HI!!!!

It sure has been awhile! And no, I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth - just been absent, busy, sidetracked and distracted for a long, long while. But I will be back into some (hopefully) serious blogging with possibly some major changes in my life coming up! So stay tuned for the next posting. I PROMISE I won't take another ten months to get back to you!
Meanwhile, celebrate the New Year with joy, have faith in the good inherent in all, and confidence in the future. Be safe, have fun and I'll chat with you soon!
Happy 2012!
Cathy

Remembering Lisa Roswell and her family

It was such a shock to learn this morning of Lisa's sudden and senseless death. We can only shake our heads and wonder why when this sort of thing happens to such loving and selfless friends and loved ones. Lisa and her family will long be in my thoughts as I and so many of her needlework community of friends send prayers and thoughts of love and hope of finding strength and peace in happy memories and her needlework legacy.

What looks like crazy and busy....IS!

Nashville Market is over for another year and what a great market it was! Even though there seemed to be fewer vendors and shops in attendance, it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones! Less crowded exhibits allowed us to see more, share more and generally talk with everyone more! It was lots and lots of fun. A big thank you to everyone who came into my exhibit! I really enjoyed seeing you all.

Somewhere along the way on the trip home from Nashville Monday night, I picked up a nasty stomach and intestinal bug, and by Tuesday afternoon, I was flat out  on the sofa. Next day, same thing. Finally by Thursday, after several cups of ginger lemon tea (wonderful stuff!!!!!) the head and stomach stopped pounding and gurgling, and I felt once again somewhat human. That bug was nasty! Are "bugs" getting worse or am I getting older? Anyway, feeling much better on Thursday, I got much of the pre-market mess in the house under control, and brought it back from its very "h...-in-a-hand-bucket" condition. It looked like a war -zone and I HATE so much out-of-control clutter and mess! So........my body gets back on track and the house follows suit....Life is good!

Next job: fill the bird feeders. Both the little guys and the big ones (like squirrels!) ravaged the feeders while I was away and they were very empty. When filled, I came back inside and watched while everyone found lunch. But when I tried to take some pictures, they sensed my motion at the window and took off. Of course, Andy, who follows me like a shadow, was standing there as well. He must have heard the cat who lives three houses away, walking around outside (he certainly can't see it) and went into fits of barking to go out, which of course sent the birds up and away. Again! I was hoping to get some pictures of the flock of Eastern Mtn.Bluebirds that have been frequenting the feeders all winter. I have never had them in my yard - I thought they were a summer bird. What a treat to see their bright blue and rust coloring against the white snow!

So at last the car was completely unloaded, the boxes and equipment  put away for another year,and the house in some sort of reasonable order. After two separate birthday parties for various grands Saturday and Sunday, Sunday night I gathered up an antique sampler to reproduce and the supplies necessary to create new ideas for future designs, and packed it all into the car along with Andy and his gear (and my stuff) and finally headed for the Cape on Monday. Too cold, you say? Well, you know "they" say it never rains on the golf course (I wouldn't know - I'm not a golfer!) but I say it's never too cold to be on the Cape! Just bundle up! I know for sure the dog will be in the water - and yes, that IS cold!

So off I went to my Cape Cod spot to hopefully find inspiration, refreshment and renewal. I'm sure all beach-lovers know exactly what I mean. I've been here one day and already I can feel the tightness inside unwinding and loosening up. Goodbye stress! The peace is settling in and I'm ready to get to work. Actually it's not work - it's an interesting, most-of-the-time fun process to sit back and see what design takes shape out of a sketchy idea or two!

Until next time, enjoy stitching your new projects ........................
Cathy

AND I'M BACK ...............FINALLY!

Well, after many hectic, busy days weeks of multitasking (that should read cleaning, cooking, laundry,cleaning up stink bugs - grrrr, ect., etc.), stitching, shoveling snow and chipping ice, creating copy(ugh!), proofing, babysitting, shoveling snow, printing, RE-printing, shoveling snow, photographing (which is not so great since I couldn't get outside for really good color shots and everything was covered with the very beautiful but bright white stuff anyway), pasting pictures on chart covers, cleaning up stink bugs - STILL, and pushing 2000 chart packs in bags, I'M DONE and ready for the Nashville Needlework market this week! Yeah! Oh yes, and the snow has all but melted and I finally got Christmas decorations put away last week, honest! Embarrassing! My four-year-old grandson could not believe we STILL had the tree up!(it is an artificial one) "No time for such trivial work," I told him - and he just looked at me and shook his head, thinking, I'm sure, that I was really getting old and strange! I had almost decided to just push it in a corner and throw a sheet over it until next  year and call it some sort of sculpture project to anyone who had the audacity to ask what was going on.

I know I had promised in an earlier post to give you stitchers some sneak peeks of what was in the works,but...........that obviously didn't happen! But now you get to see the whole design  - and I hope you like what you see!

This first design, "Plenty and Grace" was created as a wedding sampler for my youngest son and his wife. It may be a wedding sampler for them, but it is also a geneology of sorts as I have put both family's  parent's initials as well as the siblings in both families. Various motifs have significant meanings to both bride and groom which further enhances the special appeal and yet they are part of the overall folk art design to others.It can be anything you want it to be!!!

 

 The next design will look familiar to many, I'm sure. I have had many requests for just this part of the Sarah Elliot Sewing Chest chart pack and since the chest itself is now out of production, I am releasing the chart for the top only under the title, Sarah Elliot's Home Port. The accessories that were in the original Sewing Chest chart pack will be released later in a new format.



 

Third design: "Just For Today" gives us a gentle nudge and reminder each day.....................of things we should all do to make us all feel better! Let's get it going!

Two years ago, I reproduced a similar antique Victorian Motto, "With Joy We Greet You" and this year, I reproduced "Welcome Home" It makes a great companion piece and looks perfect by the front door or in the guest room. It is a snap to stitch on 18ct. Khaki Davos (easy satin stitch and straight stitch) and the wonderful, wonderful cross bar frame gives it the perfect finish. (The source for the frames is listed in the chart pack.)

The last new design, Quaker Pocket Needfuls - A Petite Huswife is the fourth (and final?) piece in the Quaker Pocket Needfuls series. While this "Petite Huswife" can be used to hold small sewing accessories and needful necessaries, I also find it perfect for carrying pieces of jewelry in my suitcase when traveling. It comes with (directions included) its own little matching travel pouch.



I hope you like what you see. Let your local needlework shop know if you are interested in any of my new designs or email me for additional information and contacts.

I will see you all again when I return from Nashville - and I really will try to post more often now that the crush of production is over! Then soon after that, the dog and I will be heading to Cape Cod for a little bit of business and lots of quiet, peace and beautiful ocean and beach! Can't wait!!! (Hope I get snowed in!)

Happy Valentine's Day! Kiss your sweetie and HUG your dog!

Cathy

"Life is a song. Love is the music."

        (author  unknown)