A long time coming

I'm sorry that I have not posted anything in over a year.  A lot has happened since then.

I finally finished my Summer Queen by Mirabilia.  I finished her on May 5, 2012. Here she is:

Then this past June I took her in to the framers and Carol did an amazing job!  Here she is framed:

I also started and completed Autumn Queen also by Mirabilia.  Here she is (the picture is not very good):

On July 4th, I started a new project.  I am doing my first conversion of a cross stitch chart.  I am working on Winter Queen conversion.  I don't have any pictures of it yet because I am not sure how the colors are going to play out.

The last news I have, the biggest news!  I started an online cross stitch store called The Stitch Menagerie.  I have a Facebook page but not an actual website.  I am still working on that.  I never realized how expensive web hosting and eCommerce sites are.  Wow to everyone that has one.

I'm hoping that I can keep this blog current.  I will try my hardest to not get blog-lazy.

Until next time....

<3 Amanda

Every Queen Must Have a Crown

I am so happy that Holly finally has her crown.  I converted the Mill Hill beads called for in the chart for Miyuki Delica beads.  I like the colors and I think the colors of the Delicas match the originals very well.  Here is a picture of her with the crown.

Sorry the picture is not so clear!  I took it with my cell phone because I could not wait for my husband to get a better picture with his camera.

I didn't get a lot of beading done this weekend.  My husband and I went on a Wine Tour of the Texas Hill Country with another couple celebrating their honeymoon.  We had a great time.  Here is all the wonder loot we scored on the trip.

Thank you for following me on my journey.

~Amanda

PS: I will be loading a few pictures of Cross Stitch items I am selling.  I am starting an online cross stitch business.

Stitching is Done!

I am so excited that all the stitching is complete on Holly!  Late last night I put in the last stitch.  Now I need to add all her beads!  I can't express how excited I am just to have all the stitches done.  Here she is!

I need to wash and dry her before I add the beads.  In some places the white threads look a bit dirty, and that would be a bad thing once she is framed.  I hope to have all the beads done next week and then I can start my next project, Autumn Queen also by Mirabilia.

I started selling cross stitch supplies online; and I must admit I am really enjoying it.  Right now, all of my customers/friends contact me via Facebook.  But hopefully I can get a website up and running soon.  Wish me luck!

On a personal note: Tomorrow is my 4th wedding anniversary.  I am so happy to have spent the last four years married to a wonderful man.  We may not always get along, but we always figure it out.  We will be getting away for our annual B&B stay and Wine Tasting Tour around the Texas Hill Country.  This year, friends of ours, newlyweds themselves, will be joining us on the Wine Tour.  I am excited!

I hope everyone has a great week/weekend.

She has a face!

Holly (my nickname for Summer Queen) has a face.  She is so pretty.  I am really happy with how she turned out.  Now I just need to add her hair and all her beads.  I am hoping to have her complete before the end of the month;  I need to start Autumn Queen so I have her back before Autumn starts.

Here is an overall picture of  Holly.

Here is a close up of her face.

A little background on why I nicknamed her Holly.  Her dress reminds me of the blue that Tiffany's uses (Tiffany Blue) for their gift boxes and one of my favorite movies is Breakfast at Tiffany's.  So I named Summer Queen Holly after the main character, Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn (also one of my favorite actresses.)

Thanks for following me today.  I hope everyone has a great week.

~Amanda.