Pin Interest

What is it?!?? Anyone who has followed me for any amount of time knows that I love collections; one beautiful idea, repeated. It can be fabric, or books, or glass, or silken glorious threads---but it has to be beautiful. Rich. Mouth-watering. On Etsy, there are Treasuries, where you put together pictures of people's items in a pleasing way, and then--what? I am not sure, but I knew that I loved it! And then, just recently, I found a place where there are lots of other people who like collections too.

It is called Pinterest.com and it is, simply put, nirvana for the visually sensitive. You build beautiful boards of beautiful things that you find all over the internet---things that are yours, things that are someone else's. Some Pinsters focus on color--Brilliant yellow, Organic Green, or Mermaid Blues guide their boards look and feel. Some Pinsters build on the mundane, some on the exotic. Some take pictures of their lunch, some their breakfast. But the rotation is continual and the inspiration is endless. It's an online picture book for adults! And-- my new addiction! But be careful-- it could become yours too.....

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NEW DESIGNS AND NEW THREADS!

As everyone who does needlepoint knows, needlepoint is not a sprint, but more of a marathon. You have to be in it for the long haul, pacing yourself. Designing needlepoint is much the same -- I have to keep the whole race in mind, and that means months of tweaking, pulling threads, rethinking, and living with a piece for a very long time before anyone sees it. This month I have three different designs, two cyberclasses, and a new website dedicated to teacher craft all come across the finish line! It's rare that they all come together at once like this but who am I to argue?

First to show you is the new kit "Contemporary Tartan" available on my website as of today. In three (soon to be four) different colorways, this project explores pattern on pattern and stitch on stitch to create am incredibly dense woven piece of needlepoint! The kit is entirely based on a wide array of Gloriana threads including silks, woolen and a beautiful thin silk ribbon!

The second of my designs to come to fruition this week is called "Hanging Garden" and is part of the new Adorn Atelier Class I am offering in April. This piece measures 11 inches by 8 inches finished, and features endless stitch combinations and variations. An exotic, organic design, the kit features brilliant shades of silks, rayons and cotton overdyes to work with.

For those of you who just can't get enough of my Tiny Designs, I offer the "Corinthian Earring" cyberclass.  In this class you will make three sets of needlepoint earrings, and finish them with varied types of bead weaving, embellishments and bangles. The class kit includes everything needed to create these three different sets of earrings, including earwires, threads, canvas, and filiagree findings in different finishes. If you like to use the things you make, then you will love this class and the endless variations you will discover!

And.......... we are now carrying an entire line of Adorn Thread Palettes. These Palette Collections include 10 full skeins in monochromatic sets, packaged in a double sided window box with a 7 x 3 piece of coordinated canvas. The response for our color coordinated thread packs has become so amazing, that we have decided to make these a permanent fixture from now on!

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From Dream to Reality

It has never been only about the Art for me.  It has always been about the Sharing, whether studying with a fellow artist, or teaching what I know to others.  Bringing people together to teach and learn, is what I always hoped I could facilitate.  My dream is now a reality. 

Adorn Atelier is a virtual studio, where one can learn and create with some of the best artisans in their respective field.  Beautiful, whimsical, magical, splendid, are words to describe the offerings in the classes for Spring 2012.  Whether it be Yael Falk and her wire crochet art, Jennifer Bruce and her lovely knit evening bag, whether it is the fun cross stitch from Jaqueline Gable or the intricate Kirigami from Cynthia Emerlye,  it goes on and on.  Go peek and tell me what you think. 

As for me?  I will be offering two new classes.

Hanging Gardens

Corinthian Earrings

I hope you will be inspired to give one, (or maybe more), of the classes from Adorn Atelier, a try! 

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The meaning of life:

Friday evening, my girls at the computer in my studio, chatting, singing, and laughing together.  Saturday evening, Shiri and Reid cooking Pad Thai while I make lemon pudding cakes. Nina trying to keep Esther from licking Nomi up.  Sunday morning all of us sitting around, taking pictures with Nomi and just a little sad that soon they need to go back home.

 

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Congrats!

to our winner. . . Sharon Field, it's you!  You have a new tool bag!

Please contact me at orna@ornadesign with address info.

I so enjoyed reading your comments. It's a huge compliment to know that my blog does inspire many of you, I thank you!

You mentioned that seeing new projects is an inspiration, so I'm going to be a tease.  Here you go:

Coming very soon, I promise!

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Giving it away!

There are two types of bags I can never have too many of... a small cosmetic bag for lipstick and a small tool pouch for stitching doodads.

You must feel the same, so with that in mind, here is a give away!  A little tool bag I made out of Ultrasuede, with a see through pouch, a velcro closure and a funky color combination.  Oh, and to top it off, a large wonderful lampwork bead by my talented friend Ellie Macnish.  

I will use my trusted Random Number Generator, you will leave a comment to say hi and tell me what your favorite type of blog posting is?  Would it be this type of posting?  Or this type? Or maybe this kind? I will choose a winner on Tuesday afternoon. 

Meantime, have a wonderful weekend and drop me a line.
Me,
Orna

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Couture here and there.

 Deng Hao 

Haute Couture 2012

China

Orna Willis

Grab Bags Couture 2012

USA

Marvelous thread boxes, with beads, charms, braids, ultrasuede, pearls, crystals, My Etsy store is back!

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A journey that starts in Philadelphia.

http://www.needleartjourney.org/

This year will be the 40th anniversary of ANG, The American Needlepoint Guild.  I am super excited because it is taking place here, this August, in Philadelphia. Along with the yearly Seminar and the celebrations associated with that event, there will be another very important event, a first of it's kind.  Leaders in the needleart community have come together to form a three year venture meant to bring needleart to the attention of a wider audience, composed of people who do not necessarily belong to ANG or even those who do not necessarily  do needleart.  It is aimed at artists, art collectors, fiber art enthusiasts, and the general public.  This venture begins with an amazing needlework exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, (PAA), in the beautiful Rittenhouse Square section of Philly.  The exhibit will be an art exhibit, comprised of antique samplers and of modern samplers.  It will focus on pieces from the far past, and move into highlighting the beautiful work, the modern approach found in today's work.  I have the great honor of chairing the committee in charge of this exhibit.  I have been working with some wonderful ladies, (and friends), who have a vision which I share, and we hope to make this exhibit a first of it's kind.  In addition to the exhibit there will be an auction of needlework which will take place on the opening night of the exhibit.  

http://www.needleartjourney.blogspot.com/

This venture (which we named "A Journey with Needleart; from the past to the future"), will continue to Anaheim in 2013 and will culminate in Chicago in 2014 with a Sampler Competition!  To that end we have designed a website and a blog devoted to bringing the information and the beauty of all this to you.  Please visit both these sites and make sure to have them bookmarked on your computer.  I also urge you to consider coming to Philly to join in the festivities.  Seminar will take place at the Philadelphia convention center which is smack in the center of this wonderful city.  There is so much to do in Philadelphia, so much to see!  Bring a friend, a spouse, a child along, they will not be bored while you take classes.  It will be a blast, I promise!!

August/September in Philadelphia...THE place to be!

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Tiny Corners, oh the treasures you'll find!

You guys made me feel so good with your response to my Statement Ring! I really do cherish your input, thank you for taking the time to write!  

 

This year I will be introducing my series: Tiny Corners.   I find that I love working on one big piece of needlepoint while making sure I have a few smaller projects going on to keep me satisfied.  I came across these beautiful, magical locket frames.  They have sweet little locks and glass on both sides.  They are perfect, PERFECT, for tiny little vignettes of needlepoint.  I bring them to you...   

While I wait for a big order of the locket frames to arrive, I just had to share them with you.  In fact, I have put them up on my website and am taking advance orders for the kits.   of course, I will be offering a nice discount for placing your orders and waiting two weeks for gratification. 

If you'd like to see more, just hope on over HERE  and HERE and HERE to check them out in more detail.

The next time you are at the doctor's office, waiting to be called into the examining room, only to find yourself waiting there some more... make sure to have one of these little projects handy.  By the time the Doc finally shows up, you will have a new piece of jewelry to show.

PS - I'm taking your advice and you'll be seeing some Statement Rings soon.

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