On to the next, trying blackwork

Thank you for all the compliments, ladies! I'm not sure yet what to do with my stitching girl...after all the work it seems a shame to leave her in a box, but I can't afford framing right now. I've also thought about giving her to a friend of mine who makes renaissance garb to sell at faires. But for now I'm just basking in the "done-ness" of it!!

Well, I couldn't resist last night and had to start something new. But I AM sticking to my monthly goals list...I decided to do an ornament. I'm using the "Blackwork Spree" design from tne Celebration of Stitching book -- gosh, I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of that (especially since I bought from a discount bookseller...hehehe)! The design is by Graceful Lily Needlework, and I can't find a pic anywhere online. But I'm doing it with black floss on Victorian red lugana, and the gold beads the pattern calls for. I'm still waiting on my big order from Stitching Bits and Bobs...apparently one of the patterns I ordered was backordered. But that order also includes the bugle beads I'll need for the border of the blackwork, so depending on how fast I stitch and how fast they ship, this may get put aside until my package arrives.

Blackwork is definitely interesting. I'm not futzing with Holbein/double running stitch (I think that is what it is called??!!), just using back stitch, so the back does not match the front - but I'm only concerned about the front anyway.

I don't know why I can't get motivated to work on the Dragon Virtues afghan....maybe it is still too warm out to think about stitching on a blanket? Or I'm just not that virtuous right now....
>:)