Love your finish and your conversions. Your colors just pop! That's some selection of fibers at your local store and great stash you picked up as well. Looking forward to seeing your take on Anniversaries.

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  40. I love your finish on A La Belle Etoile! I am SO jealous of that wall of silk, I don't have a LNS near me anymore, wish I could open my own!! Looking forward to seeing your cottages and stitchings this year. Happy New Year and Happy Stitching!

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  41. Happy New Year to you and your crew! I love your new plans for starts and can't wait to see the progress. Thanks, too, for the vaca pics. Looks like you had a great time! Your first finish of 2012 is stunning!

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  42. Happy New Year Edgar! Great finish! Love your start on the cottages. I'm looking forward to seeing your start on AotH. The first block is the most problematic with it's light colors.

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  43. Edgar - First finish of the year is so very pretty and I look forward to seeing how your two BAP progress.

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  44. That picture of Needle in a Haystack is amazing!! I'm so jealous you have all that floss at your fingertips! I've ordered from them online in the past, but had NO idea their store was so huge!

    Love your finish - it's so frosty and wintery :-)

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  45. What a fabulous shop it must be! Your Belle Etoile one is just lovely. Happy new year!

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  46. Congratulations on the finish! Love the new starts--I'll enjoy watching your progress!

    That wall of silks--oh. my. gosh.

    Happy new year!

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  47. Your first finish of the year is a really lovely one! I love the colour of the fabric you've used and I think your conversions are perfect. Thanks for sharing them with us!
    What a wonderful store!! You are so lucky to have it in your neighbourhood. I would love to be able to walk in and pick fabric like that. I'm on a roadtrip right now and hope to make a pitstop at some needlework shops on my way home.
    Good luck with your new starts!

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  48. That's such a delightful finish Edgar. Look forward to seeing your Anniversaries piece take shape, I've Pinkhill Manor on it's way to me, but will only be stitching just that one. Needle in a Haystack is a wonderful looking shop, could spend pounds in there, good job there are a few thousand miles between it and me!

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  49. Love, love, love your finish Edgar. That pretty blue fabric just makes it pop.
    I so want to stand in that store forever and just stare at all those beautiful threads.

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  50. What an adorable finish, Edgar--perfect for January, too :)

    Oh, how I envy you living near a lovely stitching store like that... I'd be in heaven!!

    Happy New Year!

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  51. Beautiful finish and that store looks like a lot of fun to shop in.

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  52. A la Belle Etoile is beautiful! I started that SAL but quickly gave up. Seeing your finish makes me wish I had stuck it out. Your new starts look like a lot of fun!

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  53. Beautiful finish on La Belle Etoile, and I love the colors you chose.

    Sweet start on the CCN Cottages, and it looks like you've chosen some gorgeous colors, muting them down a bit.

    Congratulations on reaching 600 followers!

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  54. Happy New year Edgar. Love the piece you finished. It must have been fun at the cross stitch store. That is always a good trip.

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  55. Beautiful finish!
    I can't wait to see how your new starts go.

    I also envy you your LNS. All those lovely threads right there. sigh

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  56. Just gorgeous! Beautiful finish Edgar.

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  57. Beautiful finish! I also love your new projected starts. Happy new year!

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  58. Lovely finish! I just love this pattern-I have never seen it before. Might have to break my no-new-stash rule.. ;)

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  59. Oooh that store is divine! Love your finish too! The AOH will be a massive project but I'm sure you will have it stitched up in no time!!

    Happy New Year (bit behind in blog reading!)

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  60. I know I commented on this post already but am having trouble- who is the designer of "A la Belle Etoile?" Thanks so much!

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