Saturday 1 April 2017

A is for Angel

Today we're kicking off the A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.

I'm taking a crafty angle with the Challenge (anyone surprised?) and am stitching the Buffy The Vampire Slayer alphabet cross stitch pattern (available from my Etsy store).  Each day I will share that letter's stitching, as well as a bit about the relevant character.

A is for Angel

Angel is a 280 year old vampire.  He was born in Ireland in 1727.  In 1753 he was sired (turned into a vampire) by Darla (who doesn't actually make it into this alphabet challenge, sorry!) and took the name Angelus, becoming "one of the most sadistic and brutal vampires in history."  In 1898 Angelus was cursed by a gypsy clan, who returned his soul, forcing him to forever feel the pain and guilt for the crimes he had committed. 

Angel met Buffy, the vampire slayer, in 1996 and became her ally, helping her fight the forces of evil in Sunnydale.  Buffy and Angel fell in love, eventually sleeping together.  Unfortunately this meant Angel experienced a "moment of true happiness", breaking the curse.  He turned evil, she stabbed him with a sword, but not before his soul was restored by Buffy's friend and future witch Willow.

Angel decided he needed to leave Sunnydale for the safety of everyone else, and moved to Los Angeles, where he started Angel Investigations and dedicated himself to "helping the helpless" in his own TV show, appropriately named Angel.

I always liked and appreciated Angel as a character, but I was never as taken with him as a lot of other people, and I never really got into the TV series Angel.  In fact, I still haven't seen all of the last season. To be honest, I was kinda glad when the decision was made to take him off to his own series - there's only so much quite brooding a girl can take!

However, I am still very excited that the actor David Boreanaz is coming to Supanova both on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne (which I've already mentioned several times!).  I am quite a fan of the TV Show Bones, in which David also stares so that will be very exciting.  I'm working out what piece I want to stitch to take for him to sign.

Until next time, Happy Stitching

34 comments:

  1. Oh how fun! Love Angel. So much broody goodness. I did enjoy his spin off show but the last season wasn't my favorite.

    My A to Z: http://www.herdingcats-burningsoup.com/2017/04/arcs.html

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    1. :) I lost interest in the spin-off once they introduced Connor (who I'd managed to pretty much forget until someone else mentioned him in their comment!!)

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  2. Cross stitch! I love it. Just had to pop over and see.
    "Female Scientists Before Our Time"
    Shells–Tales–Sails

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  3. Supanova is an awesome sci fi event. You won't want to miss out on the fun!

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    1. I know! I went to Brisbane Nova last year and had so much fun. I'm having a stall in Artist Alley for Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney this year.

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  4. I watched Buffy on an off, so I was never a tru fan, but I have to say Angel was always one of my favourite characters. I watch his series too, again on and off. I think the first seans were best, then it started become quite... meh.

    @JazzFeathers
    The Old Shelter - 1940s Film Noir

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    1. I agree - the first couple of seasons of 'Angel' were really good but then it all got so dark and complicated and hard to keep up with - you couldn't dip in and out - if you missed a week you were stuffed plot-wise!

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  5. I'm with you on Angel being a little too much brooding to take! I never watched "Buffy" at the time, but we're watching the whole series with my children now, so it's fun. I love cross stitch and looking forward to seeing what you'll do!
    A-Z Printmakers: Abbe

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    1. I love how "Buffy" has managed to stay relevant, even though it's 20 years since the show was first released. Glad to meet a fellow stitcher :)

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  6. I don't watch these kind of shows but my husband does. I am going to enjoy reading your posts each day.

    Linda

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    1. Thanks Linda :) Are you doing the challenge this year?

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  7. I haven't done a cross stitch in years, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with for the rest of the alphabet :)

    My A post All Greek To Me

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    1. I started designing patterns because I was struggling to find ones I liked and wanted to stitch. :)
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. I’ve never watched Buffy. I do like your cross stitch and am interested to learn about each of the characters.

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  9. I loved him on Buffy and Angel, although there were several episodes of his show I could have done without. For example, I didn't like what they did with his son Connor. Okay, he finally got a chance for a normal life, but that was so not him, and for him to not even recognize his own father when he showed back up with his adoptive parents...poor Angel! He wanted so badly to tell Connor who he really was, but didn't want to ruin his new life for him so kept quiet. Really?!? Can't this guy catch even a single break? Apparently not, as the show ended with him and Spoike fighting a horde of demons side by side, with it being implied neither of them were going to survive the fight but at least would take out as many demons as they could in the meantime.

    I love Bones too and was sad to see it end, but at least they ended it on a positive note for everybody (well, just about everybody...poor Aubrey got dumped by his girlfriend, and I know they were trying to end it on a positive note for him, but really, he just got dumped five minutes ago and they're already trying to set him up with a new love interest? Not realistic at all considering how much he cared for his girlfriend, give the man a chance to get over her first at least, geesh!).

    Anyway, here's my link for today, I wonder how long it will take people to figure out my theme :P

    LINK

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    1. Oh Connor! I'd blocked him from my memory. I really didn't like that story line, and how dark it all got. I think that's about when I stopped watching it regularly. That and it was on so much later at night when it first aired in Australia. Agree with you about Bones though. :)

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  10. While I have never watched Buffy... I used to cross-stitch several years ago. I loved meeting with our weekly group (although I think we did more snacking and chatting than we did stitching).

    I'm amazed at your creativity and look forward to watching this pattern series progress.
    Journaling: A list of supplies

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    1. Thanks for stopping by :) crafty groups are the best

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  11. At last the reveal! Its been a while coming. I'm about to learn all about that show you used to sneak on downstairs when you were supposed to be studying. Bad girl. All the best with the rest of the challenge...

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  12. What a fun theme! I love Angel, and you did a great job recreating him in crossstitch! :D

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  13. I am an Angel fan and I also do cross stitch - Fun theme.

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    1. Thanks Darcy :) The cross stitch pattern is my own design

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  14. Oooh - a while cross stitch Buffy alphabet - such a fun theme! But really, Dawn over Darla (I figure that's your D?). I will read the why, but I loved Darla. - Louise

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    1. It was a tough choice - a few of the letters were rather tough. But since Dawn was actually a listed main character I kinda had to go with her in the end :)

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  15. I have to admit I never saw Buffy or Angel but now that it's coming up for its 20th anniversary I might just start watching from the beginning!! I love your cross stitch work and it's really great being back for another A to Z Challenge - power to your needle :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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    1. It is good to be back :) Although I'm very glad to only be stitching one alphabet this time round! You really should give it a go (providing you like satire, the supernatural, clever writing, and a little bit of a jump) :)

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  16. What a fantastic and completely unexpected theme! I LOVE CROSSTITCH & I GREW UP on Buffy! I loved angel (all teenage girls did, me thinks) & I absolutely adore him in BONES. You are going to meet him?!!! WOW! I would love to read about that too!
    Good Luck with ATOZ.. see you trow :)

    "*Ishieta @ Isheeria's*

    AtoZofHealing - A is for Affirmations"

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    1. Thanks! :) I will certainly be sharing photos, particularly since it will still be April!

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  17. Excellent work. That's quite a talent you have there.
    J -- Co-host the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference and Speculative Fiction Writer
    2017 THEME = Speculative fiction story featuring telepathy.
    http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com

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  18. I haven't seen the entire series of Angel, though one wet and stormy Christmas Day, when I couldn't do my usual beach picnic, I binged on Season 2. There was a certain humour about Angel in his own series missing from Buffy. There was the episode where a woman got him high, giving him a happy, and turning him back to Angelus till th drug was out of his system. His friends had to tie him up till it was over and the episode ended with him calling out plAintively to be released... And who can forget Angel the Muppet? Giggle!

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