Happy Holiday Stitching

I have two releases coming this week. The first one appeared in the 2016 Christmas/Winter Issue of Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher Magazine . . . "Christmas Blessings". It's a quick stitch with the finishing really making it cute. There are so many great Christmas fabric out there to choose from!

The other one, "Hallelujah!", is my tribute to Handel's Messiah. The Hallelujah Chorus always gives me chills! The fabric and floss was chosen because the colors remind me of the bible I've had since I was a child.

I also have a new piece in this year's Christmas/Winter Issue of Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher Magazine I call "'Tis The Season Sampler".

There are just so many cute Christmas/Winter/Holiday projects out there and so little time! Maybe I should just devote on full year to nothing but holiday stitching . . . I wish!

Happy Holiday Stitching ! ! !

Halloween is just around the corner!

I've released two designs for your Halloween stitching pleasure.  I LOVE Halloween . . . almost as much as Christmas!

The First one is "Halloween Cat".  It was originally published in the Fall 2015 issue of Punch Needle and Prim Stitchers Magazine.  As per the publishing contract, I am allowed to release the design for sale a year from publication in the magazine. I actually forgot to release it last year . . . so here you go:

The pattern includes the finishing instructions as shown in the chart pack.

The second one is called "Witching Time Of Night" and is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet. I love this fabric from Picture This Plus called Murky . . . it's just perfect. They have several other dark ones that might work equally as well . . . would love to see what other's do with it on different fabrics.

I've got another design in the Fall issue of PNPS Magazine that just came out.  Unfortunately the picture is awfully dark in the magazine and you can't see the colors very well.  I stitched it on "burlap ribbon" with perle cotton.  The colors in it go so well with my decor in the family room that I think I'll leave it hanging on the fireplace year round.

I've got Christmas designs "in the bag" (another one in the PNPS Magazine coming up) and it's now time to stitch the new designs for next year.  Stitching ahead is so hard for me . . . I want to share it right away when I'm done.  Yeah . . . I don't do too well hiding Christmas gifts until Christmas either . . . I get too excited!

Happy Stitching!

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Why yes, I wax!

Someone asked recently on the Prim Stitchers Society Facebook page if stitchers used beeswax on their threads. I'm a newbie to beeswax . . . well to using it . . . I have a number of cute shapes that I have been given . . . guess I'm collecting them now. I didn't want to destroy the cute shapes, so I didn't use them. Janis Note (of Noteworthy Needle) makes so many cute shapes with funny names, it makes you want to collect them! Back in May (I know, it's been that long since I've checked in here.) Janis gave me Beeswax Bliss that she's making now so you don't have to destroy the cute shapes! It's just beeswax in a little container . . . perfect! I ask myself daily "why haven't I used this before?" I love it! I didn't think I needed it since I stitch exclusively with one strand, but it definitely helps keep the thread from tangling! 

Yes, I wax!

Celebrations of Needlework 2017

Back from Celebrations of Needlework in Nashua, NH.  It's a  l o n g trip!  I did tack on a visit with my daughter in Connecticut on the way up and the way back.

Janis, with Noteworthy Needle, and I shared a booth again this year. We've become the NN girls.

My side of the booth:

We backed up to Workbasket and Nikyscreations again and swagged the curtains to visit.  Janis covered the exposed pole and . . .  well . . . we got a little silly during a slow period.  What can I say . . . Niky was a professional dancer . .  okay, it was ballet.  We got a laugh out of Niky's pole dance move.

 The Merchant Mall was filled with wonderful goodies to the delight of the retreat participants and those visiting just to shop.

 Sue Hillis Designs

  Olde Colonial Designs

Dutch Treat Designs

 

 I never quite figured out whose booth this was . . . sorry.  Someone said it was "overflow" 

from Olde Colonial Designs.  I just quickly ran around and snapped pictures . . . 

didn't have time to check all the goodies out.

  Craftlite/Britstitch

  Inspired Needle

 The Primitive Hare

 Needleworker’s Delight/Silkweaver Fabrics

Mani di Donna

Romy Creations

The Workbasket

 Nikyscreations

 Wood Turnings by Cynthia

Still Stitching with Susan

 Rosewood Manor

 Barberry Row

 

Candy (from The Workbasket) and I had the chance to go to Frye's Measure Mill . . . beautiful Shaker type boxes and antiques. In another building on the property we met a woodcarver who does beautiful work!

We did our usual visit to A.C. Moore and Hobby Lobby . . . Niky (from Italy) wins for the most purchases!

We had a great time and enjoyed a great dinner with great friends at Martha's Exchange Restaurant in Nashua on our last night.  We got seated in time to watch the Kentucky Derby live.

Karen & Dennis (Rosewood Manor), Candy (The Workbasket), Me, 

Niky (Nikyscreations), Janis (Noteworthy Needle) and Sherelyn (Barberry Row).

I also stopped in to visit with Jennifer and Denise at Valley Needleworks in Middletown, VA on the way home . . . just had to see their new shop location . . . what a great building and gardens!

Now for the unpacking and catching up on my sleep!

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Creative Chaos

I leave Monday for Celebration of Needlework in Nashua, NH.  I leave Monday . . . I LEAVE MONDAY!

My house looks like a bomb went off and all my craft supplies flew everywhere . . . projects here . . . projects there . . . merchandise bags . . . price tags . . . signs.  There really is some organizing going on here.  Really!  I'm packing with displays in mind.

I've had to dig through the rubble on the dinning room table to clear a spot for us to eat each night.  Luckily, we're going out to eat tonight.  The Hubs is very understanding.

There are "battle scars" from carrying bins around and running into doorknobs . . . a cut here and there from rotary cutters and other sharp tools of the trade.

I told The Hubs last night that I probably make about 10 cents an hour when you figure all the time spent getting ready for these shows.  He said "You think it's that much?"

Why then do I do it?  "It's fun" I keep saying.  Well, some of it's fun.  The events are fun!  It's the people!  I get to hang with my design friends and we commiserate about all the prep time that goes into this and share ideas and talk about upcoming events.  I get to see kindred spirit customers that have become friends and meet new ones.  They're "my people".  They share my passion!

Celebrations here I come!

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I'm SO Behind!

I drowned the camera (yes it's beyond resuscitation) coming home from the Nashville Needlework Market in March and I guess the lack of pictures made me forget to post about Market.  The camera was in a bin with the humidifier (the Embassy Suites in Franklin is SO dry so I bring the humidifier).  I didn't drain the humidifier before putting it into the bin, but the camera was in a plastic grocery bag and I thought it would be safe . . . nope.  So . . . no pictures.

Trust me, it was fun and great to see all the designer and shop owner friends I've made and meet new ones!  I vowed I wasn't going to shop at this Market . . . no time to stitch other designer's things . . . I just couldn't resist!

AND . . . we also have to visit quilt shops around town . . .

Isn't this cute!  Oh . . . there was some fabric purchases as well . . . what can I say?

For me, Market went well.  Seemed like traffic was a little light but, sales were good!  I had 6 new designs.  Three released right after Market.

Barn Quilt Sampler

Barn Quilt Sewing Accessories

Don't Quit You Day Dream

And 3 that were available at Market, but not released until May.

Love Thy Neighbor

Humble And Kind

Life is Fragile (Ripple Effect Pattern - profits donated to The American Cancer Society)

Now, prep work is being done for Celebration of Needlework in Nashua, NH.  YIKES!  I leave a week from today . . . the show is May 3-7, 2017 at the Nashua Courtyard Marriott.  For all the information you can check out their website: http://celebrationofnw.com/

AND . . . I get to visit my daughter in Connecticut on the way up and back . . . an extra treat ! ! !

Come by and see us at the Merchant Mall at Celebrations! ! !

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Baa Baa Banquet

The Banquet is always the perfect ending to the perfect retreat! Since the Shepherd's Bush logo is a sheep, sheep abound in our gifts to one another and now our "attire" selection for the banquet.  Yes . . . our friend Tamara found the perfect dress for us to wear . . . there was even a wolf in sheep's clothing in the pattern. It came in lots of color choices and we all picked our favorite.  I also found sheep "boot slippers" that were great!  Myriam gifted us sheep PJs and I believe it was Lisa that gifted us sheep earrings two years ago.  We made quite the herd "baaing" our way into the banquet!

The food was not only beautiful, but tasty!

In keeping with the theme "Embrace The Journey" and the tradition of getting the spouses involved, the men were asked to perform "It's A Small World"!

We played a game . . . note the tables had different country flags.   Our table captain was Lisa . . . perhaps those little hands slowed her down?

Gifts abound at these retreats from Shepherd's Bush and friends.  We were given charms to complete a journey scissor fob, charts for smalls and a beautiful wooden tray!

Other random Retreat Fun:

Wonderful gifts to one another like our friend Nancy who gifted us Turban Towels that proved to be a challenge for me . . . couldn't quite get it to wrap properly . . . good for a tearful belly-laugh!

Catching up with friends:

The Humanitarian Project this year was to send a girl from an impoverished country to school.  If you wanted to participate, you could stitch a scissor fob to exchange and donate $5.00.  They had over 100 fobs entered into the exchange as well as many, many generous donations from tons of people.  Shepherd's Bush matched all money raised, and were able to send 10 girls to school and change the lives of those children and their families.  What inspiration and kindness.

 I made this tiny stitched over one, biscornu scissor fob.

And how lucky was I to get one from Margaret at our table?

Beautiful Utah: 

 It was a fabulous Journey once again!

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