We’re here in Anaheim, CA at the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar which is being held at a gorgeous Hyatt…where you can see that they have rolled out the welcome mat for us!

Of course there always needs to be some stash enhancement at the shop that is set up for us just a few steps from our classroom!

Looking for just that special magnet for my canvas. Decisons! decisons! which one do I want?

I really am not doing any sight seeing this seminar, since I sorta kinda know this area. One of the tours that departed today was off to San Juan Capistrano…and I wonder if they spotted any swallows? Now if the Angels were in town (baseball that is) I am sure that I would have been off to a game, but looks like that’s not going to happen.

I am in a 4 day class with Debbie Steihler “Imari Collage.” It is a wonderful piece with lots of great stitches inlcuding laid filling, Or Nué, bamboo beads and a 5 yen Japanese coin.

We are stitching with hand-dyedfibers from Vicki Clayton. Wonderful threads! The put ups are on these darling little spools and our kits were assembled with so much TLC. All the spools are placed in little bags with the corner split so that you can pull the thread right out. Oh that teacher of ours is so clever!

I am enjoying my class so much. Debbie is a wonderful teacher and I am sitting next to Elizabeth and Pat and Debbie (another one) and Kristen and Denny and well you get the idea!

Today is day 2 of class and this morning we will be working on the section of Or Nué. The exhibit opens today (where I can take NO pictures) and the opening banquet tonight. A busy day for sure and until next time…keep on stitching

I’m off! I’m off for a very important date! I am so excited and can’t wait for all the festivities to start at the ANG Seminar…and I am missing market. First one in a very long time.

It seems that Sylvester has other ideas. I was packing up my threads for the 4th of July March that we are working on for Needlepoint Now. Can I tell you that the new issue is at the printers? and just like you I anxiously await seeing that in my mailbox very soon. The 2nd part of the stitchguide for the 4th of July March will be in there as we now work on part 3….okay I digress

Just a little more packing to do, a quick shower as why waste allot of time and water? pack up the car, stop for gas and a Starbucks and on the road. It is a 90 mile drive for me and being after morning rush hour, it should be a pretty smooth drive. It is a beautiful morning in Southern California, blue skies and purr~fect temperatures!

AlleyCat just loves her little egg crate! and actually she got a new one this morning to tide her over till I come home. Not to worry… Rose, the cat nanny will be here to take good care of you kids.

Seminar doesn’t really start till Saturday! and until next time…keep on stitching

I went to my ANG meeting last night and this is what I saw. I’m in love yet again! This is not fair…

San Diego (CA) ANG is excited to announce a workshop by Margaret Bendig, called East Meets Southwest on 27 & 28 October 2013. The design is stunning and pictures simply do not do this stitched design justice. There are many laid and composite stitches that fully cover the 18 count canvas. The background is a subtle cream colored bamboo design that enhances the kimono perfectly. Margaret is offering 2 color choices, Turquoise/Copper or Sage Green/Copper/Cream. The workshop registration fee includes canvas, stitch guide, full skeins of silks and metallics, color photo, and 2 days of instruction. Ghost stitchers are welcome. The registration deadline is September 14, 2013.

The registration flyer and color photo are available at our website www.sdang.org. Please contact us if you have additional questions or need more information at workshop@sdang.org

The pictures do not do it justice. It is really absolutely breathtaking in person! and what am I thinking? By the time that this class starts, I will have just begun stitching on 2 new large projects from seminar et al and be in a stitching frenzy for the 2014 Winter TNNA Market held here in San Diego…again I will say, what am I thinking? Ooh, help me I have no will power.

I came across the cartoon last week and it brought back purr~fect memories of Felix. He loved, loved, loved sleeping on top of the tv and also riding around on my shoulder! In his aging years, he couldn’t jump up that high anymore so I would help him. As big as he was he would never have been able to fit on top now…I still miss you buddy.

and until next time…keep on stitching

I am thinking…since I have not been doing much stitching as I ready for my excursions, have nothing new to share in the way of canvases, threads, bags and toys…and to spare you the boredom of going on ad naseuam about seminar and Fab 4 class, I think that the blog and I will just take the week off. See you from the ANG seminar…soon!

I swear! I kid you not! even though I did not stitch yesterday, I swear, I promise it’s coming soon. First today I am headed for a little thread enhancement as Susan made a change for us in the threads for the 4th of July March. I also need to look at some threads for another magazine project. Even if you have started stitching it already, it won’t affect you as it is in part 3….so I am the designated thread shopper for the rest of the group. After all I will be seeing all of them soon. You know it’s a tough job that thread shopping, but someone’s gotta do it, don’t you think?

I do have homework, self imposed no less on the 4th of July March as I divided up this last section among us. Ooh that reminds me I never heard from Pat which section she is going to stitch on! Knowing Pat she is probably just going to stitch all of it!

I am going back to see Susan Portra again on Tuesday and will go over again the hair for the flag bearer on the March. I want to get it just right so I make sure my explanation is as clear as can be.

I spent the weekend on the computer most of the time working on the November/December issue of Needlepoint Now. I am really trying to get as much done as possible so that I will really enjoy my vacation!

Okay so I start off with seminar arriving next Thursday…OMG  is that time already? class for 4 days starting on Saturday and then and then… we head out for our next excursion. A road trip to Aristea on the way to The Fab Four class at A Stitch in Time in San Marino, CA

You remember these guys? Tony, Suzanne, Beth and Meredith. The Fabulous 4 and they sure are all that and more. Doug Krienik is standing in the middle in this picture, but he won’t be coming. Wish he was, but he’s not!

Here is my canvas and I can’t wait to see the magic that they work on it! and then I will have plenty to write about!

AlleyCat is being a funny girl thinking that she fits! and until next time…keep on stitching

But I am ready to start packing! I think that Sylvester has other ideas. The stitching suitcase came out and always comes out first…see where my priorities are? Stretcher bars, tape, staple gun with extra staples will start my packing off. Or whenever I can get his royalness to move. My stitching light, frame weight, probably a snap tray, a book, maybe even a hammer and a few other odds and ends will start getting thrown in the bag. My tea bags to make iced tea and hmmm, maybe I better make a list.

I have been in a stitching funk these days, and really haven’t been doing much stitching at all…so I am using my time to get my work started for the November/December issue of Needlepoint Now. Doing some projects around the house and I really want to organize I mean really organize my threads. See I am not one that wastes time as to me every moment is precious. I very rarely ever sit and do absolutely nothing!

I am looking for the thread that I used on the sand in the NeedleDeeva Thanksgiving Set. I know the ThreadworX number, I probably can even tell you the name, but where it is I have no idea! See I am very good with organizing my Kreinik, tubes of beads and cards of Rainbow Gallery threads, but those odd ball threads…well it could be anywhere! That’s when I tell myself that it is easier to buy another skein then wasting time looking for it. The problem is now I have looked in 3 shops and no one had it. I did buy some Gentle Arts threads, which will work just fine, well you get the idea!

I am looking forward to seminar, but then on the other hand I am going to miss the Fall TNNA Market in St. Charles, which is scheduled for the same weekend. The nerve of them not checking with me first! This will be the first market that I will miss in about 7 years…wow that will feel strange. So like the rest of you I will rely on everybody’s Facebook postings, the shops websites and blogs and all that stuff. Yes I too long to see the brand new stuff fresh off the artist’s table. Raymond has a new series of Robot and Rockets that are just as cute as can be! Leigh is working on new Halloween series, Maggie and Ewe and Eye have already been teasing us with new pieces, Melissa Shirley has her new Halloween basket and I am sure there will be more new stuff coming!

Okay it’s time to think about a little more packing, but AlleyCat has different ideas. and until next time…keep on stitching

I’m in countdown mode! you know like a kid at Christmas waiting, waiting, waiting! From the day that your magazine arrives with the class choices, to the day that you send in your class wishes, to the day “that letter” gets here to say what class you got, the anticipation builds. And the anticipation continues!

Two weeks from today I will be sitting in class at the ANG, the American Needlepoint Guild Seminar in Anaheim, CA! It really is a long trip for me and am not sure that I can handle it. Seriously I am only kidding! as it will probably be all of 90 minute drive for me. See in Southern California we talk time, not miles.

I have been going to seminar since 1997 when my first one was in Memphis at The Peabody Hotel with the Peabody ducks. And was immediately if not sooner hooked on the whole experience! I have only missed 2 since then when work got in the way…you know the nerve of work.

So what class am I taking? This Imari Collage Sampler, the 2nd one in the series by Debbie Steihler. I have never taken class with Debbie and I am so looking forward to it. I hear she is an absolutely wonderful teacher and at the same time so very entertaining and downright funny! I know working with her on projects for Needlepoint Now, she sure was a dream…so let me repeat myself I am really looking forward to my class.

Though, it is a break from my comfort zone of a painted canvas as I venture into charted work on Congress cloth no less! Or Nué, Silks, composite stitches are all music to my ears, so I am sure I will be fine. Plus I will be in class with Elizabeth and Pat and Kristen and Debbie! We have already apologized to Ms Steihler ahead of time, you know just in case.

Seminar is the whole experience of soothing the stitching soul and all other parts. Being with special friends… Elizabeth, Pat, Donna, Debbie, Kristen, Sue, Nancy, Dale, Brenda (and shhh, that is THE Brenda Hart!) running into old friends and faces, the events, the exhibit, the auction, the sightseeing, the opening and closing banquets, the shop and bookstore. Making new friends, learning new stitches and techniques, stash enhancement and so much more!

Yes Dale, I do read your blog too and by the way can’t wait to see you! Lets talk about spell check and I want to apologize NOW about my spelling…see when I press the spell check button on my blog, it doesn’t do its job anymore as it is always telling me “No spelling errors found” comeon, lets get real…I know that I am not that purr~fect that day after day no spelling errors. Well that’s where the problem of the blog taking its vacation as when we, well I mean Laura installed the upgrade, that’s where the problems arose. The upgrade was uninstalled and everything was just fine. But no spell check. So I am thinking that if I copy paste everything into a Word document, spell check and then correct. So in the meantime if you see any spelling errors, I apologize now.

Okay back to seminar…that is the first part of my vacation and stay tuned for what’s coming up right after that!

AlleyCat was bird watching yesterday. You do realize that the chair is there just for the cats and they do share it with me from time to time!

The greens are not so green on parts of the golf course these days. Water is a precious resource and especially more so since we had so little rain this last year.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Well Mooch has the right idea…absolutely nothing! I just love his attitude, don’t you?

Some of us are still working, some of us don’t get a vacation and some of us don’t even take a vacation at all! I see back to school sales already for notebooks, backpacks and clothes shopping in the malls and outlet stores and I just want to say, where the heck did this year go to already? A dear friend of mine is leaving for the Outer Banks this weekend and mine comes up in a few weeks! Stay tuned as I am in countdown mode…

I think a vacation in what ever form is a wonderful idea. It gives your body and soul a chance to rest and rejuvenate. Even my blog took a vacation! You come back to work all fresh and with batteries recharged. I remembered when I worked at the restaurant, I would take a mini vaca of about 5 days and stay in, not to budge to see the outside and have my own little stitchathon! Lots of food and drink was stocked up before that and I would just have a grand time as I stitched my fingers to the bone.

So actually my vacation lately has been stitching on what I want to stitch on and not what I should be stitching on! I have these 3 ornaments that I picked up at Needlepoint of La Jolla during their Christmas in July sale. The purple and green ones are from Susan Roberts and this is the one of the rare occassions when I stitch the background first! Boy was the color matching a tough job. For the green one I went from Splendor to Soie d’Alger back to Splendor to Needlepoint Inc. Silk…well afterall I am a silk snob! but you know what the purr~fect green color was? DMC floss! yes floss! Now the purple one was even a bigger challenge as I went through every purple thread known to us. What did I finally settle on? and older Splendor in my stash, since the newer dyelots had gotten too red and it wasn’t rich enough of a color. I just didn’t like what I was finding, period. And whew did I breathe a sigh of relief as…I had just enough thread left on that card with so little to spare!

I wanted to stitch the backgrounds on these ornaments first for 2 reasons…I will be doing some beading in the center and that is easier in this instance to stitch the background first. The second reason is I haven’t been stitching much, so the zen of stitching basketweave would get me back to my regular stitching.

The Noel ornament is a Patti Mann canvas and even though I stitched this years ago and all in Kreinik, now I want to do it all in beads!

you think I will be able to find the colors that I need?

Even AlleyCat was in the stitchy mood! and until next time…keep on stitching

It’s World Cat Day. Actually in my opinion, every day should be a day to celebrate our cats!

My blog is behaving so far, knock on wood and found out that I only have possible problems when I either turn off my computer or reboot it as that is when my IP address changes. Go figure! So for now, I am not doing either, but eventually I will need to turn off the Mac…so sooner or later I will need to upgrade my service. oh well, I am not going to worry about that now.

Speaking of cats…have you seen this new canvas by Melissa Shirley? OMG I’m in love! I texted a friend right after Melissa showed it to us on Facebook saying just that and I think that curiousity sure got the cat! or should I say her, as there was a very quick answer.

I don’t know how Melissa snuck AlleyCat out of the house so that she could model for this canvas?! I have ideas in my head already how to do the cat, how to do the word Boo and ooh so much more! I think that I was the first one on the phone this morning ordering this canvas.

Speaking of AlleyCay she was quite the busy body today!

She thought she wanted to go outside as she ran out the door talking to me all the way.

Then she realized that she really didn’t want to be out here after all! Hurry up, hurry up, let me back inside, she meows. Well you were the one that thought you wanted to be outside!

I know there’s a bird there! I know there’s a bird, why can’t I get it?

and until next time…keep on stitching

Okay so now that I have your attention…I don’t have a clue as to what I want to gab about. Usually I have an idea, usually I have an inkling maybe even several days ahead and I have things mapped out in my mind or even written in the computer and my pictures ready.

But today or should I say right now, I don’t know! I am being challenged lately by an IP address that keeps on changing and when it does decide to move I can’t get to the blog. I have to yell help! Laura can you fix me please, pretty please?! After about 4 hours of Laura trying different things and fortified with plenty of adult beverages, she worked her magic and I was finally able to access my very own blog, so hence the reason why I am doing it right now! Cause you never know when I am up at 0dark30 to share my thoughts…well I think you get the idea!

Last we left each other the other day… I was thinking of Christmas in July and saying to myself that I haven’t done too much stitching for this years decorating. I better get busy, so why not a little stash enhancement, some retail therapy? Well, why not?

The Noel canvas is from Patti Mann and many years ago I stitched this all in Kreinik, but now my idea is to bead it! Well not the background, but the word. The other 2 canvases are by Susan Roberts and I will work the background in basketweave and then do some beading surrounded with Jessica’s to finish it off! What do you think?

These 2 look like they are having fun! You know these 2 right? That would be Meredith and Tony and this was a picture from the Summer TNNA Market at Columbus. This reminds me that it is 28 days and counting till we arrive at A Stitch in Time with the Fab 4!

This is my canvas that I will be working on. Red Orchid by Kirk & Bradley. I sorta kinda tried to change my canvas at the end…but Meredith wouldn’t let me! Well we did pick this out together at the Winter Market and when she got wind of me maybe changing it, she said “I’m not letting you change your mind!”

I know lots of people that are taking this class! Elizabeth and Pat and Chris and Joanne and Nancy and Kristine and Maryellen and Bam (lovingly knicknamed Bamalama by Meredith!) and Lulu and so many more that I probably forgot to mention. Did I tell you that I am going to seminar before the Fab 4? yes I am shameless and out of my mind!

My work for the September/October issue is wrapped up and for me all that’s left is the proofing and then it will be time to start on November/December issue. Wait till you see the cover! and wait to you see the wonderful projects including part 2 of the 4th of July March.

My plans for the weekend are to finish up a few stitch guides of my own, a baseball game is coming up on Sunday, a little thread shopping on Saturday and some serious stitching time all weekend. If you don’t see a new blog from me, just know that everything is fine and it is just the technology is misbehaving!

AlleyCat is being such lady! and until next time…keep on stitching