THE NEEDLE WORKS

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

Hello October

I cannot believe we are already at October. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was submitting to the City and that was in March. I was getting a little impatient, o.k. a lot impatient, so I have stepped back, My Builder says that we just need 2 more approvals and then we are approved with the City. Then we will go for building permits.

Melinda will get pictures of the items I brought home shortly. We (Melinda and I) are going to Pass Christian, Ms. on Sunday for the funeral of our Uncle Frank. Don't know if ya'll knew that Melinda is my cousin.

Melissa Shirley has updated her website with the pictures of her new stuff, Melissa Shirley , so go check it out. Gingher has come out with a new scissor called "Elena" and we have plenty in stock. You can go to the website to order, Catalog. We have also gotten in some other beautiful Bohin Scissors that are really nice. 

I just checked Brenda Stoffts site and she has added a few new pieces, Brenda.

Well I want to get some stitching in before I go to work, so everyone have a great day.

I am done with Market...

now it is stitching time. I did want to load a couple more pictures. These are Sharon G's Horses Rears. When I saw them on her blog I couldn't wait to see them in person they are SO CUTE. They have great stitch possibilities and she has plans for many more. They are 10x8 and $110.00

Now for some great news. For years everyone has loved the Floral Designs from Jean Smith, well she finally has a website. It is a great website an dI can't wait to take the time and really go through it. Read the Bio on Jean, it is very interesting.Jean Smith Designs

I spoke with the new owners of Lee Designs and they are really excited about the possibilities. They plan on bringing back some of the discontinued designs and leather products. January should be great.

Well, that does it for Market. I am going to sit back and stitch on my Owl. DOn't forget you can still place show special orders on the items I pictured and the Adirondack Chairs on Jane Nichols Website, until tomorrow(Monday) at 5p.m.

2nd post for the day

Let's try this again..

Zecca has some great canvas that are so cute. I am going to go by a button company today and see if I can find some buttons to stack for the flowers on the bird canvas'. The birds are $158 each. They are meant to be 2 sided purse so they slant inward at the bottom just a bit. It would be easy enough to extend the sides to make even or just not stitch a couple of rows. The Floral Geometric is $173.00.

I forgot to give the prices on the Adirondack Chairs in the previous post. They are $56.00.

O.K. That is it for now.

More Markets Finds

Yesterday was so much fun I almost forgot to take pictures. I found some great new magnets and scissor fobs. I am looking for great Christmas Presents. Melinda will get them up in the next couple of weeks. I have always seen the add for the Thread Separators from Puffin and Company but couldn't figure out how they worked. Well she is here and showed me and they are great. I will see if I can do a little video and get it loaded when I get home.

Now for the "Eye Candy"

Jane Nichols has a great new Giraffe Witch that is named "High Jinx Witch". She is $138.00 and 9x21 on 18ct.

She also has some absolutely adorable Adirrondack Chairs that I could not get good pictures of. Go to her website and check then out. The Chairs only will be offered in the "Show Special"that I am running. Adirondack Chairs Click here.

I went into Ruth Schmuff's room again because I just love her designs and I glad I did. Lee Cox who makes these wonderful magnets that I bought had in her "Carrot Lady with Broccoli Pups" stitched and it is adorable.

Turkey Work, Beads and Colonial Knots make this piece. I can't wait to get one of my Studio Time gals to stitch her. She is available with the guilde. The canvas is $80.00. I am not sure the cost on the guide. 8x10 on 18ct.

Danji has also added more Laurel Birch canvas and has plans for more. I will post price and size latter today.

The Needlepoint of Back Bay canvas that I pictures in yesterdays post are $127.00 each.I am having trouble loading pictures so I am going to close this post and start a new one and see if that helps.