Wicked....

...wicked cool!

Introducing 

"My Castle, My Dragon"©

Figured you could watch me bring this to life...

this will be available ... after it's totally complete.

Once again, I love what I do!
Even when it takes an entire day to accomplish one small area!
I haven't come up with a name for my beast,
it'll come to me though.
Scales, sparkle and shine and ... well defined!

His ear and eye ridge.
Eye ridges are important to dragons.

So a little more sparkle to the ridge.
I managed to move to an area that is
the Sahara Desert of Needlepoint.  
Not one shop is close by.
I do, however, know how to pick up the phone.
 But ... sometimes ... WHO wants to wait.
 The idea is there and you're ready to stitch.  
This happened on his eye ridge.  
I only have Kreinik #8 in 3202, one of my favorites,
 so it's not odd that I'm out of a size.  
Another BUT ...
did you know you can strip/ply some braids??  
It's not easy but it is possible.
So I gently extricated three very fine plies
from my #8 and worked
just the tiniest bit of string art
on his ridge ... and it's perfecto!

Warning...this may take a while for me to stitch.
I'm on a roll right now but shortly 
I'll be winging my way to Germany for
 ... drum roll ... can you believe it's been a year???
Emma's first birthday!!!

Emma's First Easter celebrated in Crete.
My little world traveler!
And yes, I knit that colorful cardi she's looking so adorable in.

ChaCha...

 ...two steps back ... one step forward ... cha cha cha!

Decided earlier today that this weeks post should be a bit of a look back. 

Not that far back actually but none the less, previous.

I've been painting like mad on new designs to release 'soon' and found myself reminiscing.

Below are several pieces that are available through my distributor  Ruth Schmuff Designs

Like old family pictures, they bring back a host of memories for me. 

'Camel Flowers'© 
close up detail ... when I see this I think ... wow, I was focused !

Different angle of top detail.
I'm working on another design right now
that's a larger version of this burst of color.
Never a dull moment.

Camel Flowers©
This piece started with the 'flowers' that were actually saddles
 I had painted on a friends stand up camels
for a nativity she felt needed some blinging.
As I painted I kept seeing the saddles as flowers,
hence the name.
This piece may be on the small side
but it's packed with different techniques and threads choices.

From major technique to meditative basketweave.
This is my Provence Purse© design.
I even made the strap basic Kumihimo
with a strong nylon craft cord.

'Austintatious Peacock'©
This piece was actually designed for a friend
to stitch for her secret Santa gift.
Funny part is the giftee was also the owner of the camels!
Dear friend of mine as well, Kim Hollifield.

So much in the detail,
loved finding crystals for his wreathed neck.

By this time...
you know how much I love designing borders.

Mondays Belt Design
the canvas this is laid across is the beginning of the painted Provence Purse.

Mondays©
original piece designed to fit the
Weekender bag from Lee Designs
This bag has seen some miles!

I'm not sure what I'll call this yet...Sunburst, Happiness....
I see a lot when I look at the different elements in this piece. Below is the beginning of it's new life on the painted canvas.

Happy Sunburst....maybe....the beginnings.
Only the pinks & red are in so far.
I see feathers too....

Sir Chancelot's thought bubble...
'just name it already'.

just peeks...

Painting by day....stitching by evenings...

The walls of 'My Castle',
just the beginnings.
Just peeks!

Happy Spring Flowers
blooming on a new canvas!

Reaching toward bright sunshine!

he has my back...

and most of my cushion!

This is my new studio space...so far. There is still much work to be accomplished and of course, I've added more to the pile. 

I've always wanted to design a needlepoint rug. I voiced this one evening during a trade show and my friend Libby groaned an emphatic 'no you don't'. She was the voice of experience having designed an enormous private commission for a client. So I let it float into the recesses of my mind. Still there...as I paint a rug design on my floor. 

Have to admit, this is backbreaking work!! I find myself in some odd contortions and thank my body for being so flexible. What does my yoga teacher call it...hyper mobile. Basically means I have to be very careful as I can easily hurt myself and not know it. 

So today, I'm painting, texting with my baby girl in Germany, laughing at pictures of my grandbaby with pureed beets from ear to ear and making myself get up and walk around often. 

I am stitching in the evenings but darn, it's secret stuff. Not even a peek available right now.

This years card, Merry Christmas!
Yes, I bought myself a kaleidoscope recently.
Cheap entertainment that filled my head with fun new designs!
Could not share until the last card sent made it to it's recipient.
Sending packages to Germany can be tricky :-)

...broccoli, a brain, really?

Introducing 

'Blossom'

a Kimberly design©

I think all of you know my favorite stitch is Basketweave.

However...

I have other favorites too.

I will admit...I see the broccoli correlation albeit very flowery.

Although...who says a brain can't be full of wonderful 

colorful thoughts. 

New windows, new view. 

I think it meets with his approval. 

Remodel of the front porch, 

soon to be studio space.

Makes this one very happy.

I've been wanting one of these 

for a very long time.

More on this later.

What she said...

Ruth posted a fabulous accounting of my weekend in Baltimore teaching 'Flying Jewels' aka the big bug. Please go look at all the wonderful pictures that were taken with a special 'look back' at the way we were photo posted at the bottom of the blog!!  

Click HERE

Sharon, who was our first distributor when Ruth and I were all about charted needlepoint, picked me up from the airport. Which was a fabulous start to the reunion we had all weekend!

It was waaaay back in the mid nineties when we all met. We've all evolved since then, happily in wonderful creative ways. I would miss the 'old days' more if the 'new days' were not just as awesome!

Cest Fini!
Provence Purse©2014
a Kimberly design©

Our first day of class was devoted to working
the top and bottom border designs.
The second day was all about the 'big bug'
and his magnificent copper mesh wing span.

What a wonderful group of warm hearted
women to have in my class.
I am humbled and honored that you all joined us.
Thank you to Ruth and her amazing staff for putting the kits together and keeping all running smoothly throughout.
All you do is greatly appreciated in case you don't hear it enough,
we LOVE you!

almost ready...

This is the weekend I go to Bedecked and Beadazzled to teach my 'Flying Jewels' design. I'm very excited to show all how to create my 3D dragonfly featured on the blogs cover photo.
The time has flown by!!

Just finished the Kumihimo strap last night (aka wee hours of the morning). Fabric for backing and lining lying here in front of me ready to be turned into a purse. Just in time to take with me to Baltimore. One should have a new bag to travel with, right!!??

I seem to hear a harumph coming from him.
So he's traveling North with me where I'll get to pull some amazing threads to deck him out with.

These are small snippets of a new piece. Once I get to the shop with the lime green walls and get to play in the threads, I'll post a picture of the entire piece. 

sensing a trend here...

bubbles...I seem to really like bubbles! 

I use to always have a bottle of bubbles around, 

even had a bubble machine at one point or another. 

Dream Glimpse©
from this....

Too this...

TaDa! To this....

...goes with this, of course :-)
'Dream Fragment'©2014

'Flying Jewels'©
I seem to like pretty winged bugs too...
along with bubbles!

'Tree of Life'©2013
Because everyone needs one!
This tree has cute little birds and decorative bubbles!
Life and it's busy'ness' will see where this one leads me.

ribbon and bullions...

Yes, having fun here with ribbon work and piles of bullions!

'Blossom'©
Fun right from the start!