Challenges!

The first challenge being the April Challenge from the Stitch and Stash forum. This month we had to choose from complimentary designs from A Mon Ami Pierre. I chose this Stitchers Heart, worked on 36 count linen in flax using DMC 115. It was a struggle to control the variegation the way I wanted (I was trying to avoid stripes), but I think it came out mostly OK. I mounted the stitched piece on the top of a heart shaped tin and finished it with dark red braid. As usual there are some super finishes in the album

You may remember a post earlier this year about amaryllis bulbs and how when the first one was in full flower the second hadn't even begun to grow, so my second challenge was to the amaryllis bulb. "Beat that!" Well it took its own sweet time, but I think maybe it has done:-