All That Glitters # 3 Completed

Just finished the third All That Glitters Ornament. This one was done by Nancy Laux and Lynn Bahm of Needle House. The finishing I am having done on the series will all be basically the same. Gold raw silk for the backing on all, padded on the front for some dimension and the braiding will vary. On the first one I used gold and white for the braiding, for the second one just all gold and on the this one I am thinking of red and gold.

I am now off to my next project. I am going to work on other club that my daughter, Jennifer, are sharing. It is Ruth Schmuff's Santas. I am going to be stitching Nature Santa. The colors on this piece are green and pink - my favorite colors.

Linda

How Cute Is This

Last night I received a surprise from UPS. My daughter, Jennifer, stitched this Melissa Shirley Small Witch Hat, with stitch suggestions from Ruth Schmuff. We sent it off for finishing to Ruth.

Ruth always works her magic with finishing. We are so very happy with the way it came out.

Now I want to stitch the one I have. I just might have to try to do it during my month off from the Nativity.

Linda

Joseph Is Finished

I have just finished stitching Joseph. Amy amazes me with each stitch guide. Just when you think that it cannot get any better it does. The threads and stitches really bring Joseph to life.

I am very happy with the way he came out. I love his staff best.

If you do not have any of Amy's How'd You Do That DVDs, I strongly recommend that you get them. They are a wonderful resource. They helped me with Joseph. Reading directions and having a stitch diagram are one thing but being able to see the stitch done is something else. They show you the correct way of doing stitches, like Bullion Knots. If you can only buy one, get the first one. It will teach you all the basics that you think you know how to do but really don't.

I am going to miss not working on a Nativity Canvas for the month of May. This is our month off. I am going to try to catch up on some other projects. I don't know how far I will get since I leave for Memphis in three weeks. I am so excited about this trip. I have been driving my daughter crazy since this is the only think I talk about. We will be taking our three completed Nativity pieces with us to leave for finishing.

Off to start All That Glitters #3.

Linda

My Latest Accessory

I just picked up my latest accessory for my System 4. I ordered the table clamp. It really is going to work out great for classes. I hated lugging around my System 4 floor stand. Now I have a very portable frame holder to take classes. I am planning on using it when I go to Amy's on May 15. I tried it out and it is really going to work out well for me. Denise ordered the table or lap System 4 to take to classes. She tried it out during the David McCaskill class at Ridgewood. She really liked it. I am too short for it to work for me. My arms are not long enough to reach that far. I just love all the needlepoint accessories. I guess I am really an accessory girl.

Joseph is almost done. He should be finished by tonight or tomorrow. As soon as I have him finished, I will post a picture. I am very happy with the way he came out. Just have to finish up the background. My next project will be the third All That Glitters Ornament. I am really staying on schedule with all my monthly projects.

Linda

We have an issue

Cara & I are having a serious disagreement.  Apparently, she thinks this cute little kitten, with his lovely ribbon flowers, is a toy.  She's been walking around the house with the kitten in her mouth, sleeping with him.....and just hanging out with him.  I have never seen Cara try to do serious harm to him....but that just means I haven't caught her. 

This kitten is a cutie, isn't he?  He's a little stand up, and his tail wraps around him, making him quite 3-D. I got him at Rita's Needlepoint in NYC, and came up with the idea for the ribbon flowers on my own.  Most of the kitten's body & sweet little face is done in tent stitch, to give added dimension to the flowers.   This fellow was actually here before Cara & Mia, so he's a little insulted with being carted around like a fetch toy. 

Anyway, I had to put the kitten inside a cabinet, to keep him away from Cara's attention, at least for now.  

I got another candy cane done, leaving me 6 more to do.  And Linda told you about our wonderful class with David McCaskill at Ridgewood Needlepoint.  As soon as I make some progress with that canvas, I'll post a photo.  

Denise 

Back From The Finisher

I just got my first All That Glitters ornament back from the finisher. They really did a great job. I left the second one to be finished and will be starting my third ornament by the middle of the week. Hope to get at least six done before the Christmas deadline.

Linda

Wonderful Day

Today was just a perfect day. The weather was perfect, a beautiful spring day, but I also got to spend time with some wonderful stitching friends.



The class with David McCaskill was fantastic. I took my Tribbey Needlepoint Store canvas. The stitches and embellishments he came up with just blew me away. I cannot wait to start stitching on it. Denise took one of her Ponza scenes from her collections of photographs that SharonG put on canvas. Everyone was impressed that she has canvases that are pictures from her home in Ponza. David gave Denise some really great stitches that bring life to all the areas of her canvas.



I had a wonderful day stitching with my Stitching Sister and meeting new friends and seeing some old ones. There is nothing like a day spent doing something you love with people who share the same love. We already signed up for next year.



My next adventure is my trip to Memphis. It is less than one month away. Jennifer and I cannot wait to meet Amy and see the magic she has worked on our canvases. I have heard what a wonderful teacher she is and am just so excited about this trip. The only thing that will be missing from this trip will be my Stitching Sister, Denise. She has her daughter's college graduation that weekend.



Linda

Free Kittens

My adorable little "Free Kittens" pillow is back from the finishers.  I think it's adorable! Here it is, on my living room sofa, which is not where I thought it would end up, but it seems to match well.    And Mia seems to like it there, next to the tiger lily pillow.   Mia thinks it shows her colors well.  

Because Linda & I are Stitching Sisters, we are respectful of other sisterhoods as well.  Cara, Mia's sister was insulted that Mia has (already) been featured in two photo opportunities, and Cara has yet to make a public appearance here on the blog. So, here's a photo of Cara, when she was helping my DH with our taxes last month.....that desk looks pretty messy!  

Both Cara & Mia like to try to help me stitch.  But since they prefer to just be held & petted, which doesn't happen when I stitch, they just give up after a few warnings & find the DH's lap. Tomorrow Linda & I are taking our David McCaskill class at Ridgewood Needlepoint; I am really looking forward to it.  We'll tell you more afterwards.  

 

Later, Denise 

Decisions Decisions

Sorry that I have not posted lately but I have been busy working on Joseph of the Nativity.

He is really taking more time to stitch then I anticipated. Hopefully, he will be done by the beginning of next week.

Now for the big decision. What canvas should I take to David McCaskill's class on Saturday?

We were told to bring a small canvas since he will not have a great deal of time to work with each of us. At first I was planning on bringing my needlepoint store canvas, but then I went through my stash room and found the Stitching Santa by Melissa Shirley and an Angel by Kelly Clark. I cannot decide which to bring. I am still leaning towards the needlepoint store but then the other two canvases will be quicker to stitch.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Linda

Where have we been???!

Linda & I have both been recalcitrant in our posting lately. I excuse myself with evening meetings and a series of "Murphy's Law" like mishaps at work & home, & getting ready for Easter. Linda is busy worrying about her DD, who is in Italy at this time, fortunately not affected by the earthquake. And, before you ask, all of my family in Italy, thank God, is fine, although everyone felt it, as far south as Sorrento & as far north as Modena.

Let's see. What can I give you a picture of? How about.....this pillow?! It came back from the finishers a week or so ago. This was one of the pillows that I considered finishing myself. I am very happy with the way this came out, and I am glad I sent it to be completed. My finishing would not have been so pretty. The finishers provided all of the materials except for the ruffled trim which is right around the canvas....isn't it cute?

I am working on candy canes right now, which feels very odd at Easter time.....

Happy Easter to all!

Denise

Done, Done, Done! Back from the Framer

The Mantle is back from the framer. He suggested a very fancy schmancy type frame, because we were triple matting the stitching & setting it in to look like a shadowbox. This allows the 3-D effect to show up more.

This week I finished a Melissa Shirley candy cane. I actually have 8 more I want to do for Christmas, as well as a couple of Kathy Shenkel mini socks that I ordered from my LNS. I'd like to get all the Christmas stuff done early so I don't have that pressure in the summer. I have big stitching projects planned for this summer---just you wait!!

I downloaded my instructions for the ANG April SOTM, & I actually started that last night; it seems like it will be fun & I got the pattern of the stitch set pretty readily. I also received Lesson 1 of my SNS Christmas Stitches I, which I plan to do this weekend.

Busy, busy!! Denise

All That Glitters #2 Finished

I just finished the second All That Glitters Ornament. Nancy Laux and Mary Margaret Allan of Needle House did the stitch guide for this one. This was a fast project. The stitches and threads are great. Looking forward to receiving number three.

I started Joseph of the Kelly Clark Nativity. Amy's stitch guides just get better and better. The stitches and threads that Amy chooses for each kit is really amazing. I never get bored or tired working on this project. We have a month off in May and am going to miss not having a Nativity Kit to work on but it will allow me sometime to catch up on my other projects. Although Jennifer and I are going to take a Cook Up A Canvas Class with Amy in May. I am really excited about meeting Amy, seeing her store and taking a class from her. I can only imagine the magic she is going to work on my piece. I will be working on the new Kelly Clark Autumn Topiary for the class.

Linda