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'.

I'm painting...

...and having a blast, of course! 

Happy Easter and Happy Passover, 

have a fabulous weekend!

Butterfly Camera Strap© for my sis in law.
This will also come to life in a carpet bag I'm dreaming of.

'Little Lamb'©
On it's way to Ruth soon for production.
This guy has always seemed Eastery
or perfect for someone who knits!

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!

Surprise!

The next Mystery Class by Ruth Schmuff is....drumroll please....

'Emma's Darling Bird'

Yay!!

You just know she is going to have a blast with this one. 

I'm on 'pins and needles' to see what she comes up with!

I imagine sparkle and shine will be happening, at least a little bit!

This new mystery starts in two weeks, click below for info

Not Your Grandmothers Needlepoint

through Bedecked and Beadazzled

there's still time...

...to sign up, 

come join us at Chandail's in Houston!

I'm excited to be heading back to Texas to teach 

'Blossom'

and I hope you can join us!

click here for more information

[ scroll down to find me ]

Class is scheduled for May 30 & 31.
We'll have a wonderful time exploring color, texture
and definitely a few different ways to work a bullion!

'Mondays'
belt design by me!
Finished this a while ago...
just getting around to photographing and posting. 
Santa found this in my finished pile 
and turned it into this beautiful belt for me.

 The Studio....a constant work in progress. 

Feeling a lot closer to the finish than just a week ago.

At some point I hope to fit a small desk in the far corner.
Having the laptop on my drawing table doesn't work.

I am loving this corner.
My poor stitching chair is badly in need
of re upholstering ... someday.
I asked for a ledge to be constructed above
the windows/door around three walls.
 Here I can display finished and not so finished pieces
without making a lot of holes in the walls.
So far it's working perfectly.

I still need to paint the storage bench.
I'm so relieved to be finished with my 'Magic Carpet'.
Now to design a long rectangular cushion
for the center of the bench.
I can see a certain granddaughter perched on there.
If she's not too distracted by all the cool stuff on my desk. 

what I want to do...

versus what I should do....

this can really screw with my focus, my priorities....

because until I can do what I want...

I can't totally focus on what I should...a quandary for sure.

Drew these organic forms some time ago, now I want to paint them....

...see the bag of threads nestled in the bowl to the center...

what I should be doing.

 Late evening stitching, Chance is in need of a couple new collars...
and its a quick way to play with color.

So this is me just checking in this week. Still have my marbles!

Have a wonderful weekend, 

hoping all my family & friends up North 

are staying safe and warm.

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Hope you all give yourself a big hug and 

treat yourself in some way that makes you totally happy! 

Just look at her sweet face.
My sweetest Valentine, little Emma. 
I haven't posted a picture of my 
growing up all too fast granddaughter in a while. 
She's almost walking at nine months!

Over the past year... 
I've been adapting my art to 
the painted needle point canvas.  
In celebration of today...
here are a few of the Valentine pieces 
that have made the transition so far. 

Flower Power©
The gals at Bedecked and Beadazzled
have pulled some beautiful threads to work this up.
The shop offer to the first
caller/emailer/private message via FaceBook
is 10% off the canvas and threads! 

Heartful©

Blooming Heart©

Finished!

This almost felt like the forever project. 
Looking forward to sitting in the 
purple stitching chair newest project in hand.

I need to add here that the paint I used is 
Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. 
The supplier is Black Swan Bazaar.
I had a lot of guidance from Richard and Yvonne,
two fabulous people that had a lot of patience with 
all my questions...I about went nuts 
trying to achieve that wonderful shade of raspberry!

Guess what??!!

I am very excited to announce that
I've been asked to come teach my
'Blossom' design for
Chandail
in Houston, Texas!!

"Blossom"
a Kimberly design©2014
This design is full of fun stitching.
We'll certainly fill up two class days with a lot color, technique, and texture!  I've used beautiful ribbon, a few beads, Memory Wire, silks silks and more silks, of course there is a little sparkle too with metallics and some new to even me thread!  

We'll explore bullions, cast on, couching, and even blackwork. 
We'll layer, loop, and French knot our way through this design!

Come join us at Chandail 
May 30 & 31
[click here for more details]
this will take you to Chandail's home page,
click on classes & workshops,
scroll down...
there I am! 

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 :-)