or is it red? I think the luck of the Irish is with me as I stitch and bead and stitch and…well I think that you get the idea. No reverse stitching and making great progress. What could be better than that?

I am working on the Keep Calm and Love Dogs. Canvas by Unique New Zealand which needs to be ready for me to take to Destination Dallas. The most wonderful cash and carry market that is just a short month away! I love the intimacy of the cash and carry markets and getting to spend quality time with the buyers and the other exhibitors. It is like being home and seeing family! The staff at the hotel is wonderful and then…then the restaurants that we have discovered and fallen in love with, and we anxiously await our return visits. Risè, Tilman’s, Bogati’s, Pappa’s Steak House and that Cuban place that Raymond has taken us to, just to mention a few.

Okay so I digress…and back to the stitching! I am doing this the same as I did the Keep Calm and Love Cats, by beading 2 of the words and doing the other 2 words in French Knots. The paw print is stitched in basketweave and now I am working on the background. I have a little special something in mind for this as I remember something Wendy Harwood (we miss you!) told me “Give ’em something that they don’t expect!” yes Wendy I think of you often and Missy and I were just talking about you the other day. Did you hear us?

Speaking of beading, I have also been sneaking in a little time on this…

I have been beading the letters, each and every one double stitched and nice and tight so that they stand up straight. The thread ended at each letter and not dragged across the back of the canvas.

I have been using my Bead Buddie by The Elizabeth Turner Collection. There is a magnet attached to the bottom of that Bead Buddie which with that I can attach it to my canvas while working on my stand and have the beads close to where I am stitching. There is a little sticky pad there that also keeps the beads from spilling all over the place. I have discovered it is best to put the cover back on when taking the Bead Buddie off the canvas and putting it back on. The force of the magnets can make the beads jump right out if it!

Also I have been using the size 0 beading thread as Meredith suggests. Wow! she is right that size really does makes a difference. It is a thinner beading thread than what I have been using. I wondered why at times I would struggle with the beading thread…well it was too heavy! I am thrilled with the results of using this thinner beading thread. My plan is to bead the lotus flower, I have a purr~fect color of Bijoux Glints for the putty colored background…but just the right thread for the Buddha still eludes me. I know it is out there somewhere, I just haven’t found it yet.

I have been working hard all week…magazine work, stitching, working on stitch guides and more stitching

Sylvester was giving me the big yawn yesterday as he is meowing “why did you disturb my sleep?” and until next time…keep on stitching