If you have been following my blog for any time, you know that I have a soft spot in my heart for Mutts. A daily comic written by Patrick McDonell of the antics of Mooch the cat, Earl the dog and their surrounding cast of characters. My day starts out with my tea and Mutts, each and every day without fail. You will find a handful of my favorites ones clipped from the paper and cleverly framed and hung about the house so I can enjoy them always.

This was originally published after 9.11.2012,  but I came across this on Facebook yesterday with these wonderful written words…

“This strip originally ran on September 11, 2002. Though Hurricane Sandy is a very different event from 9/11, it seems appropriate to repost this now. Our hearts go out to everyone dealing with aftermath of this storm. Not just in Manhattan, but also the outer boroughs, Long Island, other parts of NY, CT, DE, MD, VA and of course ALL of Jersey — where our hearts lie.

Sending wishes of peace and healing to all who’ve been feeling the effects. May we come together and grow stronger by helping one another.”

I am one of the lucky ones as I sit warm and comfy in my house with my felines and the Mac. Not so much for many people on the East Coast as my heart and prayers go out to you. I had a conversation with my sister yesterday as I don’t remember these weather patterns happening when I grew up in NY.

On another sad note, Estelle Kreinik, co-founder of Kreinik thread company recently passed.

She is pictured here with her son Doug, who runs the family owned company today. Stop and think, what would our stitching lives be without Kreinik? Just think…just think of the last time you stitched anything at all without a bit of sparkle in your canvas from the Kreinik threads? I speak for many of us by saying thank you! Thank you for making our stitching just a little more enjoyable. To the Kreinik family, you are in our thoughts and prayers.

The blogless time that we spent together… and not sure if that really is a word or not? Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead came and went. While searching for inspiration about the Day of the Dead, I found this great explanation. Did you also know that it is celebrated both on November 1rst and 2nd?

“The belief is that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them”

Ofrendos or beautiful altars, pan de muerto, buckets of marigolds, favorite foods and toys for the angelitos are just some of the many traditions surrounding the Day of the Dead. The presence of the sugar skulls being the most well known.

Sugar Skull Tradition

Sugar art was brought to the New World by Italian missionaries in the 17th century. The first Church mention of sugar art was from Palermo at Easter time when little sugar lambs and angels were made to adorn the side altars in the Catholic Church.

Mexico, abundant in sugar production and too poor to buy fancy imported European church decorations, learned quickly from the friars how to make sugar art for their religious festivals. Clay molded sugar figures of angels, sheep and sugar skulls go back to the Colonial Period 18th century. Sugar skulls represented a departed soul, had the name written on the forehead and was placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk art style of big happy smiles, colorful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments. Sugar skulls are labor intensive and made in very small batches in the homes of sugar skull makers. These wonderful artisans are disappearing as fabricated and imported candy skulls take their place.

This is one of my favorite sugar skulls that has been done on canvas. Original artwork by Manuel Salas and perfectly transformed onto canvas by Peggi of Tapestry Fair.

It would be hard to select just one! I have seen many of these being stitched and each one just keeps getting better and better.

Well it is time for me to get motivated and decide what to do with myself today. I do need a thread run as wouldn’t you know…I am out of white Splendor! Now how can that be? Oh well it is a good excuse to head down to La Jolla, breakfast at the Cottage and a little retail therapy.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Let me count the ways… Wow it has been way too long and I am soooooooooo sorry! I hope that you really did miss me as much as I missed blogging.

But my not being able to blog pales into comparison to the challenges left behind from the wrath of Sandy. My family in upstate NY was not effected too much and they are all safe and sound. Now my thoughts are with my stitching friends in the Northeast, I hope that you are too. Annie, Sharon G, Tony Minieri, Karen Milano, Nimble Needle, Fireside Stitchery, Edwardian Needle, Rittenhouse, Rita’s, Needles and Threads of Ruxton, The Enriched Stitch, Ridgewood and everybody else that I might have overlooked…I hope you and yours are ok too. My heart breaks for all without power, without gasoline, without the bare necessities of life and for property and treasures lost.

Let’s see I missed National Beer Day on October 27th, National Chocolate Day on October 28th and National Cat Day on October 29th… trust me, the feline deinizens of this household will never ever forgive me! Halloween and Dia de los Muertes just flew by.

The annual seminar of the Emborider’s Guild of America is going on in Sante Fe, NM and I am so looking forward to hearing all about it from all who are there.

So you are wondering what I have been doing with myself lately? Classes with Tony Minieri in Denver, Colorado where I was greeted with SNOW for the 2nd year in a row! Back home to 80 degree temperatures and hanging out with Brenda Hart for a few days. No classes, just chillin’ and talking stitches. Finished up with a few days at A Stitch in Time with the “Divine Miiss M.” In case you are wondering, that would be Meredith Willett of the Fab Four fame.

Speaking of the Fab Four…have you signed up for their class that is being there next year at A Stitch in Time? Trust me, you don’t want to miss this! There are only a few spots left, so it is sort of like shopping at Costco…don’t wait too long as you don’t want to miss out! If you have been thinking about it, call! call! call! 626-793-5217

As for my unexplained absence? well lets just say that somebody or more than one someone compromised the blog and…oh well the details are not important now. Let’s just say that mostlyneedlepoint has moved to a different server and hopefully will be totally back to normal. I look forward to bigger and better things and not being bothered by these technical challenges again!

I am home now and have lots to keep my out of mischief! Stitch guides for Needlepoint Now, stitching for NeedleDeeva, Raymond Crawford and Kirk & Hamilton… stitch guides of my own to write and edit. Then there’s the laundry, grocery shopping, errands and putting away the Halloween decorations. There is no rest for me!

Sylvester is guarding the thread stash, or is it his bag that he wants? and until next time…keep on stitching