Shakespeare's Peddler

Isolde and Dottee

2012-01-25T14:52:00.003-06:00

Steve and I scooped up these two lovely girls yesterday after they came down with colds at the shelter. Isolde had just had her surgery, and Dottee couldn't go (because of her cold.) Once again, we saved some furry little lives. They're doing great, and I thought I'd share pictures. I may already have a home for Isolde with a customer here at the shop! I'm trying to get together a group of volunteers for a Sneeze Brigade; fosters who are willing to take in these dogs and cats who just need ten days on an antibiotic in order to survive. No takers yet, but lots of friendly support.

This is Dottee. She's a grey and coral-pink calico with olive-colored eyes. She's a chunky gal (there's just more of her to love.) She's very happy to rub her face on my legs, and she's got a quiet calm manner about her.

And this is Isolde. She walked into our house last night, checked out the joint, then found a nice spot on Steve's lap while he watched Storage Wars. She's very lean and lanky and is kind of a seal point/tabby mix -- silver with blue eyes. She loves to knead her tiny little feet on anything soft, and she spent the night resting comfortably on the pillow in our guest room.

Wren's new owner, Sharon, wants to express her thanks for all of your good wishes. Steve and I drove him half-way to Pensacola and got to meet his new family -- Sharon, and her daughter and her mother. There was some discussion about what to name him, but they decided on "Tabasco." Sharon reports he's doing great in his new home; he's found the food and water no problem and loves to snuggle at night.

Azrael (aka Zee Zee)

2012-01-20T08:50:00.003-06:00

This is Azrael. I didn't take this lovely picture; it was taken by one of the volunteers of the Pet Photography Project at Southern Pines. Azrael came home with us on Wednesday, because she developed a little cold. Standard protocol at the shelter is to euthanize cats with colds, due to space restrictions (they don't have the room to treat a cat for a week and a half) and fear of spread of infection (these colds are very catchy, and sometimes can wipe out our entire cat cottage.)

She has just been fixed and is a lovely girl. She's got long pretty fur, a white chin and bib, and white socks. She was trapped outside, but I am thinking she had to have been someone's cat, because she came to our house and immediately acted right at home, finding a great spot on the couch to hang out. She's very affectionate with a nice, loud rumble of a purr, and gets along well with our other cats. She does like to be held and be close to people, so I know she's going to make a great pet for someone.

("Azrael" was Gargamel's cat in The Smurfs and is also the archangel of death...yikes! This morning I started calling her Zee Zee, which seems a little more friendly.)

The shelter estimates Azrael is a year and a half old, so her adoption fee is $50.00. That helps cover her surgery, rabies shot, microchip, and health and temperament evaluation. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting Azrael, contact me by e-mail at xspeddler@yahoo.com.

Kitten update

2012-01-19T14:34:00.004-06:00

You may remember we adopted out Fargo two days before Christmas...he is settling in at his new place and getting bigger already! His name is Dexter now, and in addition to being "a major snuggle monster" to new mommy Sam, he also tipped over the fish bowl and ate her fish. She said he's very happy and loving. Aw!

In other news, we came home with a new foster cat yesterday. She had been to surgery, and was set to go to PetSmart, but had come down with a cold. Unfortunately, that's usually a death sentence, due to space issues at the shelter. FORTUNATELY for Azrael, we just happened to be walking by the right people at the right time, and we scooped her up. I'll post a picture tomorrow, but I will tell you she is grey with a white bib and chin and a tiny sliver of white on her forehead. She's a long-haired beauty, about a year old, who is SO loving and sweet. I'm hoping maybe we can find her a home here from someone reading the blog (hint hint) or on the Southern Pines Animal Shelter web page. I've only heard her sneeze a few times...it doesn't seem very serious, but we're going to keep an eye on her for a few days.

New Blog

2012-01-17T12:31:00.002-06:00

Just a quick announcement. I started another/new blog this morning for Raise the Roof Designs. The first post includes some big news about Raise the Roof...some pictures...and some dorkiness/humor. Find me at www.raisetheroofdesigns.blogspot.com.

Jane Pattison Thread Pack

2012-01-13T15:50:00.004-06:00

I'm very busy getting ready for Nashville Market/Market Season -- my friend Kathy is very busy stitching on Jane Pattison's reproduction sampler! This is being stitched with The Gentle Arts WOOL threads on 32 count Vintage Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens. You will be able to substitute The Gentle Art cottons...the names are all the same. But the original was stitched in wool, and Kathy tells me it's looking really awesome in the wools.

The Gentle Art will be doing pre-packs of the threads for this sampler; we do not know yet how many skeins will be in it or the price, but if shops are thinking they'll pick some up at market, Jim said you can let him know at The Gentle Art how many, and that way he can make sure to have enough to fill market orders.

I CAN tell you the colors of the wools/cottons (but again, I do not know yet the amounts):

Tea Rose
Chives
Harvest Basket
Faded Rose
Maple Syrup
Baked Clay
Schoolhouse Red
Terra Cotta
Parchment
Old Purple Paint
Soot
Barn Grey
Cidermill Brown
Forest Glade (I do know you will need a LOT of this color)

I am also designing the new Jenny Bean Gentle Spring Sampler. It's LOVELY so far and is in beautiful soft and gentle springy (think antique spring) colors. The fabric is 32 count PLATINUM Belfast linen, but Navy Bean in Lakeside would make a nice substitute if you prefer hand-dyed. This will also be going in a Family Tree Co. (a.k.a. Crescent Colours) frame.

I will release more information as I have it, and yes, sneak peeks will eventually come your way.

Great news for Wren

2012-01-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

He's going to be a Florida Orange (Cat)! One of my customers/blog followers from Pensacola, Florida is adopting Wren. She's got three teenagers and three other cats. She said they fell in love with his little face, and her daughter has already called snuggle-dibs at night time with sweet Wren.

Wren is feeling fantastic -- on top of everything else this last week, I took him to the vet to get his ears checked, and he had mites. Now that he's been treated for all of his woes, he's a new man and gained SEVEN ounces between Friday and Tuesday! I can practically hear him growing. He's an affectionate and happy little guy, and I am so glad to know he's going to be part of a loving family with a few cat friends to boot. Hooray!

He's baa-aack!

2012-01-08T19:45:00.004-06:00

I received a phone call from the shelter on Friday afternoon wondering if I could pick up Wren. He's sick, she said. Upper respiratory.

A simple cold can be a death sentence for a cat at the shelter, where there is little room to treat an illness for a few weeks while the sweetie gets better. Of course, I went and picked him up right away. I had dropped him off a week and a half before that, thinking he would go for surgery and then be adopted.

Well, that poor baby was crying, and had ringworm in four or five places, and a few fleas, and a cold, and his eyes were all crusty and swollen. And he was dehydrated and hungry. I thought, good golly, what have you guys been doing with this poor baby for ten days? He hadn't gained one ounce! I went and checked in the kitten cottage, and everybody there was fat, happy, and healthy. I just decided Wren has delicate sensibilities...a "Prince and the Pea" type situation had developed, and he needed some good loving in a proper home.

Luckily, I had my carrier in the car that afternoon, and so I scooped up Wren and started driving home. Within a few blocks, he was scratching at the carrier door and reaching his poor little paw out as far as it would go and meowing and meowing. At the next stop light, I unlatched the gate, and that pitiful orphan leaped into my lap and started rolling like a crocodile, over-and-over-and-over. Purr, purr, purr, said Wren, and he was practically saying: "I thought you'd NEVER come back!"

So, we got home, and he ran right to where the food goes when it's time to eat. I put out a tin of chicken, and he wolfed down a bunch of it, drank for a while from the communal water bowl, everybody gave him a good sniff, and then it was bath time. I used a couple different types of soap, then dried him off in a big old towel. And I put ointment on his ringworm (which isn't really a worm...it's a fungal skin condition). And I cleaned out his ears really well and scrubbed all the crusties out of his eyes. I picked the fleas off his belly. We all loved on that kitten for the next few hours, and he curled up in bed next to Steve that night, and wouldn't you know it, he already looks good-as-new.

We'll have Wren for another week while he finishes his antibiotic, and then I'm hoping a Facebook campaign will help him find a home, so he can skip going back to kitty "jail." He just likes to be pampered, that's all. He's going to be a big old orange cat who likes to sleep on laps, and I know he'll make someone a wonderful pet. How lucky we get to borrow him for a little while longer.

(P.S. If you want to see what Wren looks like, take a peek at my previous blog post.)

An angel, a bird and a girl

2012-01-04T11:18:00.003-06:00

Some announcements today... (oh, and happy new year, by the way.) I had a nice Christmas with my family, a nice 21st anniversary the day after Christmas, and a nice case of strep throat and a cold virus on the 27th. I'm finally feeling better, but spent my week off sleeping, sneezing, coughing and dripping. That's how it goes!

This is the first in a monthly set of angels I'm releasing via Raise the Roof Designs this year. Above is February's angel which can be purchased as a graph from me (or through your local shop, which can get the designs from my distributors). OR, you can get it as a monthly offering as a complete kit with the custom-cut 30-count hand-dyed linen, enough threads, buttons and pins (JABCo) to finish for $35.00/month. You do not have to sign up as an auto -- you can pick and choose the ones you like, but if you get them all, the last one is free! They will all be about six by six inches (finished). This first one was fun, and I am looking forward to filling up your stitching baskets with 11 more!

Wren isn't really a bird -- he's a kitten we took care of for a few weeks in December. He's back at the shelter now -- I thought he was heavy enough for surgery, and although he was scheduled, he was slightly under the required weight last week, so they're beefing him up a little. I thought I'd share a picture. He is a great little guy. We're taking a kitten break for right now. The litters aren't coming in like they had been, and our cats need respite from the kitten storm. They have all been very lovey-dovey with us and with each other. They need some TLC, and things are definitely quieter for the time being.

And here is a PIECE of the Elizabeth Milner sampler from 1848 that I bought about two years ago for about $125.00 from eBay-UK. From now through June, you can collect one part per month to stitch the entire sampler by purchasing something at Shakespeare's Peddler. Get on an auto, or talk to me if you want to set up some orders over the next six months to make sure you don't miss out on one part of this band sampler. I am not showing the entire sampler now...but I will tell you there are squirrels and owls at the bottom...some strawberries...and a verse about how a good woman should be seen and not heard! Well! I will be releasing the piece for SALE as a full chart in a year's time, but you can get it stitched long before anyone else can find it, can't you?

Tate's Stocking and Hello from Mr. Zero

2011-12-20T13:52:00.003-06:00

This is late in getting done, but it's done, and that's the main thing. This is Tate's Stocking by Raise the Roof Designs (which is ME!) I designed and stitched this for my nephew, Tate, and I told him on the phone the other day that Santa was going to be able to fit LOTS of presents in this stocking. The pattern is $9.00 and available now. I stitched on 20 count Straw Linen by Weeks Dye Works in a combination of Perle Cottons by Weeks Dye Works and Crescent Colours. A few sleigh bell buttons by JABCo. finish 'er off. What-d'-ya-think?

"If you're wanting to buy me a cashmere sweater, which I assume you ARE, I usually take a medium. But the holidays are simply murder on my figure. Better get a large. And would it kill you to get matching socks?" -- Zero

News about "A Wassailing"

2011-12-14T11:01:00.003-06:00

Good news for you guys this morning -- I am going to be getting/making enough kits to fill ALL my folks on the waiting list for the limited edition "A Wassailing" kit I designed for the Christmas at Williamsburg event. And, I'll even have some extra ones! So, if you want to get a kit or two, let me know -- I will be filling all of these orders on a first-come/first-served basis, and at some point, I will run out.

A sad day yesterday

2011-12-11T10:16:00.004-06:00

I had to have little Kringle (our newest foster that the shelter named "Frog Bean") put to sleep yesterday.

He did great at our house for the first two days, and then he quit eating. I tried switching him to homemade kitten formula, but he didn't like that either, and threw up everything I could get in him. Thursday night I took him to the emergency vet, where they gave him subcutaneous fluids (he was dehydrated). He spent all day Friday, and the first few hours of Saturday at the vet. We tried various medicines, subcutaneous fluids, tube feeding, heat lamps, but all to no avail.

Yesterday at 11:30, the vet was going over other things we could try (an IV port where I could continue to administer fluids over the weekend, barium to soak up any toxins, a new antibiotic). I looked at little Kringle, limp in one of the vet tech's hands, and asked what kind of a chance he had. "I have seen kittens pull out of something like this," Dr. Kristen said, but I could tell by the tone of her voice that this was a long-shot. In just a few hours on Saturday, Kringle had gone from running and climbing to a wisp of a kitten, barely hanging on. I said that I thought we had done our best, but that if two days at the vet couldn't get him on the mend, he was suffering, and not likely to survive. I did not want him to be in any more pain, and gave them the go ahead to put him to sleep.

His little veins were so small, their smallest needle could not fit inside (he only weighed 12 ounces.) They ended up having to directly inject his tiny heart, but the end was quick. Kringle will be spending his first Christmas in kitten heaven, along with his brother (who died at the shelter on Friday with similar symptoms.) His other two litter mates are becoming sick as well and may not have much time. But they were all surrounded by love and affection for one week of their short lives.

Little furry friends can make such a difference in someone's day. Please support your local shelter and remember to have your pets spayed and neutered.

God bless.

Have yourself a meow-y little Christmas...

2011-12-09T10:21:00.003-06:00

Let your heart be light.

From now on our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Make the yuletide gay

From now on our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,

Happy golden days of yore

Faithful friends who are...

JiNGle BElls!!

jINglE BelLS!!

JINglE AlL the WAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!

(Oh, Pekoe.)

Cleaning Day and a New Kitten

2011-12-06T09:58:00.003-06:00

It had to be done. Yesterday, I spent a good chunk of the day cleaning through my needlework things at home. When I'm designing and stitching, I'm pulling threads, and then, well, they end up in big piles, little piles, under things, behind things...and it's just a mess. And the same goes for fabric samples and embellishments.

And then of course there are my own UFO's, the kids' Christmas ornaments for this year, gifts for stitching friends, and the projects I'm working on "just because." Ridiculous!

So, with many helpful paws yesterday, I sorted through everything, put threads in their proper places, and neatly folded fabrics and put them away. I have maybe a dozen things yet to tuck here and there, and then, VOILA! It'll all be ready for me to tear apart again.

Pekoe is having his surgery this morning. He got his microchip and the last of his booster shots yesterday. We will miss him. But...there's a new furry face at our house now...his shelter-given name is "Frog Bean." Yep. That's his name. Well, we will not be calling him that. I'm thinking of "Gimli," after the robust dwarf from The Lord of the Rings (who charges in with his axe and his beard and his general sassiness.) This little cat is soft, loud, and very affectionate.

Here he is!

A-Wassailing Request Information

2011-11-29T09:22:00.003-06:00

Hey ladies,

I've had a great response to the "A-Wassailing" kit (see the previous post), and have started a waiting list. I will be able to make an extra 25 or so kits, and may get some back from the Williamsburg retreat. But in order to make sure you have your name on the list, I will need a first and a last name (some of you indicated in the previous post you wanted to be on the list, but then I don't know who you are based on your first name only.)

The best way to get on the list is to send me an e-mail at xspeddler@yahoo.com with your first and last name, and if you're a new orderer, and I'm able to fill your order, I will eventually need payment information (Paypal, VISA, Mastercard, or you can send a check.) Thanks.

Oh, and here's a picture of kittens.

A-Wassailing

2011-11-27T16:30:00.003-06:00

I am sending a bunch of goodies off to the Christmas in Williamsburg needlework retreat coming up this weekend. Watch for hand-dyed fabrics, charts, kits, silks and more from Shakespeare's Peddler. This is a kit I designed just for the retreat -- attendees will be able to purchase this kit at the boutique. If you aren't lucky enough to be going, you can get on a waiting list to get one of these kits from me for $25.00 plus shipping, depending on how many of them I get back.

It was fun to stitch -- you get the hand-dyed Lakeside Linen color Meadow Rue, full skeins of limited edition Sampler Threads, and an exclusive button by Just Another Button Company.

Hope y'all had a wonderful turkey day. I'm still full! But it's a good kind of full.

Claire's Ornament for this year

2011-11-18T10:20:00.003-06:00

Every year I make ornaments for my niece and nephews, and I have finished Claire's, which I think turned out really cute. This is a Val's Stitchin' Stuff ornament from the Just Cross Stitch ornament issue a few years back. There was more to the pattern, but I thought it would be cute to finish it as a circle.

I substituted threads that I had (Sampler Threads limited edition colors), used a scrap piece of fabric, and sewed on a JABCo button. After I finished it (I used the same linen for the back), I sprayed it with clear glitter spray (it's kind of like spray paint, but it's clear and has teenie-tiny pieces of sparkle in it.) It didn't change the color of the fabric or thread, but now it looks a little frosty. (I wish you could see it in the picture, but you're just going to have to imagine the sparkle.)

I started charting the Jane Pattison sampler last night, and it's going to be a beauty! This will be a much quicker reproduction than the Ann Dale piece, and it'll be a perfect piece to stitch this winter.

Thread usage for Ann and what's next...

2011-11-17T09:55:00.006-06:00

I've decided to call the Ann Dale full sampler "Ann Dale 1827: Big and Beautiful." I finished charting the sampler, finally, last night. There are over 65,000 stitches in this baby! Needless to say, you'll go through a fair amount of floss. Here's my best estimate on how many skeins you'll need of each color (no number afterwards means just one skein.) Of course, your individual stitching style may increase or decrease the number of skeins you need (for example, how much ripping you do...ahem.)

Needlepoint Silks: 155A, 203, 242 (2), 335, 348 (3), 505 (4), 633, 635 (3), 692 (5), 756, 871 (3), 976, 987, 991 (2)

Gloriana Silks: Holly Berry, Vanilla (2)

Belle Soie Silks: Wheatgrass (4)

The fabric is 40 count Vintage Pear by Lakeside Linens.

And of course, I'm not even done printing this new sampler and people are already asking me: "What's next?" Sheesh! I have pulled out the beautiful Jane Pattison sampler that I bought not long ago on eBay. I think it has a definite wintery feel to it, and will be a great palette cleanser after you've done some motor stitching on Ann's sampler. I also have a surprise sampler that I will be working on...to be released soon, actually...I'm so excited. It's an antique I found with a Christmas tree on it!! OH MY!

Wish me luck. Cats are well and happy. Zero has a new trick whereby he comes galloping across the room, leaps to the back of the couch, bounces off the cushions and catapults himself up to the top of the curtains where he hangs very nonchalantly. Like it's no big deal. That guy!

(Addendum: I had someone ask for the verse for the Ann Dale sampler. Here it is:

I pass a few swiftly fleeting years,

And all that now in bodies live,

Shall quit, like me, the vale of tears,

Their righteous sentence to receive.

But all, before they hence remove,

May mansions for themselves prepare

In that eternal house above!

And, O my God, shall I be there?)

A new kitten at the house

2011-11-16T09:53:00.003-06:00

This is Fargo. My cousin, Carri, came from the Dakota's this week for a four-day visit, and one of our outings was to the shelter. After playing on the floor in a pile of kittens that were up for adoption, we found Fargo and the rest of his litter in the exam room. I offered to take one home (we still have Pekoe). And I was able to name him.

He weighs about a pound, so he's mostly fluff, but he's gaining confidence exploring the house, loves eating the wet food I give him, uses the litter box like a big boy, and has a wonderful time wrestling and running around with Pekoe.

I've had a number of questions about the Ann Dale (full) sampler graph. I'm ALMOST there. It's a very large sampler, and I'm down to making some adjustments in the border. With such a tall sampler, and it being the work of a schoolgirl, there are lots of adjustments to be made in about 65,000 stitches! I want to make sure it looks like Ann's, but is easy to read (in terms of the graphing.)

I've also had some people ask about my back -- it's feeling much better, thanks! I'm back to manhandling heavy boxes, lugging groceries, and bowling. I'm not bowling well, mind you, but the ball is making it down to the pins.

Hope all's well with y'all. I'll post more pictures of the kittens soon. The picture in this post was made with my iPhone (and run through a Photoshop filter.) I should be able to get some great shots of Fargo and his blue eyes with my Nikon.

Take care!

A great time at Virginia Beach

2011-11-02T08:36:00.004-05:00

I wish you all could have been there! When I left Norfolk, the sounds of laughter and excited conversation were still knocking around in my ears. About 100 stitchers, plus five teachers, plus two shop owners, plus a number of Dyeing to Stitch employees made for a wonderful weekend. The picture above is Tina, Teri, Jeannette and I standing on the beach right outside our hotel. The weather was perfect for shell picking and walking barefoot on the sand. Shortly after this picture was taken, the gang talked me into taking my shoes off.

Of course, I took my shoes off, and as soon as a wave came up a little too high and made my pant cuffs wet, I took the plunge and went in up to my knees. Wet pants are wet pants, and it didn't make any difference to me if they were wet a few inches or a foot and a half.

The next morning, we went to Pocahontas Pancakes, a breakfast place not far from the hotel that specializes in pancakes and waffles. This Native American had rock-hard abs!

When I'm traveling for work, I try to eat fruit every day. Lucky me -- on top of my fruit was whipped cream, and below it was a PERFECT waffle. I learned at the cash register on the way out that this particular waffle was voted one of the five best breakfasts in the state of Virginia!

One of the cool things about this retreat was the project reveal. None of the students had seen any of the pieces that would be their classwork. My assignment was to do a winter beach-themed piece, and I cheated by putting a date of Winter 1824 on my piece. The students learned to make the little patches, and the piece also has some specialty stitches. I will release this design in a year, so the rest of you can try it out.

Everyone was so nice -- and my students were smiley and ready to stitch. I commented several times that it's always great to get together with fellow stitchers...people who totally get how exciting it is to talk about fabric and threads.

I couldn't believe how many great things the retreat gals received...upon registering, everyone got a homemade bag with an R&R exclusive kit (with hand-dyed linen!). Then we received hand-made acorn fobs with DETACHED BUTTONHOLE acorn caps. Beautiful! Six hours of work went into making each one of these fobs (and yes, I got one!) Then the students received special ocean designs of stitching accessories that we all designed, plus the threads and hand-dyed fabric to stitch them. Then they got a bonus class with Pam Reed of Olde Colonial Designs. She showed us how to make stuffed basket bottoms (and yes, I got to take that class.) Then, there were door prizes, a banquet with grilled steaks, and the students each got a beautiful Olde Colonial Nantucket-style basket to take home. WHEW!

Anyway, I was super-pleased to be asked to teach, I got to meet a bunch of my customers in person, I sold three limited edition kits at the boutique (plus a lot of my graphs). The gals also got to see my Part of Ann Dale sampler model. And did I get any stitching done? Not until I was on my second layover on the way home.

Then, while pulling into my driveway, I scraped my car alongside my mailbox, and now I have to go get a dent and a big scratch fixed. I must have been eager to get home to my family, my cats, and my own pillow.

Pekoe's First Halloween

2011-11-01T09:19:00.003-05:00

Pekoe: "The doorbell keeps ringing, and then there are ghosts and goblins looking into our house. HELP!"

Me: "Pekoe, it's just Halloween. There's candy, too!"

Pekoe: "What-choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?"

This is Pekoe

2011-10-19T09:11:00.003-05:00

OK, so this isn't a very flattering picture of me, but I don't hesitate to show it to you, because this is what my life looks like around 11:30 p.m. in my crazy cat house. Pekoe is a new cat to our household -- he's about one pound and about four weeks old. We'll have him a month or so. He really, really likes "the nice lady." (My husband thought he was being very clever taking this picture.)

Pekoe was being fostered by another volunteer from the shelter who has half a dozen dogs. (He was found in this woman's neighborhood.) She was keeping Pekoe to one room of the house, so he didn't get eaten or stepped on. I volunteered to take him in. What's one more little mouth to feed?

Gilligan and Skipper will most likely go for surgery next week already. They're doing great, and I'll post pictures soon.

Next week, I go to Virginia Beach for the Dyeing to Stitch retreat right there on the beach! I am teaching with Jeanette Douglas, Shepherd's Bush and the gals from R&R Reproductions. What an honor! My piece is very cute -- beach themed, and I will post a picture of that after the retreat (don't want to spoil any of the surprises.)

I'm recuperating from a back injury. Between bowling, the computer, stitching, carrying groceries, taking out the trash, hauling boxes and boxes to the post office, driving, and everything else I do, my back (according to my physician) was "very angry with me." I was having back spasms, she said, and I have had to limit my lifting to ten pounds or less while my back settles down. Stupid back!

Take care, and happy stitching!

A few new releases

2011-10-04T14:08:00.002-05:00

October is here, and ho boy, am I happy about that. I don't have much time, as I am SWAMPED, but I wanted to share "Pumpkin Joe," a new Raise the Roof piece I just finished stitching yesterday afternoon. It's stitched on 30 ct. Tiger's Eye (Weeks Dye Works) with DMC floss 310 and Bittersweet Sampler Threads. A few buttons from JABCo are tied on with black floss.

And here is Ann Dale in her frame...now that the frame is here (just today!) I can start printing the graphs. Give me a few more days, and I can start shipping this and the big sampler. The smaller booklet of motifs will be not far behind.

And here's a close-up of Ann. You can click on these pictures to make them larger. I can't even tell you how beautiful this is in person. Well, yes I can. Very, very beautiful. Hope you like it!

You may notice the ground (at the bottom) is striped. That's how the original looks -- Ann's was very stripe-y. And I chose whites that were a little whiter than the original...just so they'd show up on the fabric (otherwise, photography can be very difficult.) If you want it to look even more antique, choose some "dirty-looking" white silks or flosses.

Fun to see my designs pop up...

2011-09-28T08:38:00.003-05:00

on Jill Rensel's Blog. You can find her at RenselStudio.blogspot.com. She has been doing framing and hand-painted custom mats for Shepherd's Bush for YEARS (in fact, I have to admit that there are a few Shepherd's Bush pieces I stitched JUST for the matting!!!) I have a whole wall of them here at my shop.

But you might not know that Jill does custom framing of LOTS of needlework, and, if you ask her, she'll do custom framing for pieces with hand-painted mats just like she does for Shepherd's Bush. Recently, she started blogging, posting pictures of framing she has done for other needleworkers. I check in from time-to-time, and was tickled to find two of my designs.

This is my Magic Garden design (via Shakespeare's Peddler.) I released it last year, and it's been very popular, but I REALLY REALLY UBER-LOVE this with the matting Jill did. When I called her to ask if I could post the picture on my blog, she said she had no idea I was designing and said she loves Jenny Bean and had a lot of fun doing these mats.

By the way, I have plans for a Winter Garden piece to mimic this one...but more of a "sleeping winter garden" theme to it.

This is a piece I designed back in Fargo for Raise the Roof Designs called "Peter's Cotton Knits." I love how the stitcher used a sky-type hand-dyed fabric, and aren't those little cut-out painted eggs on the matting so cute? Jill is such an artist, and she could not be one ounce nicer.

But you don't have to live in Utah to have Jill frame your needlework. You can call her at 801.627.3594 or e-mail her at jrensel@xmission.com to see if she can do some framing for you. You can send her your needlework, and she'll send it back to you framed amazingly!

You say good-bye, and I say hello

2011-09-27T08:39:00.005-05:00

I haven't done a cat update in a while, and LOTS of people ask about it. We had some changes at our house this week. Last week, Simba and Mufasa had their surgery, and I feel like it was a gender reassignment surgery, because when I picked them up, the doctor said: "Oh, by the way, they're girls." WHAT?!?! I never checked! The shelter told me boys. Gave them boy names, and I said, "OK."

Of course, surgery meant that they wouldn't be with us much longer. And yesterday, I took them to PetSmart, set up their cage with food, water, and a bed, then clutched each one of them and cried like an idiot there in the back room. I am praying they go to very good, loving homes.

Before I left, I snapped a few last shots. Here is Moofie sitting by the window. She is a really sweet cat, loves to sit on laps, purrs while she's sleeping, and has a lot of patience.

And here is Simba taking one last little cat nap in our Ikea Poang chair. Who says redheads don't look great in red? She is confident, loves popcorn and wrestling, and is so, so happy. It was strange not to wake up to them this morning. I'll let y'all know when they've been adopted.

Dottie thought as long as I was snapping pictures, she'd pose for me. She's doing great, although she's trying to get used to two new (temporary) brothers...

Say hello to Skipper. When I took Moofie and Simba to get their final check-up on Friday at the shelter, I was asked if I could take home two nameless black cats. Nameless is never a good thing at the shelter; it usually means that unless something quickly changes, that animal will be on the next list for euthanasia. I said: of course! And I was able to name these two sweet little boys (I'm pretty sure they're boys this time.)

You'll notice Skipper has white and black hair ... a very unusual coat. It's called a "fever coat" and is the result of being ill when he was even smaller (he's about a pound and a half now.) He probably had a fever, and so for a short time, his hair came in white. This will eventually grow out, but for the time being, he's interesting-looking (and easier to tell apart from his brother.) He was timid at first, but when I showed him the amazing-ness of wet cat food, he came out of his shell.

This is Skipper's brother, Gilligan. (We call them Skip and Gill.) Gilligan is an awesome cat -- very brave, confident, comfortable in his own fur. He rubs on ankles. He asks nicely to be picked up. He has been over just about every square inch of our house already. And both boys are eating nicely, using the litter box every time, and even tucking themselves into their cat bed at night. We'll have them for around five weeks or so -- it will depend on how quickly they grow.

Here's a face from the past you may not recognize. This is little Elvis! My friend Jennifer and her family adopted Elvis and love him to pieces. He is getting big, and is such a nice boy. He is getting over his habit of tearing open the bread and eating the crust off. Jennifer even caught him putting away a skein of Sampler Threads that had fallen out of a basket (you can see that basket behind him.) I told her that he was raised well.

And here is Chi. Chi's new name is Stella, and her new owner contacted me via Facebook and shares pictures now and then. Stella and her owner like to watch English romance movies together, and that cat is getting supremely spoiled. Isn't she a beauty?

Zero is doing great -- no new pictures of him today, sorry. He's getting big and fluffy (I called him a "walking carpet" this week.) And by coincidence, Jennifer met Soba's new mother at Wal-Mart about a month or so ago (she works there in the check-out.) Soba has retained his name, and his mom says he has his own special blanket that he likes to nibble on, that he climbs into bed with her every night, and that he, too, is getting spoiled and is very loved.

Hope y'all are having a great week. Happy stitching, and to those of you who have pets...give 'em all a scratch behind the ears for me!

What a great show...and here's Ann!

2011-09-22T13:42:00.003-05:00

Hey, well, I know you are all going to want to see this ... Ann Dale came in the mail this week. Thanks so much to Chris Canaday to doing a fabbo job stitching the model. I have already ordered a frame, and the piece is stretched. Isn't it gorgeous? The next few days I'll be working on getting the chart finished. When the frame is in, I can print covers, and away we go!

Just a reminder that this (above) sampler will be sold as a graph. You also will be able to order the ENTIRE sampler graph (this is just the bottom third). And there will be a third booklet available with just the urns from the sampler (to use for smalls and ornaments.) (You should be able to click on the picture to make it larger.)

My friend Jennifer and I had a great time in St. Charles at the Celebrations of Needlework show. Our booth looked just like a little shop, and I was fortunate to be able to meet stitchers from all over the place. I sold lots of fabric, lots of my sampler charts, and lots of silk, so I know there are some very happy and busy stitchers this week.

I always enjoy market, because it's one time that all of my models are in one place. I loan a lot of my pieces out to other shops during the year, so it's kind of like a little family reunion to have them all back together in one place.

I am busy now getting the store back together, answering e-mails and shipping orders. I am hoping that Celebrations will host the show again next year. If they do, I will be there...with bells on!

Quick post

2011-09-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Much to do...heading out to lunch for my son Graham's birthday -- he's 15 today. Then I'm heading to St. Charles, Missouri for the Celebrations show. Will be out of town for a few days. Hope you have a great rest of the week!

If you need to get a hold of me, please just e-mail me...I'll answer those when I get back.

Take care,

Remembering and Hoping

2011-09-10T07:33:00.002-05:00

This is my song, Oh God of all the nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.

But other hearts in other lands are beating,

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.

But other lands have sunlight too and clover,

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

Oh hear my song, oh God of all the nations,

A song of peace for their land and for mine.

May truth and freedom come to every nation;

may peace abound where strife has raged so long;

that each may seek to love and build together,

a world united, righting every wrong;

a world united in its love for freedom,

proclaiming peace together in one song.

***********************

Ten years ago, I posted some hymn lyrics on my web site in reaction to the horrible events of 9-11. Ten years on, it still seems we can use the sentiments of "This is My Song" (sometimes called "A Song of Peace.")

The lyrics were written in 1934 by Lloyd Stone, an American poet and the last stanza by Georgia Harkness, a Methodist theologian born in New York in 1891 (she also wrote additional verses that sometimes appear in hymnals). It is sung to "Finlandia" by Finnish composer Jean Sebelius in 1899 as a secret protest against censorship.

There is a perfectly lovely version on You Tube by the St. Paul's Concert Chorale in Maryland at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvz9PvczUMI. God bless us, everyone.

A new Raise the Roof piece and yes, she's mine

2011-09-08T13:41:00.011-05:00

First off, yes, I am buying the Maria Druce sampler (see my previous blog post)! Thanks to all of you who chimed in (I heard from about 100 different stitchers in all so far) who said Maria's sampler must be reproduced. There was another buyer who was interested in the sampler, but as I had already inquired, I had first dibs.

I've included images of two motifs from the sampler (I do not have the actual sampler yet) that knock me right the heck out -- a funky-haired squirrel and a fanciful butterfly (moth?)

I really love butterflies/moths on a sampler, so here is one Madelena still has for sale that has a border made of BUTTERFLIES! (Or moths...I don't discriminate.)

This is the Hannah Starkey sampler from 1836, and it has a bee-you-tiful verse:

"Dear Jesus smooth that rugged way/And lead me to the realms of day/To milder skies and brighter plains/Where everlasting sunshine reigns." I took a sampler class from Nan Tyson Euler a looong time ago, and we stitched a sampler in silk. I don't remember what it was SUPPOSED to say, but I changed my verse to something I liked from the Bible with a similar sentiment: "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."

Anyhoo, this sampler is still for sale at www.madelena.com. ....I can't buy them all folks -- not until I get my own reality show.

Here is Boo*Scurry*Yum all finished -- I'm still waiting on a groovy black frame that I ordered, but I'm getting graphs printed, and am just waiting for that cover shot, so I can pack and ship charts to my distributors and customers. This was a TON of fun to stitch -- I always enjoy stitching in Halloween colors of black, orange, green, purple. I really loved Fanci That patterns back in the 90's, and miss those primitive rag doll-like designs of theirs. They always used dark and colorful fabrics, too, lots of buttons, and brave colors of thread.

You can pre-order this graph (or kit) from me, or have your local shop pick it up from one of their distributors. I have fabric to stitch a similar piece of a Christmas lady!

Until next time, happy stitching ... may all of your X's be true and all of your treats be chocolate.

Hm...what do you think?

2011-09-02T10:32:00.003-05:00

I have an opportunity to purchase this sampler. It's British, and I think quite lovely. But I need your help....

What I like about it: the double-sided border (different inside and outside); PURPLE elements; the sheep (which are done in cross over four, I think, or Smyrna cross); the little house scene with a canopy of sky over-top; birds, squirrels and doggies; the tulip border (inside), the leafy cartouche around the young stitcher's name and date (and other things, of course.)

It's big -- about 22 by 25 inches, and I think the fabric is quite fine. There are numerous holes and even adhesive marks around some of the holes (looks like bug damage here and there.)

I am always on the look out for samplers with something "different" about them. This has a number of those elements, and looks like it would be a lot of fun to stitch. But is this something that has broad appeal (or appeals just to me?) If I buy it, it would be to reproduce it (and then of course hang it up and enjoy it.) Let me know what you think. I'm trying to make up my mind.

I'll leave you with the verse:

'A CONTEMPLATION ON NIGHT.'
'When the pure soul is from the body flown,
No more shall Night's alternate reign be known;
The sun no more shall rolling light bestow,
But from the Almighty streams of glory flow.
Oh! May some nobler thought my soul employ,
Than empty, transient, sublunary joy.
The stars shall drop, the sun shall lose his flame,
But thou, O God: for ever shine the same.'

Elenor Ferrow and Maggie Bean: Harvest completed

2011-08-30T10:00:00.003-05:00

I've got two new photographs for you today. Elenor Ferrow's frame came in, so I'll be printing graphs in the next few days for her sampler. It turned out LOVELY! The graph will retail for $12.00, and if you want to order from me, you certainly can and may. Otherwise, ask your local shop to get it in for you.

The piece is stitched in a mixture of Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Works on plain ole (good ole) 32 ct. Natural Belfast linen.

And here are Maggie Bean's two new little designs -- the Harvest pack, which will be released in a week by Crescent Colours. I used 32 ct. Buttercream linen by Lakeside Linens with one strand of the silks (which come with the patterns.) This is the fourth in a series of six sampler sets by Maggie Bean, Jenny Bean's little sister. She's learning virtues, and it is so important to devote part of your life to harvesting -- taking in that which you have worked for. See the harvest moon, the shovel and sickle, wheat, a barn, a squirrel and some acorns...are are symbols of the harvest. And did you know my name means "reaper?"

I hope you like these -- pictures soon of other new things in the works. I've been stitching up a storm. Hope you have been, too.

Boo * Scurry * Yum

2011-08-23T09:08:00.002-05:00

This is a new piece I designed (a Raise the Roof piece) that I finished stitching yesterday. You can't see the WHOLE thing...I'm going to save a full shot for when I get the buttons and frame in place. But this will be ready in about a week and a half for release. It has turned out really, really cute. I have plans for a sister piece for Christmas.

This one is in mostly Sampler Threads (one Weeks Dye Works) on Picture This Plus 32-count "Raisin." Which has been discontinued. I know.... Out of the 106 colors that Picture This Plus has released, I picked the only one they have discontinued. Due to dye issues, they are no longer able to make the color come out this way anymore. I had some in my stash and liked it, and had gotten too far on the stitching to start over.

Anyway, there are a few fabrics I'm recommending for this one. Lakeside Linens Vintage Sienna Night. R&R Reproductions 18th Century Rook. Picture This Plus Barnwood. Or any other dark and spooky fabric you like or have.

I hope you like it. I designed another piece this weekend, and will start reproducing another sampler this week for Christmas release. Plus, Jenny Bean said she wants to do another sampler. Oh, and her little sister Maggie is finishing up her next two mini samplers for Crescent Colours.

Happy stitching!

Safe travels and speedy stitching

2011-08-20T11:22:00.004-05:00

The supplies for the Ann Dale Sampler (above) are going out to my model stitcher today. Chris Canaday stitched my Jane Philpott Sampler last year (and did a fabulous job.) Here's Jane, if you forgot what she looks like:

Now, for Ann Dale's Sampler, that one will be released THREE ways. The first, the one Chris is stitching, is the bottom portion of the sampler -- the main circle tree, all of the swans, dogs, eggs, trees, flowers, as well as the cartouches (cartouchi?) with the verse and the line with her name. I have wrapped the strawberry border around the top of it, and put in, as filler, and just because I like it so much, the red carnation-type border that is underneath the longer verse on the full sampler. It is going to be a stunner.

I also am releasing the graph as the ENTIRE thing. You'll get the chart to stitch the whole sampler with a picture of the original sampler on the front. I wanted to have a model stitcher work the smaller (smaller, ha!) sampler, so people could see what it looks like with the modifications (the border change.)

And, I'll release the urns in the sampler as a separate little bound (somehow) booklet. These would make great ornaments and needlework smalls.

When will it be ready? Well...it'll be ready when it's ready. Chris is speedy (and now retired), but I want her to enjoy herself and not feel rushed. I will post updates from Chris as I get them. (Those of you who know Chris can poke her from time to time to keep her going.) But the booklet, the smaller sampler and the entire reproduction will be released simultaneously. When they're ready. This fall. I promise!

Just to tempt you a little bit, and show what a stickler I am when it comes to color selections, above is a picture of the supplies Chris will be getting in the mail (on top of the original sampler.) The fabric is 40 ct. Vintage Pear by Lakeside Linens (it is almost a dead-on match for the original fabric.) The stitch count for this piece is 400 by 245. (The smaller sampler is this small...ha ha!) The large sampler's stitch count is at home, but it'll be 400 wide, and about 600+ tall. The entire sampler will fit on a half yard of 40 ct. Pear; the smaller sampler will fit on a quarter yard of 40 ct. Pear. You're going to need larger cuts if you change the size upwards.

Here's a supply list for the bottom samplers. QUANTITIES ARE UNKNOWN at this point. I just want you to see the colors and what you can start ordering/accumulating. I avoided Au Ver a Soie this time, although I love it, because there were backorder problems with Ann Grant. This sampler, judging by preorders, is going to be HUGE in terms of how many people want this one. I don't want people to be without silks. The over-dyed silk companies will be informed about these well in advance.

Needlepoint Silks: 756, 692, 987, 871, 203, 505, 348, 335, 242, 633, 155A, 976, 635, 991

Belle Soie: Wheatgrass

Gloriana: Holly Berry and Vanilla

I also tried to keep over-dyed silks to a minimum, as they are expensive. But the original has some fading/striping that looks like over-dyed floss, and these colors were closest to the original. I WILL be doing a DMC conversion for those of you who prefer cotton floss.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update. I will keep everyone posted as the process continues, as I know so many of you are planning your winter stitching around Miss Ann's sampler.

Have a great weekend! I'll be stitchin'!

Miss Ann Womack arrived on my doorstep yesterday

2011-08-19T09:06:00.006-05:00

Time is always moving on,

Time, we soon may say is gone,

Time, is fleeting, and we know,

Time, at last, will disappear.

Ann Womack. Aged 8 Years

1838

Here she is -- isn't she gorgeous? The fabric is about a 38/40 count uneven-weave linen. It appears she used two different colors of red that she had (one is very fine and smooth, the other is less fine and a little more coarse.)

What I really like about this (besides it all being in red) is that it is definitely a LESSON. The first alphabet is in cross stitch. The next is the lower-case alphabet in a pleasing elongated style. The next alphabet is four-sided stitch. The next is Algerian Eye (which I LOVE!). And the last alphabet is over-one.

I also find the verse very charming...because it doesn't rhyme. Ann did a fabulous job (especially for an eight-year-old.) This one will be a joy to reproduce and stitch. Don't you just love it?

WHAT?!?!?!

2011-08-18T11:57:00.004-05:00

If you read my newsletter, you already know I'm on a bowling team (if you don't get my newsletter, send me an e-mail at xspeddler@yahoo.com, and I'll add you to the list.) And if you DO read my newsletter, you know I kind of stink at bowling.

Here, my good friends, is a superb example of an "anomaly."

That's right. A 154. That's basically mostly strikes and spares. I was in the zone. On fire. In the Twilight Zone. Whatever!? I'll take it! (Plus, the bowling alley guy announced my feat over the loud speaker.)

(You may notice I immediately bowled an 81 after my amazing run of luck. It's good to know I haven't lost my game.)

A new reproduction and a new sampler for my fold

2011-08-17T10:28:00.002-05:00

"Ann Womack: 1838." I called a designer friend of mine yesterday to ask her something, and while we were chatting, I saw this sampler go up on eBay for a buy-it-now price of $200. I quickly bought it. It's already on its way to me. The two pictures the seller had up were TERRIBLE, but I can tell you it is all one color (red), it is about 13 3/4 by 14 inches, and I THINK it's American. I cleaned up the better of the two photographs, but this is as clear as I could manage. I can't wait to see it. Aren't you jealous? (Yes...this will go in the "to be reproduced" file.)

Here is Elenor Ferrow's original sampler from 1842. As you can see...it's...um, interesting. The colors aren't too swell. It's in tough shape. Lots of fading, thread loss. But, I liked this sampler, and got it for a song. I saw the potential in the DESIGN of it, and so, I reproduced it, then switched the colors. And this is what I got:

I will post a picture soon of what it looks like all framed (as soon as the frame comes in.) The supply list (threads, fabric) are in the previous post. I will be releasing this one VERY SHORTLY. If you'd like to get on the automatic list to get this chart when it arrives, you can sign up by ordering through my web site or sending me an e-mail. Please do not place orders in the comments section. Happy stitching!

Elenor Ferrow Sneak Peek

2011-08-16T10:33:00.003-05:00

Hooray! And dang it! I got a model in the mail this morning from a model stitcher (thanks, Kathy!), and I stretched it, so I could photograph it and put it up on the blog while I wait for my frame to come in.

But, I left the camera on overnight, and it's dead.

Then I remembered my iPhone will take pictures, and at least I've got a little sneaky peeky for you -- I'll post a BETTER picture tomorrow, along with the original. I bought the original about two years ago for about $75.00 on eBay, but I have to tell you, the original is ... interesting. The sampler was stitched in 1842 in wools in shades like, oh, magenta, purple, black, avocado/slimy green, etc. And although I thought the DESIGN was cute, the colors had to go.

Part of what I liked about this one was the pagoda at the bottom and that little shepherdess with her dog. Kathy said it was fun to stitch, and she got it done in about a week. It's stitched on 32 ct. Natural Belfast linen, and in case you want to start kitting it up, here are the threads I had her use:

Sampler Threads: Chamomile, Mulberry (2), Piney Woods, Apple Cider, Onyx, Cinders (2), Tarnished Gold

Weeks Dye Works: Cinnabar, Rust, Terragon, Hazelnut, River Rock, Taupe, Angel Hair (2)

The finished size on 32 count is about 12 1/2 by 9 inches. I hope you like it! I'll be releasing it in about a week.

As long as I was loading pics off my phone I wanted to share this one of our dear Ruby. She never has much to say, but one evening this spring when we were grilling salmon, she wanted to remind us, without words, that she wasn't against hand-outs...you know...whenever the fish was ready.

Silks conversion for Mystery Sampler by With Thy Needle & Thread

2011-08-11T10:27:00.002-05:00

A customer of mine asked me to do an over-dyed silks conversion for her for With Thy Needle & Thread's Mystery Sampler (available as a three-part chart series.) As long as I went to the trouble, I thought I'd share with you the conversion, in case you're interested in stepping it up a notch. Weeks Dye Works colors are on the left -- silk conversion is on the right.

Indian Summer/Rosewood (Gloriana)

Olive/Burnished Gold (Silk N Colours)

Kudzu/Wintered Grass (Silk N Colours)

Cinnabar/Terra Cotta (Gloriana)

Kentucky Bluegrass/Cormorant Gaze (Silk N Colours)

Brick/Potter's Clay (Silk N Colours)

Bark/Slug Bug (Silk N Colours)

Caper/Blackened Grass (Silk N Colours)

Sage/Wheatgrass (Belle Soie)

Light Khaki/Honeysuckle White (Silk N Colours)

Cappuccino/Angel Blush (Belle Soie)

Guacamole/Chartreuse (Silk N Colours)

Straw/Honey Bronze (Gloriana)

Confederate Grey/Concrete Meadow (Silk N Colours)

Dove/Forest Ash (Silk N Colours)

What's one more?

2011-08-05T08:36:00.001-05:00

We're going to keep her.

This is what Zero does while I'm graphing a reproduction...

2011-08-04T10:21:00.003-05:00

"Theresa says if I lay real still on the pad, the mouse might come back."

Summer's Almost Gone

2011-08-03T09:28:00.002-05:00

Dad and little me on the lake (mid-1970's)

Men!

2011-07-28T09:39:00.005-05:00

Hey, gorgeous. Come to this box often? Why don't you sit down and tell me about yourself?

Mm-hmm. No-no, baby, I'm listening. Continue.

Zzzzzzzzzz....

(P.S. We are considering keeping Dottie -- see my post about Dottie, below. This post was brought to you by Zero, who is quite a man!)

It's so hard to say "Good-bye."

2011-07-26T09:17:00.002-05:00

(above: Dottie and Elvis at a few weeks)

A few months ago, my friend Jennifer and I went to the E-Vet to pick up four little kittens in a box lined with a ragged towel. A nice professor had found two separate litters of two in his back yard -- Elvis and Cash were both tiny, cold and dehydrated; Dottie and Consuela were plump, clean and fuzzy. "Oh, they're little," Jennifer said as we looked into the box. We had been told they were about two to three weeks old, but clearly, they were about a week, their eyes having just opened. Any kittens taken to the shelter at that time were being euthanized, due to overwhelming "surrenders." Because we by-passed the shelter and took in these four kittens, we saved their lives.

After getting the "all-clear" from the clinic, Jennifer took home Cash, Consuela and Elvis for a week, and although she was originally drawn to Dottie, she left Dottie with me while I prepared another litter for adoption. Cash died that first week -- we think he had a genetic abnormality. And when my Amigos were gone (Lucky, Dusty and Ned were all adopted), I took Elvis and Consuela in. They all had to be bottle fed, and sometimes I was up in the middle of the night, awakened by tiny peeps and squeaks... "We're hungry, we're hungry." It's hard as a middle-aged woman to get up at 2 a.m., but seeing those sweet furry little faces made it easier.

Consuela had a stroke (or other brain event) at about five weeks, and although she survived it, she was paralyzed, and we had to have our emergency vet put her down. Elvis and Dottie were like siblings, the only two left from the professor's back yard. Elvis has since been adopted by Jennifer and her family, and is enjoying life with two big (cat) sisters, lots of food, curtains to climb, and needlework to get into.

And now Dottie is big. She's had her surgery, her shots, her microchip implant. She's well past the stage where she needs "special" care like bottle feeding. When I come home at the end of the day, she comes running down the hall to greet me and rub on my legs. And when I'm sitting stitching or working on the computer, she's on my lap, purring while she sleeps. She burrows her way into my hair at night, keeping warm while I dream. And if I'm cooking, she'll come stand by me, periodically looking up to tell me something or to ask for a little attention.

I have struggled mightily with the idea of letting her go. I really like her. I love her, in fact. It's not unusual. I like all of the cats we foster, and could have easily kept any of them. They've all been wonderful. Why, I've been wondering, do I sit and look at her and consider keeping her? Why do I try picturing her as a grown cat on my lap?

"I have four cats already," I've been telling people. "I can't keep every seventh or eighth cat we foster."

I want to. I'm bonded to her. And the more I thought about it last week, I finally realized what it was. Basically, to her, I'm her mother. She came to live with us just after her eyes had opened, and I fed her warm bottles. I cleaned her when she was messy. I cuddled her and played with her. The care I have given her is part of her. Those things I gave her since her beginning: bottles, that attention and affection, the food, the grooming, the patience, they're all knit into her bones. They're knit into mine.

But she belongs to someone else. It isn't fair to my cats to have to divide their attention from me further. It isn't fair to Dottie, who should be receiving a larger portion of care and affection from an owner. I have to trust the community to bring forth a person who will love her, cuddle her, care for her just as I have...or better. On Thursday, I'll take her to a little cage at the store across the street where passers-by can look at her, consider her, and eventually, someone will take her home. I'm cutting that ribbon that connects my heart to hers. She's ready for her life.

Good-bye, Dottie. You may not remember me in a few years. But I will always remember you.

(Post script: Yesterday I was aided twice by fate. Jennifer was buying groceries yesterday and it turned out her cashier had adopted Soba, another of our foster cats. Judy (his new owner) said he is very loved, spoiled, and happy. And Judy told Jennifer to let me know that if I ever want to check in on Soba, I can go over to Wal-Mart and see if she's on duty. She'll be happy to give me an update.

And the shelter called me to ask if I could take six (yes, six) kittens for one week. They're about four weeks old and have a foster mother who can take them in a week (she's currently on vacation.) If I couldn't take them, they most likely would have been euthanized. Taking those kittens home last night reminded me that there are many more lives to save. I'm willing to get my heart broken a little here and there in order to help others. It's so rewarding.)

Hey, Gatos!

2011-07-21T09:21:00.003-05:00

I call my crew "gatos," which is Spanish for "cats." I walk in the door at the end of the day, and I say: "Hey, Gatos!" They all come running. Then they want food. Thought I'd share a few updated pictures for those of you who are interested.

This is my Dottie. She had her surgery last week and will soon be going to PetSmart for adoption. She is my baby girl -- since I bottle-fed her starting at about one week old, I am basically her mommy. I'm hoping she'll find a home where someone loves her as much as I do. She's very sweet and smart.

Elvis came over for a play date last week (the night before surgery). He is having a great time at my friend Jennifer's house with his new buddy Lizzy, who was adopted by Jennifer last year (Lizzy is a really nice Calico.) I hear he's been climbing the curtains and making a mess of Jennifer's stitching projects. He's getting big! When he was at my house, he found his old favorite blanket that he used to curl up in (and suck on) when he was just a tiny thing. And of course, finding that blanket made him think it was a good time for a nap.

This is Mufasa. He's just been at our house a couple of days. He's calm and kind of stately, for a kitten. He didn't mind posing for a picture, but I had a much harder time getting a picture of Simba (below). Simba wanted to just run around (all of my pictures of him looked like someone threw a fuzzy orange earmuff in front of the camera.)

Finally, Simba decided it was time for a drink, so I was able to snap a few pictures of him when he was finished. Simba and Mufasa were the only two spared from their litter of four. They're going to hang out with us until they weigh two pounds and can have their surgery. Don't you think I'm so lucky getting to have so many friends?

Two posts in one day?

2011-07-20T11:31:00.002-05:00

I forgot to include a picture of my latest sampler acquisition! I bought this one from the same gentleman in England who sold me Mary Bate's sampler. He had found three samplers at an auction, and since I bought Mary's, he gave me a deal on Jane Pattison's.

This one has a wonderful Christmasy feeling to it with the mossy greens and deep rosy reds. The flower on the bottom right isn't missing -- it's stitched in cream and beige. I'm thinking I may chart that flower so it kind of matches the flower on the left, but include a conversion to the original. I LOVE THE COLORS! And the border is soooo interesting. Not only is it comprised of pine boughs, BUT there are motifs OUTSIDE the border!!! I am assuming Miss Jane had space left and wanted to practice some other motifs. Whattagirl.

The piece is stitched in wools on a 28-30 count loosely-woven linen. The size of the original is approximately 15 by 21. Jane was 13 when she finished the sampler on August 31, 1806.

What do you think of this one?

Shmoreo Shmookie

2011-07-20T10:19:00.003-05:00

I had a great time in Tulsa at The Silver Needle retreat last weekend -- thanks to all of you who came and helped put on a great weekend. Lindy has a beautiful shop which is well-worth a visit if you're in the Tulsa area. And her employees are so friendly and helpful. Plus, there's a really great quilting shop around the corner.

I'm sharing a picture of one of my class projects (this was a Raise the Roof design). It's a hand-dyed wool felt needlebook that opens up and has cream filling on the inside (made from quilt batting.) It was fun to see how everyone's cookies turned out. Just a few simple stitches make this up -- blanket stitch, backstitch, Lazy Daisy, and Colonial knots (plus a few cross stitches.)

I took in two more foster kittens yesterday (Dottie will be going to PetSmart as soon as a cage opens up.) Zero is growing quickly. Simba and Mufasa are my two new babes -- little orange puff-balls. They look to be about five weeks old. Two of their litter mates were euthanized. These two were spared, and are going to hang out with me until they're big enough for surgery. I'll post pictures soon. They're very, very cute, and nervous. They probably weigh about twelve ounces each, but they puff up, arch their backs, and skid around trying to look tough. The other cats just look at them and roll their eyes.

Weeds Make Haste

2011-07-14T09:33:00.004-05:00

Here's a new design from me! It's stitched on 32 count Tumbleweed linen in Weeks Dye Works and Sampler Threads and was inspired by a quote from Bill Shakespeare (you may have heard of him?) It was fun to stitch, and I'm super-pleased with how it turned out. I will be shipping to distributors next week. Have your local shop look for them soon, or contact me to buy a copy.

Zero

2011-07-13T08:48:00.003-05:00

Here's my new ward. Zero is getting used to all of the lady cats at my house, and yesterday he was sleeping so soundly, Harrison said he thought Zero had kicked the bucket. We'll only have him a few weeks, but it's nice to have a new furry face around the house.

Good golly, Miss Molly

2011-07-12T10:30:00.002-05:00

I am overwhelmed, swamped, bowled over with, and completely drowned by people offering to stitch models for me. That's awesome! I have been printing out requests as they come in, and will respond to the group next week after I get back from Tulsa, Oklahoma (Silver Needle retreat.)

I can tell you that I will be placing each stitcher's informal application in order of preference depending on country of origin (shipping these types of things over-seas makes me nervous), how well (if at all) I know the stitcher, experience in model stitching, ability to stitch on fine counts and ability to work me into her schedule. The entire group will hear from me by e-mail...later. Give me time to sort it all out. Thank you for your kind interest!

Also, I took in another foster kitty yesterday afternoon. His name is Zero, and he was found by a bulldog, who was walking his man. Zero looks to be about six weeks old, and although our shelter is putting down all kittens under two pounds who are coming in right now, they gave Zero a reprieve due to unbearable cuteness, good condition, and an aroma around him like fresh laundry. It's inexplicable. I bathed him, and he still smells like a dryer sheet. He is a grey long-hair with grey eyes, and although he loves people, going for rides in the car, and BATHS of all things, he's still "working out" his issues about other cats.

Of course, every feline in the house had to go sniff his butt when I brought him home. You can't blame him for being uptight about that.

Dottie and Elvis are in surgery today. My friend Jennifer is adopting Elvis (hooray!) and it is going to nearly kill me to give Dottie away. I will post "graudation" pictures of them soon. So proud of those little cats.

(P.S. One day last week, my blog had over ONE THOUSAND visits! That's crazy! Thank you, everyone, for your support.)

Mary Bate's lovely sampler has arrived

2011-07-08T10:34:00.004-05:00

Mary Bate's sampler from 1796 is even more lovely than I figured. The colors are golds, greens and antique rose. The linen is about a 52 count, and the size of the original is 12 by 15 1/2.

The sampler is mounted on a wooden frame with little nails/tacks. I always hate removing the samplers from these frames, because I am always so afraid to tear the piece. But it'll have to come off at some point. It's not good for the life of the sampler for it to stay mounted on wood. It'll get conservation framed after I reproduce it. I do not yet have plans for a release date for this sampler.

Here's a cute picture of Graham from our vacation. We visited the Fargo Zoo the first full day we were in town, and he wanted to ride the merry-go-round. Even though he's 14, you can see he was kind of pleased with the situation.

And this is the last picture I took of Chi and Soba before I took them to PetSmart two weeks ago. They were adopted within a few days. But it makes me a little sad, because this was their last cuddly nap together on a favorite chair at the house. I do miss them, but have been in contact with Chi's (right) new owner. Andrea loves Chi, now called "Stella." They sit and watch movies together in the evenings, and Andrea has bought Stella new cat toys and a black gingham collar with a bow.

Have a great weekend. I hope you get some stitching done!

A couple of things...

2011-07-07T21:08:00.002-05:00

I will post pictures soon, but I received my Mary Bate sampler today in the mail (from 1796). It's WONDERFUL! GORGEOUS! FANTASTIC! AWESOME! Sometimes when I purchase a sampler online (esp. eBay), the pictures of the sampler aren't great, so I'm buying a little on faith. This was a great find, and it'll be really fun to reproduce.

Which brings me to my next point. Since I am finding all of these great samplers, and since I'm only one person, I'm looking for model stitchers. I would really like to start releasing one a month, but I cannot possibly run my shop, design, reproduce AND stitch all of these great things. If you're interested, you can send me an e-mail at xspeddler@yahoo.com. Here are some stipulations:

1. You do not need to have previous model-stitching experience, but it helps.

2. You need to be comfortable working on 32, 36 and/or 40 count. Often my reproductions have areas of over-one stitching and/or some specialty stitches (usually things like Algerian eye, or some straight stitches...usually nothing too difficult.) I provide, obviously, the chart, threads, fabric, needles.

3. Your stitching needs to be neat and study (threads tidily and well-anchored on the back. These pieces get taken all over the country, so they need to be able to stand up to some mileage.)

4. You do not need to be a speed demon, but I can't wait a year for a piece to get stitched. Obviously, you need to be able to devote time to stitching when you agree to finish a piece for me. Sometimes I have deadlines, and sometimes not. Sometimes the pieces are large, but you would get a picture of the antique before you agree to stitch the reproduction.

5. You cannot cheat me by selling (or giving away) copies of the graphs I send you to stitch the model. Believe it or not, this happens. The design is mine to release. You will be paid for your time.

6. Which brings me to my payment structure. I pay my model stitchers 1.5 cents per stitch. To give you an idea of what that works out to, a piece like the Ann Grant sampler will earn a model stitcher about $650.00. A piece like Elizabeth Mary Gandey is about $250.00. I figure out the stitch total -- my software counts the stitches in the graph! The stitched model belongs to me, then.

It's wonderful to have model stitchers to help me out, and it's easiest for me to "farm out" my reproductions. As much as I like to stitch them, I also stitch my original designs. And since the reproduction sampler colors are set by the original, I don't have to make adjustments once I've done color selections. With my original designs, I often change my mind about colors, and do more ripping/tearing/frogging. (Rip-it, rip-it.)

OK, one last thing, and then I'm done. Elvis has found a home! I had my friend Jennifer and her family take care of Dottie and Elvis while I was up north. Her husband Hobbie wasn't too keen on watching two kittens (they have two cats already, and he has allergies.)

But the day after I dropped them off, he posted a picture AND a video on his Facebook page. A few days later, Jennifer e-mailed that Hobbie was hoping her sister Sharon would adopt Elvis. Then a few days later, she texted me that Hobbie wanted them to adopt Elvis! It's true! So, I get to watch Elvis grow up, and it's too, too wonderful, because he'll have a great family and two "sister" cats to help him learn what he needs to know.

A little R&R with family

2011-07-01T16:41:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting in Steve's folks' sun room in the lake house on Lake 15 (which is, of course, near lakes 14 and 16 here in Minnesota.) A couple of red-headed woodpeckers are fighting over the suet cake hanging from a wide-leaved tree outside. I never was very good at identifying trees -- I know weeping willow, apple, pine...it's kind of like how I am with cars. I know a Corvette when I see one, and trucks are easy. The finer points of trees and cars elude me, although I'm happy when they shade me or take me places.

We brought Graham's friend, Zac along on our trip. He has never been farther north than Washington D.C., and I think he likes it here, although he's been kind of wide-eyed and quiet. He's been to "the big city" of Fargo a couple of times. We visited the Fargo Zoo on Wednesday and were able to pet some goats, llamas and horses. And we just had lunch at Zorbaz, a fantastic hippie-type pizza and Mexican food joint where you are allowed to write on the tables and walls, the cups are all plastic, and the nachos come heaping with chicken and beef, red onions, jalapenos, sour cream, cheese, black olives, re-fried beans and best of all: fresh cilantro.

Steve and I golfed 18 holes this morning in Hawley, Minnesota, with his uncle Lonnie. Although my mother has always been a stickler for the rules of golf, and although I was raised playing a lot of it (and even was on the golf team in high school), Steve and I don't believe in keeping score or being too uptight about any of it. If he hits the ball in the rough, he just kicks it back out. And if I duff one off the tee-box, I just tee up another one. It's more fun to play when you're not keeping score. That way, we tend to just remember the good shots, and forget the bad ones.

It's always nice to spend time with family, and this visit, so far, has been relaxing and happy. Harrison went and got his hair cut really short -- and now I can see his eyes! Graham is very proudly teaching Zac about the finer point of mid-western living. And Steve is getting a nice tan from all of his time in the boat and on the golf course.

I forget how necessary it is to re-charge now and again. I'll be back at soon renewed and ready to work, design and pack orders. But for this weekend, I'm going to be laughing with family, eating good food, spending time outside, and sleeping in a little. Ain't it grand?

Hope your weekend is sensational.

Although it's only June...

2011-06-21T12:59:00.003-05:00

...Giblet is considering possible Halloween costumes. This is Giblet as a bottle of water.

Have a good day...from the kitties

2011-06-16T08:45:00.005-05:00

Soba hopes you have a good day.

And Elvis hopes you have a good day, too.

Dottie hopes you walk around all day with a dryer sheet stuck to the butt of your pants. Naughty kitty!

Mary Bate joins my brood

2011-06-15T09:44:00.004-05:00

I met someone online last night -- her name is Mary. Or rather, her name was Mary, and I now own her handwork! I apologize for the quality of the pictures -- I cleaned these up the best I could, but will have to wait to take better pictures when the sampler shows up in the mail. (As always, you should be able to click on the pictures to make them a little bigger.)

An antique coins dealer in Nottingham posted the sampler a few days ago as a "Buy It Now," and I stumbled across it last night. I called Pat at Lakeside Linens right away (she was still at the office dyeing linen). I often will call Pat when I see a sampler I like; she and I have similar taste in antique samplers. She agreed that Mary's sampler was well-worth the price (around $350), considering the date, condition, and quality of the sampler/design. Then she cursed me for having called her, because once I got her looking, I doomed her to spending the rest of her evening browsing through all of the pretty samplers online.

Here is the verse (and this was part of what I really liked about this one):

THE human soul without Education

is like marble in the quary which (shows?)

none of its inherent beauties until

the skill of the Polisher fethes (sic) out

the colours makes the surface shine

and discovers every ornamentel (?)

spot and vein that runs through the

body of it Education after the same

manner when it works upon the mind

draws out to view every latent virtue

and perfection which without such

helps are never able to make their

appearance (squiggly line)

Keep such Company as you may im

prove or that may improve you and

if you or your Companions cannot

make one anothor (sic) better rather leave

than grow worse by them

MARY BATE

Her Work In The Year Of

Our Lord 1796 B Oct 29 83 (Born October 29, 1783.)

Strait School

The sampler is about 12" by 15 3/4", which means the linen is probably very fine (judging by how much stitching is in the piece for something that size.) Pat and I estimate it's between a 40 and 50 count linen, but I'll know more when I receive the sampler. I'll share more of what I discover when the sampler arrives and take better pictures with my fancy new Nikon camera. I just thought I'd share a few (smudgy) pictures of my latest acquisition. What do you think of it?

Harrison is twenty

2011-06-10T14:49:00.002-05:00

Two decades ago, I met a wonderful person. It has been one of the best experiences of my life to watch him grow, learn, and develop. He is a one-in-a-billion kind of guy, and I feel so fortunate to call him "my son."

Free graph over at Needleprint

2011-06-09T10:22:00.003-05:00

It's summer, which to me is time for red thread. But of course, Christmas is a good time for red thread. And so is Valentine's Day. Really, red is a good color any day. Jacqueline over at Needleprint has a free sampler download up on our blog, and I thought I'd point you over to her blog. (You can also download, for a fee, reproductions there.)

You can find the S'Gravenhage 1892 reproduction on her blog. She will also soon have a new book (THIS MONTH!) -- Micheal & Elizabeth Feller The Needlework Collection: 1. I can't wait to have one in my stash -- you can pre-order through me.

A new sampler and some new kitten pics

2011-06-02T08:45:00.006-05:00

Elizabeth Mary Gandey is back from my model stitcher, and doesn't it look grand? Kathy did a wonderful job in stitching this lovely reproduction. Thank you, Kathy! The piece is stitched on 36 count Vintage Pear by Lakeside Linens in a variety of silks. A conversion to DMC is provided. I think this is a lovely summery-looking sampler with the red, white and blue flowers 'round the border, and lots of grass and green trees. Plus, pink butterflies! (You can click on any of the pictures in my blog to make them larger.)

The verse is: Love God with all your soul and strength,/With all your heart and mind;/And love your neighbor as yourself;/Be faithful, just and kind./Elizabeth Mary Gandey. Aged 8 years.

Dear Elizabeth was only 8 years old when she stitched the original sampler in fine wools on linen. She did not date her sampler, but I'd put it in the 1830-1840 range. I purchased the original on eBay UK for around $75.00 about a year and a half ago. Elizabeth would be proud to know that her sampler is going to bring a lot of you some stitching joy. You can order the chart from me now, and my distributors will soon have it, so you can encourage your shops to order it in as well.

I also know a lot of you have been anxious to see our latest kittens we are fostering. I will divulge that I purchased a new toy last weekend -- a Nikon DX3100 camera. I'm still learning to use it, but this should allow me to take much better pictures for my site, blog and graphs.

Here, first, is Chi. She is almost 8 weeks old, which means we will soon have her spayed and put her up for adoption through the shelter. She has grown a lot this last six weeks, and her personality is even cuter than she is. Chi (which means "life energy") loves to cuddle, play, and will let you hold her upside down like a baby to pet her belly. She's smart and sweet, and we will miss her.

Next is Soba, Chi's brother. He's named for the noodle, which is an inexpensive fast-food typically eaten in Japan. He's so small, but thinks he's very big. Huge personality -- social, confident, talkative. Everyone is moaning and groaning that he will soon be gone, too. He's got a special place in our hearts.

Below is Dot. A local professor found her in his backyard four weeks ago with three other kittens, two of which did not survive. He put the call out on our shelter's Facebook page, and I begged and pleaded for the shelter to let me raise them to get them ready for adoption (they were euthanizing all kittens at that time, since we had too, too many). I got the go ahead (it pays to have some strings to pull.) And Dottie is such a dear heart. SO quiet, so soft, so beautiful. She will make a wonderful lap cat for someone who likes to brush long, lovely hair. Dot's sister, Consuela, died last week after a stroke or seizure.

And last is little Elvis. Elvis' brother Cash died the first week we had the kittens (my friend Jennifer was helping watch the little ones at the time.) We believe he had some kind of genetic defect, but at least he was loved, and was warm with a full belly when he passed. Elvis is tiny -- he was in bad shape when he was found, and had probably been abandoned by his mother. (We believe Dot and Consuela were one litter...Elvis and Cash were another.) Elvis is the typical little brother around the house -- always following the big kids, and getting picked on a little. Still, he loves to wrestle, and is turning out to be very handsome. He loves affection and a warm bottle.

I hope summer is treating you right so far. It's 100 in Hattiesburg this week, and will be ... oh, until October, I imagine. But the peach man has set up his stand on my route home, so life is good.

(P.S. For those of you BREATHING DOWN MY NECK about the Ann Dale reproduction, it will be released this fall. Good things are worth waiting for, and great things take time! Wish me luck!)

Come see me!

2011-05-19T09:31:00.003-05:00

I have three needlework events I'll be attending this year. I wanted to post links to the information about where you can come and see me.

Silver Needle: A Summer Stitching Spree! I'll be there as Raise the Roof AND Shakespeare's Peddler. Teresa Layman is teaching a fabulous knotting class, too. This is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Wednesday, July 13-Saturday, July 16.

Dyeing to Stitch: Seaside Seasons Retreat at Virginia Beach. I'll be there with Jeannette Douglass, R&R Reproductions and Shepherd's Bush. The dates are October 27-29. I've heard the beach is LOVELY!

Celebration of Needlework: At the lovely St. Charles Embassy Suites in Missouri (St. Louis). LOTS of fabulous shopping ... I'll have a booth there with all my wares (fabric, threads, patterns, etc.) LOTS of vendors... You can also take classes by Lori Markovic (La D Da) and Jeannette Douglas (and me!) Dates are September 15-19.

Hope you can come and see me. It's so much fun to spend time with other stitchers.

Sharing some pictures from stitchers

2011-05-17T12:18:00.008-05:00

I had some very talented stitchers e-mail me pictures of projects I've released -- I love seeing what other people do with my designs! I thought I'd share these with you.

First up is Debby's sampler she stitched for her daughter and son-in-law. Here's what Debby has to say about the sampler:

"The sampler has their names and birthdates and the date, location and time of their wedding. The ring (middle left) was my Mother's original wedding band and the diamond heart to the right was the necklace my husband gave me to wear on our wedding day (34 years ago).

Middle left "The Journey" and stitching above it represents the diamond my Daughter's new hubby gave her on their first Christmas together. The "Y" (middle left) says: You are the best thing that ever happened to me..... which is their song they had their first dance to. The date on the bottom left is the date he proposed and the date on the right is the date he asked for her hand in marriage. The little dog is their little Yorkie. They love to go on long walks in the park (they love trees) and my daughter loves flowers.

Just a side note. My Mother never got to see this sampler as she passed away a week and a half after the wedding. She was 93 years old and was so anxious to see it."

If you don't recognize the pattern, it's because she used PART of one of my reproductions, the Ann Hobbs Antique Spring Sampler. Here's what that one looks like all done. Isn't she clever to have made a sampler that is truly unique! What a lucky daughter she has!

Ashley e-mailed me with a picture of "God Bless Those," a limited edition kit I released at market this spring. Here's what she has to say:

"Just wanted to share my Gob Bless Those with you. The colors were so much fun to work with knowing they are limited edition. I'm really proud of it! I have it hanging in my office. You did a wonderful job with this design."

And Sherre sent me a picture of her Jenny Bean's Christmas Ornament 2010. She played with the colors and framed hers -- didn't it turn out nicely? She's so talented. Here's what Sherre had to say:

"I am a fan of your designs and recently stitched up the "Jenny Bean Christmas Ornament 2010." I made some changes to it--changed colors to make it more Christmasy and changed the date to reflect the year the hymn "Silent Night" was written. The "grass" at the bottom was changed to "snow." It is such a sweet design, I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty to make those changes. My LNS owner encouraged me to send a photo of my version, it is currently framed and on display at the shop. I'm attaching a photo of it. I took this pic at the shop, so there is a glare on the glass at the lower left I couldn't avoid.

Thank you for the beautiful designs you create for us stitchers!"

In case you've forgotten, here's what the original design looks like. I like Sherre's, too! How fun to see the ways people make pieces their very own.

And fancy Connie from Arkansas sent me THREE finishes of Shakespeare's Peddler pieces. Here are her pictures and her description:

"MD's Sampler and a close-up of that date on the crown I mentioned in the post below. Stitched on 32 ct PTP Mello (why do fabric pictures never do justice to the colors) with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe fibers. Frame by Hobby Lobby, framing by me.

Father Sail Home stitched on 28 count Broomstick Brown with suggested GAST and DMC. Old frame from my stash that worked out great.

Sampler Roundy stitched on 32 count something or other (it's a pretty fall-ish kinda color, picture does not show it well at all) with DMC fibers. Finished as you suggested with wooden circles done in a cake plate stack.

I hope you enjoy my versions and feel that I did your designs the justice they deserve. Keep on designing and stitching!!!"

Thanks, ladies, for sending me your finishes to share. If anyone else has designs finished (or not finished!) of mine that you'd like to show off, send them to me in an e-mail. I'd love to show them off to everyone.

Have a great week!

Theresa

Good-bye, sweet princes

2011-05-11T10:00:00.006-05:00

The other day, my 14-year-old son, Graham, was sitting on the couch looking at one of our foster cats. Stroking the cat, he said, "I just love you so much, Dusty." I told Graham that while it was going to be difficult to give the Three Amigos up for adoption, we had done the most loving thing for them we could: give them seven weeks of food, shelter, attention and care, so they could be ready for lives with other families. Many of the kittens coming in to the shelter right now have to be euthanized for lack of space. It is figuratively raining kittens and puppies; the shelter does not have enough space or foster care for them all.

Thinking on it, I realize that taking responsibility for another being's welfare (cat, dog, child) leads to a strong emotional bond. These three kittens we picked up seven weeks ago needed us, but have given us so much in return. I follow the Dalai Lama on Facebook (of all places), and just this week he posted:

"Foolish, selfish people are always thinking of themselves and the result is always negative. Wise persons think of others, helping them as much as they can, and the result is happiness. Love and compassion are beneficial both for you and others. Through your kindness to others, your mind and heart will open to peace."

We watched Lucky, Dusty and Ned grow from tiny little orange balls of fur into happy, social, healthy and well-adjusted young cats. The first few weeks, the differences were apparent on a daily basis. Their personalities took hold, their looks became more distinct, their legs lengthened, their teeth came in, their ears became gigantic, and we all grew to love them.

But we can't keep them. We have four cats of our own, and more to foster, more to save from the needle. I told Graham that giving up the Amigos means we can love more cats, save more lives. He said, "But they're the FIRST ONES."

And I understand that completely -- there will be other kittens. And we will grow to love them all before we have to give them up. But Lucky, Dusty and Ned were the ones who taught us how to hold the bottle just so to help a little one nurse. They taught us that cleaning up little poops and pee-spots isn't the worst thing in the world. We learned about the amazing speed of development in a young animal, how to be patient during teething, how to tolerate dozens of tiny scratches on the backs of our hands (little claws can't retract, so every touch from little paws can leave a mark.) They napped on our laps. They licked our faces. They made us laugh. And they came running to the door every day when I came home from work.

Today they're in surgery; I'll pick them up this afternoon. They'll have an opportunity to recuperate, and in the next few days, I will take them to the pet store and say good-bye. It won't take long for them to find new homes -- kittens sometimes are only at the pet store a few hours before they find a new family. Won't I be sad? Of course. Will I cry? Definitely. But I am so proud and happy to have been a little part of an organization that helps orphaned, unwanted, and stray animals find their forever homes.

Adios, Amigos! I love you guys!

(P.S. Top to bottom are Lucky, Ned and Dusty.)

Whoops!

2011-05-03T11:54:00.001-05:00

I guess Soba is a boy!

Will post a blog update soon...

What's two more?

2011-04-26T15:41:00.003-05:00

Not much time to post -- I'm doing last-minute preparations for leaving for New Hampshire in the morning (I'll be teaching at Celebration of Needlework this week.) I will be back in town Sunday night, and am really looking forward to meeting everyone.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share pictures of two new girls in our lives -- we took in two more "orphans" on Friday to bottle feed and take care of for the shelter. When they're eight weeks old, we'll have to give them up. In the meantime, they are very sweet, and Lucky, Dusty and Ned really like their new little sisters.

This is Soba.

And this is Chi.

Meow!

Almost six weeks old...

2011-04-19T08:44:00.002-05:00

The boys are definitely getting bigger -- scampering, pouncing, stalking, and eating solid food (except for Lucky -- I can't get him to give up that bottle.) Ruby, who is about 15 months old, has taken to mothering all three boys, giving them baths (holding them down to do so), watching over them, and now napping with them. It's very sweet to see her maternal instincts.

I have found it's easiest to photograph the kittens when they're sleeping, because otherwise I just get photographs of blurry orange fur. Plus, what is it about sleeping kids/animals that just makes you love them so much? (Probably the fact they're not spilling Kool-Aid on the sofa or pooping in your shoe.)

Dusty is the most laid-back of the three cats. He's going to be a big guy, and has lots of grey hairs in with his orange (so he's kind of silver and gold.)

We've all taken to these three boys and are having so much fun borrowing them for a while. Graham and Harrison's friends like the kittens, too. In a few weeks, it will be strange to come home and not find them there. They are getting the best care and attention -- what spoiled, lucky cats. And now that we've learned how to help a little litter of kittens, we can help Southern Pines Animal Shelter with other kittens who need love and a place to crash for a few weeks.

The boys are getting big

2011-04-12T09:12:00.004-05:00

The kittens we're fostering are getting more-and-more independent, and of course we love them more every day. I wanted to post a few new pictures, so you could see how big they are getting. They all have distinct personalities already. Dusty is gentle, quiet, laid-back and a real lap cat. Ned has a LOT to say and is really adventurous and rascally. Lucky is such a little baby -- loves to be pampered and assured.

To answer a few common questions:

Yes, we love them. No, we're not keeping any of them. I'm sure I'll cry like a baby when I have to give them back, but doing so will allow me to take in kittens as the shelter needs me to.

The boys will be ready for surgery in about three and a half weeks. They have to be two pounds and two months old to be neutered. They will not go back to the shelter. We will take them to surgery at the Spay & Neuter Clinic which is affiliated with and serves our animal shelter, pick them up, give them a day or two to recuperate, then adopt them out via PetSmart.

Yes, they already can use the litter box. It's amazing! I've never worked with cats this young before. But you basically just put them in the litter box, and they dig right in. It's amazing. Why wasn't pottie-training my kids that easy?

In the last several weeks, our shelter has taken in eight litters/mothers, plus these three abandoned kittens. We have about FIFTY kittens who will need homes in the next six to eight weeks. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but make sure you spay and neuter your pets, and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same.

Dusty, Lucky and Ned

2011-03-29T13:27:00.004-05:00

Steve and I brought home three new cats on Friday. They're not ours to keep -- we're just borrowing them until they are weaned from their bottles. Their mother was unable to care for them, and the shelter had tried mixing them into a new litter. Of six. So that poor lady cat was trying to nurse nine kittens. It didn't work.

We have named them Dusty, Lucky and Ned (after the Three Amigos, one of our favorite comedies.) It is a lot of work taking care of baby kittens. Did you know you have to "help" (ahem) them (gulp) pee and poop? Mother cats lick the babies all over, and when their nether regions get licked, it encourages them to void (pee or poo.) So, basically, the boys have learned to do the pottie dance with a paper towel getting rubbed on their bottoms. We sing a little song about it.

They are almost three weeks old and getting their baby teeth. Every time they wake up from a nap, they are a little bit bigger. They're getting around on all fours now (although Steve said they walk like AT-AT's -- those big pachydermic-lookin' ships/tanks/whatever from The Empire Strikes Back.)

It has been interesting seeing the other cats' reactions to the kittens. Kitty doesn't like other cats, generally, so she just walks past and gives a dissatisfied grumble now and then. Boo hissed once, and she just hides now when the babies are getting fed. Ruby and Giblet, still almost kittens themselves, are more curious. Giblet sat by me yesterday while I fed them, keeping one paw on my leg, I guess in quiet support of the cause.

We'll only have them a couple of weeks, but I am hoping our labor helps three different families get twenty years each of love and companionship from these sweet little boys. That's sixty years of happy! Definitely worth some spilled milk and pee on my hands.

Two you haven't seen yet...

2011-03-22T09:38:00.003-05:00

Above is Elizabeth Gandey's sampler from England. She did not date her sampler, but I'd guess it's in the 1830-1840 range for date. She was only EIGHT years old! I had started charting this one as a class proposal for Celebration of Needlework, but they did not choose this class project, so I finished charting it this weekend and am sending it to Kathy, one of my model stitchers.

It's being stitched on 36 count Pear (by Lakeside Linens), which is very close to the original fabric color and count. Silks are a combination of a few different brands, and it will be VERY pretty! Yes, you can join the waiting list for this one. It's not as large as many of my samplers (and there's lots of open space on the sampler.) It's difficult to see in the picture, but there's a doggie in the lawn. I love that this one extolls the virtues of what Jesus said are the two most important commandments. I am also complete enamored with the vine that the cherub is holding up with the flowers/bird on it. So cool!

(I bought this sampler about a year ago on eBay -- paid about $75.00 for it. The original is stitched in wools, and has survived remarkably well.)

And this one is a sampler I won on eBay this weekend for $172.50. WHATTADEAL! It's Dutch, was stitched in 1824, and I love all of the soft, dusty colors. There is a hole in it (down in the right hand corner), but you gotta love that monkey sitting in a chair right above it. Lots of great motifs. No, I don't know when I'll chart this one -- but I couldn't pass up such a deal. I'll put a better picture up on the blog when I receive the sampler in the mail (this was one of the few pics I have from the auction.)

Now, the sampler above is NOT one I own, but I am stitching it. I do get tired of stitching my own designs/reproductions, and needed a break this last week. I've had this graph in my stash from The Scarlet Letter for probably ten years...it's Elizabeth Hudson, and believe it or not, she was a Quaker! I am always struck by red in a sampler, and this one has been fun to stitch so far (although all I've been doing is border.) You can still order this sampler at -- www.scarlet-letter.com/. (This link will take you directly to the Elizabeth Hudson page.)

Happy stitching everybody -- back to work!

"Sampler in the Square" at Celebration of Needlework

2011-03-18T09:40:00.002-05:00

I was so pleased to be asked to teach at Celebration of Needlework this spring. I haven't taught original design classes before (although I have given talks about my samplers and other stitching-related topics.) The trick has been coming up with smallish projects that teach accomplished stitchers a little something new. I tried to focus on finishing techniques that people can learn and then adapt to designs they have at home (basically, just taking measurements and adjusting sizes, then applying the class lesson to the new project.)

I really like everything I've come up with -- and I thought I'd share a picture with you. Above is Sampler in the Square, a variation on my Sampler Roundy. The design is an exclusive class piece, and I'll be teaching everyone how to put together these pincushion stands using inexpensive items from the craft store, some around-the-house supplies, and a little elbow grease.

Take a look at the Celebration of Needlework web site at www.celebrationofnw.com. You'll find my classes listed under my name (look in the "Teachers" section.) I hope to see you there!

In answer to common questions...

2011-03-16T09:16:00.003-05:00

Kathleen wrote wanting to know about handling these old samplers that I buy. She noted that I had taken Ann right out of her frame. (I have to do this in order to do a good reproduction.) I get these types of questions regularly, so I thought I'd post my reply here, in case y'all are interested:

The samplers I buy from madelena.com have all been "conservation framed," meaning they have already been gently stitched down to muslin/cotton fabric which has been fitted over a padded mat board-like material. Typically, if you buy a sampler from a reputable dealer, the hard work will have already been done (it's best to ask, though, if you're not sure.) If you ask, these dealers will sometimes be willing to do layaway -- I have done this with Madelena a few times, and it makes paying for the samplers a lot easier.

Now, a number of the samplers I have purchased from eBay have been on their original wooden boards or other original framing materials, and I remove them as carefully as I can. I'm currently in the process of getting ready to frame some of those (the ones I have already reproduced), and those will be likewise sewn to fabric (which has been stretched around acid-free mat board.) I have saved the board the Euphrasier Enout (French Cathedral Sampler) was stretched on. The entire sampler image is "burned" onto the board. Yikes! I typically pay less for samplers from eBay, but they're more of a risk, in that I can't always see really well what the condition of the sampler is (sometimes I'm going on just a snapshot or two.) People ask me how I know I'm getting the "real deal," and honestly, I don't always. But, since I have been stitching and running my business a while, I do recognize samplers that have been released as reproductions (sometimes those do pop up on eBay as "antiques.")

Any good frame shop should be able to help you with framing a delicate sampler. I always figure if they've lasted THIS long, they can survive just a little more handling. And, as always, it's really important you purchase the finest quality sampler you can afford (look for one that's in good shape with few holes/thread loss.) Unless...

...some of the ones I buy for less money have issues -- i.e., they're faded, stained, "hole-y," incomplete, or, as in the Spanish Mystery Sampler, cut in half. These samplers I buy for several reasons, the first one being I can usually get a really good deal on them; I have paid as little as $25 for an antique sampler.

Also, I often see a sampler with a beautiful design, color palette, or sentiment that might also be in pretty rough shape. I try to look beyond the condition of the sampler and into its "heart," so to speak. I feel like when I buy one of these "ragamuffin" samplers, and then reproduce them, I am kind of resurrecting the dead. Most antique sampler collectors aren't going to buy a sampler in poor shape, generally, because they generally look for condition, origin (school, state, country) and provenance.

When *I* buy a sampler, I look for pleasing colors, originality, a lovely verse, red (I LOVE red in a sampler), personality, and a balanced design. I really have grown to love non-symmetrical samplers, although they can be more difficult to find (think "Ann Grant" -- the bottom of that sampler is a scene, rather than a mirror image right to left.) It's fun for me, as a stitcher, to stitch something that isn't symmetrical, because then I don't feel like I'm repeating myself, you know? I also like trees, flowers, birds, houses, animals and people.

And sometimes it's the verse that grabs me -- like with Sarah Woodham. That verse just knocks me out..."When e're I take my walks abroad, how many poor I see...."

As a designer and a stitcher, I'm in a unique position when I look at buying antique samplers. I buy, basically, what looks fun to stitch! I also love the faded look of old samplers, so when I reproduce them, I go by the colors on the front of the sampler. Sometimes the colors on the back of the sampler (the original colors) are...well...awful. Part of what makes a piece fun to stitch is working with a pleasing selection of fibers.

I'd highly recommend madelena.com (look in their samplers section). They do a great job of packaging and sending their samplers, and I've always been pleased with what I've purchased from them (Jane and Sarah Philpott, Ann Grant, Ann Dale, and Sarah Woodham). I bought my first several samplers from eBay.com, and that probably wasn't the best place to start, but it was definitely affordable. Look for sellers with a good rating and ask questions when you have them.

Take care - T

Some good news...

2011-03-15T14:37:00.003-05:00

Miss Ann Dale has arrived here in Mississippi, and she is WONDERFUL. I'm including a picture of the entire sampler (out of its frame) and a close-up of the bottom section for your appreciating (drooling) purposes.

I hadn't realized the majority of the sampler is stitched in very, very fine wool thread. The count of the linen is indeed about a 50-count, and parts of it are stitched in silk. I am also pleased at the colors and the condition of the sampler. It almost looks like it's just been in a drawer somewhere, because there is very little damage/loss. AND there is a pale teal blue worked in here and there, which with beiges/mucky greens/cherry reds just KNOCKS ME OUT! This one is going to be fun to stitch.

I am going to release this design THREE ways! (AND NO! IT IS NOT DONE YET! I JUST GOT IT THIS AFTERNOON -- SHEESH!) :)

The entire sampler will be graphed as is. It is a large piece, so it will be quite an accomplishment to finish. I already have a waiting list of stitchers who want this graph.

I will also be charting/stitching the bottom third of the sampler (with the strawberry border wrapped 'round the top.) This makes a nice complete-looking sampler for those with less-crazy stitching compulsions. It will still be pretty big.

And I will be making a booklet of 13 of the flower urns to use as ornaments, small accoutrements, gifties, etc.

In other news, I JUST bought a sampler today on ebay.co.uk about an hour ago. I do ding around a little looking for such things now and again, and found Eleanor Hawkesford's wonderful sampler from 1833 this weekend. Bidding ended this afternoon. She was ten. I am including a picture of this one, too. I am thinking it will make a WONDERFUL birth sampler or sampler for a child's room. But it would also look nice in your stitching area, too. I love the faded golds/beiges. The picture is only as good as I could get directly off the internet. I will post a better picture when I receive this one. It looks to be in really good shape, and I only paid about $300 for it. ;) What-ta-steal. Eleanor will also have a good home (along with a couple of Anne's, a Sarah, a Jane, a young French girl and some Spanish lady!) (tee hee) My collection is growing...

You better get to stitching Ann Grant, because Ann Dale won't be far behind.

Introducing ... Maggie Bean

2011-03-08T08:38:00.002-06:00

Maggie is Jenny Bean's little sister, and because she's small, she works on smaller samplers than Jenny does. She also is learning about virtues, and so each pair will feature a virtue. Did you know a chair in a sampler symbolizes hospitality?

These are available through Crescent Colours as chart packs with the silk threads. Shops should order directly from Crescent Colours. There will be a total of six releases (two little designs each.) The designs are about 3 by 3 inches, and so would make wonderful pinkeeps, ornaments, pincushions, needlebooks and the like. The frames are by The Family Tree Frame Co. (aka, Crescent Colours.)

Each pair will be on a different color of linen, but each pair will match (this set is on 32 ct. Vintage Tundra by Lakeside Linens.) You get plenty of silk in each packet to stitch the pair. I hope you like them. Maggie's pretty pleased!

2011-02-25T10:11:00.002-06:00

If you go to: needleprint.blogspot.com/ and look at the February 15th blog entry, there's a really cool sampler stitched by a boy named James Wilson (looks like early 1800's). You can purchase the graph using Paypal, and they'll send you the chart via PDF file. I just ordered one. SO COOL! The proceeds go directly to the museum. Don't-cha just love those squirrels?

Theresa

Market Report: A Fun Weekend!

2011-02-22T06:46:00.003-06:00

Hey all, I'm still sitting in my pajamas this morning (the cats woke me up a little earlier than my alarm would have). But I thought I'd jot off a quick market report before I head back to the shop to start scanning everything, printing more graphs, answering e-mails, packing orders...all of that fun stuff I get to do after playing "hookie" for a few days. This is one of the couple of weeks a year where I work seven days a week for a while...it's fun, but very tiring. Rather than bore you with a COMPLETE rundown of the whole weekend, I'm going to give you snippets and highlights.

On the way to Nashville, I drove over a bridge that spans the "Chunky River." Shortly after that, I passed a Nestle truck carrying a load of Baby Ruth's. No matter how much I honked at that guy, he wouldn't stop to sell me one.

Sue's daughter Ellen came along to help out and see the world. I gave her a package of Bump-It's as a funny gift. Ellen ended up trying them out, and everyone agreed they were very cute. Niky Farrauto from Italy tried them out, and thought they were so wonderful, she headed to Target to take a set back to Italy.

I taught a class about an hour after arriving at the hotel. I had the honor of sharing the responsibilities with Pam Reed (Old Colonial), Amy Bruecken (AB Designs), and Lori Markovic (La D Da). I presented an awesome idea for a "Sampler Muffin," and later this week, I'll post a picture and instructions on how to make it.

A new series will debut soon via Crescent Colours of "Maggie Bean's" small sampler designs. She is Jenny Bean's little sister (and so she does small samplers, as she's just learning.) I had run out of time to stitch the first one for display, so I took fabric, fibers, a needle, scissors, the frame, and finishing supplies. I started stitching it around 9 Friday night, went to bed around 10, got up and finished it, and delivered the framed piece to Sharon for her booth about 15 minutes before market started. All in a day's work.

Barb and Alma of Blackbird Designs were just down the hall from me at the hotel, so they stopped in a few times. They each bought a few things, and both of them asked me about my MD's Christmas Sampler piece. EVERY market they try to buy that chart again, and EVERY market I tell them they already have that one, which they love. They both said they should just go home and stitch the darn thing.

I was THRILLED to get my hands on some wooden Colonial dolls at Old Colonial. Pam only made two hundred of them, and they are dressed in the coolest clothes. You stitch on a pre-finished apron a little Quaker design. I told her Monday morning at breakfast that she was crazy for making all of those kits (she sewed all of the clothes, including the bonnets, which she said were a pain in the neck.) She did not disagree with me that she was crazy.

I took the original Ann Grant sampler along to market, and everyone thought the reproduction sampler was awesome. The shops loved the colors, and they were also enthusiastic about the "A Sampling by Ann," which is a smaller showcase of motifs from the sampler. I presented the idea of my going back and designing pieces the same size/shape using my other reproductions (and framing them in the same frame.) They thought that was a great idea. We don't all have time for 40,000-stitch projects.

I missed my cats. And my family.

I found a number of wonderful reproduction samplers (and original samplers) to bring back to market. I showed some designers and shops a picture of the Ann Dale sampler I am in the process of buying. Luckily, I had plenty of towels from the hotel to wipe up the drool.

Cecile and Patti recently worked out an agreement where Cecile took full ownership of Just Another Button Company (now Patti can concentrate on designing cross stitch and quilting, which she did before she helped found the button company.) Both ladies have found renewed creativity, and their new designs (pincushions and buttons for Cecile, cross stitch designs for Patti) are SOOOOO cute. A lot of shops at the show commented on how they can tell already that the change was good for both of them. And they both seem so happy!

I always buy at least a little something at market just for me. This market I bought: a piece of Walnut linen and a bag of lavender at The Heart's Content; a really cool hand-made (old-lookin') frame and a pack of walnut dye at Cardan Antiques; a stack of dyed wool quarters at Weeks Dye Works; two back issues of Sampler & Antique Needlework Quarterly at The Marking Sampler; a raspberry martini at Carraba's on Sunday night. I also had a number of designers come in and give me little gifties or their favorite new graphs.

Sue and Ellen were eating bananas while I was out shopping on Sunday. One of the bananas had a bruise at the top, and they were going to flush that little bit down the toilet. They left it in there for me to find. When I did, I thought, "Wow, someone isn't chewing their food." Weirdos!

Lindy from The Silver Needle came in and scooped up a bunch of my models at the end of the show to take back to Tulsa. I always joke that market is like a family reunion for me, because I never get to see all of my pieces together, except at market. (By the way, it is totally fine that she borrows them. They're in good hands!)

Giblet shredded an entire roll of toilet paper while I was gone.

I LOVE bread, and we don't have local bakers here (well, we do, but they bake cakes, cookies, bars, muffins, etc....but no bread.) Our hotel was five minutes from a brand new Panera bread, so I stopped Monday morning on my way home and bought a huge sack full of it for my freezer. When I was telling the young Panera employee about the lack of bread in my town, and that I was taking this all back to Hattiesburg for my freezer, she mistakenly thought I'd driven all the way to Nashville just for the bread. I wouldn't do that, silly girl! (There's a CLOSER Panera in Alabama.)

I have one minute until I have to get in the shower, so I'm going to close for now. Please know I'm home safe and sound, and I will be working very hard this next few weeks to update the site, get orders out, and deal with the fall out from the past few weeks. Thank you everyone for your kind support and comments. I'll talk to you soon!

The rest of it...almost...

2011-02-17T09:35:00.003-06:00

OK, here are some other of my market offerings. I am "keeping" two surprises...a new little sampler series by Maggie Bean (Jenny's sister) and a class piece I am turning loose on the shops to teach y'all (yes, you will be able to buy it from me, too.)

This piece is called "Tread Lightly" and is stitched on 40 count Vintage Copper linen by Lakeside Linens. I have charted this so you can stitch as three separate pieces OR stitch it all together as one long piece. It's not terribly large -- each of these little guys is about the size of a playing card. Fibers are Gloriana silks Jacaranda and Gilded Pinks and Silk N Colours Gingersnap. I did put a DMC conversion with this graph (as I always do).

God Bless Those: This is a little limited edition kit that comes with either 32 or 40 count Vintage Exemplar linen and three limited edition Sampler Threads. I designed this in honor of Egypt's struggle for freedom, and finished stitching it at 5 o'clock this morning. Aren't I a trooper? I'll be kitting it tonight. I am only making 200 of these.

Home Springs Eternal: Jim at the Gentle Art called two or three weeks ago and wanted to know if it was too late for me to design and stitch something using a limited edition thread pack. I can never say no to that guy. I love the colors in this one, and it gave me the chance to use a limited edition button that JABCo made for me LAST YEAR. The buttons are available separately (see it on the urn?) The thread packs will be available at market -- I think there will only be around 400 of those, but the charts will be available for a long time. I did a conversion to DMC AND to the regular line of Sampler Threads. It's stitched on 32 count French Vanilla linen by R&R Reproductions.

Every year I take stuff to market, and every year (invariably) someone will say: "Is that it?" (Meaning: of the nine new designs you have designed, stitched, charted, printed, packed and carried to market...is that IT?) YES! THAT'S IT!!! Nine new things is all I could come up with by myself! That's IT! That's IT! THAT IS IT!!! (sigh) I do have some other things I'm working on, actually, but those are going to have to wait a few weeks while I deal with market fall-out. This is my busiest week of the year, and while it's fun, it's very tiring. I hope y'all enjoy my new stuff. I feel like I am continually improving.

A couple more...

2011-02-16T12:58:00.003-06:00

I am neck-deep in printing, packing, charting, the rest...this is one of the busiest weeks of my year, and I've got a bunch of new stuff for market! I'll put the rest up tomorrow (save a few surprises), but here are a few more of my market releases for you to gawk at. I hope you like them. (As always, you can click on each picture to make it larger.)

Jenny Bean's Creation Sampler is stitched on 40 count Vintage Pear linen by Lakeside Linens. You need Sampler Threads Endive, Uniform Blue, Willow, Lambswool, Mustard Seed, Acorn, Oatmeal, Fisherman's Wharf, Toffee, Espresso Bean, Cinnamon, Piney Woods, Summer Shower, Mulberry, and Old Hickory, The frame is FAR-BKBL by Eastside Mouldings (size 7 by 13 1/2 if you're stitching on 40 count.)

Ann Grant Reproduction Sampler is stitched on 32 ct. Vintage Sand Dune by Lakeside Linens. (You will need a half a yard if you're using 32 count. The stitch count is 290 by 350. Fibers are Gloriana Schoolhouse Red and Pecan; Au Ver a Soie 2635 (2), 3812, 3431 (2), 3745, 3815 (2); Belle Soie Baguette and Chocolat; Silk N Colours Camelot's Lady and Potter's Clay; Needlepoint Silk 993 and 222. You use ONE STRAND over two (most of the verse is over-one). You can get the frames from me, if you like. I love this!

Here's a Raise the Roof offering -- it's called "Official Crazy Cat Lady" and is stitched on 32 ct. Heritage by Picture This Plus. It calls for a Just Another Button Company button pack and uses Crescent Colours Blackbird, Sweetest Heart, Milady's teal, Deep Fennel, Ye Olde Gold, Timber, Cerise, Tiny Vine; and Weeks Dye Works Linen, Pebble and Graphite.

Because I love you guys...

2011-02-15T09:22:00.002-06:00

...here's another sneak peek -- this is "A Sampling by Ann," and is designed using elements from the Ann Grant sampler. I changed the colors, the fabric, flipped a few motifs, tidied up a few more, added my own flair, and voila! I think it's AWESOME! I wanted to create something for stitchers who wanted something historic, but who don't have time for 40,000 stitches. You can order this from me, but you can also ask your local shop to pick this up at market.

Here's a supply list:

40 ct. Heritage Linen (by Silkweaver)

Needlepoint Silks 207, 148, 203, 587, 315, 181, 336, 693

Au Ver a Soie 2212

Frame: 7 by 7 "The Auntie" in Fleamarket Blackbird by The Family Tree Frame Co. (aka, Crescent Colours)

More sneak peeks coming...

Ann Grant sneak peek...

2011-02-11T10:32:00.002-06:00

OK, just to tease y'all, here is the Ann Grant reproduction FINISHED! I'll be picking the frame up tomorrow (hopefully), stretching and photographing it, and then I can pack graphs. It is beyond wonderful. The colors are awesome, and I even got to do some of the stitching. My model stitcher put in about 32,000 stitches, and I put in another 6,000 or so (I did the over-one verse and a few of the motifs), so it was a team effort. This one is FUN to stitch, and it is just a quintessential sampler. It's got a house, birds, a beautiful tree, strawberries, and an Algerian Eye alphabet. Plus, red, pinks, olive greens and browns? It's drool-worthy.

I'll be posting an update before I go to market of ALL of my new designs (there will be eight or so.) Wish me luck in getting everything framed, printed and packed. This is a super-fun time of year for me, and I appreciate your support. :)

Theresa

Warning: Sad Story

2011-02-03T13:47:00.002-06:00

Readers: Sunday morning I woke up to the following message on my Facebook account. Since so many of you commented on "Mustache Man's" adoption of Alexis and Zeeba on January 15th (I got phone calls and e-mails about it, too), I wanted to let you in on this story. I have been talking to Gene (aka, Mustache Man) since Sunday, and he is doing okay. I will continue my part of the update below, but I warn you, you may need a Kleenex.

I also need to say that I made a mistake in my first post -- it was Zeeba (the orange kitty) who first climbed up on Gene's belly, and growled and meowed at him until she was comfortable. This is important to make this correction, and you will know why shortly.

*****

Dear Theresa,

As I type this, Ziva (the silver tabby known as Alexis) is curled up against my chest - well now she has moved to the folded blanket next to my keyboard and is laying with her paws tucked under chest, purring, watching me type. It's Panther's old blue American Airlines inflight blanket that she used to lay on in front of my printer as I typed my papers for college. think Panther would approve of another kitty enjoying its softness. (Theresa's note: Panther was Gene's 20-year-old cat who passed away Christmas eve.)

The kittens came home and spent a few days in the master bedroom and soon were romping and playing - the first night was on the schedule as such: eat, drink, play non-stop for 40 minutes, then pass out against me for an hour and a half. Needless to say, when I finally let them have the living room/kitchen/dining area for play and exploration, sleep came much easier for me as I no longer suffered (happily I might add) being pounced on, my face patted and little heads rubbing faces rubbing against my face, mewing, wanting me to play. I would come home and go to the bedroom and when I announced, "hello ladies", two furry heads would pop up from the blankets and start mewing until I got on my knees and gathered them to me, the purring drowning out any other noise.

Nalla (Zeeba) became my favorite as she would always come to me - I became her play toy, napping spot (was embarrassing when she started kneading the fat - kept telling her, to no avail, that fat doesn't fluff. Nevertheless, I am back in the gym again after that!), conversation buddy, and general affection sponge. And yes, she would talk to me when I look at her. she would always sleep up near my face and both would waken me with purrs, paws patting my face, little heads rubbing on mine, and whiskers tickling as they whuffled my ear.

Neither would stay skinny either - two food bowls kept filled with Hill's Science Diet for indoor kittens have added to their frames, and skinniness gave way to lithe, athletic feline forms. Rarely had to intervene unless the sounds during wrestling went from play growls and meows to "Hey, that hurt!" They soon inherited another play tree - they got the super tall one with the sheepskin hammock initially - it is in the master bedroom - and then a shorter one to go in the living room - mainly to save the couch from claws. but both got major play action.

I strongly discouraged both from playing behind or underneath my couch. It is a double recliner and as such, has multiple metal stress bars, springs, and the metal frame itself, which can gravely injure a small animal if they are caught under it. Friday night I heard both playing underneath - tilted it forward and shooed both of them out form underneath - what I didnt' see was Nalla going back under it as I lowered it back down. I sat down and my worst fear was realized as I heard it. I sprang up, sick with fear and literally flinging the couch across the living room, snatching up Nalla, wrapping her in a blanket, keys and shoes and we went flying to E-Vets, the whole time, I am saying, Not my Nalla, hang on baby. Raced in and the vet got me to a room, but Nalla was already gone. When I got home and put the couch back, I saw why she zipped back under it - she had gone back to retrieve her favorite toy - a green rabbit's foot that Panther had stashed somewhere in the apartment and that Nalla had found.

Ziva hasn't looked for her, (she saw me pick up Nalla's body and wrap her in a blanket to go) but instead has become almost inseparable from me. I make sure she gets a lot more playtime and holding time and she has taken up Nalla's habit of sleeping on my chest as I sit back in a chair, reclining. Before they kept each other entertained, bathed, and were bed buddies. She follows me everywhere and today I had her assistance in making the bed and in folding laundry - she prefers that I fold tee shirts her way - with a helping paw and a lot more wrinkles in the shirts.

Please know that in the short time Nalla was with me - she got all the food she wanted, two playtrees, her littermate to play with, her favorite toys (the rabbit's foot was the ultimate tho) which she played with almost nonstop with the exception of naptime and food, and unlimited affection from and to me. I have not been able to type this without having to stop several times and not because of Ziva. (she's asleep now) But her fur was absolutely luxurious and that tail would have been the envy of many a cat - she talked to me as much as Panther did. Dr. Brenda, on her visit, thought both were absolutely gorgeous and was happy for me.

I will adopt another because Ziva, being so young, needs companionship when I am not here, and I really got used to having two cats - have always had one, but two added so much and I never realized what I was missing.

I wanted to let you know and to thank you for your help with both - and if you would help us (Ziva and I) find another kitty who would need a home such as she enjoys now. (by the way - Ziva avoids behind the couch and has not been under it since.)

My thanks so much for what you did for all three of us.

Gene

*****

Theresa here again -- sorry for the sad story. But we are on the look-out for another cat for Gene. I told him we won't be able to replace Nalla, but that we will find him another sweet cat to love. There are so many who need homes. I will update this story as I know more.

If you would like to send Gene an e-mail of support, his address is rgeorge003@comcast.net. I know he'd love to hear from some of you fellow cat lovers. He is just heartbroken at his loss; please know that he is exactly the type of person who is perfect to own pets. Keep him in your throughts and prayers.

Gracie...

2011-01-22T13:26:00.002-06:00

This isn't my cat. She's just one I had the fortune of playing with this week (one of our shelter cats.) I took the picture in the dim/halogen light of PetSmart, and I think it turned out really sweet. If this doesn't make you say, "Awww...," you might need a heart transplant.

Oooh, look what I got!

2011-01-20T10:01:00.003-06:00

Now before you get after me, keep in mind I have been a good girl for almost a whole year! I've been working my way through reproducing the big samplers in my collection. I also have a number of smaller samplers that I'm releasing here and there...but I went to madelena.com this week...and I saw...

THIS:

And I bought it. Well, I'm buying it. In installments. (First one is out of the way). Isn't it gorgeous? It's was stitched by Ann Dale in 1827. (You can click on the picture to make it bigger for ogling purposes.) Please notice the swans with EGGS on the lawn, ALL of the wonderful baskets and flowers, the almost circular tree in the bottom center, and...well, just the awesome-sauce-ness of the colors.

It is BIG! The original is 25 1/4" by 19 1/4" on FIFTY COUNT LINEN. That means the stitch count is approximately 630 by 480. Wait. In case you were just speed reading over that last part: SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY STITCHES BY FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY STITCHES. Wow! Ann, way to go, girl!

Here's what the verses say:

1 PASS a few swiftly fleeting years,

And all that now in bodies live,

Shall quit, like me, the vale of tears

Their righteous sentence to receive. (yikes!)

2. But all, before they hence remove,

May mansions for themselves prepare (yea!)

In that eternal house above!

And, O my God, shall I be there.

(The "yikes" and the "yea" were my additions.)

Now, since this sampler is a tad on the large side (ya think?), I have already talked to Pat at Lakeside Linens and we both agreed that I should probably stitch the reproduction on "regular" linen (meaning, un-dyed...less-expensive.) I mean, this sampler is going to be 31 1/2 by 24 on 40 count. A (crazy) person could squeeze it onto a half...IF that crazy person was using 40 count. Basically, a very large piece of fabric is needed (bedspread, anyone?) And I want to keep the cost down.

Now, if you like hand-dyed linen, you can order hand-dyed linen in a full-yard cut. You will have a big chunk left over, but special cuts are out of the question -- there would be too much waste. There is, of course, the option of using 45 count linen as well...are you man-enough? (Ann stitched hers even smaller, thank you very much!)

I talked to Kathy my model stitcher this morning and had her look at it. She said, "Oh, I don't know about that over-one verse (her eyes, like mine, are getting old.) And I said: "I want to stitch this one!"

What do you think? Am I crazy? Isn't it wonderful? Should they lock me away in a padded room? Am I a glutton for punishment? What's for dinner?

A to Z and happy, happy, happy

2011-01-15T09:36:00.003-06:00

I have the semi-official title of "Cat Pals Coordinator" for the Southern Pines Animal Shelter in Hattiesburg. About a year ago, I started volunteering anywhere from two to five hours a week to helping with the local shelter kitties who are up for adoption at PetSmart (just across the street from my shop). Basically, besides a few cleaning/errand-type duties, I get to volunteer by playing with and loving on adorable cats and kittens a few times a week. (I'd pay good money to do that, but shhh...don't tell the shelter.)

Steve goes with me, and it's nice time for us to spend together. He loves cats, too, and we come up with names for them, talk about their personalities, and on the drive home, talk about which one we'd adopt if we could (we have decided the four cats we have are enough.)

This is Alexis.

And this is Zeeba.

They had just come over from the shelter an hour before our volunteering shift, and while we were playing with cats, a mustachioed, grey-haired gentleman was looking in at the cats. We have learned to ask people if they have questions, and often, they will come in to look at the cats. He was shopping for cats.

His cat, Panther, of 20 years had to be put to sleep on Christmas eve. You could tell he was heart-broken. "That cat lasted longer than both of my marriages three times over," he said. He talked about how Panther would run to greet him every day, how he had a cat sitter come check on her while he was at work, how he had a special bed for her in the file drawer of his computer desk (he works on computers), and how, toward the end of her life, he hand-fed her, carried her to the litter box, and cleaned her.

Maybe, he said, he'd get two cats. That way, they'd have each other for company. "My home is pretty lonely," he said. He looked first at a black kitten named Polo. Panther was black. But Polo "didn't feel right," he said.

Then he looked at a grey kitten named Bunny. She was very affectionate. Too affectionate, he said. He didn't want a cat who was going to be begging for attention all of the time.

Then he wondered if maybe he wasn't honoring Panther's memory by getting another cat so soon. I said: "Panther would want you to be happy."

Steve, in the meantime, had opened a cage with Alexis and Zeeba, two striped cats (one orange, one grey), two very skinny strays. Zeeba jumped down and ran straight for the man. "Oh," he said. "Look, she's running for me." Alexis sauntered her way over, climbed up on the man's round belly, and meowed and growled until he was positioned just right. Then she curled up and shut her eyes. Zeeba, seeing her sister comfortable, jumped up, walked across the man's shoulders, and found the crook of his arm. She curled up and shut her eyes.

"I think I've just been adopted," he said.

It is an amazing thing to see someone fall in love, and I went to bed smiling that night thinking about mustache-man and his two new best friends. Alexis...Zeeba...and happy, happy, happy.

Jenny Bean's Creation Sampler (sneak preview)

2011-01-12T12:46:00.003-06:00

People have been bugging me for a sneak peek of the next Jenny Bean sampler. This is the top portion of the sampler -- below is a Garden of Eden scene with Adam & Eve, a stitching angel, animals, hills, a cartouche, waves, fish and more! But I hope this at least gives you an idea of what it's going to look like. The colors are turning out really well on the Pear linen (Lakeside Linens.) Hope you like it!

There are going to be several bands of specialty stitches, too, since this is a band sampler. They're fun to do (and will come with instructions), but you could choose to leave those out or fill with something else!

Old Eyeballs

2011-01-11T09:11:00.003-06:00

I'll be 41 in March which means, unfortunately, I have old eyeballs.

My eyes are one feature of mine I'm fairly proud of. They're green, like my dad's, and prettily-shaped, like my mom's. I get complimented on them frequently. I'm not bragging (well, OK, maybe I am), but I was stopped in the grocery store last year by a leather-clad biker-looking guy who asked me if anyone had told me that day how pretty I was, and didn't I have the most beautiful green eyes. (At least I know if anything happens to Steve, I've got a shot with the Harley Davidson crowd.)

But I have to face it. They're old. After decades of stitching on fine fabric in near-darkness, I started using an over-the-shoulder Ott-Lite recently. And this weekend, while working on the new Jenny Bean sampler (on 40 count), I said, "Hey, Graham, can I borrow your reading glasses for a sec?" And wouldn't you know it, it was EASIER to see the fabric. Go figure!

Steve gave me a little bit of a bad time. He said something like, "Ha ha, your eyes are old," and I stuck my 40-count linen in his face. "Well," I said, "can YOU see these holes?" "Hey, I WEAR glasses," he said. Steve's about as blind as a potato.

A sweet potato.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2010-12-28T12:01:00.005-06:00

We had a great Christmas week last week -- here we are all dressed up for church Christmas eve. Steve got me some pajamas (sorely needed), Harrison found me Mary Roach's new book "Packing for Mars," and I got some really cool gifts from friends -- a homemade tote with one of her grandmother's antique buttons from Jennifer, a custom art piece and spinner rack display from Sue, a French Rolling pin from my brother-in-law Bob and ANOTHER one from his girlfriend Cathy...and more...

Mom scored me some great Tupperware (which has become very hard to find), and Dad pruned my hedges, fixed my spinner racks at the shop, vacuumed, and did a few other odd jobs. Much-appreciated!

The boys helped my dad put pine straw around the plants outside. We have this really neat bush...I don't know what it is, but it always gives me these bright pink and yellow flowers at Christmas.

Since moving to the south, I have learned to make gumbo. I use Emeril Lagasse's recipe that you can find on the Food Network web site. I make my own roux, which Steve insisted on stirring this time. It was delicious chicken and sausage gumbo, a perfect dish to serve on a cold Christmas eve.

Christmas morning I got up and baked two pies and made "Little Devils" with the pie crust leftovers (on the left.) Graham named them "Little Devils" when he was one himself, and that name stuck. Basically, it's just the scraps cut off the edges dusted with sugar and cinnamon and baked. They always go quickly.

I am kind of known for my pie-making skills in my family, and I thought I'd share my recipe with you. I have used lots of different recipes, and this one works the best for me, producing a flaky crust, as long as I handle it properly...

Theresa's Apple Pie:

Crust:

2/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons COLD Margarine (I use Blue Bonnet)

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use White Lily, since I live in the south now)

Sprinkle of table salt

ICE water

Using a pastry knife/blender, cut the margarine into the flour until margarine is pea-sized. Sprinkle in a little salt. Put in several teaspoons of ICE COLD WATER. This is important. Start mixing by hand. You want the dough to just barely come together (add a little more water if it still seems dry). THEN STOP!!!! The less you handle the dough, the better it will be. Chill it in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, as long as you like (you can also freeze it.)

While the dough is chilling, peel and slice up about five or six Granny Smith apples (these are perfect for pies). Sprinkle liberally with white sugar, cinnamon, and about a Tablespoon or so of flour. Mix it up. The flour will help your apples make a sticky sauce. My mom adds butter to the innards. I always figure it's some calories I won't miss, but knock yourself out if you like.

Halve, then roll out both pieces of the dough. You're going to need to sprinkle flour on a flat surface, and roll with a rolling pin. Lay one in the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch pie plate, pour your apples in there, lay on the top piece of crust (I cut a couple of slits in there to let the pie breathe), and sprinkle the top with white sugar. Pinch the crust shut around the edges, slice off the extra crust, and bake at 350 degrees until the pie starts to brown.

Since they're so delicious, make some Little Devils by putting your extra crust pieces on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. These only need about ten minutes or so...and they won't last that long once they're out of the oven.

Merry Christmas, everybody, and Happy New Year!

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat

2010-12-21T11:00:00.003-06:00

Graham said last night: "Boy, Christmas snuck up on me this year." It's the same day every year, but it seems like when you least expect it, there is Christmas staring you square in the face. I wanted to share a few of my ornament finishes with you.

These are block ornaments I made for my nephews -- I used a scrap of 29 ct. Natural Glenshee, and 2" wooden blocks that I bought for 99 cents at Hobby Lobby. A little paint in two different colors, and a quick finish with the stitched design stretched over a piece of cereal box...they're really cute. After this picture was taken, they got teacup hook hangers in an antique bronze color. Oh, and the pattern is an older Prairie School pattern.

This set of ornaments I made for friends. I could only find FOUR wooden blocks that were big enough for the boys' ornaments, so I found these little paper mache boxes (also 99 cents) at Hobby Lobby. Same two colors of paint (a sage green and a light brushing of brick red.) And I mounted these using some cool sticky tape that mimics hot glue (without the heat.) These don't get hangers -- I finish some ornaments without hangers, so they can nestle on a branch.

And this last one is for my niece, Claire. She's very smart and sweet, and I found this old pattern by Monsterbubbles in a Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I had torn this page out, but didn't get the supply list. I used a scrap of Lakeside Linen (this piece of fabric is probably ten years old or more), and plain old DMC floss. The original was done in green dots and black letters on pink fabric, but I went with shades of pink/red, and left some of the dots out. It turned out really cute, I think...and see if you can figure out "the joke." I'm hoping Claire can figure it out.

Heeeeeere's Giblet

2010-12-17T09:57:00.002-06:00

We bought a bird feeder for our cats (yes, the cats) earlier this year, and it has given them more hours of enjoyment than we could ever have imagined. Plus, we now have some very fat cardinals and finches in our neighborhood.

On the left is our new kitten, Giblet. She is about five months old now, and was abandoned by her owner (along with another kitten, who has also been adopted.) She is a regular member of the family already. Here are some things Giblet has checked off of her "to do" list so far:

* Fall into a bathtub full of water

* Unravel an entire ball of hemp string

* Climb Theresa like a tree (multiple times)

* Sit in the Christmas tree branches

* Bat the ornaments (of course)

* Step through Theresa's birthday violets

* Purr, and purr, and purr, and purr (check!)

I'm not sure what else she's got on her list, but we sure like having her around.

Nuclear Cookies and a Supply List for Ann Grant

2010-12-14T11:17:00.004-06:00

My mom is having a great time this December, her first "free" December in twenty years. She worked at a department store in Omaha and just retired in January. So, she's busy catching up on twenty years of cookie baking and merry making. She dusted off an old recipe of my Grandma Carmen's for Springerles...German Cookies/Biscuits that call for a very special (a.k.a. "weird") ingredient.

Baking Ammonia. Baking. AMMONIA.

My mom has had her current little vial of Baking Ammonia for almost 40 years. It's a little green glass bottle with white crystals inside. When I was a child, out of curiosity, I uncapped the vial one day and took a big whiff. And I just about fell off the stool I had dragged over to the cupboard where the spices were kept. It really does smell like...ammonia.

Baking Ammonia is used in items that are rolled flat and it leaves almost no flavor (unlike Baking Soda, which will add a slightly bitter taste to cookies; the more you add, the more bitter they taste.) Mom did a lot of research to see if 40-year-old Baking Ammonia was safe. A pharmacist told her it has a very long shelf life, and as long as it still bubbled in a little milk, it was good. Mom made the cookies, and to be sure she ate one first before giving any to her friends. I had joked: "Does the recipe also call for weapons-grade plutonium?" If she starts glowing at night, we'll know it was the cookies.

Anyway, here's the recipe. You can easily find Springerle rolling pins online. And the Baking Ammonia is also an ingredient you can order on the Internet. But you're going to have to supply your own elbow grease.

Grandma Carmen's Springerles

8 eggs

4 cups sugar

pinch salt

1/4 tsp Baking Ammonia

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

7 cups flour

Anise seeds

Beat eggs 15 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat for 20 minutes more. Dissolve Baking Ammonia and Baking Soda in 1 Tbsp. warm milk. Add to above mixture and stir well. Gradually add the flour on a slow speed.

Sprinkle lightly-greased cookie sheets with anise seeds. You will need 4 large cookie sheets. Using additional flour, roll out the dough to 1/4"-1/2" and cut into squares. (Press lightly with a mold or your Springerle rolling pin, if you're lucky enough to have one).

Place on cookie sheets and cover with kitchen towels over night in a cool place (or at least 10 hours). Bake at 325 only until the bottom of the cookie is LIGHTLY browned. Do not over-bake. It might only take six or seven minutes. As soon as they are cool, place them in tightly-covered containers, separating the layers with waxed paper.

People are almost wetting themselves over Ann Grant's sampler (above.) It is graphed. The supplies have now been sent to the model stitcher, and we will all have to patiently wait for dear Kathy to stitch the darn thing. I thought I'd post a list of supplies for y'all, just in case anyone wants to be absolutely ready to get started on this when it's done. It's going to be lovely.

Stitch count: 293 by 347 -- Fabric is 32 count Vintage Sand Dune (Lakeside Linens)

Gloriana Silk Floss: Schoolhouse Red, Pecan

Thread Gatherer Silk N Colours: Camelot's Lady, Potter's Clay

Belle Soie: Chocolat, Baguette

Au Ver a Soie: 2635, 3812, 3431, 3745, 3815

Needlepoint Silk: 993, 222

It is possible you will need more than one skein of a few of these...I won't know for sure until the model is stitched. I will also be doing a conversion to Sampler Threads and to DMC floss. Autumn Gold linen by Lakeside Linens would be absolutely gorgeous for this ... I hated to choose that color, because Pat has to dye that color twice, and there's going to be a stampede for linen when this comes out. I do have a list of people who have pre-ordered the sampler graph. Feel free to hop on the Ann Grant boat.

In personal news...just to catch up a little...we have a new cat. You might remember we had to put dear Abigail to sleep a few weeks ago. Steve found another cat (I am certainly outnumbered.) Her name is Giblet (we adopted her the day after Thanksgiving, so she is named for "the edible offal of a fowl, typically the heart, gizzard, liver and other visceral organs." Steve's mom makes giblet gravy every year (VERY English). I don't eat the gravy, but I do like our little Giblet. I'll post a picture soon. (She's a "mutt," but looks like a Russian Blue.)

Also, I am busy stitching on a Christmas stocking for my nephew Tate (it's an original design that I will release next year. Will post a picture when it's done.) And I have some ornament finishing to do yet. I actually am looking forward to doing some holiday stitching when I take a few days off next week for Christmas. Mom and Dad will be here from South Carolina...maybe she'll bring me some nuclear cookies?

Oysters and Pearls

2010-11-19T08:39:00.002-06:00

I pick Graham up after school every day, and I've always loved that luxury. I get to hear about the day while it's still fresh in his mind.

Yesterday he was upset, because his classmates and teacher were angry at him in math class. During an electronic math game, he didn't work his math problems quickly enough, and so his class didn't beat the other class. The electronic nature of the game meant Graham's answers could have remained anonymous, but the teacher indicated it was Graham and then called him a name. Graham became teary while telling me the story, and then I did, too.

I mulled it over last night, and remembered what it was like to get in trouble in school (especially in front of my peers). I was an excellent student, but took any mistake of mine and brooded on it, often for years.

In third grade, I accidentally tripped my teacher Mrs. Stern (yes, her real name.) We were walking to gym class, and I was first in line behind the teacher. The girl next in line bumped into me, and I tripped forward, causing the 70-something-year-old Mrs. Stern to go crashing down onto the linoleum. She didn't get hurt, but I quickly went from being Teacher's Pet to Enemy Number One. She stood by my desk that afternoon, tapping on it with her long fingers, saying she had told us many times not to walk so close behind her. I felt completely ashamed, and after that, she was wary of me.

That quarter, I got an S-minus in "Listens to and follows directions."

I never told anyone at home about it, but this was one of those moments that burrowed into my head and didn't come out for years. I watered and cared for a few other similar situations to punish myself with whenever I was feeling anxious or sad. At the time, it made me feel like I was probably a bad person.

So this morning on the way to school, I said: Graham, let me tell you something.

A teacher's job is very difficult and stressful. And I would guess most teachers go into teaching to help all of the students, not just the ones for whom school is easy. When you were having trouble in math yesterday, your class was frustrated, and so was your teacher. But she should not have done what she did. Everybody makes mistakes, even teachers, and she made one yesterday. You need to forgive her for that.

Don't let what happened continue to bother you anymore. I used to beat myself up over little things I did wrong, for years. For years, Graham. And that's ridiculous. You're going to make mistakes, just like I did. Just like everyone does, and you have to let them go.

I've come to think of it like this, Graham. Do you know what an oyster does when it gets a little piece of sand inside?

"Yeah," he said. "It makes a pearl."

Well, I said, it does make a pearl. But instead of spitting that piece of sand out, an oyster keeps the sand, and adds to it, and adds to it, trying to make it smoother and feel better. In reality, it just keeps making it bigger and bigger. And we do that, too, with worries. We keep them inside and work on them, and they get bigger than they need to be. Just spit them out, Graham. Does that make sense?

He thought a moment. "You know," he said, "that's a very good analogy."

Do you feel better? I asked.

"A little," he said.

I still have times where I let myself or someone else down. I'm not perfect. But I know those moments don't define me. And instead of sucking on those moments, I just forgive myself. Then I spit them out.