The world and life as we know it has been changing so quickly… monthly, weekly, daily and now almost hourly. It is very unsettling and I am always hoping that tomorrow will dawn brighter. But enough of that as I am not telling you anything that you don’t know already. Just wish I could buy some toilet paper for the shop! I don’t need it now, but what happens if this madness does not ease up within a few weeks? All I know is at the house I need to keep it away from Mooch as he loves shredding it!

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Well you haven’t seen Mooch and Miss Meow in awhile and they sure are much bigger. They’re now 8 months old and sometimes I forget that they are still kittens as they’ve grown so much!

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It’s been a busy year for me from redoing window/shop displays, regular day to day business and then getting ready for our annual Getaway in the beginning of March. It is 5 teachers and around 60 students that is held in the shop and also in a spot around the corner. So it’s getting that many canvases ordered and on bars, threads pulled from the suggestions of the teachers, shopping for door prizes, dreaming up special daily gifts and so much more. Picking out lunches, desserts, snacks et al. Before that we had a class with Sherry Bray And the Fleur de Paris open house In January. I was able to add some great new canvases for the shop!

Middle of February brings the Blue Bonnett Stitching Studio. I have been going for 8 years now and usually have been taking studio time with Meredith Willet, where you just work on anything you want. For me it is a little respite before the Getaway. I only take 2 days and then I head back to work and do so straight through the Getaway.

Usually what I bring to Blue Bonnet, I finish! Started out with this ornament of my trip to Scotland. Canvas by Kirk & Bradley. No I didn’t stitch the entire canvas there, just finished it! And off to Marlene it has gone.

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The other piece I brought was Bastet, canvas by Tapestry Faire. I started this more more than a few years ago and lots of brilliant minds have collaborated on this! First of all, of course is the design which I love!

I first began stitching on this with the Fab Four/Embellishment Squad. Based on the tape that was used on the canvas it was…well what does that matter? A great start was made on it and then along came a mystery class with Ruth Schmuff at Bedecked and Beadazzled, so added that to the growing list of possibilities! Main things from Ruth was the brick beading of the cat, the two flowers at the top left and right along with my adjustments. If the stitches don’t lay absolutely purr~fectly, then I need to come up with something else.

In case you don’t know the Fab Four, it was Suzanne Howren, Tony Minieri, Meredith Willet and Beth Robertson, who the latter is now in the stitching studio in the sky. The Embellishment Squad was the continuation of the 3, until Debbie Steihler joined them.

The background is mostly Ruth’s ideas and thread choices with some changes by me. Haven’t quite finished that yet, so who knows?

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I wanted Meredith to help me with creating some Jessica’s for the circles. I am a little challenged with the ending stitches of exactly where to place them. So towards the end of class, all of a sudden the light went on and Meredith designed this circular peyote for the canvas. I am going to try and work that background straight through the orange and the place the beads on top, as that will be way less compensating!

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The kids with their Cat Lady box the other night looking for their toys!

Wish me luck as I am going to try and stitch in their presence for the first time!