A Post of Praise!

When does a package get lost in the mail? When it's very, very important!

On May 31st I sent out a very important package full of kits and instructions for a class on my design Sunflower. The class was to start on June 18th, plenty of time, right? Not if the package disappears! Yesterday I found out that the package never reached its destination, and nobody knew where it was. After realizing that even if the Postal service found it and returned it to me, it wouldn't reach the stitching group in time for their class, I immediately began making calls to all the fiber companies whose fibers were in these kits. I begged them to help me by sending out the threads I needed immediately, and ship them overnight so that I would receive them all today. I assumed that by tomorrow I would be able to complete the packaging, the printing, the laminating, the shipping labels and ship it out overnight to its destination. So many things had to happen just so, on time, it was a long shot but it had to be done. I called: Rainbow Gallery, Threadworx, Edmar, Caron Collection, Wichelt, Access Commodities and gave them all my lists.

drum roll...... at 11:30 this morning EVERYTHING arrived! Package after package, it all came in. By that time Rae and I had printed and laminated the instructions, we put the fibers together in packets for each colorway and not 5 minutes ago, at 12:50 this afternoon, Rae took the big box to the Postal shop nearby.
All these wonderful companies helped me achieve this feat! All the students ready to start stitching on Monday will not be disappointed! I'm so relieved and so happy to be working with people who understand the importance of service and valuing the customer.

Hurray for Sally at Rainbow Gallery, Debbie at Threadworx, Lois at Caron, Lamora at Access Commodities, Sue at Wichelt, and the wonderful people at Edmar! Thank you all!!

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Give me a LIKE?

I'm pretty excited this morning.  I love to be discovered, to be recognized, but really don't we all? It's an honor when someone recommends your work, something you made with your mind, your creativity and your two hands. Even more so to be recognized on one of my favorite lifestyle Israeli websites, it's sort of closing a circle, but in a very good way, I'm kvelling!
(kvell k(ə)vel/verb feel happy and proud. "my mom was kvelling—bursting with pride")

Back in 1988 Michaela Bercu appeared on the cover of American "Vogue".  This Israeli beauty was chosen for Anna Wintour's first Vogue cover since she had taking over the magazine as editor.   Michaela was fresh, natural looking, and seemed so approachable.  It was also the first time a model wore jeans on the cover of Vogue.  I remember that cover very well!

Years later she started her lifestyle website and I am an avid follower.  For me it's nice to stay on top of what's happening on the Israeli front.  Today I am thrilled to have my work praised and displayed on the site.

http://www.mymichaela.com/

Michaela ends the article by saying: " I must say... the beauty in Orna's work starts in the packaging." Now you know how proud that makes me feel!!

See those stars at the bottom left of the photo above with the circle around them?  How about popping over to the website and giving me a 5 star boost?  HERE you go!

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Anyone speak Italian?

Lidia Casari from Close-Up Fashion Publications contacted me last week. Yes, I didn't know who she was either. But she had seen my work HERE,

and being that she is part of the editorial staff for Italian publications dealing with fashion, textile, trends HERE,

she wanted to know if they could use my images for one of their publications.

and I said: yes!

You don't really need to know Italian, just need to have eyes that see photos in Italian publications.

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Emma Broidery's Blog about me (-:

I was interviewed by the DMC blog queen, a few weeks ago.  We had a fun time chatting.  Usually there is a large lapse in time between the chat and the published interview, and I don't always remember what my answers were to certain questions and whether I sounded intelligent or more of a dimwit!  I think I did OK, you can read for yourself HERE.

Spring is here, can you feel it?!

xo

Orna

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Needle Pointers of May 2012

PS -  I know, PS should come at the end but I wanted to get noticed;-)

I didn't add a photo of the piece I'm raving about because I need to get permission.  Hope to have it sometime today.

I was ready to write to you about what I'm doing this weekend, but I'm going to put that off till tomorrow.  I realized today, when I saw my new Needle Pointers magazine issue, that I don't write enough about other needlepoint designers.  Why did I realize that?  Because the cover of the magazine just grabbed me in the stomach.  I love this piece, I love the colors, the little do-dads at the corners, I love the textures and the beads.  It's flirty and regal all at once.

Jeanne Polzin, thank you for your design Mulberry & Lime. 

Do you know Jeanne?  Please tell her I'm grateful for her beautiful piece.

Orna




PS... these are the colors of her piece...

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Is a picture worth 1000 words?

For anyone who received the 2012 ANG Seminar catalog this week and happened upon page 16, you might have found yourself wondering "What the heck is Orna Willis teaching?!?!?"I am not sure what happened with this layout, but as anyone knows who does graphics, and deals with printers, bad things can happen in the click of a button!

Since this photo is a little, er, cryptic, at best, I thought I would just take a moment to post some illuminating closeups of the class, and explain a little bit more about the project I will be teaching.

My City, My Skyline is a 3-day class that incorporates the idea of a shadowbox with needlepoint. While I normally prefer to work in the abstract, this year I thought I would honor my hometown of Philly, and celebrate it's historical, elegant skyline by a foray into the representational. Each section of the needlepoint skyline will be stitched using beautiful silk and metallic threads. Tiny combination stitches will be worked on Congress cloth. The last part of the class will be used to assemble all of the pieces, using Lucite blocks (You can see those in the ANG photo) of differing widths, Masonite board, and black and white skyline photos. The finished piece has the leveled, shadowed effect of a real city skyline!

Here, My City, My Skyline is used as a wall hanging, accentuating shadows and emphasizing the 3-d nature of the work.

The idea of giving needlepoint depths, height, and dimensionality, has always fascinated me and I am thrilled that My City, My Skyline will be included in the 40th year line up of the ANG seminar.

So if you hear anyone flipping through the catalog, wondering what on earth I'm up to, send them here, and I'll straighten it out!

(PS - OK, I'm going to muster up the courage and ask a favor... do you mind, please, forwarding this to anyone you know who might be going to Seminar this year?  I would really appreciate it!  xoxo O)

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New Free Design - My Family Series

Before I get on with the next installment of the My Family series, I wanted to let you know that I am putting this chapter on my blog with a bit of trepidation.  It might not seem possible, being that I have a blog and that I've been writing about my life, but you must believe me when I tell you that I am a very private person.  This blog has been and still is an exercise for me in opening up, not being afraid to share.  This installment, more than others, is very personal but I feel you can't know anything about my life without knowing about Shiri.  This was originally written 11 years ago, (before Nina came into our lives).  Shiri was a college student then. Now she is a mother, a wife, a lawyer, a beautiful human being and a loving, caring, delightful daughter.  I am leaving this installment exactly as it was in the magazine 11 years ago...

Shiri, Orin and Nomi

My Daughter Shiri

By the time this issue comes to your homes it will be March.  Twenty-one years ago, on the 25th of March, my daughter Shiri was born.  She is my only child.  When Shiri was a few months old, her father and I separated.  I raised her on my own for the next twelve years. 

I came into parenting at the age of 23.  I remember well looking down into my baby’s eyes as she was put on my stomach for the first time.  Her blue round eyes were huge and they gazed up at me with intensity.

Shiri and I spent the next twelve years as a solid unit, she and I facing the world together.  In the first year of her life I was facing a divorce which rocked my world and terrified me.  I had to make immediate changes in my career, becoming the sole provider for our family unit.  I was faced with financial devastation and began a struggle that would last for years.  Planning for my future was a luxury I did not allow myself.   It was Shiri’s future that I would think about at night.  How would I make it all possible for her?

She was an easy baby, very inquisitive, happy and funny.  We spent many hours together, the two of us, and I remember talking to her constantly. From early on Shiri invited me to be a part of her inner most emotional life and she made her way into mine.  Our bond has always been like a metal chain linking the two of us from within.

When she was twelve years old I met Reid and we were married a year later.  Our family unit expanded and Shiri had to make way for a new member.  Just as she did not have any say in her being raised by a single mother, she was now faced with such a big change and she must have been terrified.  The first year of our new life was rocky, but soon Shiri and Reid began establishing a wonderful relationship that has grown into a beautiful combination of love and respect.

I could go on and on about my Shiri.  She is the pride of my life. . . *

*  As I mentioned, this installment came before Nina

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Where I come from and where I'm going

I've always thought that there is nothing more important than knowing where I come from and where I'm going.  It gives me a sense of grounding, purpose, responsibility and hope.  Where I come from is my family.  Where I'm going is my family.  

My Family

In 2001 I wrote an ongoing column called My Family for Needlepoint Now magazine. Each column entry had a story about people in my family as well as a needlepoint design to go along with the story.  The designs eventually came together to form a large composition which is pictured here.  I would like to bring this series to you, along with the free designs, one column every two weeks.  

Why now?  Nomi,  our first grandchild, was born on April 14th, 2011.  She continues the story, she is where we are going.  

And here is some fun news for you!  Every installment of this series along with the free design will also include a GIVEAWAY.  We will be giving one lucky follower a gift of the fibers used in the installment's free design!!  I say follower because in order to be included in the drawing you must be a follower of this blog.  To follow please look on the right-side column, under the About Me, where it says: Hi, and thanks for following!  Sign up and you're automatically included in each of the drawings!

I will be posting the articles just as they were printed in the magazine at the time.  Where I feel it important to comment, I will add an explanation on what was happening at the time. Today I will leave you with the introduction to the series.  My next installment will include the first free design.  I hope you enjoy these stories and perhaps you will be inspired to start a series of your own.

Auntie Nina and little Nomi

MY FAMILY – A NEEDLEPOINT FAMILY ALBUM

It is the greatest honor to be able to address you on a regular basis from the pages of this most wonderful magazine.  I sit here in front of a blank page much like I sat 5 years ago in front of a blank canvas. In front of that first canvas, I did not know what a daunting task I was taking on.  Many times in my life I have taken bold steps, made radical changes, and I wish I could tell you that they were done after deep thought and with much bravery—often, they were not. Had I thought each of the steps through, I may have backed down and stayed where I was.  Luckily I was anxious enough for a change, curious enough to experiment.  This time I know what I’m getting myself into.  This time I am terrified! 

English is not my first language.  I sometimes mix up my idioms, translate expressions that make no sense to the English speaker and use words that I have read but never heard, pronouncing them totally wrong.  I am being a bit manipulative now: I say all this to ask for your understanding when my writing is perhaps not as good as it should be to grace the pages of this publication.  I hope that now I have you on my side…

On this blank canvas, I would like to bring you a “chain of creation”.  I want it to start with an idea, develop into a complete concept and with the help of words and stitching, progress into a creation.  

My idea began with the realization that the most important part of my life is my family. They are important not only because of the love we share with each other, but also because of the lessons of human nature that I learn from each and every one of them.  They are all so different, and yet they all come together into one grouping: My family.  Some I never met, some joined through marriage, and others are a part of my daily life, the background and foreground of my every moment, much like needlepoint—Creating needlepoint designs has become what I do, and defines much of who I am.  I want to use needlepoint to create a design that will express the importance of my family, and I would like to create it along with you.  I have no monopoly on the treasure of family.  We are all embraced by it. 

Over the next few months, I will share with you a design comprised of elements each representing members of my family.  I will tell you about the people that inspired each of these components. They all have such wonderful stories.  You can stitch along with me and when we are done, I will show you how they all come together to form my new design: Family.

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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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Beginning of the week photos and news.

I took these photos on Friday but didn't post them since the focus isn't sharp. I thought I'd take better photos over the weekend, but never did get to it. So better out of focus than no focus at all.

Do you see the little squares of color on the floor at the bottom left side of the short wall? That's just one example of where the floor was sanded and sample stains were applied. There are probably 12-15 such squares and we still don't know which stain to use.

The first of my studio cabinets going up!

My studio wall from the other side.

The kitchen cabinets are going up, slowly, very slowly.

And the big "if" is... if the double oven fits into the cabinet space, I won't need to buy a new double oven and sell this one. If... wish me luck!

and, on another note: there is a great needlepoint magazine, can't tell you which but there is  "Now" in it's name, and it will have a new regular column on color. Hmmm, now who could be writing that column?...

More photos later this week.

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Needlepoint Now and other stuff

I'm still in boxes, only this time in our temp housing. It's actually not that bad of a place and being that it's smaller, less housekeeping to do, big plus!  Our internet connections, have been a nightmare. Just can't get my two computers to talk and since I have all my design instructions on one and my PDF files on another, I can't keep my precious cyber students happy. However, I'm staying positive and working on getting things up and running!

FIERCE, my new design for Needlepoint Now, is out!  Thank you all for the lovely comments you send me everyday. It means so much to hear from you and know you are enjoying my work. 

If you'd like to try the design with a different color scheme, we can try something fun... send me a photo of an overdye you love and would like to use as a base for your colorway, (it will be stitched in the center box and the boxes in the two bottom corners). Your overdye should be a stranded fiber such as Watercolours, or Silk n' Colors, or any other similar fiber. Based on your photo I will send you recommendations for the other fibers you may want to use for the other elements of the design. You can also send me the name and number of the overdye, however, bear in mind, dye lots change, sometimes a new dye lot can make a fiber look completely different! At times it may clash with the same fiber of a different dye lot, therefore my recommendation may be off if I can't see your actual choice.

We will be offering a second Cirque de Fleur Cyberclass beginning May 12th. You can sign up here.

We will be taking sign ups until April 26th. We are in the midst of the first session of this piece and it's been so much fun!

Many of you have asked about stitch guides for Painted Birds. I hope to complete my dear quail friend very soon and write up the guide for this proud little one. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Have you checked out the listing for future ANG Cyberworkshops lately? You will find SQUARE DANCE on that list. Class starts January 2011 and sign up is September-October 2010. Put it on your calendar, it will be a fantastic class!

Today I'm waiting for a visit from my friend and student, Diane. She has been asking to learn how to needlepoint and after a one on one lesson, a few tips along the way, and lots of enthusiasm, this is what she has done so far! 

First project after one lesson. Isn't she amazing? It's students like Diane that make me look good!

Off to get some work done.

Have a wonderful day!!

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Peek-A-Boo

Just a sneak peek. I can't say where. I can't say a word.

... do you read Needlepoint Now? Will you read it next month?



Enough said.

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Creatures of a third kind

This is the cover of the Winter 2010 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.
Back here they had my needlepoint jewelry.

and here you will find these creatures...

These rings are a bit wacky but really fun and there are endless varieties you can make.

We will be adding a How-To on our website for this project as well as the needlepoint cuffs (from here).

and in other news... almost done with the second version of Cirque du Fleur. I decided to go ahead with the new canvas colors. If you join us for the cyberworkshop, you will be able to make your own decision knowing that the new color canvases may be a bit more challenging.



I'll be back with more soon!

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Belle Armoire Jewelry

I'm thrilled to be published in the summer issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. It is a fantastic quarterly magazine that showcases beautiful handmade jewelry from different artists across the country.

Each featured piece includes instructions on the materials and their properties and on how to use the unique techniques to complete the projects. The Summer '09 issue just came out and it is loaded with good stuff, including my needlepoint cuffs! I love it when my needlepoint designs are published in non-needlepoint specific magazines. It always brings hope that maybe, just maybe, someone new will get hooked on needlepoint.

The whole issue is really fantastic, definitely worth checking out.

and speaking about jewels... still waiting for wedding photos but in the meantime...

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Flattering.

I am quite flattered by the attention Home and Garden magazine , the Philadelphia edition, has given our home. Their Spring issue has Three Lofts 3 Ways, How design-minded Philadelphians style one-level living. We are the one called Artistic Retreat.

The home editor, a stylist and a great photographer (Erik photographs for Martha Stewart Living and Metropolitan Home), spent the day here a few weeks ago. It was a fascinating experience. There is a whole different way of looking at things through a camera lens. Each shot entailed an hour or more of setup. Lisa, the stylist showed up with huge buckets of flowers. Hydrangeas, orchids, daisies, tulips. They were gorgeous. In one of the photos she filled a low glass vase with Brussels sprouts, poured water over them and then arranged the flowers in the vase. Remember the lemon phase, when every vase you saw was filled with lemons? Move over lemons, make way for Brussels sprouts...

At 3 PM they were still here so I rushed out to get Nina back from school. She walked in the door and it took her one minute to take it all in and ask to be a part of the show. Off went her school uniform and on went a dress (quite a feat for my tomboy). You will find her seated at the breakfast table pretending to draw.

So, if you are in the area, pop into a local Borders and take a peek.
* all photographs were taken by Erik Johnson and are from the Spring issue of Philadelphia Home

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