Monday Motivation: first drafts accomplished, progress on a new design, collaboration plans, and more!

Hey, Grimalkin fam! We are crazy-busy at the Crossing these days! Sue and I have new plans in the works for this place. We’re hopping like kitties on a hot tin roof to get them going!

Monday Motivation — Angel Cat Preview!

Monday motivation -- Angel Cat! It's an image of a cartoon gray tabby cat with a crooked pink heart and a golden halo. From Grimalkin Crossing.
Click the image to sign up for our newsletter, and get yourself in line for a FREE COPY of this stinkin’ cute Grimalkitty design!

I just couldn’t wait any longer to introduce you to this little sweetie. I can hardly wait to publish it! Angel Cat is the very first design I’ve completed using WinStitch, my “new to me” design software! I have got some big plans for its introduction to our design line. It’s going to be a FREE GIFT to the subscribers of The Grimalkin Gazette.  So if you haven’t signed up yet, now’s a GREAT time!

The colors in the free version are what you see: misty grays. HOWEVER, our subscribers will ALSO receive alternate colorways to stitch up an Angel Cat. This will definitely include an “orange marmalade” option. I’m working on a tortie version as well as a tuxedo cat version, too! If you have a suggestion or a favorite, do let me know here in the comments!

Oh, and it’s okay if you don’t want a free copy. You can always not sign up and wait for it to be listed in the shop, where it will list for $6.95 USD. We’re cool with that, too 😁

Grimalkin Crossing Click to Subscribe image. Gray cat silhouette with "The Grimalkin Gazette" on his tummy.

 

 

Wait, what? Collaborations?

You bet, Kitty. I’m reaching out to professionals in the wellness field to bring our subscribers discounts! You’ll be saving money on ebooks, webinars, and e-courses from some of the web’s best and most popular teachers and coaches! And I can hardly wait to share with them and their people how enjoyable — and inexpensive — counted cross stitch can be. Not just for gifting and cool decor, but also as personal therapy!

Stay tuned to this site, and get thee subscribed to The Grimalkin Gazette if you haven’t already!

More Monday Motivation — Stitching in Progress!

Stitching in progress. Angel cat in misty grays.
P.S. Two changes from the preview image above — the final version will feature light gray wings and ditch the black cross stitch outline around the forepaws.

I’ve been able to schedule in time to stitch this little darling as work allows. I’m finding it to be as relaxing and enjoyable as I’d hoped! As you can see, the body is stitched in DMC 415, and the “belly fur” is in DMC 01. Both are extremely easy on the eyes, and that’s more important than ever with all the screen time I’m putting in.

Everything stitches up so fast on white 14 count aida. That makes it the perfect fabric for busy model stitchers!

I’m finding WinStitch to be a very powerful and highly customizable design tool. As such, it has removed the “governor” from my ability produce imagery in the way I think it ought to look! It’s so powerful that it can be quite confusing at first. I have yet to find anything I could not figure out how to do with WinStitch, and that’s saying something!

I have to admit that the interface looks, ah, well — “dated,” I guess would be the kindest way to say it. But, the look does NOT detract from the function — as I hope you’ll see soon, when Angel Cat is published at last!

As a Linux user and beginning designer, I remain grateful for the free access to KXStitch. As design software, it is somewhat limited in function. But, there was enough to allow me to develop the basic skills I would need to produce cross stitch designs. I outgrew it quickly, though — that’s one big reason that, to date, most of the charts in the shop are samplers rather than pictures.

Drafts. Drafts, Drafts, Drafts.

Pardon me for riffing on Hamlet there, but I did want to brag a little bit. But, after sabotaging myself for almost two weeks on getting some email outreach drafts written, TODAY at last I nailed two of them! Some of you know of the struggles I’ve had with self-confidence and finding my “true voice” since my recovery. So this was a real triumph for me, one I hope to repeat tomorrow, and the day after, as I continue to draft out and revise our plan to convert the entire world to cross stitching!

=heh= Just kidding. We only want the cool people. 😉

I hope your “Motivation Monday” has gone as swimmingly well as mine has. Or even better! Did you conquer a long-term inhibition that’s kept you from being the best “You” you can be? Please tell us about it in the comments, and let us celebrate with you!

Alesia Matson
Monday Motivation: Success!
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