You know him as Raymond Crawford…well to me he is just Raymond! and I say it just like that too. Have you seen his newly redesigned website lately? Rumor has it that Raymond laid out the artwork and then his talented webmaster Laura Z (or is webmistress?) made it happen.

This was the beginning of the thread selection for this awesome Trick or Treat piece that Raymond designed. Rainbow Gallery sent me a great selection of Halloween Threads. I was hoping that this little spider would work into the piece after it was stitched…but it was really too big!

More threads were then purchased, threads taken out of my stash and I went through all sorts of books for inspiration. Sometimes it is just sitting down and trying out the stitch with the thread to see if it works or not.

I tried Sparkles from Sundance, Wonder Ribbon from The Collection, even bought a piece of tuille and it all looked amazing in my mind, but when I actually got down to it…it didn’t look so good on the canvas.

So when all is said and done, and the stitch guide is written this will be a class at the TNNA Summer Market in Columbus on Friday June 21rst and Saturday June 22nd. They liked it so much that it is being offered twice. The threads are all ordered, well except for a little bit  of pearl cotton that you will need for padding.  I will just buy a few skeins from my favorite needlepoint shop for cut lengths.

There’s lots of Kreinik and Sundance beads in assorted shapes and sizes, Delica beads too. Pepper Pot silk, Rainbow threads, Glow in the Dark Threads and Crescent Colors overdyed floss. It was a very fun piece to stitch!

And if you are not a market going person, I will be teaching this at The Enriched Stitch in the latter part of July.

ooh and don’t forget this little spider! pick one from the pair in the color you would like from black, fuchsia and chartreuse.

and it seems that Sylvester had his eye on the big spider! and until next time…keep on stitching

Mooch and Earl are joining me to wish you very Happy Mother’s Day! Somebody shared this wonderful comic strip with me years ago and it was love at first sight. I haven’t missed a day of reading it since.

Now you wonder how I know it is AlleyCat who loves my purple felted cat and thinks it is her own? Well I almost caught her red handed…or should I say red pawed?

Usually I will say to the kids “what do you think you are doing?” and they know instantly that they shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing or be where I just caught them. I let AC slide a bit as I wanted to get a picture first. But after the picture, she knew that it was time to move on as she talked back to me. What’s a mother to do?

and Sylvester was just waking from a cat nap. Tough life these kids!

I am thinking about going out for a very early breakfast as it is a beautiful morning here. The kids have not yet selected a new orchid for me for Mother’s Day yet…maybe a little retail therapy?

Happy Mother’s Day and until next time…keep on stitching

If you are a fan of the shop Bedecked and Beadazzled…and who isn’t? and have been following the mystery class on line of Bastet, the Egyptian Cat Goddess… you know that Ruth finished hers and declared yesterday National Bastet Day!

It is such a wonderful feeling when you put that last stitch in and can declare “I am finally finished!” well I am not finished yet…very close though. Just the beaded collar, the background and a little around the lotus flowers is left to stitch and then I will be finished too!

If you look at parts of this canvas and then look at Ruth’s and say hmmm…it looks different. Well, I have made a few changes. I believe that a stitch guide is just that. It is to guide you through your stitching journey and if you make a few changes along the way, that is totally okay. It needs to sing to you and make your heart skip a beat. That is something that I always say when I am teaching too. My biggest compliment that you love it, is that you finish it! and I will finish this soon and frame it. Well maybe I will wait and see how Ruth’s frames hers first though!

Many shots of my progress as I move along and not necessarily in any order. Can I tell you how much I am loving stitching on this canvas? love! love! love! did I say love? and based on the size of it, I have done very little reverse stitching.

Just a little trial and error with the purple in the lotus flowers and now I am being challenged with the last 2 stitches in the Jessica’s that will create the circles at the top of these same lotus flowers. A Swarovski crystal will then be placed within the Jessica. I will need to do some U-tube searches as I am sure that there is a video or 2 out there that will show me exactly how to!

I started working on the jeweled collar the other night and I am pleased with how it is coming out so far. I am thinking that the yellow in the amulet will be changed to a gold bead and…

Sylvester was right in the middle of all the goings on the other night. The million dollar question I had was “who would win, the threads or the cat?” and “would the box of threads wind up on the floor?”

Well I finally moved the threads as Sylvester kept sleeping so very soundly. Notice his tongue! and until next time…keep on stitching

and isn’t that the truth? as much as I love travelling and seeing new shops, taking classes, sightseeing and all that goes with that…there really is no place like home!

Destination Dallas’ theme this year was “There’s No Business Like Sew Business” Ooh did you really think that I had nothing left to share with you? Shudder the thought! Some of the designers really get into the mood and cleverly decorate their rooms to the theme of the show. This was the door way to the room of The Point of It All Designs and Hyla’s High Cotton. Hyla outdid herself!

Speaking of High Cotton…look at all these wonderful colors! and, and this amazing Point of It All Design called “Nouveau Heron” that is being stitched by Sue Haines. Stitch selection by Brenda Hart.

Speaking of Sue Haines, she was kind enough to model her darling apron for us! I have known Sue for along time and we haven’t had a chance to visit and gab for years. We sure made up for lost time!

Wonderful new designs by Sandra Gilmore of Once in a Blue Moon. This would be wonderful in a child’s room and the latter one is designed to be a footstool.

I love this one…bead the letters and look for a wonderful background pattern and you’re done! This canvas is by Unique New Zealand. Too clever, isn’t it?

The kids were keeping me company on the couch last night as I was stitching away. Great baseball and great stitching! I am sad to say that I need to take a break from stitching on Bastet, my Egyptian Cat Goddess for awhile. A few new projects for stitch guides and a wonderful new piece that you will soon see in Needlepoint Now in the July/August issue have moved to the front of the queue. There are 4 of us now that will be stitching it together as the stitch guide evolves for the magazine, well we will actually be ahead of it all. You know, work out all the kinks and make sure that it is just purr~fect for you!

Time for me to get to work! and until next time…keep on stitching

Have you seen this new thread from Sundance called Sparkles? well I guess it’s really not a thread, but more like an embellishment trim. I guess too it’s not really new, new since it was introduced to the stitching world last year.

Barbara Elmore, along with Cassie Prescott of Sundance Designs taught a class to a full house of ready to learn students! A class through our San Diego American Needlepoint Guild. People from far and near were here and anxious to learn all about it. There is really so much to know about Sparkles and we were there to do just that!

Look at all we got in our kit! 3 handpainted canvases by Barbara herself, several colors of Sparkles, a handout of information and a bag of sequins and beads!

The description from Sundance’s blog says it best about Sparkles…

“It’s a tubular woven rope like product that can be stretched thin, scrunched big, and pressed flat. It can be couched, stitched, stuffed, shredded, twisted, and turned. It’s about the size of a pencil and available in twelve colors and packaged in two yard lengths. The rich metallic luster combined with simple techniques will amaze even the most advanced needlepointer.”

There are way more than 12 colors now!

Barbara was working with the charming Laura Taylor as we created butterflies, candy canes, lady bugs, hearts, ruffled hearts and so much more!

We had so much fun and really learned the key word of applying the Sparkles to our canvases…”be fearless!” as you do have to really open up the canvases holes. Not for the faint of heart.

Barbara is going on a Sparkles road tour, so if she is coming to a shop near you…please don’t miss your chance to take this very fun and enjoyable class. Barbara is so very talented and she is great for thinking outside of the box!

AlleyCat was not about to let me get to my laptop yesterday as she decided it was a great place to park herself. What am I to do with her? and until next time…keep on stitching

Cinco de Mayo~or the 5th Of May commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory in 1862 over France at the Battle of Pueblo during the Franco~Mexican War. A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, but in the US it has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage… especially in the areas with large Mexican American populations.

Sights and sounds of Cinco de Mayo traditions can include parades, mariachi music and street festivals!

The food! don’t forget the food! Now for me, I love…did I say love, love, love Mexican food? I could probably eat it almost every day! That came from working so many years in the restaurant business, with all of these wonderful cooks that there was always “something” special cooking on the back stove. The use of chili’s and the cilantro and all of the flavors that I have grown to know and love. Of course you need a margarita to go with it all! and tell me why I crave it more today than normally?

So today I am in the mood for a little Mexican food, a little baseball watching and a whole lot of stitching. What about you?

I still have lots more from Dallas to share with you and my class with Barbra Elmore and that wonderful thread Sparkles. And always what are those cats of mine up to?

This was AlleyCat the other night when she thought I was paying way too much attention to my stitching and not enough to her. She jumped up on my lap and settled in. She would either poke her face up as you see her here and stick her behind up so I would #1 scratch it or #2 would really scratch it cause she was in the way and I couldn’t stitch! and until next time…keep on stitching

There are the canvases at market and the threads too…but then there are the toys! You know the snap trays, the magnets, the bags and ooh so much more.

Have you fallen in love with your snap trays like I have? What did we ever do without them? I have lost count of how many I have collected.

If collecting snap trays wasn’t enough, check out the new toy that they have come up for our beading pleasure! A smaller snap tray lined with beading mat-which keeps the beads from rolling around. Ruth of Bedecked and Beadazzled fame is using this as she adds 1 of several 1000 beads to Bastet. BTW that number is not a typo!

Look at all those bead snap trays. This was the hot, hot, hot item of the market as this collection of 100 was gone in less than 2 hours! I didn’t even get one, since they were pretty much out by the time I got there and then I thought, leave them for the retail shops. Mine is on order…thanks Carol!

A new wonderful fabric from Hug Me…you know the bag company. This picture doesn’t do this justice as it is a lush royal purple. Do you know that these bags are made in the USA?

I fell in love with this red fabric! Almost added this set of bags to my collection…and whew was I happy when someone else did buy these and they were no longer there to tempt me!

I am off to my Sparkles class today with Barbara Elmore. So excited and so looking forward to it!

Notice the center of these paper flowers hanging in the windows of Sundance at the Dallas market. Isn’t that clever?

Today is Derby Day and one of these days I want to be there in person…sipping on that Mint Julep and all those Southern things.

Notice the snap trays in use! Like I said how did we get along with these before? and until next time…keep on stitching

I was thrilled to see Mindy at Destination Dallas and of course I had to go and see what new designs she had. I love, love, love…did I say love? Well anyway I love Mindy’s canvases! Beautifully stitch painted in the most amazing color combinations and always accented with a special button or two.

The combination of this canvas being a Mindy and being a cat…well there was not much thinking of should I or shouldn’t I? of course this came home with me!

Another Mindy that I could’ve, should’ve added to my collection…but I didn’t. Note the buttons! I will be in Mindy’s neck of the woods in a few months, so I can always go to her shop and participate in a little retail therapy.

Speaking of being purr~fectly wonderful, what about this cat piece by Barbara Elmore? She has been using wool roving to needle felt the cat and the close up details are amazing!

Another new Laurel Burch canvas by Danji Designs. I think that this would be special in a child’s room!

Dallas was wonderful and as always after returning from market…I am so very inspired to stitch, stitch, stitch! I am sharing my stitching hours between Bastet, the mystery class that Bedecked and Beadazzled just finished and another piece that I am stitching for one of our talented designers. Guess what?…it’s not a feline relate canvas!

I am also buried in the process of unpacking and finding places for all of my new treasures. Starting my work on the July/August issue of Needlepoint Now as I anxiously await my preview issue of May/June. Could be here today…tomorrow?

Tomorrow is my class with the talented Barbara Elmore as she teaches us everything we wanted to know about using Sparkles. My bag is getting ready with all my tools; stretcher bars, tacks, laying tool, scotch tape…scotch tape? hmmm curious about that one!

AlleyCat was inspecting every inch of my suitcases as she was trying to figure out where I was. I am sure she is thinking “I better not smell another cat or let alone a dog on this one!” and until next time…keep on stitching

I was walking by Meredith’s room…”The Elizabeth Turner Collection” while she was working so very hard getting set up…

See I told ya she was working! Well I couldn’t resist a little tap, tap on the window to see what kind of reaction that I would get. She did not disappoint as always. Thanks for the great pose Meredith!

At the shows, you work hard and play hard. I of course need to scout all the other exhibitors that are there and get a good look see at the new stuff that they have created.

Danji Designs, home to Laurel Burch canvases is always a must stop and see. OK what wonderful new must have pieces do you have to tempt me with? I immediately if not sooner fell in love with this canvas called “Sky Spirit.” Look at the colors in this piece, the stitch possibilities along with the threads, beads and embellishments. Ooh I can’t wait to start working on this piece! Yes, by the way… I did add this canvas to my collection.

Isn’t this one darling? Another Laurel Burch design. No this canvas did not come home with me as just ONE dog canvas is all the feline children will allow me to stitch.

Now look at these? aren’t these the cutest? You stitch ornaments for all of your kids and grandkids…why not one for your cat or dog? These are Danji Designs canvases.

These were quite popular! Not shown in this picture is the dog bone painted in blues and whites. Add your dog’s name across the middle for the purr~fect addition to your holiday decorating!

AlleyCat was being very impish as she decided that she was in a May Day mood and decided to jump up and smell the flowers. and until next time…keep on stitching