The Harvest Fairy & the Autumnal Equinox

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Happy September Equinox. For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, today is the Autumnal/Fall Equinox. Conversely, any blog readers in the southern hemisphere are enjoying their Vernal/Spring Equinox.

I found a nice website explaining the September Equinox. Their photo shows the Sun perpendicular to the Earth's north/south axis during this time of the year. Very interesting.

Here's the link: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/september-equinox.html

The Harvest Fairy (MSD DM-09) wanted be present for everyone's first day of Fall. I think this piece is a nice introduction to my favorite time of the year. The gripping temperatures are easing up. The leaves are starting to change colors. The wind is nice and breezy. There is a new bounce in my step. Sweet.

To refresh your memory, this is a Debbie Mumm® canvas from Melissa Shirley Designs. My stitch guide is available with detailed composite stitches and photographs. I used beads, ribbons, DMC Memory Thread, as well as wonderful threads from Gloriana, NPI, ThreadworX, and Rainbow Gallery.

The Harvest Fairy was finished by Marlene's in San Francisco. They did an awesome job.

When ordering the canvas from Melissa Shirley, please request my stitch guide (SGDM09). Or, you can directly contact me for the stitch guide. Email me at creativecats@comcast.net. It works either way.

I'd love to see more folks stitching the Harvest Fairy. She's a good companion. Until the next time...

Thanks, Robin

California bound

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

The Thread Kits are out the door and on their way to California. Deadline: must be received by January 3rd, 2011. Fingers crossed. Let's hope the Big Brown Truck has an uneventful trip.

With the help of Photoshop, I altered their reality; showcasing only the colors. After all, it's the colors which attract us to some canvases, right? 

I had fun working both of these designs. Hope you will, too. 

Thanks, Robin

Art Projects are Fun

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Wasn't it great to hear from Peggy. So glad things are settling down for her.

I wanted to share with you the next event towards my out of town teaching: making my Master Book.  I decided to do this for my first teaching endeavor, Katt Z. Witch, and have done it ever since.

I found a neat 3-ring Poly View Binder and created the artwork of the finished stitching into the Front Cover as well as the Binder Edge. Then I use the Sheet Protectors and sleeve up the finished Stitch Guide, Teaching Notes, and other related items.

You can see I now have added my two newest Master Books:

• Harvest Fairy • Melissa Shirley Designs • MSD DM-09
• Bird & Worm • Zecca • ZE-107

This has been very helpful, indeed. My teaching notes are now organized and ready for easy reference. Since I am teaching at Needle in a Haystack/Montrose, CA right after Market, my NeedleDeeva Heart #150G Master Book will help me remember all of the nuances I did over a year ago.

Art Projects as an adult... gotta love it. Thanks, Robin

The Stocking Was Hung?

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Have you put out all of your wonderful needlepoint stitching for this Christmas season? Pat reminded me it's time to hang his stocking. Don't you love this subtle hint? Too funny.

Place Marker for the real Stocking

Today, I've been printing the Bird & Worm stitch guides as well as Harvest Fairy stitch guides and NeedleDeeva Heart stitch guides for the classes I will be teaching next month in California.

Also a few days ago, I received a phone call from Marlene Custom Pillows indicating both the Bird & Worm and Harvest Fairy are finished and are on their way to Memphis. Yippee.

I'll be back with some Christmas decorations and Stockings. I promise. Thanks, Robin

Harvest Fairy Update

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

It's the day before Thanksgiving. Peggy and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Things have been quiet in Needlepoint Study Hall, but I've got some fun news to share with you. Look at the awesome cover art Melissa Shirley (her very self) designed for my Harvest Fairy Stitch Guide. Thrilled and honored, indeed.

My Stitch Guide will be available from Melissa Shirley Designs once the Harvest Fairy canvas (MSD DM-09) is released at the January 2011, TNNA Market in Long Beach, CA. Just imagine seeing your name amongst the needlepoint rock stars who have written Stitch Guides for Melissa Shirley's canvases: Wendy Harwood, Cynthia Thomas, Amy Bunger, etc... How cool is that? You can see the current list of Melissa Shirley Designs Stitch Guides here.

Enjoy your family and friends tomorrow; we are thankful for you. We will be in touch soon.

Thanks, Robin

Sunday Night's Bullions

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Hope all is good with you. I'm watching The Food Network:  The Next Iron Chef... and stitching... for ME.

Yes, the Harvest Fairy is done. I re-did her lips. At first, she was looking like the poster child for Collagen injections-gone-wrong.... now, she looks like a Glam-Fairy. I've got her Stitch Guide typed and charted. Next is adding her photos. This week she's going to the finisher! (Big relief.)

So, for tonight's simple pleasure, I have returned to the Kathy Schenkel, Mr. Mummy. Last time you saw the Mr. Mummy was during my roadtrip to Nashville. (Since then, I have finished 2 projects for the January 2011 TNNA classes.) I'm reserving tonight... pour MOI.

I've beaded the STAR and finished the BORDER. Next, I'm going to Bullion Knot the Spider Legs using Frosty Rays. They will be off of the canvas (almost 3-D, if you will) so I will now need to go back and fill in the previous open guides for the legs.

For those who shy-away from Bullion Knots (and why do you? with all of the available resources... including Amy's DVD #1, Tips, Hints + Knots... and other online websites, they aren't hard... REALLY!), I'm going to attempt a pictorial tutorial for the Bullion Spider Legs. It's a great Knot to have in our arsenal... so please, don't think you can't do them. You can!

Have you been following The Next Iron Chef? Guilty pleasures, for sure. With their encouragement, tonight, I made a Penne with Ground Turkey, Onions, Garlic, Tomato Sauce for dinner. Yummy, with leftovers, too.

Well, Bailey just walked into the room. Need to go hug a Kitten.

Peggy should be back this week. Sure have missed her.  Thanks, Robin

News and Mower News

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Hope everyone's Halloween was their best, ever.

Looks like Melinda's Bride Z. Illa and Zomme B. Groom came back from the finisher. Awesome! You can see them on her blog as well as the group shot (including Stirha and Frank) on her mantle. Great job, Melinda.

My head has been down; blinders on... stitching on the Harvest Fairy. Deadlines, I tell you... deadlines. But... I am so pleased to say... she's DONE. Tonight I will begin writing her Stitch Guide. She's a cutie, if I say so, myself. I do hope her handlers (Melissa Shirley and Debbie Mumm) are equally pleased. Fingers crossed.

The TNNA website has posted the two classes I will be teaching at the Long Beach 2011 Winter Market.  Here's the link to the Zecca/Bird & Worm class (8AM - 10AM, Saturday, January 8, 2011).  Here's the link to the Melissa Shirley/Debbie Mumm/Harvest Fairy class (8AM - 10AM, Sunday, January 9, 2011).

(If you click on the links you can see a preview of the canvases... I'm not saying... I'm just saying!)

Each class has limited seats of 20; open to the Needlepoint Shop owners attending the Market. So, if you know someone who will be attending the Market... give them the heads-up about my classes. Regular Registration for TNNA members is now open thru December 16, 2010... then the price goes up. It's an affordable class and it comes with an awesome Thread Kit.

My Stitch Guides will be available from Zecca and Melissa Shirley Designs... talk about your powerhouses! It is really an honor to stitch their designs. Here's an excerpt from one of the stitch guides: the Oak Leaf. I thought, being that it is November 02... it would be a fun thing to share with you in the Needlepoint Study Hall. Enjoy!

Here's some more news... the day after the Market, I will be traveling to Needle In A Haystack (Montrose, CA) to teach a one-day class, NeedleDeeva's Heart #150G. How exciting is that! Here's their website so you can see the announcement of my class. Jody, the owner, is a wonderful lady, and I am most excited for this opportunity. For those of you within the sound of this blog, come join me at the Needle In a Haystack (Montrose, CA), Tuesday, January 11, 2011.

Have you noticed the title of this blog entry: News and Mower News... I'll explain. This summer, during grass cutting season, Pat went to get some Mower gas. He also got some gasoline for his car. There were 2 same-day credit card charges reflecting these transactions. Everything was fine. The next day, he got a courtesy phone call from the Credit Card company; they noticed the transactions. They asked him, "Were you shopping at the QuickMart?" "Yes," he replied. "I got Gas." They said, "and then..." He said, "I got Mower Gas." The Credit Card person thought he was being a smart-a##... but actually, it was a case of mistaken "Southern Drawl." He said Mower Gas.... their heard More Gas. We laugh about it, even today... bwahahhahaha.

Well, we will try to not be such strangers this month. Peggy says things are getting better and thanks for all of your thoughts.  Best news, ever. Thanks, Robin