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

I’m back from Dallas and as I glance at the calendar on my Mac…it’s May 1rst! May Day is an ancient Northern hemisphere spring festival and a traditional spring holiday in many cultures. Don’t you remember the crown of flowers that we would wear as kids? I just couldn’t resist this picture!

Okay it’s May 1rst and as I listen to the morning news, I hear talk of snows in parts of Colorado and points north. Mother nature, have you looked at the calendar lately?

This is a new canvas by Alice Peterson and I just love it! A small canvas that is about 8 x 8. I am selecting this as one of my favorites from the show and would love to stitch it! It was also painted in another colorway, but that picture of course was very blurry and not acceptable to me for prime time publication.

I am still thinking flowers as I am in the May day mood! These 2 orchid canvases are also Alice Peterson canvases…

Wouldn’t these make a great pair? finished as co~ordinating pillows, framed together or framed individually. Smaller canvases too!

Dallas was wonderful and as always had a marvelous trip. It is great seeing everybody, renewing friendships and creating new ones. The new canvases, the creative juices flowing, the sharing of ideas, the new threads, bags and accessories and ooh so much more! It is always sad to break down and say goodbye…but I was missing the kids and was wondering what mischief they were getting into.

Last I left AlleyCat, this is what she was getting into. She never ever does that and everything was getting a proper catscan!

I remembered to stash this kitty away and no I still haven’t gotten around to re-felting it!

Sylvester looked like he was ready to jump in my suitcase and come along with me. and until next time…keep on stitching

Even though my trip is short and sweet…I had lots of stuff to pack. But first I needed 1-800-move a cat or 2! I need to pack! Move the cats out of the way…

move the cats out of the way…oooh did I say that already? or maybe I could take them along with me!

and then I need to get this all in my other suitcase. Stitch guides, models, stretcher bars, hammer, staple gun, staples, threads and so much more! Do you think that there will be room for the cats too?

My flight is in a few hours away and I will see you next time from Dallas. and until next time…keep on stitching

I am getting ready to head to the big D late tomorrow and am taking this other little birdie along with me! I experimented a bit with the feathers as I wanted them “poofier”…is that a word? Well I wanted them fuller in the front, so I used no couching stitches on them, only tacked them down in the back.

I usually always pick very early morning flights, so not sure what I was thinking when I selected this afternoon flight tomorrow. To meet up with the Deeva herself and all the NeedleDeeva canvases. Please come see us in Room 503. We will be there with bells on! Lots of new designs… Halloween designs and some special sale items. Come early and get ’em while they’re still in stock. Everybody loves a sale!

To market, to market I go to buy canvases, threads, books, new toys and more canvases, bags, more threads…well you get the idea.

There is one more bird that I am working on too, the one with the sunflower wing. I am still in the pursuit of the purr~fect feathers for her tail.

The yellow ones that I already have, the ones that came in the multicolored bag of feathers, sort of look soiled to me so I need to find others. Maybe some black ones, or elegant yellow or orange.

The canvases are ready for their travels as are 99% of everything else. I am still waiting for a delivery of a few more threads…which showed up late last night! What a sigh of relief and I will check them off and make sure everything is okay or I might be thread shopping!

AlleyCat was hard at work supervising the orchid watering detail. and until next time…keep on stitching

You know every once one in awhile you get that canvas that just really sets your heart a pitter~patter. The stitches really work, the colors are purr~fect and each and every stitch that you lay in just excites you. You just can’t put it down and you want to keep on stitching. Housework is neglected and others things that should be done are just tossed by the way side as you think…”tomorrow is another day!”

Have you ever had a canvas like that? Well this is that one for me. Bastet, a canvas by Tapestry Fair, a canvas that I instantly absolutely fell in love with head over heels from the moment my eyes first saw it. This canvas is the mystery class that Ruth just finished with at her shop, Bedecked and Beadazzled.

I am working on the background around the stylized lotus blossoms in this shot. I am thinking that I will stitch the orange circles first before I move on with the finishing the background. I am leaning towards to not adding the fill stitch within the hexagon shape and leaving it just as is.

I again attempted the purple double woven plait and again struggled with it. So out it came and tried just a woven plait, but it covered too much of the canvas. Didn’t like it and out it came. I understood why this stitch was selected as it offered a direction whether it be straight up and down or side to side. So I told myself, suck it up, put your big girl panties on and deal with it!

So I guess that the 3rd time was the charm! I must admit that I will make some changes as I travel through this stitch guide from the mystery class. After all I did spend 5 days with the Fab Four on this canvas, so I plan on taking the best of both worlds and making it my very own special piece.

So now sadly I must say I need to put this canvas away for awhile as it is time to get my final things ready for Dallas. Print stitch guides, check, check and double check that I have everything that I need and hope that nothing is forgotten! Ooh then yes I need to worry about my clothes too…see as with all needlepointers, the needlepoint stuff gets packed first and the clothes are secondary.

My sister gave me this kitty planter for my birthday and I have been looking for just the right plant for it ever since. A little retail therapy the other day resulted in a few plants…no new orchids but this one instead.

and AlleyCat gets her favorite little box with the green tissue paper from Adelaide’s in La Jolla. I think that it is her favorite color! and until next time…keep on stitching

Earth Day is a special day on which events are held to help increase the awareness and appreciation of the Earth’s natural enviroment. Earth Day is a global event and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year.

Earth Day celebrates the planet we live on and vows to make the earth a better place to live in. It helps to make us more earth conscious for all we have been given.

Mutts, my must read each and every day is in the Earth Day celebration mood as Mooch and Earl remind us of it. Living here in San Diego, there were lots of goings on over the weekend and even today to mark this day.

Think of all the wonderful thread that you use in your needlepoint that are made from silks, wools and cottons…where would be without them?

Many retailers offer a little something extra to help celebrate the day…such as a free reusable bag or a free refill on coffee with a reusable cup…now who among us doesn’t drink coffee?

I think that I will celebrate Earth Day by not driving anywhere, staying home and communing with nature…the cats, the plants and my stitching.

one of my favorite orchids full of new blooms!

and until next time…keep on stitching