At last, we're snow free for the week.....

With no snow in the future I see spring is on the way and we're thrilled.  Our thoughts and displays have turned to Welcoming Spring.  Which, of course, brings about our thoughts on the Spring Retreat.  Sara has informed me that she and Mary have had to cut off any more registrations to the retreat as we are overloaded (at least they can't blame me)....so anyone wishing to come now will have to go on the waiting list.  We are thrilled to have such a wonderful response, as usual, to this retreat and know that it has a lot to do with location.  There's nothing better than sitting in the front porch rockers, stitching while watching and listening to the ocean roll in.  While I've been typing the fog has lifted a little so I now can see the waves rolling and I've been able to hear it all along.  Sounds of home for me.  Anyway, goodie bags have been ordered and we're on the search for what to put in the goodie bag...that's where I come in.  I love doing the goodie bag.  Sara also heard back from Jackie DuPlessis so we have a date and the project for her class which will be in September.  I'll get that info on the web shortly...I'm having an issue (so what's new) and I have the web designer working on it now.  Candi and Linda came by on Sunday to work on the Welsh Cottage.  Linda has almost finished her roof and I'm halfway done with the cottage back wall (my roof is done) so things are progressing.  It's slow though...over one..ugh!  It's so beautiful when it's done, but it limits the amount of hours I can work on it as I get too tired.  I have to switch to an over 2 so I can speed things  up.  I have several new projects in my tote going home.  SamSarah's carrots have been calling my name since Nashville and we just got the wools in that are called for so hopefully all will go well in putting them together and I'll have my carrot stixs done by this time next week.  I go home with more to do's than I bring back each week...there is something wrong with my system.  So much stitching...so little time.  But my goal this week is to finish my Mermaid class piece (just a little to do), The BeeKeeper, from Plum Street Samplers should be done and then to the framer, Carrot Stixs, and the Priscilla's Hornbook Kit, we picked up in Nashville....should be done.  Don't hold me to any of this....but that's my goal.   And this week I'm starting my needlepoint canvaswork easter eggs....and at least one of them should be done this week.  Oh, My...I better go home and start stitching.  Have a great week ahead...I'll keep you posted on my progress.  Oh, I forgot to tell you Ladonna Snellbaker, the designer for Blank Branch Needlework was in today with a couple of  her friends , Barbara  Reifsnider and Stacy Diokno.  They were so much fun to talk with and they are considering attending one of our retreats...how exciting.   This is two weeks in a row we've had a needlework celebrity sighting...so exciting.  It's always great to speak with the designers, see what they are stitching, etc, as well as see what they are purchasing to use.  Sometimes I even get pointers on some fibers I can't figure out when someone buys it I just ask them how they are using it.  There is no shame in my game!  Anyway, I've got to run....have a great day and I'll keep you posted.

New things to show...just not new....

I finally brought this home after 3 years to attach the top piece to the box.  It's been a model in the shop since it came out and I stitched it...love these boxes.  But I cut the top piece too close and couldn't use it properly so I had to re-stitch (ugh) and it's been sitting home finished (stitching) until this week when I decided to use the snow day to finish some unfinished pieces that were already displayed.  So the Treasures Stitching Box is now completely finished.     Then you see   the Lizzie Kate 2014 Flora McSample Stocking ornaments that I finished in January, but was waiting to hand them over to Caroline to finish...they turned out too small for me to tackle...(as I did them over one).  Caroline brought them back last weekend and they are just too cute.  They are less than 3 inches and are now lined so usable.  Great for sticking money in for the grandchildren and hanging them on the tree. The 3rd picture shows SamSarah's Happy Easter from 2013, which I just slapped together after stitching it last year to have it in the shop in time for Easter.  So that came home on Monday and I finished it as it should have been done.  The rest of the week was spent on class pieces...the Tulip Tray stitching is complete and the other class is almost complete..after a start over on one piece...ugh!  Anyway, last night when I didn't have anything new to show I made the JABCO Ewe Pin Cushion....she's sooo cute.  And I put her bunny ears on as we are using her in our Easter display.  As with the other JABCO pin cushion kits, this proved to be challenging to begin with, but once I saw what they were trying to say...well it became a lot easier.  First, for me a lot of prep work just doesn't work.  I tried punching the holes through on the first pin cushion and found it to be busy work for me.  You can just look at the pattern pieces and look at the wool in you hand and then fold it the way they say...matching this letter to another letter.  I don't need to put a hole in it.  This pin cushion was the hardest yet when I started putting it together.  But, after sitting for a few minutes, placing the letters together on the two pieces of wool and thinking ahead to where it had to go I was able to see that you just made a cross of the two white pieces for the body, and while if you gathered the two ends on one piece you could fit them together easily.  But that isn't how they do it.  So you just need to edit their directions a little and it becomes a little easier.  Anyway, she's adorable.  I tried to weight it but I was using something too big and it would become a problem when the  pins were stuck in it  so I took the weight out.  But next time, I'd weight it using a different weight.  I'm trying to decide whether or not to add eyes....too cute?  I'll think some more about this.  Anyway, I'm praying that was our last snow for 2014.  Next week it's suppose to be in the 60's all week...whoppee!

Another stitch-tastic day.....

sIf I had a few more snow days God only knows how much I could get done....stitching that is...no housework.  Yesterday I finished the Pine Mountion, "Best Thing to hold onto" and started one of the hornbooks from  Priscilla's Pocket.  Since that is over one, and it was night, well I decided to only do a few of the letters and move on to something new.  After all, new is so much fun.  I came across the Lovebird pin cushion from JABCO and since I finished the Lovebird framed piece a couple of weeks ago I decided to get the pin cushion finished so he could sit with his partner.  If you haven't seen one of these kits, they come complete with everything, including the wool roving for stuffing the pin cushion.   I just opened the kit up, and as always I looked at the directions first and that's usually about the time I fold the directions back up and put the kit back in my stash.  It's a whole lot of directions on the page, but...and this is a big but...if you take it one step at a time they are really very easy to get through.  So this time instead of putting the kit back, I proceeded and finished "lovebird" last night.  I think he really turned out ...well beautiful.  I did make a minor change.  JABCO instructs to close the beak and stuff it.  But I like his mouth open (it won't surprise you to hear this, but I was actually thinking of finding a fake worm to hang out of it....but I decided to edit myself).  I also finished a chore...and I do mean a chore for me....doing duplicate stitch on a knitted throw for a woman who came in to get instructions for doing the duplicate stitch.  Sara asked if I could help her since I knew how to do it and Sara hasn't had to do any yet.  So I came over to Salty Yarns quite willingly.  But the minute I started speaking with the woman I knew I had a problem.  She asked if I would just do it for her, and I said, "No, I'm sorry but I don't have the time for that but I'll show you how to do it."  Please keep in mind that the woman had never been in our shop before, had been in the shops in the area where she purchased her supplies, but nothing from us.  Anyway, I began showing her how to do the stitch and she just couldn't do it  well enough.  She would do something that to her looked like the duplicate stitch, but mercy, it was driving me crazy.  Then she put gum in her mouth and I thought I'd lose my what little mind I have left.  It was getting close to 4:00,  which as you know is our closing time and I just couldn't see her ever getting this done correctly.  Now, in the 1 1/2 hours she was in the shop she was talking, also to her credit, she was constantly saying "I'm going to pay you" no matter how many times I said, I wouldn't accept payment for showing her how to do something.  She said, "I will certainly pay you since I've paid everyone else."  She paid someone $70.00 to chart the letters she wanted and to weave the yarn ends into the lap robe, which isn't that huge, so I just didn't feel it was proper to take any money.  The main problem was they charted a shadow alphabet for counted cross stitch, which can't be done in duplicate stitch.  I just felt she had been taken advantage of so I ended up bringing the darn thing home and redoing the lettering (I had tried to use just the block lettering on her chart in the shop and got 3 done, but wasn't happy with them), so I googled a duplicate stitch alphabet, pulled out what had been done and redid the whole thing.  So that was another finish for the day, even though it wasn't for me.  I think next time I should take a sample swatch and show people how to duplicate stitch on that, so that I force them to learn.  Fortunately for Sara, her knitting pupil is doing beautifully and after Sara taught her to knit and purl she's now knitting a sweater.  Sara will now be the one who also shows how to do the duplicate stitch...I can promise you one thing...she will not end up taking it home to finish it for anyone.  It's funny that this happened because while on the way to Nashville we stopped in our usual shops....a couple of knitting shops..one in Franklin, Tennessee and they asked if we would discuss policies of the shop with them.  One of their questions was, "what do you say when someone comes in and asks for help but didn't purchase anything from the store?" ( I guess we are not alone.)  I can't help but feel we must help those who can't do it...but I also want to know if  that person sees that it's not right to ask help from a store where they have purchased nothing at all, at any time.  If this woman had been a customer of ours it wouldn't seem so outrageous to me, but to never have been a customer at all....well, how does she expect independent stores to stay open just providing free help?  Enough said on this subject.  To the right you see another finish.  Yes she did offer to pay, but I'm not comfortable charging for help.  Oh, well...the traumas of a shop owner.  On to other finishes.  I'm really getting the hang of the JABCO kits.  This is a pinkeep from JABCO.  I thought it was so cute.  We have a couple of diehard sheep collectors.  Debbie and Cynthia are always on the lookout for sheepish designs.  Anyway, I do have a tip on the JABCO kits.  I noticed on  both the Lovebird pin cushion as well as this pinkeep, they always put the pieces together and then instruct you to do the attaching of buttons, stitching of design whatever after you've put pieces together.  That makes it almost impossible to hide knots in thread, etc. (yes I said knots).  But if you attach the buttons or whatever first, it makes things a lot easier.  For instance on the pinkeep they have you attach the body of the sheep to the green wool and then sew on the head and the bell.  But if you assemble the sheeps body, head and bell and then attach to the green, it works a lot easier.  Another thing, don't get intimidated by all the wordage (new word?) you see when you first take out the directions.  It's so much easier to ignore that and just start at step one.  I had taken out the directions on this piece a couple of times and then just put it back in a bag because it was too much.  But in reality, last night it only took a couple of hours from start to finish.  And it's so cute.  I showed you the back because it's one of the large round decorative buttons from JABCO...there is so little stitching on this piece ....just attaching the sheep body to the green.  The ribbon is holding the front to the back and the wool inbetween.  Fast and easy folks. 

I give up....no more please!

O.K....I know I said it wasn't going to snow and I was wrong, again.  It snowed all night and it's snowing again now ...it's 1:30p.m. Monday.  So Sara and I did get a snow day and I'm
almost thrilled, although at this point we've had too many and I want more of the sunshine and warmth we saw on Saturday.  I swear if this would just end I'll never complain about the heat of the summer ever again.  And  this Saturday they are calling for high 60's once again, but if that means more snow next week, well just forget it.  While I love sitting on my sofa, diet soda near by and my stitching in hand.....I also need to work some so I need this winter to be over and spring appear and shops and hotel get moving.  I no longer envy the north and their snow...as a matter of fact next year if I want snow I'm willing to travel north to see it and let's leave Ocean City out of it.   I've been rather unproductive cleaning wise today and that's driving me crazy and  yet, as usual I don't seem to want to rise to the occasion and keep cleaning out the stitching room, nor do my breakfast dishes, nor dust, nor laundry...well you see where this is going.  And frankly most days I'm all right with that, but since we've had several snow days now it just seems wrong.  So I decided to do this blog so I can act like I   have done some work.   Do you would see how much we got....I took the picture of the 5 foot snowman my neighbor and his daughter built outside my window.  The snow was perfect for it and it's the first snow we've had that was snowman friendly.  Now in the middle of the summer heat stroke weather I can look back at this and say, "I swear  if this heat would just stop I'll never complain about the cold and snow again."  Yeah, I'm funny like that...I'll swear to anything!  Yesterday, Sunday Linda and Candi came into the shop so Linda and I could compare our Welsh Cottage work.  We are moving right along so I'm pleased with our progress, however I can't seem to convince Linda that we can get this done in 2014. I've put the date on it so it is imperative that we get it done.   I might be sitting up until midnight on December 31....but it will get done.  Beth Jernighan and Beth Stevens,  as well as Judy
Brunclik also stopped in so it was like the Stitch 'n Bitch I missed on Tuesday.  It's always great to see our stitchers and see what they've been working on.  Judy just picked up a few pieces from her framer...fabulous.  Nautical,  which I love, as Judy and her husband just moved down and just got into her new house so she's in the decorating mode.  Go Judy!  And since Sara forgot to give the Stitch 'n Bitch group their Nashville gift, we started handing them out today to the ladies.  Every year we go I pick up a kit for the stitchers in our group.  I confess I'm big on Shepherd's Bush and while the stitchers do love their kits, this year I picked out the limited edition Lizzie Kate kits to gift them.  I knew they'd love them because they come with everything including backing, trim and buttons.  I've already made mine and it's up in the shop.  Anyway, happy snow day to everyone who's got one and to the rest of you stitchers....enjoy whatever life brings you as well.  And let's all pray that spring arrives soon!


 

Happy St. Patrick's Day selfie........

Yesterday I asked Sara to take a picture of my latest finish and she agreed to do it if we could take a selfie, to show our St. Patrick spirit.  I couldn't find my headgear like Sara did, but I have on the Shamrock Needle m, agnet (I'm wearing it like a pin...no holes made in the shirt...), and the necklaces but none of it got in the picture because it's behind the pillow.   While I usually hide from the camera, I wanted to get this latest Pine Mountain pillow, Be Kind, on the blog.  I just love doing Pine Mountain, even though they are not done on linen, because they are fast and easy....  I also like the new Words of Wisdom pillows and the new polka dot pillow form.  While the pillows are fast and fun they are usually cutsie and the Words of Wisdom are a little more sophicated in appearance.  I was able to work on this as I finished all 5 of the panels for the Sherri Jones class.  So  I'm taking a break over the weekend to stitch some fast stuff for the shop.  Tonight I'll start the other Words of Wisdom piece, Hold Onto Each Other.  As long as Michael doesn't go home with me tonight I'll show that off tomorrow.  This is a perfect Saturday.  We are having a peek at Spring today with temperatures in the 60's and the sun is just shining.  Since it's St. Patrick's Day weekend, the town has a lot of visitors.   The run was this morning and the boardwalk will be  really busy all day because of the weather.  I love all the bikers and the kids skateboarding.  I am also amused by the drinkers heading down to Shenanagans for St. Patrick's Day drinking.  They are all sporting Irish headbands or hats, beads and plenty of green.  I only hope they come in on the way to the bar since no one is more aggravating than a drunk in here asking stupid questions.   

Oops...with my memory it's time I retired!



Wow, I thought it was going


to be much warmer today, but with the wind...well let's just say we can't turn off the heat yet.  But I understand spring is on the way, after another threat of snow next week...what the heck is going on?  Anyway, pictured are our new models which were picked up by Sara yesterday.  Top left is SamSarah's "The Flock".  I used everything that was called for, even the buttons,  which initially I thought I wouldn't.  But after finishing it and standing back to look at it I just felt it needed the funkiness of the buttons.  The upper right is Lizzie Kate's Christmas mystery sampler, Holly & Hearts.  I did add a couple of beads just to give it a little dimension but other than that...it's also done as called for.  I'm thrilled with both frames so this was a win win for me.  The last one is a Shepherd's Bush piece I finished years ago and has been in the framer pile and under stacks in my stitching room.  Each time I went to the framer I forgot it so when I went through the room before going to the framer two weeks ago I saw the paper that covers the matting sitting on a chair and took it with me...finally it's up.  I love my Shepherd's Bush!  Anyway, I do have to apologize to my stitch group.  I came to work on Friday and Sara was cleaning up the store (which is odd) so I said, "What happened and why is everything out of place?"  And she said, "Mom, you missed Stitch 'n Bitch on Tuesday."  (We have to move displays to place tables for Stitch 'n Bitch).  I thought it was this coming Tuesday so I was all prepared to attend then.  I was going to work in the office and then go to Stitch 'n Bitch.  Oops!  This is the 2nd one in a row I've missed (the first was due to pain in my legs and back).  Ladies I promise I'll be there in April....really sorry I didn't make it.  Thank God Judy texted Sara or she wouldn't have been here either as I usually am the one who reminds her.  Poor Jennifer came with the shingles (ouch) because she was bringing the treats...now that's dedication.  Anyway, Sara said it went well even though I wasn't there, so kudos to all.  





Another beautiful day in Paradise

It's sunny, warm, not in the 60's like yesterday (yes even we got to 60), but it's probably near 50 or perhaps it's even over 50, but the sun is just shining brightly and people are out and about, bikes are going by, skateboarders are driving me crazy (but in a good way), yes, life is good at the beach.  And...wait for it...and The Alaska Stand opened this weekend so, of course, that was our lunch today which suited me perfectly since I woke up too late to eat and get to church and since I was the reader today church came first.  God must have know which is why he had Bob open the stand (I just know God is paying to my food consumption).  Anyway, we're a little concerned about Linda as she spent the night at the hospital with her mother and we have no details other than that.  So I'm praying everyone is alright and all issues have been taken care of.  But that also meant Linda couldn't get here to work on the Welsh Cottage.  I worked on  it last night and because the side panel was giving me so much trouble, (rip rip rip and restitch), I decided to start the back wall of the cottage to get something finished.  It is a slow stitch as everything is over one, but I'm doing better with it and feel better about the stitch.  I will go back to the side panel when this is finished.  Today became a "get stuff on the website" day for me.  I have been trying to add each day I'm here and I did a little at home (O.K.,very little but I'm old, and I have too much stitching to do) but this is beginning to backfire on me.  The picture you see here is the new Thieffry Freres French Market bag and I needed to add it to the web site so Sara volunteered to hold it if she wasn't in the picture, so I  could take a picture and download it.  After that  I decided you needed to see it stitched and while I love the JBW Designs French Monograms, the pocket on this bag is large so I wanted a bigger design.  So then all web site work had to stop as we search for a design.  Then while searching for a design I found the 2 Easter pieces from Drawn Thread, "Easter Eggs & Easter Basket" from 2013 which I loved to I pulled them to stitch...do you see where this is going?  I don't have time now for everything and here I go pulling more.  But it keeps me off the streets and out of the pool halls so I'll continue to look.  Meanwhile I still haven't found a design for the market bag.  It is going to be a long and exhausting afternoon in the shop as I surf for a design, and add more "stuff" to my already overloaded tote.   Thank God Sara is here to wait on customers as I'm way too busy with my search.  Well back to the search

French Market Bag