One of the bad things about having a fairly non-anonymous blog is that I can’t share with you guys the projects I’m working on because they are gifts for people who will read the post and go, “She’s giving me THAT??”
OR they won’t read the blog at all, but I think they do and if I post and they don’t see it, it’ll be confirmation that they don’t love me. (Hmmm….who could I POSSIBLY be referring to…MOM. It’s okay. Just more reason for me to dress her up funny when she’s old and can’t fight back.)
OR, if I show you progress on something I don’t finish and then people will be all, “How did such-and-such turn out?!?” and I’ll be all, “Ummm, LOOK! A SQUIRREL!” Because I have a completion problem.
Anyway, since I can’t show you the gifts I’m currently working on, I’ll show you my Etsy Treasury list of things I PLAN on work on.
Next year.
Maybe.
Possibly the year after.
We’ll see how it goes….
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First, from katiekutthroat we have…well, I don’t need to explain my choice to you, WARREN.
Cross-stitch was one of the first crafts I learned to do; my mother used to have a dozen half-finished projects around the house and they were all adorable. I love that current crafters taken a usually staid art filled with Precious Moments figures and dancing teddy bears and turn it on its ear. It makes it interesting AND hilarious.
Also it’s a quote from one of the greatest movies EVAR.
Damn the man! Save the Empire!!!!
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I think this piece is especially appropriate for Kind of a Mess readers; yes, ladies? Another quote, this time from Louisa May Alcott. This on is from the shop, Velvet Elvii, which has some other amazing and fun works. (Christmas Story! IT Crowd! Star Wars! BUFFY!!!)
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I’m in love with this pattern; there’s a whole series of Rosie and the Bear that would be just the cutest thing for a little girl (or big girl who loves embroidery!) The style reminds me of my beloved Holly Hobby… Bustle and Sew’s entire shop is adorable, but in a gorgeous old fashioned way. She’s got some little knitted bunnies that are to die for; and at $25 for the set, are CRAZY cheap for handmade toys.
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This robot from ShinyHappyWorld just makes me smile. It’s a beautifully simple pattern and he’s got some buddies that are equally adorable. And check out these puppies, I just want to snuggle them! (there are kitties for you cat lovers too…but look at the bulldog’s little teeth! ACK! I die from the cute.)
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This gypsy wagon from littledear is amazing! I just know that kitty is looking at amazing things in the wagon, I just KNOW IT.
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Color gradient is gorgeous in general, but in embroidery? LOVERLY. The Floss Box has some great stuff, including thing for you science types and stumpwork, which I just found out about and want desperately to learn to do. (It’s basically 3-D embroidery.)
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By magicalneedleworks, this is more traditional cross-stitch, but the kind that takes PATIENCE. I love the original painting, but mostly the reason I want to do this is because I will be a friggin’ ROCK STAR when it’s done. 23 X 17 inches, 96 colors? I will stitch this pattern so hard that it’ll be make me waffles the next morning.
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Normally I disapprove of the mixing of my comic universes, but this is so damned adorable that I give it a pass. How can you not love an eensy little Batman?!? And the wee Dr. Xavier in his wee little chair?!? This is madness, I tell you. wee little stitches is trying to kill me. Especially with the patterns for all 11 Doctors and the Justice League…I mean REALLY?? This much cute in one store should not stand.
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MrXStitch is not only an amazing Etsy store, but it is a crazy amazing blog. They feature artists in textile arts from around the world, as well as talent and just plain cuteness from around the web.
And also? F**k you, we’re from Texas.
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Finally, this quiet book pattern from juliebell is already in my possession. This WILL be made. I don’t know who is getting it, but I NEED to make it. Look here to see the amazing work that was put ito making it. There’s also a Star Wars version.
If Julie ever makes a Dr. Who quiet book, I will marry her.
NOTE: All pictures are from the owner’s respective Etsy stores; I do no own them in any way nor have I been given any form of incentive or compensation for this post. These people are just The Awesome. If you are an owner of any of these photos and would like them removed, please contact me at alyssa [dot] kindofamess [at] gmail [dot] com.
Kind of a Mess 
You embroider too??? What don’t you do?! I love the “wee beasties” pattern from The Floss Box, but seeing as how it took me three years to knit a pair of socks (finished! last night!), I’m afraid to pick up another project anytime soon… Perhaps you should start a gallery of half-finished craft projects — if I wasn’t so embarrassed, I’d probably have a few to contribute.
Oh, I do a lot of things, but none of them well. 🙂 And YAY for finished socks! Knitting is on my list for 2012 too…we’ll see how that works out…
And there’s nothing wrong with half-finished stuff! It’s just things that you’re saving for later, right?? 🙂
I have this sudden intense need to glue quarters to my cube floor.
Kent glued pennies to his ceiling in Northridge, I think just so he could scream that at people when they asked why…
I love that stitch from Empire. I am always quoting it in my head.
“Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear.”
“My name’s not f*cking Warren!”
“Damn the man! Save the Empire!”
Whenever I see someone wearing something stupid, I think, “Shock me shock me shock me with that deviant behavior.”
Please tell me you saw my latest embroidery project. (http://twitpic.com/793oo4)
I confess. I don’t know all the superheroes. Who is E?
Alyssa, you are fantastic! I’ve been trying to think of a project to do for winter, and I want to be little miss organized and make everyone cool presents, but I’ve been stumped on both fronts. Until this popped up in my reader 🙂 I’ve bought a ton of patterns & I’m happily stitching away.