Here's what I've been doing!

This is the first batch of kits (over 50), going out tomorrow for Squaredance.

Should have more going out everyday this week. 

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Life deserves a very close look...

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friends!

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Late night hours

I've always been a night person.  When I was young I could allow myself not to be a morning person.  I rarely spoke more than one syllable words before 10am.  That was many lifetimes ago.  

Now I'm still a night person but it has become harder because I get up early.  I'm at the computer with my first two cups of coffee long before getting Nina ready for school.  

The late nights when everyone is asleep, house chores rarely make me feel guilty.  I sit on the sofa, threads all around me, a re-run of Law and Order in front of me, (I usually just listen because my eyes are glued to my canvas), and it's beautifully quite.  

I've learned to enjoy my own company.  Not in a narcissistic kind of way, but in the way which we learn to do as we grow older.  We calm down a bit and begin to see ourselves as good friends.  It's just me, my hands working the threads, my mind wandering and exploring.  

I love the late night hours.

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Needlecase in a day!

I have 5 million things to do. That's usually when I decide to do something new.  Makes sense, doesn't it?  

So yesterday I decided to finally do something with some little button charms that I've had for years.  These are little Susan Clarke mini buttons or embellishments.  The needlepoint design couldn't be simpler but with the charm I think it works.  Then I took some felt, (the felt in the photo is actually dark gray, I couldn't adjust the image to show that).  I sewed a ribbon to the felt, folded it and attached the little needlepoint piece. With a few very easy steps I have a very functional and pretty needlecase. 

Of course I had to do it in two colorways...

I have a limited number of these charms but I will be kitting this little number after Thanksgiving and I'll send notice to my mailing list.  If you'd like to get notice of this, please sign up on this page,  to the left, so that you can join the list and find out when special items are available.  

What are your Thanksgiving plans?  Cooking?

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Have I become one of them?

Dog people used to drive me crazy! (WAIT till the end before you send any hate mail my way...).   Not all dog people, just the ones that talk and talk and talk to you about their dog and really don't care if you're interested.  The ones that when their dog comes and sniffs you all over, jumps on you, licks you-- they just smile at you. One of those proud parent smiles, those sweet smiles, as if to say, "awww, don't you just love my dog's nose and saliva all over you?".  

I don't want people to assume I'm interested in their dogs.  I don't assume they are interested in my loved ones.   I used to get so worked up about this kind of dog person. I'd grumble and squish my eyebrows together in anger.  I swore up and down that I would never, ever be a dog person!  Not THAT kind of dog person!

But then this came into my life...

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What do you think? Wasteful? Not?

Yesterday morning I went to pick up some mid-week groceries. You know, the kind that doesn't really fall under the: "OH MY, we have nothing to eat at home", but does fall under: "Are we out of milk and eggs already?".  So at the entrance to the store there were buckets and buckets of flowers. They weren't my favorite kinds (not Hydrangeas, or Peonies or other such varieties), but still, they were so abundant, singing to me as I entered the store. I could feel my mouth watering and I kept picking up packs of them and putting them back in the buckets, dreaming of combinations.  Finally I forced myself to move on and I packed my cart with the items I came for.

At the cash register things were going slow. Very slow. Yep, about five minutes into the wait I grabbed my bag, left my cart in line and dashed over to those buckets. I had already figured out combinations, so I knew exactly which packs to grab. Dripping water I ran back to my cart at the line just in time to unload and pay. 

I got home and spent the next half hour putzing with the flowers. I love putzing, especially with flowers.  These are a few of them.

 The tulips went in the bathroom. 

You would think that's the end of the story but here's the catch... I've been ridden with guilt about having spent all this money on flowers.  Did I really need them? In less than a week they'll be gone anyway.  And why did I buy more than one pack? On and on.  

So what do you think? Wasteful or not?

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Kit Utopia

It's Genevieve again:

If anyone is wondering about the best part of this job, let me just show you---I know that anyone who does Needle Art of any kind will appreciate this!!

After receiving the final count on our Squaredance Cyberclass today ( a whopping 114 of you signed up!!) Orna and I have begun putting together the Squaredance kits in two colorways: Veranda Views and Summertime Hills. 

The threads have been arriving, all these beautiful silks and colors.  I lined them all up to take inventory, and I had to snap some pictures when I saw this extraordinary array of colors!

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Eastern Couture in Tapestry, dramatic!

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New Designs at Ornaments!

Tiny Trinkets: Rectangle

Hi everyone--it's Genevieve again. Orna is off with her family taking a much deserved vacation amongst the Glorious Fall Colors!! Hopefully she will come back inspired and well rested! In the meantime, I just finished putting up two more new designs! 

At the top, is Tiny Trinkets: Rectangle-- available in three different Color Families. For each Color Family, you will receive three different colorways in each kit. Included are 9 different skeins, 3 metal finishing frames, canvas, and all the rest of the materials you need to create all three of the colorways in your kit! It's a great little holiday stocking stuffer, or perfect to make holiday ornaments that are unique and extraordinary!

Also just posted is Tiny Treasures: Square. This is similar to the Rectangle Kit, however 13 skeins are included in two Color Families. Along with the canvas, 3 frames and finishing materials these designs are perfect little holiday projects. 

Both of these are fantastic projects to make in a day or two, and the best part is the finishing is a snap with all the supplies that are included. Both kits come packaged in beautiful little aluminum boxes to keep all the supplies together.

So that's all for today---we are now in the midst of getting ready for the Squaredance class--the response was fantastic!! We will be making kits for days!

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Going to the Poconos... what to wear??

We are leaving tomorrow for our annual expedition up north, just a bit, enough to see leaves on the ground, hills, smell fireplaces, read, eat, play games and work on jigsaw puzzles.

We'll be back on Monday.

See you then!

 

 

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Giveaway Winner Is....

NCPAT!!! 

"Tall and Tan"

What wonderful titles you all had! I was delighted to see how each name incorporated 
the colors in such clever ways.  YEA!! 

The Google Random Generator picked the number, so "Tall and Tan" is yours, Pat.
(Please email us a snail mail address to send off your prize)

And just to keep you thinking about color:  I was clicking away with the camera this morning, 
and found a connection between this bouquet in my kitchen,
the threads in my studio and my design, "Tessellations". 
I did no arranging or matching, just clicked.

 

 

 

And just in case you haven't received 9 million calls reminding you--

don't forget to get out the vote today.

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