Inspired Stitches - Ramblings of a Blackworker

Holiday weekends are just the best - aren’t they? I don’t know what it is, but that extra day away from work just really does make it perfect. Jim and I spent the day in complete laziness, taking a picnic to our favorite Virginia plantation - Brandon. Here’s what we saw for much of the afternoon -

- as we napped the afternoon away.

Brandon (the plantation) was the inspiration for my beginning the Garden Traditions series. The series isn’t meant to recreate gardens, but simply to catch the inspiration from these gardens. Take a look at the borders of my blackwork Brandon, and you’ll find an urn, a pineapple, and bushes surrounding the formal gardens.

Take a look around Brandon (the plantation), and you’ll find an urn…

… a pineapple (sorry, didn’t get that photo), and bushes…

surrounding wonderful garden rooms…

AAAAHHHHH!!!! Just writing this I can feel my blood pressure dropping, and I almost can feel the breeze from the amazing James River.

These pictures just don’t do the garden justice, but I wanted to give you a peak as to what awaits anyone who visits there. If you’re in the Richmond area, don’t miss stopping by Brandon, and taking a look at it’s wonderful gardens.

PS - For you history buffs, Brandon’s farms are believed to be America’s longest continually running agricultural enterprise. This year Virginia celebrates 400 years since the US was first settled at Jamestown, and Brandon’s farming began just a few years after…

The business of needlework keeps you working constantly on multiple levels - as does any business. Designers not only work on designs, but also must work on marketing, finances, models, and distribution. Of course, we’ve all gotten in to this business because of our love for “the design”.

Well, the most exciting part for me is when that elusive design which has been living unfinished in my head, all of a sudden falls together. Last night, I had one of those moments!

My Garden Traditions series - with Brandon and Albemarle - has always been my own favorite series.

Both designs have also consistently been good sellers, so that means you stitchers enjoy them as well. Well, what you don’t know, is that Brandon and Albemarle have 6 siblings in the wings, ready to be finalized and released. Those, in my opinion, are as beautiful. The actual garden designs are ready to roll. But… the borders need to be designed.

For many-many months, I’ve had a “design block” on a couple of them. I have the inspiration gardens chosen, photographs taken, and many attempts. None of those attempts, however, have ever made me happy.

Last night, the “block” evidently was broken, and now the finalized design is staring at me. Keep checking back!!!! It’s another beauty!!

… you gain MUCH excitement when a friend dumpster dives from the back of a retail store, and brings you display spinners…

I must really be in the business now. Several months ago I decided that I finally needed to make the jump and show in wholesale trade shows for needlework shops. I’ve taken part in the online Needlework Show , and have had a distributor who’s taken my models and designs to trade shows for me, but my time has come.

For Stitchin’spiration to get to the next level, I must buckle down and start getting out there myself. It’s come alive in my brain again, as just this week I received the first information package for the large show in February which I’m targeting for my first one.

Well, funny how things work… I was at work this morning when my phone rang. It was another designer friend of mine, Kathy, and she was running errands around town. Well, it just so happens that she noticed some merchandise spinners sitting next to a dumpster behind some retail shops. She checked them out, and wanted my permission for her to pick them up, and take them to my house for me……

Yes, you heard that, she wanted my permission “recycle” good quality display items - for me. She checked with the shop, and I think they were just happy to get rid of them. Look at these babies…..

Aren’t they just grand???!!!!??? Of course, I have NO idea where in the house they will park until February, but my mind’s already working on all the display possibilities…

I remember the day when I got excited chills looking at new threads and fabrics….. Now, show me new charting ideas, or talk to me about marketing ideas, and I am thrilled… Wow!!

Don’t I have a wonderful friend who’s not afraid of a dumpster???!!!??? Now that’s a priceless friendship… Stop by her website - Designs by Kathy - to see her work!!! I’m in awe of her architectural details, and her beautiful nature designs.

I do hope that everyone in the States has a wonderfully long Memorial Day weekend. Our office is closing early tomorrow at lunch, so a friend and I will be heading down to my favorite James River plantation - Brandon - for the afternoon. I’ll be sure to share some pics - especially since it was my inspiration for Brandon.

AARRGGHHHHH….. Don’t you just love technology. It seems to somehow always catch me at odd times.

I just realized that when my web host changed the server that hosts me, my main contact e-mail address all of a sudden became unusable for my contact forms. The web pages have now been corrected, and messages will now reach me.

If anyone has submitted any contact requests through my website from 5/8 until 5/22, I unfortunately did not receive the e-mail. Please resubmit your contact information to me, so that I can respond to your request.

• General Contact Form
• Shop Owner Information Request Form

I really do apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused.

The design development process is very funny. It puts you in holiday moods at all the wrong times of the year.

This weekend I’ve finalized more of my Christmas designs, which will be coming out in the next couple of months. Now that it’s finally getting nice and warm in Richmond, I’m in the mood to dive into my Christmas boxes and start decorating. I’m really excited about the Christmas coming out for your stitching pleasure.

I’ve finally formalized my first chart with designs for Tokens and Trifles Sewing Cards. If you haven’t seen these cards, you just have to try them out. What an easy way to get those quick gifts taken care of. I’ve not even shared with my model stitchers - as I’ve stitched all the models. They’re a great travel project, because the sewing card and threads fit nicely into a small ziploc bag, and in my purse. Several of the models went with me to England, and what great airplane stitching they were. Even didn’t take up much space in my luggage - which definitely was a consideration. Keep an eye out for them, they’ll be coming out soon.

More are in the works - as I have another nice stack of sewing card models in ziploc bags a’waiting my stitching.

Well, can you hear it? Silence!!! Linda returned today from vacation, so Max the puppy is gone. We really did love having him here, but it’s a wonderful thing to be the aunt of a puppy. They come to visit, but then they go home. Almost as soon as they left, Jack immediately began a long Sunday afternoon nap, which still continues. AAAAHHHHHHH - tomorrow we can sleep in!

Color and blackwork. I just love the combination, and love even more playing around with it. I’ve just gotten back my 4 models from my A-Maze-ments series, and am so excited about them. You see, the 2 designs which have already been released, I released showing them in 1 color.

Then, as I developed the models, I decided to play around with the DMC Linen Threads, and color. I took each of the 4 designs, used different combinations of the linen threads, changed the border schemes on each, sent the model kits out to my model stitchers, and crossed my fingers. Well, they came back, and they’re really beautiful. Each definitely has it’s own look, and I really love the combination of the 4 together.

Here’s your little sneak peak at how they came out.

I’ll be revising the current 2 charts to reflect the color options, and will be releasing the remaining 2 A-Maze-ments designs - Traveler and Wanderer - in July, 2007. Keep your eye out for them.

Until then, play around with color on other blackwork projects. What a great opportunity for you to pull out all those leftover partial skeins, and let the creativity soar.