Inspired Stitches - Ramblings of a Blackworker

Well, today, November 18, there’s not much more to talk about than THE game. Having been born into a family with deep-deep roots in Columbus, Ohio, the day of the Ohio State - Michigan game looms large in the family calendar. Today’s the day!!!!! Everyone’s schedule circles around it, and not much else occurs on the day of the game. Look at this picture I found last year when working on a “This is your life” book for my mother. It’s a picture taken during an OSU game in 1958. The band’s doing their “Script Ohio” routine, which ANY Ohio State fan is familiar with. Football games and their fans certainly were different then, than they are now - weren’t they? My grandfather took this picture.

For me, it now has a different type of significance. It was during this game 3 or 4 years ago, as I was watching the game, and also cleaning the house getting ready for the arrival of our large family, that I decided to trip over the vacuum cleaner. 6 months and 2 surgeries later, I was FINALLY off of crutches. Never again am I allowed to clean while that game, is on. Actually, as I write this sitting safely at my desk, Jim’s getting the vacuuming done - so that the vacuum cleaner can be retired to the upstairs junk room - by the time the pre-game festivities begin. By that time today, I plan on being safely parked on the sofa, with snacks and drinks all within reach. I won’t move until the game’s over with, as I don’t want to take any chances of a reprise of that event. For those family members who’ve called making sure that we were going to hide the vacuum cleaner - you can stop worrying - Sally’s not chancing it again.

Here in the States, Thanksgiving’s quickly approaching as well. My brother, nephew, and mother, are all coming into town, and we plan on celebrating Thursday at my sister’s house, with her soon-to-be in-laws. It should prove to be a nice, relaxing day, with (of course), too much food. This year not all of our family could come in to town, but that will make it easier for us to jump immediately on Friday into more wedding planning. Mom gets here on Monday, so we’re trying to get prepared for her today.

If I’m not able to stop in on Thursday, I do hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving day!

Happy Stitchin’!

I hope everyone’s had another great Saturday! It’s been gorgeous here today, and I was able to spend a good amount of time outside while I designed. Yup, the designing bug has hit again, and luckily, a creative mind has followed as well. I love it when I get into this mood, and am able to get pen (or mouse) to paper, and actually have some good results come from it. My great motivation this time - stress!

Yes, I’ve finally made the decision to take part in my first “live” wholesale trade show. Next August, Stitchin’spiration will be exhibiting for the first time at the Summer needlework show held for needlework shops. I’ve taken part in the online shows, but this is quite different. It’s definitely time for me to make this move, and I’m very excited about meeting all these wonderful shop owners in person. I feel as if I know many of them already via e-mail, so look forward to putting a name with a face. The task list is quickly growing as I begin to get some planning for it done. But, in the meanwhile, it’s been a good shove to my creativity.

Well, I hear Jim in the kitchen beginning dinner. Better run along…

Happy Saturday everyone!

It’s been just so crazy around here, that this weekend I concentrated on getting “back to the basics” on some things. I’ve been working on the new Needlework Building Blocks releases, and the next few months you’re going to see designs come out that are truly back to the basics of blackwork. I decided not to try to get cute or special in them - just simply played with shape and fills. The results, I think, are beautiful - and to me will stitch up looking like lace.

It also allowed me to remember what I just LOVE about the series - how playful it can be!!! I decided that I wanted to literally play around with the blocks, so I’ve made my own game pieces to do so. How fun it was - even with Jim staring at me with that blank “what in the world are you doing” look on his face. It’s given me some ideas - that you’ll see developed eventually in the future.

The weather here in Richmond has finally taken a turn for the cold. But with the incredible fall colors still with us, it’s really getting me in the feeling of the season.

Well, not much more happening around here. Wedding plans for my sister continue - and we got her into a couple of wedding dresses over the weekend. What an exciting - and daunting - time it is to plan a wedding!!! At least we have a year…

Have a great week!