Samplings from a Blue Ribbon Girl

Betty Ring Auction at Sotheby's totals $4,389,503

2012-01-23T11:23:00.005-06:00

Hello friends - Happy Monday!

I received quite a few emails and messages about the post I did last week on the Betty Ring Sampler Collection and auction, so I thought I would post a quick update this morning.

The Important American Schoolgirl Embroideries; The Landmark Collection of Betty Ring auction concluded on Sunday - totaling $4,389,503 – exceeding the pre-sale high estimate of $3.4 million. A new record for any needlework sampler at auction was set when the needlework sampler Mary Antrim, Burlington Country, New Jersey, Dated 1807 (shown right) achieved $1,070,500 - more than ten times its high estimate of $120,000. This breathtaking sampler (lot 616) was worked in silk and painted paper on linen - it is 17" x 16./75" - and was in the original frame - incredible!

Several other pieces greatly exceeded pre-sale expectations:

Lot 503 -Susannah Saunders, Sarah Stivours School, Salem, Massachusetts, Dated 1766 - $314,500 (high estimate $80,000)

Lot 508 - Betsy Gail, Marblehead, Massachusetts, circa 1790 - $170,500 (high estimate of $60,000)

Lot 625 - Sarah Cooper, attributed to Ann Marsh’s School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dated 1792 - $170,500 (high estimate of $80,000)

Lot 586 - Hannah Carlile, probably Mary Balch's School, Providence, Rhode Island, Dated 1796 - $122,500 (high estimate of $60,000)

For those of you interested in complete sales results, Sotheby's has posted a PDF with details.

....and if you haven't had a chance to view the entire collection, it is still available online by visiting the Sotheby's website - click on the links below to see this incredible collection of historic needlework from the comfort of your own home:

Sotheby's Electronic Catalog
American Needlework Treasures by Betty Ring
Girlhood Embroidery Volume 1 by Betty Ring
Girlhood Embroidery Volume 2 by Betty Ring

Again, please allow time for the books to load - these are complete (highly sought after) works - they are filled with lovely color (and black and white) photographs and very detailed information. There is no telling how long Sotheby's will have these available for viewing, so take advantage of this AMAZING online exhibit before the files are removed.

Sewn With Love

2012-01-19T16:48:00.008-06:00

Things have been a little bit hectic here to say the least...I have been stitching my days away, working on new designs for market release - I've been designing two new class pieces - and I've been working on several magazine designs...all that leaves little time for sewing (especially when I have been under the weather). I put the final stitches in on "Redwork Garden" last night (I'll share it with you very soon!) and it made it to the framer today - we had picked the molding last week and it should be finished up tomorrow...so with that HUGE project completed, I decided to take a little "me time" this afternoon and quilt and bind this very fun Valentine table runner.

This strippy table runner was such a treat to work on...I really enjoyed the entire project. I used the pattern "Strippy Table Set" by Patterns by Jean Boyd...and the fabric is mainly from the collection Sent With Love by Deb Strain for Moda (this is a Valentine line from last year). This is a Jelly Roll (2 1/2" strip) friendly pattern, for those of you with leftover strips in your stash...and making it extra awesome - the wedge shaped pieces are not cut to an exact shape - you just cut them quick and easy with your rotary cutter (this gives it an even more "scrappy" look and makes it SO simple). The sashing/border strips and cornerstone squares were all cut with my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter (but could easily be done with a rotary cutter)...making this a great beginner project for those of you just learning (or wanting to learn) to quilt. The finished size is approximately 31" x 31"...and the pattern includes directions to make matching place mats (which I would definitely make if there were more hours in each day!). I can see this table runner and place mats done with all sorts of different fabrics...especially autumn fabrics...wouldn't it make a lovely Thanksgiving table setting?!

So now that I have had a little playtime, it is back to work - I have to finish stitching some needlework smalls, so they will be ready to put together tomorrow...I have photography to get done...and I have a long list of details to complete in order to get my three new designs to the printer early next week. I can't wait to share the new designs with you...and then start stitching on class designs for this fall...so many fun new things are on the horizon...

The Betty Ring Sampler Collection

2012-01-16T14:11:00.006-06:00

I know I have been absent for a couple weeks...and I apologize for the break. The TNNA Nashville Needlework Market in February is fast approaching and I have been swamped trying to prepare three new design releases - I have been busy stitching, finishing, and preparing the print files....and of course, with everything going on and my hectic schedule, I contract a miserable sinus infection/head cold...ugh. I spent the last several days recuperating, taking it easy (which is extremely difficult for me) and nursing myself back to health. Good news is, today I woke up and was somewhat able to breathe through my nose, so I am happy...and hopefully I'm on the road to recovery. So before getting back to my HUGE to-do list, I thought I would do a quick blog post and let you know I am still here...

Many of you are fans of historic needlework and schoolgirl samplers....and if you are, there is a good chance you are familiar with Betty Ring - a scholar, author, and collector of American Schoolgirl Embroidery. Her reference books in the field are highly collectible and showcase her almost 50-years of research, scholarship and connoisseurship in the field of girlhood embroidery. You may (or may not) be aware that the sampler collection of Betty Ring will be auctioned in New York City this month and is currently on display at Sotheby’s from January 14-22; you can currently view the collection as if it were a museum exhibition. Needlework industry fans and professionals are traveling from around the globe to view this definitive collection and bid on 197 different works of needlework art.

Now, if you are like me, you aren't able to travel to New York City this month...but that should not stop you from viewing Betty Ring's landmark collection of schoolgirl embroideries...you can view the entire collection online - through the Sotheby's electronic catalog and three of Betty's highly sought after reference books. Click on the links below to see this incredible collection of historic needlework from the comfort of your own home:

Sotheby's Electronic Catalog

American Needlework Treasures by Betty Ring

Girlhood Embroidery Volume 1 by Betty Ring

Girlhood Embroidery Volume 2 by Betty Ring

Please allow time for the books to load - these are complete works - they are filled with lovely color (and black and white) photographs and very detailed information. There is no telling how long Sotheby's will have these available for viewing, so take advantage of this AMAZING online exhibit before the files are removed. I am blessed to have each of these books in my personal collection and I could still spend hours perusing (and drooling over) each of the pages. I hope you will visit the above links and be inspired and educated by all it has to offer....

Playtime in Black & White

2012-01-04T15:24:00.007-06:00

Over the holidays, my sewing studio got a (FABULOUS) brand new addition....an AccuQuilt Studio Fabric Cutter. I have been going crazy trying to make time to play with it - I have a bunch of BRD deadlines and a HUGE pile of design work/model stitching to accomplish, so making time to "play" has not been easy....I try to use "playtime" as a reward for accomplishing a big task on my to-do list. While I was working on my holiday gifts, I did manage to use it a couple times, using some GO! Dies and the GO! Die Adapters for the Studio - which actually worked very well...but I wanted to try an actual Studio Die. So, yesterday, after completing a pile of work, getting in a 3.25 mile walk with Simba, and getting my household chores done, I decided to do a little playing and sewing.

I used the Studio Everyday Tote Die which actually works pretty slick - it cuts a 9" x 11" boxed bottom tote bag...how you ask??...well, it only cuts the actually bag base - you cut the handles and pockets and/or embellishments separately...but it gives you a great basic bag to build upon. You decide the type of fabrics and if you want to add batting or interfacing...or if you want to quilt it or use quilted fabric....the possibilities are endless! I decided to make several pockets for my bag - two for the outside and one for the inside...and I used quilted fabric for the outside and handles and cotton fabric for the lining (just a couple pieces I had in my stash to experiment with). This die is a breeze to use (at least for me), as I have made many tote bags in my sewing career - in fact, I didn't even use the instructions except to see how to fold and line up the fabric before cutting...and the entire project took less than two hours from start to finish. The tote you are seeing in my photos is my very first one using my new fabric cutter and die...pretty basic...but I have some fabulous ideas for future bags...and several will be upcoming gifts! My next one will have a button/loop closure and slightly shorter handles....and maybe even a little applique...I am full of creative ideas on how to use this particular die! I can definitely envision piecing and quilting some cute fabrics or scraps for the outside bag, then using a cotton for the lining and handles. ...and, as I begin to collect more of the Studio Dies (right now I only have a couple), I am sure I will have more projects to share with you!

For now, it is back to stitching on my model for "Redwork Garden"...it is coming along very nicely and I have the entire floral borer stitched...I still have about a 1/3 of the design left to complete...but I am hoping to have it finished sometime in the next week....look for updates later in the month!

A New Year Bright With Promise

2012-01-01T10:21:00.005-06:00

As we welcome the new year, I am taking a look back at the last 365 days...2011 was a good year for Blue Ribbon Designs - a year of triumphs, challenges, and rewards. Thank you for making my success in 2011 possible and for your support, encouragement, and loyalty - there are many talented designers and teachers out there...and a vast amount of needlework patterns to choose from - I sincerely thank you for welcoming my designs into your stitching rotation and allowing my dream to be a reality. I truly love the needlework industry and I hope you will continue to receive my designs with open arms and share in my passion for all things done with needle and thread. As we jump into 2012, I have many goals and a good amount of projects in the works - a pile of design ideas, multiple classes across the US, and exciting plans for the future. Thank you for following me on my creative journey...

Here is a little treat for your New Year's Day - a tiny peek at my upcoming design "Redwork Garden"...I have been busy working on this new piece, which is a companion to "Quilted Garden" - I have plans to release it at the Nashville Needlework Market in February. At this time, I can tell you it is stitched on Lakeside Linens (Chantilly Creme) with three colors of Gentle Art Sampler Threads. I am hoping to have it finished up in the next week or so...and then off to my framer. Look for more information/details and photos in the coming month...

Thank you kindly for visiting/following my blog - I hope to keep you excited and inspired throughout 2012! Here's hoping your new year is bright with promise, filled with hope, and blessed with happiness and joy!

With Needle And Brush

2011-12-31T12:29:00.006-06:00

In October 2010, while on a teaching trip for Stitcher's Hideaway, I was blessed to be able to visit the "With My Needle and Brush: Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley" exhibit on display at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT. This exhibition was on display from October 2, 2010 - January 30, 2011 (exhibit program seen right). The guest curators were Carol and Stephen Huber and their marvelous display included approximately seventy embroideries, watercolor sketches, and portraits - most were from private collections (rarely seen) - and all in excellent collection. I was in awe as I studied the various techniques and read the histories - the use of silk was incredible and I was quite surprised at many of the materials used. Although no photography was allowed in the exhibit halls, I still have a clear vision of many works in my head, as they were absolutely breathtaking.

At the time of the exhibit, I was able to pre-order the 112 page book that featured this amazing exhibit - With Needle and Brush: Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley, 1740-1840 by Carol and Stephen Huber, Susan P. Schoelwer, and Amy Kurtz Lansing (and this wonderful book was finally released in late October 2011). This is the first book to explore schoolgirl needlework of the Connecticut River Valley - identifying the distinctive styles developed by teachers and students at schools from New Hampshire to Long Island Sound. This gorgeous book contains 89 illustrations - 80 of which are in color - and is definitely a lovely complement to any sampler book collection. Each sampler plate contains detailed information and object entries by the Hubers, making this a wonderful historical research/reference book for those interested in historical needlework. I purchased the cloth hardcover edition, but there is a paper cover version available, as well.

For more information and details for purchasing this extraordinary book, visit the website of Stephen & Carol Huber...if you have an interest in historic needlework, then this brilliant reference will not let you down...it is a gorgeous representation of a phenomenal needlework exhibit.

Sewing For The Kitchen

2011-12-24T13:21:00.008-06:00

I have one final handmade gift to share with you - it is a kitchen set. One side of the apron and the center of the pot holders came from a fabric panel (Potpourri by Grace Pullen licensed to South Sea Imports)...and with a little help from my friend Merry, I was able to pick a great coordinating fabric for the other side of the apron, the border and back of the pot holders, and the hanging tabs for the kitchen towels (Saltbox Harvest by Deb Strain for Moda). The fabric panel started the ideas flowing and when finished I had this fabulous kitchen gift set. I like a heavier apron, so I oped to make the apron reversible, with the printed panel on one side and the coordinating fabric on the other - I like that you can choose the side you want to wear on any particular day. I also added a border and hanging loops to the printed panel fabric for the pot holders - it made them a much better size at 10" square (plus I thought the added border gave them a more professional finished look). Finally, my mother-in-law has been wanting a good set of hanging kitchen towels for quite some time - she has mentioned it to me on multiple occasions...so I decided to make a matching set. I tried to find a close matching kitchen towel, cut it in half to make two finished towels, and made hang tabs...I opted for a button and buttonhole to make them easy to hang up and take down for laundering - I was very pleased with the results and now need to make some for my own kitchen.

This last gift is being delivered this afternoon - we are having dinner with my in-laws at a local restaurant to celebrate Christmas....it should be a nice relaxing evening. I really enjoyed making my Christmas gifts this year - I found joy in the creating and even more joy in the giving. I hope you are on the giving or receiving end of some handmade holiday gifts - they seem to make the season just a little more special....

My Christmas...

2011-12-21T20:51:00.023-06:00

“Friends are the family we choose for ourselves” - this quote by Edna Buchanan comes to mind as I type this post today. I am so very blessed to have an amazing small circle of friends to call family. Today was Christmas with my two very dear friends, Merry and Kimber...we had such a wonderful afternoon. We met at a local cafe for lunch to celebrate the holidays - and what a marvelous time we had! If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know the three of us tend to go "overboard" each time we get together...and Christmas gives us yet another excuse to spoil each other with gifts! Lunch was delicious and filled with conversation and giggling...and I enjoyed every minute of it...Merry and Kimber truly inspire me and always lift my spirits and encourage me. After lunch, Merry ordered a trio of desserts for us to share that was "sinful" to say the least - it was a lovely sampling of sweet treats...and then it was time for our annual Christmas gift exchange. I have to tell you, this post might be a little long, as there were so many gifts to open...the restaurant host was wise to put us in a corner booth, as it seemed we were there for hours!

I always make a special gift or two for both Merry and Kimber...and then I like to give them some small purchased items...and I always like to give each of them a nice hardcover book to add to their shelves. This year, I made Merry a knitting needle case (which was much more labor intensive than I anticipated, but I was thrilled with the results when it was finished) and a matching large, lined drawstring bag (both were made from the retired fabric line Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda - one of her favorites). For Kimber, I made a personalized quilted journal cover and a matching large, lined drawstring bag out of some pink/brown owl fabric that I know she loves (Life's A Hoot by Tammy Anderson for ADORNit). I had so much fun filling their drawstring bags with wrapped goodies (I brought each of them items back from CA and NH) and choosing the books for this year's exchange!

Now - get ready to be inspired, as I share with you the unique items they gifted me this year!

I started by opening Kimber's gifts - and first, I have to share her wrapping paper and decorative box with you - both were adorned with owls! I had to carefully open my presents to save the paisley owl Christmas paper...and the LARGE Chinese takeout style box is one of the cutest I have ever seen - I have to find a fun use for it...

Kimber has the very best taste and finds the most unique and personal gifts - I was just blown away when opening the packages from her! The box was filled with tiny treasures - a special Fiskars paper punch, decorative adhesive tapes, vintage wooden spools, a charm pack of fabulous fabric (Full Circle by Kathy Schmitz for Moda), a lovely notepad, and a package of pretty floss bobbins!

In the large bag, there were several incredible gifts - check out this FABULOUS sewing bird - I LOVE him (or her). This pincushion is about 6.5" H x 9.5" W...and the wings are pockets. Kimber put a package of vintage rick rack in one of the pockets...and the other had vintage look needle packaging. The tag tied on the side says "The Early Bird Gets The Pins!"... and there is a round tag on the front that says "Sew Prim"...isn't it just the coolest??! Oh how I adore this...can't you see me with an entire flock??

Over the past months, I have been asking Kimber all sorts of gardening questions (after-all, she is an expert)...now that all the outdoor work is done on our home, I am ready to start planting this spring. Kimber was thoughtful enough to give me a book on perennial gardening - which is perfect, as she knows I want to plant perennial flowers!

And look what else - this wonderful holiday scrapbook of sorts - it is a canvas covered journal with blank brown paper pages, perfect for writing down my Christmas memories....

Merry did her absolute best to spoil both of us, as well. You all know how multi-talented Merry is...she can stitch, sew, bake, cook, knit, crochet, and just about any other creative thing you can think of...and she does them all SO WELL! Many times you have seen her stellar kitchen skills on my blog - I really am blessed - she makes me goodies all year long - for absolutely no reason - she takes very good care of me. Here is a photo of some holiday treats she made for me....five (yes, FIVE) bags of homemade Biscotti -plain (anise), gingerbread, snickerdoodle, chocolate, and almond chocolate....and see the little house in the photo - it is filled with her homemade Butterfinger Bites (I put a couple in front of the house for the photo) for my husband (and I will definitely be trying one!)...and in the back is a large bottle of homemade Black Raspberry Liqueur (which she "forced" me try and it is delicious)!

...and although that was more than enough - Merry had piles of other special presents for me...she makes me the best pressies....like these gorgeous socks she knitted especially for me....

and this unbelievable beehive pincushion/tape measurer with homemade pins (yep, she made the pins using Shrinky Dinks!)...this seriously brought tears to my eyes. It is so adorable and very tiny - it is only about 2" tall...and it is incredibly detailed...plus Merry knows my grandfather was a beekeeper and the sentiment this gift would have for me. It is amazing...

She also made me a quilted craft pouch for my paper piecing materials and supplies - how awesome is this?? It will hold my tiny cutting mat, small rotary cutter, my add a quarter rulers, plus all sorts of other supplies!

Before I share the last item she made for me, I just have to share a photo of a special box that was in with my gifts - it looks like a book and is decorated with birds, crowns, butterflies, and birdcages...way cool! The photo all shows additional gifts that she slipped in the gift bag - a couple adorable round magnets she made, a metal reindeer ornament, special lip balm, swankie hankies, and the cutest owl stamp set....

and lastly, I have to share this AMAZING magnetic needlework tray she made...it is a small vintage tray/plate (3.25" H x 6" W) - she placed a very strong magnet on the bottom that holds the gold scissors in place (along with pins and needles) and added a handmade wool biscornu pincushion with a gold vintage button in the corner...then she added three crystal pins. I thought this was ingenious and strikingly beautiful - it is so very special!

I truly hope today's post has inspired you and you have more ideas for gift giving!

I have had the happiest of holidays and feel so very blessed. To my close circle of friends (you know who you are) thank you for being my family - I love you all and thank the heavens above for your friendship.

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." - Thomas Jefferson

Snowman Love!

2011-12-19T22:38:00.006-06:00

The weather here in Iowa has been mild this winter (knock on wood) - temperatures have been cold, but not bitter...and there is not a drop of snow or ice on the ground (totally unbelievable)...in fact, I have still been walking Simba over 2 miles a day - I just bundle up. So, today when this snowman pincushion/scissor holder arrived in my mailbox, it gave me a nice touch of winter! Isn't he adorable??! He was sent to me by my dear friend Terri in IL - Terri and I met over our love of stitching, when she emailed me years ago about a design idea - we quickly found out that I have relatives that live in her hometown (small world) - and we met face to face shortly after...now we are the best of friends and keep in touch weekly....and whenever I visit my relatives, we make plans for a day. Our friendship now goes beyond our love of needlework and I can't imagine my life without her! This week she sent me the most adorable holiday package with a snowman theme - the pincushion/scissor holder, a pair of scissors, a snowman hat pin, a snowman needle nanny, and a snowman trivet...and each item was wrapped and placed in a wonderful Christmas box....very fun! The snowman pincushion was made by Kathleen at Fat Cat Crafts - I was not familiar, so a quick Google search led me to her Etsy Shop and blog. Her pincushions are super adorable...and Terri asked her to add a scissor sheath to the back of my snowman, which is perfect! How is that for a wonderful Christmas surprise??

Also arriving in my mailbox today was a wonderful book that I must share with you. It was sent to me from my dear friend Sue in NY - Sue and I met at a Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat in 2010 and then again at the New England Stitcher's Retreat this past October. Sue's smile is contagious and her loving personality make her a true joy to be around - I love her dearly....in fact, I can't wait to see her again next October! This book was a complete surprise - I had no idea it was on the way...and it is absolutely perfect for me. This book is from The Workbasket magazine and is called "Sewing Workbook"....it is full of handy hints, helpful guides, and place to log all about your sewing projects - kind of like a diary for a seamstress. This workbook provides places to sketch, plan projects, log inspiration, file away fabrics, and keep track of all the projects you make...and it is filled with vintage illustrations and suggestions from vintage Workbasket articles. It is a nice size at 6"W x 8.5" H - perfect for carrying along on a shop hop or quilting trip. I plan to make great use of this handy little book!

So there you have it, several more wonderful gift ideas, brought to you by two more members of my close circle of friends - I hope they spark an interest and inspire you!

I will be getting together with my two BFFs, Merry and Kimber, on Wednesday for our annual holiday get together. I can't wait to share with you the projects I made for them this year and tell you all about our luncheon...

A "Happy Day" Quilt

2011-12-18T21:19:00.009-06:00

Last month, I shared a similar quilt with you...that particular one was made for my mother's birthday...this one is a Christmas gift (I can't tell you who it is for until they receive it). Truth be told, I adore this quilt so much, I would love to keep it for myself...but I have a much better plan in mind (it's definitely going to a good home) - plus I do have enough of the motif fabric left to make yet another, that I might just keep for me. It is relatively small at 18.5" W x 22.5" H...and I put a sleeve on the back and added one of the wooden hangers my husband helped me make, so it can be easily hung on a wall. I didn't use a pattern - I just fussy cut the motifs/sayings into 3" squares (2 1/2" finished) and used my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter to cut 1 1/2" strips for sashing (1" finished). The fussy cut motif fabric is Martha's Vineyard Watercolor by Susan Branch for RJR Fabrics (retired) and the sashing fabric is Dilly Dally by Me & My Sister Designs for Moda...and it was chosen especially for the recipient. One more gift completed and I am down to just a couple small things left to finish up for the holidays. I have been finding so much joy in my sewing studio - happiness in the making and happiness in the giving! I hope you have been enjoying this holiday season by finding happiness each day...

Friendship Across The Miles

2011-12-17T13:40:00.008-06:00

One of the rewarding "perks" of my chosen profession, is being able to travel and teach...I have been so blessed to go out on the road and meet the most creative, talented, and kindhearted needleworkers....I lovingly refer to all who take a class with me as my stitching family. I have built AMAZING friendships that have filled my life with joy and endless inspiration.

Robin in Virginia and I have been online friends pretty much since I released my very first design (years ago). I was ecstatic to finally meet her and her mother at a Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat in 2010...our friendship withstands the miles and we manage to keep in touch regularly throughout the year. This week I received the most wonderful surprise from Robin - a Christmas package with not one but TWO cross stitched pieces...an ornament and a pincushion! You can tell Robin knows me quite well, as both have bird motifs and she used one on my very favorite colors of red floss (Weeks Dye Works Garnet). This sweet surprise seriously brought tears to my eyes, as the cross stitch gifts I have received over the years are few and far between. I truly adore both of these pieces and they will be treasured for many years to come! Both of these designs look familiar to me, but I am not certain of the designers or titles...so if you are interested in that information, hopefully (wink, wink) Robin will post a comment with that information. Thank you dear Robin - these will be on display year-round!

...and look what else arrived in my mailbox this week...a fabulous surprise from my stitching sister Ruth in New Hampshire. Ruth and I had the chance to meet in 2010 at a Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat, as well...and she was most recently at the New England Stitcher's Retreat this past October. I'm pretty sure Ruth and I were separated at birth - I'm yet to find anything that we don't have in common - I love her dearly. Ruth's package was a holiday delight, with not only some pressies for me, but a couple treats for Simba (seriously thoughtful and sweet)! On a side note - we just taught Simba to do "high five" (so adorable!), so he will be working for these grand cookies. Ruth is good at keeping me longing for New Hampshire, as she sends me goodies from her neck of the woods...a lidded basket filled with a Santa moon pin (made in NH), a gorgeous Victorian tag ornament, and a bar of "Christmas in New England" soap made in Alexandria, NH (which smells over-the-top AMAZING). Yep, you can say it, I'm a pretty lucky girl!

If all that wasn't enough, I also received a box from Elizabeth in Georgia (soon to be Alaska) this week. I met Ebeth at the first New England Stitcher's Retreat in the spring of 2010 and her warm and kind spirit immediately touched me - her gracious/giving attitude and unique humor make her a very special person - just the thought of her makes me smile - she makes me immediately happy! At the stitching retreat, I had admired a special tool that several stitchers had brought in their arsenal of needlework supplies...you are all aware I pride myself on knowing all the great gadgets on the market, but I had never seen one of these before...it is called a "Sew Taxi" and it is made by Fiskars. This convenient and compact "taxi" is twelve tools in one - it includes: a thread cutter, magnifying glass, seam ripper, piercing punch, punch needle, stuffing tool, knit picker, tweezers, safety pin, measuring tape, needle threader and long needle threader - all in a clear, shatter-resistant cover that keeps everything organized and protected. Elizabeth was kind enough to surprise me with one to keep in my stitching bag (and wrapped in the cutest Christmas paper) and I couldn't be more thrilled! Seriously - how cool is this?!

Yes, my blessings are many and I am extremely thankful (each and every day) that I have such a wonderful circle of friends! It's that time of year when we find joy in unexpected places - a season of surprises - I hope you are enjoying some surprises this holiday season...or sending a few yourself! In all the crazy holiday madness, make sure to take a few moments see the beauty and joy that surround you...

Especially For You

2011-12-16T17:29:00.006-06:00

Today, I want to start by thanking all of my blog followers, friends, and fans; thank you keeping up with my blog, your comments, your support, and your encouraging words! Although I don't leave comments for all of you, I want you to know, I do keep up with your blog posts and find so much enjoyment reading about your projects and creativity. Over the last several months, I see I have quite a few new followers - WELCOME - I am so thrilled you found my blog.

If you are a regular reader of my Blue Ribbon Designs monthly newsletter, then you may have caught the fine print towards the end of the December message...it said I would be posting a new complimentary cross stitch chart soon...and to show my appreciation to all my wonderful/creative/unique needlework fans, followers, and friends, I just posted it on my website a few minutes ago! This ornament design (shown right) may look familiar to some of you - it is called "Cardinals For A Cure" and was designed last year for Attic Needlework (Mesa, AZ) for use in the fundraiser cookbook "Recipes For A Cure" with net proceeds being donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. To those of you who supported this fabulous cause and made a donation for the cookbook, you are appreciated! I never did receive my copy of the cookbook, so I have no idea how it looked in print - but I certainly hope those of you who donated to receive this special recipe book were pleased. Since it has been over a year since the release, I thought I would share this complimentary chart with all the Blue Ribbon Designs fans - it is my holiday gift to you! I hope you have someone special to stitch this design for...or maybe you will splurge and stitch this design for yourself...you still have time to complete it before Christmas.

So, how do you get this complimentary cross stitch chart?? Simply visit my website: http://www.blueribbondesigns.com/ and click on "Freebie" in the left-hand menu - you will see a photo of the "Cardinals For A Cure" ornament at the top of the webpage - click on the statement "CLICK HERE FOR CHART" (directly under the photo) - a new window will open containing the design in PDF form (you will need Adobe Reader to view/print the chart). Please do remember, this design is protected by copyright law - thank you for respecting my copyright.This is a large quality file and will take a moment to load. If you are receiving an error message when trying to open the chart, most likely, you are using an older version of Adobe Reader - you will need to update to the newest version to open the file. Still having difficulty? - make sure your virus protection software recognizes blueribbondesigns.com as a "safe site".

I hope you enjoy this special design - my holiday gift to you for your continued support, friendship, and encouragement...and if you haven't stitched any of my designs before, I hope this complimentary chart will entice you to purchase some of the larger designs in my catalog from your favorite needlework shop...

Thank you for bringing me joy - your support means the world to me...

Sunshine On A Rainy Day...

2011-12-14T21:09:00.013-06:00

It may have rained all day, but it didn't dampen my spirits...my day was filled with blessings. I accomplished some very large items on my to-do list and got a ton of errand running done...but (most importantly) I took a few hours to meet my dear friend Lorrie for lunch and a holiday gift exchange - it was a delightful afternoon and put a smile on my face for the rest of the day! I always feel right at home visiting with Lorrie - seems we have an endless list of things to talk about and so very much in common - I had been looking forward to our lunch all week. We met at a cozy little local restaurant, which we both enjoy...and we had so much fun catching up we completely lost track of time...all of a sudden we realized it was 2 1/2 hours later....

We were excited to exchange gifts, as we both like to give gifts from the heart and had put a lot of thought into what we made for each other. I knew months ago I was going to make Lorrie a friendship quilt and I had the fabric picked out even before it was available for purchase.

I know she loves the color blue, so I had chosen the fabric line Blueberry Crumb Cake by Blackbird Designs for Moda. I decided to use a small tumbler block (which happens to be one of her favorites - I had no idea) and put my AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter to good use to cut all the pieces. I had the quilt top done a couple weeks ago, but had to wait for the yardage in this fabric line to be released before I could quilt and bind it - luckily I received it last week and was able to get it finished in time.

I put a label commemorating the holiday on the back of the quilt...along with a sleeve and removable hanger, in case she wanted to use it as a wall hanging. I was so pleased with the outcome, I decided to make a matching drawstring bag...which I used as a gift bag for a present I picked out for her while I was in California.

I had absolutely no idea the treasures Lorrie had in store for me - I am actually still a little speechless. I will share them with you in the order I unwrapped them...and it all started with the most amazing card - amazing because she wrote me the sweetest note that truly touched my heart. Lorrie totally gets me, as she wrapped everything individually...and I loved opening each and every gift! The first gift I opened was a FABULOUS project bag she made out of sampler fabric - it is a jumbo size - big enough for an entire project with q-snaps and pattern and all the supplies - it is perfect (a word you are going to get sick of hearing in this post) - and even more special because she made it. I then opened several smaller packages - some lovely handkerchiefs (she knows I like to collect them)...a couple quilt themed notecards (which I think need little frames)...a great little snippit jar from the Amanas (which I plan to use next to my sewing machine)...and a set of bead storage containers (which Lorrie shared an idea to use as bobbin storage)....are these great gifts or what?! I was so blown away...but wait, there's more....

I then opened a large drawstring bag she made from holiday fabric (she even tied jingle bells to the ends of the drawstring!)...inside was one of her absolutely GORGEOUS knitted scarfs - the color is perfect, the style is perfect, her knitting is perfect - yep, it is perfect in every way - I love it - and WILL be wearing it right away....

There were still two gifts left and by now I was already awestruck by her kindness and thoughtfulness. She asked me to save the red wrapped gift for last, so I opened the other - in this package, yet another gift she made for me - two wonderful pillowcases. Lorrie then shared with me that she has a pile of "pretty" pillowcases - when she has a bad day, she grabs one, puts it on her pillow, and curls up in the living room with a good book or a movie (or even takes a nap) - she calls them "special pillowcases". I just adore her cozy idea and will definitely be using these when I need a good boost!

After all this, I had no idea what could possibly be in the package she wanted me to open last - I felt completely pampered - I really was not expecting all this fuss - but it was such a treat to have so many treasures to open! I can't even express how touched I was when I opened the last gift - it is breathtaking. She stitched a piece especially for me and mounted it in a Sudberry box and it is "TO DIE FOR" - it really is....

To find a chart with my initial that has needles, a thimble, a button, a spool of thread, and a pair of scissors...really, what could be more perfect?! After opening it, she shared a lovely story with me of what she envisioned I would keep inside of it and I couldn't think of a better use. Oh...and did I mention she put several little goodies inside the box? - yep, she sure did! I am just so extremely touched by the thought and time that went into each of these special gifts. I honestly felt like it was Christmas, my birthday, and every other special occasion you could think of all rolled into one. Lorrie - your friendship is a true blessing and your talents are limitless - thank you.

After such a wonderful lunch, I finished up my pile of errands and hurried home to clean and organize my studio...after all, I still have a few last minute sewing and crafting projects for the holidays...and yes, I still have to get my Christmas cards in the mail (if I don't finish them up soon, they may have to say "Happy New Year" - or better yet, "Happy Valentine's Day")....

A Baking Marathon

2011-12-11T18:41:00.011-06:00

Saturday was a full day - I headed over to my mother-in-law's house at 9:00 AM for a twelve hour baking marathon. I sure didn't know what the day had in store when I left the house - I figured I would be over there for a few hours...but it turned into an entire day in the kitchen. My mother-in-law does TONS of baking every year for holiday gifts - she had called me earlier in the week and asked me to join her....when I arrived, she had over ten labor-intensive recipes ready to prepare. She had done some dough making throughout the week, so my first task was to cut over 100 sugar cookies and get them in the oven...it was a giant double batch and I was able to use every Christmas cookie cutter under the sun! While they were cooling, I rolled and shaped 75 candy cane cookies...baked them, then sprinkled the warm cookies with crushed peppermints sticks. I helped with the preparation of several of her famous candies, then it was time to frost and decorate all the sugar cookies - it seemed an endless task - I started out being all clever and decorating each one specially, but by the end of the day, I (admittedly) was just frosting and shaking sprinkles on each one. While I was doing the frosting, she was baking pumpkin bread and banana nut bread. By the time I left, we had made ten different candies, cookies, and breads - double batches of each...and we were both exhausted. After a very full day, we cleaned the kitchen and I packed up two small tins of treats to bring home...it was a lot of work, but very fun to spend the day baking with my mother-in-law. I hope you make time to do some holiday baking with family and/or friends...

To assist with your holiday baking, here is a favorite cookie recipe from my kitchen:

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Star Cookies
1 bag chocolate stars
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar (for rolling dough before baking)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate star into the center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from baking sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. This recipe makes about 4 dozen "yummy" cookies.

Gifts and Giggles

2011-12-09T17:09:00.012-06:00

Today was a good day! - I was able to have lunch with my friend Mary - it had been a while since we had seen one another, so it was marvelous way to spend the afternoon...we also did our annual Christmas gift exchange and a little shopping. I had a fun gift bag of goodies prepared for her...including a sock monkey drawstring bag and twelve little sock monkey ornaments that I had made especially for her...(Marsha - I apologize for this post - I know sock monkeys "creep you out"☺). I showed you the drawstring bag several days ago...but I wanted to wait to show you the ornaments until after Mary received them. I found a great sock monkey fabric (Santa's Little Helpers by Erin Michael for Moda) that was perfect to make feather tree size ornaments - each is approximately 2" square. I fussy cut twelve squares for the fronts - used a fabric from the same collection for the back (dark brown sock monkey knit texture fabric) - and used 1/8" red and white ribbons for the hangers. These twelve little ornaments fit perfectly in the matching drawstring bag!

Mary had a wonderful assortment of gifts for me, as well. Check out this adorable wool runner - it is SO "me" - it is 8" W x 18" H and will work perfect on the Longaberger end table in my living room! I just adore the red birds on the black wool...

...and check out this pile of goodies - including a pincushion and sweet pea lotion (two of my favorite things!)...and a beautiful Hugging Heart and snowflake magnet by Isabel Bloom.

We had such a fabulous time...and a lot of laughs...and I just have to share this funny story with you:

I LOVE books - I have three large bookcases full of sewing, quilting, stitching, crafting, needlework, "you name it" creative/artistic books in my studio. Many times I will give my dear friends a book or two for Christmas or a birthday. This year I decided to give Mary the book "Cute and Easy Quilting and Stitching" by Charlotte Liddle for Christmas. It is full of adorable projects that incorporate both sewing and needlework...and I thought Mary would really enjoy it and feel comfortable creating the projects. When she opened it, I could tell by her face that she may already have this book in her collection - when I asked, she said she did not, but she had admired a copy of it - she then told me to open one of the packages she had for me...and guess what...it was the same exact book! We had both picked out the same book to give each other...what a hoot! We laughed so hard....of all the books in the world, we both picked the exact same one to give as a gift. I am actually REALLY excited to have a copy, as there are several projects I can't wait to bring to life - including a super cute embroidered bird brooch that incorporates wool and silk fabric with beads, sequins, and pearls....

So, there you have it, a rundown of my very fun day. I have a little sewing to do this evening - then I am off to do more model stitching on "Redwork Garden". Tomorrow will be another full day, as I am headed to my mother-in-law's house to help her with her holiday baking and cookie decorating.

Wishing you a fun-filled weekend - I do hope you make time to do something you enjoy...

Up For A Challenge

2011-12-08T15:57:00.010-06:00

I worked on a bit of a sewing challenge yesterday...something my husband asked me to do last week. Yep, wouldn't you know it, I am knee deep in BRD models and making holiday gifts and my husband comes to me with a sewing project he needed done (of course) by this weekend. Our conversation started by him bringing me the following hunting item:

Now, for those of you who aren't sure what this is, it is a blaze orange handwarmer muff - it has a strap that you use to hold it around your waist (like a fanny pack for warm hands). He says it is his favorite and it is the best for keeping his hands warm. So what is the problem, you ask? Well, he wants it to be camouflage for when he is sitting in the timber bow hunting...but also wants to have to option to have it blaze orange for gun hunting. Okay, I am up for a challenge...so last week, while out with my friend Merry, I picked up a yard of Realtree camouflage fabric (I took a photo of his camouflage clothes with my phone, so I could match the print in the store). Last night, I finally got around to measuring the muff and getting my plan together - at first, I planned to use Velco to hold the camo fabric around the muff, but as I began sewing, I got the idea to use a zipper. I still had to figure out how I was going to accommodate the straps, but I decided I would get the fully lined fabric sleeve prepared first. After the fabric sleeve with zipper was complete and fit perfectly, I decided to use two buttonholes for the straps...the end result was this:

I was happy to use the fancy schmancy sensor one-step buttonhole foot on my sewing machine and it worked perfectly (I did a couple on test buttonholes on scrap fabric first). I had to mark the strap placement, as it was different on each side, but that wasn't a big deal...and I had to make the largest buttonhole my machine allows to accommodate the large buckles on the strap. It actually worked perfectly - even better than I had planned - and here is the end result:

It is easily removable and covers all the blaze orange. My husband was so happy and it was exactly what he wanted - he can now use it for both types of hunting and his hands will stay toasty warm! Several years ago, I never would have dreamed I could tackle this project - but today I feel quite confident in my sewing skills. Yes, challenges can be a good thing....

Sewing and Stitching

2011-12-07T21:51:00.004-06:00

I have been spending the majority of my days stitching/designing new models and sewing/quilting my holiday gifts - I am keeping busy from sun"up" until way past sun"down". Today I managed to finish up three personalized journals...and my list is down to one wall hanging quilt and one other larger project and then all my gifts will be complete - I am hoping to start wrapping and shipping early next week. I can only show you one of the journals, as the fabrics were chosen for specific recipients (and they all read my blog)...so I am only showing you one and I have removed the name...maybe you will get a peek at the others in the future.

I have shown quite a few of these journal covers to you before - they are so much fun to work on...and easy to personalize! For those of you who are new to my blog - here are the specifics details... The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal - this is a great project for using up scraps of fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the journal in my photo is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and to top it off, make a lovely gift! I have made quite a few of these and each one is unique and special - I like to embroider the recipients name on a piece of wool felt or fabric and applique it to the front...and there are so many other ways you could make these covers recipient specific. I hope you will try making one of these fun quilted journals...for yourself...and/or a friend!

"Friendship Blooms"

2011-12-05T17:50:00.006-06:00

Today I have a sneak of peek of a new design to show you (before framing)...here is your first look at "Friendship Blooms". This friendship sampler will be released in February at the Nashville Needlework Market. The sampler is stitched on 40-count Weeks Dye Works Straw linen with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss. I thought it would be fun to have several other finishing ideas with the chart - so I made multiple ornaments (could be fobs or hook hangers) using three different finishing techniques...one uses finishing forms - one backs the ornament with linen - one backs the ornament with fabric or wool. Finishing instructions for all three will be included in the chartpack. The ornaments/fobs/hook hangers shown in the photo were all stitched on 28-count Bone Jobelan, but I will be doing several with the 40-count Weeks Dye Works linen, as well. As with most of my designs, there are multiple possibilities for finishing! I wanted a fun, cheerful release in February that included many of my favorite motifs, as it tends to be quite gloomy here that time of year...

I am now working on another new design model called "Redwork Garden" which is somewhat a companion to "Quilted Garden"...it is a larger design, so it will take me a couple weeks to get it stitched - I am thrilled with the charting and can't wait to share it with you!

Wonderful Weekend

2011-12-04T19:16:00.006-06:00

It has been a gloomy couple days here - in fact, yesterday it rained the entire day. I decided I would take advantage of my Saturday and do some sewing, baking, and cooking. I started my afternoon by making seven more of my pincushion tuffets - these were all made with recipients in mind...and they use two of my favorite retired fabric lines (Beach House by Blackbird Designs for Moda and Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda) and are backed with wool. We all know how much I enjoy making these little tuffets and I have the assembly line quilting done to a science...I even moved my ironing board right next to my sewing table so I could be as efficient as possible. These also gave me chance to show-off some of the pins I made recently! After my time in the sewing studio, I made my way to the kitchen, where I baked some homemade bread and made a nice, comforting potato soup. The evening was then spent in my stitching nest finishing up my new design "Friendship Blooms" - actually, I did the last couple stitches this afternoon - so I will blog about it and give you a peek tomorrow! I am doing some charting for another new piece tonight...and I am going to cut pieces for a miniature quilt I plan to start sewing tomorrow...it has been a quiet, productive, and relaxing weekend...

Beautiful Drawstring Bags

2011-12-02T21:20:00.005-06:00

I'm still feeling a bit behind on my handmade holiday gifts, but an evening in my sewing studio produced five lined drawstring gift bags...and yes, I do already have the items that are going into each one (thank goodness!). I think it took me longer to pick out the coordinating fabrics and cut all the pieces than it did to sew them together...but then again, I do love going through my fabric stash and I tend to get sidetracked (imagine that). These bags were made using one of the best tutorials I have seen - it is on the In Color Order blog...and it is called the Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial. I really enjoy this blog, it is one of my favorites - it is always full of eye candy and great ideas. When I saw the tutorial for the drawstring bags, I knew I had to make a pile for the holidays. The finished size for these bags is approximately 7" W x 10" H...but Jeni has a PDF pattern available for a very reasonable price with instructions for 8 different sizes! For each of my bags I used 3 fat quarters (and had fabric left from each one) and ribbon for the ties...but the tutorial will show you how to make fabric ties, should you desire. Since the bags are fully lined, they are quite sturdy and perfect for "wrapping" holiday gifts (and very easy to customize for a friend or loved one). I am totally tickled with how each of them turned out - I love this pattern. So, instead of the usual paper gift bag, why not try making a few of these lovely reusable drawstring bags...I'm pretty sure you will impress the recipient(s)!

Let It Snow!

2011-11-30T23:07:00.005-06:00

One of my favorite things to make each holiday season are these machine embroidered snowflakes. I start early in the season and make well over 100 of them - I tuck them inside of cards and tie them on packages. These are made on my embroidery machine...and are technically called "free-standing lace"...they are made entirely of thread! For those of you not familiar with an embroidery machine, here is a little idea of how these snowflakes are made - using digitized designs, the machine embroiders the snowflakes on water-soluble stabilizer...once the design is stitched, you put it in water and the stabilizer dissolves, leaving you with a beautiful piece of lace made completely of embroidery thread. I like to put a piece of white ribbon through the hanger on each snowflake before placing it in a card or on a gift. Each snowflake takes anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour to make, so I usually set up my machine and let them embroider while I am working on various other crafts in my studio. In the photos you can see a selection of my embroidered snowflakes...average size for the smaller snowflakes is 2 1/2" - 2 3/4" and the larger snowflakes average 3 1/2" - 4" square. Many digitizers offer snowflakes for machine embroidery, but if you are interested in these particular snowflakes, they are designed by Criswell Embroidery & Design....you can purchase their digitized designs on CD at your favorite quilt shop or by downloading them from their website. Over the last week, I have made just over 50 and I would like to make a few more...I have a new design collection I would like to try with several different styles....and if I find time, I may just make a few to display in my own home...

Buttons and Bottle Caps

2011-11-29T17:17:00.011-06:00

If you read my blog often, then you know I am addicted to buttons - I am constantly on the lookout for buttons - new or vintage or novelty...I don't discriminate! I have them in jars, tins, and boxes in my studio - and sometimes an entire project I work on is decided upon by a button that inspires me. So today's post should be no surprise to you - paperclips embellished with buttons...these work great as bookmarks - or for collecting papers - or attached to a card or tag - and you often see them in scrapbooking and altered art. They are beyond simple to make and can be embellished as much as you like - I did these rather simple, but you could add wool shapes or stack several buttons...even add ribbon or trim or small fabric yo-yos. I use a good, clear-drying glue and attach the paperclip to the button...then after it drys, I glue a small wool felt circle to the back to make it pretty and smooth - I have also been known to use a piece of white adhesive foam on the back. Most of the clips in the photo use buttons, but some are decorative brads I had in my embellishment box - I just removed the prongs and attached the paperclip and wool back (these are seen in the top right photo on the right side). Although I have various sizes and colors of paperclips on hand - the majority of these use a basic size #1 silver...and the three darker ones use a brass jumbo clip. I recently found some colorful BIG clips measuring about 3 3/4" - I picked up a couple packs thinking they will make great embellished bookmarks...I envision them with wool and fun ribbon tails.

I also made a couple more batches of my bottle cap magnets...I had found some wonderful adhesive tin pins at the scrapbook store that I fell in love with (aren't the bird and the goose adorable?!) - they fit perfectly in the bottle caps, so I attached them with Amazing GOOP craft adhesive and added a magnet to the back of each - super easy and super cute!

I've been running in a million different directions lately...trying to get new designs prepared, trying to make holiday gifts, along with managing my business and our household (and still nursing what is left of my cold/flu) - I have been a multitasking machine. The whole time I worked on the above projects, I had my sewing/embroidery machine working on embroidered snowflakes and had multiple household chores going on...it's been a little chaotic here trying to get my to-do list done...but each night, I have been stitching up a storm, working on new models for early 2012. "Friendship Blooms" is almost ready for a peek - it may be done tonight (if I work into the wee hours of the morning, like usual) - if not I hope to finish it up tomorrow...so be on the lookout for a sighting soon!

A Loveliness of Ladybugs

2011-11-25T14:02:00.006-06:00

After sewing several ladybug zipper pouches, I decided to do a little research on ladybugs...and the first thing I wanted to know is "what is the collective noun for ladybugs"?...well, I found out a group of ladybugs is called a loveliness - how adorable is that?! They are also known as a ladybird or lady beetle...and yes, there is a male ladybug...and here are several other fun facts:

In the past, doctors would mash ladybugs and put them in your mouth to cure a toothache
You can fit 80,000 ladybugs into a gallon jug
Male ladybugs are smaller than female ladybugs
They can live for as many as three years
A ladybug beats its wings 85 times per second when it flies
Their spots fade as they get older

Not that you needed an insect lesson today - I just thought it would be fun to share a little bit of what I learned on my endless quest for knowledge...

I decided I would work on more of my handmade holiday gifts instead of fighting the shopping crowds today...and spending my morning in the sewing studio was my gift, as it brings me sheer joy. So now, back to my sewing project...okay, how cute are these little ladybug zippered pouches?!...I guess they are technically "coin purses", but I plan to put stitchy things inside - a pair of scissors, needles, needle threader, 3" ruler, etc....a special little sewing/stitching kit. The wings are cotton quilting fabric...the head, the spots, and the belly are felted wool fabric...and of course, the eyes are buttons. The first "ladybird" was so adorable, I had to make a whole family (Teresa, I know you are smiling!)...plus I wanted to try out several red fabric prints that I thought would make cute ladybug wings. The head and the spots were attached using a blanket stitch, which could easily be done by hand - but I chose to do this stitch on my sewing machine. They measure about 5" in diameter, so they are the perfect size to tuck in your stitching bag, tote, or purse....and the zipper closure helps keep all your handy little tools safe inside. I have a few special people in mind to receive a lucky ladybug...and I might just keep one for myself because they make me happy! I hope you will take some time to work on a project that brings you happiness...

Creative Clothespins

2011-11-23T17:46:00.006-06:00

A creative afternoon in the studio produced these fun clothespin magnets. They are super easy to make and a fun way to use all those special embellishments in your collection. I purchased a bag of clothespins and a sheet of magnets at a local craft shop (easy to find and relatively inexpensive)...and the rest of the supplies I had in my stash. First I cut and glued a strip of magnet on the back of each clothes pin...then I applied glue on the top with a foam brush, attaching a piece of 3/8" grosgrain ribbon. After the glue dried, I attached various buttons, ribbons, wool pieces, crocheted flowers, rick rack, etc. to decorate each one. Easy peasy! It was fun to choose each of the ribbons and matching treasures....and they went together in no time at all - actually, the longest step was waiting for the glue to dry. I plan to attach them to specially made gift cards and give them out as gifts during the holiday season. Perfect for leaving a loved one a note on the fridge or hanging a photo on a magnet board...and I think I will use them to organize some of the paperwork in my office (that should definitely make my paperwork more cheerful!). I hope this post will inspire you to impress your friends and family by creating some holiday gifts of your own...

"Beauty In Simplicity" For A Frame

2011-11-22T17:25:00.008-06:00

Hello friends and followers! Well, under the advice of a very dear friend, I just spent the last 72 hours resting and sleeping - basically trying to get over my nasty cold/flu...and I finally feel like I am on the mend...so thank you all for your well wishes - I hope to be 100% healthy real soon (fingers crossed by the Thanksgiving holiday)...

I did manage to (finally) finish the framed model for "Beauty In Simplicity". Some of you may remember this design - it was a teaching piece for the first New England Stitcher's Retreat in the spring of 2010. For the class, we did the lid of an oval shaker box, a pinkeep, a scissor fob, and a needlebook (seen upper right)...but for consumer release, I also wanted to add a framed version of the design. I put in the final stitches a couple nights ago and it will be headed to the framer this week. To be quite honest, I am not sure when I am going to release this design - by the time it is framed and the printing files will be ready, it will be January and with the TNNA Nashville Needlework Market in February, it may make the most sense to release this design at market....so rest assured (for those of you who have been requesting this design) it will be released in early 2012...I will be sure to let you know all the details when I have them sorted out. This chartpack will include charting, directions, and finishing instructions for the framed design, the shaker box, and all three smalls. So here you go - a peek at the framed design - and you are seeing it here first...

...and since I just mentioned the New England Stitcher's Retreat - I will share some more news with you - I have been invited back to teach at the amazing Enfield Shaker Museum again in October 2012! This is breaking news, so obviously, I don't have a design to share with you yet - but the theme for this upcoming fall retreat is Halloween and I am already brainstorming for the project...I hope to see many new and familiar faces at this New Hampshire event next year! You can read more about the events at http://www.stitchingretreat.com.

Tonight I will be stitching on the model for "Friendship Blooms" - I am well underway on this new design and hope to have a peek to you by the end of the month. I also have some really fun handmade holiday gifts underway and will have some great sewing/crafting ideas for you in the next couple weeks...and yes, I am still taking it easy and getting plenty of rest...

Bottle Cap Magnets

2011-11-19T15:05:00.007-06:00

Today is a better day - head cold is still here, but stomach flu symptoms are diminishing and I am able to function. Thank you all for your well wishes!

This afternoon, I had fun finishing up some bottle cap magnets while watching the Michigan football game (WAY TO GO BLUE!!!) - another simple task that I could manage with my miserable cold. The materials list is pretty small to make these beautiful bottle caps: pretty papers or stickers, glue, scissors (a 1" round circle punch helps tremendously), magnets, bottle caps, and Diamond Glaze by Judy Kins. There are many good instructions, tutorials, and videos on this subject (some use different materials) - if you are interested in making your own magnets, just do a Google search and you will get lots of great advice. I managed to finish-up twelve magnets today -which will be holiday gifts....and I have pretty paper picked out for another batch in the near future...

This rest of this afternoon, I plan to try to do a little model stitching...as much as I can handle on cold medication...I am ALMOST finished with the model for "Beauty In Simplicity" and I want to get it to the framer this week - then I plan to continue work on the "Friendship Blooms" model...

Playing with Pins

2011-11-18T20:45:00.008-06:00

Well, my head cold blossomed into a terrible stomach flu and I have been suffering for a couple days...I am quite annoyed, because it is really slowing me down. My closest friends know, I am terrible at sitting still - absolutely terrible - I don't relax well, and my hands need to constantly be busy...so even with the flu, I have been trying to accomplish at least something.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with the holidays approaching quickly...especially since I like to make most of my gifts. I sat down a few days ago and made a list of gifts I would like to create for the loved ones in my life...and as usual, I don't know how I will get them all done - along with the pile of fast approaching deadlines I have with my design business. I made myself a schedule - well, being sick, I haven't been able to try it out yet...but I did get things down on paper...hopefully once I am healthy, I can reach all of my goals.

While I have been trying to model stitch with my cold/flu, counting does not seem to be my strong suit right now...so I opted for something a bit simpler this evening. Obviously, if you read my blog, then you know I have an extreme fondness for pincushions...and I am always on the lookout of special pins to decorate them with for gift giving. Lately I have been inspired to make my own unique pins...and tonight, that is exactly what I did...I bundled up in my comfy chair, with my hot tea, cold/flu medicine, and a tray of supplies (and Simba too!). I just gathered up some wools, buttons, threads, scissors, glue, flat-head pins, pearls, and beads - and then I played. The result was a pile of fancy pins I will be able to dress up my pincushions with this holiday season. What do you think? - I am actually thrilled with the results...not bad for a girl with a bright red nose who can't keep any food down...I can only image how well they would look, if I was 100%...I definitely see more of these in my future...

Friendship - The Best Medicine

2011-11-16T16:16:00.007-06:00

I am feeling a bit under the weather (actually, today I feel completely miserable) - I think my crazy schedule has finally caught up to me...but two special surprises have helped brighten my week!

First, on Monday evening I received an adorable little box in the mail from Keepsake Quilting...which was quite a surprise, since I had not ordered anything. Inside was the sweetest note from my dear friend Sue (who lives in New York) along with a package of 75 die cut "Holiday Hearts" - how fun is that?! - my creativity kicked in right away, trying to decide how to use these fabric hearts. Each heart is cut from a different cotton quilting fabric...and I had a marvelous time going through the entire stack and seeing each of the patterns. Thank you so very much Sue - your surprise package totally brightened my day and lifted my spirits - I can see many hours of sewing enjoyment in my near future!

Then yesterday, my sweet friend Merry brought me an amazing bag of goodies! I had actually missed her wine tasting party over the weekend because we were out of town for a family gathering (which totally bummed me out as I really REALLY wanted to be there)...so what does my thoughtful friend do? - she brings me all sorts of treats from her party to try with my own bottle of wine. She brought me pears and an apple, fig jelly, chocolates, crackers, and an amazing smoked blue cheese called "Moody Blue" - don't they all look scrumptious?! Merry - you can rest assured I will savor each of the goodies you packed up for me - thank you for the delicious surprise - you always spoil me and I cherish our friendship....

Isn't it amazing that friends have a "sixth sense" when you are not feeling 100% - it seems whenever I need a pick-me-up they just know. I may have a terrible head cold and very little voice, but I am still feeling extremely blessed! The gift of friendship is always the best medicine...

Marvelous Mini Quilt

2011-11-14T22:17:00.010-06:00

Quite some time ago, I found a fabric that I just fell in love with (Martha's Vineyard Watercolor by Susan Branch for RJR Fabrics)...it is full of adorable motifs and little sayings...and it just makes me happy! It is one of those fabrics you hold on to until you decide the perfect project, so as not to waste an inch. I knew when I found it, I was going to fussy cut the motifs and make a miniature quilt...and I am thrilled I made time to finally get it done. The result is one of my favorite quilts - EVER. It is relatively small at 15" W x 22" H...and I put a sleeve on the back and added one of the wooden hangers my husband helped me make, so I could easily hang it on my wall. I didn't use a pattern - I just fussy cut the motifs/sayings into 3" squares (2 1/2" finished) and used my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter to cut 1 1/2" strips for sashing (1" finished). The sashing fabric is Posy Celebration by Holly Holderman for LakeHouse...and I thought it worked perfectly with each of my chosen motifs. I am so happy I have quite a bit of the Martha's Vineyard Watercolor fabric left, as I definitely want to make a few more things...and especially since it is dated 2007 and a quick Internet search did not yield any results...thank goodness I thought ahead and bought a couple yards. I hope this little quilt brought a smile to your face and inspires you to pull some fabric or a project out of your stash...

Shopping, Stash, and Surprises

2011-11-09T15:15:00.023-06:00

My final box arrived from California late this morning...it was the box I was waiting for...the one with all my stash and surprises! Opening the package was treat, as I was excited to see all the pressies and pretties I collected on my trip...

This first photo is of the special Elegant Stitch Workshop gifties...the terrific treats that each attendee (and me) received...a wooden thread pallet and corner gauge - both engraved with Harvest Workshop 2011...and the most adorable little Moda pouch with three pockets and three tiny jars inside - one with needles, one with buttons, and one empty for tiny treasures.

...and I just had to show my name tag - how cute is that?! - with a pumpkin and a blue ribbon - all the attendees had one...so very creative and I just LOVED them!

I received several WONDERFUL gifts while at the Workshop - I am always touched by the kindness of retreat attendees....seems I always have a few special presents to take home. Pam, Lara, and Kim brought me the largest bag of Ghirardelli Chocolate I have ever seen (I plan to bribe my husband with some of it!)...thanks to the three of them, my sweet tooth will be taken care of for quite some time...here is a shot I took of just a few pieces....

...and after class I found out Sandy had left me a surprise gift bag...inside, it had the sweetest card and this LOVELY lavender scented sachet. Sandy - I'm not sure how you knew that I adore the scent of lavender - it is one of my favorites - thank you so very much - I love it!

Finally - take a really good look at this...it is my favorite new piece of jewelry! This is one special beaded button bracelet...Lois made it especially for me...all the buttons represent autumn motifs I used in the "Harvest Huswif" piece that I designed for the class. I truly adore everything about this bracelet...seeing it instantly makes me happy...and I will treasure it for years to come. Lois thank you so much for making me such a gorgeous memento of our time together....I heart you!

I did quite a bit of shopping at Elegant Stitch - in fact, after the events were over, I *made* Lois take me back to purchase a few more things. I can't show everything here, as I did some holiday shopping for my close friends...but I will show you what I am adding to my stash...

First of all - this beyond beautiful needlework accessory from La-D-Da (the very talented Lori Markovic) - I can't wait to get this on the arm of my stitching nest chair - the photos do not do it justice - it is spectacular...

Of course I picked up more pins and buttons...note the larger version of the owl button from my bracelet (I love him!)...and the pretty petite pins on the light blue card in the lower right-hand corner - these are Lady Dot's Marking Pins and they are just precious...

And finally, Annie had the newest installment of Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers Club ready and waiting for me (look at the fabulous autumn floss colors) - I have every single Loose Feathers design that has been released from the beginning - I have been on the automatic with ES since day one - now I wish I could find time to stitch them all... I also picked up Barb and Alma's latest book "A Schoolgirl's Work: Samplers from the Spencer Museum of Art".

I was lucky enough to spend a day in Berkeley, CA with Lois - she planned for us to visit some great shops and (as usual) I was a good little shopper. Our first stop was New Pieces Quilt Shop - and I LOVED this place...it had a lot of fabrics I had not seen before...and the staff was extremely helpful and friendly! As many of you know I love looking for fabric with trees...and I found several great whimsical "tree" fabrics...along with a fabulous panel style fabric with the best owls...plus a lovely line of modern vegetable fabric...yep, all these came home with me...

We then headed to Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics - and this shop did not disappoint - it had the most remarkable selection of fabrics for sewing, garments, home decor, and quilting - the aisles of bolts seemed endless. I was quite impressed with their selection of Japanese fabric and found a couple to splurge on - and of course the subjects were trees and owls. I also found a unique pile of quilting cottons. It was fun being in this shop on Halloween day - some of the staff were in costume and many shoppers were picking up last minute costume materials. The first photo is of the sign in their front window...

Our final stop in Berkeley was the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles. I had wanted to visit this shop for quite some time, as they are known to have a very extensive collection of needlework books. This shop was a hodgepodge for me - the inventory was extensive and the book selection was fabulous...there were many treasures...but the treasures seemed to be mixed in with low-end merchandise. I did find a couple Japanese books to bring home - one on tiny embroidery and one on sashiko - there was a plethora of wonderful Japanese books and I had a hard time narrowing my purchase down to just two...I also picked up a copy of "Embroidered Stuart Pictures". It was a unique and interesting place to visit and I am so glad we stopped...

Whew...I had no idea I had so many things shipped home...what a great trip...I could not have asked for anything more - everything was perfect! Now to make time to put all my new stash to good use...

Winter Inspiration

2011-11-09T10:01:00.006-06:00

I have been on work overload the last week...playing catch-up after being gone most of the month of October for teaching events. Yesterday, I finally got my desk under control and the to-do list is almost manageable. Late last night, I was able to sit down and work on some long overdue model stitching...I actually got quite a bit accomplished (which was encouraging). Before heading to bed, I decided to sneak a peek outside to see if the snow had started yet...and sure enough, the ground was covered with big white flakes...with it being late at night (well, actually early morning at 1:48 AM) and our first snow of the season, I quickly grabbed my camera and got several beautiful shots from our front steps. The snow was so peaceful with the night sky...and the big fluffy flakes seamed to float through the air...I just had to share these whimsical photographs with you...

Later today, I am expecting a package from California...you know, the one with all my stash purchases and goodies (all the great stuff that I couldn't fit in my suitcase)...so, hopefully I will be back soon with some fun, creative things to share with you! ...and if I am really lucky, I will find some time in my hectic schedule to do a little sewing and/or machine embroidery today - the holidays are approaching quickly and I have so many gifts to prepare....

Captivating California

2011-11-04T19:24:00.022-05:00

As many of my regular readers know, my teaching trip to Elegant Stitch in Modesto, CA was my first ever trip to The Golden State. I have wanted to visit California since I was a little girl...and now I definitely know why...the area I was able to see was incredible. After taking care of business, I was invited to stay two extra days with Lois, Mr. Bear, and kiddies...we spent one extra day in San Francisco sightseeing and one in Berkeley doing a little shopping.

San Francisco was breathtaking...and I could not have asked for a better "tour guide"...Lois asked for a postcard day - and we had the most beautiful day I could have ever imagined. We saw ALL of San Francisco...we saw EVERYTHING...we left no stone unturned....and I think my jaw was dropped for most of the day. What a treat it was to see the city with someone from the area who knew exactly where to take me! We went on a Sunday, which greatly helped with traffic and congestion in the city...plus we left bright and early so we had an entire day to play. We did so much - I couldn't possibly cover it all...so, this will be the digest version with some of my favorite photographs...

We started the day by taking the Bay Bridge and stopped at Treasure Island for my first big view of the city:

After I took a bunch of photos on Treasure Island, we got back on the Bay Bridge and headed into San Francisco. We drove along the Embarcadero and I was quite taken with the waterfront and the piers. We made a stop by Ghirardelli Square on the west end of Fisherman's Wharf and walked out by the San Francisco Bay...where I got a couple good photos of Alcatraz Island:

We then took the Golden Gate Bridge to Vista Point and I was mesmerized by the size of the bridge - it truly left me speechless...

Next we drove through Sausalito (which I absolutely loved!) and Mill Valley before heading to the Marin Headlands. The Headlands were spectacular and Lois had to pick my jaw up a couple times - the views of the entire area were breathtaking...

After heading back over the Golden Gate Bridge, we made our way to Crissy Field and Fort Point. The walk was absolutely beautiful and I was able to take some AMAZING photographs...

Our scenic tour continued as we passed Lincoln Park Golf Course and Cliff House (just to name a few places) on our way to Twin Peaks. Twin Peaks gave us some of the most incredible views of the city - I took hundreds of photos.

Our sightseeing took us through Diamond Heights, The Castro, and The Haight....and we stopped at Mel's Drive-In Diner for a bite to eat. We then drove on the famous Lombard Street - the one-way section on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets, where the roadway has eight sharp turns - this street has the distinction of being the crookedest [most winding] street in the world...when we reached the bottom, I jumped out and took this photo:

Coit Tower was our last major stop - and of course there were more beautiful views to photograph...

Before leaving the city, we drove through Chinatown, Union Square, and Downtown...where we stopped for a Starbucks...then we headed back along the Embarcadero to the Bay Bridge and back to Modesto. As you can see, it really was a picture perfect "postcard" day - I truly could have a love affair with this city - I can't wait to go back!!

Elegant Stitch Workshop

2011-11-02T22:49:00.030-05:00

I made it back to Iowa safe and sound...and thoroughly enjoyed my first trip to California. I truly feel blessed...I got to teach "Harvest Huswif" - add a huge list of names to my stitching family - shop at the AMAZING Elegant Stitch - spend quality time with Lois, Annie, Mr. Bear, and all the kiddos - and do some major sightseeing in the area...the list goes on and on...it was one of the best teaching trips EVER!

The first couple days were spent at the shop...meeting all the creative, talented, friendly attendees...teaching the class...doing some major shopping...it was such a fun event. Lois does it up right, which was no surprise to me - very special gifts for each of the attendees (which I will show in a later post - I had to ship them home), great food, and personal touches all over the place - everyone felt comfortable and right at home...and seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves (especially me!).

The shop was spectacular - truly fabulous! I have been a customer for years...WAY longer than I have been designing...in fact, Elegant Stitch was one of the first shops to ever carry Blue Ribbon Designs. I have been dreaming of visiting this shop for as long as I can remember - and it definitely did not disappoint. It was spacious, well-stocked, clean, organized, and the displays were wonderful - it took me multiple trips around to even begin to see everything...and I made Lois take me back after the events to take another look and purchase another bag full of stash - yep, I found a TON of things I could not live without. There were threads, fabrics, embellishments, gadgets, and tools galore....there were gorgeous treasures on every shelf and rack (and in every drawer, basket, cabinet, and tub) - there were unique and limited edition goodies everywhere! To a needlework fan like myself, the eye candy was almost overwhelming...like I said, SPECTACULAR - if you have a chance to visit, you MUST do so - it will be SO worth it!! Okay, I know you have been waiting for photos and Lois was kind enough to let me take a bunch...so here goes..."just a touch" of what Elegant Stitch has to offer:

The workshop was held next door - which is also a treasure trove, as it contains all sorts of goodies for distribution. Lois and Annie had their work cut out, as they consolidated all the stock, storage, materials, and shipping supplies to make room for ten (or so) round tables and chairs....plus several long tables up front for food and my trunk show. It was so much fun having the retreat right next to the shop...and before and after class everyone definitely took advantage of it - shopping until their hearts were content. Everyone was comfortable and everything they could possibly need at their fingertips. Lois and Annie made sure things ran perfectly smooth throughout the entire event - it was sheer delight being a teacher in this organized atmosphere....it is no wonder many of the guests have been to every single retreat at Elegant Stitch since they started years ago. Here are some photos of all the smiling faces...minus just a few - one student had to leave a little early...and one table is mysteriously missing (you know who you are - Robin, Carole, Sharon - who didn't speak up when I asked if I got a picture of every table)....don't they all look like they are having a grand time??!

And finally today, I will share a photo of Carole with her gorgeous framed Red Velvet Inscription Sampler (and me). A photo of this fabulous finish has been posted on my website "Gallery" for quite sometime, so it was a true treat for me to meet Carole and see it in person. Carole - thank you so much for bringing it along!

So there you have the first of my trip posts - now you can see why I had such a GREAT time! There will be a couple more posts coming soon - one of my sightseeing in California...and one of all my stash...

To each of the attendees - thank you so much for making this event one for me to remember - you are all so talented, creative, and unique and I thank you for welcoming me and becoming part of stitching family. I heart you all...and truly hope our paths will cross again in the future...

To Lois, Annie, Mr. Bear, and all my new furry friends - you were delight to spend time with - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! You are all special and dear to me...and are stuck with me for life. You made my first trip to California more special and memorable than I ever imagined it could be....

Going to California...

2011-10-26T19:23:00.004-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the big day...I make my first trip (ever) to California. I am heading to Elegant Stitch in Modesto, CA to teach a workshop...and I couldn't be more excited! I absolutely adore traveling to meet fellow needleworkers and spending time with each of them in class. I will be teaching "Harvest Huswif" to a sold-out group...this special autumn stitching case has fun-shaped wool pockets inside and a matching scissor fob. This project is stitched on Weeks Dye Works linen with Gloriana Silk Threads...the wool fabric is from Moda and WDW...and the gorgeous hand-dyed ribbons are also from Gloriana. Inside: the wool pumpkin is for needles and pins, the upper acorn will hold a thimble or needle threader, the left leaf holds scissors, and the right leaf holds a 3" ruler...plus you have the large stitched pocket across the bottom. I really enjoyed designing this piece and can't wait share it with the attendees! This project is currently exclusive to the Elegant Stitch Workshop and will not be available for consumer purchase for at least one year.

I am currently packing my bags and getting my camera ready - I plan to take lots of photos to share with you (Lois has been kind enough to let me stay a couple extra days and be my tour guide...she has no idea what she is in for)! I will not be taking my laptop on this trip, so my communication will definitely be limited - please be patient with my response time....also the monthly newsletter will be delayed until my return.

To those of you attending - I can't wait to see you - we are going to have a MARVELOUS time!

Happy Fall Ya'll

2011-10-23T12:32:00.007-05:00

This post is for two very special friends: Elizabeth S. - her phrase was used for the title of this post (and make sure you say it with a southern accent)...and Teresa who just recently commented to me that every time I sew a project I make a bunch of them (yep, this time I made thirteen). I love you both dearly.

I had to share my most recent batch of pincushion tuffets - can you tell I had a bunch of autumn fabric scraps leftover from a large project?! These lovelies are already spoken for and shipped to new homes - one set of six and one set of seven. I just love making these...and this time I cut the strips for all thirteen and then chain pieced them, so it went rather quickly - it took me a couple hours to make all of them...then I stuffed and whip stitched them closed in an evening while watching television. I have a list of eleven more I would like to make in the next week or so...we'll see if I can make time...I already have some great fabric scraps picked out!

Purchases, Presents, and Perks

2011-10-20T23:02:00.009-05:00

To wrap up my posts about the New England Stitching Retreats, I have to share the goodies I brought home from my teaching excursion....and yes, there is quite a bit...in fact, I couldn't fit everything in my suitcase, so I had to ship a box home.

We'll start off with my quilting/fabric stash from Keepsake Quilting...I thought I did pretty well, considering this shop was on my bucket list. If you took a look at the photos I posted of this amazing shop on October 10th, then you know I really had to show some restraint. My favorite purchase: the owl fabric in the upper right corner (it makes me so very happy!)...

Then of course I made multiple trips to ABC Stitch Therapy - one before the events started and then once with each of the retreat groups....and of course, three trips added up to three purchases. I rarely purchase any cross stitch charts because I am so swamped with my own designs (plus I have an enormous stash already) - but I couldn't resist the Glendon Place "Outrageous Owls" chart. I also picked up Homespun Elegance "Bird Pincushion Box", the limited Liberty Hill "Halloween Night Scissor Block", two pairs of Halloween scissors, the Just Nan "Give A Hoot!" Wee Whimzi Box, and a large assortment of pins from my very favorite Puntini Puntini (so fabulous!) and JABCO.

As if all that wasn't enough, I received an AMAZING assortment of gifts from the retreat attendees. I am always blown away by the thoughtfulness and kindness of my students...they truly spoil me rotten! At the first retreat, Debbie gave me the most adorable Halloween bracelet with whimsical owl beads...Donna gave me a BEAUTIFUL Shaker pincushion from the museum gift shop (LOVE IT!)...Ruth brought me a lovely gift bag filled with mementos from New Hampshire (including a moose-shaped dog biscuit for Simba - yep, she even spoiled my dog!)...Elizabeth gave me a GORGEOUS knitted scarf...and since I made my first ever visit to a Dunkin' Donuts (which caused quite a bit of laughter), I received a DD trick-or-treat bag and a Halloween Munchkins box...not too mention I was given all sorts of snacks and beverages! At the second retreat, Gail brought me the most delightful Lavender Vanilla candle...the group from Australia brought me a couple cute tiny koala bears and a kitchen towel featuring the words of Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Peterson (an Australian poet, journalist, and author)...and Teresa (Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches) brought me an array of fantastic gifts. The homemade goodie bag from Teresa contained a bunch of See's Candy (DELICIOUS), smoked almonds, an autumn Kleenex pouch (she made), and the most adorable little snap pouch for lip balm (she cross stitched and sewed it!) - and best of all - she knows how much I like my food SPICY and got me tiny bottles of Tabasco Sauce that fit inside, so I can always spice things up!...and to top everything off (knowing I am heading to California for the first time next week), she gave me a "California Here We Come" tote bag - how thoughtful was that?!! Seriously - I couldn't ask for better stitching friends. Oh and yes, there is a ladybug Halloween costume for Simba that Nataly found for me after I told a story in class about the 5-year-old twins across the street wanting Simba to dress up as a ladybug for Halloween...

So I know your are thinking that has to be everything...BUT WAIT...there's more! For both of the retreats, I was included in the Yankee Swap event- yep, the teacher got to play too (how awesome is that?!)...the gift I ended up with at the first retreat included a vintage looking pincushion box, a pair of Dinky Dyes scissors, and a My Big Toe Needle Threader (woohoo!). At the second retreat, various gifts passed through my hands...but in the end I had a Clover Mini Iron and a bottle of fray check - both perfect for me and all my crafting endeavors! I also had to share the card that was in my room when I arrived - it had a Puntini Puntini exclusive Loon button made especially for the retreat attached - so very special. Nataly also included me in several of the evening gift bags with threads, chocolates, and tiny embellishments - it was pure joy to return to my room late at night and find a little organza bag tied on my door handle filled with little pressies.

Finally, after all the attendees had a chance to visit the gift shop in the Enfield Shaker Museum, I made a few purchases myself! If you checked out my blog post about the gift shop on October 17th, then you know it is filled with unique Shaker items from local artists - so many, it was hard to choose what to bring home this year. After much thought, I decided upon a Round Dresser Tray, a Shaker Tomato Pincushion (they are so lovely, I had to purchase an additional one), a Swallowtail Utensil Holder, four pegs, and four peggies. If you would like to do a little shopping yourself, visit the Enfield Shaker Museum Store online at: http://www.shakermuseum.org

There you have it - my fabulous purchases, presents, and perks! Next week I leave for a teaching engagement at Elegant Stitch in Modesto, CA - I am staying a couple extra days, as it is my first trip (ever) to California - Lois (bless her heart) has sightseeing and shopping planned for us - this post just might make her regret that decision...

New Hampshire with Nataly

2011-10-19T19:44:00.023-05:00

Today's post focuses on some beautiful sightseeing I was able to do while in New Hampshire. Between the two retreats, I had a little time off and I was lucky to have Nataly (Nataly's Needle Creations) show me some of the local landscape - she gave me a choice of going shopping or going hiking...and since I can go shopping at home, I chose to hike the trails at The Lost River Gorge and The Flume Gorge...and I am absolutely certain I made the best choice! The autumn leaves were in the midst of changing colors and were gorgeous shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown...the scenery was SPECTACULAR.

We started out first thing in the morning and had an enjoyable ride to The Lost River Gorge - I was quite impressed with this destination - there were fabulous boardwalks that led you through the gorge and along the way there were unbelievable views of the foliage, the river, waterfalls, caves, wildlife, and boulders...it was such a unique experience and far removed from anything I see in Iowa. Here are a few favorite photos:

After a refreshing hike through The Lost River Gorge, we drove to The Flume Gorge at Franconia Notch State Park. The Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty...and again, there was a fabulous boardwalk that gave us an up close look at the Flume Covered Bridge, the Flume Brook, Avalanche Falls (a 45 foot waterfall), Table Rock, and Glacial Boulders...to say this hike was breathtaking is an understatement - I was speechless as we followed the (seemingly endless) boardwalk to the top of the waterfall - it was incredible! Again, here are just a few of my favorite photos...

It was such an inspiring and relaxing day...and the weather was perfect! Nataly - thank you so much for spending a big part of your day with me and for showing me just a touch of the beauty New Hampshire has to offer - I could not have asked for a better tour guide and friend to show me the sights - you provided me with many fond memories that I will cherish!

I think that about does it for the the sights of New Hampshire and the New England Stitching Retreats...there will be one more post featuring my stash and items I purchased during my visit - and a few of the gifts I received from attendees...and since I had to ship them home, you will have to wait until they arrive (which can't be soon enough for me!). I am hoping to do some sewing before I head to California next week - so new creative posts are headed your way soon, as well...

Thank you for taking this journey with me...

New England Stitcher's Retreat: Events

2011-10-18T19:18:00.031-05:00

Meeting new needlework friends is such a joy - I absolutely adore teaching and spending time with fellow stitchers! I always tell my class attendees that they are part of my stitching family and are stuck with me for life (and I mean it!) - each one (in the wise words of Dodie) leaves an imprint on my heart...I feel truly blessed to meet and work with each individual. Below are just a sampling of my photos from the New Stitching Retreat events (I took hundreds) - obviously I can't share every picture in my photo album here, so I apologize if you attended and are not present in this post (it is definitely not intentional)...I did my best to pick an assortment of fun, flattering photos...

I actually taught two separate retreats - this first photo shows the class binder, class kit (in the box - tied with ribbon and maple candy - thank you Nataly for assembling the beautiful boxes!), and the goodie tote bag (filled with charts and stitching items)...these three items were at each place setting in the classroom...

THE FIRST RETREAT

Before the reception on the first night, we had a quick tour of the Enfield Shaker Museum - this photo shows Rosemary wearing a Shaker cloak - these hooded cloaks were made of heavy wool and lined in silk.

Here are a couple photos of the classroom...

Many of the students finished part of the project (either the scissor fob, and/or the chair seat, and/or the pin pillow) in class.

Here is Debbie with her completed chair seat:
Here are Judy and Diane with their completed chair seats:
Friends for 40 years - Linda and Ruth:
Mother and daughter, stitching together - Donna and Stephanie:
...and here is a fabulous photo of Bonnie and Lisa:
Dinners during the retreat were always entertaining...and I try to sit at each and every table during the events to get to know each of the attendees...
On the second day of the retreat, we took a "field trip" to ABC Stitch Therapy for shopping and a lovely tea party. I adore this photo of Sue and Bree at the tea party table - isn't the table setting delightful? There were lots of tasty treats, including homemade scones, macaroons, petit fours, and cookies....and jam that Marie had her sister bring from New Zealand. There were multiple types of tea (including English Breakfast, my favorite) served in fancy vintage teapots...and you got to choose a teacup from a wide assortment...it was a perfect afternoon.

THE SECOND RETREAT

Here are a few classroom photos from the second retreat. I was quite impressed that many (at both retreats) returned to the classroom after dinner to stitch on the project late into the night...

This next photo was taken in the stitching lounge...a little show and tell...
Marilyn and Kathy (from Australia) enjoying a "cuppa tea"...
Debi and Janette discussing a gorgeous piece Debi brought for show and tell:
I'm always excited when class attendees finish a piece to take home...just check out these proud smiles...

Teresa with her finished chair seat:
Lesley with her finished chair seat:
Jackie showing off her finished chair:
Gail with her finished chair seat:

...and Patricia with her finished scissor fob!
...and here is Debi finishing up the cross stitching on her chair seat:

And finally - a photo of the mouthwatering treats at the tea party:

So there you have it - a look inside the two New England Stitching Retreats...can you tell we all had a great time?! I seriously couldn't ask for a better job! To those of you who attended - thank you for making my time in New England extra special - I enjoyed each and every one of you...thank you for the laughs and smiles...and for sharing my passion - it was truly my pleasure to share "Botanical Blessings" with you!

Enfield Shaker Museum: A Look Inside

2011-10-17T17:39:00.021-05:00

Yesterday, I shared photos with you of Enfield, NH and the Enfield Shaker Village buildings...today's photos give you a look inside. The stitching retreats were held at the Great Stone Dwelling House, which is also home to the Enfield Shaker Museum....built in 1841, the history of this amazing building was not lost on me....what a treat to stay in this unique environment, free of televisions, radios, phones, etc. (it was so quiet, at night you could hear the loons on the lake). Some might miss those modern day amenities, but I'll take the charm of this historic setting any day...and who misses modern technology when you have the company of talented fellow needleworkers, fabulous views, delicious food, and a full schedule of great events.

Again, you can click on any of the photos for a larger look...and these are from my personal collection - they are not to be copied, printed, used, or posted on the Internet without my written permission. Thank you!

First, a look at the accommodations - the top photo is of the room I have stayed in for both my visits...followed by a couple other rooms. My room still had the inside shutters for window coverings, while others have more modern shades. Pegs still adorn the walls for hanging clothing and various items...and the wooden floors add to the charm of these historic rooms.

At the end of each hallway is a quaint sitting area - where during the events, it was not uncommon to see needleworkers stitching, knitting, or crocheting...

The classroom on the second floor was filled with natural lighting during the day and was quite spacious. The top photo shows the classroom area before places were set...and the bottom photo shows the class binders and kits in place before attendees reserved their places.

All meals were served in the dining room on the first floor - this was the same dining room used by the Shakers, with men dining on one side of the room and women dining on the other. The food was catered by a wonderful local restaurant called Mickey's...and believe me, we did not go hungry - the food was excellent!

After dinner and the evening activities, attendees could visit the stitcher's lounge. This area was located on the other side of the classroom and was filled with comfortable stitching chairs. Although lighting was an issue at night, most everyone brought their own lamps...and you could find stitchers working on a large assortment of projects until the wee hours...lots of laughter and chit chat filled the lounge, where we relaxed in our pajamas!

The West Brethren's Shop houses museum exhibits/displays and is open to the public...during a lunch break, I took a look inside...many Shaker tools were on exhibit, along with displays featuring predominate Shaker skills (such as: herb and flower drying, broom making, woodworking, wool spinning).

The Enfield Shaker Museum also has a WONDERFUL gift shop, located in two rooms on the first floor of the Great Shaker Dwelling House. It features all sorts of goodies - many made by local artisans. There are beautiful Shaker boxes, gorgeous sewing boxes, pincushions, trays, jewelry boxes, and baskets - you can find all sorts of books on the Shakers, quilts, Shaker toys, pegs, cards/postcards, and pottery...you name it. Before you ask....yes, I did purchase a few things...but I had to ship them home, so you will have to wait for a photo....

Finally - something to make you smile. Late into the evening, while many were still stitching, we decided it would be fun to hang the chair from the class project (an 8" miniature Shaker chair) on one of the pegs next to a couple full-size chairs...so we took Teresa's completed chair and placed it on the wall...I just had to have a photo!

So there you have it - a look inside the Enfield Shaker Museum...a very unique, historical setting for a needlework retreat...

My View: Enfield, NH

2011-10-16T13:15:00.020-05:00

Hello friends! I have returned from my teaching trip to Enfield, NH, where I had a marvelous time as the guest teacher for two New England Stitching Retreats. The weather and the scenery were both beautiful for my stay...and I witnessed a complete autumn color change during my visit. When I arrived, most of the trees were still green...but during my ten days in the area, the trees had turned the most amazing shades of orange, red, yellow, green, and brown. I took so many photos, I exhausted the memory card and battery on my camera on several occasions. I have decided to share some of my favorite photos with you over a few postings - today's post will focus on Enfield and the Shaker village where the retreats were held....future posts will give you a look inside, photos during the retreat, and photos of the adventure I took with Nataly on my day off between retreats. I was very inspired by the area and all the colors of fall - it was breathtaking! For those of you who visit my blog strictly for stitching, sewing, and quilting - please be patient while I share about my trip and I will get back to creative projects/photos soon....

Please note: these photos are all part of my personal collection - they are not to be copied, printed, used, or posted on the internet without my written permission. Thank you!

These first photos are of Enfield, New Hampshire and Mascoma Lake. Many of these were taken by climbing an extremely large hill across the street from the Enfield Shaker Museum in the late afternoon hours. There are several panoramic photos...and you can click on any of the images to see larger views. I found the foliage and the reflections in the water to be spectacular!

The next photos are of the Enfield Shaker Museum and Village - my home for the retreats. We stayed in the Enfield Shaker Museum (the Great Stone Dwelling, the largest Shaker dwelling house ever constructed and home to the Museum). The Enfield Shaker site has been cherished for over 200 years - at its peak in the mid 19th century, the community was home to three "Families" of Shakers....they practiced equality of the sexes and races, celibacy, pacifism and communal ownership of property. The Shakers farmed over 3,000 acres of land nestled in the valley between Mt. Assurance and Mascoma Lake, which they referred to as "Chosen Vale". In 1923, after 130 years of farming, manufacturing, and productive existence, declining membership forced the Shakers to close their community and put it up for sale. In 1927, forgoing a much more lucrative offer from a New York syndicate, the Shakers sold the site to the LaSalettes, an order of Catholic priests, ensuring the continued tradition of spiritual, communal life on the site. Between 1930 and 1931, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette constructed the Mary Keane Chapel. In the photo below, you see the Enfield Shaker Museum (the Great Stone Dwelling House) on the right and the Mary Keane Chapel on the left - this photo was taken at dusk with the moon overlooking these historical buildings. Staying inside the Great Stone Dwelling is quite an experience - I will share some additional photographs in a future post...

This photo is of the Stone Mill Building - The Shakers constructed the Stone Mill in 1849 after its predecessor burned down on the same site...it contained three stories of water powered machinery for a variety of trades.

Shown below - The Ministry House - constructed in 1880, it was the last building built by the Enfield Shakers.

Next, a photo of the Dairy and the Laundry. The Dairy, the two-story building, was originally constructed as a one-story building in 1813 - a second story was added in 1825, and an addition was made to the east side of the building later. The Laundry building was originally a two-story structure built in 1813 - in 1833 a large addition was made to the east side and the entire third story was added. This addition contained water-powered machinery, fed with water from the mill pond behind the Stone Mill - the drying room was heated by steam provided by a boiler in the 1854 Cow Barn. The long single story addition to the Dairy was constructed in 1944 by the La Salette Brothers and has had a variety of uses.

The East and West Brethren's Houses are shown below. The East Brethren's Shop was constructed in 1819 (yellow house - shown on the right) and was utilized as a tailors' shop by the Shakers. The West Brethren's Shop constructed in 1820 (white house - shown left) and was used as a woodworking shop by the Shaker Brothers. Currently, the East Brethren's Shop is a private residence and the West Brethren's Shop houses museum exhibits/displays and is open to the public (the is where I took the photo of the brooms - one of my personal favorites).

The next two photos showcase the Shaker Village Gardens. The gardens are maintained by volunteers May through October. The top photos shows an over-all view of the gardens (herb, flower, and vegetable) and the bottom photos shows the colorful trees at one end of the gardens (I thought the colors were lovely and vibrant!)

Finally - here are several photos of the 1854 Cow Barn. This barn is such a photogenic landmark; although now surrounded by modern equipment and machinery, I tried to take photos that highlight the uniqueness of this fabulous barn.

Well, there you have it - my tour of Enfiled, NH in October...I hope you enjoyed this scenic look at the area. Over the next week I will share several more aspects of my teaching trip with you...

I am busy getting caught up on sleep and chores at home after being gone for 10 days (if you are waiting for an email response from me, please be patient, I still have several hundred messages that need a response!). I have quite a list of things to accomplish before heading to Modesto, CA at the end of the month to teach at an Elegant Stitch workshop....but before that trip, I hope to finish model stitching several new designs...

Scenery and Shopping

2011-10-10T22:35:00.021-05:00

I'm a little behind on my blog posts, as I have been busy with teaching the last couple days...but I have definitely been having a blast in New Hampshire at the New England Stitcher's Retreat! The first retreat finished up this morning and festivities for the second retreat will start tomorrow evening. On Friday (special thanks to Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Vicky, and Deb), I had a chance to do some power shopping at ABC Stitch and Keepsake Quilting before our retreat reception in the evening. I also visited a Dunkin' Donuts for the very first time, which amused many of the retreat attendees (I learned what a "munchkin" is and tried a couple different ones over the last few days)...

My day began with an early morning walk with Elizabeth and Debbie...we took an hour long walk in the area - we walked to the La Salette Shrine up the Shrine hill to the statues representing the Apparition and had quite a view from the top - the Shakers called this scenic area "Chosen Vale". The blue waters of Lake Mascoma, the birch, pine, and maple trees, and the surrounding hills and mountains are a breathtaking sight...and seeing it first thing in the morning with a light fog was a great way to start the day!

After our power walk and getting cleaned up, I headed down to breakfast and met up with Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Debbie, and Vicky. We decided to make a trip to ABC Stitch Therapy first, then head to Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. Our trip to ABC lasted a bit longer than anticipated, as there was so much eye candy to peruse...we were there for almost three hours (and this was knowing we would return for shopping and a tea party during the event). I picked up a couple things - some specialty pins (my favorite - Puntini Puntini), the limited Liberty Hill "Halloween Night Scissor Block", and a Homespun Elegance "Bird Pincushion Box".

With six people, we decided we needed to take two cars to Keepsake Quilting - after a comedy of errors and several wrong turns, we finally made our way to Center Harbor....it was a long, but scenic drive...and I was so thrilled everyone humored me, so I could visit this quilting mecca. After a quick bite to eat, I couldn't wait to get shopping...after all, this shop was on my bucket list and we were short on time. The manager was kind enough to let me take some photographs, just as long as I did not photograph their quilts....and the staff was quite helpful with all my questions and purchases. There was a fabulous Halloween display when you entered the shop...and rows and rows of fabric - I was in heaven...and again I found some stash I will have to ship home...but what's new?!...

I could have stayed quite a bit longer, but it was getting late and we still had to drive back to the Dwelling House in time for the tour and reception...luckily Bree is a fabulous driver with a great sense of direction and she got me back quickly and safely (thanks again Bree!). When we arrived back at the Enfield Shaker Museum, all of the attendees for the retreat had arrived and I got to see many long distance friends...I knew Sue, Ruth, and Patty would be there and I was excited to see their smiling faces! We got a short tour of the Enfield Museum, then headed to the reception for a lovely meet and greet, followed by some late night stitching.

Saturday and Sunday were jam packed with needlework, laughter, and fun. I spent most the days teaching and working with the students...and of course I stayed up late and giggled! I thoroughly enjoyed the first retreat and was excited to see many of the attendees finished a piece in the project....a handful even finished their Shaker chair.

This morning it was time to say goodbye to the first group...now that they are all a part of my needlework family, I hope to see each individual again soon! To those in attendance - thank you - it was truly my pleasure to have you in class....I appreciate all the kind words, support, and hospitality you showed me and hope our paths will cross again soon...hugs to you all....

So now, I am off to bed - Nataly is taking me on a scenic tour tomorrow before the evening events (so I will take lots more photographs)...I can't wait to meet the second group of attendees - it is going to be a great, fun-filled week!

A Day To Play

2011-10-06T22:11:00.015-05:00

I made it to New England safe and sound...a few little travel hiccups - and I arrived a little later than planned...but all in all, a good trip. Marie (ABC Stitch) was at the bus station to meet me shortly before midnight and we made the quick trip to the Enfield Shaker Museum. My room was set up beautifully and I managed to get unpacked and settled. It is the same room I stayed when I taught here last year, so I felt right at home.

After a few good hours of sleep, I woke up to the joyous sounds of giggling in the halls and I knew my retreat experience was about to begin! I quickly got put together and made it downstairs for a bite to eat. I was super excited to have a free day before the events begin and couldn't wait to see some of the area! I was quite fortunate to meet up with Brenda (Bree) who was looking for someone to spend the day with - and offered to be my companion and chauffeur for the afternoon (thanks Bree - you rock!). We headed out not quite sure where we were going, but we knew we were in for an adventure...Marie gave us some suggestions and we were off. Our first stop was in Windsor, VT (yep, I actually made it to Vermont for the first time!) - we went to see the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge on the Connecticut River. A little history for you: Built in 1866 at a cost of $9,000, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world - built as a toll bridge by a private corporation, the span was purchased by the state of NH in 1936 and made toll free in 1943.

After a unique experience at the Windsor Visitor's Center, we were on our way to Woodstock, VT...Marie had mentioned there were wonderful little shops there, and of course, we were up for a shopping experience! I loved the scenic and historic town of Woodstock - we parked and walked around the entire shopping village - visiting the most amazing General Store I have ever seen - there seemed to be endless aisles of every product you can think of - it was (to quote Bree) very "Little House on the Prairie". There were a lot of quaint and interesting shops and the weather was beautiful for the walk!

Our final destination was Quechee, VT. We had a little snafu on the way, as the road we planned to take was closed...so we stopped for directions and found out the road/bridge was washed out by the flood (Hurricane Irene)...but we were given alternate directions, which lead us to the Quechee Gorge on the Ottauquechee River...which was unbelievable...I wish the photos did it justice. We actually walked out on the bridge and looked down (what seemed to be hundreds of feet) over the river...it was breathtaking...

After taking in the Quechee Gorge, we traveled into town to our destination - "The Mill" - the site of the old Quechee mill, which now houses the Simon Pearce Restaurant and Glassblowing/Pottery Retail Store. We ate a late lunch in the restaurant which sits out over the river with a beautiful close-up view of another picturesque covered bridge and a waterfall - unfortunately, the bridge and many surrounding buildings were badly damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. You will see in the photo below - the windows to the left were where we ate lunch...and in the background the damaged covered bridge. Our server told us the water had risen to just below the restaurant windows - the lower two floors of the building were filled with mud and water that they are still repairing and cleaning up. Large photos throughout The Mill documented the storms destruction. Inside looked good, as seen by the photos of the Simon Pearce Glassblowing Store.

It was getting late in the day - so we made a quick shopping stop on the way back to Enfield, to pick up a few necessities...then had a little time to get cleaned up before heading to dinner with four more stitching friends (two of which were Angela and Elizabeth who I had the pleasure of meeting at the first New England Stitching Retreat). We ate a a restaurant called Ramuto's Brick Oven Pizza in Lebanon, NH...good food and good friends - the perfect ending to my perfect day!

Tomorrow - we have a full day planned...including an early morning walk, a trip to Keepsake Quilting (YIPPEE!), and a visit to ABC Stitch (another YIPPEE!)...followed by a tour of the Enfield Shaker Grounds, and a reception...and more than likely, late night stitching and giggling!

Heading to New Hampshire

2011-10-04T17:34:00.008-05:00

Well, it is finally here...I leave for New Hampshire tomorrow morning...I will be teaching at two New England Stitching Retreats. I absolutely loved my last teaching trip to Enfield, NH and I am definitely looking forward to returning to this location. I'm not thrilled about the full day of travel that awaits me tomorrow - I have to leave my house shortly before 9:00 AM and won't arrive at the Dwelling House until after 10:00 PM, so I really hope everything goes smoothly...I have a very short amount of time between landing in Boston, MA and getting on a bus to Lebanon, NH, so let's hope I can make it! Luckily I have a full day (Thursday) to unwind, explore, and prepare...I hope to see a little more of the area this time...

The photo (upper right) is of the class project "Botanical Blessings" - it centers around an 8" Shaker chair. This special design was inspired by my research on the Shaker culture and gift drawings, the simplicity of the Shaker lifestyle, and the beauty of nature. Retreat attendees will be stitching a “seat” for the chair - along with a scissor fob “pillow”, a pin pillow (tied to the top rung of the chair), and a needlebook “rug” – all of which coordinate with a floral wreath sampler. Please note: this design is exclusive to this retreat and will not be available for consumer purchase for at least one year - and more than likely, it will include a different set of needlework smalls, as their is a good possibility the chair will not be available.

I guess I should stop procrastinating and get to packing... I will be taking lots of photographs and hope to share some with you during my trip (if time allows)...my correspondence will be limited, so if you send me a message, please know I will reply, but it may take several days or more. To those of you attending - I can't wait to see you - we are going to have a MARVELOUS time!

Quilted Cats and Bats

2011-10-03T22:42:00.004-05:00

I can't believe I leave on Wednesday morning for my trip to New Hampshire...I am really looking forward to teaching at two New England Stitching Retreats...and seeing/meeting needlework friends! It has been a busy few weeks, as I have been getting all the preparations done for both the New England Retreats and the Elegant Stitch Workshop...along with several teaching proposals for upcoming events. So, with all that hard work completed, it was time to do a little sewing/quilting - I have been itching to get back to my sewing machine!

I decided to work on a Halloween wall hanging using a couple of my new AccuQuilt GO! dies and my new GO! Baby fabric cutter. This spooky wall hanging was cut entirely with my GO! and GO! Baby fabric cutters...it used the following dies: GO! Cat & Bat, GO! Pumpkins, GO! Circle 5", GO! Rick Rack, GO! Strip Cutter 1 1/2", GO Strip Cutter 4 1/2", and GO! Strip Cutter 2" (binding). I enjoyed working on the layout and picking out fabrics...for some reason, over the years, I have collected quite a few Halloween fabrics and it was quite fun putting some of them to use. I placed a sleeve on the back and my husband made me another wooden strip with a sawtooth hanger, so I was able to hang it right away (even though I won't be home for the next week and a half to enjoy it). I savored the couple hours in my sewing studio and have a few more Halloween ideas I would love to put together when I return from my first October trip.

A Sweet Surprise

2011-09-28T16:23:00.004-05:00

Today I was the recipient of an amazing random act of kindness - it was a complete surprise....and it couldn't have come at a better time - it was the most perfect pick-me-up! I returned home today to find a beautifully wrapped package on my front porch - it's not my birthday or a special occasion - just an ordinary day...well, this sweet surprise made it an extraordinary day. Inside the lovely tissue wrapping (which was tied with an ivory ribbon and small framed square sampler charm) was a handmade fabric covered box...and as if that wasn't enough, it was filled with goodies...a vintage button, a pair of embroidery scissors, a sampler notepad, thread rings, a set of magnets, a pumpkin spice candle, and some delicious cookies! I know the sampler charm and the fabric box were made especially for me - yes, I am blessed to have the most talented friends - they make incredible handmade treasures!

I was so extremely touched by this thoughtful gift - I am still speechless. A very special thank you to my dear friend Lorrie - your kindness, creativity, talent, giving spirit, and friendship continue to inspire and amaze me - thank you from the bottom of my heart...

Sunday Sewing

2011-09-25T17:38:00.003-05:00

It's been too long since I had a Sunday afternoon of sewing...and today, I finally made time to work on some gifts. I started out working on a couple personalized journals (shown below)...these are one of my favorite gifts to make. I enjoy choosing fabrics for the recipients...and using my 5D Professional Software to machine embroider names for the covers (the Express Monogram Wizard in the software makes it SO easy!). The two shown below have the names blurred as I have obviously not given them to the recipients yet.

I have been cherishing this fabric (Willimasburg R Presents The Sampler Collection by Windham Fabrics - this is an older, retired fabric). I have shown quite a few of these journal covers to you before - they are so much fun to work on...and easy to personalize! The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal - this is a great project for using up scraps of fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the journals in my photo below is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and to top it off, make a lovely gift! I have made quite a few of these and each one is unique and special - I like to embroider the recipients name on a piece of wool felt or fabric and applique it to the front...and there are so many other ways you could make these covers recipient specific. I hope you will try making one of these fun quilted journals...for yourself...and/or a friend!

After completing the two journals, I had several leftover sections of quilted scrap fabric...and some tiny scrap pieces...so I decided to put them to good use and make three tuffet pincushions. I love making these pincushions and I just couldn't let any of this special fabric go to waste. This was my first attempt at making a couple "longer" versions of this tuffet; and I have to say, I do like how they turned out...I even tried adding some cotton lace trim around the perimeter of one. I usually back these pincushions with wool fabric and add a few unique pins for a special touch. So, if you decide to make yourself a quilted journal, be sure to take advantage of your leftover scraps and make a coordinating pincushion or two!

Halloween Feather Tree Ornaments

2011-09-22T19:45:00.007-05:00

How fun are these little Halloween ornaments?!

Quite some time ago, I was shopping in Galena, IL with my dear friend Terri and I found this fun Halloween fabric (Spooky Hollow by Kim Schaefer for Andover Fabrics) and I immediately thought it would be perfect to fussy cut for feather tree ornaments...well, it took me a couple years, but I finally made time to put together a couple dozen. I decided to use wool felt for backing and black baby rick rack for hangers; I thought they turned out extra cute! They are an excellent size at approximately 2 1/4" square...and I was able to put together 24 of them in just a couple hours. I have a fun wrought iron tree I plan to decorate with these spooky little beauties...they will be a great addition to my Halloween decorations...

Canvas, Cushions, and a Fabric Cutter

2011-09-13T17:36:00.006-05:00

Wouldn't you know it...I am in a rush to complete a huge work project and I run out of a particular color of DMC six-strand embroidery floss. Right now, I am unbelievably swamped, I can't even see straight - I feel like I am being swallowed up by the piles of work that surround me - so, of course, I run out of floss...why wouldn't I??! Thinking fast, I make a quick mad dash to JoAnn Fabrics - it is only a couple minutes from my home...and thank goodness they had the color I needed.

If you are like me, you can't run into a craft store and just grab one thing and go...you have to look around a bit...and look, I did...

Now that we have a brand new deck, we finally purchased a set of patio furniture and a couple benches and they were delivered last Friday. The benches were the last floor models and were at a great price - I had asked my husband to built me several benches for the deck...but we were able to purchase these cheaper than he could make them - only problem - the fabric on the bench seat covers is striped and does not match our patio set (not even close) and it really is not our style. So I figured while I was at JoAnn Fabrics, I might as well look out the outdoor canvas and try to find some that would match the rest of our deck furniture. I like outdoor canvas for a project like this - it is sturdy, water resistant, mold resistant, and retains it's color in the sun...but it sure is pricey. I managed to find a light green I knew would match and a coordinating paisley green and brown for pillows. Finding time to get them all sewn up will be a challenge - but after laying it out with the cushion from one of the patio chairs, I think it is going to work perfectly! I will have to post a photo once I have them complete...

And on a completely unrelated note...while I was writing this post, the local UPS driver paid me a visit...he was delivering my prize from the Feed Dog Designs Quilt Block Design Contest...a brand new AccuQuilt GO! Baby Fabric Cutter and three dies!!! Oh my goodness...I am so excited...a new toy to play with...I can't wait to make time to unpack it and play! I was thrilled to see not only did AccuQuilt include the GO! Baby and the three dies, but they also included the two cutting mats needed...this is the most AMAZING prize. Again, I have to thank all of YOU that voted for my quilt block, Feed Dog Designs Bl0g for hosting the contest, and AccuQuilt for the GREATEST PRIZE EVER! I already know what my first project will be...and I will be sharing it here as soon as I can make a little time to sew...and yes, it will have a Halloween theme...

Our Home Transformation...

2011-09-12T16:24:00.005-05:00

Again, it has been too long since my last post...many of you know our home has been being renovated for the past month. Normally, I keep my posts to creative endeavors; however, many of you were curious to see how our home remodel was taking shape - so today I thought I would do a quick post and show you why I have been a little scarce lately...but don't worry, I will keep it short and be back with my usual artistic posts soon...

I never knew how disruptive all the construction would be...sheesh, did it ever cause a commotion. We had decided to do a lot of work at one time, so it was a month of complete chaos, to say the least. I thought I had a bunch of "before" pictures, but I searched and searched and only found a few...so the before photo shown below was actually taken before we moved into the house (if you know me, then you know I am WAY too conservative to have a large wooden snowman in my front yard or what looks to be a cutesy reindeer on the door). We actually replaced the roof and skylights last fall, so those old bubble looking skylights are now beautiful new glass and much more modern and efficient...and the roof is now a rich Onyx Black - we also pulled out the (awful) hedges that were enclosed in a wooden bed and replaced them with a stone retaining wall bed, plus we added a new retaining wall in the backyard. From these pictures our house looks quite small, but in all actuality, we have three full levels (including a finished walkout basement). In the last month, we replaced all the windows and doors - and there are a lot - we have three sets of sliding doors on the back of our house...we totally rebuilt the deck (which is huge at 36' x 12')...we replaced all the siding with HardiePlank siding and all the trim with HardieTrim...we also replaced the outdoor lighting and all the gutters. I am very happy with our new front windows and door, along with the HardieShingle Siding (staggered edge) on the front of the garage - to me it looks like a completely different home....almost like a cottage. I am also thrilled with the colors I chose - I was worried the Iron Grey may be a bit dark...but with the Arctic White trim, I think it looks amazing (and luckily, so do our neighbors!). I can already tell a noticeable difference in temperature regulation - the house is now MUCH MORE energy efficient, which is wonderful! Everything is finally winding down and I am hoping to have a quiet house this week to catch up on the HUGE piles of work on my desk...and maybe, just maybe, I can find some time to do a little sewing (I can dream)...

"BEFORE" (remember, this was taken before we moved in!):

"AFTER" - my FABULOUS new home (much more "me"):

Happy Dance Day!

2011-09-05T17:13:00.008-05:00

Thanks to my FABULOUS friends and family, I am THRILLED to tell you I won the Feed Dog Designs "Quilt Block Design Contest"!! I have to share my excitement and extreme gratitude with everyone who placed a vote for me - you all just made my week...no, scratch that, my month...no, scratch that, you made my year! I can't believe I am going to be the proud new owner of a GO! Baby Fabric Cutter and three dies of my choice...I am over-the-moon with excitement. Choosing only three GO! Baby compatible dies proved to be very difficult, as there are an abundance to choose from...but after very careful consideration, I chose: GO! Cat & Bat, GO! Ribbon Twist, and GO! Rick Rack...and I can't wait for them to arrive - you all know I am going to have to make time to play with them immediately. I truly appreciate everyone who made this possible - thank you for voting for my quilt block design - I am definitely doing a happy dance today!! Thank you to Feed Dog Designs for hosting a creative/fun contest and to AccuQuilt for providing such a fantastic/generous prize! I will definitely be sharing my future GO! Baby projects with all of you...

Cute Creative Embellishments

2011-09-02T21:51:00.006-05:00

Back in July, my dear friend Kimber did a review/tutorial on her blog (Heirlooms by Ashton House) of the Imaginisce "i-top tool"...and I just had to get my hands on one and play with it for myself! This slick tool easily creates buttons, brads, magnets, pins, and badges...even bobby pins, rings, and headbands...it is WAY COOL!! The i-top tool is pink handled with rubber and metal heads...and although it may look confusing, it works easily and makes much more sense when you have one in your hand - it even comes with a Demo DVD to help you get started. You decide what type of item you want to make and the size, then purchase the hardware separately (these pieces are called "daddies" - button daddies, brad daddies, magnet daddies, etc.). The daddies come in three sizes: small (16mm), medium (22mm), and large (28mm) - the large size requires a large head set (purchased separately) to accommodate the size of the hardware. I played with making buttons, brads, magnets, and pins - all with fabric (you know I like to find fun ways to use my scraps)! If you use paper, Imaginisce has punches for all three sizes to easily cut the shape needed...there are also templates you can purchase to help you easily cut fabric and other materials to the correct size. In the top photo, you can see an array of the fabric covered daddies I made - then below, a photo of the backs. If you are into crafting gadgets, I found this to be quite a useful tool and easy to operate - but beware, it is addicting - I couldn't make just one button!...and how cute is my little owl pin??! For those of you on the lookout for this creative gadget, I found the i-top tool and several styles of daddies at my local Archiver's store....I also saw them the other day at my local Michaels store...no affiliation, no incentives - just sharing what I feel is a fun product/gadget with you! I have already looked through my scrap box of fabrics and picked out a bunch of pieces I want to fussy cut for buttons and pins...you will definitely see me using more of these creative embellishments in the future!

A Road Trip With Friends

2011-09-01T00:04:00.007-05:00

Hello friends! I can't sleep, so while I have a quiet house (before construction resumes in the morning), I thought I would take a moment a share a bit about my trip to the Amana Colonies on Tuesday. My dear friends (Kimber and Merry) both share a birthday at the end of August, so we had planned a little celebratory road trip. Kimber chose the destination and I was the chauffeur...we headed out at 8 AM...we definitely wanted to get an early start, as it was approximately 2 hours to our destination - and even the drive was fun, as we had a chance to catch-up on life and do our usual laughing!

Our first stop was at The Woolen Needle in Williamsburg, Iowa - we all just love this shop - beautiful hand-dyed wool fabrics, gorgeous quilting cottons and kits, yarns, lots of models - a heavenly shop! I picked up some unique plaid wools (I just love the color combination of pink and black, so that was a "must buy"...I also picked up a jar of vintage buttons (upper right photo) and a hand embroidery pattern.

We then traveled into the Amana Colonies...and needing a little boost, we stopped at the Java Junction Coffee shop for beverages - then enjoyed the sunshine as we sipped our drinks outside. We then made our way to Heritage Designs Quilting and Needlework...this is a lovely shop - and although over the years, the selection of cross stitch/needlework has become less and less substantial, they still carry many specialty threads, fabric, charts, and books. I found a nice little selection of quilting fabrics - including the some from the line "My Favorite Things" (seen right in the photo below) by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched for Henry Glass & Co. (I am a big fan of Anni's, so this was a fun find!)...

Our next stop - Grapevine Antiques - it was the first time any of us has visited this antique shop and we all agreed it was well worth the visit! We all three found a selection of purchases...in fact, we worked up an appetite with all the shopping, so we made our way to the Ox Yoke Inn (my favorite) for lunch - yummy! We enjoyed delicious sandwiches and sweet potato fries (refueled for the afternoon)...and then Merry and Kimber opened their birthday gifts (Kimber even brought me a little goodie bag for driving!)...and then we were off to our next destination: Smokehouse Square Antiques. This large antique shop seemed endless as we perused each room for special buys...and we all three found a few things...Kimber even found a gorgeous antique quilt! I saw a couple antique needlework samplers, but they were definitely out of my price range (I tried to get a couple good photos, but the glare from the glass cases and framing made them unusable). Between the two antique shops I managed to find some great vintage cards of buttons, two perfect condition vintage feedsacks, three vintage handkerchiefs, and a unique vintage trim - not bad - and I didn't spend very much money!

We made one last stop before heading back to Des Moines - a quick visit to Fern Hill Gifts and Quilts. We arrived just before closing, so didn't stay too long...but I did pick up a couple great fabrics (seen in the top photo above - left side). When shopping for fabrics, as a true quilter I always have several themes I am collecting - I just adore fabric with trees, owls, birds, or fruits - so I was ecstatic to find a unique autumn tree fabric and a nice cheerful yellow fabric featuring various fruits.

All in all, it was a fabulous day - I am very blessed to have such wonderful, creative, and patient friends - getting together with them is truly a blessing and lifts my spirits beyond measure!

Friendship Totes

2011-08-31T09:51:00.007-05:00

I managed to escape our massive home remodel madness yesterday by taking a road trip with my dear friends Merry and Kimber - we escaped for the day to the Amana Colonies to celebrate both their August birthdays (more on our trip in a future post). I had been collecting gifts for them over the last several months and decided to make them both a large tote bag to carry everything. I actually didn't use a specific pattern - I just made my own - I used things I liked about several bags I had made in the past and a couple ideas of my own to create these extra large totes. I really had fun choosing fabrics I thought they would enjoy - Merry's tote was made with "Rouenneries" by French General for Moda (one of her favorites) and Kimber's tote was made with "Simplicity" by 3 Sisters for Moda (Kimber's favorite colors are pink and green). I used a fusible fleece to make the bags nice and sturdy...and was very happy with their 16" x 16" x 8" size. Both bags were slightly different, as I learned a few things as I went along and made some adjustments. Over-all, I was thrilled with how they turned out and may just have to make one for myself once things settle down here.

Well, I better get back to preparing tutorials for my upcoming classes (amidst the remodel - windows and doors being installed today, along with more trim work)...but I will return shortly with a post about my trip to the Amanas...

My Autumn Quilt Block

2011-08-29T19:06:00.006-05:00

Friends, family, and followers - I could really use your help....I recently designed a quilt block using EQ7 and AccuQuilt GO! die shapes for a giveaway on the Feed Dog Designs blog...the winner receives an AccuQuilt GO! Baby and three dies of their choice...and you all know how desperately I want to win a GO! Baby Fabric Cutter (I've been trying for months and months)!! Please take just a moment and visit the Feed Dog Designs blog post and vote for my quilt block - it only takes a second and you don't have to be a follower - just mark the box next to my block and click the word "VOTE" at the bottom - I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT! The link to vote is:

http://feeddog.blogspot.com/2011/08/giveaway-vote-for-your-favorite-block.html

My block is under Belinda K. and is pictured below - as we are nearing the autumn months, I decided to do a 12" fall themed block...which I would love to quilt up and put in my tabletop stand:

Thank you for taking a moment to read my post and vote for my block...you just made me happy!

Catching-up and Equilateral Triangle Pincushions...

2011-08-27T10:22:00.005-05:00

I apologize that is has been almost 2 weeks since my last post - I really appreciate you staying around and being patient with me! I do have a good excuse - we are having a bunch of construction/remodeling done on our home and it is nearly impossible to get anything accomplished while the workers are here - it has been eleven noise-filled days of little sleep...and most of the time I have been trying to keep Simba calm and happy. So far we have replaced the deck (no small job, as it 12' x 36') - we replaced all the siding and trim work - painted the foundation and garage door - replaced the gutters and all out-door lighting - and now we are having all new windows and doors put in...it has been insane. We have three sets of sliding doors on the back side of our house and two were replaced yesterday - we actually have a quiet weekend - then they will be back bright and early Monday morning to put in the 3rd sliding door, a new front door and storm door, and replace all of our windows...hopefully, within the next week, everything will be done and things will start to get back to "normal". With all the chaos, I have found it challenging to keep up with everything...and I have done very little stitching and/or sewing. I plan to work on a few things this weekend once my chores are done - we have to hang some new blinds, put up our new street numbers, do some major yard maintenance ( it really got destroyed during the siding application), and I have a long list of other things that need to be done before Monday.

Late last night, I did have a chance to add the buttons to these fun hexagon pincushions (I couldn't sleep - what's new?)....aren't they adorable?! There is a fabulous tutorial for making these Equilateral Triangle Pincushions over on the Feed Dog Designs blog. If you have an AccuQuilt GO! or GO! Baby fabric cutter, these are super simple to make and only require two dies: GO! Equilateral Triangles Die (55079) and GO! Hexagons Die – 2", 3", 5" (55011). I used some colorful pieces from my scrap box and then found some coordinating buttons (I love going through my button stash!)....then I added some decorative pins (you know my favorites are from Puntini Puntini - LOVE THEM!). I had actually sewn these before the home construction started, but never had a chance to finish them until last night. My next pincushion project? - my dear friend Kimber has a creative/unique pincushion tutorial (Sew Simple Star Pincushions) posted at the Moda Bake Shop that I am excited to work on in the coming weeks...

Again, thank you all for being patient with my posts - once the construction is finished up on our house, I will be back to posting more creative projects and ideas! For now, it is on to my chores and catching up on my work projects - I have class tutorials to prepare, some kits to build, and some new designs to get model stitched...

The 2011 Pets on Quilts Show

2011-08-15T19:59:00.026-05:00

Those of you who adore animals/pets...and/or those of you who quilt or appreciate the skills of quilting will definitely enjoy the "Pets on Quilts Show" going on now! This fun and unique quilt show is hosted by Darlene at SewCalGal...it is a cyber quilt show running from August 15 - Aug 19th...and what a treat it is to look at all the entries! If you have photos of your pet(s) on one of your quilts...or you have made a quilt with a pet theme...or you have used Electric Quilt to design a quilt with a pet theme - then this show is for you!!...and there is still time left to enter...just head over to http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2011/08/welcome-to-2011-pets-on-quilts-show.html for all the details (and thanks to some FABULOUS sponsors, there are AMAZING prizes to be won!)... So without further ado, here is my entry:

This is Simba...AKA: Bubby...my little boy. We adopted Simba almost seven years ago from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, here in Des Moines. To be honest, at the time, I really didn't want a dog - I just felt they were a lot of work and responsibility and my plate is usually quite full...but my husband was very adamant about bringing a dog into our household. He actually wanted a larger hunting dog and had been (unsuccessfully) trying to talk me into one for several years. I'll never forget the phone call I received from him the day after Thanksgiving telling me he just rescued a dog - of course I was at work (typical "do it now, ask for forgiveness later"). He told me he was picking me up from work and he would have our new dog with him....and to my surprise it was a Shih Tzu - a much smaller dog than I expected. At that time, Simba wasn't in the best of shape - you could tell he had not been well cared for - but as soon as I sat down in the truck, he curled up in a little ball on my lap and just looked up at me with the most amazing eyes - I was done for! Poor baby was completely shaved, micro-chipped, fixed, and got an array of tests and shots within about 24 hours - plus a brand new home...but he never lost his sweet, calm, and loving demeanor. When we adopted him, the ARL thought he was about a year old, so we celebrate his birthday every Thanksgiving....and although he came to us in pretty bad shape, he now lives like a KING (yes, my friends and family will tell you how much I spoil him!)...

Simba is definitely a lap dog and is his happiest when he can be on mine...in fact, he gets quite frustrated when I am working or in my studio. He has two beds that he will sleep in when a lap is unavailable...and one is right at my feet at my work desk...he is always by my side. Here he is perturbed that I am working...I just love that face...

Simba loves all the quilts and pillows I sew...he especially loves the pillows! As soon as I lay out a newly finished quilt for a photograph he is circling it and laying down right in the center (of course)...I'm pretty sure he thinks everything I quilt/sew is for him....and if I lay yards of fabric anywhere he can get to, they are his new bed...

Simba really does live like a king...and this will prove it...I actually made him his own pet pad pillow for when he rides with me in my Jeep...and yep, I used my embroidery machine to add his name when I stitched it up...you should see the ladies at the bank swoon when we pull up to the drive through window and he is perched on his pillow - they always send out a treat! Yes, that is how much I am addicted to quilting, sewing, and machine embroidery - I actually made my dog a personalized pillow (he has several pillows and blankets that I have made)...

I hope you have enjoyed your chance to get to know Simba a little bit better...and I hope you will check out all the other entries in the "2011 Pets On Quilts Show"...and of course, you can always enter - just write up an article following the guidelines and post it on your blog (directions for non-bloggers are given, as well) - I would love to read about your pet and see your pet-related projects and ideas! There will also be voting for the viewer's choice in several categories this weekend...so be sure to give Simba a vote! Get all the details here: http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2011/08/welcome-to-2011-pets-on-quilts-show.html

New England Stitcher's Retreat - "Botanical Blessings"

2011-08-14T20:57:00.008-05:00

Have you been thinking about taking a needlework class this fall??...well, then you are defnitely in luck!...I will be teaching "Botanical Blessings" for the New England Stitching Retreat on two separate sets of dates - and there are still a few openings available for each:

Retreat One: October 7 - 10, 2011

Retreat Two: October 11-14, 2011

These retreats are scheduled to take place during the peak of the colorful autumn leaves in New England...and the location for this unique retreat experience is The Enfield Shaker Museum in Enfield, New Hampshire...with accommodation provided within the historical Great Stone Dwelling House...and it truly is the perfect place to hold a needlework retreat. Those of you regularly follow my blog may remember reading about the New England Stitching Retreat after I had the pleasure of teaching there in May 2010....and I was THRILLED to be invited back for another event - and with the popularity of this class piece, they opened a second set of dates to accommodate everyone. If you would like to read about my previous experience in Enfield, see my posts from May 2010:

The New England Stitching Retreat is an all-inclusive, intimate retreat, restricted to a maximum of approximately 30 overnight guests...the setting is quiet and relaxed...the food is fabulous (the desserts are "to die for")...the stitching lounge is open 24 hours a day...and there is even an afternoon tea with private shopping at ABC Stitch Therapy!

The exclusive class design - "Botanical Blessings":

The autumn 2011 class project focuses on an 8” miniature Shaker chair. This special design was inspired by my research on the Shaker culture and gift drawings, the simplicity of the Shaker lifestyle, and the beauty of nature. We will be stitching a “seat” for the chair - along with a scissor fob “pillow”, a pin pillow (tied to the top rung of the chair), and a needlebook “rug” – giving you a unique display set of needlework smalls (shown above right)...all of which coordinate with a floral wreath sampler (shown below).

Class will cover stitching of the sampler and needlework smalls, working any specialty stitches, finishing techniques for each of the smalls (including attaching the “seat” of the chair), personalizing your pieces, and making twisted cord. Plan to focus on (and hopefully complete) your chair “seat” or scissor fob in class.

Stitches include: Cross Stitch over 2 linen threads, back stitch, Nun Stitch, and whip stitch (also known as a ladder stitch).

Each piece will be stitched on 32-count Lakeside Linen (Porcelain) with Weeks Dye Works cotton floss. Students will receive complete kits to stitch/finish all of the needlework smalls and sampler (with the exception of framing supplies).

Students should have previous experience working on linen or linen-like fabrics and should be comfortable working from basic stitching diagrams and cross stitch charts. Students will need their favorite stitching tools or basic sewing kit (sharp sewing scissors, ruler or tape measurer, writing utensil, extra needles, a hoop or Q-Snaps, etc.). If required, student will need to provide their own additional lighting or magnification (remember, if bringing "plug-ins", please bring an extension cord).

NOTE: This special design will not be released to the general public for at least one year after the events...and more than likely it will be the sampler and a set of needlework smalls only, as the chairs were specially made for this retreat by a local New England artisan.

If you are looking for a very special needlework retreat experience, then I hope you will join us in Enfield, NH this coming October! Visit http://www.stitchingretreat.com for all the details and information on how you can register - I would truly love to meet you!

Giveaway Recipients

2011-08-13T10:07:00.010-05:00

Good morning friends and followers!

WOW - I was blown away by the enthusiastic response to my latest giveaway - what a treat it was to read many of your encouraging and kind comments....to my followers (long term and new) - thank you for joining me on my creative journey...I truly wish I could afford to give each and every one of you the chart of your choice. For those of you not listed as one of the recipients, please don't be discouraged - I love to give things away...and there will definitely be more chances in the future! So without further ado....here are the randomly chosen recipients:

A. Moonlit Midnight recipient: Paula Still

Paula said:
What a wonderful and generous offer! All of your designs are amazing and - to win or not - I know I will be adding them all to my BR stash! If I were to choose one (ugh ... decisions, decisions, decisions), it would be ... drum roll ...
A. Moonlit Midnight
Not only is Halloween my favorite holiday, but I love how you incorporate all these "spooky" motifs into a stunning collage. The best part of this design is that each motif can be stitched separately and finished into a fob, ornament, etc. I feel like I am getting 10 designs for the price of one!!!
Thank you for entering me in your giveaway!

B. Pocketful of Peppermint reciepient: MommyDearest (Connie)

Connie said:
Belinda, Thank you so much for such a wonderful give away.....and for making it SOOO hard to chose just one!! It would be terrific to win B.Pocketful of Peppermint...it would be an awesome birthday gift!!

C. Quilted Garden recipient: Tricia
Tricia said:
I would love to win Quilted Garden! I started quilting a number of years ago and really enjoy it - or at least I enjoyed it until I started having trouble with my shoulders and started to get migraines after quilting. : ( I would love to stitch a quilt instead, and the colors in your piece are so lovely... plus there are bluebirds -- which make me remember the old Shirley Temple movie about the bluebird of happiness being found right in your own home. Love it!

The three recipients were notified notified via email earlier this morning.

Again, thank you all for reading, following, commenting, and supporting my blog and designs - you all make me happy!

A, B, or C Giveaway

2011-08-07T20:13:00.005-05:00

Hello friends! I was thrilled to see my official follower count pass the 500 mark last week - thank you so much for visiting my blog! - and I promised a big giveaway when this happened for those who choose to faithfully follow...I finally have three prizes together and the details ready...and I think (hope) you will be pleased and excited!

For this giveaway, official followers will have the chance to win an upcoming design chart (you will be one of the first to have one!) along with the coordinating threads and finishing kit - you will be responsible for your own linen, stuffing, mini drill, and basic sewing supplies.

Out of all the comments provided, I will randomly choose three recipients: one winner from those who choose A. Moonlit Midnight; one winner from those who choose B. Pocketful of Peppermint; and one winner from those who choose C. Quilted Garden.

The rules are easy (please read carefully):

Make sure you are an official follower - current or new (you must be listed under "Followers" on the right-hand toolbar)...so if you aren't already following, feel free to sign up by clicking on the "Join This Site" link in the right-hand tool bar (this button is right under the word "Followers". My international followers are also welcome!
Leave ONE comment to this post telling me which of the three new designs is your favorite (the one you would like to win) and why: A. Moonlit Midnight...or B. Pocketful of Peppermint...or C. Quilted Garden. Please leave only one comment and make sure to tell me your choice - multiple comments will be deleted/disqualified.
All entries require a valid email address. Please make sure your email address is visible in your profile (so I have a way of contacting you, should you be randomly chosen) - if you are uncertain, please leave your email address with your comment - entries without a valid email will be disqualified.
The deadline to enter will be 11:59 pm CST, Friday, August 12th. Recipients will be chosen by random draw and posted on my blog on Saturday, August 13th. I will contact the recipients via email - you will have 48 hours to respond, if I do not hear from you in that time frame, I will choose a replacement recipient(s).

So those are the details....I hope this giveaway was worth the wait...I am happy to be able to thank those who continually follow my blog and leave encouraging and enthusiastic comments! I hope my future posts maintain your interest and inspire you...

Good luck to all!!

"Quilted Garden" - Coming Soon

2011-08-05T09:48:00.004-05:00

The last couple weeks, I have done blog posts on my new designs coming out later this month at the TNNA Fall Needlecraft Market - I have already shown you "Moonlit Midnight" and "Pocketful of Peppermint"...and today the focus is on "Quilted Garden". This design model (which combines two of my favorite things next to needlework: quilting and gardening) is stitched on beautiful Pecan Butter hand-dyed fabric by Lakeside Linens and uses Weeks Dye Works Cotton Floss (DMC equivalents are provided). The entire piece is cross stitch over two linen threads, except the verse and the personalization (initials/year) which are cross stitch over one linen thread. I know some needleworkers will shy away from over-one cross stitches, so the chartpack includes alternative charting for these stitches in back stitch (there is an additional back stitch alphabet/numbers for personalization and an alternate back stitch chart of the verse)...so you can choose to do either over-one cross stitches or back stitch - whichever you feel more comfortable working! This design pack also includes charting and complete finishing instructions for a matching pin pillow and scissor fob. There are many other fun ideas that can be taken from this upcoming design - wouldn't a row of the quilt blocks make a great bookmark?...or you could easily make a needlebook, pinkeep, or floss ring tag using the quilt block motifs...oh - wouldn't the little quilt blocks make great magnets for a quilting friend?! I thoroughly enjoyed working on this design and have some other ideas for new pieces that would incorporate some of the same concepts.

You can get all the information on the three new designs by visiting my website - stitch counts and supply lists for all three pieces have been posted - visit the "Future" page or the "Designs" page for complete details! All three new charts are set to be released at the TNNA Fall Needlecraft Market next weekend...so look them at your favorite needlework shop in the coming weeks...

Little Bluebird

2011-08-04T19:59:00.003-05:00

After a couple hectic weeks preparing the new market releases, I was thrilled to get out of my office/studio today to help my friend Mary celebrate her birthday - we made plans a couple weeks ago and it was perfect timing. We took a mini road trip to one of my favorite quilt shops a little over an hour away (Quilts & Other Notions in Creston, IA)...then had lunch at a great little Mexican restaurant in the area. I found some wonderful fabrics (seen below) for the Winding Ways quilt I want to get started on (in my spare time) and a couple Halloween print fat quarters...we enjoyed a yummy lunch, had a chance to catch-up and giggle, then it was back to Des Moines (and reality).

Once I dropped Mary off and unloaded my car, I headed out to do a long list of WAY overdue errands. In the midst of things that had to be done, I made a quick stop at Archiver's to see if they had a tool in stock I was looking for (they didn't)...but, they were having a free mini card workshop - where I made the card shown (upper right)...isn't it cute?! I am still kind of a newbie to cardmaking, but have found I really enjoy it. The little card shown was quite fun to make and I got to try out some products I had never used before, including Distress Ink and a Xyron Mega Runner Adhesive Gun. I loved making this sweet little card and hope to make many more in the future...

"Boo Mansion"

2011-08-03T22:30:00.000-05:00

Look what is arriving on newsstands now: the Annual Halloween Issue of Just CrossStitch Magazine...and I am delighted to share my Halloween ornament made the cover! It is called "Boo Mansion"...so by the title, I hope you know my ornament is in the upper right corner - the haunted house with the ghosts exiting the chimneys. When I first started designing, I never dreamed I would have so many Halloween designs on the market or that I would be designing ornaments especially for Halloween - but they really are a treat to stitch and design! This ornament model is stitched on 35-count Straw Linen from Weeks Dye Works...and uses Gentle Art Sampler Threads. I backed the pillow style ornament with a second piece of linen and used DMC six strand embroidery floss (310) for the twisted cord. It is the perfect time to get a jump start on your holiday stitching...so, if you are not a subscriber, be sure to pick up this Halloween issue at your favorite needlework shop!

Today I spent the majority of my day bagging charts (I started with just over 4,000 to package and I am down to about 1,000...so I did make a big dent in the boxes) and organizing/rearranging my warehouse, trying to make the stock of the new designs fit - ugh, what a job - I am worn out! I never dreamed I would have more than 100 design charts on the market...I am feeling very blessed - thank you all for supporting Blue Ribbon Designs!

Finally - I know I mentioned a giveaway when I reached 500 official followers...and IT IS coming soon - I am just working out the final details....please do stay tuned...

Oh Happy Day!

2011-08-02T19:36:00.005-05:00

I received the most wonderful surprise in the mail today - a lovely package from Paola in Italy....and it was filled with the most gorgeous assortment of her Puntini Puntini pins, buttons, tags, and thread winders...need I say it was the greatest mail day EVER?!....I am still over-the-moon with excitement! I was giddy as I opened the envelope - there were 7 cards of her amazing pins and a little organza bag filled with her perfectly detailed buttons, tags, and thread winders. I slowly open each card of pins and admired them one by one...then I promptly opened the bag and drooled as I placed each piece on a linen covered table. Paola - I am in awe of your kindness, talent, and creativity...you totally surprised me...your package made my day/month/year. I will cherish these special gifts....and I am already inspired for future projects...thank you so very, very much - my heart is smiling!

Those of you who frequent my blog know I am a huge fan of Puntini Puntini decorative pins, buttons, tags, and thread winders - they are something special - they truly make me happy! I use them often in my pincushions and as embellishments for gifts. To find out more, visit Paolas websites filled with eye candy:
http://www.puntini-puntini.blogspot.com/

http://puntinipuntini.splinder.com/

...and to purchase her pins, buttons, tags, and thread winders...along with her needlework designs in the United States, visit ABC Stitch Therapy:

http://www.abcstitch.com/designers_php/designers.php?category=Puntini%20Puntini

Appliqué Frolic Wall Hanging

2011-07-31T17:49:00.003-05:00

First of all, welcome to all my new friends and followers! I can't believe I have officially passed the 500 followers mark (WOW!) - thank you for visiting - I will be hosting a giveaway in the near future to mark this momentous occasion, so stay tuned...

Over the last several evenings, I have been working on several birthday gifts for friends and family - one of which is this small appliqué wall hanging quilt...August is a busy birthday month and we all know how I like to make the majority of my gifts. After picking the pattern, I went through my stash and found some gorgeous fabric - the majority of the fabric is from the line "Bliss" by Bonnie and Camille for Moda. The entire quilt was cut using my AccuQuilt GO! fabric cutter - the pattern uses 4 different sizes of GO! Strip Cutter dies, along with the GO! Heart die, the GO! Round Flower die, and the GO! Critters die....and the design is actually a free pattern that accompanies the 6 1/2" Strip Cutter die. I had so much fun putting this together - I really enjoyed the machine appliqué and playing with these beautiful fabrics. It all went together smoothly for me - I did the cutting, appliqué, and piecing in one evening...and the quilting and binding the next. I added a sleeve to the back for hanging...and my husband made me some more wooden strips with sawtooth hangers so I could include one with this gift. All in all, I was quite pleased with how this special wall hanging turned out!

"Pocketful of Peppermint" - Coming in August

2011-07-29T16:50:00.004-05:00

Last week I blogged about the first of three new designs being released in mid-August ("Moonlit Midnight") - today the focus is on "Pocketful of Peppermint". This new release is a companion to the popular "Peppermint Twist" design I released in 2008 - it is a combination of motif boxes that can be stitched collectively for a framed piece or on their own as ornaments or needlework smalls. The pattern contains charting for the entire sampler and detailed finishing instructions for making three types of holiday ornaments:

Pillow ornaments backed with coordinating cotton or wool fabric (gingerbread man and reindeer in the photo)
Pillow ornaments backed with linen - with or without a beaded edge (the tree ornaments in the photo)
Flat ornaments using finishing forms (round ornaments featuring the heart and the dove in the photo)

This design was originally a teaching piece for Stitcher's Hideaway Needlework Retreats, so it contains multiple specialty stitches - large diagrams of all the stitches are included...or you can easily replace them with cross stitch. The models were stitched on 28-count Fawn hand-dyed fabric from Lakeside Linens and use Weeks Dye Works cotton floss (DMC equivalents included) and one spool of Kreinik #8 Fine Braid (100) to add sparkle and definition to the snowflakes (this is optional). Also included in the chartpack - an alphabet/numbers and personalization area for adding your initials and the year to your sampler or ornaments. All the details will be posted on my website soon, so keep an eye on the "Future" page for more information. This chart is set to be released at the TNNA Fall Needlecraft Market in mid-August...so look for it at your favorite needlework shop toward the end of next month....

*NOTE*: This holiday design will be part of a very special upcoming giveaway once I reach 500 official followers - so keep an eye out for that, as well.