tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16680678612092193982024-03-13T23:09:13.426-04:00Reading N Writing N Stitches N ThingsSharing thoughts, activities, and needlework from Deb's world.Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-45577131027118081502014-05-10T11:34:00.002-04:002014-05-10T11:37:32.786-04:00The Skinny On Ordering (aka Ordering Woes) I am often asked why an item may take a while to be ordered and mailed.<br />
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In our industry, more than 99% of the vendors we deal with are small companies. While we purchase Zweigart fabric and DMC and other threads, we don't deal directly with them, but purchase through distributors here in the US. To put it into context, my local bakery (Crust here in Fenton) has more employees than most of the companies we purchase directly from. <br />
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Most are 1-2 people companies with a handful (Wichelt, Kreinik, Week's Dye Works, Norden Crafts, Fleur de Paris) having maybe 6 to 10 employees. While many cross-stitch designers also sell through one of the distributors that's not true of most thread and fabric dyers. So when you place an order for say, fabric from 4 different companies, threads from 6 more, a mug, a frame or a couple of charts, chances are we have to order from 2-10 vendors. <br />
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Where orders with most vendors took 1-2 weeks, that has now changed to more like 2-4 weeks and that's from the time we place the order. Our industry still has not recovered to pre-2008 levels and that means all of us tightened our belts. We are not able to carry as much stock as we once did nor can our vendors or distributors. So a hand-dyer of threads or fibers might no longer keep a deep inventory in stock but have to dye as needed, which means it can take longer to get orders than it once did. Plus, they all have lives outside of our industry and jury duty, an illness, a family emergency or even an unexpected school holiday can throw a spanner in the works (designers do not have 'staff' to fill in for them as they work out of their homes).<br />
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Some vendors we may only order from a few times a year; with many others once or twice a month. And, the only distributors we order from "nearly" every week are Hoffman, Norden, Wichelt and Yarn Tree. But they frequently have to backorder items to us or tell us to reorder until their shipments are filled (they have minimum order requirements to meet too from the manufacturers) and arrive back in their warehouses. <br />
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Speaking of minimum ordering amounts ... some of our companies have set dollar minimums we have to meet. until we have enough orders to meet their minimums, we cannot place our orders. And, with the companies that do dying of fabric and threads, they have to have enough yardage orders to dye a certain color before they can make that dye bath up. When they do have that minimum requirement met, those dye orders are then placed in queue to be dyed behind their existing orders.<br />
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My hope in explaining this is that you'll have a better understanding of why your orders don't magically appear and why it may take longer than you think it should. If you have a deadline for a project, let us know when you place an order and we can tell you if we think we can meet it. If not, we'll see if we can help you find an alternate, or see if another shop might have what you need. We are small industry and you would be surprised how many times we all reach out to our fellow shop owners to find things we don't have in our stock!<br />
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-78427695461485650232014-04-26T16:30:00.000-04:002014-04-26T16:53:15.417-04:00Another FUN Finishing On-Line Class! Those of you who took the last Online Finishing Class with Jen Funk Webber will be excited to hear about another Finishing Class coming up May 5th! <br />
It's a class on Hemstitching. <br />
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Do you have completed embroideries tucked away in a drawer, waiting to be finished into something that can be displayed? Would you rather not pay hundreds of dollars to have them framed? Are you running out of wall space to display your embroidery? Would you like to finish a piece that can stand alone (think: table runner, placemat, window treatment) or be added to a tote or jacket? Well, we've got just the thing, and you've found it! <br />
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ALL the details can be found here: <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/Hemstitching/291 ">http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/Hemstitching/291 </a> <br />
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Best of all, you get a SPECIAL CODE so that you can get 10% off: LOVEMYINDIESHOP You type this code into the coupon code box at checkout ... type it as ALL caps. Four words, ALL smooshed together ... and you'll get the discount. <br />
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Sign up now, so that on May 5th, you'll learn the fun and flexibility of hemming fabric edges to create useful and decorative stitched pieces. These pieces can then stand alone (placemats), be creatively framed (float mounted), be stitched or snapped to a tote or jacket or pillow or folder or, or, or...! There's no end to what you can create when your needlework isn't confined in a frame. Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-12162883170109234242014-02-05T15:50:00.001-05:002014-02-05T15:50:29.910-05:00Nashville Needlework Market In My Future!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkow-71MSIDYHEH-fCSt627-si7srMGODy88xffdRSJYOFijopuyJ8X5mUhyphenhyphenYAW92JJc0RnJYNEiaXs-DNXTkYLCxnyChM2hT7HHA-yG-QkwWRrpK_cXSBkr-7rTNFb7Zh1JPaAJJs0kT/s1600/mag80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkow-71MSIDYHEH-fCSt627-si7srMGODy88xffdRSJYOFijopuyJ8X5mUhyphenhyphenYAW92JJc0RnJYNEiaXs-DNXTkYLCxnyChM2hT7HHA-yG-QkwWRrpK_cXSBkr-7rTNFb7Zh1JPaAJJs0kT/s1600/mag80.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>It's nearly time once again to make the trek to Nashville Tennessee for the TNNA Needlework Market! <br />
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I wish it were possible to convey even a portion of the magic and electricity you feel at a trade show! You know what it's like to walk into a needlework store .. well, this is the same thing .. but we shops get to walk into the paradise of a designers 'store'! This Market is held in an Embassy Suites hotel .. that's where the floor/rooms are on the outside walls surrounding an atrium in the middle. So if you stand on the first floor in the middle of that atrium and look up, you'll see all the balconies bedecked with banners of the designers and companies that are attending to show us shops all of their newest designs and wares!</div>
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When you get off the elevator onto each show floor, you'll find all of the outside walls and windows with pictures, product and other decorations to entice you into that room.</div>
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Each designer/company sets up 'shop' in the first part of their suite, so
when you walk through the door, you see displays and stitched models and all
kinds of other stitching eye candy! They turn their 'bedroom' into their
'warehouse' .. that's where they keep all the product so that when we make our
purchases, they (or their helpers) disappear into that back area, package up our goodies, take our
money and send us cheerfully upon our way ... into the next room.</div>
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The pictures above are all from past Needlework Markets, but you get the idea!<br />
You may know by now that I always try to put up a <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/NashvilleSneakPeeks.html">Nashville Sneak Peeks Page,</a> and it's up and live now! But .. I'm also putting a good amount of the 'new' up on my <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/whats_new.cfm">catalog What's New pages</a>. Either way you get to see a 'glimpse' of only SOME of the things we'll be seeing and/or buying and/or bringing back to the shop. I'd love to be able to buy it all in unlimited quantities, but that's a bit impossible. <span style="color: blue;">So .. what YOU need to do is this: check out both web sites ... mark down what you'd like me to bring back for you .. and then email me</span>, the shop, at <a href="mailto:deb@stitchesnthings.com">deb</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_627828507"><a href="mailto:deb@stitchesnthings.com"><a href="mailto:deb@stitchesnthings.com"><a href="mailto:deb@stitchesnthings.com"><a href="mailto:deb@stitchesnthings.com">@stitchesnthings.com</a><span id="goog_1325362182"></span> and let us know. Pretty cool knowing <u>you'll have a Personal Shopper just for you at a Needlework Market</u>, huh?! If you don't let me know what to buy, I may not bring that one item you MUST have back with me, or .. I might bring it back, but not enough! Help Me Help You!</a></a></a></a><br />
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Friday is our 'class day', learning new techniques or information. Friday evening, for two incredibly short hours, is when we get to begin shopping .. with those designers who decided to open up early. The actual Market begins at 9am on Saturday and ends at 6pm, then again on Sunday from 9am till 4pm. Exhausting but Invigorating but Exhausting! When it's all over, Monday morning Debbie and I will be furiously trying to cram each box and every bag into my VUE-hicle, and begin the trek back to Michigan and my shop. Then we spend two days of doing nothing but filling your orders, putting the items up on my web catalog (those we didn't have time to do in the evenings at Market or on the way home), and trying to make room in the shop for all the wonderful NEW we brought back with us!! Crazy Fun!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4uwOf93JYkjZd-5PEEK1c3qCi4oYR2luXZm-OxO_-pVVxzsN_YWBEp9sfdRCGfneMel_vve9Bvk1iJ86gWarY_yoWBkUi1IJE2G0_4yvEIsYuQzpWbQiKm7_3XXYTOH-5kxWXpJFKUzh/s1600/2014-Nashville_000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4uwOf93JYkjZd-5PEEK1c3qCi4oYR2luXZm-OxO_-pVVxzsN_YWBEp9sfdRCGfneMel_vve9Bvk1iJ86gWarY_yoWBkUi1IJE2G0_4yvEIsYuQzpWbQiKm7_3XXYTOH-5kxWXpJFKUzh/s1600/2014-Nashville_000.jpg" /></a></div>
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-63208469295412201572014-01-25T11:19:00.000-05:002014-01-29T18:54:15.896-05:00D-I-Y Framing Class Winner<p>Winner, winner, chicken dinner!</p>
<p>Alas, our first winner has not been in touch, and we do not have contact information for her, so back we went to the hat with all the numbers.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TbS5nxUjYRfJG0n-HjsOqYhY73dZOHcd8oQQi3TaO7Af9i5HEH-Vm9G4SyLDETnyN3gJIQCwyDjZvAnVwjTv681_Gx6HZtvI3E-lzYgp4Bjshu2EkkGnt454Oz4WpF5NnmzPYwIAwrxP/s1600/winner-150w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TbS5nxUjYRfJG0n-HjsOqYhY73dZOHcd8oQQi3TaO7Af9i5HEH-Vm9G4SyLDETnyN3gJIQCwyDjZvAnVwjTv681_Gx6HZtvI3E-lzYgp4Bjshu2EkkGnt454Oz4WpF5NnmzPYwIAwrxP/s1600/winner-150w.jpg" /></a></div><p>The random number generator has spoken, and the winner is...</p>
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<h2><span style="color: #f7b114;">Steve Wells</span></h2>
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<p>Congratulations! Steve, I'll be in touch.</p>
<h3>Everyone Wins!</h3>
<p>We know that learning to frame your embroidery is important and rewarding. It can save you heaps of money (for your next stitchy projects!), and it's oh-so satisfying to complete a needlework project on your own from start to finish. We want to help, so we've got a special deal for you.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/DIY-Framing/289/c48" target="_blank">Sign up for the class</a> and use the code STITCHINMOOSE for <b>10% off!</b></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/DIY-Framing/289/c48" target="_blank">Sign up now!</a></p>
<p>Psst! The coupon code also works with the already discounted <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/Finish-It-in-14-Package-4-Classes/290/c48" target="_blank">Finish It In '14 package</a> that includes the following four classes:
<ul>
<li>D-I-Y Framing</li>
<li>Soft-Edge Finishing: Hemstitching</li>
<li>Piecing (Wall hangings, table runners, etc. Quilting without the actual quilting!)</li>
<li>Pillowpalooza</li>
</ul>
This offer is good through 2/3/2014. Happy Finishing in '14!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8l8D2w0cV9CwimGXKoxS9NvG259iIiGgqaE4EPBNtg44F0nE7c66AqcipGm4GiLaTAnuXT758rM1BLg1RK12Qlz9l9IIV8mR1jzlZVoBq4YSFTIfxGlTer7xqiljn4RYnEQNhNO5Rk0I/s1600/Finishing-classes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8l8D2w0cV9CwimGXKoxS9NvG259iIiGgqaE4EPBNtg44F0nE7c66AqcipGm4GiLaTAnuXT758rM1BLg1RK12Qlz9l9IIV8mR1jzlZVoBq4YSFTIfxGlTer7xqiljn4RYnEQNhNO5Rk0I/s1600/Finishing-classes.jpg" /></a></div>
JenFWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04426266278784991887noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-77542560170739823292014-01-18T17:53:00.000-05:002014-01-20T11:42:27.842-05:00The Making of a D-I-Y-er<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6FuBEQYgV9Ukzj9dMyTyu3EyVYsK-iZIK7f4fyEJ7KwyFzhr6WSyrepM93wR6COHPjDy-xpRd9mqrPIJ59mRqCJVtOOIGOmmur4zdjk1PRbqhOC0h0xFOZBxYS5VQxag9A2xBCGS-hyS/s1600/JenFW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6FuBEQYgV9Ukzj9dMyTyu3EyVYsK-iZIK7f4fyEJ7KwyFzhr6WSyrepM93wR6COHPjDy-xpRd9mqrPIJ59mRqCJVtOOIGOmmur4zdjk1PRbqhOC0h0xFOZBxYS5VQxag9A2xBCGS-hyS/s200/JenFW.jpg" /></a></div><p>I blame my parents, my father in particular. As a kid, when I wanted something, his stock answer was, "Make it."</p>
<p>How I despised that answer! Maybe I didn't think I <i>could</i> make it; maybe I didn't want to take the time to make it. Whatever it was, I didn't want to make it even if I could. I wanted it new, from the store, <i>now.</i></p>
<p>But guess what: That "make it" answer stuck. I heard it so often it grew into me. It was reinforced by my parents' crafty natures. My mother made our clothes. My father could whip up a Halloween costume like nobody's business. Our dining room table became Craft Central while we made holiday ornaments for neighbors and friends.</p>
<p>It can surprise no one that I became an extreme D-I-Y-er. When something needs to be done, my first thought is, "How do I do it?"
<blockquote><em>Move three tons of dirt and gravel with a shovel and 5-gallon buckets? Okay.<br /><br />
Build a house? Of course.<br /><br />
Wire it for electricity? Sure. Let me read this book first.<br /><br />
Grow food for a year? Uh-huh.<br /><br />
Frame this cross stitch piece? No problem.</em></blockquote>
<h3>In the Beginning</h3>
<p>After designing and stitching <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/Termination-Dust/215/p2c56" target="_blank">Termination Dust</a> and <a href="www.funkandweber.com/shop/item/The-Great-Outdoors/216/p2c56" target="_blank">The Great Outdoors</a>, I asked my mother to help me frame them. She'd just taken a framing class—she had artwork of her own to frame—which gave her access to a framing studio with tools and supplies. We spent a long time choosing colors, cutting mats and glass, cutting and assembling the frames. It was great fun and a great learning experience. I love the results, warts and all.</p>
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<p>When I began selling cross stitch patterns, I continued to finish my needlework myself...most of the time. I have taken a few pieces to professional framers. It's all good! Over time, I developed my favorite techniques (I prefer lacing my embroidery to the mounting board), but I also love to experiment and learn new things. I think my priorities are
<ol>
<li>Do it myself</li>
<li>Do it differently; i.e., in some interesting or unique way</li>
</ol></p>
<h3>When Problems Arise: Get Creative</h3>
<p>Let's be honest, things don't always go smoothly in D-I-Y.</p>
<p>I once stitched a birth sampler with the fabric turned the wrong direction. The long side of the fabric should have been horizontal, and I had it vertical. I was well into the stitching before I discovered my mistake. (Yeah—du-uh!) You know the choices: I could stop stitching and start over, or I could deal with it. I chose the latter.</p>
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<p>There wasn't enough fabric to frame the piece "properly." This isn't a unique problem—be honest, have you ever skimped on the amount of fabric you left around the border of your needlework? The fix for this is to sew a fabric (muslin is a good choice) border around the edge to provide enough fabric to work with, so that was my plan. In the end, I skipped the plain muslin and chose a quilting calico that could double as the mat. I added ribbon on the seam just for fun.</p>
<h3>D-I-Y Framing Online Class</h3>
<p>I've always enjoyed finishing as much as stitching, whether it's framing, edge stitching, quilting, pillow making, or something else. The more I stitch, the more I want to explore different finishes and uses for needlework.</p>
<p>I asked fellow stitchers what they need most help with, and the answer was, overwhelmingly, finishing. Well all right then; let's do some finishing!</p>
<p>The first <b>Finish It In '14</b> class is <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/d-i-y-embroidery-framing/" target="_blank">D-I-Y Framing</a>, and it begins on <b>February 3, 2014</b>. We will learn the following:
<ul>
<li>How to clean, block, and press embroidery</li>
<li>How to mount embroidery to a backing</li>
<li>How to choose and/or make a mat—or not</li>
<li>How to choose and/or make a frame</li>
<li>Whether to use glass or not</li>
<li>How to finish the back side and add hardware</li>
</ul> </p>
<p>Four written lessons will be delivered weekly, giving you plenty of time to read and execute them. You can download the pdfs so you have them for future use. You'll be able to ask questions and share photos in a private Yahoo! group, so you can get help with your particular projects. We'll discuss creative mat and frame options and get tips from pros.</p>
<p>Did I mention we'll have some fun, too? Of course we will!</p>
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<h3>Win a Free Front-Row Seat in the Class!</h3>
<p>Want to win a spot in the class? We're giving one away!</p>
<p><span style="color: #fa8701;"><strong>Leave a comment with your most pressing question about finishing embroidery.</strong></span></p>
<p>The random number generator will pick a winner on January 25th.</p>
<h3>A Word of Caution</h3>
<p>Lest you think my father's repeated suggestion to "make it" was a brilliant idea that you're tempted to adopt, I think you should be warned. In general, I'm grateful for the self-sufficiency my father instilled in me with his annoying answer, but in the deep recesses of my adult being, there's still a little girl who feels deprived. She says, "Just wait, Dad, until you need surgery for something. Surely there's a how-to book or tutorial online for that. Give me a sec, and I'll be right with you."</p>
<p>Proceed with caution.</p>
<h3>P.S.</h3>
<p>Don't forget to leave a comment with your most pressing needlework finishing question for a chance to win a free spot in the <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/d-i-y-embroidery-framing/">D-I-Y Framing class</a>!</p> JenFWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04426266278784991887noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-39148387231889237422014-01-15T16:36:00.000-05:002014-01-15T16:36:50.535-05:00To Market To Market and back again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After that Artic Vortex Winter Blast we had, it was an absolute JOY to leave my shop for 6 days to attend the TNNA (The National Needlearts Association) Winter Trade Show in sunny warm San Diego California!<br />
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A full day of meetings, an afternoon of business and technique classes, an evening of fun shopping at The Sample It (where we were able to purchase "some" of the new items that would be shown during the Trade Show), eats and drinks at the Needlepoint Showcase (where I WON a drawing and received a crisp $100 bill!!), and then off for some off-site fun with friends. Saturday, Sunday and Monday I shopped the trade show convention floor, viewed the New Product Showcase, watched a needlearts Sand Castle being built right before our eyes (over two days!), and met with old and new friends within the industry .. shop owners and designers!<br />
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It was an exhausting time, but profitable .. in seeing what color trends were, seeing display ideas, seeing design ideas, finding new goodies to bring back to the shop, networking with other shops and talking with everyone from this fantastic industry that were there! I know shop owners who says they cannot afford to go to Market ... I say that I cannot afford NOT to attend Market! It's where you learn, it's where you are inspired, it's where you find ways to advance your business, it's where you are exposed to ALL of the Needlearts, seeing how they inter-relate, discovering the excitement of and the people who love them!<br />
It just a few weeks I leave again .. to attend another Needlework Market, this time in Nashville. A<br />
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This link will give you a great tutorial for finishing your Christmas ornaments (or scissor fobs or whatever) for a nice look! You simply stitch a simple back stitch around your design and on a matching piece of cross stitch fabric (nice place to put another quick holiday motif or your initials and date or a monogram for the person you're giving it to!). In fact, they even add beads for a really decorative finish! <a href="http://www.funkandweber.com/cross-stitch-finishing-overcast-backstitches/">http://www.funkandweber.com/cross-stitch-finishing-overcast-backstitches/</a><br />
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You might try to incorporate a Four-Sided Stitch in place of that simple backstitch on both pieces of fabric for a more decorative finish! You simply fold the excess fabric at the outer edge of your four-sided stitch on each fabric piece .. pinch those two edges together .. and lace the stitches! Like this (scroll down about halfway the page, just under the different stitch illustrations):<br />
<a href="http://www.keepsakestitches.com/PDF/Gallery_of_Stitches.pdf">http://www.keepsakestitches.com/PDF/Gallery_of_Stitches.pdf</a><br />
Here's an example of one of Fern Ridge Collection's designs finished that way with a corded hanger added.<br />
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And for adding a corded trim .. with my favorite tool the <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/detail.cfm?ID=559">Spinster Cording Drill</a>, you might try this finishing technique (scroll down a bit to see the trim addition): <a href="http://stacybinnj.wordpress.com/basic-no-glue-ornament-finishing-tutorial/">http://stacybinnj.wordpress.com/basic-no-glue-ornament-finishing-tutorial/</a><br />
On the above ornament .. the cording was inserted through the ornament and then the lacing stitch on the Four-Sided Stitch was completed.<br />
The same 'stitching technique' for adhering the cord to the ornament would work for adding the cool hand-dyed Chenille and Rick Rack trims that our <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/category_results2.cfm?Category=6&SubCategory=648">R&R and FromThe Cauldron companies</a> offer!!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-42135063499063436052013-11-12T14:25:00.000-05:002013-11-12T14:25:00.708-05:00Tips & Techniques Time!Holidays are a'comin and that means you may have some stitchery finishing that will need to be done. Don't have a finisher-friend (neither do I!) but don't worry ... here's some quick and easy ways to finish off your gift projects!<br />
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Here’s a quick and easy way to make a tassel from a single skein of floss - this has to be the coolest way I've ever seen (and done myself!)! Tassels are a great way to finish off an ornament, and this allows you to exactly match the colors in your ornament. <a href="http://debbeesdesigns.com/DDWrdPrs/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Tassel-making-instructions.pdf">Tassel making instructions</a><br />
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You may find you can <a data-mce-href="http://www.c-sn.com/app_themes/csn/pdfs/stockingfinishing.pdf" href="http://www.c-sn.com/app_themes/csn/pdfs/stockingfinishing.pdf">'finish Christmas Stockings like a pro' </a>with this tip.<br />
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And .. my next blog will contain some neat Ornament finishing tips and ideas!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-15562374742646919782013-03-24T16:40:00.002-04:002013-03-24T16:40:30.724-04:00Why Knot??!I was finishing up Chessie And Me's "Buzzing '' Round Ewe" <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/detail.cfm?ID=35943">http://www.stitchesnthings.com/detail.cfm?ID=35943</a> and putting the called for French Knots (which I intermixed with Colonial Knots) to be scattered over the cross stitched Sheep' s body, and began to think how it used to be where I would rather have ripped off a fingernail than do a French Knot. Of course, that was before I really learned HOW to execute that knotted stitch!<br />
It was in a class with Teresa Layman that the veil was lifted from my eyes and that knowledge has never left my fingers! <br />
Teresa Layman Designs is the designer of those teensy little Knotted designs! She says on her web site: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">designs are small and sweet.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">They bring that feel-good warmth to all who see them and bring a real sense of satisfaction to those who stitch them. These are the original miniature </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">knotwork designs that have made so many people gasp and say, “Oh my gosh, that’s beautiful! How do you do that?” Amazingly the technique is very simple...</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">Simple and beautiful, is there a better combination?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://teresalayman.com/designs.htm">http://teresalayman.com/designs.htm</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">The problem most have with French Knots is: </span></span></h2>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">they "wrap the floss" around the needle more than once. Two or three wraps = the beginning of a Bullion Knot, which by it's very nature is a "flat knotted stitch" and that' s why your knot falls over instead of just sitting there.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">they try to put the needle, once wrapped, back through the same hole the needle came up through. It should go down "next to but not in" that hole.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-center;">they don't hold the thread in their other hand as the needle goes back down, thereby controlling the tension for "knot control".</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://teresalayman.com/easy_frenchknot.htm">http://teresalayman.com/easy_frenchknot.htm</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">AND then there's the Colonial Knot ... for when you want a larger knot (instead of doing a French Knot around a larger sized" needle) or are looking for a very round knot. Once you have THIS knot down, you'll probably always use it in place of a French!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://teresalayman.com/easy_colonialknot.htm">http://teresalayman.com/easy_colonialknot.htm</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want to get over any "knot aversion", simply get one of Teresa' s little designs and you'll be knotting like a pro in no time! <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/detail.cfm?ID=12849">http://www.stitchesnthings.com/detail.cfm?ID=12849</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Pre-printed design on "rug" (aka very tightly woven) fabric with step- by-step instructions as to what do do first, then next. And what knots to execute where. You just need a Hoop to tightly hold the fabric for a very firm working surface.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> I think what I liked most about Teresa's designs was this:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't like the way a knot looks .. it's ok .. you just put knots close to it and you can't tell.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Pulled a knot through by accident .. it's ok .. put another one in.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you know if you have enough knots in .. hold it up to a light .. see any light showing through, put in another knot or two.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">That' s why when you do a little knotwork design you will "amaze your friends" and "astound your enemies"! And, never EVER have another problem with adding French (or Colonial) Knots to any other project!! That's why I had FUN adding those French and Colonial Knots to Buzzing 'Round Ewe (I chose both for added texture and dimension) and <i>Why</i> <i>Knot</i>!?!</span><br />
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Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-38208622539715994002013-03-13T12:48:00.003-04:002013-03-13T12:48:58.473-04:00 Phew! Winter Market in Long Beach CA is over! 3 weeks later and the Nashville Market in TN is over! 9 days later and I'm in the final stretch for the shop's annual Camp Stitchalot Stitcher's Retreat! Some may say they don't know why I plan everything so close together .. but the only thing *I* have a part of in planning is Camp Stitchalot! And the St.Patrick's weekend has become a tradition it seems .... shortly after Nashville Market and before Easter begins!<br />
I always bring my shop 'on the road' with me to Camp and have a room at the hotel that becomes the SNT Boutique. This year we will be hosting 5, count em <strong>4 Designer Trunk Shows</strong> at Camp! Featuring stitched designs from ERICA MICHAELS... from ROSEWOOD MANOR .. from SAMSARAH .. and from THE STITCHING BEAR!! It's going to be interesting to see just 'how' I'll get all their stitched models AND charts set up and displayed in my Boutique room along with all the other stitching goodies & essentials that I bring.<br />
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YOU .. the stitching public .. are invited to come to the Stitches N Things Boutique to see (and purchase) the Trunk Shows from these incredible designers!</div>
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<br /> We'll be at the Davison Inn (previously known as The Comfort Inn) at 10082 Lapeer Rd. in Davison Michigan ... Friday March 15 from 4pm through Sunday March 17, 2013 at 2pm </div>
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Hope to see you at our Trunk Show! And maybe ... next year ... you will join us at Camp Stitchalot for our entire stitcher's retreat! We'd love to have you!</div>
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-21192692383971546802013-02-17T13:38:00.000-05:002013-02-17T13:38:16.123-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>NEEDLE Little Help?</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJos1DG4q2Ujp2YjlgXLDsUgp12KymxRq6rsJq4y3s7z1QFU0dE35dRbGCuRLB_pFJDYVlZvLBPXO3LZ4qvB1urkfQOMxwqnCYUgREVj8rudMHEjKkm68ztAUKLgVA1UrDHZONXsw9eC6q/s1600/img010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJos1DG4q2Ujp2YjlgXLDsUgp12KymxRq6rsJq4y3s7z1QFU0dE35dRbGCuRLB_pFJDYVlZvLBPXO3LZ4qvB1urkfQOMxwqnCYUgREVj8rudMHEjKkm68ztAUKLgVA1UrDHZONXsw9eC6q/s200/img010.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
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<br />Where would we be without needles? The women who crossed the plains in covered wagons treasured their cases filled with .. not gold jewelry .. but fine steel needles. In the territories to which they were going there were no stores and who knew when the next peddler with his pack of necessities would come by. Those precious needles would have to last for months, and maybe even years! Today a pioneer woman would probably think she'd struck gold if she ever tore apart a stitcher's overstuffed recliner!</div>
<br />Traditionally, tapestry needles are used for counted cross stitch and usually found from size 18 (the largest) to size 28 (the smallest). Tapestry needles have a blunt point as opposed to Chenille needles which have a very sharp point (and are idea for waste canvas stitching!). The blunt rounded end of the tapestry needle slips easily into the weave of the fabric without snagging or piercing.<br />
<br />Did you know that the Danish use a larger needle for different counts of fabric than Americans do? It's true. They believe a bigger needle opens the hole wider to allow the plies of floss to flow through with less friction or wear and allows then to loft out so that the strands can lie better side by side. Conversely, they feel that a smaller needle compresses the plies and cause them to become fuzzy by wearing on the floss as it comes through the fabric .. the hole the needle makes is just not big enough for the floss to follow through. <br />
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If you have trouble getting your floss to go through the eye of your needle on the first try (or second .. or third), perhaps this little tidbit will help: <br />
Roll the needle 180 degrees and try again. <br />
Did you know that needles have a 'right' and 'wrong' side to them? The naked eye may not be able to see a difference, but one side of the eye is rougher than the other. This comes from the fact that needles are punched out of the metal from which they are made (usually steel-plated with nickle, or gold, or platinum). The side FROM which they are punched is smoother than the side THROUGH which they are punched. So, if your floss is trying to pass through the rougher side, it may catch on the edges and begin to spread out instead of gliding smoothly through.<br />
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Here are some general guidelines for selecting a particular size of tapestry needle for different counts of fabrics. But remember .. you need to stitch with what is most comfortable for you!<br />
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NEEDLE FABRIC<br />
size 28 18ct Aida, 36 - 40ct Linen<br />
size 26 16 - 18ct Aida, 32 - 36ct Linen<br />
size 24 14 - 16ct Aida, 28 - 32ct Linen<br />
size 22, 20 & 18 6 - 11ct Aida<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j1n12W8FDNMmuG9S-_V1KwxOUQiK9NfxogJyscUOGZa2WmbfC_x-O8wi0OhL9osoNdAmYjEaIDbUprWe7Sw4RZrijf6OfjVCMevqKjTlcR3vB1qGFTL7_LDyIgMZjYnShPpn11zjBzFJ/s1600/img011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_j1n12W8FDNMmuG9S-_V1KwxOUQiK9NfxogJyscUOGZa2WmbfC_x-O8wi0OhL9osoNdAmYjEaIDbUprWe7Sw4RZrijf6OfjVCMevqKjTlcR3vB1qGFTL7_LDyIgMZjYnShPpn11zjBzFJ/s200/img011.jpg" width="200" /></a>Remember too, that you'll need to adjust your needle size for the number of floss plies you are using. Use a size 26 needle if you're stitching with one or two ply; a size 24 for 3 or 4 ply, and a 26 for 4 - 6 ply. Again, the key word is: Experiment.<br />
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Hope This Helps! Happy Stitching!</div>
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-53135829059590513222013-02-07T19:59:00.001-05:002013-02-07T19:59:46.740-05:00<div align="center">
<strong>Did you know about Harikuyo .. the Festival of Broken Needles?</strong></div>
<a href="http://036df4e81807ba6a5a3a-1845db6e51cca1ce7fe38c27b72d5fc9.r41.cf1.rackcdn.com/images/pdf/needle-festival.pdf"></a><br />
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<a href="http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200702/09/archive.html"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-308 alignleft" height="150" src="http://stitchtress.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/ladies-hari-kuyo.jpg?w=100&h=150" title="ladies hari Kuyo" width="100" /></span></span></a></div>
<strong>In the Hari-Kuyo ceremony, Japanese women gather once a year on Febuary 8th at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples to thank their worn out needles and pins for good service.</strong><br />
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It is also a time to value the small, everyday objects of daily living and to wish for progress in one’s needle work. In what is known as the <em>Festival of Broken Needles</em><span style="font-style: normal;">, women gather to offer a funeral-type service by laying the needles to rest in soft jelly cakes or tofu. This burial is meant to bring rest to the needles and wrap them with tenderness and gratitude. This practice reflects the animist belief that all beings and objects have a soul. </span><br />
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<a href="http://kikuko.web.infoseek.co.jp/english/harikuyo-wakamiya.html"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-306" height="225" src="http://stitchtress.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/harikuyo-kikuko.jpg?w=300&h=225" title="harikuyo kikuko" width="300" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text">
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Further to the idea of laying the needles to rest for good service is the idea that women have many secret sorrows in life. These sorrows are often passed to the needles during long hours of stitching and the needles are thought to take on the burden of some of these sorrows, thus taking them away with the stitching that they do. This “rest” is brought to the needles in appreciation for their faithful service.</div>
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Another aspect of the ceremony is the consideration for “the value of small things.” The concept of <em>Mottainai</em>, or not being wasteful, is related to the usefulness of the needles. These small but important tools would give long, useful service throughout the year. They were not to be lost or wasted nor carelessly replaced.</div>
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-82916930312817137492013-01-24T16:36:00.001-05:002013-01-24T16:36:17.181-05:00Scissors! Who Knew??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ev8frjuxDwVapog3hGknWzbgJsIEMkXgb7VtEQt6cJfQXRWVG1cNbRjiAZQoy9hBZQTgclx8OLjWt5Q_seDroT2-pku8Y1NkQgtjGB5TCuFSvFgJH6uB5EHDOkHV-eBNCJ-btHSzhIvW/s1600/bhn24303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ev8frjuxDwVapog3hGknWzbgJsIEMkXgb7VtEQt6cJfQXRWVG1cNbRjiAZQoy9hBZQTgclx8OLjWt5Q_seDroT2-pku8Y1NkQgtjGB5TCuFSvFgJH6uB5EHDOkHV-eBNCJ-btHSzhIvW/s320/bhn24303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I found the following while browsing the web and thought you'd be interested too!</div>
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It is not surprising that modern cross-bladed <a href="http://www.northernthreads.net/p-17040-8-left-hand-knife-edge-dressmakers-gingher-scissors.aspx">scissors</a>
would have many superstitions surround them since most household items that have
been in parts of our history as far back as early 100 AD hold some imagined
ideas with them. Here is a list of some of those beliefs:<strong></strong><br />
<br />
Hope you didn’t use your <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=139">scissors</a>
this past New Year as you might have “cut off” your fortune or wealth for the
year.<br />Decrease the likelihood that your house will be struck by lightning in
a storm by putting your scissors away.<br />
<br />
Placing a pair of <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=192">scissors</a>
under your pillow may help a variety of pains. It is said that a woman in labor
can “cut her pain in half” by doing so. Likewise it would halve the discomfort
of any others in bed ridden pain. Some believe that putting an open pair of
scissors is a way to sleep better even if you are cursed.<br />
<br />
Dropping a pair of <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=138">scissors</a>
is said to warn that a lover is being unfaithful.<br />
<br />
Breaking one blade is an omen of quarrel, while breaking both blades is a
sign of an impending disaster.<br />
<br />
Do not give <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=143">scissors</a>
as a gift or the friendship will be “cut in half”. To subdue this superstition a
little money should be exchanged for the scissors as buying them doesn’t
count.<br />
<br />
Ward off evil and witches with a pair of <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=144">scissors</a>
nailed above a door in the ‘open’ position, so they somewhat resemble a
cross.<br />
<br />
The cross-bladed <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=141">scissors</a>
origins point to Rome but have a widespread place in international cultural
superstitions as well which can be specific to a region.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<ul>
<li>To curse a bridegroom in North Africa wait until he is on horseback, then
hold an open pair of <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=142">scissors</a> while calling his name. If he answers you, snap
the scissors closed and he will not be able to consummate the marriage.</li>
<li>It is bad luck to idly open and close scissors without a purpose in
Pakistan.</li>
<li>It is held in some Eastern Europe countries that leaving scissors open
causes disagreements and discord within a household.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Good luck with those <a href="http://www.stitchesnthings.com/results.cfm?Category=3&SubCategory=5&SubCategory2=140">scissors</a>!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-81998400070058680222011-12-24T11:47:00.000-05:002011-12-24T11:47:22.375-05:00Christmas MemoriesWow .. I'm sorry I've not been posting for such an incredibly long time! I guess with Facebook and Newsletters I forget to come here to write too. I think my real problem is that I seem to be incapable of 'short' here's what I want to say postings! The holidays brought me back here.<br />
Christmas Memories!<br />
<br />
I guess this Christmas really has me a bit down .. longing for the holiday times of being able to be with family and .. those days, unfortunately as I've grown older, are gone.<br />
<br />
ONLY gifts that came in the mail went under the Christmas tree. Or gifts that were for my sister and brother in law and 2 nieces that would be coming over on Christmas Day to celebrate with us. Mom and Dad would wait until after I was asleep to put their (and Santa's) gifts under the tree. I'd wake up on Christmas morning and go running down the hall and ... there was the tree with what seemed like thousands of festively wrapped presents spreading out from beneath the boughs and across the floor! <br />
I used to hunt and hunt the days preceding Christmas to try to find my potential gifts .. in closets, in the basement, in the garage, under beds, and .. when I got older .. up in the attic. Never found a one!! Mom says they were there in the house, but to this day will NOT tell me exactly 'where' they might have been. I still don't believe they were there!<br />
I was in my early 40's and it was Christmas morning at my parent's home. We (Dave and I) both woke up early and came walking down the hall to get a cup of coffee . I glanced into the living room .. and there was the Christmas Tree with TONS of presents under it (Mom and Dad had once again waited until I went to bed to put out their presents)! My first thought ... my very first instant thought was ...... SANTA!!!! And I shivered with excitement. <br />
<br />
We'd have to wait until my sister had their Christmas before they'd get to our house when I was young. That meant that I'd have already been into my stocking by 6am (candy, oranges, small simple toy type gifts), had breakfast (juice and Christmas Stollen bread), and now was pacing excitedly waiting till nearly 10am for the rest of the family to gather so we could all begin to open gifts! My mother, to get me out of her hair for 4 hours or so, would allow me to open ONE gift! I'd stand staring at the gifts under the tree and mom would point to one and say <em>"there's one from Santa, I'll bet that's a good one to open first".</em> I'd tear into the paper and ... it would be a BOOK! I loved books! I'd read quietly for hours curled up in my favorite chair. That ruse always worked and Santa always picked out the best books!<br />
<br />
Going up to my parents house several years ago for Christmas with a sick cat ... we couldn't leave him alone and my mother was extremely upset that we would sacrifice the holiday because of a cat. (she can really lay on the guilt, believe you me!) So Dave and I packed up the cat crate and hit the highway on Christmas Eve Day. We all went to early evening church services (that's another favorite memory .. candlelight church services on Christmas Eve! Not like they are today where, due to fire codes and insurance regulations, you can only have the lit candle for one song at the end .. those days we'd be holding lit candles for the last part of the ministry and several songs .. always ending with "Away In A Manger"). When we got home, found that our cat was now incredibly sick! Called my sister for the numbers of any 'local' vet clinics .. the closest one that was actually open was over an hour away. That night it was snowing heavily so meant it took nearly 2 hours to get there. Good thing we had .. poor kitty was at death's door and the vet wasn't sure he would last the night ... so we had to leave Abbie there hooked up to IV's and such. Driving back, the snow storm had stopped and there was a full moon out ..... <em>"The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below".</em> Dave and I both looked up at the same time and laughed as we both searched the skies - since it was just after midnight now - perhaps we'd see Santa in his sleigh flying across the face of that moon. We didn't. And Abbie? We had to stay up north a bit longer than we'd planned and were able to pick him up 2 days later .. that vet saved his life .. our little "Christmas Miracle"!<br />
<br />
Christmas memories .. what wonderful things to take you back to those special times in your life!<br />
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas with warm memories to last a lifetime!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-70942848915911833622011-08-23T09:50:00.001-04:002011-08-23T09:54:04.891-04:00SQUIRREL!!!!When I saw the movie "UP", I got the largest chuckle out of the dogs and their "SQUIRREL" and immediate inattention.<br />
Now, once again, I am reminded that SQUIRREL and SPARKLY ('my' inattention word) have nothing whatsoever in common.<br />
<br />
Going back slightly in time ... to when the ground squirrel was trapped in our garage and had to 'eat' his way through our garage door to freedom. And then, once outside, decided that back inside the garage was the bestest place for hiding nuts, hanging with his friends, and getting out of the elements .. so he moved back in! Many many nights of listening to him and what seemed like 37 of his closest friends paying 'roll the acorn' and 'hide and seek' within my bedroom wall, it was time to get a trap.<br />
After several live trap attempts (said squirrel would go into the trap AND remove the ear of corn with him without setting off the trap and on another try, went into the trap, couldn't get the corn out with him (we had tied it to the inside wiring), stayed and ate all the corn off the cob and then, again without setting off the trap, took his bounty and went back into our 'walls'!).<br />
Now it was time for the exterminator who came and set up several traps as well as attaching a 'can get out but cannot get back in' trap to the hole in the garage door. He caught several large mice in his trap, but the squirrel remained free to cavort within the walls ... I'm sure the fuzzy little guy had painted his face 'blue' and was yelling 'freedom freedom' while he scampered about in relative safety!<br />
Finally it would seem the squirrel left for the day, we sealed the hole back up with a metal plate, and silence once again (after MONTHS!!!) within the Koch household walls. The cleanup mess in the attic would take weeks and involve throwing out just about anything that had been stored up there, including most of my Christmas decorations. <br />
<br />
Fast forward to summer and the advent of warmer weather (what am I saying? Hot hot hot weather) and the need to use my car's air conditioning system ... which just was not putting out any cool, much less cold, air into my car. Getting ready to drive to the Columbus Market in early June meant that I would need my AC and vents working properly, so drove into the car dealer (after finding one who still worked on Saturns .. deep sign .. how could they stop production of such a wonderful brand???).<br />
After waiting at the dealers for a bit, the mechanics called me into the garage to show me what they had found ... a huge squirrel nest had been blocking my vents! Fuzzy little #&%(* had gotten into my car's blower system and decided, since I wouldn't let them in my walls any more, that my VUE was the second best home! Got that all cleaned out to the tune of I've not forgotten how much money, and drove merrily on my way to Columbus in a 'cool' vehicle!<br />
<br />
NOW ... I am getting ready to fly to the Fall Baltimore Market and on the day before I leave, had errands to run. Once again the weather is hot, but rather than try my AC, I just turned my air vent blower up to 'high' ...... CLUNK THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP ..,,,, quickly turned off the blower! What the hell was that? Turned it on to *1* .. no problem ... turned it up to *2* .. no problem ... turned it up to *3* .. THUMPITY THUMP THUMP. Oh shit what in the world is going on this time? Another nest?? Don't turn on the fan motor again .. just opened the windows. Flew off the next day - a Thursday.<br />
Drove back to the shop on Tuesday, cool morning, didn't think about the fan. Drove back home and back to the shop on Wednesday. Wednesday night driving home it was quite warm, turned on the fan ... nothing happened. Thursday, started smelling a smell. Didn't think too much about it as the car had been parked on the other side of the house that night where we came across a dead animal (of some sort - phew) and disposed of it bu burying it. Friday, smell is there. Saturday smell is stronger<br />
.<br />
Yesterday, Monday took car into dealer. Kind of thought I knew what had happened. Remember that THUMP THUMP THUMP? Yeah, my mind went there too.<br />
Service department called me that afternoon ... I was right. There WAS a dead animal (they didn't know what it was) IN my blower motor!! It had EATEN its way through the plastic housing that covers the fan area! Was completely blocking the motor, it wouldn't turn at all!<br />
Need a new fan motor, need to have the fan area sanitized .. so far the cost is $400.00 - they don't know what all else has to be replaced until they can remove said SQUIRREL (I know it is, was!), and get everything cleaned out. I am SO NOT a happy camper. Saturn Vue = Sqirrelmobile<br />
Some kill squirrels with their cars by driving over them, I kill them by trying to get cool!<br />
I am now joining Nick on his mad dash squirrel attacks out our back door and across our deck and into the yard. Him with his ferocious bark/growl (ok, so it's really a loud yelp/squeak - out of an 85# Golden, it is a ridiculous sound!!), me brandishing a pick axe (if I had one, I think we have one, just don't know where it is, if we have one!)! And, don't think I'll swerve out of their way anymore when they stand in my lane and try to stare me down.<br />
<br />
Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-45153437656626191072011-08-19T12:36:00.001-04:002011-08-19T12:37:05.171-04:00I got Crabs while in Baltimore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Yep .. crabs! And I'm proud of it too!<br />
1st indication that I was getting Crabs was while in the "Meet The Designers Class" on Friday afternoon. Cecille of Just Another Button Company had made and assembled the cutest little crab pincushion for each of the class attendees. AND .. enabled those 30 some shops (ONLY!!) to be able to get more CRABS too!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXa_cc6XQxSWR4b6vY-_FbaRKe6_3uGxmj79YbLJ6qM-VRAPG3ZJ7UskY5nyKaj6vQAnh5XrvwqH9Wp-rVxDJwGkoZ9Wm0NRuJM2cO49U4BvsfGLhBRQmVGmWlNrCtX2mqYiuWSlFGuTL/s1600/crabs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXa_cc6XQxSWR4b6vY-_FbaRKe6_3uGxmj79YbLJ6qM-VRAPG3ZJ7UskY5nyKaj6vQAnh5XrvwqH9Wp-rVxDJwGkoZ9Wm0NRuJM2cO49U4BvsfGLhBRQmVGmWlNrCtX2mqYiuWSlFGuTL/s320/crabs.jpg" width="0" /></a>Sydney The Crab Pincushion (on the right .. his gal friend is shown on the left) is very limited! Like I said, only 30 some shops are able to get him to you! We were making all kinds of crab jokes ... I mean, obviously Sydney is a SOFT shelled crab. If you stitch a black squiggly line on his back, you'll have a CRACKED crab. You can stitch a couple of these up and give crabs to your best friend. If you changed the color of his 'felt' to blue, you'd have steamed crab. I'm so glad I got crabs from JABCo!!!<br />
<br />
My second indication I was getting crabs came on Friday night. We went in search of crab dinner and found <a href="http://gandmrestaurant.com/">G&M Restaurant</a> - they are known for their Crab Cakes! There were 6 of us and everyone was ordering the single crab cake platter. Now I know crab cakes .. I love crab cakes .. I know how 'big' crab cakes are .. so I, being the little piggy that I am, ordered the TWO crab cake platter. These babies are 8 OZ EACH!!!!! All lump crab, no filler! Needless to say, we did NOT have dessert, and I had an entire crab cake for my lunch the next day. They ship fresh nationwide ... I sure wish Dave liked seafood. Oh well, he'll have to have mac and cheese when I order and receive my crab cake in the mail!!!<br />
Had crab every chance I could while in Baltimore ... yum yum!<br />
<br />
Thursday night I went on a "Night Tour of Washington DC" ... took the Marc Amtrack train from Baltimore to DC and got to see (and eat in) Union Station ... what an incredible place that is! I thought we'd be just looking at the sights from the bus window, but the trolly we were on stopped and gave us 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there at the Jefferson Memorial, at the Lincoln Memorial. I got to see the Vietnam Wall, and the Korean Memorial up close and personal too. Very very moving!!! Lots of info gained about our capital city and it was so much fun!<br />
<br />
Saturday night I was invited to attend a baseball game at Camden Field (Orioles vs my Tigers ... and my Tigers won!!!). Sullivan's Floss company reserved a sky box suite for us, and we had dinner up there, watched the game, had pictures taken with 'the Bird', and partook of the most incredible dessert cart service ever! Again, yum yum<br />
<br />
Oh .. how was the actual Market?? Sorry ... got carried away.<br />
MARKET WAS FANTASTIC!!! Absolutely Fantastic! I bought lots and lots, had time to smooze with my designer and shop friends, and bought more and yet more! I only wish that the designers who chose NOT to attend (too far, etc, etc, ) had been there! Everyone I spoke with was having an incredible show! A note to those designers who didn't attend: If distance IS a problem, the show does NOT have to be a 'cash and carry' only show for you. SHIP YOUR MODELS - that's what we want to see .. your new stuffs stitched up - and Take Orders!! Let's all work together to make this industry, and it's shows, the best it can be!!<br />
<br />
My best part .. coming home with one suitcase weighing 43# (still under the prohibitive weight limit for Delta) and the other weighting 57#. That suitcase should have cost me an additional $90 to get on the plane, but .. the wonderfully harried desk clerk refused my credit card and yelled ... next!<br />
YIPPEE I was able to get ALL my goodies home with me this time! Love it!!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-76008972620726539802011-08-10T18:08:00.001-04:002011-08-10T18:11:36.050-04:00Leaving On A Jet Plane ...... at around 4:00am tomorrow morning! Actually, I'll be riding in the car TO the airport at 4am, my actual flight is at 6:00am! A couple hours layover in Atlanta, then I'll be landing in Baltimore.<br />
May be doing a 'Night Tour of Washington DC" Thursday evening .. I think I am, but not actually sure how that's all going to work. I'm rooming with Penny from Ewe Count - always so much fun!<br />
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Friday (for me) is a Retailers Round Table (where we share ideas and such) and a "class session" entitled "An Afternoon With Your Favorite Designers" with Blackbird Designs, Cherrywood Design Studios, Dames Of The Needle, and Just Another Button Company. We'll have chat time with them as well as get a special kit from each one!<br />
As for the evening, I MUST find 'crab for dinner'!!!!! And then, there may be some "early bird shopping".<br />
The actual shopping is on Saturday from 9am till 6pm.<br />
Saturday night I am in for a TREAT .. I've been invited to join (Free Ticket) a select group in a private suite for a baseball game at Camden Yards with the Baltimore Orioles AND... wait for it ... how cool is this?? ... the Detroit TIGERS!!!! I<span style="background-color: white;">'ve</span> been told there will be food in the suite too! This will be my first ever major league ball game, and of course .. my first time in one of those 'game boxes'!<br />
Shopping resumes on Sunday from 9am till 4pm, then it'll be time to figure out HOW I'm going to get my purchases back to Michigan with me! I'm going with a suitcase IN a suitcase - I've already weighed it and I'm within the limits so there will ONLY be a $25.00 baggage fee. I also have several broken down shipping boxes in the suitcase, in case I go with UPS for some of it. I will be charged $90 for a suitcase weighing over 50#, so .... we'll see how creative I can get! Flying back on Monday morning. and I know that you'll want me to have everything with me upon my return to the shop on Tuesday. Shipping UPS means it will be closer to the end of the week before those boxes will rejoin me. Wonder if the hotel has a scale for weighing my 2 suitcases??<br />
Always look forward to going to Market .. seeing old friends, both designers and other shops, as well as seeing the new stuffs up close and in person! You know the stitched model is always so much cooler to see than just the cover picture on the chart.<br />
Not sure why most of my 'favorites' will not be attending the Baltimore Market .. could be the timing, as this year Market is the early part of August as opposed to the middle or end of September as in the two years past. The timing of market had been changed following surveys sent to not only the shops, but also the designers. The September timing wasn't good for the designers, as they wanted to get their Halloween and Holiday designs out to the shops earlier. The shops also wanted to have more time for the Halloween designs to be stitched up and promoted in their shops. So .. we have an earlier date. The other problem is the change in location. Again, according to the survey responses, there was an overwhelming demand to have the Market shows 'rotate' around the country, instead of always having them in the same location. Of course, the best location that everyone wanted was ..... "close to me"!! So, we're in a new location this year and I'm excited .. I've never been to the east coast (other than a stay in The Big Apple many many many years ago) and going to a location known for their 'soft shell crab' is perfect as far as I'm concerned!!!!<br />
I hope to be 'tweeing' and 'facebooking' (Stitches N Things) over the next few days from Market ... stay tuned!!<br />
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</tbody> </table>Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-38491906431796299192011-07-11T10:26:00.000-04:002011-07-11T10:26:36.365-04:00The Final in my Halloween Needlin'This is my graveyard scene ... thanks to those who gave me inspirational ideas! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqFzr9rATJWB-vnnLj04zMYilTgWxVnznNKDJntIIKFT_SIYTdugXjQHy9zc6O1UxHepjYr-6TAVfj4k9lGYQfUcDyl655PeZvS0-DO3sDGCsFSggZdjI1Y6sVcfTj4dviIpUOpirGR7N/s1600/spechalloween+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqFzr9rATJWB-vnnLj04zMYilTgWxVnznNKDJntIIKFT_SIYTdugXjQHy9zc6O1UxHepjYr-6TAVfj4k9lGYQfUcDyl655PeZvS0-DO3sDGCsFSggZdjI1Y6sVcfTj4dviIpUOpirGR7N/s320/spechalloween+007.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br />
Standing 7 1/2" high, I've signed the back of a purple bat button from Just Another Button Company and attached it to the gravestone. Not the best photo, but hey ... you get the idea!<br />
I've emailed the gal who wanted these 6 creations to let her know I was done well ahead of schedule (she was to have given a deposit before I started, but I got enthused!!). Gave her pictures, dimensions and prices and asked her to let me know IF she wanted them still, IF she wanted something else. IF she changed her mind and didn't want them ... any response was fine with me! (I'm such a marshmallow!) If she doesn't want them, or wants some of them and something else done, the 'rejects' will sell at the upcoming Art Fair the end of August.<br />
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Now .. to begin work on an Elephant (for someone else) and then I can start on my felting for the show!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-24069870205523805122011-07-08T17:38:00.000-04:002011-07-08T17:38:20.573-04:00a bit of Halloween felting ... I've been commissioned to create 6 Halloween characters for a customer. Problem is, she didn't specify what kind of felted creations she wanted. I gave a variety of suggestions and only received an "all sound good as long as they're in the $40 to $50 range" response. I'd emailed her a picture of my first creation (Jack the Headless Pumpkin Man) and asked if this was something she liked and told her that since I was custom creating for her, I really would like some idea of what she wanted ... and haven't heard a thing since.<br />
So, even IF she should not come through with our agreement, I'll have the Halloween items for sale in my Etsy shop and also for an upcoming Art Fair at the end of August. It's a win-win situation no matter what happens.<br />
Each is felted over a wire armature so they'll free stand or pose if you wish, and each is embellished with a button from Just Another Button Company that I've signed on the back of with my name and year date.<br />
I've been asked to show what I've done so far, and here you go:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kWuoQXBdxchP3ISFOo6hRW6eYO4OmnqXnSVbtZ0K6zm3tVdGWys1nBMXfWN8dabr8eGWFiTrdqalWfcA0xu4btOjvvFNV28X39fIZqKphGNfqJkBz5ZPrpgxL9OP77_f5DufK605SZLO/s1600/hallow005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kWuoQXBdxchP3ISFOo6hRW6eYO4OmnqXnSVbtZ0K6zm3tVdGWys1nBMXfWN8dabr8eGWFiTrdqalWfcA0xu4btOjvvFNV28X39fIZqKphGNfqJkBz5ZPrpgxL9OP77_f5DufK605SZLO/s400/hallow005.jpg" width="105" /></a></div>This is Jack the Headless Pumpkin Man .. and is by far my favorite! I'll have to do another of him, or maybe two! His button is a pumpkin 'belt buckle' at his waist. He was too skinny to free stand, so he's been attached to a wooden base for display. Jack stands 15" tall. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHRpRGWLxCjLHrLlKaHqmwT_XIvB9oDznFj2l5yiOFL2UlB6CzcOyBtFtKfulU-YcuHdaOrA-mYkG-Um_KL9jfnYQqb6rag8u3xSqHHH90gMJE1kWKspctp5_728T6H0KnhYWq4iGXnbN/s1600/hallow009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHRpRGWLxCjLHrLlKaHqmwT_XIvB9oDznFj2l5yiOFL2UlB6CzcOyBtFtKfulU-YcuHdaOrA-mYkG-Um_KL9jfnYQqb6rag8u3xSqHHH90gMJE1kWKspctp5_728T6H0KnhYWq4iGXnbN/s1600/hallow009.jpg" /></a></div> Little Trick or Treating Ghostie is taking his pet bat Henry for a walk with him. Standing 9 1/2" from his boots to the top of Henry's wings, Ghostie boy also wears glasses! His button is a smiling Pumpkin that I've attached to cording so it looks like it's his 'treat bag'.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZ71HMEJpnLcLb_bCqMmLFFMVrCKuNQ9wiE-ZGwmlbLBaeTx_BwLvaTerHCOvK1OwBUYWykbzCDmNXQP5pPMK5EkW30mT98msIJGCgnGMpsrMDLT9Wcz1Csef6of2W8-4OvhdutOSOKlX/s1600/hallow006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZ71HMEJpnLcLb_bCqMmLFFMVrCKuNQ9wiE-ZGwmlbLBaeTx_BwLvaTerHCOvK1OwBUYWykbzCDmNXQP5pPMK5EkW30mT98msIJGCgnGMpsrMDLT9Wcz1Csef6of2W8-4OvhdutOSOKlX/s1600/hallow006.jpg" /></a></div>This witch is a REAL "Broom Hilda" and stands 13" tall. The bristles of her broom are natural undyed sheep curls to which a black cat button with pumpkin has been attached. Every witch needs her cat nearby, don't ya know?! My witches tend to be a bit 'more fashionably attired" than what the books would have you believe .. I think it's to offset their, um ... looks! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcYB-rS8GEmAzB-koTbrC-Tc43Ql5bVrLZ4TXYpvzgyujY2zrf6sBLwoNaKBVV1vj3NVluhrfkXpsJNojjcFNNy_KuIxvZOlKM666f_6koqABqSwzFvaYVZG7f8uWrYaUSS8MTJ8Jp2NU/s1600/hallow007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcYB-rS8GEmAzB-koTbrC-Tc43Ql5bVrLZ4TXYpvzgyujY2zrf6sBLwoNaKBVV1vj3NVluhrfkXpsJNojjcFNNy_KuIxvZOlKM666f_6koqABqSwzFvaYVZG7f8uWrYaUSS8MTJ8Jp2NU/s1600/hallow007.jpg" /></a></div>This little guy hasn't told me his name ... yet! Black Cat on Jack stands 8 1/2" high. His button is attached to the side of his yellow cone hat .. it's a purple spider!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpX4XlpPiyb0P8ugMZzeXXhO8qggs0k4B5bPfujJ3puOKij4VPEtPjTV51oChPzztQrZFq0JFBRasIH_XfTBb0w-qAb4wA-TUBhzsf2swmgygdj0OOQVX7MQIjABfcB2LBwnkohWkKLTh/s1600/hallow011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpX4XlpPiyb0P8ugMZzeXXhO8qggs0k4B5bPfujJ3puOKij4VPEtPjTV51oChPzztQrZFq0JFBRasIH_XfTBb0w-qAb4wA-TUBhzsf2swmgygdj0OOQVX7MQIjABfcB2LBwnkohWkKLTh/s1600/hallow011.jpg" /></a></div>And what would Halloween be with out Frankie? Since he's walking towards you, he's also been mounted onto a block so he'll stand upright at 9 1/2" high. He proudly wears as a lapel pin his JABCo button which is a tombstone with bat and RIP on it. <br />
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Dave has a real problem with this creation as Frankie wears a gold hoop earring in one ear ... and Dave says "that's just so wrong Deb".<br />
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I have #6 to create yet, and after getting some imput from my Facebook friends have decided that it will be EITHER a tombstone, with a ghost peeking around one corner of it and with an owl or raven perched ontop of the stone<br />
OR<br />
a frog wearing a witches hat and holding a magic wand.<br />
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decisions decisions!<br />
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Little Trick or Treating Ghostie is taking his pet bat Henry for a walk with him. <br />
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Standing 9 1/2" from his boots to the top of Henry's wings, Ghostie boy also wears glasses! His button is a smiling Pumpkin that I've attached to cording so it looks like it's his 'treat bag'.<br />
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This witch is a REAL "Broom Hilda" and stands 13" tall. The bristles of her broom are natural undyed sheep curls to which a black cat button with pumpkin has been attached. Every witch needs her cat nearby, don't ya know?! My witches tend to be a bit 'more fashionably attired" than what the books would have you believe .. I think it's to offset their, um ... looks! <br />
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This little guy hasn't told me his name ... yet! Black Cat on Jack stands 8 1/2" high. His button is attached to the side of his yellow cone hat .. it's a purple spider!''<br />
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And what would Halloween be with out Frankie? Since he's walking towards you, he's also been mounted onto a block so he'll stand upright at 9 1/2" high. He proudly wears as a lapel pin his JABCo button which is a tombstone with bat and RIP on it. <br />
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Dave has a real problem with this creation as Frankie wears a gold hoop earring in one ear. Dave looked at him for the longest time and then said "that's just so wrong Deb".<br />
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I have #6 to create yet, and after getting some input on Facebook, have decided that it will either be a tombstone with a ghost peeking around one side and have an owl or raven perched on top of the stone <br />
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OR<br />
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a frog wearing a witches hat and holding a wand.<br />
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hummmmm decisions decisionsDebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-44825158204606930882011-06-17T19:39:00.001-04:002011-06-17T19:51:33.806-04:00Felting the days away! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The weather was good for the Flint Institute Of Art Summer Art Fair ... a bit cool, a smidge windy (felted fairies and witches try to 'fly' about when it's windy), but sunny and best of all .. no rain! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe7fNNN4hKNet6DTpO2FgQAGR4OsyjOH6GZ2UpdU8sN2K9_oFdNZWM7Jsban4mJ9nrrEySkci9K7iGX70LCuuQ5hvy7G8lPAqX4SFStWQNlJmJRtMsY41Rgr11vFUk0fsOJRnFEmEzP-D/s1600/2011SummerArtFair+003s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe7fNNN4hKNet6DTpO2FgQAGR4OsyjOH6GZ2UpdU8sN2K9_oFdNZWM7Jsban4mJ9nrrEySkci9K7iGX70LCuuQ5hvy7G8lPAqX4SFStWQNlJmJRtMsY41Rgr11vFUk0fsOJRnFEmEzP-D/s320/2011SummerArtFair+003s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Got the booth assembled and put up on Friday night .. then Dave and I headed off about 7:30 the next morning to finish positioning tables and arranging my items for best exposure. Wait? Did I say DAVE and I? Dave was there .. I was the one moving things around! Dave was wandering around and getting a good look at everything, and then wandering back into the booth to tell me the neat stuff he'd seen. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7G_L1PddB2x84Xj0JbtUvJlVXH8kj-z91R4kXrceRN0ljuULsuHHaWC3Q7XmqTnKJn7kX4pDtCeIBeXA2oSiLZ1CWroaP4cYLxw9chvRyWzGtWWXw4NJcKvvKulZs_FOT8uxhQvzNZ39/s1600/2011SummerArtFair+009s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7G_L1PddB2x84Xj0JbtUvJlVXH8kj-z91R4kXrceRN0ljuULsuHHaWC3Q7XmqTnKJn7kX4pDtCeIBeXA2oSiLZ1CWroaP4cYLxw9chvRyWzGtWWXw4NJcKvvKulZs_FOT8uxhQvzNZ39/s320/2011SummerArtFair+009s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> When the traffic in the booth slowed down and I suggested that I be the one to do some wandering around, this look of total terror would come over his face! But finally, I did get to leave - just for a few minutes though - and when I got back, Dave would tell me, in this long suffering sort of way, that <em>"I had to make change and everything"</em> and that <em>"as soon as you left, I had to sell 4 of the angel ornaments and one of the bowls AND I had to wrap them in tissue and everything"!</em> And then he'd wander off again. LOL<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtzL_yFltXUxxIn1JYipFGAJlX7pTiTYR2U_cFZinJevQfVutJjZ8lD8SmrDDDoO537ZIYNfrxKBghPqj_f12JhTEETdNqkgSukM61ldU4rjHGdy6crC9WncqCLsmM4W_ZCFglzxm8zKN/s1600/2011SummerArtFair+006s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtzL_yFltXUxxIn1JYipFGAJlX7pTiTYR2U_cFZinJevQfVutJjZ8lD8SmrDDDoO537ZIYNfrxKBghPqj_f12JhTEETdNqkgSukM61ldU4rjHGdy6crC9WncqCLsmM4W_ZCFglzxm8zKN/s320/2011SummerArtFair+006s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> My friends Cathy and Laurie came to see me and brought a gift too! They'd found one of those metal garden/lawn stakes that had a squirrel on it holding a nut (think nuts and bolts type of nut here .. it was really really cute) and, in honor of our squirrel experiences, presented it to both of us! It's next to the 'cat pen' at home now!<br />
Sunday again had quite a bit of traffic in and out of the booth and a lot of giggles going on between me and Kathy. We got there two hours before the show opened as they had an Artists Breakfast and Awards Presentation - 4 honorable mentions and 3 place winners. They had one more honorable mention to name and they said <em> Debra</em> and my heart jolted and then they said the last name and it wasn't mine. Oh well, with that many artisans there, I really didn't expect to receive anything. But then, last summer I didn't expect to win 2nd place in my first ever show either! So after the Breakfast, we had time to wander and look at the other booths as they were being opened .<br />
5pm .. the show is over. Kathy and I were tissue wrapping everything and boxing them up, waiting for Dave to arrive to take the tent down. Finally everything is loaded in the van, so Kathy goes her merry way and Dave and I start in on un-assembling the tent. Phase One: got it lowered down. Phase Two: I remembered we had to get at opposite sides and move in toward each other. Dave didn't remember that part. So I zigged and he zagged (with a lot of muttering going on under his breath). Then ... he kept pushing and ... one of the struts in the roof snapped apart - right in half! More muttering - this was apparently my fault, but I was calm cool and collected and ignored him. We zigged and zagged a bit more ... SNAP another strut snaps in half! Ok .. Dave's mad but I'm still calm, laughing actually .. what IS the matter with me? This is so not Deb the Impatient! <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> The tent is now wrecked .. it cannot be used again. So .. let's just push and pull and push some more to COMPACT it so we can at least get it into the van and get the heck outta there! So push and pull and push some more we did! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCiG7FphCjqimS-VL_JTmvfXdvKUQGTzu6TYyua98idP9HpfuCC8ZsXK6LkILNgR7IgGL7iz0PhyJALvj7To6zzpMxC-cD-yMqy3rMZrzY1ZcrxG-0NJWl483pU0nLmtnwe-WGVDGXlNt/s1600/IMG00155s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCiG7FphCjqimS-VL_JTmvfXdvKUQGTzu6TYyua98idP9HpfuCC8ZsXK6LkILNgR7IgGL7iz0PhyJALvj7To6zzpMxC-cD-yMqy3rMZrzY1ZcrxG-0NJWl483pU0nLmtnwe-WGVDGXlNt/s320/IMG00155s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now mind you, the other people that were taking their booths down were studiously avoiding eye contact with us. FINALLY, as we're picking up what was once a really nice tent and carrying it to the van, a few came over ... cautiously, mind you. By then Dave was laughing too (I think he was really concerned about why I was laughing and decided to go with the flow). One lady was concerned .. I told her it was OK as we were "Patrons Of Modern Art" and now had our own sculpture! Another suggested that we just leave 'it' on the grounds of the Institute ... it may take them a month or two before they realize that this piece of 'art' wasn't really owned by the FIA!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTIMfZ7hc-TvA4HrjELdDw0519ED7y47AGNMaPsxNpq9VGX-UIWvW-rv7pTCAHtTrTzvTGSxXpxa2xGYqVTWRcTKg3FlbhxM-bvu4j7r1ly4AhxEm2NdZ5m6y09PCZ1AECk_TWLvnUF4-/s1600/IMG00156s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTIMfZ7hc-TvA4HrjELdDw0519ED7y47AGNMaPsxNpq9VGX-UIWvW-rv7pTCAHtTrTzvTGSxXpxa2xGYqVTWRcTKg3FlbhxM-bvu4j7r1ly4AhxEm2NdZ5m6y09PCZ1AECk_TWLvnUF4-/s1600/IMG00156s.jpg" /></a><br />
So .. now it sits in my spot in the driveway. And I need to buy a new tent before the August show in Swartz Creek. And Dave ...well but the time we got home Dave realized that the entire problem was that he'd NOT put the tent poles in their final position down before we started our zigging and zagging (so it wasn't my fault after all!!!)!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-49349017923218021512011-06-06T12:34:00.000-04:002011-06-06T12:34:07.653-04:00I'm still here, honest I am .. really!And I so apologize .. it's been 3 months since I've blogged here! I've been on Facebook, I've been on Twitter and I guess that much social media took me away from thoughts posted here. I'm sorry .. honest I am!<br />
<br />
So .. what's going on in my world.<br />
<br />
I'm fighting the 'itchies'! Have hives right now from stress (I internalize too much and then I suffer!) - this coming week: working Monday and Tuesday and getting ordering done and a weeks worth of invoices paid; driving to Columbus Wednesday for TNNA Retail Council meetings on Thursday and staying till noon on Friday for class sessions assisting the TNNA Member Meeting; then hightailing it home to start getting my booth /displays set up before 6:30pm for the Art Fair beginning on Saturday is taking a bit of a toll on me.<br />
So .. I was out in the 'cat pen' last weekend. We have this long wire enclosed dog run with dog house in it that the dogs never went in, but the cats love it out there where they can be outside AND safe. The grass was about 2' high due to all the rain and too much for a mower to tackle, so I was out there with hedge trimmer shears getting the grass cut. <br />
Dave wanders out and says .. <em>'you do know there's poison ivy in there, don't you'?</em> HUH? I'm in tee shirt, shorts and sandals and not wearing gloves! "Why haven't you been spraying it with killer stuffs?" <em>"I didn't want the kitties to get in the poison". </em>"What about them getting into the poison ivy and bringing it into the house with them?" <em>"Oh they won't do that .. it's all around the doghouse and right where you're clipping and they don't go there".</em> "WHAT!!!!!!!! We get second-hand poison ivy every year from the dog when he's in it .. we will from the cats too!" <em>"But Deb, it looks so pretty around the doghouse .. like a little ivy covered cottage!" </em><br />
Needless to say .. I have hives on my arms and a bit on my legs from nerves .. and poison ivy (not as terribly bad as it could be, but itchy icky bumps all the same) all over the backs of my hands and spreading up onto my arms. Between Eucerin lotion and Benedryl cream, I'm fully supporting the local Rite-Aid pharmacy! But I feel that a steroid shot is also in my very near future (like before I leave for Columbus!).<br />
<br />
I've been needle felting like a crazed being getting new stuffs created for the upcoming Art Fair at the Flint Institute Of Art this coming Saturday and Sunday (June 11 and 12th). If you're in the Flint area http://www.flintarts.org/visit/directions.html , come by and say HI - I'd like to just see you and have the opportunity to chat. Dave will be assisting me in my booth on Saturday from 10am - 6pm (he was my only choice as helper!) and that should be interesting. This is so not his thing, and being 'forced' to talk to people he hasn't known since birth is going to be rough going for him .. but .. he IS agreeably helping me with that one day! Kathy will be working with me on Sunday from 11am till 5pm. <br />
I've also applied for acceptance in another juried art show for the end of August .. wish me luck on getting into that one. So, if my fiber art is approved, I'll be needle felting more stuffs after June is over so that I'll have new items for that show too!<br />
<br />
Still stitching away in my, um, spare time on Lizzie Kate's Halloween Rules, using buttons from Just Another Button Company in place of some of the 'stitched' designs. It will become a bell pull instead of a framed model for the shop. I'm about 1/2 way through now and it's looking great! Of course, that doesn't stop me from collecting other designs to put in my "hey I gotta stitch these" stash pile! <br />
<br />
And I'm adding books all the time for reading on my Kindle AND adding books on tape (also for my Kindle) from Audible.com. I've been listening to quite a few while I needle felt. I can watch TV (for the most part) while I'm stitching, but watch while felting .. it puts my fingers at too great a risk! I've got "Water For Elephants" waiting for me to listen to while I drive to and from Columbus. Right now I'm re-reading "Changes" from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and hoping that the next edition in this series comes soon! Someone told me to check out books by Michael Baron .. anyone familiar with his stuff??<br />
Kathy had given this link to me http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/ but I must confess I'd not checked it out yet. Think I just may do so a bit later today!! I'm trying to force myself to just kick back and take it easy today ... instead of trying to see what else I can felt in the few remaining moments before everything has to be packed up (today) for taking to the Flint Art Fair. overachiever? insane? that would be me!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-219356021120156032011-03-01T12:27:00.000-05:002011-03-01T12:27:22.221-05:00A Tragic Loss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53WgE6IYqv4VFZCjVtRzFm6DZ4tTeQ2Bq9aAy38tL0mh9CiyweUkmoQqkS13J6-iUNVeYXa9Cvt6ZuNeVUhGbrnjVzr4OWwXP91uotLMbOjWug57LSxvZoctOJNr08XUJYeaMK8EYmyMg/s1600/Lisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53WgE6IYqv4VFZCjVtRzFm6DZ4tTeQ2Bq9aAy38tL0mh9CiyweUkmoQqkS13J6-iUNVeYXa9Cvt6ZuNeVUhGbrnjVzr4OWwXP91uotLMbOjWug57LSxvZoctOJNr08XUJYeaMK8EYmyMg/s1600/Lisa.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Early yesterday morning, while driving to work, Lisa Roswell from The Primitive Needle died as her car was was swept away in flood waters. Her body was found early this morning. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="entry-content">The needleart industry has lost a shining star and those of us who knew Lisa will deeply mourn this loss.</span></div><span class="entry-content"><span class="entry-content">My prayers, my thoughts, my tears, my heart, go out to Lisa's family. May the Lord grant you the comfort you need.</span></span>Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-4558076687214590502011-01-26T18:25:00.000-05:002011-01-26T18:25:06.326-05:00And, Continuing On ...Great discussion on the copyright/copywrong issue I was concerned with. <br />
The result? I'll continue on, in addition to those felting ideas that spring out of my wee little brain, getting inspiration from where I will. <br />
I've just 'torn out pictures' from a gift type catalog .. and will see if my felting needles can duplicate them in wool. What kind of pictures you ask .. in case you're wondering IF I'm trying to 'copywrong' .. well, lets see:<br />
(1) from a picture of an pewter/enamelled gift box featuring a white bunny sitting atop a huge huge carrot<br />
(2) from a picture of some wooden painted folk art 'fish' - I'm picturing a long funky fish atop a tall wire post.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsmLycDvs03vizPgA80LRAGbKZ59GfpduS4IQ-NjRoXqcolQfVRuwCTaVC1E_Mml33YRt80kfgJQ1sy5XyBmIqJgqdlweIW-31nBebQpkvdGgGOY4JAkPD2TS5uCH4ahJ6Q32afUKkJDF/s1600/lfchicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsmLycDvs03vizPgA80LRAGbKZ59GfpduS4IQ-NjRoXqcolQfVRuwCTaVC1E_Mml33YRt80kfgJQ1sy5XyBmIqJgqdlweIW-31nBebQpkvdGgGOY4JAkPD2TS5uCH4ahJ6Q32afUKkJDF/s200/lfchicken.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>(3) from a picture of a pair of tin sculpture wildly painted roosters.<br />
(4) from a picture of stone sculptured frogs .. in different yoga poses.<br />
(5) from a picture of glass blown rooster/chicken (pictured here) - I'm thinking of embedding funky fashion yarns in the wool for the 'striped' effect and also for hopefully a very cool texture effect.<br />
<br />
I've also got the cross stitch charts "Hip Hop Cat" and "Hip Hop Cow" from Samsarah Design Studio that I've been wanting to stitch AND make the designs into felted sculptures. I've already told Patti (the designer) about my plans and promised that when I DO needle felt them, she has to see them/I have to bring them to Market with me!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLC3zaPkmv_1UFQWrgEX6pXfHUQf26ReNEiBnga2HFWCJj6b7nFXa4UDrigRuHnrCeRRNnml0SHDqpq2b9NfZTWZrbLruXttxVjupUT0PHmBCUXz8WzmLUN-Gtz0GVSm9IMMWoeC_fPz3/s1600/gofeltafish+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiLC3zaPkmv_1UFQWrgEX6pXfHUQf26ReNEiBnga2HFWCJj6b7nFXa4UDrigRuHnrCeRRNnml0SHDqpq2b9NfZTWZrbLruXttxVjupUT0PHmBCUXz8WzmLUN-Gtz0GVSm9IMMWoeC_fPz3/s320/gofeltafish+025.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>I feel that the above gift catalog pictures I've told you about are 'inspiration' .. not blatant copying. You get inspiration from everywhere .. and I am taking a flat non-dimensional picture design are recreating it into a 3-D felted sculpture .. it won't be the same, it won't look the same, and cannot be conceived as the same.<br />
<br />
Do I have 'original' designs? Of course I do .. as long as you realize that I also do 'people' and breed specific dogs and birds. And I also have 'how to felt' books that show you step by step how to do this needle art form .. those images become my own. You start with an idea, whether imagined or pictured, and make it your own. <br />
<br />
What about cross stitch? I'm stitching too .. currently working on Lizzie Kate's "Christmas Rules", but instead of doing it on the Summer Khaki linen Linda chose .. I'm using "Golden Wattle" from Stitches & Spice. It's a yellowish mottled opalescent and I'm really liking the colors on it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzB0OXCWrqiRKQH_2b-kBxmJH91pB5fq1X_dS8I4TJIOZLiwhPSAt-EdfKCD04TzsSw-BYMJXXUZIR-SQjEellPm7-rQVmHBSEgj4YMDhTACjZPr0pnyRrNu2wTTwPlDodZvjANfuo5Cy/s1600/IMG00059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzB0OXCWrqiRKQH_2b-kBxmJH91pB5fq1X_dS8I4TJIOZLiwhPSAt-EdfKCD04TzsSw-BYMJXXUZIR-SQjEellPm7-rQVmHBSEgj4YMDhTACjZPr0pnyRrNu2wTTwPlDodZvjANfuo5Cy/s320/IMG00059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tonight I'll stitch some more ... tomorrow, I'm going to felt something!</div>Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-60338592972704784042011-01-23T16:13:00.008-05:002011-01-23T17:41:41.900-05:00Copyright or Copywrong?What constitutes copyright infractions?<br />
Is it being inspired by seeing something, and without taking pictures or etchings, reworking it from memory? Is it seeing a design in one medium and attempting to recreate it in another medium?<br />
<br />
On my Etsy shop for Needle Felting (DebFeltIt) I have the following stated: <em>I needle felt with patterns, I needle felt without patterns, I needle felt from pictures seen, I needle felt what comes into my brain and out of my fingers. I wet felt scarves, bowls and vessels. I nuno felt. Basically .. I felt!</em><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> I have found myself in the position of seeing a sculpture at a trade show and becoming so enamored of it, tried to recreate it from memory by needle felting it when I returned home. I did not try to pass this felted sculpture off as my own (see statement above) but I did put it for sale on my Etsy store.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> The original creator contacted me by phone and told me it was a copyrighted design (which had never occurred to me that it would be - I thought it was a 'display' item and again, copyright never entered my wee little mind) and asked me to remove the item. Of course, I did so immediately!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZYaEy3iyZO0mE914hv39om5pYgnOzPp9CZTFaH7pC_dnssUFHAXiKdBgtqPP58oCbm-xZiVgQfHAmzRdN_Z6cCt5lG0JSZB0awA4zxIMS9wWQUKUYDkm3ePTjTQh7k30Dz3XQFby1BZf/s1600/il_75x75_193575403.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ZYaEy3iyZO0mE914hv39om5pYgnOzPp9CZTFaH7pC_dnssUFHAXiKdBgtqPP58oCbm-xZiVgQfHAmzRdN_Z6cCt5lG0JSZB0awA4zxIMS9wWQUKUYDkm3ePTjTQh7k30Dz3XQFby1BZf/s1600/il_75x75_193575403.jpg.jpg" /></a> Later on that year, I did another couple of designs based on "Shaun The Sheep" from the Wallace and Gromit series. Surprisingly enough, these were also similar - or so it would seem - to the 'so called copyrighted' sheep design of earlier. I sold one at the First Frost Art Show and then placed the 2nd sheep on my Etsy shop. Once again, I was contacted by the </div> same individual yelling copyright issues. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TQnoKtzfkdjp8P980CxDJXVcvouBLKaXG1eKtyqGuMzEsMnjUGpX2yK9Jn82ZNW2ID9eYitok0nyYLbl0tzAopOfLMTwW8Fr6Do-8hfu42Wp93stDqY0lA05yrA18Oa0ggijtdUay3S2/s1600/shaunthesheep.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TQnoKtzfkdjp8P980CxDJXVcvouBLKaXG1eKtyqGuMzEsMnjUGpX2yK9Jn82ZNW2ID9eYitok0nyYLbl0tzAopOfLMTwW8Fr6Do-8hfu42Wp93stDqY0lA05yrA18Oa0ggijtdUay3S2/s200/shaunthesheep.bmp" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_bzl7IaAfHGV8WVS1bOBtE9x3ZJ5H4klY7wRLnnFacbxTEwaHZcqTEQVkKmFd-YPwdFBwiiHQjdVTVtcwWKRhPS8OHxj09sHGYYDXN0rZAHU432iwnxZkc5OWz_SVELBp-v_wzXCpPyK/s1600/serta+sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_bzl7IaAfHGV8WVS1bOBtE9x3ZJ5H4klY7wRLnnFacbxTEwaHZcqTEQVkKmFd-YPwdFBwiiHQjdVTVtcwWKRhPS8OHxj09sHGYYDXN0rZAHU432iwnxZkc5OWz_SVELBp-v_wzXCpPyK/s1600/serta+sheep.jpg" /></a>I told her that this sheep was based on Shaun The Sheep but was told that since 'her sheep' had knobby knees and Shaun did not have knobby knees, I was again duplicating her design. And since my sheep had 'blue' eyes like hers, it was obvious that I was in the wrong. I responded by saying that since I have a stuffed Counting Sheep residing on the back of my sofa that also has 'buggy blue eyes', and since my "Number 44" has the same face style as my creation, he was also an obvious inspiration to my felted sheep. Once again, I was told to remove him immediately or face consequences.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjqcLOpr61-QIe65r_ZWSh8ck4f4azzkhv9EWJNtXsBQ6_3Vb5oo1dSKHcCUHNKflkEXicNALUfpICRsen8m3H1m5qOzz190rpQIsFV8CumqljFxAsvaZmjwXaokpmTDvIN0Wqx7GjG64/s1600/sheep7.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjqcLOpr61-QIe65r_ZWSh8ck4f4azzkhv9EWJNtXsBQ6_3Vb5oo1dSKHcCUHNKflkEXicNALUfpICRsen8m3H1m5qOzz190rpQIsFV8CumqljFxAsvaZmjwXaokpmTDvIN0Wqx7GjG64/s1600/sheep7.jpg.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So at what point am I guilty of copyright wrongs?</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I saw her design and from memory recreated it?</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I looked up Shaun The Sheep, or looked at my Counting Sheep, </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">and recreated it?</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I put 'my' sheep up for sale, even though I did not claim personal </div>credit for it?<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And what happens when I see any other image in print, or in person, and </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">needle felt it? If I felt from a kit and put it up for sale? What if I do a dog </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">with spots and someone else has done a dog with spots? What about my</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> long-legged birds?</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Again, going back to my Etsy shop description ... <em>I needle felt with patterns, I needle felt without patterns, I needle felt from pictures seen, I needle felt what comes into my brain and out of my fingers.</em></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXe5GcRvKSuocfZelepDlCEWuEK3K1UR5dbIWbpepNJAQ_U9gjjzh2Lc43xWSJSQDIQdx71YCThIYZ6lVu0tANT93LyP3gAD771gPyXdg9Ajef22OhPeF6SNQTMjmhUMqCx_wSacnYcuU/s1600/il_570xN_193575290s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXe5GcRvKSuocfZelepDlCEWuEK3K1UR5dbIWbpepNJAQ_U9gjjzh2Lc43xWSJSQDIQdx71YCThIYZ6lVu0tANT93LyP3gAD771gPyXdg9Ajef22OhPeF6SNQTMjmhUMqCx_wSacnYcuU/s200/il_570xN_193575290s.jpg" width="133" /></a>Opinions, comments, criticism .. all are welcomed!!!</div></div></div></div></div>Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668067861209219398.post-67664309146994334792011-01-01T18:54:00.000-05:002011-01-01T18:54:36.097-05:002011 .. a new year ... and so it begins! Had a relaxing New Year's Eve stitching and watching chick flicks (Dave was buried in a book), Mocha at my knee, Padme off doing whatever Padme does when no one can see here, and with Nick happily destroying another new stuffed animal. I managed to make it to midnight to see the ball drop and finish off my glass of wine .. then happily went to bed with a book and hopeful thoughts .. it was now a new year!<br />
Kathy and I had been emailing back and forth about going to a movie on Sunday ... "Black Swan" at 11:20am; she'd already gotten us tickets. Dave and I were going to go to see "True Grit" the next day. This WAS a new year ... 2 movies to kick it off, and at this point more movies in one year than I usually take in!<br />
<br />
Got up, had breakfast, puttered around, and then drove to the movie theater to meet Kathy. New Year's Day and late morning = probably around 100 cars total in the parking lot! This WAS a great time to take in a movie .. everyone was still at home hung over. I was early, probably a half hour early actually, so when I first got there, went up and ordered 2 tickets to "True Grit" for the next day for Dave and myself, then played around with my Blackberry on-line while waiting for Kathy to arrive. I got all engrossed on a needle felting site and suddenly thought ... hey, Kathy's not here yet .. how much time has gone by? Looked at my screen and OMG it's 11:54am! The movie was to have started at 11:20! Where is Kathy??? Maybe she came in a different door??? Asked which theater "Black Swan" was in and walked down there ... no Kathy, no other door for her to have walked in through. Did she go in without me?? Emailed her, knowing that if she was IN the theater, her cell would be off, but .. worth a shot. Then, went up to one of the attendants and told her that I didn't have a ticket, my friend had tickets for us both, but I think I missed her and perhaps she was already in the theater. Kind lady that she was, she told me to go in and take a look. Wandered down the aisle ... there are only perhaps 7 people in the entire room! And .. no Kathy! WTH????? Walked back through the complex, looked at my cell - no email from Kathy - and then .............. OH NO!!!<br />
E-mailed Dave .... when he answered, asked "What day is it"? <em>"It's 1-1- .. ".</em> "NO ... what DAY is it?" <em>"It's Saturday".</em> "Nooooo" I cried .. "Kathy and I are going to the movie on SUNDAY not today"!!! <br />
<br />
Asked him if he wanted to go to the 2:05 show with me today INSTEAD of tomorrow, IF I could get the tickets changed. So went back up to the ticket counter, was able to get the tickets for "True Grit" switched from tomorrow to today and left the complex. Called Kathy and told her what I'd done .. gave her her first real laugh of the New Year I'm sure! I know I'd given Dave his first laugh!<br />
Drove home and an hour and half later was back in the car going back to the theater. We saw "True Grit" today .. it was FABULOUS .. and TOMORROW, I'll be in the theater again, this time on the correct day with Kathy to see "Black Swan".<br />
And here I though 2011 was going to be different. sigh let the merriment continue for another year!Debhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06694257545896622733noreply@blogger.com3