A is for Angel

Today we're kicking off the A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.

I'm taking a crafty angle with the Challenge (anyone surprised?) and am stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

A is for Angel

Angel is a 280 year old vampire.  He was born in Ireland in 1727.  In 1753 he was sired (turned into a vampire) by Darla (who doesn't actually make it into this alphabet challenge, sorry!) and took the name Angelus, becoming "one of the most sadistic and brutal vampires in history."  In 1898 Angelus was cursed by a gypsy clan, who returned his soul, forcing him to forever feel the pain and guilt for the crimes he had committed. 

Angel met Buffy, the vampire slayer, in 1996 and became her ally, helping her fight the forces of evil in Sunnydale.  Buffy and Angel fell in love, eventually sleeping together.  Unfortunately this meant Angel experienced a "moment of true happiness", breaking the curse.  He turned evil, she stabbed him with a sword, but not before his soul was restored by Buffy's friend and future witch Willow.

Angel decided he needed to leave Sunnydale for the safety of everyone else, and moved to Los Angeles, where he started Angel Investigations and dedicated himself to "helping the helpless" in his own TV show, appropriately named Angel.

I always liked and appreciated Angel as a character, but I was never as taken with him as a lot of other people, and I never really got into the TV series Angel.  In fact, I still haven't seen all of the last season. To be honest, I was kinda glad when the decision was made to take him off to his own series - there's only so much quite brooding a girl can take!

However, I am still very excited that the actor David Boreanaz is coming to Supanova both on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne (which I've already mentioned several times!).  I am quite a fan of the TV Show Bones, in which David also stares so that will be very exciting.  I'm working out what piece I want to stitch to take for him to sign.

Until next time, Happy Stitching

A To Z Challenge Theme Reveal: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The day has finally arrived for The Great And Powerful Theme Reveal, as the hosts of the A to Z Blogging Challenge have named it.  Technically, the theme reveal was yesterday my time - but better late than never!

For those who are not aware, the A to Z Challenge runs throughout April.  Bloggers are challenged to write one post a day (excluding Sundays), gradually working their way through the alphabet.  1st April is on A, 3rd April on B, 4th April is C etc etc.  Most participants focus on a theme to help guide and structure their blog posts.  The other part of the Challenge is to then go and visit the blogs of other participants - which is often then most difficult as with over 1000 bloggers involved, there's a lot of blogs to visit, and I find I quickly run out of time in the day!  That being said, I have met some amazing bloggers and fellow crafters though doing this challenge and I do enjoy it.

But enough explaining - on with the Theme Reveal!

This is my third year participating in the Challenge.  Each year I stitch one of my alphabet patterns and share thoughts on the different characters.  Last year I was crazy and not only stitched two alphabets, but also wrote a second blog!  This year I'm keeping it simple and just stitching the one alphabet, and writing the one blog.  April is shaping up to be a crazy month (as I explained here) and I've opted for trying to keep as much of my sanity as possible!

I've already started work on my cross stitch piece (as I've been sharing on WIP Wednesdays) and I know a few of you have already twigged as to what it is )

So without any further ado, my theme for this year's A to Z challenge is....

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The cross stitch pattern is available here if you want to stitch your own

Girl power action hero Buffy and friends.  I loved this show in high school, and have watched it many times since.  I've been enjoying a Buffy marathon of late while I work on my cross stitch piece and am looking forward to writing about some of my favourite characters.

There were a few things that influenced my choice of pattern, chief amongst them being that David Boreanus (Angel) is coming to the Gold Coast for Supanova at the end of April!  (excited girly squeal). I'm still deciding whether I'll ask him to sign the completed alphabet, or whether I'll do a separate piece because...

It's been announced that Julie Benz (Darla, the first Vampire to appear in the TV show) is coming to Sydney Supanova!  Darla isn't in this cross stitch pattern so I'm thinking of doing a quote piece with Darla and Angel on it... so many choices.

Are you participating in the A to Z Challenge?  Leave a link to your blog in the comments and I'll drop by to check you out.  I'm particularly looking forward to finding some other crafty blogs.

Happy stitching (and blogging!)

WIP Wednesday

Checking in on my current Works In Progress.

I've continued to work on my A to Z piece for the April blogging challenge.  I'm making pretty good progress on it, and am about half-way through - first two rows are finished, and the middle row is about half finished.

A to Z Challenge piece

That's all I've been working on from a stitching point-of-view.

In other areas, I've had a couple of customised requests come in this week which I've finished and sent off - one was a sentence rework on the Star Trek Original Series pattern which was a quick thing to do.

Customised quote on the Star Trek piece

I love getting customised pattern requests - people have such amazing ideas, and sometimes what started out as a customised requests get added to my regular pattern line up.  Other times it's just nice to work on something different and unusual.  It can be a lot of hard work sometimes trying to understand what a client is asking for (particularly as everything is discussed via email, and there's usually a delay in communications due to time differences) but the end product makes up for it - when I print the PDF and can say "yes, that's something I'm proud of."

The first round of Conventions is almost here (April), and I need to get cracking on fixing/updating my stock, pattern catalogues, and mini kits.  I need to start pulling some of that out this weekend to have a look at where I'm at so I can put in orders for needed materials.  Only problem with getting ready for Conventions is that it eats into my stitching time.  Good thing I love doing them! :)

Happy stitching

Feature Pattern Friday - It's a Slayer Thing

It's Feature Pattern Friday!

Each Friday I am sharing a pattern from my Etsy store - new, nearly new, and were-new-once.

The thirdever Feature Pattern Friday and I'm already changing things.  Today, rather than feature just one new pattern, I'm showing off a set of new patterns.  They're all in the one theme though, so surely that counts (of course it counts - this is my event so I can set and change the rules as I like :))

Today's Feature Pattern Set features quotes from the cult television show Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Buffy and Dawn

Buffy's Valentine

The Slayerettes

Spike and Dru

Spike

Xander

Although they haven't been overly popular on Etsy, these patterns are a big hit at the Conventions.  I'm expecting them to be pretty popular at the next two conventions I'm attending because...

Watch the video here

David Boreanus is coming to Australia!  For the first time!  He will be attending the Gold Coast and Melbourne Supernova Conventions in April, both of which I happen to be going to as well.  Rather excited about that. :)

Happy stitching (and slaying)!

2016: A year of ups and downs

This morning we woke up to the sad news that Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) had passed away.  2016 has certainly been a rough year - Brexit, the Australian elections (with more backstabbing and "he said, she said" than usual, and a very volatile senate), the US election, more unexpected celebrity deaths than we can count.  My two cats died within five weeks of each other.  That was really rough.

The Awkward Yeti summed up the
year nicely in this cartoon
(c) Nick Seluk

Personally, 2016 has also been a year of good things - I moved to Brisbane to start work at a new school (which is going well).  Moving to Brisbane has meant I'm closer to two of my brothers and can catch up with them for board-game afternoons more regularly, as well as several old school friends. I was in England when the year started, catching up with old friends. I've been to the theatre several times - so much easier now I live in Brisbane!

This year I went purple, dressed up as Leia for my yongest brother's 21st,
played boardgames, and visited the UK

Fangirl Stitches did well in 2016: I exhibited at three different conventions and met some amazing fellow exhibitors, as well as lots of fellow geeky stitchers.  On that note, I also met Nathan Fillion and John Barrowman, as well as Piper and Leo from Charmed, Tonks and Seamus from Harry Potter, Osgood, Danny and Missy from Doctor Who, and Xena the Warrior Princess.  They signed my cross stitch pieces and all said nice things about them.

Markets and minions - House of Fandom Market Brisbane, Oz Comic Con Melbourne
Oz Comic Con Brisbane, and Supanova Brisbane

My signed cross stitch pieces

I originally sat down this morning to write a post about Carrie Fisher, and about how crappy this year has been from a world-wide stand-point.  But then I looked at my mum's fridge covered in family photos and I stopped to think about it.  I thought about my cousin's baby, born at 24 weeks who is at home now and meeting his adjusted milestones.  I thought about another cousin who gave birth on New Year's Day, and a third who gave birth yesterday (I have 24 first-cousins - it can get confusing).  I thought about my exchange-student brother from Japan whose wife gave birth earlier in the year. I thought about yet another cousin who graduated from High School this year.  I thought about close friends who got married in January, and in April (along with another cousin), and a friend who got engaged a couple of weeks ago. I thought about a cousin and a friend who both (independent of each other) successfully launched (and funded) their first card games on Kickstarter. I bet none of them would say that 2016 was a crappy year.

Every year will have its ups and downs.  Sure, 2016 had a lot of downs, but there were also a lot of highs personally, professionally, and even in the world at large.  2016 will be remembered for the good, as well as for the bad.  I'm going to concentrate on the good, and see the year out with a smile.

Ready to see in the New Year with a bang...
well, a cup of tea and comfy pj's anyway!

Happy Stitching.