Update Time: Finishes, WIPs, and Framing

Hello, world! It's so nice to be back. I didn't intend to take such a long break but it needed to be done, because life got in the way. I was busy with family matters and taking care of a plunge in my mental health, I suppose due to Covid and the fact that spring tends to make me very anxious anyway. 

We've had a very strange summer as I'm sure you all have as well... After one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, Spain opened its doors back in July and places have been overloaded with people. Masks are obligatory everywhere except for the beach, and unfortunately the whole country seems to have flocked over to the coast (which is understandable I guess), so there simply wasn't a safe spot to hang out around here, and we've stayed home a lot.

Obviously the numbers of infections have skyrocketed and our area is now a hotspot... Right in time for back to school! As you may know we are both teachers, so we're not thrilled. I'm lucky enough to teach online, but my husband's back to work armed to the eyebrows with mask, eyeglasses, face shield and gloves... Let's hope it's enough and that everyone is safe.

As for cross stitching, I've got some progress and a finish to show you all! My pace slowed quite a bit during the summer, but I still got some things done. So without further ado, here we go:

Charming Kitten by Dimensions

That's right, I got a finish! I don't know how, but this adorable little kitten kept me pushing through. It must've been his soulful eyes! Not only did I finish it, but I had it framed too. That was an odessy, but I'll talk about it at the end of the post: if you want more detailed pictures on the kitten piece, click here to go to its dedicated page.

Sea Flora by Nora Corbett

During the summer, I stitched up this beautiful mermaid and nearly finished her:

Imagine my surprise when among my fabric stash I found a piece of 14 count Aida, hand dyed by myself last year: a failed attempt from trying to get the fabric just right for Mermaid Azure! I thought I'd thrown all the rejects away, but apparently I'd kept this one, and if you'll believe it, it was the perfect size for this project. So it was a no brainer! When I finish her, I want to frame and hang her next to Mermaid Azure so that they're facing each other, as companion pieces. I hope to have her ready to go soon!

Wintry Wolf by Dimensions

This is my latest start, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. If you remember, I talked about this rather special kit in this post , because I was very surprised to find pre-printed fabric! And it's not even Aida. And the pattern is worked in 3 threads throughout. I mean... Let's just say that I was intimidated. However, with the start of autumn my patience and concentration came back, and I was ready for a challenge. So here we are:

I'm marking the pattern as I go, which is a first for me as I see marking a book or leaflet or anything paper as sacrilege, but... Well, it had to be done. You'll be seeing my progress on this one this fall!

Framing

Finally, a word about framing. This one has been complicated this year. By the time our lockdown ended back in June, our one and only framing shop in town was closed for good. It was very sad to see, especially because the owner was such a kind and helpful lady; another example of how Covid is affecting everything. 

So I decided to frame the pieces myself. I went into our local carpentry/housewares shop and picked out two white frames, and then two small bottles of paint; then I set about laying the frames down on some paper out on our small balcony and painting them carefully.

 And this is how they came out:

A deep, Mediterranean blue for Charming Kitten. I wanted a really strong blue to bring out the color of his eyes, and I only put one coat of paint to make it look a bit rugged. Very pleased with the results!

And...

For my pixie, this beautiful, gorgeous, guilty-pleasure, deep popping Barbie pink:  

I could not be happier with this one. I was like a giddy child putting paint onto the wood, just enjoying the deep unapologetic pink to my heart's content. Just looking at this piece now makes me smile: it really pops! And have I mentioned it's pink? My inner child is pleased.

And finally, I also framed Guardian Spirit with a sturdy wooden frame which, while it's not perfect, at least it's done:

And that's all for now! I think we're all caught up on my stitchy news. How are you all? How are things in your side of the world? I hope you and your family are safe and sound, or as much as one can be right now. Wishing you all the best of weeks! Happy stitching :)