More Playing and Experimenting with Floss

Thursday was our monthly stitching group up at Acorns and Threads in Portland. Most of the regulars had other things going on and couldn't make it, but I'd already planned my day so I went ahead and drove up and spent a few hours working on my second Not Very Top Secret X-Stitch Christmas Bauble (one of these times I'll get that name right!) while surrounded by gorgeous floss. 

I like this one better than the first one I stitched from the same pattern.  The colors were more fun and I also like the pattern that it created.  Instead of spiraling my way around the orange peel sections, I alternated back and forth with up and down. 

I have more variegated floss in my stash and more ideas for how to play with it, but I still haven't decided whether I want to spend the time on a  third..or fourth...bauble. They're time consuming, but they're also a lot of fun.