So you are thinking…exactly what does this have to do with needlepoint? well stay tuned! Raymond Crawford made a personal appearance in the shop at the ANG Seminar and we need a little dinner before a night of hard work!

Raymond took us to Petterino’s, a wonderful Italian place in the heart of the theater district. Well worth the walk. Even though it was quite abit farther than you told us Raymond Crawford!

The walls were covered with these charicatures, many which were recongnizeable right away. I asked the waiter if they were all by the same artist and he told us that 3 ladies draw them. If they had been signed, then that person had dined there.

and then taking pictures of Raymond taking pictures.

Acting silly on the way back to the hotel. Lisa was with us and gosh we need longer arms for these selfies!

Tonight was Expo! night, where we were selling our Chicago hot dog canvas, with magnet and stitch guide.

They were quite popular, and there is but a handful left if you just gotta have one or wished that you had bought more than one. Contact Raymond on Facebook, or leave me a message and I am sure that Raymond would be happy to get one off to you!

Raymond hard at work processing the credit cards!

Stay tuned for more from Expo night including 2 new canvases from Mindy… one which had to come home with me. Just saying…

You haven’t seen the kids in awhile. They have been together for 8 years now and when AlleyCat was a kitten, Sylvester really did bully her…all the time. Maybe ’cause he was the middle son or maybe ’cause he just didn’t like her. They have always gotten along, no hissing or any of that, but I believe that AlleyCat has just tolerated him. They normally don’t sleep close enough so that they are touching…well Friday I was sitting on the couch stitching and Sylvester is always there, usually sleeping on my threads. AlleyCat jumped up to see what was going on and usually when she see Sylvester there, she leaves right away… but not this time. She curled up so that they were touching and stayed that way for a few hours. Maybe she is softening up in her old age.

and until next time… keep on stitching

It seems like I just got here and it is time to go home already! I was enjoying my last few hours of sightseeing on a beautiful morning as I walked up Michigan Avenue. By now we had become good friends as I had walked this way many times over the week.

Now why couldn’t it be this beautiful when we went to the baseball game? A great reason to go back!

I have lots more to share with you with many more pictures that I need to import to my computer… and then, and then it’s Destination Dallas Trade Show in a few days. I will be teaching a class for Amanda Lawford and the rest of the time will be shopping and looking for all the new canvases and threads. Dinner reservations are already in order…right Missy?

But for now back to Chicago. A wonderful city with lots to do and amazing restaurants. A few people told me that it is quite the food city, and it did not disappoint! Sightseeing, wining and dining and great stitching too, what could be better than that?

My finale was the Life Patron Luncheon. A delightful lunch of soup, chicken salad with balsalmic dressing and garlic toast.

A gift of a little cooler which will be great to keep your lunch or bottled water chilled when you go to a stitching get together.

The tables were beautifully set with chocolates! What a great way to start lunch.

You know the saying eat and run? well that’s what I exactly did! as the timing for my flight and the end of the lunch didn’t mesh the way that I thought it out in my mind.

There is a speaker at the end of lunch and I heard that it was going to be the descendant of Mrs. Lincoln’s seamstress. I read that book and would have loved to have heard her… but didn’t want to miss me flight and disappoint the feline residents of the house.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Now for any of you who know me, or follow my blog… well you know that I couldn’t go all the way to Chicago and not go to Wrigley for a game! I actually selected my class and then my flight schedule around the Cubs schedule. Now if that doesn’t convince you that I love, love, love baseball, I don’t know what would!

Of course we had to do the obligatory selfie with Lisa to the left and MaryElvis to the right.

MaryElvis and myself!

I loved the way that the hallways were painted! Everyone one was different.

We went with another group of baseball nuts …those who cut class for the crack of the bat! and they wound up 4-5 rows behind us.

Maryelvis, don’t you know that there is no knitting in baseball? and she’s sitting next to me!

Play Ball! I am really enjoying the game and the ambiances of Wrigley and having a grand ole time… texting updates of the score to Missy and Francis, since he is an Oriole fan and that’s who the Cubs were playing. The skies are darkening and darkening and darkening…well I think that you get the idea of where this is going.

Oh no! it was sure coming down and even though we were slightly under an underhang, it was not keeping us dry.

We hung out, ate some more, drank some more and some of us gave in after waiting 2 hours since we had other commitments. BTW I would have loved to have walked through that puddle of water, but I resisted! and the rain delay was only about 3 1/2 hours…

yes I know that I went to Chicago for stitching… and that’s coming! Do you know that I have been working so hard this summer, that this is the first game that I went to? after not renewing my season tickets this year.

Sylvester’s meowing up a storm, so I better go and see what all the fuss is about! and until next time… keep on stitching

Having a grand time in the Windy City, but lately it’s been the Rainy City! I have seen more rain here in the last 2-3 days than in an entire year in San Diego…send us some of that rain please!

If you are here at seminar (or even if you aren’t) and you want a special remembrance of your visit, please stop by Wednesday night and get one from Raymond Crawford! Yes he will be here and we will be selling this canvas with a stitch guide by me and a hot dog magnet.

I got to taste one of these culinary sensations at the Cubs game the other day!

I have been getting orders for these from lots of my stitching buddies…don’t miss out on yours.

How will you be able to spot Raymond? well check out these t-shirts that I found for us to wear… and yes I will have one on too!

and until next time…keep on stitching

I am chanelling my best Frank Sinatra as in my mind I can hear him croon Chicago…My Kind of Town!

I’ve never been to Chicago, well except in the airport and I plan to take in as much of the city that I can. A Cubs game on Saturday, sightseeing and a train ride to Geneva on Sunday so I can visit Designers Desk, the shops, the restaurants and of course I have to experience a real Chicago dog too! and that’s all before my class starts on Monday.

Photobombing by AlleyCat, canvas by Raymond Crawford and finishing by Cindy of Needlepoint Plus of Oregon, stitching and stitch guide by me. So if you are headed to ANG Seminar and would love this awesome memento of your seminar experience, come visit us Wednesday night at merchandise night or is it Expo night? Canvas, stitch guide and a really cute hot dog magnet could be yours!

I am taking my laptop with me, but not sure how much blogging I can do while I’m there. There isn’t WiFi in the rooms, you need to go to the lobby…which from experienece I need to do around 5AM and when you have roommates, its not the most hospitable thing to do!

Somebody has made herself comfy and sorry AlleyCat, you will need to stay home!

and until next time…keep on stitching

A Chicago Style Hot Dog is more than just a dog, it’s a taste sensation with the perfect blend of toppings of yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickles spear or slice, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt served in the all important poppy seed bun!

The toppings are just as important as the order that that they are applied to the hot dog. Yellow mustard-bright green relish-fresh chopped onions-not one, but two tomato wedges-pickle-sport peppers-and a dash of celery salt.

Remember a true Chicago Style Hot Dog never has ketchup!

Now…where can you get one of these Hot Dogs? Well in Chicago of course! At the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar being held in Chicago… Wednesday night. Raymond Crawford, (well this is his design) and I will be there selling these canvases. Make sure you don’t miss out. Will come with a stitch guide and a little something extra. We already have orders for a few of these.

See you there!

and actually Raymond writes it much better than I! This is his version…

Hurraaay, Hurraay! Step right up to git yo ANG Chiiicaaahgo Dog #needlepoint canvas with hot dog magnet! ONLY at #ANG Expo on Wednesday night beginning at 7 pm Stitch guide by Vicky DeAngelis of San Diego and Hot Dog Magnet by Accoutrements Designs of Florida EXCLUSIVELY for Raymond Crawford Designs. Once the Hot Dog and Magnet sets are gone, THEY ARE GONE forever! Limited number of dogs fresh and hot will be served ONLY at ANG Expo in Chicago by yours truly. See youse guys over by the Expo next week!

Which I am not! but isn’t that the life of a cat? Relaxing all the time? all day long? well today is national relaxation day of which I am not participating in at the moment.

I have knocked a few more things off my must have to do list and the stress level is diminishing. Not gone mind you, but lessening with every day. Threads are coming in from near and far for my class in Dallas, the stitch guide is written and the magazine work for the November/December issue… yes Christmas is 99.99% done!

I am working on other stitch guides and I have some more have to do stitching inbetween packing for Chicago!

But for tonight is a little goofing off as I head out the door for dinner at The Manhattan in La Jolla with Brenda Hart and a whole bunch of stitching buddies! Fun in the summertime for sure!

I am thinking that probably this will be the last posting till just before I leave for Chicago next week…

and for now… keep on stitching

that’s Sylvester in case you didn’t recognize those white whiskers of his!

You will be missed!

wow I grew up with is brilliance, his humor, his charm and his wit. So brilliantly funny, entertaining, so generous, so very generous to the troops and what more can I say? It is such a great loss…and hopefully you are at peace now.

Genie, you’re free…

AlleyCat and Sylvester will never forgive me for missing World Cat Day! Even though I believe that everyday should be spent celebrating cats…

This is so AlleyCat! she doesn’t like to be held, let alone kiss her. OMG what are you thinking Mom? this is so her, pushing away from me with her paws. But she is very loveable in her own way!

This makes me think of AlleyCat and thanks to Palma for sending this to me! as I was saying to her “make up your mind! are you coming in or not?”

Tomorrow a large group of us are spending the day together stitching away in a class with Laura Taylor.

My to-do list getting shorter, but so much to do and only 14 days till I leave for Chicago!

and until next time…keep on stitching

“Today is National Lighthouse Day! On this day in 1789, the United States Congress approved an Act “for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers.” This piece of legislation commissioned the first Federal lighthouse, which was constructed at the entrance of Chesapeake Bay. Two hundred years later, Congress designated August 7th as National Lighthouse Day to commemorate this important moment in history and to celebrate these beautiful structures.

For centuries, lighthouses have served as beacons of light, guiding ships safely to harbor through storms, fog, or dark of night. To celebrate National Lighthouse Day, visit a local lighthouse near you or donate to a lighthouse preservation society.”

There are so many wonderful canvases out there with lighthouses and here’s just a few!

Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego, canvas by Danji Designs…

Port Elizabeth Lighthouse, canvas by DJ Designs…

Port Vincent, also by DJ Designs…

There are so many more lighthouse canvases out there… just go a looking!

I am happy to report that my package of stitching that will be seen in not one, but two upcoming issues of Needlepoint Now finally arrived to its intended destination. Whew!

Okay that’s one deadline down. I finished my next piece that was a cute little and fun stitch that Raymond Crawford will be selling at the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar Expo Night in Chicago. It’s screaming with Raymond’s style and is so Chicago and will come with a special surprise! Okay that’s the second deadline down.

Next one is a little piece that I am stitching and ooh so close…I just need to tweak 1 or 2 of the thread colors and then write the stitch guide. Okay that’s the third deadline. Then its right onto a trio of small canvases that are about 88% finished. That will be the 4th one. Followed up by Mrs. Cat.

So when you don’t see me on my normal blogging schedule…that’s why! and in 15 days I leave for Chicago.

I always have 1 or 2 of these boxes on the floor under the coffee table and I can usually find one of the cats snoozing in them. Sylvester is wondering why I am taking his picture!

and until next time…keep on stitching