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FROM MY NEEDLE - JAN/2020
WOW, the new year is already rushing past... so much to do with year end, and year beginning... so just a quick note to let you know what I've been up to since we last spoke!
First of all, I've been designing like crazy, LOL. I was a bit further behind on my 2020 release schedule than I like, so I've been busy getting things off to stitchers.
If all goes well (fingers crossed), you can look forward to a new Catherine Simpson based design; a new Ojibway design based on Hugh McKenzie's artwork; at least TWO and possibly THREE new designs based on Shelley McVittie's artwork; not to mention some special things from me - like a set of 4 little wallet designs (with 8 patterns that can be mixed and matched); a new Paper Embroidery chart; once again, at least 2 and probably 3 Christmas designs; and an adorable halloween bellpull, based on one of the 4 Charmings I have re-designed!
Whew, no wonder I've been so busy (GBG). Actually, I still have 4 designs to complete, with a 5th sitting on my desk, done, but not assigned to a stitcher... so still a bit of work to do! As for actual stitching, I did up the 8 sides of the 4 wallets myself, as well as assembling them, so that took a lot of last year, but was finished this month. I also stitched this months new release (HAPPY CAMPER), as well as the four Flamingo greeting cards, which will be in the next issue of A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD.
I guess I've been a stitching fool, LOL. On top of all that, I am working on a small design for the SHOP HOP summer program that Stitcher's Village hosts each year. Not sure yet which store I'll be paired with this year, but I can tell you the theme is SUMMERTIME, and I have the sketch for my design all worked out.
I also need to complete one more design for ANPT, and I'm going to try something really different - at least for me! I've never seen this done, though I have heard that someone else did something similar... anyway, when our youngest was in high school, she did an art project where she drew all these room scenes from a castle.
She created a 3D effect by mounting the front wall of the castle on top of the drawings, with a spacer in-between, with the windows cut out so you could look inside. I thought it was really creative, and actually kept her room drawings to inspire me ... and 20 some years later, LOL, I am finally going to try and re-create the idea - but only for one room.
If I'm happy with how it comes out, I will likely continue on and do other rooms in the castle. Again, I have all my sketches done, and have even figured out my assembly notes! So now I just have to find some time to get it off the drawing board and into a graph.
We're planning a couple weeks in Florida in February, and this would be the perfect project to take with me to work on in the evenings, when we generally curl up with a movie after a day of exploring.
In the coming months there is also a lot of bookkeeping that needs to be completed (sigh), something I always put off, though I actually quite enjoy doing it once I get started - I like the structure and guidelines, it's so very different from the fluid creativity of the rest of my job, LOL ... a nice balance in my life!
Well, this is already longer than I planned when I started - I hadn't realized how much work I have actually done this month! So I'm off to put my feet up and relax - probably with needle and thread ... happy stitching until next month!
FROM MY NEEDLE - DEC/2019
I REALLY want to tell you what I've been working on the most, LOL, but since my DH might read this I can't, since it's for HIM for Christmas (wink). So I'll tell you next month, and maybe even post a pic!
But for my stitching... I finished working on my HAPPY CAMPER design, which went to distributors earlier this month, and will be on the website in January... and now I'm back to working on my final mini-purse while I watch tv at night, (GBG), and working on getting new designs out to model stitchers during the day... Bill's gift is done, and he's home, so it's back to business - I hope!
I have had a lovely time with ladies coming to visit this month... so much fun, and we even did a craft while the last group was here. They had such a good time they're planning to come back in the spring - and they invited me to join them for their Christmas lunch, which was a good time as well - I got a new ornament for my tree by participating in their ornament exchange!
However, I do have to put my purses away for a bit, and get stitching on 4 greeting cards for A Needle Pulling Thread, as the editor has told me she wants them in early January - YIKES! Fortunately they are all designed, just need to be stitched, so that's my priority over Christmas...
While I'm writing, let me wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas season... happy stitching, and I'll talk to you next year!
FROM MY NEEDLE - NOV/2019
Just trying to get a quick post done before we head on vacation (a week at a resort in Spain; a few days with my Aunt and Uncle - also in Spain; then a few days in England with our girls and family). This month is a bit hectic, as I have a group coming to visit as soon as we get back, so I need to have my office space set up for customers...
I worked really hard to get a new release for next month, a 4-part design called HAPPY CAMPER (4 sayings in one pattern), which is what I'm taking for my travel stitching, (GBG)...
I'm also trying to get a handle on 2020, which will be here before we know it (sigh), so I'm working on new designs ... such as an adorable piece with Santa putting birdhouses on a tree... a halloween bellpull... a tribute to Alice In Wonderland, and pieces based on the artwork of Shelley McVittie and Catherine Simpson ... a wolf by Ojibway artist Hugh McKenzie ... and even more!
So that's about it for this month... gotta run, talk to you in December (wink)...
FROM MY NEEDLE - OCT/2019
October is always the hardest month of the year, because our two biggest shows happen this month - and only a week or so apart! On top of that, I'm trying to get some designs finished and stitching done, LOL ... and while I have so much out of my office (my van is still about half full), I'm trying to clean and re-organize... so arrrggghhh, ROFLOL.
So, what have I been up to? Well, last month I told you that I'm working on a design I'm calling HAPPY CAMPER... four 'boxes' with different sayings about camper trailers (ie "We go where we're TOWED"), laid out rather like the fishing pattern I did a couple years ago. I did get the design done, and have about 1.5 boxes stitched, but there was no way to get it done for release this month.
I also finished the designs for my FLAMINGO CARDS (for A Needle Pulling Thread), did I tell you that, LOL? Haven't started stitching them yet, but they (hopefully) won't take long to stitch - and I think I have until January, so I'm good for time.
But (being me, LOL), I got sort of sidetracked with an idea for a little elf to go with my SANTA BALLS. I have these great medium-sized bells, about half the size of the ones we used for SB. Basically, I figured out the assembly - how I wanted to do his legs and feet - and wrote out all my instructions, but I haven't had a chance to work on faces and coats, and actually get one put together. It's also much to late to release a Christmas design, so this will be a 2020 release (look for it next summer).
OH! I know what else I worked on, GBG, how could I forget? I have a DRAGONFLY PURSE design, and I need to finish a little snap wallet (with those metal strips you push from the ends, that open in the centre), to go with it. It's assembled, but I need to do the lining and add the channels for the snap strips, so this won't be released to our distributors until next month, since I have so many other things on my plate for the next two weeks (wink).
I also didn't get the wee halloween bellpull stitched I've been working on (sigh), and it's all designed too, LOL, so that too is being pushed forward to 2020.
Well, that's it for this month, enjoy your halloween, and we'll talk next month!
FROM MY NEEDLE - SEPT/2019
Well this has been quite a busy month, doing the Madoc Fair with my sister (she entered some of her artwork, and won a 2nd and 3rd place ribbon); and getting ready for Kingston the first weekend in October, and our biggest show of the year, Creativ in Mississauga in 3 weeks!
But of course, I'm still stitching away (wink)... the piece I told you about last month (STAY-CATION) is done; framed; and off to A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD (ANPT), so look for it in the next issue. I have the patterns for the following issue (4 Flamingo themed cards) designed, and waiting to be stitched as well, but I'm really struggling with the Shelley McVittie piece I told you about in July. It's going to be gorgeous when it's done, but man, some of the detailing is really hard to pin down!
I got a bit of stitching done on the final wallet in my PURSE PAL collection (I have the LION and the OWL done, and the CAT is stitched, but not assembled - the last one I'm working on is a FLAMINGO - which actually inspired the cards I'm doing for ANPT, LOL).
I whipped up a new design last night, that I'm going to sneak into this years lineup, if I can get it stitched before Creativ... someone asked me for a CAMPER themed design, and gave me one or two sayings to inspire me. I googled a bunch more, and I must say, it's going to be quite cute! There are 4 mini motifs, with HAPPY CAMPER in a box in the centre. The motifs will be stitched all as one, but could easily be worked indivitually for 4 smaller designs!
Then I spent a couple evenings working on framing... I got a new release you'll see next month done (wink). Spoiler alert... it's a dancing bear, called YUK TUK. And I got the IRIS & MONARCH Keirstead piece laced, but unfortunately my framer cut the matte wrong, so I have to run in to see her before I can finish... I have at least 2 more frames with stitched pieces sitting here, that I need for Mississauga, so that's on the list for THIS week.
But I also took some time to play with a wrapped yarn ornament I found when I was browsing on line... I think I've made over a dozen now, LOL. I can see them being adaptable to feature a wee cross-stitch piece on one side, so I think I'm going to package them up for Creativ, with a finished ornament and how-to instructions together. I'm keeping my favorites for my tree though (wink), and may work up at least one more with a cross-stitch, for the ornament exchange at our guild this Christmas.
Well, I think that's all I have to share this month... I have a couple UFO's in the works as well - a birthday tablecloth, which I plan to release as a pattern - if I ever get it finished, (GBG), and of course I'm still working on WONDERFUL WORLD, the Louie Armstrong tribute I'm stitching for ANPT. This will be the second piece in my QUOTES series, that began with Audrey Hepburn and POSSIBLE. It will be in the magazine (ANPT) 3 issues from mow, LOL, so we're planning ahead!
Happy stitching, and we'll talk again next month...