Stitchpography

What's Inside....

2012-02-08T10:17:00.000-08:00

A recent Facebook posting of a piece I'm teaching this weekend to the Saguaro Stitcher's ANG guild in Scottsdale, The Bougainvillea Wall, prompted inquiry into what was behind the blue door.

For humans and cats, curiosity can either kill ya, or thrill ya! Maybe both. There is always a blue door that beckons...

a closed gate that compels....

a lid to open......

a curtained window that intrigues....

So, take a peek, or step on in~

The walkway is lined with flowers; the fountain sparkles in the sun. I suppose you want to go inside the house now for a cup of tea! Sorry! You're not invited! (at least not yet!)

But there's one place you will always be invited, a place that you should always explore... every nook and cranny...every hiding place...

Your Own Heart!

There, you are always welcome to observe, to learn, to grow....never stop! See Inside! Stay Curious!

All That Glitters Is Not Gold....

2012-01-27T20:15:00.000-08:00

All that glitters is not gold. No, it is not! It is silver, red, black, light green, dark green, lime, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and turquoise...with more colors to come! It twists, turns, flattens, fattens, and couches! It also stitches, plunges, and scrunches. It is a cross between a Chinese finger torture device and a slinky! And it is Wonderful!

I'm talking about *SPARKLES*! Sundance Designs newest embellishment metallic tubing, used for creating fun and beautiful effects on your canvas. Available now in 12 colors, I've already used it on numerous of my new designs which debuted at the January TNNA market. I could not stop myself, I found it so addictive. And I have not finished exploring all the different ways to use it.

Here are just a few. The first is Sweetie Pie, and I stitched her hair with it, enlarging the canvas hole first, of course. (Tip: Always use a Wooden laying tool for enlarging your canvas hole. It is the only tool that will not split the threads!) You can pinch the end of the tube and thread it in a large needle, OR you can wrap the ends with scotch tape to make it like a shoe lace.

Here is a beautiful, scrolling border that was couched down by just catching the outer edges. It is super easy to create thick and thin lines.

Next, is a flat border. It is perfectly flat because I IRONED it with a hot iron! Again, it is couched, just catching the edges with a matching thread.

Here, in the next photo, I cut small pieces of it, and spread them open a bit, without allowing them to come completely apart. I layed them in place and randomly added a few stitches on top to hold them. It made the most realistic fire! Ouch! Don't get burned!

The last example is only the first of many future experiments. I threaded a white cord though it to enable it to coil without crimping. Imagine what you could do by adding ribbons, contrasting colors, big beads, etc. No rules allowed with this stuff! And the frog's legs could not have been simpler.
They emerge from the back of the canvas and are couched at his ankles!

This product is brand new to the market. I hope you have the opportunity to play with it as I have. Please tell your local needlework shop to order it. It is not expensive but the possibilities for creating fantastic results are priceless!

Winter Musings...

2011-12-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

I'm very late in posting a new blog entry. Since Halloween, I have been on the go...designing, stitching, teaching, thinking, working, sewing, designing, stitching, wrapping, shopping, cooking, cleaning, reading, designing, stitching....it goes on and on...you know the drill!

So, here I am, 5 days before Christmas, and although I have new designs that I am very excited about, I am saving them for the January TNNA Needlework Market. I feel bad seeing orange leaves and halloween landscapes still posted on my blog, so I decided to share a few winter images and thoughts.

Here are photos of winter scenes where I live. We typically get snow several times a season..but so far, none this year. I've accompanied these photos with notes I wrote in 2000 when I was enrolled in a creative writing class. I share these 'winter musings' with you and hope you find inspiration in your surroundings too.

The Garden in White

"Eight to ten inches of piled on white. It is melting now, a little, but when I woke this morning, the world was a magical place. The backyard fence was transformed into a netting of exquisite lacework; darning patterns, open stitches in neat rowed conformity.

The oak and cedar trees were laden with white as well. No lace there among their branches; only large balled clumps, deliberately placed, as if this tree, this limb, were designated storage for the stuff.

Now birds are beginning to move about. I saw a tiny lone bird this morning, hopping underneath the lawn chair, under the eves of the porch. It was as if lost and not knowing where to find companionship. Now black crows are darting in and out of trees, their blackness a magnificent contrast to the pristine white.

I measured an 8" depth with my ruler this morning. I ventured outside into the cold crispness in my bathrobe and open toed sandals. Had to measure! If I were a child, I would be romping about in it, but I am perfectly happy to just gaze now and take in all this beauty.

The water is still running over the rocks in the pond Ron built last summer. The $200 pump is doing it's job, circulating water from horse trough pond, up through the rusty pump, down over the mini mountain of boulders; a cycle that delights birds and even a snake that we know of. There are seven goldfish in the pond, cozy I hope, under their blanket of waterlilies and water hyacinth.

Today, I will relax and enjoy this white world for as long as it lasts. We are without electricity for the time being. Oh well...laundry has to wait. What shall I occupy myself with first? My book, or my stitching?"
~The End~

I don't remember what I chose to do...but as much as I love to read, I love to stitch more. I bet I chose stitching! What would you do, on a snow bound day?

Happy Holidays...and whatever you do to celebrate, I wish you happiness and joy!

Is Halloween still here?

2011-11-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today I took a walk out into the Coronado National Forest adjacent to my home. It is November, according to the calendar, but I had to wonder! Everywhere I looked today, I saw evidence of October's seasonal celebration: Halloween!

Did you know that Halloween designs are the best selling canvases in the needlepoint world? Yes! I think it is a tribute to our desire to have fun and forget the cares of the world! There are lots of reasons for celebration, but this is the only one I know of, where children and adults alike can dress up in crazy costumes and just have crazy fun! There isn't a serious side to this event, as far as I can tell, unlike most other holidays.

Here is what I encountered on my hike:

Does the blue sky get more gorgeous than this? The grasses are brittle and dry as bones!

I was warned, several times!

My shoe laces were untied one time too many on the trail by this guy! Mr. Cat Claw! One has to side step his nasty swipes!

There were sharp dangerous things all around!

And wispy, ghosty things!

A charred black skeleton and orange decorations!

Oh my gosh! Here is a skull!

More orange decor!

This reeks of a witch to me! A cauldron of sorts? Lime green acid brew?

An ingredient for that Witch's brew, or is this something she brewed up?

The only wildlife I saw today were these coal black grasshoppers!

With Blood Red underwings!

And what creature was this? Coatimundi? Racoon? Creature from outer space?

Whew! I'm home now! As far as I'm concerned, Halloween is over for another year!
Now I'm working on Christmas!

But you'll have to wait awhile to see it!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
PS...I'm teaching "Summer" this weekend at BeStitched in Scottsdale! Check it out here!

Have Needlepoint, Will Travel!

2011-09-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last year, about this time, I was in Florida having a grand time visiting my daughter and her family. Florida in Fall is Fabulous! This year, I'm going to be traveling as well, but I'll be going to Austin, TX, which I've heard, is pretty fabulous too!

Fortunately, all those wildfires are now over, and I hope the smoke in the air is gone for good! My heart goes out to all the people whose homes were lost in that terrible tragedy. It is hard for me to even imagine the devastation and loss.

I'm going to focus on bringing some stitching joy to Austin, and The NeedleWorks, where I'll be teaching my little fall fashion icon, Pumpkin Spice. There are so many wonderful threads, techniques, beads, colors, and embellishments to use on this piece. I am excited to share what I have learned in designing and stitching it.

The class will be held on Oct. 1st and 2nd, and from what I've heard, the shop is nothing short of a stitching paradise...warm, welcoming, inspiring in every way. The owner, Colleen Church, designed it to be that way, from scratch! I can hardly wait to get there, and hope to see you there too!

When I look at this piece, I can't help but remember my little grandson who was so captivated by the project. I had brought it with me to stitch (one cannot leave stitching home alone!), and this child has loved 'punkins' since he was a baby. I mean, he LOVES them! He was by my side every moment I brought it out, helping me pull the needle through the canvas, putting a bead on when needed, helping me select the colors. He was the best helper!

He was so enthralled with the idea of stitching his own punkin, that I helped him do just that! He painted his own canvas, and learned to stitch his very own piece! I blogged about this before, but I'm posting some of the photos again because ....I Can!

That year, we went to TWO punkin patches to find the perfect punkins to decorate the house with. I was in punkin heaven myself! Never have I seen so many beautiful pumpkins and so many varieties! Arizona just does not seem to get such a bounty to choose from.

Well, no matter......whether we ever see such a gorgeous variety of punkin produce or not in Arizona, Miss Pumpkin Spice has enough gorgeous variety and color in her own right! She will grace my home with fall flavor...maybe I'll even catch a wiff of cooler air when I look at her. And of course, she will always hold my precious memories....

Summer Flowers

2011-09-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

Teaching "Summer Flowers" at BeStitched this weekend in Scottsdale, AZ was a highlight of my summer! Yes..I'm still counting September as Summer, although technically, it ushers Fall. My husband told me that the temps dropped down into the 50's at our house Saturday night, while I was gone!

I think all of my students, as well as myself, were very happy with the experience we collectively shared at BeStitched. I'm now referring to the shop as the "SPA Stitching Store" because those BeStitched ladies know how to pamper! My oh My! We were all indulged with little gifts, gourmet lunches, snacks, drinks, superior customer service, and a beautiful ambiance that included stunning fresh flower arrangements, bright natural lighting, plush seating, and charming, colorful decor.

My class was great! The women who attended were eager and willing to learn new techniques, seeming to enjoy themselves and the project. I appreciated their positive attitudes and positive feedbacks! There are few activites more satisfying than spending a day with friends, stitching, learning, AND being catered to, as Lisa and Jeannine were prone to do!

Have you ever been served an upside down scrumptious cupcake? As Jeannine remarked, "More Frosting!"

I'm sharing two videos that were filmed during my class presentation. These are tips for techniques that can be utilized by any stitcher. The first one shown here deals with an easy way to enlarge a canvas hole without breaking the threads.

Click the link below for advice on how to choose the right decorative paper to create a custom mat for your needlework (or any artwork, I might add!).

http://youtu.be/mPyOin8JUok

Next on the docket: Teaching "Pumpkin Spice" at NeedleWorks in Austin, TX! Check back next week for a new blog post on that project. By then, summer will definitely be over, and fall will have arrived! At least in my mind!

The Wild and Lovely Neglected Garden

2011-08-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

The summer is nearly over, and my neglected little backyard garden has gone wild! It is overgrown with grasses and volunteers from past grown flowers. I have abandoned it totally for the past three summers, always thinking that THIS year, I will tend it like a loving gardener would.

My garden tends itself, it seems. It flourishes in spite of my neglect and good intentions. The summer rains have brought color and beauty to this little patch of untended ground. I can't complain. I have chosen to do other things with my time. I do pull weeds on occasion. I even pick some of the flowers and bring them inside to enjoy. But, mostly, I am either painting canvases, stitching my designs, designing new things, or tending to my extended family who live an hour away.

Look at that stunning bud in the above photo! The actual little flower pales compared to that precious star! This is a weed, but I love it!

I've always cherished a garden. Such was the inspiration for these two canvases which I introduced years ago. For some reason, these two canvases have never sold well at the trade shows where I've displayed them. I've always been puzzled by this. I see them stitched with glorious color, with lush stitches, and amazing fibers: silk ribbons, velvet threads, transparent overlays, and of course, humble cotton flosses. But overdyed cotton flosses! I see them finished and framed, hanging in a hallway, leading to the back door, and out to the back yard garden. I see them turned into charming pillows, embellished with ruffles or pom poms, propped on a wicker settee in a sun room. I see them as the garden I WOULD have if I were not so busy stitching!

And to that point, I have been stitching wildly myself. So many canvases, so little time! Time!
I do love to stitch, and I also love to teach. I'm teaching my design, Summer Flowers on
Sept. 10, 2011 at Be Stitched in Scottsdale, AZ. (www.BeStitchedNeedlepoint.com)

We will be turning this canvas:

Into This:

I would love to see you there!

I figure if we fill our time with that which we love, our hearts will be as a beautiful garden, don't you think? Ok, Ok, that was corny! How about this: If you can't manage to find time to at least stitch a garden like Summer Flowers, much less cultivate a real one, then, I say, BUY a flower for your lapel. Make mine diamonds, amethyst and rubies!

It ain't knitting, people!

2011-07-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering what to write about for my next blog stitching entry. Today, I came up with the answer. One of my sisters sent me a link to a very funny blog....

   This one: http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/

I laughed my head off, and then posted it to my Facebook page. Got several comments from my friends who also found it to be hilarious! One friend even said I should design a needlepoint chicken. Well, I have designed a chicken...in fact, several of them.

Another Facebook entry today, posted by my famous friend, Sharon G, also gave me pause and ideas to expound upon. She reported taking her needlepoint stitching along when she took her husband to his physical therapy appointments, which are quite lengthy in time frames spent away from home. Unfortunately, she was not able to get much stitching done because of the high interest her work was generating amongst other people in the room. "Is that knitting?" they would ask.   "Why aren't you using a hoop?" or my favorite: "Do you sell those at flea markets?"

Gotta love it! Plus, gotta educate people as to what needlepoint is all about in this fine day and age! Certainly, as my other famous friend, Ruth Schmuff says, "It's Not Your Grandmother's Needlepoint!" And indeed it is not!

But back to the chickens....
Here is my stitched chicken design which was released a number of years ago. Whoops! I guess I should clarify..this is a rooster chicken, not a hen chicken, just in case you didn't know. He's titled:

                                                                 The Happy Rooster

As you can see, he has some pretty fine feathers. I used some non traditional fibers in stitching him, amongst them, three kinds of knitting yarns, some silk ribbons, and a needlepointer's favorite: Flair, which for those in the know, is really panty hose. Yes..the same stuff that panty hose (does anyone actually wear those anymore? I haven't for YEARS! and hope I don't anytime soon, either!, but I digress...) the same stuff that panty hose is made from. Flair, however, comes in a huge range of beautiful colors, and is so versatile for creating many beautiful effects in a stitched piece. It has been around for years, and IS a traditional needlepoint fiber, at least, in my opinion.

Another tidbit of information to be inserted right about now, is the fact that all needlepoint yarns and specialty fibers being used today ARE actually knitting yarns. For instance, the tail feathers on Mr. Happy Rooster are a fine, whispy eyelash knitting yarn, repackaged (at the time) as a needlepoint fiber. Sadly, that company is no longer doing business. But, I'm certain there are similar ones to be found in a specialty knitting shop. So many fibers...so many projects...never enough time!

"Knitting", it turns out, is a term that most human people who do not stitch ascribe to any kind of needlework. Even educated ones, such as the surgeon who operated on Sharon G's husband not long ago. Again, she had her stitching with her, and when he asked what she was 'knitting', she "tried to explain but ended up telling him, 'Look, Dr. Bob, it is like this: We are both in the sewing business. You sew people. I sew needlepoint."

Which leads me to my funny story and how my rooster got his name. I may have written about this before, come to think of it. But never mind, it bears repeating!

I would often take my stitched pieces to a wonderful photo copy store where they were proficient in scanning art work and capturing all the fine detail. As I was waiting in line that day, my piece also generated lots of interest from other customers. As I explained it was needlepoint, one elderly sweet man said he knew right where I could sell it! "Oh? I replied. "Where would that be?"

"Right down the road a few miles to The Happy Rooster breakfast diner", he said. "I was just there and I know they would love it!"

It struck my fancy that day and my piece had a title! He is indeed a happy rooster! I'm still laughing when I think on the innocence of the non stitching humans we encounter, whether they be surgeons or that cute little man who just came from having his coffee and most delicious eggs!

Everything Old is ....

2011-07-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

You know that old saying...."Everything Old is New Again?" Well, it just isn't true! I'm sorry, Old is Old. I'm old so where are my old, new knees? Where are my old, new youthful cheeks? My old, new slim waistline? Gone. All gone, and they aren't coming back!

Sigh. I suppose whomever said that, wasn't thinking of me. I think they might have been thinking about fashion, or literature, or furniture, or maybe even....needlepoint designs? You see, I'm currently painting an 'old' design for a customer. This is a design that I created in 1993, and I have not painted it for at least 13 years..maybe longer. But, here I am, painting what I hope is a timeless design that appeals to those who love nostalgia and the softer side of life.

Oh oh! There I go again! I'm definitely enjoying the softer side of life right now, and it ain't so pretty. But this young lady is pretty, and I love painting her again.

The canvas is quite large, as canvases go. 28"X36". I'm painting it on 14mesh canvas. You might say, why not #13? Well, in my humble opinion, you just cannot get the fine detail when you produce a design like this on #13. The original is on #18, but #14 is working out just fine.

Do you remember when you were a child (particularly if you were a girl), of dressing your cat in doll clothes? (The poor little things!) What little girl didn't do that? Oh yes...those were the good 'ol days. In the good 'ol days, I never had hair like this little girl, but I can sure paint it. That's the beauty of being an artist. You can create anything you like!

I hope the stitcher will love bringing this nostalgic scene to life with wonderful threads, ribbons, and interesting stitches. And I hope the stitcher will get busy on it right away, before I'm too old to remember that I designed and painted it!

New Levels....

2011-06-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while I was wiling away some hours in two airports, I perused the internet on my iPad and the June issue of Elle Decor that I purchased in an airport kiosk. I did not have my stitching because I packed it into my checked luggage. The piece I took to work on is a bit large so I just packed it for the return trip home, and prayed for no lost luggage!

The magazine had a very interesting article about an amazing artist; Lucy Williams, a British woman whose work boggles the mind. She is a mixed media artist, specializing in collage. What caught my eye particularly, was this photograph of her piece entitled Diving Pool:

I hope you can see it clearly, but look closely. The sky is all needlepointed in tent stitches! The rest of the composition is layered and pasted cut bits of paper! Stunning, isn't it! And I find it exciting to see an artist incorporating stitching into a gallery piece. I don't know what her work sells for, as each time I saw one of her works posted on the internet, (because I had to see more!) instructions were to contact the featured gallery for prices. Wow! That makes me think gazillions of dollars!

The Elle Decor article quoted her describing how she 'farmed' out the needlepointed sky to friends to do for her, while she concentrated on the other collage details. She remarked how quickly each friend would return it to her, unfinished, saying how boring the stitching was, time consuming, and not something they were interested in doing. I had to laugh, because a few years ago, Sundance 'farmed' out a piece of mine to a woman who had stitched models for them on occasion. She also returned it rather quickly, saying the tent stitching was driving her crazy and that she hated it!

Hmmmmm. Maybe it is because I do so many other techniques when stitching, that I find tent stitching or basketweave a 'relief' of sorts. The mindless stitching is soothing and relaxing when one is compelled to stitch, but too tired to think. In any case, I studied that sky for quite a while and the stitching is beautifully done. I wonder if the artist had to rip out her friends' work, and just do it herself? You know...if you want something done, then just do it yourself, (said the little red hen)? And I would add, "if you want it done right!"

My internet searches led me to another British artist, Inge Jacobsen, who takes the covers of Vogue magazines, and stitches directly onto the paper. While she does this with cross stitches, the resulting work is rather amazing as well. It transforms a slick glossy image into a tactile, dimensional piece of art. Not that the photography isn't, but see what a little cotton floss and the repetition of stitches can do:

This work sort of reminds me of my own experiments with stitching paper images, that I blogged about not that long ago. (March 21, 2011, Something New...Something Springy) I urge you all to try it because it is really fun.

On that note, let me also urge you to take your needlework to the next level, whatever that level might be for you. Perhaps you have not tried silk ribbon yet in your stitching, or perhaps you have yet to incorporate beads into your pieces. Have you tried open stitches with complementary thread colors on a painted canvas rather than matching thread to paint? Try it for some beautiful artistic effects!

Whatever you do, do not be afraid. Some of the best things happen as a result of unintended occurrences that we call "mistakes."

IN HONOR OF....

2011-04-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Today I was in a mood! After speaking briefly with Wendy of Aristeia, and she told me she was going to be watching The Wedding long distance with her good girlfriend back east, and also, because I had just subscribed to a wonderful new emag from Great Britian, I found myself 'in the mood' to celebrate too!

The magazine is called Bustle and Sew, and is truly a delightful little publication. Thank you De Selby of Spool magazine for alerting me to it! Here is a the web address to the Bustle and Sew blog. From there you can preview the magazine.

http://bustleandsew.blogspot.com

Here is a web address for the website of Spool magazine.

www.spoolmag.com

I highly recommend this publication to anyone who enjoys any type of needlework...from crochet, knitting, quilting, cross stitch, needlepoint...to name but a few! (Plus I am featured in the latest Spring issue! she modestly says...)

But I digress. On with IN HONOR OF.....
So, I printed and made a penant banner of paper flags, courtesy of Helen of Bustle and Sew mag. I hung them up on the frame of the wrought iron canopy bed in our guest room. My husband watches tv in that room, and I did this to lovingly annoy him! He is SO not interested in The Wedding!

But, to get back into his good graces, I made a batch of scones for His Grace. I don't bake often, so this was a big deal at our house. Boy, did the house smell divine! I made Butterscotch chip and walnut scones. He was very happy this afternoon when he had some for an afternoon snack! And he was reading Dickens, his favorite author in all the world, as he enjoyed his snack. He was dying to find out what happened to Little Emily!

Finally, this blogpost would not be complete unless I posted (again!) my most Princessy of Princess canvas designs ...My Princess Chandelier. One of these days, I will stitch it with all the glorious threads available to us stitchers, and embellish it with all the equally glorious beads, sequins and jewels (think Sundance Designs for your embellishing needs!). Perhaps you might decide to do so also before I can get around to it! It would certainly be a royal effort..and priceless, don't you think?

Something new...Something Springy!

2011-03-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the First Day of Spring! That's what my calendar said anyway. It was a cool, blustery day..and yes, it is still March, so why should I have been worrying about the wind? This has been the strangest winter...the coldest on record for us here in Southern Arizona. And then, last week, our temps were in the high 80's...the earliest highs on record! Very strange indeed! What kind of summer will we have? Today, the forecast says there is even a possibility for rain, but our clear blue skies belie that fact!

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some springtime cheer! I'm ready to get outside and smell the flowers, hear the birds, dig in the dirt, and eat some new asparagus! I'm also ready for a new stitching project!

I am working on a proposal now for the San Diego chapter of ANG, but I can't show it, of course. Rather, I thought I would share a stitching project of a different sort. You might find this project strange too, but if you want some fun...and diversion...here you go!

Go through your magazines and pull out images that appeal to you. I particularly like flora and fauna, but other images like that dress form or the little cakes sparked my imagination.

Next, place the chosen images (or image) on one sticky side of a piece of double sided fusible webbing. Steam a Seam2 is one I am familiar with, but there are many such products on the market. (remove the protective paper from one side of the webbing and lay the images on that...follow manufacturer's directions for the product you use.) Cut around your images, leaving the back side of the webbing paper in place. After the images are cut out, remove the remaining paper backing on the webbing and place the images face side up on the right side of a piece of coordinating cotton fabric. Put a pressing cloth over the entire thing, and fuse the images to the fabric with a hot steam iron. Choosing the fabric that compliments the image is part of the fun for me! I love, love, love fabric!

Next, select your sharpest embroidery needles to accommodate different sized threads and fibers from your stash. You need a sharp needle, not a tapestry needle, because you will be piercing through the paper and fabric layers. With a finger on top of the spot where you want to stitch, place the needle underneath the image with your other hand, and begin to slowly poke through to the top, feeling your upper finger for placement. (Wow..does that make sense? I hope so!) If you make a mistake in placement, no worries...it will leave a little hole, but who cares? Just keep stitching!

You can see what I have done in the following images. I used silk ribbons, floss, boucle, and any thread that looked interesting. I even added seed beads for extra embellishment. Often, only one ply of floss was needed and was very effective. After all the stitching has been completed, (you can add as much or as little as you like..no rules here!) trim the piece to the desired finished size. Frame it and enjoy. Enjoy too, all the comments you will receive from amazed and duly impressed viewers!

Have a HAPPY SPRING!

REPEAT: The "Pattern of Repetition"

2011-02-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

When I first began my blog, I was doing it on iWeb...a fantastic program, other than the fact that it was difficult for people to find me. So, eventually, I switched to blogspot.com where I have been posting ever since. Blogging has been fun for me. I enjoy sharing my thoughts, ideas, inspirations with 'the world', whatever 'that world' might be; readers who stitch, I am supposing.

Recently, I was featured on another blog, which was a real honor. Cheryl Fall of needlepoint/about.com did an article on me as the featured designer. See it here:

needlepoint.about.com/od/needlepointdesigners/a/BarbaraElmore.htm

After it was published, I mentioned on my facebook wall that I couldn't believe I was even mentioned on the same page as Kaffe Fassett, who had also been a featured designer on the about.com site. Again, What an Honor!

I could also not help but remember the blog entry I did two years ago, before I moved over to blogger.com, where I wrote about my grandson, who was 4 yrs. old at the time, and Kaffe Fassett. So, I thought it was time to re-post that entry here. The title then was "The Pattern of Repetition", and here I am again, repeating it! Hope you enjoy!

   The Pattern of Repetition..........posted Wed. Aug. 26, 2009

Recently on the ANG list, someone posted a link to a video interview with Kaffe Fassett, one of my favorite designers/artists of all time! He was speaking about his love of color and how we should not be afraid of color in our lives, in our work, in our creativity. Yes, his use of color is exemplary, jolting, surprising, and inspirational! I could bask in his color combinations and have found myself purchasing his fabrics for no other reason than to own them. (Well, ok..I do think to myself that I will make something beautiful out of them, someday, when I have time! HA!)

Looking at Kaffe’s fabrics, his needlepoint designs, knitware, and paintings is sheer pleasure. I very much enjoyed his interview and encourage any serious stitcher to view it. You may access it through this link:
http://www.kaffefassett.com/Newsletters.html      It does take about 45 minutes to watch, and the video tends to hang up a bit, but I thought it was well worth it.

Watching that interview prompted an AHA moment for me! I saw similarities in this very talented man and my 4 yr. old grandson! Now, lest you just say, “oh yeah, that’s a grandma talking”, I’d agree, and I’d also say, take a look:

                                                 Aran's "Mixed Media" Collage

Kaffe's fabric design

Aran's Play Doh Creations

Kaffe's Quilt

Aran loves to arrange anything! These are little shells.

Kaffe's painting of arranged rocks

A favorite activity!

His mother is a Saint!

Maybe someday, it will lead to this! (Kaffe's ceramic tea cups and tea pots.)

                    In the meantime, he is my budding little textile artist!

Behind The Scenes.....

2011-01-27T22:34:00.000-08:00

I'm in the midst of a new experiment this week. I've had thoughts about doing this, swirling in my head for several months, not knowing if I really wanted to tackle it or not. But, this week, I finally decided to take the plunge and delve in. After all, I would never know if it would work or not until I tried, right?

Painting a needlepoint canvas is not an easy endeavor. Among many factors, one has to make sure the paint consistency is right...thin, but still thick and on the creamy side. One has to have the right brushes...my most useful ones are worn out, short haired, with stiff stubby bristles, good for scrubbing the paint into the canvas. 'Scrubbing' is a technical term, in case you didn't realize! Of course, nice pointy round brushes of various sizes are equally important, and the type of bristle is key on those too. They can't be too soft or too stiff. And usually, my brushes have all the enamel paint chipped off the wood handles from sitting in my jar of rinse water a tad too long. That said, I think that the deteriorated condition of the paint handles is also an important component as well!

The experiment I took upon this week was to create paper masks for all the design motifs in my composition. My normal way of painting this piece, (and the way I did the original) is to paint the design elements, and then paint in the background, carefully painting around each element. This is painstakingly labor intensive, but necessary. The idea of using paper masks and then painting in the background over the masks is something I learned about from the quilting world. Quilt artists who paint fabric often use this technique, making masks out of freezer paper. I have long wondered if it would work on needlepoint canvas.

First, I had to trace the components onto tracing paper and rough cut them out. Next, I pinned them onto the matte side of freezer paper with tiny stainless quilting pins used for applique. Then came the cutting out of the shapes with scissors and an exacto knife for the more detailed and delicate parts. I spent several days tracing and cutting, tracing and cutting. It was a nice change of pace, actually.

Today, I laid out my canvas on top of a sheet, on my bedroom carpet. Then, I began to lay out all the masks in the proper positions. As I would lay a few down, I took my steam iron on a hot setting, and ironed the paper to the canvas. It adhered quite nicely, although I did have to go back over some of the pieces several times throughout the process. Finally, after I got all the pieces ironed down, I took the canvas to my easel and hung it up.

I added additional paper to the sides to make sure all the canvas that I didn't want painted was covered and protected. Next, I mixed my paint color for the background and attached a little bottle of it to my airbrush. A note here about my airbrush: A few years ago, we were having some remodeling done in our home. Our carpenter was extremely interested in seeing me work on my needlepoint canvas painting, but he felt very sorry for me. He was always trying to come up with ways to make the work easier and faster. One day, he presented me with a cheap little airbrush he had bought at the hardware store. I didn't have a compressor though, and couldn't use it or try it out. He encouraged me to get one.

The carpenter's gift to me got me to thinking about purchasing a good airbrush system, and one day, I did! It was expensive for sure, but I can't tell you how thrilled I have been to use it in many instances. What previously would take me hours and hours can be accomplished in mere minutes. That doesn't take into account the prep time it takes for these 'mere minutes' to occur, but I will say again, that I have been utterly thrilled with the time saving it has afforded me.

The above photo of cut out masks represents about 3 days of cutting...that is, working on it for 3 days, but not the whole days. I think I can narrow it down to 2 if I stick to task. But back to the next step of my experiment....

Today, as I mentioned, I ironed on all the paper masks. By the time I finished, it was 5:00pm...the time I normally wind up my work and think about preparing supper for my husband and myself. But, I was at a crucial point...I wanted to get the painting done while the masks were adhered to the canvas. I was unsure how long they would stay put! So...I flipped the switch on my compressor, and pushed the trigger on my airbrush. By darn, I had the background painted by 5:03pm! Wahoo! I knew it would be fast, but not that fast! What a thrill indeed!

There were a few glitches, but this was a learning curve for me. When I removed the masks, guess what! The paint went through each tiny pin hole that occurred when I pinned the tracing to the freezer paper. I really didn't think that would happen but it did.

That's ok though, because I know how to fix it. I also know how to avoid this problem next time. For me, my experiment was a total success. I'm free'd up to paint all the details without worrying about filling in the fussy background. Just thought I'd share!

New Beginnings

2011-01-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

The title of my blog entry has been applied to many situations. For my purpose of using it here, it implies exciting stitching and other artistic endeavors to engage in this year.

I just returned from The National Needle Arts 2011 tradeshow in Long Beach, CA. where one always gets pumped up and inspired by the glorious array of new designs, colors, threads, stitching, and finishing techniques...all the very best work of designers in the industry. It is nothing less than a treasure trove of all the things I love and can't get enough of!

I'm fortunate to be associated with Sundance Designs, my friends and colleagues of the past 20 years. They have been supportive and helpful to me in every way, and I hope the feeling is mutual. I travel with them, exhibit with them, and share adventures with them....some wild and crazy. Dare I mention Cassie and I went chasing a robber down some alley ways? No..I think I'll skip that one!

Instead, I'll just post some of my new designs which were introduced at the show.

Here is my latest fantasy chandelier. This one is entitled: The Mad Hatter's Chandelier. It is a large piece: 24"X26" on 18 mesh. Every time I design one of these, I DO want to start stitching on it. This one is no exception. Just imagine the possibilities for stitching fun! And when I do stitch it...maybe not even completely stitched...I'm going to hang it over my turquoise side board in my informal dining room. Maybe I'll arrange some special little tea pots and cups on a tray underneath. Is that not a dear idea?

Let me just insert here a word about stitching a painted canvas. Part of the appeal and beauty of a painted canvas is that one does not have to cover the entire thing with stitches. In fact, if you do, you might be covering up some of the best parts. I suggest that one could just stitch a few items spectacularly with great materials and a few decorative stitches. Then, rather than agonize over all the spaces to stitch, you have instead, just highlighted some of the more important and interesting features of the design. Open stitches are particularly perfect for painted canvas work. Take a class at your local shop with a teacher who can guide you, if you are hesitant to try it on your own. Or, get a great new book like Sharon G's Needlepoint SENSE. Really, truly, as Ruth Schmuff says, "This is NOT your grandmother's needlepoint!"

As further proof of that, here are my 6 inch Miniature Collectible Shoes, all needlepointed. They have been residing for the past year or so in Cinderella's Closet, exclusively at The Needle Nook of La Jolla as part of a canvas of the month club series. (Thank You Needle Nook of LJ for hosting my shoes and sharing them with your internet and local customers!) Now they will be distributed by Sundance Designs, and I've renamed them as a 'new beginning' for them.

Winter Slippers

Valentine Dancing Shoes

St. Patrick's Day Shoes

Spring Flowers Shoes

The Early Bird Shoes

I have to show you the heel of this shoe...it is a brass wire tree!

Beautiful Bees Shoe
(ok..we don't like bee stings, but we love the bee motif, don't we?
There's just something endearing about the busy little bee!)

A closeup view of a 'flying bee' hovering on DMC memory wire!

I have a couple other new designs which were introduced, but in my haste to get them finished for market, I didn't photograph them. I'll save those for my next entry. In the mean time, I hope you are all inspired to begin anew with fresh ideas and projects in your stitching life. And don't forget...you can never have too many!

Introducing New Year, New Designs!

2010-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

This happens every year, at about this exact time: Weeks, if not days before the Winter TNNA tradeshow in California, I am working hard to crank out some designs. I'm not the only designer in this boat. Nearly everyone I know in the business is doing the same thing. We're scrambling to produce new designs to debut for 2011; painting on canvas, stitching like mad, and editing our stitch guides and written materials on our computers.

"But, you've known about this for the past year!" you say. Well, yes, true enough. And it's also true that I've been designing in my head for the past year too. Some of my ideas have been cooking in that head for much more than a year. I just have not had the chunk of time to implement some of them until now. And I guess you might also say that I work well under pressure. Make that extreme pressure.

Sigh. Yes..I have put myself in this situation, and I'm making the best of it. And also enjoying it immensely! Because this new stuff is to make it's 'debut' on the tradeshow floor, I'll give you just a peek. (I love peeks...as long as I'm not the one doing the peeking! In that case, I am a very impatient person.) But I must say, I'm very excited and optimistic about the designs that will be shown in the Sundance booth this year. And hopefully, you will see them in your LNS (local needlework shop) soon too!

But I digress. I decided to show you where this creative process takes place, and to show you that I am a true arteest! I work with abandon, and make huge messes, and I'm disorganized, and ...well, never mind. In the end, I love what I do, and that's all that matters, right?

These photos are of my materials and my work space. For many years, I worked sitting and hunched over a drafting table, thinking it was the "way it is done." "It" is the way I was taught, and I fell into that trap of not questioning, even though my shoulders would knot up painfully. A few years ago, my husband of 12 yrs, a Philosophy professor, proficient in questioning, made the observation and suggestion that perhaps, if I stood to work, it would be much easier on my back and my overall health. What a concept! I was ready to try anything, so I made an investment in my health and bought a wonderful standup easel. Can I just tell you that it has changed my life! (My husband, and my easel...both dear loves that have changed my life for the better!) But as you can see, having the easel has not made me any tidier.

This last photo is looking toward the other end of the above mess. This mess is much nicer, and contains my soft chair to stitch in, my tv to watch, my computer and my printer. BTW...I LOVE my printer, because as I'm designing, I can enlarge, reduce, and flip or rotate my sketches. It is a huge time saver!

So...here are two little peeks of the work in progress on my easel. The first is the border.

Gold paint is always a plus, don't you agree? And so are polka dots!

Here is a little darling kitty who is trying to 'steal the show' on my new canvas, but he has a lot of competiton.

OK! That's all you're going to get from me tonight. Except for this final photo of the tradeshow floor.
This was at the end last year, when the show was over. Curtains mostly down, trunks and boxes loaded. Another great show came to an end. But I'm looking for THE BEGINNING right now!

A New Beginning, a Happy New Year, and may you acquire lots of great new designs to stitch and receive joy from!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

Stitch, Stitch, Stitch, Shop, Shop, Shop, Plan, Plan, Plan, Decorate, Decorate, Decorate, Wrap, Wrap, Wrap, Eat, Eat, Eat, Think, Think, Think, Stitch, Stitch, Stitch, Read, Read, Read, Party, Party, Party,
Rest, Rest, Rest, Worship, Worship, Worship, Cook, Cook, Cook, Clean, Clean, Clean, Sing, Sing, Sing, Hum, Hum, Hum, Eat, Eat, Eat, Stitch, Stitch, Stitch......

Merry Christmas to all, Happy Holidays to all, and Keep Stitching when you need to relax!
See you next year~

The Next Generation!

2010-10-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from my vacation in Florida where I visited my eldest daughter and her family. She and her husband are parents of a darling little boy, aged 5. It had been a year and a half since my last visit...far too long! As beautiful as Florida is, my real enjoyment came from being with family! And I have to say, all the statements made about the joys of grandchildren are TRUE!

My grandson insisted on helping me needlepoint. He called it 'sewing', and was intent to learn. Of course, when he saw my supplies, he was smitten! It was almost too much for him...the colors, the threads, the beads! And the design that I was working on...."So Bootiful, Grandma!" He had to do it too!

There was no needlework shop in the area where my daughter resides, so we only had Michaels and JoAnn's to obtain supplies for a child friendly design. After much consideration, we opted to buy plastic canvas, some 'real looking' large tapestry needles (which were really some kind of plastic I think) and a huge package of off brand pearl cottons with 24 colors! We bought a little plastic case to hold his stitching, and it was perfect. Sadly, I neglected to photograph this little kit, so I hope you can 'get the picture.'

Next, I drew simple designs on the canvas with Sharpie Permanent colored markers. We had tried other types of things, but the Sharpies were the only things that really worked. When he came home from kindergarten that day, we showed him 'the surprise'. I wish you could have heard his enhaled breath! He was thrilled!

I showed him how to thread the needle:

Next, I doubled the thread and tied a knot so the thread would stay in the needle. This is an ideal way for children to use a needle and thread. Plus, the doubled pearl cotton filled in the large holes of the plastic canvas quite well. He was eager to learn, and paid close attention to my instructions. At one point, he said, "I've got it Grandma! You can leave now." When I didn't, he told me I was annoying him! Hahaha! I don't think he was being rude...just honest as only a five year old can be! Anyway, he worked and worked, until he was forced to stop for dinner, bath, and bed. He announced that he was going to get up before school, and finish it in time for Show and Tell. Which he did!

Ahhh....I don't have a photo of the finished piece either! But you can be sure it was Bootiful!

Now, this blog entry would not be complete without my featuring my 7 year old granddaughter who belongs to my youngest daughter. We had a sleep over at my house before I left for Florida, and she too always wants to paint and stitch when she visits. I've given her little kits before, which she has enjoyed. This time, I gave her a piece of Zweigart 18 mesh and some fabric markers. I told her to design her own piece. Here is she is with her beautiful composition. (Actually, SHE is the beautiful composition, wouldn't you agree?!)

She too has the same intensity to learn to stitch as my grandson has. I gave her an actual needle because she is older, and I knew she could handle it. She has been handling scissors like a pro for years now too! Anyway, seeing her sitting in my stitching chair, with my Dazor lamp, oblivious to everything else, was really cute! What's a little slobber and steam when you are creating!

I gave her leftover pieces of Caron's Watercolour threads. She LOVED them!

Teaching my grandchildren to stitch, or in the least, giving them a glimpse of what I love to do, has been one of the most satisfying teaching experiences of my life! No national seminar teaching stint can equal this joy! And I have two more grandchildren yet to convert! Lucky me!

The Softer Side of Halloween!

2010-10-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here it is October 3rd already! Fall is in the air, even here in the desert Southwest! For many people, this month means only one thing: Halloween.

I was surprised (no..shocked!) to learn that the most popular canvas designs in the handpainted needlepoint business are Halloween designs. Really?! Yes! They outsell every other type of canvas out there, including Christmas stockings! I learned this when I designed my first EVER Halloween design in 2008...my Witche's Chandelier.

This canvas is large..23"X25", and is part of my fantasy chandelier series. I do want to stitch it, but have not yet found the time. I know that there are a number of people 'out there' who have purchased this canvas, and I only hope they are stitching/have stitched it to their Halloween love'n heart's content! That would not be a black heart, mind you, because this design is rather sweet, don't you think?

I am not a blood, guts and gore person. I don't like horror movies or scary things. I do like fantasy however, and the cuter, the better! Like Mary Englebreight type Halloween things! Or Libby Sturdy's Adorable Halloween canvases! Or like my friend Janine Holtzman's Dead Cat Quilt, based on cats she has known and loved. Perfect for Halloween, this quilt has brightened up her kitchen wall for years. (Janine, I've put my watermark on the photo, but I'm not claiming it as my design...just so you know!)

The dead cats are featured in the black and gray bottom border, barely visible like ghosts. It's a pretty clever and wonderful design, Janine, as are all of your quilts!

I'm currently working on a new Halloween canvas which I will debut in January at TNNA. For now, though, I'm offering just a peek. I'm enjoying working on this so much! The colors and stitches, beads, silk ribbons, embellishments, etc that I'm using on the piece have really given my creativity a boost! Maybe it is the cooler weather, but I could stitch for hours on this, if I could....as in, if the rest of life didn't get in the way!

Obviously, this doesn't even look like Halloween yet. Aqua? Yes indeedy! Here's another glimpse that has more Fall in it:

Before I go, I'll show you a scary spook that recently 'appeared' on my studio floor! This could have FREAKED me out, but I laughed when I saw it!

Can you guess how it got there, and what it is?

The FIRST one who submits the correct answer in the comments section of this blog will get a "Trick or Treat!" from me.

Bye for now~ Get Stitch'n!

Fall Flavors

2010-09-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

It seems I've been obsessed with any flower growing wild around here. Partly, that is because I do love flowers of any kind, and partly, because a flower here in the high desert is something precious and jewel like in it's rarity. The tiniest bud stands out against the stark rocks and dirt, and is equally vivid in dull grasses. (I love grasses too, but that is another story!)

Today, my husband alerted me to a large sunflower that is growing down by the barn. It was larger, he said, than the roadside sunflowers that are making their appearance these days. So, I went to investigate myself and this is what I saw.

I desperately wish I could have photographed the HUGE black bumblebee that was visiting it upon my arrival, but alas, it flew off just as I got my camera ready. So...just imagine how beautiful that was!

This flower is growing tall and stately in a field of weeds. It stands alone, with no other evidence of similar companions. Here is another view of it with my hand holding it from moving in the breeze.

Sunflowers are Fall flowers, and there is absolutely a wiff of Fall flavors in the air here right now. This lone flower got me to thinking of the needlepoint canvases I have known and loved, (some of which are my own designs) which feature sunflowers. And as Fall is the perfect time to begin a new project, I share these designs with you here. Perhaps they will inspire you to seek out golden threads, bronze beads, velvety greens and a canvas design worthy of those attributes!

First off, I'd like to show you my Happy Rooster. He sits in front of a backdrop of golden ribbon floss sunflowers created with darning stitches. Very Happy indeed!

Next, is a country fence. Perhaps this is in Nebraska, or Kansas, or maybe it is just right down your road. This canvas is part of a series available through Sundance Designs, and is called The Fields.
You could stitch as little or as much as you like on this one, and it will look great no matter what!

Next best thing to a sunny field is a backyard bursting with adventures, lawn, flowers, bugs, and of course, children! Here is my very large rug sized Backyard Sail'n canvas design and a closeup of the sunflowers featured in the left hand border.

Come to think of it, that section of canvas makes a pretty interesting design all by itself...Hmmmm.

Here is my Talavera Sun. First shown is the painted canvas, followed by photos of the stitched and finished piece as a pillow.

The beaded sunflower centers called to mind a little sunflower I stitched many years ago for a wooden jar top. It sits on my dresser and holds earrings. The canvas was designed by my daughter Aunna.

Sundance beads, turkey work and needle weaving. Now that spells FUN!
Speaking of Sundance, I pulled the following canvas designs off their website. They will show up here as very small, but I hope you can enjoy viewing them anyway.

The first is by the artist who made Sundance who they are today; Ted DeGrazia. His little girl holding a giant sunflower is so charming!

Here is a VanGoghish vase of sunflowers by artist Sally Huss. I love this one!

And a few more by Sally...

Next, is one of my favorite canvases, designed by Gail Tu-oti. Wouldn't you love this as your own front gate?

Be sure to check out these and all the designs that Sundance distributes at www.sundancedesignsonline.com.

And lastly, just to show you how much I love and admire sunflowers, I share with you a cherished painted cupboard that resides in my kitchen. When Aunna and I came upon it in a store, it didn't take much of her urging for me to buy it. My husband was a bit shell shocked when I brought it home, but then, the poor man never even knew what color was until he married me! He's over it now!

I believe this cupboard was crafted in India and the painted sunflowers just brighten my day every time I enter the room! Perhaps you need your own sunflowers to brighten your day too, so get stitch'n!

Fairy Flowers

2010-08-15T11:04:00.001-07:00

Who says there are no fairies? I've seen evidence to the contrary! First of all, the more magical the environment, the more likely there are to be magical things within it!

I've emerged from bug hell this summer into a beautiful landscape that occurs this time of year here in the desert Southwest: Monsoon Season. The normally dry desert transforms into a lush paradise, if only for a few weeks. And as in most desert climates, the flowers and foliage tend to be tiny...more to conserve moisture, I am supposing. These tiny little flowers, leaves, grasses, etc, are enchanting, at least to my eyes. I'd like to share with you some of the images I've taken of such flowers on my evening walks down my dirt road after supper. Then the air is cool and often, a thunderhead is brewing to the east. So, to set the stage, here is a photo taken just the other evening, around 7:30pm. Pretty magical, wouldn't you agree?

I should probably clarify that all of the photos are taken with my Droid phone camera. Often the focus is on the background grasses rather than the flower, because this is a phone, afterall! Also, because it is dusk, many of the flowers are folding up. I should go out during the day to capture their full beauty, but the daily temps deter me from that exploration.

I also need to say that I don't know the names of most of these little plants. However, that doesn't stop me from admiring them. I hope you will too! (My comments on the photos are underneath the posted photos.

What can I say? Fairy pink, delicate, so tiny, so detailed! I love the little stamens!

Look at the sweet little unopened pods on this plant, like Chinese lanterns. Bear in mind their diminutive size; these flowers are under 1/2 inch in diameter.

They have a rather orchid like look, don't they!

The petals on these tiny flowers have a cottony texture. Notice too, their unopened counterparts on the right hand side....a tiny ball of clustered knots. Each knot is a petal waiting to be born!

I do know the name of this one: Fairy Duster! Of course it is!

This one is my favorite. The flowers are barely 1/2 " across, and just so precious! They look like tiny pom poms! I can see stitching their portrait with a single strand of floss.

I know the name of these flowers too. They are wild verbena, and look very much like the ones you can purchase in a nursery. Often the clusters get very dense, just mounds of purple/pink! Love them!

I don't know the name of these, but really now! FOUR petals? And how cute are they!

Again, I don't know the name, but so cute, eh? Those stamens call for bullion stitches, for sure, if you were to stitch them!

A classic daisy, 1 inch across.

This photo is blurry, but I had to post it. Believe it or not, this is the unopened bud of the daisy flower featured above. It is barely 1/4" in diameter, and who would ever guess that color would end up as yellow and white?

Last, but not least, this photo features the flowers of the manzanita tree. This is not a recent photo, but I decided to include it here because I've long thought of these precious little bells as fairy flowers. This particular tree is next to my house, and there are many more on the property.

I hope you've enjoyed "taking this walk" with me today. The hunt for fairy flowers is just beginning though, as each day, I will be seeing more and more varieties of seasonal wildflowers appearing. I'll be documenting my discoveries, and perhaps, posting more photos in the future.
Keep your eyes peeled for ones in your area!

The Perfect Stitch...

2010-08-07T23:25:00.000-07:00

I've had blog block for over a month..maybe 6 weeks? Partly, this was due to my summer battle with
those nasty little false chinch bugs. They migrated from a field next to my studio, entering the building though the tiniest places; around the windows, under the doors, and even up through the floors. I cried, I cursed, I swept, I cleaned, I mopped, I vacuumed, I sprayed, and then, I did it all over again the next day, each day, for the full 5+ weeks until monsoon arrived, heralding their departure! Oh, and I also fired our exterminator!

The other reason for my blog block is because I've not been stitching very much. I've been working on finishing princess shoes when not ridding my life of bugs! That said, I have now and then, added a few little stitches to my swan canvas. Sitting down at night and filling in a few areas with mindless stitching is just what I've needed to relax. Tonight, I was doing that very thing, when, (harp music here....) the blog block broke! Yes, indeed! I finally had an idea to write about!

This occurred as I was implementing a stitch for the waterlilies in the swan painted piece. I've always known I would stitch them with a buttonhole stitch, and when I actually did it, omgosh! It was perfect! I used the perfect thread, of course, Caron's Wildflowers, with this perfect stitch! See here if you don't think it is perfect.

I love the way the stitch creates an edge around the perimeter of the lily pad. I also love that it creates 'movement' and dimension from the center, where all the stitches originate, and form a little bump. It speaks 'lilypad'! And the overdyed threads are a real pleasure to use..seeing the way the colors emerge effortlessly.

I believe the buttonhole stitch was one of the first stitches I learned to do as a child. My mother taught me to sew at an early age, and she taught me this stitch so I could make real button holes in my doll's clothes. Later, I edged blankets with it, and I think it made me feel like I was creating something important, 'cause it was 'fancy'!

Over the years, as a needlepointer, I've used this stitch often. I used it on a Nancy Swan Drew piece to create angel wings on a canvas featuring a mother who never gives up on her kids! Flair was the perfect thread to use, along with a little bead embellishment on top of the ridge. (One day, I'll get around to actually stitching the whole design.)

Of course, buttonhole stitches make great leaves AND flowers. Here I created both in my Funky Flowers canvas.

It works for the sea horses in my Coral Sea piece. These little guys are nothing but buttonhole stitch with a seed bead added for an eye. Buttonhole stitch works great because it follows curves and fills in spaces all in one step!

Here it is being featured on a desert plant, in my Bougainvillea Wall piece. This time, it was a detached buttonhole stitch, worked over two long threads which formed each spike of the plant.

Sometimes, just a "little" buttonhole stitch will do, as in the scallop feature along the bottom and at the top of this beehive. The design would have been sorely lacking without it!

Lastly, I show you the background of 'Cowgirl Up'. Circular shaped buttonhole stitches form polka dots reminiscent of those found on a bandana. I think they added just what was needed to an otherwise pretty drab background.

As you can see, the buttonhole stitch is very versatile and useful. It is an easy stitch to generate, and the results are very satisfactory. I hope you will look for places to use it in your work, in areas you might not have considered.
PS...did you notice the border of my blog background? I didn't construct this, but as you can see, it IS the perfect stitch!

SWAN SONG....

2010-06-27T17:47:00.001-07:00

I've been away from blogging for awhile due to 'the unusual Spring' which is, I've discovered, the cause of the bug plague that I've been dealing with for the last four weeks! It is still ongoing, but I have hopes that when our summer rains come, the bugs will go! Banish! Be Dead!

I learned too, thanks to a friend introduced to me by Sharon Garmize, Neva, that these bugs are called FALSE CHINCH BUGS! My internet searches have revealed that these particular bugs are swarming all over the Western US, and Southern CA has them particularly bad!

Today, I bought a product that I am hoping will help me in my battle just to keep them at bay!! It is called Ecosmart, and is a nontoxic pesticide safe to be around children and pets. That works for me, and I hope it works for the bugs too!

So..enough about them, and now about me! Some time ago, I entered a little quilt contest at QuiltingArts.com, where the challenge was to take a photo of a swan with her nest of eggs and create a small quilt inspired by the photo. I did just that...Here is my quilt entry again:

And even though it is certain that I am not going to be winning this competition, which ends tomorrow, based on the highest number of votes received by an entry (I do not KNOW enough people to solicit votes from!), I loved the process of creating the quilt and want to do more. I also decided to put the design on needlepoint canvas. Here is the painted canvas:

Naturally, I have to stitch it now. I envision it stitched with silk ribbons, beads, metallics, overdyed threads. I also envision using it as a birth announcement for a granddaughter who will be turning 4 her next birthday, and who, like all my grandchildren, have been sadly needlepoint neglected.

So, in the moments when I'm not hosing down the outside walls of my studio with soapy water, vacuuming the interior walls, countertops, floors, window sills, cracks, crevices, nooks, crannies, desktops, table tops, bookshelves, crying, cursing, and complaining, I've begun to stitch on this piece. Stitching has been my only sanity! Here are a few little views. Not much to show so far, but I have big plans!

The Water: 2 ply Waterlilies, 1 ply Kreinik Holoshimmer

Plants: So far...I'm using 1 strand Wildflowers and decorative stitches.

The whole swan theme is really a charming one, I think. And as always happens, when I am designing something, I start to see similar things showing up all around me! Just recently, I was at Home Goods, and look what I found! A whole display of beautiful little swans who looked like MY swans! I was tempted, but did not buy any. I LOVE the large beautiful Soup Tureen! But, it is sooo impractical! I DO love it though!

Maybe these are little jam jars? Any suggestions for uses other than foods? Maybe a jewelry container?

And look at this adorable little friend! (see what I mean about seeing 'my' ideas AFTER I implement them?)

To add to all the swan fun, on Saturday, I met my sister for lunch at an antique mall. We browsed amongst vintage treasures for a little while before we had to both get back to work. I kept an eye out for swans. My oh my...they were a popular item in past times! Here are a few images of, mostly, vases and candy dishes. Truly, very charming creatures, these swans!

Would like to see this vase filled with pink tulips!

Sorry you have to crank your head sideways to see this pair! Can you see their reflection in the water?

This guy's neck is naturally cranked!

Another pretty pink and blue flower vase. I like it!

And get a load of this one! Doesn't it look just like the Home Goods variety! Of course, this makes me think the HG's one is a knock off of perhaps some famous and valuable ceramic artist. I need to go take another gander. (an appropriate word to apply to swans, don't you think?)

I have more, but at the risk of being boring, I'll end up with one final image. This is not of a swan, but I loved it just the same because it displays the water features of my swan's abode: Velvety water lilies, cattails, shimmering water. This crane is also very happy living in this pond. I just bet there are swans there too!

Hope your summer is bringing you lots of stitching happiness, swans or otherwise, and certainly, NO PESTS!
Barbara~

Summer!

2010-05-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally arrived in the high desert, after the strangest Spring. Until yesterday, May 20th, it has been unseasonably cool and breezy. And while the temps are now climbing to their normal stature, the reason I know it is now summer, is because of the arrival of the dreaded flying ants!

They seem to plague only me! Not my husband, who quietly and blissfully slumbers beside me, oblivious to the drama about to unfold. At night, while we're in bed, with just my reading lamp on, and a crack in the bathroom window to let some fresh air seep into the room, the flying ants must slip in under the window screen. Or perhaps they have sneaked inside during the day, unnoticed, when a patio door is opened and closed momentarily. Then they will lurk behind baseboards, in window sills, in the folds of curtains, until they see ME readying for sleep.   Now, here they come, bouncing and snapping inside the drum lampshade of the bedside light fixture that I purchased on ebay...a circa 1950's mid century style, a tall, slim gourd shaped glass, with the "made in France" gold paper label still affixed on the bottom.

Their hard little hourglass bodies, maroon red in color with glassine wings are repulsive to me! I snatch them with my hands and crush them between my kleenex protected fingertips. This is not an easy task, but if I don't remove them, they don't stop their pesky behavior after the lights are out. In fact, that is when they become really bad characters!

Always there are one or two who have escaped being captured. With the lights out, and my eyelids finally becoming heavy and my mind finally drifting off to dreamland, I am rudely awakened by a shrieking whine inside my ear!   This, of course, startles me awake, and I angrily swipe away the horrid thing! I make sure it is dead, and try to settle back down for sleep.   Mere moments later, or perhaps hours later, (who knows!) I am jolted to full consciousness again by the sound of fighter planes dive bombing into my hair! I wave wildly with my hands, and because I am really tired, do not turn on the lamp to see where they have retreated. I hope they have 'just gone away.'

Oh, delusional me! I'm fully awake again as I feel something crawling along the back of my neck. I brush my neck quickly and decisively with a purposeful hand, and also explore the inside neckline of my pajamas. Satisfied that nothing seems to be there, I edge towards sleep again. But this is not to be! I feel a sharp pinch along a left back rib! This time, I leap from the bed, flip on the light, and swiflty yank my pajama top up over my head. I see nothing! But suddenly, I feel another sharp pinch on my abdomen! I pull down bottoms, and THERE HE IS! I HATE HIM! HE IS DEAD MEAT! How he got past the elastic barrier of the waistband is one of life's mysteries. I am pondering this fact, rather confusedly, angry that my journey into sleep has been such a rough one. I turn to look at my husband, still oblivious to the light, my plight, my fight! And now, he has reached the huffing and puffing stage of a large locomotive, chugging along the tracks of his dreams. He doesn't care that I'm upset, angry, and have had a battle with ants! He doesn't even know about the ants!

I look at him one last time as I gather up my favorite pillow and head for the spare bedroom, because now I have a train to contend with.

❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈

The above was my attempt at prose this morning, after my lingering memory of last night's battle with disgusting bugs! I don't think all bugs are disgusting. I do have a blog on Moths afterall, which I have not posted to for over a year.   Mainly, that is due to a non monsoon season last summer. That is not predicted to be the case this year, so the moth migration should be spectacular!

I also have designed many canvases over the years which depict various insects. Here are a few of my favorites.

Faerie Chandelier

If a faerie had one.....it would look like this!

June Princess Shoe
This hovering bee is actually needlepointed on canvas!

Beautiful Beetle

Wouldn't he make a handsome purse insert?

A sweet birth announcement canvas for a baby girl!

Well, now I have the distaste of flying ants purged! I think I'll go smell the roses!

PS...don't forget to vote for my quilt in the Quilting Arts competition, "Stitch This!" See previous blog entry! Thanks!

Quilt Challenge...Votes needed!

2010-05-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hi to my blog friends,

This blog is going to be a plea for votes! I entered a quilt challenge at Quilting Arts Magazine online, and the prize is a fabulous new Bernina sewing machine, the winner based entirely on the number of votes received by an entry.

My current sewing machine is 35 yrs. old, and while it has served me well over the years, I am ready for a new one with all the bells and whistles! I have needlepoint finishing to do, plus many creative ideas to implement with a new sewing machine. What better way to acquire one than by winning!

Here is a photo of the challenge inspiration.

I have found it very inspiring to see all the entries so far, as they are all quite different and reflect each person's imagination in rendering the swan. It is not unlike a tv show challenge on the food network or HGTV, where one is given unusual ingredients or unexpected materials to decorate a room with. That said, I think I have figured out why the winner is the result of the highest number of votes: the magazine acquires possible new subscribers! Please understand, however, that you DO NOT have to subscribe. You can just vote. You may have to sign up on the quilting forum, but can later unsubscribe. I know it may be a lot of trouble, but it would be VERY appreciated by me! My entry is titled "Once upon a time..." and is posted by stitchgirl2. Go to: www.quiltingarts.com/media/g/stitchthis/default.aspx

So, here is my entry. I created it in 3 days, and it was a challenge for me all right! My sewing machine is basic...as are my machine quilting skills! Nonetheless, I enjoyed creating this very much. Not sure what I will do with it...maybe use it as an inspiration for a new needlepoint canvas? Please let me know if that would be of interest to any of you....

Here are a few close ups of the stitching. I was unable to upload these to the quilting contest website.

I hope my fairy tale interpretation of the swan with nest has a Happily Ever After ending for me with a new machine! Thanks in advance for your votes!

Again, here is the link to vote: www.quiltingarts.com/media/g/stitchthis/default.aspx

Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hola! Buenos Dias!

Today is a day for drinking lots of beer, evidently....Cinco de Mayo. According to what I read on ABCnews.com, it is not the day that Mexico celebrates their independence, but rather, it is to celebrate the Mexican's victory over France in 1862, in the Battle over Puebla! But more accurately......

"The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday."
Eric Lurio wrote in the Huffington Post, "It's actually a Mexican-American holiday, which was for some reason very popular in California, and over the years has become the official Mexican ethnic day, as Columbus Day is for the Italians and Polanski Day is for the Poles. In other words, it's a harmless, if totally fake holiday."

Well, okay then! Here in Arizona, we currently have a shameful immigration law to contend with. But that said, I will have to join in the festivities and enjoy some tacos and enchiladas today! I do love Mexican food! LOVE IT, LOVE IT! And I adore the color, architecture, folk art, and culture that is dominant in the Southwest where I have lived most of my life!

Sundance Designs, the company which distributes my wholesale canvas designs, had it inception by replicating the utterly charming works of one famous Italian American, Ted DeGrazia, who portrayed the Mexican and Native American peoples in needlepoint canvas. Check out their website to see an unparalled collection of Southwestern and Mexican inspired canvases: www.sundancedesignsonline.com

Below are a few of my own designs, influenced by my roots here in Southern Arizona. I was born and raised in Tucson....a native daughter, a rarity I understand in this day and age. Perhaps I shall start stitching the little couple featured below TODAY, just because they have been awaiting being stitched a very long time! I can see the threads and beads now that I'm going to use.....YUMMY!

Little Muchacha

Mariachi Muchacho

Talavera Sun

Inside the Bougainvillea Wall

Mexican Hutch

Funky Chicken

                                                                         Adobe Gate

Sandor's Cottage

Bye for now~ or as they say in Mexico....Hasta la vista! Adios Amigos!

6 Years Later~

2010-04-29T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder when you will finish some of the projects you started, with all good intention of actually doing so? For many stitchers, UFO's are just a given fact of life. They "exist," just as threads, canvas and other materials reside in a stitcher's studio. Recently, I was a guest in the home of a wonderful avid stitcher who chose to display her unfinished works on the walls of her entry way! It was purely delightful and looked ever so stylish! There they were, on stretcher bars, threads dangling where the home owner/stitcher ended her last stitches on portions of each design. Unfinished, certainly, but, an interior decorator could not have chosen better works of art!

My UFO's do not enjoy such distinction. I have them stashed in cupboards, in baskets, in closets, on shelves. Some I have forgotten. Some I put aside until inspired to take them up again. Some I worry and fret over..wishing to get back to stitching on them, but never finding the time. Such was the case for a UFO that became my urgent priority. This last week, I finished it nearly 6 years after I started it. It is a gift to the parents of my grandson. It is his birth announcement, for goodness sakes! The child is in school now, and I know his mother doesn't believe that she will ever receive it!

But I have news for her! It is done, and she is getting it for her birthday next month, all framed and ready to commemorate the cherished birth of a much loved child!

I had designed this canvas many years before as part of my needlepoint line of painted canvases which I market to the trade. This canvas was inspired by a dream I had, as are many of the pieces I design. In the dream, I saw a tiny dress hanging on a clothes line. It was a dress one of my daughters wore when she was 3 or 4 yrs old, with a precious smocked bodice. I featured this dress in a birth announcement canvas, and a year or so later, designed one for a boy, using a tiny knit onsie that my son wore as a baby.

When I started stitching the piece for my son's baby, I decided to use the simplest of materials: all cotton floss. Sandy Jenkins was my inspiration for this choice. She stitches her designs almost entirely in floss, and they are so elegant! So, that is what I decided to do too, because floss is readily available, comes in thousands (maybe an exaggeration) of colors, and can be quite versatile, depending on the stitch.

In the girl's version of the birth announcement, a butterfly is the featured 'critter', perched on top of a clothes pin securing the garment to the line. For the boy's announcement, this little wren spreads the news! Barbara Mayo Grass was my inspiration for the stitching technique I used on him. He called for a delicate hand and fine shading. One ply floss is perfect for needlepainting, which is Barbara's specialty.

Here are a few more close ups from the piece. One shows a leaf I missed stitching! I didn't notice it until I took the photos for posting here on my blog! So...that is a good thing, right? I'll get right on it before putting it in the frame!

Finally, here is a photo of the piece which awaits the custom mat and frame, which I am picking up tomorrow.

My grandson is not a baby anymore, and he is the first one to tell me that! But as any mother knows, her baby will ALWAYS be her baby! And, as another saying goes..., I will say this to my daughter in law...."Better Late Than Never!"

2010-04-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am back from my glorious trip to San Diego. I stayed with my friend Cassie Prescott in her beautiful home by the water for a full week! Being by the sea, savoring the cool moist air every day was pure pleasure and quite the change from my dry high desert climate. San Diego is paradise indeed!

On Tuesday evening, I presented a program for the San Diego ANG's annual Open House. That was quite a challenge for me as I was asked to speak for about an hour. But, I think it turned out fine, and I was happy to do it. Also happy when I completed that assignment!

Wednesday and Thursday were play days for Cassie and me. She took me shopping, of course, because that is always fun! And also, we toured the Balboa Park's Botanical Gardens. Oh what beauty! Sadly, we didn't have enough time to really linger and immerse ourselves in all the flora because we had a dinner appointment to keep, but I did capture some beautiful photos with my cell phone camera.

Below is one of the many magnificient coy fish in the surroundings ponds which will be laden with gorgeous water lilies later this summer.

Next, is the historic wood slated arboretum. Such a beautiful structure! Very Victorian, and it houses all kinds of tropical plants.

Here now, are photos of some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen. I am just entranced by their exotic nature!

Seriously now, do these flowers incite inspiration and the desire to stitch something beautiful?
I just want to study them in depth, re-create their colors and intricate patterns with needle and thread. Which is what I did..(but long before I saw these beauties in person.) Here is my rendition of a lady slipper flower, rendered in my Painted Threads technique.

On Sunday, April 18th, I did teach this technique to 11 members of the guild. This is my absolute favorite stitching and painting technique! The subject is pre-stitched in all white threads, then soaked in water, and paint applied, to bleed and run into the threads and surrounding background. I'll post more about that in a few days. But right now, I have to work on one of my UFO's! I'm determined to get it done in the next day or so. So close to completion...so many stitches, so many colors, so many ideas, so many many things to do! Ain't life grand?

Stitching to Move....

2010-03-26T20:21:00.001-07:00

I must be trying to stay young or something by challenging my brain! I'm giving this new blog site a try. It is not that I don't have enough to do...like stitching each night, painting canvases by day, working on my taxes, taking care of family, doing household chores, or attending to the myriad of other things that require my time and energy. But here I am, and I hope this works out!

It is Spring here in Southern AZ, and that means Summer could be tomorrow. Literally, one could wake up in the morning and discover it is time to turn on the air conditioning! But, so far so good. Frankly, I enjoy the heat. I'm a true Arizona girl through and through. Give me heat over cold any day! I would like to share a few Spring time images with you all here, while it is still cool enough to enjoy them. I hope they will inspire you to start a new stitching project that is fresh and new too!

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