This is the very first counted cross stitch I ever did. I was 15, and had just moved halfway across the country. I was bored, lonely, and my aunt encouraged me to try counted cross stitch. My mom kept telling me I should start with something smaller and simpler, but my aunt said, “Nah. Go big or go home.” She helped me get this started, and we spent many hours cross stitching together. It was a wonderful time.
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Wooooow! You did such a good job!
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I bet that took forever to finish but wow what an accomplishment! Lovely!
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Kudos to your aunt for expanding your horizon…go big or go home…awesome…
Creating memories of crafting together and having a lovely memory of that as well…it looks like many hours…
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I like your Aunt’s style. And that you would sit with her, and make. What a great memory to have.
Also…I can’t with the x stitch. I just did a mini one, and one last year. That’s it - 2 in a year-ish - and THEY.AREY.HARD. your piece has organic edges - so dreamy! but his fur is the money job. 
I would rather layer in color any day (embroidery). Counted XStitch is volunteer torture. It looks so good, but it is SO.MUCH.WORK. people have no idea…
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I love all the detail and how life like the result is. I can’t believe it is the first one you did!
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Holy moley, that is a lot of work!! It looks wonderful!!
Yay for your aunt’s go big or go home attitude! I remember getting a lot of limits put on my creative stuff when I was growing up - I still have to remind myself to jump in, give it a go, try the difficult thing that you want to do!
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Thanks, everyone. My aunt passed away over a decade ago, and this is one of my favorite memories I shared with her.
I’m not sure how many hours this actually took, but it took me nine months to do. I worked on it off and on. Eventually I had pesty high school to interfere with my crafting time. And I made this almost 23 years ago. Dang. How did so much time pass?!
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It’s magnificent!
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Haha. Do any of us start small?? Go big or go home? You did a fantastic job! This is so impressive!
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It is amazing! I agree with @JoyfulClover that is underestimated how time consuming this is! This is not my craft haha 
Great job and wonderful memory! 
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Wow! You are amazing. The time and patience and talent. Amazing!!
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Unbelieveable! You started this when you were FIFTEEN? Impressive is not a strong enough word.
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that was your first attempt?! omg what an amazing piece 
and I do agree with your aunt, unless you’re like 8 then there is nothing stopping you from going big the pride of finishing that must have been awesome.
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Really cool. My first counted cross stitch was given to me by my gran and it was a little teddy bear, probably about 3"x3" and I remember how hard that was!
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Such a majestic piece. Fabulous indeed.
LOL @ volunteer torture!
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I like this piece a lot but I LOVE the story that goes along with it 
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