EmnEllie Cross Stitch Blog

  Photo by  Alessia Cocconi  on  Unsplash It’s a very stormy, overcast kind of day at the Castle as I write this post. It wouldn’t take much to make me think of books I love, but doesn’t a day that makes you stay inside just make you want to read? A few years ago, I read the Phantom of the Opera. While I had seen the Emmy Rossum movie adaptation, I had never read the book, so I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was fantastic, and a real page-turner! While I do have that book as a paper-back, I’m really enjoying reading with my Kindle. I can stay up late (as late as I can before I fall asleep face first into my pillow) and hear the owls hooting or the traffic driving past my window in the distance. If the weather stays as dark and gloomy as the weatherman says it will, then I foresee reading to the sound of thunder and rain as well. What’s not to like about that? It would be absolutely unacceptable if I mentioned the Phantom of the Opera withou

  Photo by  Sharisse Bullock  on  Unsplash Do you ever set a color of the year for yourself? I do. Sometime last year, I decided that if I was going to purchase something, it would be pink. I even changed the theme of my computer to pink! As I’m typing you this blog post I’m surrounded by a pink theme on my computer, a pink planner, and a pink watch strap. When I was choosing the picture for this post, I wanted to have something pink to greet you, and my mind instantly went to Flamingos. A scientist may claim that the Flamingos in that picture are communicating about potential predator threats, or about their food. But as stitchers we all know they’re talking about their latest cross stitch purchases. They just have that look about them! Speaking of cross stitch, let’s see where I got to on Nikolai since my last post. Behold! A finished column! It makes me so very happy to complete that column before putting him away again until the Winter. Since picking him up again in January, I thin

  Photo by  Stefan Steinbauer  on  Unsplash Do you know what I've always wanted? A secret door. And not just any secret door, but a secret door that looks like a bookcase. How cool would it be to wander through your house, and make a detour to your secret reading nook, that's nestled behind your secret door? I've heard that they sell them at places like Lowe's, so who knows, maybe one day I'll get one. It would be the perfect addition to the castle! While I don't have a secret door (sigh!) I do have a new listing in my Etsy shop. Behold! Here's a smaller sized, Irish inspired cross stitch monogram sampler. Motifs included throughout the design are classic Irish themes such as a shamrock, a harp, flowers associated with St. Brigid, Celtic knots, and Celtic bands. Perfect as desk or home decor to display your Irish pride. Great present for Irish friends or loved ones. In the pictured model above, the initials "A.Q." have been stitched. In the chart t