A New Canvas to Play With!

Don't you just LOVE getting a brand-new canvas, 

and then mounting it on stretcher bars,

 pulling threads for it, deciding what color and stitches go where, 

and then jumping head first into a new project?

Yeah, me too.....

Even when I have a half-dozen (or more) projects underway

and needing some much-needed attention:

Still, sometimes you just have to start something new

(and hope it jump-starts your stitching excitement 

back to the other pieces as well; you know what I mean, don't you?):

This is a new Sandra Gilmore piece called "SHELLSCAPE".  When I received it, I was surprised at how small it was, considering all the detailed objects in the scene -- it's actually 10" x 10.5" on 18 ct. canvas, which is not too large and not too small.  Perfect, in fact!

Before I could even consider stitching, I desperately needed some beachy/seashelly colored threads.  So I ordered an assortment of variegated threads from ThreadworX, and they arrived last week.  Because the canvas was smaller than I imagined, I realized #5 pearl cottons would just be too big or too fat for the piece.  So I ordered lots of variegated #8 pearl and floss threads, hoping to mix and match them as I began stitching.

Woo Hoo! Now the fun begins...

I'm looking forward to starting on this canvas.  I'll begin working from the background forward: doing the window frames (in a variegated driftwood color) and then creating a soothing border (also in driftwood colors), and then have lots of serene tent stitching for the water and sand in the background areas (also in soft variegated threads).  So, stay tuned for my SHELLSCAPE stitching adventure....  

...(and yes, I will be doing a stitch guide for this canvas, but no, I have no idea when it will be finished/available...)