Heart Happy

Happy Monday friends! I thought I would stop by for quick visit while I am at my desk this morning (now afternoon - where has my day gone?). I just finished up some correspondence, after spending several hours reporting almost two hundred copyright violations to Pinterest. Yes, I said two hundred. 😔 I could spend time writing about how much it hurts artists and designers when copyrighted charts, patterns, images, videos, etc. are photographed, scanned, shared, and posted illegally - how damaging it is on multiple levels - and how every few weeks when I have to do this I am a heartbroken mess...but instead, I will try to lighten my mood, be as upbeat as I can muster, and share some recent finishes. Like I mentioned in a previous post - I am trying to organize and remove the thousands upon thousands of photos from my iPhone. Today's post includes needlework finishing (not my stitching or designs...just my finishing work and finishing ideas), a couple gifts I created, recent project bag finishes, and some of my quilting. It is a hodgepodge of creative projects that I completed over the last month or so...some happy eye candy to start the week...

Posting these photos has already made my heart happier and I am ready to get started on my next project this afternoon. After a quick lunch, I have several design ideas to chart out and fabric to cut for my next project. 

Take a little time to work on something that makes your heart happy! 💗

Sewing Session Snippets

Hello friends, readers and Blue Ribbon Designs enthusiasts - it's another post filled with creativity! I have been keeping busy with needlework finishing, stitching, sewing and quilting for the majority of my hours each day...trying to get a handle on projects and custom orders before we take our yearly Colorado trip in September. I finished a handful of orders for my zippered project bags this past week (along with a few custom pieces). It is always enjoyable to work with the fabulous fabrics my clients supply for their custom bags...even when they send challenging fabric with directional prints and/or straight lines, it is still fun to play with all the different patterns and styles. This batch includes more With Thy Needle and Thread project bags that are created from a printed panel...but in true Belinda fashion, I have changed the instructions inserting the zipper across the top and adding rick rack to both sides of the front panel...and I've made quite a few with a boxed bottom. I also had a request for a small scissor/needle case, measuring 5" W x 4" H - I quickly wrote up a pattern and made a prototype, then made two for my client with fabrics she supplied....if there are more requests for these, I may make some for my Etsy Shop. Here some photos of projects I worked on in the past several days...

My large and small project bags...

My large and small project bags...

My large and small project bags...

Custom-size bag: 14" W x 18" H

Two large project bags...

Project bag from fabric panel by Brenda Gervais/With Thy Needle & Thread
See designer website for information....

Project bags from fabric panels by Brenda Gervais/With Thy Needle & Thread
See designer website for information....

Project bags from fabric panels by Brenda Gervais/With Thy Needle & Thread
See designer website for information....

Custom Scissor/Needle Case 5" W x 4" H - Prototype

Custom Scissor/Needle Case 5" W x 4" H

Custom Scissor/Needle Case 5" W x 4" H

Two more project bag orders are in progress, then I start some HUGE needlework finishing orders. My holiday deadline for needlework finishing is September 1st...and sure enough packages are arriving daily. I always work in the order received and now it is time to steadily start working through those finishing projects. There are currently over 200 pieces of needlework finishing in my queue, so I am going to be a "finishing machine." These client orders contain some gorgeous needlework (LOTS of ornaments) and I can't wait to share some of the finishes with you...

Wishing you a happy and productive week!

Creative Week Wrap-up

Happy Friday readers! It has been another creative week in the studio. With my holiday finishing deadline in just over a week (September 1st), orders that need to be returned in time for Christmas have been pouring in and keeping me on my toes. I had a nice mixture of projects to complete this week - both needlework finishing and sewing/quilting. The needlework finishing photos featured today (I'll share the sewing/quilting finishes with you in a future post) were all stitched by one very talented needle-artist and dear friend -  and it was such a lovely grouping of pieces (again, these are not my designs or stitching, just my finishing work). I have provided designer details with each photo...and the gorgeous hand-dyed chenille, tape measurer trim, and lace are all from Lady Dot Creates...fabrics shown in individual photos were used for backing/lining. 

La D Da - Gentle Words

Scattered Seed Samplers - Little Berry Thief Pinkeep

Heart In Hand - Stitching Bird

Little House Needleworks - Rose Sampler

Heart In Hand - 2018 Collector's Heart
This chart contains both cross stitch designs shown (the stitcher
asked to have one on the front and one on the back)...

Threadwork Primitives - Life's Sweetest Flower

Ink Circles - This Heart of Mine

Little House Needleworks - Saltbox Village

Little House Needleworks - Season of Love

I also can share a piece of personal stitching I completed as a birthday gift for my super sweet friend Mary. This is Blackbird Designs "Small Token" (Reward of Merit Pincushion). I stitched it on 32-count Sand Dune by Lakeside Linens, with the called for Crescent Colours threads (now Classic Colorworks). For finishing, I used the fabric in the photo (from a retired Blackbird Designs collection) for the backing and hand-dyed cotton lace by Lady Dot Creates. Cross stitching, personalizing and finishing this small design was a nice break from my workload, as I don't have a chance to stitch gifts as often as I would like...

This afternoon I am headed back into the studio to work on a pile of project bags, a nice reprieve from all the needlework finishing...and if I can make a little personal quilting time, I would really like to finish my Christmas in July "Jelly Snowflake" quilt from the Fat Quarter Shop Sew Along - I kept up with the weekly block piecing in July, I just need to make time to quilt and bind it. I also have a small hand embroidery design I am working on in my stitching nest that I would like to complete. Wishing you a happy and creative weekend....

Cherished Moments Sneak Peek

Greetings creative friends! I wanted to stop by today to visit with you about the Poppie Cotton Cherished Moments Fabric Tour that is happening right now... 

For those of you who may not be familiar with Poppie Cotton...it is a fabric company formed by Jina Barney (quilting and clothing designer and instructor) and Lori Woods (illustrator, artist, and designer)...and together they create some of the most beautiful and happy fabrics on the market! Many of their fabrics are nature inspired (and that is a HUGE reason they speak to me)...plus each print is filled with teeny tiny details, making each one so very special. I have fallen in love with each and every fabric collection they have released...and I am super excited to be involved in several upcoming fabric tours (which is a dream opportunity for me!). I have been busy designing and playing with some gorgeous upcoming releases, including Cherished Moments...

Cherished Moments is their newest fabric collection and it is currently arriving in quilt shops (be sure to visit your favorite quilt shop to find these joyful prints!). Throughout the month of August, you can visit the websites below to see some incredible uses of this endearing fabric line: 

CREATOR	DATE	WEBSITE
Danielle Kessler	3-Aug	https://www.instagram.com/thegoldilocksshoppe/
Anna Dineen	5-Aug	http://mywanderingpath.com/
Debbie Homick	7-Aug	http://happylittlecottage.blogspot.com/
Jess	10-Aug	https://www.sallietomato.com/blogs/blog/poppie-cotton-cherished-moments-fabric-tour
Lisa Garlick	12-Aug	https://www.nannygoatquilts.com/
Belinda Karls-Nace	14-Aug	https://blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com/
Erica Arndt	17-Aug	https://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/category/quilting
Dori Troutman	19-Aug	http://theredfeedsack.blogspot.com/
Lindsay Weight	21-Aug	http://www.primrosecottagequilts.com/

Plus, click on the Cherished Moments link to see swatches of each print. I will be posting here and on my social media accounts on August 14th - so be sure to stop back then to see what I created with this drool-worthy collection. For now, I will leave you a couple sneak peaks....