Tending Psychedelic Sheep

I've really tried to get back on my rotation, but something always seems to come up. First, I think I was just so giddy that I finally finished the Seasonal Arches series, that I didn't know what to do with the three open spots in my rotation that Spring, Summer and Autumn created. Chaos ensued. Then, I went out of town last week, and it wasn't really practical to lug multiple projects in my suitcase. And besides, I wanted room for stash!

I also think that I have an aversion to the Floral Bell pull. I'm at a point that I need to do some back stitching, and there is so much that it's almost like work and requires not only attention, but decision making. Yes, I know I'm an engineer, and that we are literal creatures, and sticklers for the smallest detail (you should hear DH and I argue - he's an engineer too! :o). That said, the bell pull chart is in black and white, which means all back stitch lines are black, although the actual floss used varies. So, my dilemma is when a petal and leaf are next to each other, should the flower back stitch take precedence over the leaf back stitch, so that the flower looks like it's on top or should it be the other way around? Should I do this all the time, or every-so-often, or 20% of the time, etc, etc...?

At this point, you're probably shaking your head and wondering how someone can make this such a huge dilemma. I guess the underlying issue is that I have this need to do it correctly (i.e. as the artist intended). I'm not totally lost. I do realize I obsess and step back every now and again and know that the Cross Stitch Police are not going to storm the house and confiscate the finished piece on grounds that I made a purple back stitch when I should have made a green back stitch. I guess I'll just put the bell pull on stand-by so that when I'm in the mood to just plunge ahead, it will be ready. (It's OK, you can laugh. I do. :o)

Anyways, I did work on the Harvest Sampler on Monday, but only did a little of the gold lattice, which really wasn't all that photo-worthy.

I also worked on The Wool Gatherer, and got a little more done on the gray sheep on the left. I always love working on Shepherd's Bush pieces because they're so whimsical. Wouldn't you love to find a world with patterned sheep? Or where the people wore such funky clothes? It's like finding a Narnia or going to Willy Wonka's factory. I love it!