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Ok, get ready for a bunch of posts!! I finally took some pics and figured out how to put them up... I figured it would be easier to use one thread for now, until I start something new.

First, my last few finishes...

The first one is from an old painting, and for the life of me I can’t remember who did the painting now! I used pc stitch to convert it.
Here’s the entire pic:


And a close up of the skull:

**Keep in mind, these finished ones are covered in glass, hence the rather odd angles. Tried to keep the flash glare out.

Here’s one that is dear to me – I am an advocate for foster care children, and I designed this one myself in photoshop before transferring it to cross stitch pattern via pc stitch. I don’t know how well you can see the background, but it is basically a commentary on the way that society ignores these kids and doesn’t want to help them when they are young, and then most of them end up in prison when they grow up.
The buildings are trump tower (NYC), the Crystal Cathedral (Orange, California), the Supreme Court building, the US Bank Tower (Los Angeles) and the Shanghai world financial tower. The light coming out of the supreme court building is from the luxor in las vegas.


 

Note: Edited to add the poll... See my fourth post!

Ok… Here is my UFO. I bought this kit in Shanghai 3 summers ago . I can’t find the package, so you will have to use your imagination!!

Here’s my (lack of) progress:


 

And my WIPs… In opposite order of when I started them:

First, Mario… This is for my bf, who loves Mario. I designed this, so I don’t have anything to show you about what the finished product will look like, but basically, It is blue and red bricks with Mario in the middle. As you can see, I’m a little sporadic with what order I am stitching in – I started out thinking I would do the border, but then I decided that Mario would be so much more fun lol. I’m trying out the easy count guideline on this one.

Here he is:



Second, Socks…
Socks will be a pillow for a friend of mine. Socks passed away this summer after giving my friend 12 years of love. This is his baby picture. As you can see, the end is in sight on this one. I’m just trying to get it done by Christmas, so I think I’ll make it. Lots of confetti in this one.
Here’s the full view: (It’s way darker than this, maybe I shouldn’t have used the flash)


And a close up of what I still need to do:


Finally, the project that I was working on before Socks passed – Van Gogh’s Skull with Cigarette.
Here’s the painting:

Here’s the full picture:

And a close up of the section I’m on:

By the way – I had to look at the pattern to see which way it faced lol! This one is dangerously close to being a UFO because I went on a European vacation last month and have a ton of pictures that I took that I want to turn into cross stitches. I did the charts and ordered the thread and fabric for two of them, and that will be my next post…

And my kitted up projects… I haven’t decided which to do first. Actually, I think I’ll let you guys decide! I’m putting a poll in at the bottom of this post!

First, this is from an ossuary in Kutnahara, Czech. Here’s the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary" target="_blank
I might have to add some of my own photos to the wiki link, it really doesn’t do it justice.
The pattern I made is huge – 178 colors and 230480 stitches! By far the biggest project I’ve ever undertaken (or thought I could undertake) – but you guys and your HAEDs have given me inspiration!
Here’s the picture:


Here’s the other one – this was taken off the coast of Majorca when I was leaving on a cruise – I took about a thousand pictures of this one cloud because I thought it looked like a dragon with the sun behind it. This one is also huge, but not quite as huge – 169269 stitches, 109 colors.



So, if you think I should do one or the other, please vote! Knowing that you guys helped me pick it will keep me motivated!

When I said I want "you guys" to help me pick, I wasn't talking to you crazy spammers.

Ignore the spammer, we all do (apart from reporting them of course!)

You have made some great charts from photographs and art work, they are beautifully done! Do i notice a bit of a skull theme...?

Sock's eyes are just incredible!

The two pieces with the skulls are wonderful. And I love the photograph with the skulls!
Socks is beautiful too, but I do love those skulls

Wow. You have some really interesting designs to stitch,I love the nearly finished one of your friend's puss cat and look forward to of your other projects in due course

Wow - what amazing work you have done!!

Everything is absolutely superb - and I know your friend will adore Socks. You are a very, very kind friend to make her such a thoughtful gift.

I voted for 'Skulls' as I've seen many programmes on the Sedlec Ossuary and find it really interesting - in a rather morbid and creepy way!!

I voted It feels good to vote... feels like you've made a difference in the world
Your previous work is very impressive!! I especially like the foster care one. My husband and I have discussed becoming foster parents when he retires from the Navy..
Faith

I voted for the cloud design. I'm not much for skulls and such.

Yes, I do have a bit of a skull theme - When I was in the Sedwick ossuary I took the pictures already knowing that I would turn at least one into a stitch piece.

Ali-cat, it was super interesting being there - and it is a great story behind it. I know it is a little creepy, but I think it is pretty cool that people were turned into the art there, it is a pretty awesome way to be memorialized.

Nachstenliebe - I think that is great that you are thinking about being a foster parent. There are so many kids that need it! Having loving foster parents can make such a huge difference in a child's life. In most states, there aren't enough foster parents, so a lot of the kids end up in group homes, which are underfunded and understaffed, and the kids tend to get institutionalized at an early age.

*Stepping off soapbox*

Let me know if you ever want more information about it!

skulls all the way!

love your stitching

pamelam wrote:I voted for the cloud design. I'm not much for skulls and such.

Same here.

I voted for dragon cloud

Some very interesting work that you have going and also tha you have finished.

I did not vote because I would not do either of them and they did not grab me but I am sure you are going to enjoy stitching either one. Look forward to a SAL thread with pics.

Wow that is some great projects you've done

I voted for the Dragoncloud too as I'm not one for skulls - although I loved the pic of the first one!!

Well, by a 67% -33% margin, Dragoncloud is the winner!

I picked up all my thread, I'm going to be kitting everything up today! I'm going to do it on 18 count Aida. This will be my first time not doing 14 count

I've been super busy at work, so I haven't had too much time for stitching (or for forum-ing), but I did get some good time in over the Thanksgiving holiday.

I finished all the stitching on Socks, just need to put him into pillow form:


And Mario is coming along nicely, three more vertical columns of the blue, then all my red horizontal lines and he will be done. I think I'll be on time for Christmas