Finish It First - Lighthouse XStitch

My cross stitch UFO is now an FO.

I started this piece about 15 years (yes that says years) ago and finally

got the cross stitch bug again, long enough to finish!
Soon it will be matted and framed and residing above my mantel.

As I shared bits and pieces of my recent progress
I received comments about the backstitch "outlining" in some projects.
Here's the difference in this one...

...adding just a touch of definition!

Lighthouses fascinate me and I never get tired
of photographing them and capturing their images in
my quilting and needlework.

Here's a few more pics from a recent day on the coast.
First up is my favorite and my link to Foto Finish; few words can describe scenes like these:

It was sunny but WINDY...

which made the water the most beautiful blue/greens...

and the waves crashing all around.

Churning up foam on the sand...

And holding off the fog...

 And of course, the light on the hill...

A great (much needed) getaway for me and my good friend, Char.
Did I mention it was WINDY?

Anyway...Happy Stitching!

 

P.S. I'm crossing this off my Finish It First list

hosted by Heather. 

Update: Also linking to

Counted Cross Stitch

Since the beginning of the new year I have been in somewhat of a creative slump when it comes to quilting.  Then while cleaning and reorganizing my sewing room, I came across a counted cross stitch project I started many, many years ago.  It is nearly finished and it's just been sitting there.  I'll show you some of that project in a minute but first I thought I'd share two of my favorite completed needlework pieces that did find a place on my walls.

When I stitched this I hadn't started quilting and couldn't have told you what that pattern was in there.  Do you see the Dresden Plates?  But I was drawn to the project because I'd always loved quilts.

Counted Cross Stitch is my favorite type of needlework.

My love of the ocean drew me to this pattern. 

It wasn't quite as involved as the one above but I sure like the way it turned out.

And now to my current project.

I don't want to show the whole thing til I finish 

but here's a very small snippet.

I finished the majority of the cross stitches 

and am moving on to the outlining which is my favorite part!  

Compare the one above with the one below

and you can see how it brings out the detail and dimension.

Anyway, I'm enjoying having something to keep

my hands busy until I figure out my next quilting adventure.

Thanks for stopping by,

P.S.  Linking to 

Pin Point (Macro Monday)

Pin Point

It's time to sew...

And a sneak peek at my cross stitch...it's almost finished.

Happy Stitching!

Linking to 

at Lisa's Chaos.