My work day started very early yesterday. Yes I know it’s a long commute to work and a tough drive, but really I do wind up working awhole lotta more hours than you would think.

I am a very early riser and I am sure if you caught a glimpse of me on the computer at 5am or so, you would think that I am out of mind! well yes I am, but I am not one to waste time. If I wake up, I get up…well most times.

AlleyCat decided that she was going to lend a helping paw yesterday! She was a good girl as she slept most of the morning on the chair next to me as I worked on the stitch guide for Meet Mrs. Cat.

There is much more stitched than what you see here! Actually she is almost finished excpet for her fur and the witch’s hat…but since its the same as Mr. Cat, I could write the guide now and get back to stitching later.

Note the magnet! made to match the canvas. I love it when the magnet goes with the canvas and now the designers are having them made from the artwork of the canvas. Well actually the magnet is of Mr. Cat, but work with me here!

Well today is Saturday and I am sure you can guess where I am headed. Breakfast at The Cottage and some serious thread shopping and a little retail therapy. Then home to add the final touches to the stitch guide for Mrs. Cat and send it off to Pepperberry Designs. And I need to write one more, but this is a short one and is mostly written, I just need to change a few things since my original idea of what I wanted to do, didn’t look just purrfect. This almost completes my to-do list for the weekend. Then I can stitch away the rest of the weekend, which is the last thing that I needed to do…to make progress on the new snowman piece from Pepperberry Designs.

and until next time…keep on stitching

A new book! by Lynda Richardson of Dream House Ventures that was introduced at the Dallas Market…and quickly sold out! A great new addition to the world of needlepoint books and ooh so different than what is already in your library.

The book is made up of these wonderful life stories… and there are more. You will also find some blank pages where you could pen your own.

What a great gift to one of your stitching friends, where you could use one of these pages to write your own thoughts to that BFF.

The stitches are created for backgrounds, big and not so big by assembling tent stitches in very creative patterns.

A new thread by Vineyard Silk…a strandable Merino wool that likens itself to Medici. It comes in the same colors as does the Vineyard Merino. I have not used it yet, but always  thinking where I could!

New colors in Silk Lamé Braid by Rainbow Gallery. Thank you Sally! They did have other new thread colors, in other lines. some new oranges and so much more. Ask your LNS the next time you are thread shopping.

You know these magents are like potato chips! you just can’t get enough and I sure came home with a BIG handful of ’em. Annie Lane is miniaturizing her canvases on these so that you can match your magnets to your canvas! This one is Danger Lurks and reminds me of one of my cats many years ago that thought my big beautiful asparagus fern was a great nap spot.

Very exciting news! a new website that is being launched that will assemble all in one spot all of those needlepoint events Check it out! It will be great way to find out where your favorite teacher is headed or what retreat will you be going to next? I know that my stitching calendar for 2015 is quickly filling already.

I have 4 projects that are on the must do list this weekend, some stitching and some stitch guides… and one I finished up this morning already! Yes I have been working for a few hours and now its time to go and clean the kitchen, have breakfast and see what those feline kids are up to.

This is so AlleyCat! and until next time…keep on stitching

I’ve lost count of how many canvases that I have stitched and finished this year… wow! But you say, well you haven’t shown many or even any of them?

Well this is just 5 of the 8 or 9 canvases that I stitched for Raymond over the summer! You can find the stitch guide for Raymond Crawford’s Halloween Train or “H Train” in the current issue of Needlepoint Now.

It never gets old seeing your work published! It’s like thinking, wow I have arrived and it really is very thrilling seeing your name in print. So when I know I am stitching something that’s coming out in the magazine, I like to give Elizabeth the respect of letting you see it in the magazine first.

This is what Raymond envisions the display of the “H Train” to be. So the “cahearse” as he likes to call it has been finished (seen on the left)… along with my favorite of the flatbed car (shown in the middle) with a black cat, Swarovski crystals on the candleabra, along with the use of the new threads Silken Straw. Two more of the little standups will be seen in the magazine too! Okay Raymond I need to stitch the house and the pumpkin silo now…right?

You can take a ride on the rest of The “H” Train in an up and coming issue of Needlepoint Now…so stay tuned!

It has been so unbelievably hot in Southern California… I am so over this. I like waking up to cool, crisp mornings, not this 80+ something, which is what it was at 4am! Okay the cats, well specifically Sylvester know that my eyes are opened…and he gets very insistent that I need to get up and serve breakfast, you know I am just starving him! That look, those meows, those paws, that cold nose in your face and so much more makes you give in all too soon. Maybe I will try to take a little catnap now…

and until next time…keep on stitching

or three or four… or more and yes the cats will disown me for sure. But first things first!

In a few weeks I am headed to Boston to Wellesley Needlepoint to have an Annie Lane get together class on Sunday September 28th… We have narrowed it down to a select few and we will brainstorm with stitches, threads and ideas. This is one that someone has selected along with Finding Agnes, Moo Chef, Danger Lurks and more! A few canvases by J & J designs will join in the fun. These are all great canvases and all ones that I would stitch myself if I only had the time.

Did I tell you that I am going to the baseball game too? Friday night Red Sox vs.Yankees. Jeter’s swan song and yes I know that this is not the best year that the Red Sox are having…but I don’t care! It’s baseball, Boston and Fenway. Would could be better than that?

I am going to try and cram in as much touristy stuff that I can do in a day or two. Vistiting with Cindy on Saturday at the shop and class on Sunday. Then headed to Wilton, CT to Enriched Stitch where we are doing the same type of Annie Lane class on Tuesday September 30th. Then Wednesday we are doing Patches by Pepperberry. Back home on Thursday and then I will ready for my next trip…shhh please don’t tell the cats!

Fun! Fun! Fun! and Patches was really a pleasure to stitch. I have done 3 of the little Pepperberry snowmen now, sort of like a family and I am working on a new one now to really complete the family. I have pretty much all of the stitches set and just let me say this “it has lots of beading!” of course I will write the guide so that if you don’t want to bead, there will be options.

at the moment, she is nameless! Class for this one will be at Newport Needlepoint on Friday November 7th. Give a call if you want to join in for class in person or if we can mail you a kit…(949) 650-8022

Sylvester is saying “hey, you are taking me with you this time!”

and until next time…keep on stitching

Remember when I stitched this? An old fashioned bicycle by Alice Peterson… and the star of the show in this one is the River Silks…

well I still have this canvas of hers. They were originally meant to be proposed for classes at TNNA. The designer made them smaller and on 18 mesh just for the class. A fun relaxing piece, but it was not meant to be part of the education program. I still want to stitch it for her…one of these days!

This one has lots and lots of color and it needs something different…and yes you are still wondering, exactly what have I fallen in love with THIS time?

THIS! this Planet Earth Fiber Silk Ribbon! Look at all these lush colors…and yes I really fell in love with this. Am I being fickle?

Thank you to Planet Earth who sent me this great selection of colors for both this piece and to be reviewed for the magazine.

I needed to write my review on this for Needlepoint Now and you know I just need to stitch with it first. I am not going to just say that I love something or that it is wonderful to work with unless I really have stitched with it. I really did just want to just sit down and finish stitching this right then and there! Then I started thinking, what other canvas can I use this ribbon on?

It comes in 4mm, 7mm and 10mm in 5 yard increments and on these great little cards. They thought of the shops and space when they designed this presentation! Comes in solid colors and tonals, which means that the edges are overdyed.

Yes I am fickle and yet in love again.

AlleyCat, what are you doing up there? She kinda knows that she shouldn’t be there as when I asked her this, she meowed back at me!

and until next time…keep on stitching

Exactly where have I been? Well pour a cuppa and I tell you! I had just come back from Chicago and the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar, haven’t even gotten all my pictures from my phone to my computer yet…

and it was time to get ready for Destination Dallas. The fall cash and carry show of the needlepoint industry. Cash and carry you ask? Instead of placing orders, you get to take it home with you! Pay with cash, check or credit card and you get to take it back with you to the shop. I remember the good old days, when the show was in Phoenix, we would burn the midnight oil pricing all the canvases so that they were ready to go as soon as we hit the shop!

I see many shops that are advertising “revealing” parties when they will show off the new goodies. What a brilliant idea! The show was wonderful some new, some oldies but goodies and of course some sale items. Busy! Busy! Busy! It was like Christmas in the hallways with the hustle and bustle of all the shoppers and walking around with arms laden down with precious stash. Many designers had sell outs, sold out or taking orders now only!

This first picture was a new canvas by Lani. Melissa Shirley had new as did Leigh, Raymond, Amanda Lawford and so much more!

A technique class taught by Sundance Designs on Saturday night….

This was my class piece, an Amanda Lawford canvas. You may remember this as originally part of the HP line, much bigger and on 13 mesh. Amanda made it smaller and worked it up on 18 mesh. I loved stitching this and it was just one of the many canvases that I stitched on over the summer when I wasn’t sharing much of what I was working on.

Elizabeth of Needlepoint Now reminded me that the stitch guide is going into Needlepoint Now next year! I had forgotten all about it…so be on the lookout for it. Now I just need to get it to the framers.

Right after my class was dinner at Risé n°1 with about 20 hungry show goers! Missy, our social director assembles a group of us every year, and every year more and more join in. She loves it there so much, so would just be happy going there every night!

This was my entree, a lobster souffle and this was just half of it! I split it with Laura and OMG it was delicious! We were there not only to enjoy a wonderful dinner together, but to help celebrate Cassie’s birthday…well you know Cassie even if you don’t realize it, since she is Sundance Design.

This was her birthday selection, bread pudding souffle. Our table shared 3 different choices including this one, Key Lime and blueberry, all which were amazing.

Now you are still wondering where I’ve been? well my router in my house decided that it didn’t want to work anymore, so I couldn’t sign on with my laptop and it just gets more complicated after that. But I am back now! I have lots of stories and adventures yet to share with you.

I remembered in my heart and thoughts that yesterday was 9.11… and yet another reason to mark the sad day, as one more special person enters that wonderful needlepoint place where Beth has saved a spot for her. Margot, one of the owners of It’s A Stitch moved on to a better place. I was able to get to know Margot and her shop partner Linda as we were in the same class at last years Blue Bonnet retreat. I remember exactly what Margot (and Linda too!) were working on. My sympathies to you Linda and all of Margot’s friends and family;( you will be missed.

Just in case you were missing the kids, here they are…Sylvester & AlleyCat on the couch and actually touching! This rarely happens, so maybe AlleyCat is softening up in her old age.

It is supposed to be very hot, hot, hot this weekend as in the triple digits. Oh well and until next time…keep on stitching

Shortly after I published the blog to honor Beth’s memory, my router that controls internet and WiFi in my house decided that it wasn’t going to work anymore…

It’s been a tough week between thinking of Beth and not being really connected. It’s not the same on your phone or using your iPad, especially since my data plan with my selected phone service is like using a dial-up account…so that’s why I haven’t been around.

Earlier this week found me getting ready for my class in Destination Dallas. Checking my threads and packaging them up. Actually no cats were arround to help su~purr~vise!

Final proofing and printing of the stitch guides. I was gabbing away with my BFF Missy as I thought they were ready and I hit print! only to quickly realize after the final page had printed that I had forgotten to include the Van Dyke stitch! Better that I catch it now than in class… and then as I was placing the guides in the bags, I realized that I omitted the canvas designers name to the cover page. OMG, what is with me?

This was the final preparations yesterday afternoon as I assembled the stretcher bars and stapled the canvases on. The classes are only 90 minutes after shopping is over and before the banquet starts, so time is short and sweet…

Tibetian Prince, canvas by Amanda Lawford which was an absolute pleasure to stitch! Short and sweet and will fit nicely into a black lacquer box with a 5″ x 5″ opening.

Right after class, a group of about 20 of us ventured out for dinner to Rise, a fabulous souffle restaurant in Dallas where we celebrated Cassie’s birthday. This was the bread pudding, which is one of my favorites. If you are ever in the Dallas area in the Love Field area, you really should try this place. You won’t be dissapointed!

and until next time…keep on stitching

A dear friend of mine, well I should say a dear friend of ours, a friend of the needlework family accepted a lifetime membership to a special needlepoint shop. She didn’t especially want to join and of course we didn’t want her to go so soon.

But this needlepoint shop is a place where you always have your scissors, never loose your needles, all the stitches lay perfectly, you never run out of threads, your selection of stitches always works perfectly and you never have to say “where did I put that darn laying tool?!” There are plenty of canvases available and everything else that you could need to stitch.

Beth Robertson, of the Fabulous Four fame is the one that left us all too suddenly. Here in this picture, you can see her sharing her brilliance with Pat in a Fab Four class at seminar. Pat, was this Columbus? you were working on that Japanese Rooster from Barbara Russell’s line. The one with that amazing needle weaving that Tony gave you and the one when you asked “why oh why did you give me this background stitch yet AGAIN?”

For you who don’t know Beth or know her that well, I would like to share some more pictures. She was funny in a dry humor sense of way, a great laugh, cranky at times… well can’t we all be that way? and so smart!

Beth is in the pink… well I guess they are all in the pink! She is to the far left standing up. I believe that this was probably role call before class started at seminar a few years ago.

Here Beth, Tony and Suzanne were helping Meredith set up her booth at the summer trade show in Columbus 2013. Hey where’s Meredith?

oh maybe she’s there now!

I’ve always loved this picture as it just shows how much that these 4 share… here they are teaching each other a stitch!

Beth is in the purple as Meredith explains the techniques used in this piece.

She was sitting at our table as of course I was listening while stitching.

To Meredith, Tony and Suzanne…my deepest heartfelt sympathies. And to your family Beth and of course Rayne and Rudie, your canine kids.

and to Beth, I will especially treasure my last class that I took with you just a few short months ago… the early morning breakfast every day, the mid-afternoon latte’s and of course laughs at dinner and conversation.

Thank you Beth, thank you for the mark that you left on the needlepoint world, our hearts and especially your friendship…you will be missed more than you will know;(

ooh and this is definitely NOT one of my better pictures! but I had to have it and it’s a Mindy… what more can I say? I’ve already measured to see what size stretcher bars to dig out and I know that I will use lots of Kreinik and beads! But after that, that’s it! and I won’t be starting this till next year anyway… am I out of control or what? I promise a better picture when I have a chance.

Now tell me you could be in that room with all of this wonderful needlepoint stuff at Expo! Night during seminar and not buy anything? I am sure that your LNS would be happy to order this for you from Mindy! It canvas #2368, needs 14″ x 14″ bars and is on 18 mesh.

Suzanne was making sure that I knew who she was!

and there’s Suzanne again with Tony in the back. They were helping Meredith… now where is she anyway?

Another new canvas by Mindy and I think Elizabeth had to have this one! See I wasn’t the only one?!

Dixie was shopping with Janet Casey before the crowds hit!

Lets see what where the kids up to today while I was working away?!

Something caught AlleyCat’s eye!

and until next time…keep on stitching

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