Well, after another long and quiet many months, I’m hoping to get going on the blog again. Yes, I know, I’ve said it before, so I’m not making any promises. Over the past several days now, I’ve been working at updating the look and feel of it. Wha’cha think? I tell you, even though I consider myself technologically saavy, it doesn’t come easy. Here I am after a long evening of it …

What a great segway! It has been a very busy year so far for me. In January, while we were on our annual vacation to La Grange, TN, my mother called me with an exciting possibility. Evidently, her travelling companion for a trip in March to England was suddenly unable to go, and would I be interested. Did she even have to ask? Now, it began a frantic couple of months trying to get my passport (after having to also get my birth certificate) and all the other preparations that come with international travel. What a great time we had!!!! It was such a treat to have that opportunity to spend a week in England with her. Mainly we spent our time in Oxford, which is such a wonderful place. If you haven’t ever been, then you MUST go.

Also, my job has really picked up steam in the last several months, so I’ve been running myself crazy. We’re looking at hopefully having some semblance of a slow-down in the next week or so, but I’m not going to jinx it.

Well, I must run along to get a few more things done. Watch in the next week or so for more new designs, as well as finally some new Needlework Building Blocks.

Happy stitchin’!

 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 just amazing how time flies when you’ve got too much to do……

Since my last post, not only have my wrens had their babies and flew the coop once, they’ve come back for a second go around!!! I seriously understand “empty nest syndrome”. I just happened to be in the office on the day that they pushed the 2 babies out of the nest, and took them on their first outing. Of course, I’m gullible enough to think that they’d be back! After 2 days of them not returning, I finally gave in and realized they’d left me. Oh my, how that got to me. Well, then after about another month, they started working on the nest again. With fingers crossed, I’ve been anxiously waiting. Well, this weekend, I’ve heard the babies again begging for their food. At least now I’m prepared for the empty nest – which will definitely be coming.

What exciting things are in progress for Stitchin’spiration! Most of my attention lately has been getting my “A Blackwork Christmas” series moving along. Wait until you see the designs! My model stitchers are all faithfully working on the models, and all of the charts will be introduced in early September!!!! Have you wanted to find a blackwork stocking? Have you wanted some quick blackwork Christmas ornaments for small gifts? Need to decorate gift jars or towels? Well, you’ll find that and more all in this series. Based on the Needlework Building Blocks series, this series is one to watch out for. This year will be only the first introduction, for a series which I’ll continue to do annually.

Another release of charts is in the works as well. My original plans were to have them out in May, but it will be June when they come out. You’ll find a nice variety of designs – including some additions to our most popular series. I also hope to get another round of Needlework Building Blocks freebies out for you in the next couple of weeks.

Well, I’d better run along to get ready for another week. June’s stacking up to be another busy month.

Hope to get back faster next time.!!!!

What a long week this has been!!!! Work’s had me hopping, but unfortunately I don’t seem to be making much progress. Getting ready for the Needlework Show also has had me busy. Then, my mother extended her trip with us as well. We’ve had a great time, but when everything’s moving so fast, it’s hard to get it all done.

Today’s my sister’s birthday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUBDA!!!!!!!

Speaking of my family, I’ve now successfully irritated my mother by posting my favorite picture of her on a Kodak photo contest. Stop in at www.kodakgallery.com/life. Do a search for the picture with the e-mail sally @ stitchinspiration . com (remove the extra spaces). The little girl looking at the camera through her knees – well that’s my mother!!!!! Please-please vote for it…… it’s to win the bet we unofficially have about the picture. It’s my favorite picture of her, and well, as you can guess, she’s not a fan of it. She really didn’t appreciate it when we put it on her birthday cake last year, and now I’ve taken it national!!!

OK, she’s watching me type and is now proofreading as I write……. please vote – and vote daily!!!

Well, I also wanted to remind you about the Needlework Show which is now open. There’s a great variety of needlework vendors shown. I’ve only made it through a few, but look forward to adding to my wish list sometime this weekend!

This weekend, expect to find me very tired. Jim and I will be heading over to the church tomorrow afternoon for our Senior High lock-in. The kids are threatening midnight football, although we’re expecting bad storms. We’ll see how it goes – but count on the fact that we won’t be getting much rest and relaxation tomorrow night! It wil be a lot of fun, and hopefully a special time for the group. Two are getting ready to head out for the Marines and the Air Force, so this will be one of our last times all together.

Have a wonderful evening! Talk with you sometime this weekend!!!

Well, the Needlework Show begins tomorrow evening at 6PM, and I’m in the final stages of getting ready for it. Are you!!??!!!!

For the stitcher, it’s a great opportunity to find lots of new designs to tempt you, and if you don’t have a local needlework shop nearby – a great opportunity to purchase through one of the many shops who offer special orders for these shows. You’ll definitely want to stop by our showroom each day, as I’ve hidden Needlework Building Blocks away, which will be changed daily!

Outside of the excitement for me about the Needlework Show, it’s been a crazy week / weekend (and it’s only Tuesday!!! Ugh) We’ve really had a nice visit with my mother, who got here last week. Since she’s retired, she enjoys coming early, and staying late. We weren’t able to take Thursday or this week off from work, but she’s had a long list of things to do. Funny, sometimes I think she knows Richmond even better than I do. Every visit she has certain places she wants to stop by to shop and play, and always has her city map ready to go. There’s no stopping her! She has gotten an eye-opening experience watching me prepare for this show. It was under her guidance that I learned to stitch, so I love having her see all that it takes behind the scenes to pull things together.

Well, I must jump away to finish pulling together everything for the show. Don’t forget to stop in, and if you find something you just can’t live without, please do contact one of the many shops who will special order. Also, don’t forget about our daily freebies!!!! Now, off to finish getting those babies ready to release.

PS – Wren Birdnest update – No eggs laid yet, but they’re still working on the nest. Jack the lab has picked up on their proximity, and seems to check them out himself whenever he comes into the office!

Sunday afternoons… you just have to love them. The busy weekend is winding down, and it’s a lovely VA spring day outside. So, I’m asking myself, why am I inside……?????? Jim’s off to church for youth, and Jack’s asleep at my feet. Meaning… it’s nice and quiet in the house. OK, so I’m really a hermit at heart – I admit it.

It’s been a busy weekend, getting the Needlework Building Blocks caught up finally. Note the new addition to your right with the Blog Block of the Day (or really entry) link added. Each time I add to the blog, I’ll post a different block. You’ll have to be quick to catch them!!! Tonight I’m finalizing my decisions on the next release of designs, which will come out at the Needlework Show mid-April. Oh, which ones will be coming to life for you all to find???? What a tough decision that always is! Luckily, I do have quite a few designs ready to go to choose from. I did work on some new designs last night, and can’t wait to see what they grow into.

Designing blackwork – how does it happen? Well, the designs just seem to develop on their own accord. I get an idea, and slowly over time it develops. I’ll play with it right when it comes to me, then it always seems to take a back seat to others. Then, one day it will pop back into my head, and I develop it a little more. Then, after several phases of development, it will all of a sudden come together. In between, various stages of good, and bad, versions try to come to life. It’s always interesting to look back at where it started. Alot of times, my original idea is NOTHING like the finished product. It was just the starting point.

My blackwork fills are, truthly, my doodling coming to life. I’ve always played around with graphics and repeats. Even as a child, my father would give me his engineering graph pads, and I’d spend hours trying this doodle or that out. I clearly remember many of them which I’d repeated sketch out, and some of those have now come to life in my fills. Again, some will develop over time. Once I come up with one – whether I like it then or not – it goes into my library. Some of the ones I actually didn’t like at first, have soon become my favorite when I put it in that perfect design or put it together with others. I love the mix of various fills, and play around with them as I design. Is there a PERFECT way to combine the fills? Probably. But, I believe that perfection in needlework is simply the eye of the stitcher. If they’re happy with their selection of fabrics and threads, then it’s the perfect piece for them.

Well, it’s going to be a busy week here in the Rudkin household. My mom heads into town on Wednesday from SC for Easter, and we’ve not even started getting ready for her. Whew – hope she’s not reading….. Also, it’s a 4 day week at my job (yes, I have a real job AND design), and that ALWAYS means we’ll be squeezing 5 days of work in to 4 days. Whew, just thinking about it tires me out.

Everyone have a wonderful Easter week! I always look forward to our Maundy Thursday Communion service, as it celebrates a very poignant time for Christ. How humbling it is to celebrate communion on the day when He took his own Last Supper!

Well, past ramblings, or should I say “lack of” ramblings, are making me very tentative to begin blogging. With things as crazy as they are with the building of the business, a full-time job, and an attempt to see my husband and puppy every once in a while, things just don’t seem to happen in the time I wish they would.

Well, here I go.

My goal? To post here at a minimum of once a week. I’m learning so much about myself, the needlework world, and many other things as I trek down this “road not travelled yet”, I want to share them with you. Through it all, I want to let others get a little peek into my world – aptly named “ramblings of a blackworker” (you can ask my husband about that!!! ha-ha)

Well, I must run along tonight so that I can get fabric cut and kits for my model stitchers together, but I certainly hope to see you soon – at least within a week….

Happy stitchin’!