Biggest challenge so far

I've done it.  I've finally started my first HAED.  My new frame arrived today, I ripped it out of the package as soon as I got home and set it up.

I've chosen to do Moonlit Waters, a Julie Fain design... it's really pretty.  It's the first time I've tried 25 count, and I'm stitching on DMC gridded fabric, perhaps it's cheating but given that it's my first one, it just makes life a ton easier.  So far I've done almost 400 stitches and it covers this miniscule area of fabric... I think this one is gonna take a while.

Progress and photos to come periodically, I think probably about once a month.  Oh, I also need to get some new batteries for the light on my magnifier... I just wish summer would hurry up and get here so I can have nice long daylight hours!

Well, that's all for tonight, it's already past my bedtime.

Cheery art for a grey day

A couple of years ago, I discovered a love for street art.

I'd been pulled into the world of music again and was very into Green Day at the time.  They had commissioned an art show to go along with their new album release, where several artists had been sent the lyrics but not the music for the new songs and each was to produce a piece of work.  I went to see the art show and I was blown away by many of the works that were being shown.  I bought the booklet with info about the artists and I've followed some of them ever since.

Today, I wanted to share one of my favourites, a French artist known as C215.  I am subscribed to his feed over on Facebook, and most days I see a beautiful picture of his work posted up, a lot of the more recent ones with really bright colours.  I have seen his work painted on the streets of London and I was lucky enough to go and see his show a year or so ago.

Please go and have a look at his photostream here, and I hope it brightens up your day!

Autumn's Valentines giveaway

The lovely Autumn is having a giveaway of an adorable Valentine's chart...Stitchy people really are very generous.

Pop over to her blog here if you'd like to enter!

Good Luck :)

It's TUSAL time!

Well, here we go... my first TUSAL post (if you don't know what a TUSAL is, it's explained and you can signup here on Daffycat's blog).

This is how my little jar is looking, I thought I'd done pretty well and then I saw some photos of the other ones.

Till next time!
Ricketyjo

And the giveaway winner is...

...Mary Ann!

The winner was chosen using the highly technical method of husband pulling the comment number from a hat!

I'll be sending the Iris pattern through and a couple of little extras, so I hope you enjoy them.

Cottage 2 finish :)

Hello everyone :)
I'm pretty happy today as I've just put the final stitches into cottage 2 *cue happy dance*

Here's what it looks like...

There were quite a lot of French knots in there at the end.  Apparently they are supposed to be grapes.

Now I'm not sure which project to start next.  I wanted to start on one of the HAED ones, however, I've just realised that the frame I usually use to stitch on is a bit on the small side.  So I might have to see if I have enough threads to start one of the smaller HAEDs and order a larger stitching frame in the meantime to do both of the largeish projects in my stash.

Please don't forget that the closing date for my giveaway is tomorrow at 8pm GMT, so if you'd like a lovely Iris chart and a few little extras, please follow this little blog, then go here: http://ricketyjo.blogspot.com/2012/01/100th-post-and-stitchy-giveaway.html and leave me a comment :)

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!
ricketyjo
x

Chickenfoot @ Brixton Academy

On Saturday evening I went to see Chickenfoot.  It's a supergroup.  An American Rock Supergroup.  My husband bought the tickets.

I almost played their music the day before on my little ipod thing just to get a feel for it.  But then I stopped myself and thought - what if I'm really disappointed and then I don't want to go to the gig.  So I left it.  It was to be a surprise and I wasn't going to have any preconceived ideas.  However, the evening before I also went out with a friend, S, who was singing the praises of Joe Satriani as though he was the best musician that ever lived, he was terribly excited about going to see this guy live.  So much for no ideas.

We walked in to an audience of mostly middle aged men and a few couples here and there, it was a lot like I'd imagined the audience of a rock supergroup to look.

After the warm up from Red, White and Blues (they were ok, a bit repetitive I found), Chickenfoot came on stage to a wild reaction from the audience.  They obviously all had years of history and experience on stages, they looked completely at ease in their sunglasses with their rock swagger.  As Sammy Hagar (Van Halen) belted out tune after tune, I was pleasantly surprised by their whole delivery, and how tight they played as a group.  One of the highlights for me was seeing this crowd of men raising their arms to do the kind of arm swaying normally undertaken by an audience of teenage girls at a boyband concert.

S was proved completely right, some of the guitar parts that Mr Satriani played were so fantastic that my eyes couldn't keep up with what his fingers were playing on those strings.

The set was complete with a few random rock screams, and they said they were just there to play the kind of music that they enjoyed without needing to prove anything to anyone or hit any sales record, and it was obvious they were having the time of their lives.  I know I was, and I'll definitely come back to see them live again if given the opportunity.  A stellar night out listening to some terrific pros.