THE NEEDLE WORKS

Bottlenumber 3 is done!

Bottle number 3 is done and so far it is my favorite. It is a Double Spire Wave using 1 ply of Gloriana in 3 colors for each area in the bottle.

The next bottle is one that I am dreading. I am doing Sandy Slide worked Vertically instead of diagonally with ONE, yes one ply of Accentuate. I must be nuts.

The last bottle will be fun because it is a Blackwork Pattern and I love those.

O.K. now on an update about the store. We applied for the building permit and found out that the city is 9 days behind issuing. Surprise there. So what we are going to do is on December 14th at 10:30 we are going to have a party and put up a sign announcing the future home of The Needle Works. Anyone who wants to come, please do. The new store is at 4401 Medical Parkway.

Have a great weekend!

Colleen

Just finished bottle #2 on the HP canvas. 2 down and 3 to go. Probably should get going on the background so I am not stuck doing it all at once.

Setting out a plan

I decided this weekend I needed to set out a plan if I was to get some of the canvas done that I have in the works. What I am going to do is in the mornings that I work (Tuesday -Saturday) I will work on my Labors of Love Painted Bunting, on those evenings I will work on the HP Bottles and then on Sunday and Mondays when I have time to really sit down and dig in I will work on the Amanda Lawford Texas Santa.

 

Since yesterday was Sunday and I had the whole day, I pulled the Santa out. My first challenge was where was I going to set him up. I don't have a big floor frame because I really don't have a place comfortable to set it up. The last time I worked on him I set him up in my breakfast room, but since I have my tables set for the Holidays that won't work. Also I have to consider the cats. I decided that I would set up in my study. I am using my K's metal stand and my desk. Sorry the picture is so bad.

I treated myself to a pedicure yesterday so I took a few stitch books with me and thumbed through them and came up with stitches for the peppers and the left over packages. Upon returning home I sat down and started ripping. I had a couple of items that I had put in that I no longer cared for and one that I had messed up the count on.

Once the ripping was done I dove into the peppers. Using Treenway 4mm silk ribbon (Bittersweet) and Kreinik #12-5510(Persimmon). I will picot needleweave the leaves.

The stitch is Zig Zag variation from Marnie Ritter's Canvas Patterns Book 3. This is a great book with a collection of stitches that she has used in her teaching pieces. I chose a couple of others from the book for packages.

The stitch behind the peppers is Staggered Mosaic with Gloriana, Very Velvet and cat hair.

Have a great day!

Framed up and on the wall.

Yesterday I drove to San Antonio to pick up the "Longhorn Santa" from Bonnie at Art, Inc. The anticipation of seeing him completely done was overwhelming. I couldn't wait and then I thought, What if I look at him and I see a missed stitch? Don't go there Colleen, it will be fine. And it was. It was better then fine. Bonnie did an amazing job. We picked out the frame and then I picked the colors to do the Longhorn in so that they would go. The mat is feaux suede and the liner is a burnt orange. Not my favorite color mind you, Gig'em Aggies, but it is perfect. I will have class details up on the site shortly.

While I was there we picked out the frame for the HP "Bottles" that I am working on. Now I just need to crank those out and get them to her.

We got out demolition permit yesterday. That took all of 3 days to get. Now we just need to wait for the 10 day notification of abatement for asbestos period to the State to be up. 

How many projects can 3 women stitch in 48 hours?

This past weekend Jane from Stitching Up a Storm in the Alamo City and another girlfriend, Jackie and I went up to Horseshoe Bay in Marbles Falls, Texas for a stitching weekend. Between the 3 of us we had: 3 Amanda Lawford Santas, a Tapestry Tent stocking, the Magi from Amy's home study program, Bottles from HP, Sunflower Lady from Needle Passion, Geisha Cat from Brenda Stofft, and the little Painted Bunting I had posted in another post. It was very funny to see all that stuff in one living room of a condo.

We did get a lot of stitching done though and had a great time visiting.

I did start or really get going on my next large piece. It is from HP and I had Amy write the guide for Enhancement when I went there in September. It will click right along because it is Blackwork and Shadow Stitching primarily. I will probably have it be a class at some point.

Now for the best news of all. We have the 81/2x 11 piece of paper that was causing all the heartburn these past 8 months. We go for permits this week. We will start Abatement and Demolition the monday after Thanksgiving and hopefully have the ground breaking ceremony on December 7th. We shall see. In any case, we are on our way.

Amy Bunger's DVD 7 and 8

The next project up is a little bird from Labors of Love. I just love these designs and we need one for a shop model. I am doing the Painted Bunting because I have them occasionally in my back yard. His head is going to get some beautiful Swarovski Sequins. When he is finished feathers will attached. They have more designs and you can see they at the Labors of Love link I have highlighted above or see them in the webstore

Amy Bungers DVDs 7 and 8 arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to watch yet because I had a class last night but they are set to go for tonight. I will get Melinda to put them in the Webstore today but if you just can't wait, call the store later today to order. They are $38.00 each. If you haven't heard, Kelly Clark is the guest on the DVD and they are all about Needleweaving

O.K. now on an update on Rhett. Look how big he has gotten. Still not big enough to kick Cassies tail but his day will come. Wish I could figure out how to fix the eyes.

Have a great day...off to go stitch before work.

SYBIL IS DONE

I have really been on a role. Stitched all day and got her finished. Time for a little libation. I am thrilled how she turned out. All the Owls are now complete. If you have been waiting to sigh up to see how they all looked, no excuses now. Go to the website and sign up. The Needle Works.

HEDWIG IS DONE

and will be joining the rest of her fine feathered friends in the morning. I have not cut the Turkey Work on his head yet, I am debating whether I want to or not.

 

It was a great weekend in Austin. The weather was amazing and the store was just packed full of activity. The Lake Houston Chapter of the ANG was in town for their Retreat. This is the 3rd year that they have come into town and fun was had by all. They have already scheduled for next year.

On tap for this week is to finish Sybil, the last owl. Should be able to do that today. Then I am going to work on the Bottles canvas that I started at Amy's in September. That should not take too long. Gotta love Shadow Stitching.

STITCH A LITTLE HOPE

This morning when I opened my email I had a great flyer from Kelly Clark announcing 3 new canvas for  Cancer Awareness. She is so talented. Here are the pcitures and I have posted the information on the website: The Needle Works

Orvis Photo Contest

Everyone knows my love of Fly Fishing, I have bored you to death with my pictures of me fishing in Alaska and Oregon. Well I thought it might be fun to see if I can get my picture in the Orvis Catalog.

You can go vote for my entry at the link below. Helping American Rivers in their conservation efforts is really important to me, and your donation will not only help my photo in the contest, but will help protect our remaining natural heritage.

The picture I sent in was from my trip last year to Morrison's Lodge on the Rogue River in Oregon.

Orvis Photo Contest 

Gotta go stitch now before work. Everyone have a great day!

Colleen

It's official

I am done, finished, pryt (french), refinito (italian), acabado (spanish). You get the idea. I took the last stitch last night and he hopefully heads to Sa Antonio to be framed tomorrow. I'm kind of sad.......no I'm not. I am THRILLED. I am very happy how he turned out. I hope Brenda Stofft is happy. He is scheduled for class in May. Information will be posted shortly on the website.

So what is next. That's easy the Owls. It is raining today in Austin so that means optimum stitching weather. It would probably be wise for me to pick up my stitching room a bit too, considering it looks like an ort bomb was set off.

Everyone have a great day.....

I love this time of year......

all the fruits of of my customers labors are getting finished and everything just looks great. Donna finished a canvas from Maggie. I wish I had gotten a close up so you could see the awesome stitching. Unfortunately the canvas is no longer available. Donna had finished the companion earlier in the year and had them framed alike. I posted it on an earlier post. Bonnie at Art, inc. in San Antonio did the framing.

 

Pat finished this great cat pull toy from Melissa Shirley. She made the tassel for the pull so that it would jump off the canvas. I love the staggered mosaic for the background and the stitches for the blanket are great. Spiders for his paws are a great touch. She made the tassel as a separate attachment.

Well, it is time to brew the coffee and sit down to stitch. Have a great day!

Colleen

HEDWIG

Hedwig is coming along. After I ripped out what I had done, which wasn't much, I put his eyes back in and then his head. He is completely planned out and should not take too long. I have Sybil almost done but she was not due until May, so I had to stop and get going on Hedwig. I just noticed how uneven his head is. Have to fix that. Easy 'nough.

If you haven't checked out our series for next year go to the website:The Needle Works.

Short post today, off to go stitch more on Hedwig before I go to the store.

Have a great day!

Colleen

Moving on

The Santa, for all intensive purposes, is FINISHED. I am waiting for a charm to come in from By Jupiter for the star hanging down from his chest. I contacted Bonnie at Art, Inc. in San Antonio to let her know that he would be arriving soon to frame. I picked out the frame and matting in July when I was down in San Antonio picking up the Wildflower boot. I am going to hold off posting the latest picture of the Santa until I get him back from Bonnie.

The question now is what to stitch next. That's easy....one of my Owls for the series next year. I have really been stuck on him but sat down yesterday and figured out what I will do. The Jessicas around the eyes are coming out. I am still going to do Jessicas, but I am changing thweight of the Kreinik.

 

It is a perfect Austin, Texas sunny day. It is 52 degrees outside and only supposed to get to 73. There is not a cloud in the sky. The plan is to go to the football game for the neighbor boy next door and then come home and sit on the deck and stitch.  This is the view from my deck. I back up to a nature Preserve.

So I hope everyone has a great day and I will post a picture of the progress of the Own tomorrow, assuming my plans workout.

Colleen

Still around

Sorry I have not posted lately. Since I got home I have been totally immersed in getting the building site approved.

I am so close to being done with the Longhorn Santa (I know, I have said that before but it is true) and expect to show him COMPLETE by Monday assuming I get the charm in the mail that I ordered yesterday. Then it is on to the White Owl for the Owl series for next year. They are really turning out cute.

I was helping a customer look for a canvas on the internet yesterday and did not realize that Judi & Co. had a website. I just love her work. Her purses are great and the colors she uses are so bright and fun. Call me if you see anything you can't live without.

Thought for the day:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

Charles Swindoll