New Toys

Just bought my mini iPad . I have been debating about buying a new phone, or upgrading my iPad. The iPad won out. Much easier to carry around, and now, hopefully, much easier for me to update my blog.

My son is being a sweet, and helping me with this. Now to get on to some current news.

I have been busy since Nashville. I have the fifth Fairest flowers stitched, my Christmas ornament for JCS finished, ready to mail. I am currently working on the limited release piece for this Fall. Some of the decisions I have to make, threads, lining fabric, and the linen color. Some linen choices on their way from Wichelt, and the threads and lining are shown in this photo.

See you soon.

Back from Market

Nashille market is always an exciting time for me.  First the stress of what to make, then after that, the desiging process, stitching the piece, or getting my daughter to stitch it for me.  Then, if necessary, assembly, and finally, kitting it all up. In the final days before leaving, packing, and checking the list twice, to see if I have left anything out.   It seems I always leave something home.

Arrival, after the 8 hour drive is just the beginning of an exciting weekend.  Seeing all the other vendors, catching up from the last show, unpacking and setting up, selling, talking and talking and talkng, learning, and seeing all the new products keep me busy for 3 days.  Then it is the down side of repacking, and the 8 hour drive home, that seems to take forever.

And then it starts all over again.  So, I am brimming with ideas for the next show, which is in Aug, in St Charles.

In my last post, I talked about the monthly flower series.  I took 4 to Nashille, Jan, Feb, March, and April, Borage, Passionflower, Pansy, and Iris.  My "Fairest Flower" garden is growing.  I have all the images on my web site.

One of my limited kits for Nashville was "Rites of Spring".  A courting couple, tulips, a bunny, and other spring motifs were stitched on 32 ct linen.  The kit included everything, but the stuffing. 

Will do my best to post more often.  Now, I want to play with the new linens and the new thread colors released Weeks, Creasent, The Gentle Art.  Have a great day.

It's That Time of Year

It's late, it's late, for a very important date. The flu during December has put me a couple of weeks behind and I have to catch up.   Nashville market is only 2 months away, and although I can sort of plan in my head, I just am not the type of person who can stitch Spring models in December.

One of my plans for 2013 is a series, that can be stitched individually, or all together to create a large sampler.  Like the Feathered Friends series last year, I will put out one small design each month, only this time,they will be deigned to all fit together,should you wish.



I will stitch mine on one piece of linen.  At this time, the colors of the linen and the threads have not been chosen.  My theme this year is flowers, but not just any flowers. After a lot of research, I have chosen flowers found in an Elizabethan Garden of the 1600's.  It has been so interesting reading about the different flowers, and what they did with them besides displaying them.  I am attaching some photos of a couple of classics, and one not so well known.  The Borage is really a pretty flower.  There are some pretty examples on the Plymouth Jacket.

It appears that I cannot get these photos to go where I want them.  

 

They move every time I try to type.

Did you ever wonder why a carnation is called a Pink.  It is not the color, but rather the pinked edges.

I love the scent of an antique rose.  We have a bush at my son's house, our old house, that only blooms once a year and smells soooooo good.

Have a great week. Louise

Merry Christmas

December Journeys

My daughters and I decided to drive to NYC the second week of December. I had not been to NYC since I was a senior in high school, and had lots I wanted to see.  Road trips with my girls are always fun and hectic. 

Robin and I are taking the on-line class Cabinet of Curiosities from Thistle Threads.
A group of the New England ladies arranged a behind the scenes tour of some of the 17th ctry needlework pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  That was the reason for our trip. Angela just went along for the ride.

As plans progressed, we decided to go see the Rockettes, visit Times Square  at night, and finally, a visit to a ventage store called Tinsel Trading.

I quickly found out that it was exhausting for me.  I had little sleep before we left, and little while I was there.  To me, NYC is a place for the young.  So many people.  But I would visit again at Christmas.  

I really enjoyed the Rockettes, and seeing the sights when I was'nt underground in a subway or train station, or rushing to get to the next place on time.  The Met exhibits were wonderful.  I could have spent all day there. I love museums.

Tinsel Trading is the shop for stitchers, designers, and scrapbookers.  Floor to ceiling, row after row of ribbons and trims. Crammed packed with hidden drawers of goodies, almost all of it vintage, and a lot of it from France.  I should have known  from the front window it would be a treasure hunt. The display was a huge cabinet, with al kinds of goodies falling from the drawers.  The title:  Cabinet of Curiosities was only the beginning.  I have included a photo of some of the goodies I bought for finishing projects.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Christmas Freebie

We met with our Piedmont Sampler Guild this morning for our first annual Christmas Breakfast. Our gift exchange was to swap a freebie pattern.  I chose to design something, and thought I would share it with my few followers as well.  Please feel free to share with your friends, just don't sell it.  Click on chart image to enlarge and see the whole chart.

Hope you all enjoy this small gift, and have a happy holiday season.

Packing Up

Everything is pretty much finished.  The yellow ink arrived this morning.  The final coffins are packed full of goodies, and in their bags, and I am ready to totally chill tonight.

The Undertaker

Tomorrow, I pack my suitcase, and leave for market.  Here are a couple more of my new releases.

OK, so here is one of my new releases.  Can't get the 

others to go where I want them.

I can't wait to see old friends.  I am having a get together in my room on Friday night.  Lots of people I only see 

once or twice a year.  

I have something special for The Attic.  Will post photos after Jean gets it.

Have a great evening.  Gotta get some rest.