very dark , ulta lite. yes it takes all the colors listed but you can use dyed fabric of your choice so you don't have as much back ground to stitch

Hi Debbie,
Welcome to the world of counted cross stitching! You'll get addicted to it!
To answer your first question whether you cross stitch the whole pattern including the background, the answer is yes. BUT some cross stitchers are buying hand-dyed fabrics such as Picture This Plus fabric (that has a multi-colored background) and then they just stitch the objects in the pattern. It is up to you if you want to do the WHOLE pattern.

As to the large variety of floss: Yes there are a lot of colors used in this particular pattern. When I first started learning counted cross stitch, I chose a very simple counted cross stitch KIT that had all the color floss threads, needle, pattern, fabric (usually 14-count aida) and directions in the kit. This gave me the opportunity to learn and get comfortable with counted cross stitching technique and gave me a sense of accomplishment when I finished. I fell in love with counted cross stitching when I had finished my small project. This Heaven and Earth design (I have design but haven't cross stitched it yet) is more for intermediate and advanced cross stitchers BUT I would not discourage you from buying it! It is a beautiful pattern and if it were me and I loved counted cross stitching, I would buy it (you would just be buying the pattern) and I would put it away in my "stash" for a future time.
When I realized I wanted to continue to do counted cross stitching, I began to buy the different color flosses about 5- 15 colors at a time; what my money budget would allow every other week and so my "stash" has all the DMC floss colors now.
There are a large amount of experienced cross stitchers on this Everything Cross Stitch "chat" messageboard and we all love to encourage beginner cross stitchers to join us! We can provide advice and encouragement and try to answer questions.
This website has an extremely helpful "Customer Service" area; many times you will see Kristi providing assistance and help with any questions you have on this "chat" messageboard. I am NOT an employee of Everything CrossStitch but one of a diverse group of stitchers that enjoy this website and messageboard.

Debbie welcome to our chat room and the world of cross stitching. Believe me once you get started it will grow on you. I have to agree with everything Bermuda said. This is a beautiful pattern, but since you are just starting out I would start with a smaller pattern for a beginner. This pattern would be worth the challenge after you have done a few small to medium projects first. That way you would not get discouraged and give up like some more complicated patterns make you feel. This way you would have plenty to time to collect all the skeins of floss you would need for the project without bankrupting you all at once.

Please feel free to come back here and post any questions that you have or comments you want to make. We are all friends here. Good Luck with your stitching. I have been doing it for 30 years and still love it.

Thank you. I have done what you have recommended and started off with a learners Kit 'Everything is possible' looking forward to receiving it. Thank you for all your feed back
Cheers
debbie

Hi, Debbie! Welcome to the chat! I started out helping a friend with Christmas ornaments at lunch! Very easy, with a quick accomplishment "high". My rule is, the more colors, the more complications and detail. But these more complicated designs are what brought me back to cross stitching after several years. I, too, suggest a few simpler patterns...or, at least smaller...till you some experience to help you know what your preferences are. :) But if your heart is set on this one, this is the right place to be! These folk, both guys and dolls, will happily give you instruction, information, and encouragement! :) Post often to share your experiences! :)