Hi thanks Melanie I can also sympathise with you suing metallic three I've used it to highlight marbling in a fairy cross stitch hard work to use but so worth the effort.

Michelle,
Your cross stitch far surpasses anything I ever did...love it all!  <3  I can definitely relate to the cross stitching on black Aida...sigh, I made an even more colossal mistake and started stitching something on black linen...sigh, yes, I'm a glutton for punishment...imagine trying to see all of those little tiny holes in the fabric!    Sorry to say the project never saw the light of day (very unfinished) and I don't know if I even have the pattern anymore.  It was a beautiful one, though, a dragon cross stitch, made with metallic specialty threads.  A lot of work. 
I can see why you've won prizes...with such beautiful work, I can't imagine you wouldn't!  <3
Melanie  (cat slave and Official Feline Can Opener) =^.^=

Thanks Melanie I have some very big cross stitches which have taken more than 8 months to complete, so I call his in small.

Michelle,
If that's what you call "small," I'd love to know what large is!    Seriously, that's amazing and your friend is very, very lucky you made something so intricate, as I know that had to take many, many hours!  <3
Melanie  (cat slave and Official Feline Can Opener) =^.^=

A very small stitch done for a friends birthday