Well what would a needlepoint market be without the appearance of Needlepoint Now? Magazines, bags and print material were shipped to my house and then transported to Long Beach. I had everything under the booth ready for Elizabeth’s and Sherrie’s late night arrival…after all they do have a new issue that they are trying to get ready!

I love what they did with the booth, the curtains, the magazine covers and it really has Elizabeth’s touch. The bags were handed out filled with a current issue of the magazine.

This was my Saturday class, a Melissa Shirley cupcake taught by Cynthia Thomas. Some great techniques…creating ribbon roses with wired ribbon, ruching Silk Lame´ Braid for the frosting and needle weaving for the leaves. Finished off with pearls and Swarovski crystals. Too cute! Now I just need to find time to work on it.

Now it is time to get to work. This is some early morning views of the showroom floor. This is Sundance Designs booth. Everybody was admiring Barbara Elmore’s stitching!

This was part of Fleur de Paris booth and it was showcased as their stitching room. It was so inviting that I wish that I could sit and stitch instead of going to work!

The display of the canvases from Joy Juarez. I would spend allot of time over the weekend trying to select just the right one! Stay tuned over the next few days to see which one.

New canvas by Sandra Gilmore. I just love the pinks! This would be a gorgeous pillow.

More by Sandra Gilmore… they just keep getting better and better!

NeedleDeeva booth with the new bags by Hug Me. Hug Me bags were not at the show, so they were displayed among the Deeva canvases. The new black fabric was quite popular and we took lots of orders for that one! She is even making matching snap trays with a new shape.

A few more of the new NeedleDeeva Hearts. They were stitched, but no time for finishing. I love these hearts as they stitch so quickly…both of these were done in a few days! Next up on the stitching menu is the stocking and tree and then the sled.

I still have lots and lots of pictures of new canvases to share with you! Too many celebrations coming up…Chinese New Year’s, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and ooh did I mention a quick trip to Austin for me for the Blue Bonnet Retreat next weekend?

Sylvester had to get in the same act. They both love this tissue paper! and until next time…keep on stitching

Hari kuyo, The Festival of Broken Needles is taking place today in Shinto shrines & Buddhist temples in Japan. Embroiderers, seamstresses and needlepointers take a day of rest from their stitching and bring their used, bent and broken needles and pins to the temple or shrine. It is to honor the needles for their hard work and give thanks for their service. An old Shinto belief is that inanimate objects, as well as living beings, have a soul and a spirit. To simply discard the needles that have served you well is disrespectful and would anger the object’s soul.

My classes were over and now it was my turn to take a class! Susan Portra taught this lovely Limoges style box bird cage by DJ Designs. An 8am class that was scheduled to last for 3 hours. Technically I was supposed to be setting up, but I would be there shortly as I only stayed for part of the class. I am sure that if I get stuck at all, that Susan would help me when I take classes with her. So leaving early was no worry at all for me! Class was wonderful and as always I learned so much from Susan.

The knitting group had created, knitted and assembled this clever under the water scene that you passed by on the way to go downstairs to the exhibit hall. I loved all the color!

This is the “What’s New?” area where many vendors place a little tease out there for you to come and see. I just remembered that I never even made it to the Great Wall of Yarn to see what they were showing.

The booth was ready to go and we were set up rather early! After lunch a few of Team Deeva went to DisneyLand, a few had other things to do, and a few of us hung out and began to get ready for Sample It!

Ready to go as I had the packets made up at home. Do you remember these hearts from last week?

That’s what we had for Sample It and we sold out! NeedleDeeva is now taking orders and soon I will have the rest of them stitched. Six are done and 6 more to go!

This was Needlepoint Showcase to show off some of your newer pieces. I never had a chance to take more pictures of the other tables, I am sorry to say. They were also setting up some ecrudite’s for everyone to nibble on.

The lines are getting ready for early entry into Sample It!

These ladies are getting ready for some retail therapy! A wonderful night of shopping for everyone.

I was starting to miss the kitties, and had a few more nights of hotel stay left yet. I hope that they will forgive me!

OMG are they touching? and until next time…keep on stitching

A welcoming sight to the TNNA members as you can see our logo emblazoned in lights on the side of the Long Beach Convention Center.

My first day at market started last Wednesday night as I ready for my classes on Thursday. I kept so busy that I never even opened my computer the entire time I was there! I will just take you back day by day as I share my market experiences with you.

I was up way too early and had way too much time before classes began! A nice morning walk after I had registered and dropped off my kits and models.

The area is beautiful around this part of Long Beach, and the temperatures are very pleasant!

First class was the Christmas Pudding in purple by Kirk & Hamilton. Chocolates and needlepoint, what could be better than that?!

Jeremy of Kirk & Hamilton always joins the class when one of his canvases is being taught, but this time class was a little too early, so I offered his regrets for not being there.

Suzie of The Enriched Stitch fame was making friends and talking pictures of The Pawley’s Island shop owners for their Facebook! Can you believe these 2 ladies from Pawley’s Island finished their pieces before market was over? Now if that is not the biggest compliment ever!

Thank you for making my day to age one more year so special! and to Missy who figured out what was my favorite cake from Michelle Coulon Dessertier in La Jolla. Don’t know how she did it…and then she transported it from La Jolla to Long Beach.

AlleyCat is doing some bird watching. and until next time…keep on stitching

The show is over, the crates are packed, the canvases are put away as are the memories for this TNNA Market.

We had a wonderful market, saw lots of amazing new canvases, bags, beads and accessories. New friendships made and existing ones rekindled. Plans are already under way for the next market. I was sooooooooooooooooooo busy that I never had the time to even open my computer and tell you all about it. I have lots to share, I promise!

Remember this from a few weeks ago? when I knew that a certain feline resident ruffled the fur on this? well I will just like to report that she got ahold of the kitty again and really had a ball with her! Yes I know that I should have put it away before I left.

I guess she is getting even with me for leaving her alone! I’ll fix you she is telling me. I can re-felt her by finding my felting tool. But for now I am taking a nap and who knows I might sleep for a few days?!

and until next time…keep on stitching

The last of the finishing came in today and I love, love, love, love, love…did I say enough? You know it is really like the frosting on the cake when the finisher brings the pieces to life.

From Barbara’s Needlepoint in Sioux Falls, SD to Funda Scully in Texas and now Kristine Kingston from the home of those Baltimore Ravens…these ladies, all these ladies did a tremendous job. I must thank the delivery services too for getting them here on time! This way I won’t be late for a very important date.

Kristine Kingston did the hearts and she really turned them around very quickly for us and they got here right on time! the fabric is different on the back and the ribbons are not exactly the same. These hearts are so darling, that now I want to get busy and stitch the rest of them!

While you weren’t looking I did finish this one and it will be ready for primetime viewing at Sample It! I attacked this one in a reverse order then normally would. I stitched the leaves first and then I went for the background. After trying 1/2 dozen Kreinik colors and a few other threads, I settled on this Kreinik…knowing the stitch I wanted to use. Okay time for the red and pink leaves. I had 3 colors of River Silk ready and then realized they were not quite the right colors. Time to shop through the stash and I looked and tweaked and looked at more ribbon colors. Thank to Laura Taylor for nailing the color that I needed.

So you are looking at this and saying, well where’s the ribbon? Well after trying to execute the perfect look for over an hour, it just wasn’t working. Leaves are too tiny and it was getting overpowered. I decided that it was time for Plan B and get the stranded silks out and well what is wrong with a little basketweave? Simple and elegant. An overdye for the centers with a few beads and we are good to go!

And while you really weren’t watching me I finished this one too! You know even with beading the snowflake I completed this one is less than 4 hours.

My car is packed and now I just need to pack my clothes and a little stitching. Never do work on anything when I am market, but you know if I don’t have anything, that is when I will want it!

AlleyCat is being an AlleyCat! Next blog will be from market as soon as I have stuff to share with you! and until next time…keep on stitching

Thank you to our very generous contributing sponsors! Thank you for making our classes at TNNA possible. NeedleDeeva, Rainbow Gallery, Planet Earth Silk, Colonial Needle and Sundance Beads. The beads are so carefully packaged and the threads from Rainbow Gallery, rather than all of one thread placed together and packaged…they were assembled one of each color in a little bag! Made it so much easier.

Is it time yet? Time for what you ask? I am so ready for market to start! It is a really late date this year and I am anxious to see everybody…anxious to see all the new designs, new accessories, threads, bags and more canvases. It is definitely like being in a candy store! Be still my heart…

Almost everything is ready, stitch guides are printed and assembled, thread packets put together and checked and rechecked, finishing is together and ready to go…I am just waiting for the finished hearts to be sent overnight and many boxes of Needlepoint Now magazines to arrive for distribution at the show. I hope that mail service doesn’t disappoint!

I will reward myself with some afternoon stitching of the Deeva Christmas Hearts while watching the last holes of the golf tourny at Torrey Pines. It was so foggy Saturday, that they suspended play…so it will continue today. I could actually go in person and they are not even charging for tickets. It is a beautiful sunny day and it is very tempting, believe you me. It is tough when work gets in the way!

I was finishing up my thread kits yesterday and what do I find? Somebody’s catnip mouse..

I guess she was sending a message, since I was using “her” box. AlleyCat, I didn’t see your name on this?! and until next time…keep on stitching

It seems like the last  week of my life has been all consumed getting ready for market. Is this possible? Plus I haven’t been feeling 100%, so I haven’t gotten as much accomplished as I would have liked…well I do have a few more days! But I am not a last minute type of person, so I am always working ahead. Some people are a last minute, fly by the seat of their pants…but not moi! I think that is from all the years in the restaurant business when you were always under pressure to get the food out of the kitchen in a timely manner to all the hungry guests.

Friday was my stitch guide printing day, so yesterday I packaged up the 4 Christmas Hearts as I ready for Team Deeva to sell for Sample It! There will be 2 in package and you can get 1 package or both…does anyone notice the poinsettia in the bottom of the picture? Well I guess the painters read the letters on the order request as something else and instead of red and green beaded candy canvas, we have the poinsettia. That canvas is on bars, threads have been selected and the leaves have been stitched and I am hoping that I can get it finished and the guide written by the time Sample It! arrives. So right now they are packaged the reindeer & snowman together or the gingerbread and the soon to be stitched poinsettia together. I have some wonderful ideas in mind, but it all depends on if the needlepoint gods are with me.

The canvases are here, the finishing is arriving on a daily basis and packages are showing up left and right for me to transport in my car on a daily basis. I need a quick trip to storage to look and see if I have any cool baskets for display and then clean out my trunk of stuff. Will I ever have enough time to get it all done?

Yes I am leaving the cats again. Have you ever wondered as I do what they do while you are gone for hours at a time? Mine are pretty good most of the time…now remember I said most of the time.

When I came back from Oregon last week, I found one of my latest cat additions to the house laying on the floor and with lots of ruffled fur…

It is felted of wool and I could tell that some certian person thought that it was a great new toy. Who could it have been? Knowing that Sylvester can’t jump up that high anymore to get on my dresser and snatch that cat from it’s spot…there was only one other person that it could have been.

Yes AlleyCat, I know it was you, and I guess you were telling me that you need some new toys? and until next time…keep on stitching

You know why I just love living in Southern California? On any given weekend or weekday for that matter there is so much to do!

Meet Xiao Liwu, the newest panda cub at The San Diego Zoo which was born here last year. I really want to go to the zoo and see this little one…but no time now.

In keeping with Chinese customs, the little one is not named ’till it is 100 days old during a ceremony complete with music and lion dancers. The name was selected by popular vote of zoo patrons and Xiao Liwu means little gift. How could you not love that little face?

Almost make me want to stitch another panda canvas, this one by Sandra Gilmore. Do you know that the San Diego Zoo has more pandas than any other zoo? Maybe I need to call my FNS and order this one!

or maybe not as I have this panda to keep me company. This is the one that I worked on with Susan Portra a few years ago.

Okay if that is not enough going on in San Diego, there is the Farmers Insurance Open Golf Tournament at Torrey PInes this weekend. A beautiful golf course named after the rare pine species that grows here in San Diego.

It is one of the years first majors on the PGA circuit and Tiger Woods took the leader board yesterday. Will this be his comeback year?

Meredith is having canvas enhancement classes as is Brenda Hart, both within shouting distance…and then, and then! The Food & Water XIX Cat Show is here this weekend too. OMG, what is a person to do? How can I make a decision? So much to do and just not enough time!

Well as much as I would love to partake in any of these activities, I still need to finish up getting ready for market. Maybe a little breakfast this morning and some retail therapy, but then it will be back home and to work.

AlleyCat was giving me the cold shoulder the other day. and until next time…keep on stitching

Well not here it is…but it seems that almost everywhere else it is! This little snowman guy is all bundled up to keep himself warm against the cold.

This is another one of the new Holiday cupcakes; canvases by NeedleDeeva and stitched by moi. Stitch Guides too! Finishing by Kristine Kingston and 4 more cupcakes are headed my way from her and I can’t wait to see them!

This is the cupcake that will be taught in class on Thursday January 31rst at the TNNA Market in Long Beach. I am going to assemble my thread kits later today. Stop by in the next few days as I am sure that it will make a great Kodak moment, especially if the cats stop by to lend a helping paw. All I need to do is throw them in the car as I will drive to Long Beach Wednesday afternoon.

If you are attending market, please stop by for a looksee yourself in booths 1260 & 1360!

The weather forecast for Southern California is not cold! but it seems that is all I have on mind with all these snowman that I have been sticthing lately.

One of the Christmas Hearts by NeedleDeeva avaible at Sample It! on Friday night. I don’t have our table number yet, but I am sure that you will find us! They have extended the time for Sample IT! shopping from an hour to an hour and a half, but things tend to sell out…so I wouldn’t wait till the last minute. Of course we would be happy to take orders if so!

Sylvester is trying to keep warm even though it is a balmy 60 and rainy. Rain, rain please go away as don’t you know the Farmers Insurance golfers are trying to tee off? I wonder if this will be the one tournament that Tiger comes roaring back? and until next time…keep on stitching