Attempting a terrarium(s).

We live in a loft with no outdoor space. We have a northern exposure which means great light for painting, not so much for stitching and certainly not enough for any direct light plants. I decided to try terrariums. They combine glass (one of my favorite materials), plants and building a little eco system that may survive without direct sunlight. 

Some things never change. I never was, and I guess never will be a person of "one of".  Nope, if I try something new, it has to be in multiples.  This is no exception. I have 7 of them now and I'm holding back not to add anymore. The completed ones cost a fortune. So, off I went to look for glass containers, and then stones, soil, charcoal, moss and itsy bitsy plants. 

This was a first try and I see my mistakes. I would like to redo a few of them but since you can't take the material out in layers, I would have to dump the contents, (not the plants).  Not sure if I want to do that.

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Thank you for helping clean out some of my design stash. We are back to normal in almost all of the books so we need to limit the sale to ONE more day.  If there are any designs you would like to get for a great discount, fly over to here.

I LOVED your lost glasses stories. So funny, so familiar.  A little tidbit I've found to be true, I can't hear very well when I don't have my glasses on.  Have any of you noticed that?  We will be choosing a winner for the eyeglass case on Monday.  You still have time to tell me a story. I love them!

 

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Needlepouch is headed to... but here comes something else!

Congratulations to Jeanette!

Jeanette said... Oh, my everyone will want the pouch. It is beautiful!
Please enter me in your drawing. 

(Jeanette, please send me your information to here)

I love doing giveaways so here comes another one. This time it's an eyeglass case I made. Ultrasuede with a small needlepoint piece to match. It has a wrist handle and velcro closure. Bold colors to make it easy to find in your purse.  

To win, tell us about one time you could not find your glasses and how they eventually showed up. I know this happened to you. I know because it happens to me 5 times daily. Maybe this giveaway will help?

Just click on the comments tab at the bottom of this post and tell us your story. 
I read each and every comment so make my day!

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A Mish-Mash Sale!!!

(AKA a little of this and a little of that)

We have been hard at work cleaning and reorganizing my studio for the past few weeks.

No wonder we can't find room for anything, we have overstocks of some wonderful design books.

Now you can help in the clean-up effort...

All the designs in the photos below are going on sale!

I mean big time sale. 

1. TALTUL   $8 each
2. GIBOR    $18 each 
3. A SUMMER DRINK   $14
4. KANYA CUFF   $14
5. TO LIFE   $14
6. MAGEN and MAROM $10
7. A YEAR IN CARDS $12
8. WINDOW IN THE OLD CITY $20

9. HOD and HADAR $10  

 

 

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 Now, you could wait till tomorrow, or Saturday, or Sunday, 

but if you wait till Monday you'll miss the giveaway.

Go to previous blog entry and put in your comment to win the Needlepouch. Quick! 

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Needlepouch for you! (giveaway)

This Ultrasuede needlepouch is one I made a few months ago and
now I'd like one of you to have it.

The brown and black Ultrasuede make this quite an elegant
dwelling for your stitching tools. The needlepoint design
accents the flap along with the beading on the border.
Open the flap and you find a slew of nifty compartments for needles,
laying tools, and odds and ends. Everything stays in place with velcro.

This measures 7" x 7"

If you'd like to join the drawing, post a comment, say hi and then tune in on Monday for the winner!


Just added a peak inside...

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Kitchen ready for inspection!

Finally the kitchen is ready for you to come over for a cup of extra strong coffee or a cold refreshing fruit smoothie. 

 

We can sit at our new built-in table. 

It's funny, but the items I love the most in this big renovation are the small items. I love our small family dining table.  I love a deep closet I have off the kitchen that is perfect for all my tablecloths. I hang them all in there, keeping them long so that there is no ironing needed when it comes time to use them. (Talk about being a Jewish version of Martha Stewart...).

 

The table in the foreground below is our old table. I had it refinished and had the chairs painted. I love how it came out!

This is my little library. Lots of my art books, my craft books, my "things".

and here's another one of my favorite things. The cabinets you see below are Anchor thread cabinets. We had our guys put four of them together on an Ikea base that happened to fit almost exactly. Then they put a piece of wood between the two rows of cabinets and painted it white to fill in the gap. Lastly they put a wood counter on top and I have the best darn cabinet a girl could ask for!

Tomorrow is Nina's 9th birthday and we opted for a small group of her very best friends, movies and dinner at Friendly's. She's been waking up this week telling me about her fast and excited heartbeats because she has a birthday coming up. Happy birthday to our most delightful, magical little big girl.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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The best Squaredancer around!

Yesterday I opened a package from Kathy. Inside was a piece she had proof-stitched for me, SQUARE DANCE.  This is the second colorway of the design I will be teaching for an ANG  Cyberworkshop in January. 

Kathy told me a beautiful story about her grandparents and their love of square dancing. Memories from her childhood came up as she stitched this piece for me. What a gift it is for a designer, knowing your work brought back warm memories of family and childhood. 

I know I designed the piece, I know I chose the colors and fibers, however the meticulous work of a attentive and talented stitcher can take ones design soaring to places you never imagined. In this piece I wanted to achieve a flow, I wanted the sections of the design to weave in and out, to move to the music, to dance. That's what Kathy did for SQUARE DANCE. 

Registration will begin in September. Check out the class!

My first article on color has come out in the latest Needlepoint Now magazine. It has a little experimental design for you to try out.

Next week there will be new photos of our place. We have unpacked and organized 90% of the boxes and stuff we have. The last 10%, I feel, will never find a place. Those are the items that really should not be sent off to "stuff heaven", but also don't seem to have a place in your life. URGH!!!  Still, I will skillfully hide the last 10% and show you our place as of now.

We are off to NY for the weekend. In addition to the 4th, we have a few b-days to celebrate as well.  

Best wishes to all for a wonderful weekend!

Orna 

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