Well, this past week has been another busy one, but this time – it wasn’t all about either Jim or I. When we came back from Columbia on Sunday, we had 1 additional traveller with us. Jack, much to his chagrin, had to share the back seat with my sister’s Corgi puppy – Max.

Even though they live in the same town, we hadn’t had a chance to get the 2 boys together. They met for the first time in Columbia, and seem to get along fine. Max, knows how cute he is, and thinks that everyone (including all other dogs) thinks he’s adorable as well. Jack, on the other hand, is his normal “nothing exists around me except for my football and my tennis ball” self. Max runs around him in circles, while Jack just runs after the balls.

What a cutie he is!!!!

It’s been 12 years since we had a puppy. Boy, had I forgotten what that entails. Today, for example, I woke up to hear rain coming down pretty good.

Jack’s version of this morning: Stay in bed until absolutely necessary. Get up once Sally begins moving around. Sally opens door. Jack goes out by himself, does his business, and hightails it back to the kitchen. Sally grabs nice and soft towel for a wonderful massaging drying off session. Jack makes sure food and water are in appropriate containers, then crawls up onto the sofa to continue the interrupted nap. Snore…..

Max’s version of this morning: As soon as the dining room starts getting light, begin a low whine, gradually getting louder as room gets lighter. If Sally doesn’t appear, turn volume up again, and continue whining session. After Sally has finally gotten dressed, shoes, umbrella, leash, and has lassoed Max in his kennel, they BOTH go outside. Now, time to play!!!!! “Rain is sooooooooooo much fun. And, it’s nice and cool outside, so I could stay out here forever….” After much prodding, coaxing, and patience, Max finally does his business, but decides it’s time to do a full tour of the backyard. Finally, Sally gets Max inside and feeds him. After Sally finds a little time to get ready for work, it’s another trip outside. This time, we’re doing speed test loops around the back yard. Run-run-run – as fast as the wind… At the end of each loop, Max stops for just a moment right in front of Sally, pretending that he’s ready to go inside. As soon as Sally reaches down for him, let’s go again….. After 30 minutes of chasing a wet puppy, Sally finally gets hold of him. Then, instead of being dried with a towel, let’s play with said towel, making it impossible for Sally to get a good dry in. Once Sally gets Max back into his kennel-castle, then begin the low whine again, making sure to enstill as much guilt into Sally as possible, as she walks out the door for work. As soon as she’s out of ear shot, immediately begin to play with all the fun toys around, and think about when the first nap of the day will be.

MMMMMMMM, I had thought I was ready for another puppy, but I think I’m rethinking that one….

Fear Dreher!!!!

This past weekend, we headed home to Columbia, SC, for a very fun event. Dreher High School – my alma mater – had an All Class Reunion. The school district is building a new building for Dreher, and this summer, the hallowed halls which I roamed for 4 years will be coming down. In recognition of the long years, and many students, that this building has been home to, the school had a special weekend for all alumni. We were able to take a tour of the old school on Saturday morning, and then attended the big All Class Reunion Gala (graduating classes from 1938 to 2007) on Saturday night.

It was quite the experience going back to see the old school. I don’t think that I’d stepped foot in it since graduation, so it really was a trip back to the past. We met a good friend of mine there, and roamed those halls. It was eery that it smelled the same and looked the same. Well, when I attended we had no air conditioning, and the heat was provided by huge radiators in all the classrooms. Those are gone, and students now spend their days in cool air during the hot South Carolina springs and falls. Dave even was able to point out to me all the different locations where my lockers were (a little scary, but pretty funny at the same time). We not only ran in to more of our classmates as we roamed, but I also ran into people from my home church. Funny, one of the couple met at Dreher in their junior year, back in the 1950s. I believe that Dreher has now graduated some third generation students.

The reunion was quite an event. What a great time, also, because there were so many generations of students – spanning all ages. My sister and I, having graduated 5 years apart, went together, and what a fun night it was.

With all that history, the old school will soon be gone, but the new school is fast nearing completion. How exciting it will be for the students to begin classes this fall, but my heart for some reason is hurting, thinking that those walls with all those stories will soon be torn down.

The State newspaper has had a special series going on celebrating Dreher’s history, and one of the submissions has a copy of the epilogue found in the 1960 yearbook. I think that it’s perfect for this time…

“The doors of Dreher High School will soon close for the last time for the class of 1960. Those doors have seen the face of every emotion pass through their portals — sorrow, joy, defeat, triumph, elation, and remorse. All these emotions have touched the hearts of the departing seniors. The door will close, but in the forthcoming year they will open to new joys and sorrows, new faces, new hopes for the Class of 1961. So here’s to Dreher, our alma Mater, hail to thee always.”

Here’s to you Dreher. GO BLUE DEVILS!!!!

Isn’t it funny how creativity shows up in everyone in different ways?

I was reminded of this when an old friend of mine, Susan, nicely reminded me that I hadn’t e-mailed her back – oops! Sorry Susan!!!! Susan and I went to college together, and she’s currently a fiber artist, putting out wonderful art quilts.

If you want to see some truly creative and colorful fabric art pieces – stop in at her site Creative Chick. Susan’s use of texture and color are amazing, and I’m envious of how she works with all the different elements.

I’ve always had a more structured and ordered creativity. As a kid I’d sketch on my father’s engineering pads – with the different shapes of grids – of course keeping with the lines. Even in my profession – interior design – don’t ask me to do a freehand sketch of a square. It will come out somehow roundish and oblong – and definitely not to scale. But, get me on the computer with AutoCAD, and I’m all over it, and will get you 10 different ideas in as many minutes.

Back in college is when I realized that everyone was creative in different ways. Susan and I had a couple of other sorority sisters also in the arts, as well as a couple of big brothers, and each one was different. In my freshman year, I remember sitting in the studio of my first freehand sketching class, hanging out with the skull of a goat (think I named him George), struggling over it for hours. Then, one of our big brothers walked in, an art major, and immediately was able to quickly sketch what I still couldn’t after hours, and helped me figure it all out. I still have those pencil sketches, and I’m proud of them – since I really did sweat that class out. Somehow, my sketches of George ACTUALLY look like a goat!

In the business world, creativity might not show up as artsy, but it exists. Ever watch an executive mentally work through a problem, and effortlessly work through the logistics of a complicated deal? That’s amazing to me as well.

If you don’t think you’re creative – you are!!!! Go and find it… it’s a wonderful way to release yourself. If you know you’re creative – use it and stretch your creative muscles.

Want to exercise your creativity? Susan offers some great classes online that will get you playing in color, fabric, beads, and thread. Stop in at her Joggles Class Listing to see what she has to offer. MMMMMMMM, I might just need to finally try my hand at one this summer… How cool is this piece!?!

What might you find interesting to play with? Let me know, I’d love to hear!

Design models…. you know, the models on the fronts of charts you find in your local needlework shops. They are a very interesting part of the needlework design process. In the development of the design, I spend hours and hours staring at the screen, playing with each element, working on it until I think that the design is perfect.

Then comes the design model. Fabrics and threads – oh boy! What will I use? I sometimes think that this is the hardest part of the process for me. My designs, mostly graphic in nature, do not necessarily need a specific color for any element (say the perfect blue shading for sky, red shading for bricks, etc.). Therefore, the entire thread and fabric world is out for selection. I also have begun doing multiple models for many of my designs, showing 2 different looks. Blackwork, at it’s simplest, in a single color, is absolutely stunning. But, add in those wonderful variegated threads, and voila – the design just pops. Oh, but can’t decide – then pull together multiple colors for a sampler look. For me, add in the fact that I’m not choosing the colors for any reason or location except to look good, and it just puts my brain into overload.

But… at the end, when the model comes back to me from the model stitcher, it’s as if a child has returned home from a long time away. The design has now come to life, and is truly a reality. Every one takes my breath away the moment I open the envelope.

I’m thinking of this process this morning, as I just received frames for 4 of my models last night, and I’ve gotten the models pinned, and boy they dress up pretty!!! Framing has always been hard for me. Having very little time to go out to choose frames, being too impatient to wait weeks for frames to arrive, and having lost my previous framing source (which went out of business), I’ve had models stacking up needing to be finished. They patiently waited in their bags, until finally in February, I found a new framing source. I’m such a happy lady!!!! The 2 orders of frames which I’ve received, of over a dozen various types of frames, have come in quickly, and in great shape. American Frame, also, is online, so I’m able to make my selections from here at home, in my jammies!!!! Something tells me that the local frame shop might not appreciate me coming through their doors in my bunny slippers and jammies. Anyways, I’ve been pleased with my American Frame experience so far. One feature that I love, is that you can upload an image of your piece, and try out the different frames on it. You even can save the image for future reference. Wanna sneak peak? Here’s one of the pieces I finished last night, shown in the virtual frame from my “shopping trip”.

Stop in and also request a catalog. The catalog has clear pictures of all the frames, so is a handy reference as you shop online. Also, you can go ahead and order your archival, acid free mat board and foam core through them also – already cut down to the exact size of your frame. It’s a wonderful thing, as I will no longer have to spread out across my dining room any time I frame, because I’m having to cut the large boards to mount the pieces on. Remember, use acid-free, archival quality products on your needlework!!!!

Well, Twisted Sweetness, shown above, will be one of the new 2007 A Blackwork Christmas designs. Keep your eye out, as it will be coming out in the next couple of months!

Have a wonderful day! Happy stitchin’!

Well, my exciting add to the blog today is the new Today in History bar on the side. I’ve always enjoyed history, and love to find out what happened on this day back in xxxx. Looking back at where we’ve been, and what we’ve done, I feel, is important. If we don’t learn from our mistakes, then what do we learn. If we aren’t familiar of the terrible things that have occurred, there’s a possibility that history will repeat itself. Looking back also gives us a great opportunity to remind ourselves of the great strides we’ve made in the past, and the amazing things that have been discovered. Having grown up in South Carolina, and now living in Virginia, I’ve always been surrounded by history. It’s just a normal thing for me to be surrounded by monuments, stories, and ghosts of the past. Actually, it feels a little lonely to me when I go to a city, and don’t know the history as well.

Here’s a joke for you…

How many Virginians does it take to change a light bulb?
19 – 1 to change the bulb, and 18 to discuss the history of the old bulb.

This year Virginia celebrates the 400th anniversary of the first settlement in the United States. Just about an hour from here, in Jamestown, some very brave souls travelled from England to land, and establish the first colony in the States which has continued to this day. What an amazing feat that was in it’s day!!!! Today, at a time where American’s have been to every inch of our country, it’s hard to put ourselves in their shoes. What was it like to land on foreign soul, not knowing what to expect. While Mom and I were in London, and amazing exhibit opened up at the British Museum. A New World is an exhibit of beautiful watercolors painted by John White, and explorer in the 1580s. These paintings were painted during his travels to Virginia / North Carolina, and gave the British their first view of what this “new world” looked like. Going through this exhibit in England, now as a Virginian, really took my breath away. If you’re in London before it ends in June, don’t miss this exhibit. It truly was a view into the past.

Here’s a picture of Mom in front of the museum during our trip.

Have a great rest of the day! Off to finalize some Needlework Building Blocks designs!

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!