Eleanor framed

Here's the long-awaited framed picture of Eleanor.
Sigh
I just can't seem to use the photo editing program to make this picture look anywhere near as gorgeous as it really is in person. My tablet just doesn't show the richness of color, at all. An example is to mention that the blanket its sitting on is really a lovely shade of gold...

I do LOVE the way it came out though and am so happy with the frame my favorite frame friend picked out. It has waves in it that a perfect with the mane on the horse and the swirls in her dress. And my framer also found this lovely inner frame that, to me,compliments the bridle and the coins in the chest strap of the bridle.

And of course, the suede mat is a nice, dark navy... (in REAL LIFE)

So, I entered it in the fair and one of the ladies told me that this year would be "open judging" and I was welcome to come and see what they judge on.
OH MY GOSH! Was I ever excited.

So I went...

Well. SIGH. Big sigh.
I really wanted to have Best in Section.
I got Best in Section last year with my Amy Mitten picture, the reallllly long one.
And I got Best in Section the year before with my REALLY big garden picture, called "Flower Power"
I just thought it would be SO COOOOL! to get Best in Section THREE TIMES IN A ROW!
Then I could quit.
lol

So anyway, back to the judging...
I'm ok with the points off for a bit of kitty hair.
I expected it. To me, I think its AWESOME because its hair from my very favorite kitty of my whole life and he died a few years ago. (Its amazing how THEY can find it, too, btw. I was constantly picking it out with my tweezers as I would stitch and I didn't even see any)

And SHOOT! I did not clean the glass well enough, apparently...more points off!    sigh

And oh yeah, out of the 80, 500 stitches, there were "about 10-15 LOOSE stitches" (which, truth be told were probably not actually LOOSE, but where I had the wrong color and stitched right over the top of it--lol)    oh well

TOTAL  92.
Wow. 92? ok, well that's still a blue ribbon, first place.
I really wanted Best in Section.
But I told myself I would still go to the fair and see it after she finishes judging the others and maybe, just MAYBE I'll still get Best in Section.

FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine is finally finished!!!
I started her in...2008?
But she got put away and I worked on other projects.

I decided she was worthy of finishing. And did NOT belong in a box.
PLUS, I have special friends that always tell me they check my blog and NO SIGN OF WORK ON ELEANOR.

So surprise to all of you, she's complete.

I was actually planning to work exclusively on her this year and (hopefully) finish her in time for the fair. BUT, my favorite framing shop and is closing and my FAVORITE FRAMER is moving to another state so I  had to work on her NON-STOP!

I had to wake up at 5 each morning and start in on her before taking off for my day. And then rush home and work on her MORE. (Lucky me to have such a patient husband)

Anyway, I have a lovely frame and mat all picked out and she's going to shop on Tuesday. I've picked a navy blue mat with gold frames. I'M SOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for all your cheering me on and wonderful compliments along the way.
They were sooo very much appreciated and truly helped keep me going.    xxoo

Queen Eleanor

Isn't she just amazing?!
I have more done now than shows.
I've been working on her exclusively.
It's my goal to finish her and enter her in the fair this year.

I am going to add probably another inch or so in length so the horse's foot will show.

My gift

Our Bay Area Sampler Guild (BASG) does a gift exchange each year. I drew the name of someone I really really like! So I sort of knew what I thought she might like.

I found this gorgeous fabric (picture just does NOT do it justice, unfortunately) and since she is Jewish, I found the Hamsa Hand chart. And then I went about matching up the colors to the fabric.

THEN, I came across this really neat purse frame handle and thought to myself, "Hmmmmmmmmm, I've never made a purse before, but wouldn't it make a cool gift if I could figure it out?!"

So I did!