I have been lucky enough to have much of my stitching published in Needlepoint Now.. but this was the first time I am on the front cover! I am just a little bit over the moon about it. I am thrilled with the way the cover came out and as Elizabeth says “this is my best cover ever!” but I think that she/we say that with every new cover shot. But this one is…really!

The canvas came home with me right after the Winter Market in January and I started on it shortly there after. I begin with the simplest, easiest areas that I know what I select is right on the money!

After picking out some threads to begin with, I outlined the dog first in tent stitch..well that’s kinda easy, no? I went to the sand next, which I realize now that I never took any pictures of that area of stitching. Then the canvas took a few trips with me to Austin and then Atlanta as I tweaked some threads.

Stitching went rather seamlessly with little reverse stitches, except for the sky. I originally started out with 2 strands for the small swirl stitch, but realized that I didn’t like it…so I went to a single strand.

Can you see the swimming fish in the ocean? well Cindy (who is the distributor of Annie Lane canvases) requested some fish in the ocean…so I obliged!

I used Painters Thread Ric-Rac for the where the ocean met the sky. It was really very easy to applique that onto the canvas and gave me the look that I wanted!

Working on the bucket…

Buttons for the eyes and a starfish charm for the bucket finishes him off. A fun, fun, fun canvas to stitch, even though it is a D-O-G! You know isn’t that what needlepoint’s all about…having fun, enjoying what you are doing and loving the piece that you are stitching on? Life is way too short to stitch what you don’t like!

AlleyCat, its really not that cold out!

and until next time…keep on stitching

I guess you could say I had a little insider information! See I stitched this piece for the magazine with the publication in the July/August issue of Needlepoint Now.

We have this beautiful window at the shop and I love, love, love doing the windows! Did I say love? well I really do…a few hours to transform an area into something pleasing to the eyes. There is a lot of foot traffic that passes by the shop, so what a great way to catch their attention!

Being that I had this “insider info,” I ordered a few Finding Agnes canvases with the matching magnets…well what you were thinking? Then I started shopping for “stuff” to make a beachy window. I did dig through my storage unit not once, but twice as I looked for stuff I had before and found what I was looking for!

You can see as I progress along with the window… realizing that I needed to move that straw bag as it wasn’t working where it was!

Pleased with it so far! Just need to pull the threads called for in the stitch guide that is in the magazine…

Now we just need the magazine to come in…maybe today! and oh BTW can I tell you how thrilled I am with the way that the cover of the magazine came out?!

I guess you could call this a shameless plug, but if you just gotta have this canvas, magnet and threads…just give the Needle Nook of La Jolla a call @ 800-685-1711 or e-mail us [email protected]

It was a real joy stitching this canvas, no reverse stitching, no this, no that, just sheer pleasure in stitching…oh did I tell you that I named the dog? He is “famous” Amos and he did find Agnes the Crab. Why Amos? when I taught last year for Cindy Matthews at Wellesley Needlepoint, which is the distributor for these canvas, Cindy’s dog at the shop is Amos and they look like each other.

To my cats …please forgive me for stitching a D-O-G!

and until next time…keep on stitching

We are only a few days into summer and already I am thinking of snow and cooler weather! Well, no not really as it has not yet heated up in San Diego, but in other parts of the US, I hear it’s been hot! hot! hot!

So keep cool and stitch snow as I collect these new canvases from the summer market. The first picture of the pile of snowmen is by Labors of Love.

this canvas is by Machelle Sumervile…

Santa Puppies by Pepperberry…

Even though this Gingerbread House canvas by Pepperberry is not new, the finishing is! Check this out by Mountain Shadow Studio. I love this so much that I want to stitch one for myself…

This canvas is by the collection and check out that racoon hat…too cute! I really want to stitch something where I actually knit a scarf and this might be the one, what do you think?

in case you don’t recognize that tail, it belongs to AlleyCat…that silly girl.

Brenda Hart is in town this weekend and teaching for 4 days at the shop…talking about things heating up!

and until next time…keep on stitching

I love my Mutts and I just had to share this one with you!

I had a great first day of summer…how about you? I was up and out very early as I went digging around in my storage unit before it got to warm. I was looking for some props that I knew that I had from before from when I decorated the windows at the shop “beachy.” I didn’t want to spend more $$$ if I could find them, which I did, so I am a very happy camper. I love doing the windows and this one will feature the newest Needlepoint Now that will be mailed soon! soon! soon!

Then it was the market, Traders Joe’s, Costco and a haircut and was home by 11am and in time to get lots of work done…laundry, reviews for the magazine and stitch guides.

so I know that you are all waiting for the winner of Jo’s 3rd book and drum role please… and the Google random generator picked out #5, Joan… from numbers 1-14. I wish that I had a book for everyone! Thanks to all for your great comments.

is this life imitating art? or art imitating life?

and until next time…keep on stitching

A new canvas by Raymond Crawford fresh off the painting table! Doesn’t this just scream summer? all of my favorite things, ice cream, watermelon, margaritas, boating, flip-flops and sunshine! Of cours we need a little patriotic touch with the red, white and blue.

The summer solstice begins at 12:38pm on Sunday June 21rst, with lots more hours of sunlight for stitching and baseball. I love summertime, how about you?

A new canvas from market by Pepperberry Designs. I would love, love, love to stitch this one! By lately my stitching time has been greatly diminished…hopefully in a few weeks I can back to my regular schedule. I was in withdrawals for a little while, since my favorite stitching light was under the weather…but thanks to Mr. Bob (who was volunteered by Nancy) I am back in business. I thank you very much!

and the winner of the book? now that I have your attention? Monday! Monday!

Sylvester are we boring you?

and until next time…keep on stitching

I finally did get my preview copy from the published for being in Jo’s book! and I thank you for my book. I always love getting something in the mail or from those that wear those brown shorts…how about you?

Well since I have already purchased my book and I really don’t need two of them, I thought that we would gift it to one of you. So if you leave us a note, it can be to me or to the cats, I will do a drawing for it by the end of the month or when the comments totally taper off. It will be great summer reading, which BTW is right around the corner!

Was I getting the cold shoulder or what?

Good luck to all! and until next time…keep on stitching

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America’s birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885… read more about it here.

This amazing canvas is a design by the collection! I am sure that your LNS would be happy to order it for you.

This is opening day at Petco Park 2015 as the flag is unfurled… I have seen this ceremony many times and it never gets old!

I am looking foward to June gloom going away. June gloom is the marine layer that is with us every morning and then burns off to blue sunny skies by noonish nornally. The only thing is it has NOT been burning off and it is cloudy and dreary and gloomy all day long and it has been that way for days or is it weeks now? I am tired of it and I want to see sunshine and blue skies!

I haven’t been stitching much these last few weeks and that really needs to change soon. My fingers are itching to pick up a needle and loose myself in my threads and canvas. I still have lots more pictures of stuff from market to share with you…soon! soon!

and until next time…keep on stitching

Fleur de Paris, representing Sandra Gilmore, dede, Trubbey, Sharon G and Machelle Summerville…added another talented artist to its family. Curtis Boehringer and he was there at the TNNA summer market to introduce himself and his new line!

I am sure you have seen his Santas, snowmen and angels out and about. Needlepoint Now had featured 2-3 of his designs over the last few years. Curtis has a memorable design style and I was soon to find out that his personality was just as memorable!

These last 2 were the hits of his show! Deciding which one you want to stitch could be tough.

Meeting Curtis was like finding your long last friend as he made you feel like you’ve known him forever! Look for his canvases in your local needlepoint shop.

Well as you can tell my crack webmaster was able to get me back up and running. Thank you LZ! and also thanks to the host server, which is where the blog lives for your help.

I was able to make my deadlines…well for this week anyway! The stitched piece came off the bars and headed to the finishers, stitch guide written and next I just have a few little pieces to start working on. But for now it’s off to work and with a baseball game tonight against those dreaded Dodgers!

Is AlleyCat looking at a picture of herself? anyhow, how am I supposed to get any work done young lady?

and until next time…keep on stitching

Well the blog is misbehaving today! I imported ALL the pictures to my laptop from market through the last few nights when I wasn’t able to sleep…but now I can’t get not a one to the blog. Not even one of the cats! OMG! what am I to do? well I have to wait for my crack webmaster to take a look see.

So this is as good a time to tell you a little secret. For those of you who knew me way back when, I used to work at The NeedleNook of La Jolla…for years and years and years. I started out stitching for them, then working 1 day a week while I still wore my chef’s jacket and then eventually gave that up and turned to full time at the shop.

Things happen and things evolve and I moved on. For the last 5 years or so I tested the waters as an independent contractor doing lots of things and that’s when mostly needlepoint blog started… My secret is that I am now back home at The NeedleNook of La Jolla and even though I will still continue to write the blog, it might not quite as often. I have been back there for a few months by now and at times, it has been challenging to keep up! and yes I will still continue to work for Needlepoint Now… as I could never leave Elizabeth.

It’s all good… and now to finish up my deadline for the magazine and get it in the mail!

Have forgotten that it was Hug Your Cat day the other day!? I sure hope that the kids forgive me!

AlleyCat doesn’t really like to be hugged…she is like a little kid that pushes you away with her paws. She is very loveable, but solely on her own terms. Now Sylvester is a different story!

Very short and sweet today as I up against some serious deadlines, the house is a mess, the plants need to be watered and I still haven’t totally unpacked yet! so I will see you in a few days.

and until next time…keep on stitching