Xmas gifts and candy cane

Winding our way to Xmas, here's a small do-able image of presents and a candy cane thanks to the free images of Microsoft clip art (thanks, guys!). I uploaded it into my StitchPainter program, and turned it into a BMP for your personal, non-commercial stitching pleasure.

Enjoy!

T-Day cornucopia

A bit of time left before T-Day, and what's this holiday without reflection on our blessings, even in adversity, so here's a cornucopia dedicated to...More......

...those who don't have enough to eat, and those who do...who share.

Thank you, Microsoft, for freely sharing your clipart. This is drawn from the MC900354064 image. I uploaded it into StitchPainter, turned it into a diagram, then into a BMP to share with you here for your personal non-commercial stitching pleasure.

Enjoy!

More T-Day...one of my all time favorites: pumpkin pie

I love T-Day. It's my favorite holiday. One of my favorite things about my favorite holiday is fresh pumpkin pie. Seen here with a lovely cup of tea. And a dollop of whipped cream.

Go for it, it's a holiday....More......

Be calorie conscious tomorrow.

I took the free Microsoft clip art image MC900233497 (thank you, Microsoft!), and turned it into a StitchPainter diagram, and then into this bmp to share with you freely for your personal non-commercial stitching fun.

You still have a couple of weeks til the day!

Hugs from T-Day-less Milan, Italy (sniff! sniff!), enjoy!

Thanksgiving-Pilgrim hats (cute without being too sugary)

Finding designs that are cute, but not too sugary, isn't easy.

I think this one from the Microsoft free clip art site (MC900413706, thanks Microsoft!) hits the mark, and it adapted well to being a StitchPainter diagram, which I then turned into a BMP image to share with your for your personal non-commercial use.

Just in time to get some stitchin' done before T-Day!

Enjoy!

Frosty the Snowman for more holiday cheer

Here's another pattern of Christmas cheer...Enjoy!
(Microsoft, thank you, again, for your free graphics...this one's called "inverno"...turned into a StitchPainter diagram, then a BMP to post here for your personal non-commercial use, thanks.)

Christmas is nearer than you think...

It may be the second half of October, but considering how long it takes to do needlepoint projects, Christmas is nearer than you think.

So here's an adorable mouse I adapted from a free animated gif, turned first into a StitchPainter diagram then into a BMP image for your personal, non-commercial use (for any other use, please contact BOTH me AND the source of the image):

http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/christmas-food.shtml

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday (30)

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My latest project...in black and white...to see the 2-D / 3-D effect better

To help you see the 2-dimensional / 3-dimensional "push-me-pull-you" effect of my latest project, I turned it into a black-and-white photograph....More......









See how the background merges with the shadows, even those between the cracks in the feathers and those falling from underneath one feather over the top of the next feather down?

This seemingly simple, but actually quite challenging type of design was inspired by the wonderful work of the Beggarstaff Brothers (who weren't called Beggarstaff, and who weren't brothers, but brothers-in-law) at the turn-of-the-last century: http://arsacupicturaestellae.blogspot.com/2010/08/meteoric-brothers-revolutionize-art.html

Just in case you're new to the blog, and wondering how it looked in color: (http://arsacupicturaestellae.blogspot.com/2011/09/wordless-wednesday-27.html)

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday (29)

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Milan Monday (44): an urban lakeside scene, complete with little temple and swan!

I know, I know...most of my designs are horribly complicated.

Or they LOOK horribly complicated.

Why's that?...More......

Because I'm frantically busy, like all of you, so can't stop to simplify the images simply imported into my StitchPainter program.

Use my designs to inspire you, to set out proportions, to give you a clue of colors.

Then simplify at will.

Here's another good example.

I'd go crazy if I needlepointed this just as it is: a gorgeous urban lakeside scene, complete with decorative temple and swan.

I took my photo, uploaded it into StitchPainter, and turned it into a diagram and then a BMP image to share with you for your personal, non-commercial stitching fun.

If you're interested in knowing more about what it is and where it is in Milan, go to my other blog, My Milan (Italy): http://mymilanitaly.blogspot.com/2011/10/gorgeous-tempietto-on-urban-lakeside-in.html.

Enjoy!