Progress of the Iris Stained Glass Window

I've now finished 3 designs in the window, the top petal of the iris and begun one of the leafy stems. I had to substitute a variegated thread in the iris and I'm really happy with the end result. I'm not so sure about the leaves, they should be long and thin with smooth edges; mine are a bit fuzzy. I'll leave it for the moment, start work on the green panels of glass, and consider it over the next few days. 

Meet Madison.

Madison arrived in the post yesterday. My sister had told me she was coming and I thought she was nuts. I mean, has she she forgotten I'm artistic and the house is cluttered? I'm a firm believer in "creative clutter is better than ideal neatness"!

Anyway, I charged Madison over night, as the manual instructed. The manual! One needs degree to understand it. I'm still trying to work out what the UV button is for, but I digress.  The next morning I pressed the auto button, still doubting its abilities, and away Madison went.

Well, what an amazing little machine, she found her way all around the house, picked up the cat fur, and I presume that if I had the docking device set up she would have found her way back to it when she got tired. And here I was convinced that if she managed to find her way into another room she'd go under a bed and cheep sadly because she was stuck and there she'd stay until her battery ran out! 

Great present sister.

Thanks Mum!

Within moments of putting the pot on the floor the cats were upon it! 

I've had a lovely weekend. 

Yesterday I went and stitched with friends at the guild. A little more of Bastet was stitched and the detail on the scarab was finished. Then to my surprise my friends began to sing happy birthday and there was a cake with candles. I shared the day with another lady who was away on holidays, so we sang happy birthday to her over the 'phone and sent her a photo of the cake!

Today I was taken out for lunch. It is another sunny day so we walked to the nursery cafe and enjoyed the outlook into the nursery as we chatted over our meals. Em and Ollie think they are spoilt too as I came home with a container of lush, fresh cat grass. 

Look what the Postie has just delivered

It's the yellow thread I need and six packets of needles. Yes, six! I am down to one size 24 and only a few 26 so decided it was time to restock my needle stash when I ordered the thread. I seem to have lots of size 28 but I only use those for beading; they are too fine for most of the cross stitch I do.

Also on the parcel were 4 lovely stamps that I haven't seen before. No, I'm not a stamp collector but I have a friend who is and I'll pass them on to her.

It's times like this...

... that one needs stash! 

Having decided to leave the panes of glass and begin work on one of the irises, I started to organise the threads. Oh dear, I haven't bought the variegated thread and I'm missing one of the DMC cottons. 

Time to go exploring in the cupboard. I found the required DMC and a variegated thread that I think will work.

This is what I have decided upon:-

Irises

I've now finished the second colored panes of the window. These are stitched in Moorish and Tent stitch using peach coloured Threadworx stranded cotton and Kreinik braid. The metallic thread make the panes sparkle as though the sun is shining on glass. 

The next panes are in yellow but the thread is somewhere in the mail between the shop and my house! Perhaps I'll attempt the first petal of one of the irises?

Bastet

The Egyptian goddess,who came in the form of a cat but, joyous and playful, but  could change form to a lioness to be a protector.

This design I found in a Cross Stitch Gold magazine from a pile handed onto me. It was designed by Vivienne Powers and the original is stitched on black.

I decided to stitch her on fabric that reminded me of the sand and pyramids of Egypt. The photo doesn't show up all the gold work that surrounds the images in the design. 

I went to my Thursday craft group this morning, planning to get lots of stitching done on Bastet. 

But my plan failed, I left my magnifier at home so all the stitching I managed was the black back stitching around the scarab.

However, it was a lovely morning with friends and to celebrate my upcoming birthday they had  brought a yummy sponge cake to have with our coffee. Thank you friends.

What was I thinking!

Iris Stained Glass Window" A Northern Pines Design

I saw this design and fell in love with it. So I bought the pattern, ordered it and the threads, and in due time it arrived in my letterbox. 

Oh, it is beautiful, but the instructions are minimal.

So, I've done the black lines and the right corner block. This is what it looks like at the moment.

It's going to take a while!

A place to begin...

A quiet place is a place to reminisce, to reflect, to celebrate the joys and to find solace in the losses. 

It can be found in many places; within a garden, by a river, but most of all within oneself.  To lose oneself in creating something of beauty is to find a quiet place.