Kimberly!

My very first Christmas card arrived today!

... with a note.

"No posts since September ...!?!"

Oh my ... posting is truly hard for me when

I can not share what I'm painting and stitching 

with all of you.  

I do post often on Instagram, love the ease

of posting photos of the everyday happenings

in my life on that platform.

I've heard from a few of you that have 

wondered where I've been, here is a re-cap 

since September. 

Gorgeous late summer night here in Florida.

The perfect little model.
I truly wasn't positive I could
still sew like this!

The next little artist in the family,
chalk is his present
medium of choice.

Ginger plants that were just the color
I needed one day.
Yes ... they'll probably end up
in a design at some point.

A morning with my brother and sis in law.
Mimosas, Music by Munn Park Saints,
and ART!
Of course ...

I'm active in a group called
'4 Squared Makers'
ANYONE, can join in ... you purchase
'4' -  4" square wood blocks from our creative leader.
You'll be given a theme for the next pop up show,
then you get creating in any medium.
The above is colored pencil by me on smooth stock,
mounted on the wood block.
I offer optional framing to whomever buys my pieces.
For more information you can find us on
FaceBook or email
betsy@thebohrergallery.com

ART, lots of art.
I have Giclee reproductions available for many
of my original art. 
Then there are the play pieces I've
stitched up here and there that
were never intended for reproduction. 
These are all available for purchase.
You can contact me if any strike your fancy
via email at
aKimberlydesign@gmail.com

Gecko and Dragonfly art blocks.

Love a flower show ....

I can needlepoint anything!
I was gifted this super super fine mesh
copper last summer.
It looks like soft fabric until
you catch your finger on it!
But oh! the results!

This one was snatched up by
my long time friend and
fellow stitcher/designer Michael Boren.

'Colors of Autumn'

ArtCraft Festival in St Pete and
Palace Pizza in Lakeland.
Wonderful day of beautiful weather,
great friendship,
amazing art and pizza [gluten free] in
my favorite Lakeland spot.

My kind of selfie ...
the bird was an after thought.
Karen Hennessy of Zecca loves
to paint crazy birds and posts
many pictures of the real thing
 that speak to moi.
 I love to sketch them.  

  

'Ruth and Harley'
Hard to see as this is straight out of my
sketchbook.  There is a personal push to
draw every day .... no guarantee and no
beating myself up if I don't.
Ruth is my amazing friend and distributor
Ruth Schmuff Designs
@ BedeckedandBeadazzled.com

'Winter Collection'
15" x 30" original painting titled
'Magic and Grace'
Framed Gallery of Trees and
Hand decorated painted box
also with a Gallery of Trees variation.

I really love how this turned out.
 It is for sale but ...
I really love it so much ...
I actually put a nail in the
wall and hung it.

'Magic and Grace'
makes me smile
complete feel good piece.

Anyone who has known me
'since my beginnings'
in the needlework industry,
will remember the above tassel.
This is 'me' giving you a sneak peek
at what is happening
behind the scenes.
Wait for it ...

I spent about three hours standing
on a cement floor
selling art last Friday in a
crazy Whoville Hat. 
I just could not resist being silly and
getting myself into the
holiday spirit of the season.
 I'm often a Scrooge until about
Christmas eve. 
Shown here with great friend, Betsy Bohrer,
 who submitted to joining in on my madness
for a whimsical night of silliness.
We've been labeled
'Mischief and Mayhem'
and
may have fully earned those titles
once again.
What a great friend.
May the spirit of the season find you too!

What a summer...

...this has been !

From my turning 60 Birthday Bash in Baltimore

to my first Fine Art Show in Florida!

So maybe I should counter that this 

started last October in my hometown

with my first ever 'one woman show'

featuring my 

Rendered In Thread

free form needle ART!

.... or maybe all the way back to the mid 90's

when a friend said ...

'Kimberly, you should self publish your designs'

I'm living a charmed life, 

populated by an amazingly supportive family

and like minded friends,

that just seem to be there for me always.

This makes me feel very grateful and blessed.

This year isn't over

but ... for the next couple of weeks

I'll be here ...

I don't imagine I'll be sitting much as I'll
be entertained or entertaining my grandkids!
Yay!

Just finished painting this amazing creature.  
Between the patron and myself this has been titled
"Dragonfly Dreams"

This was a completely impulsive project.
I foolishly dreamed I'd finish this
in time to display in my booth for
Fine Art at the Magnolia.
Completed last night
it measures 3' x 6' and is winging
its way to its new home tomorrow.

These borders were an adventure
all by themselves ... funny how fabric
can bleed when you get it too wet!

Ready for flight ...

The process ...

many ask, 

"So what is it that you do, Kimberly?"

Original drawing of "Trio"©
21"square, marker rendering.
This was the beginning of my feature piece
for next weekends fine art show.
[info below]

Biggest piece of canvas this one has
ever painted.  I had to borrow an easel!
Which if you'd seen me trying to put this
together, you'd still be laughing.  

Finished hand painted canvas of
"Trio"©
From here, it was mounted to stretcher bars to 
allow me to go crazy with cotton and silk fibers,
silk wrapped gimp [love this stuff] from
Tentakulum Painters Threads


amazing Silk Ribbon from
River Silk,

 metallics, silk, and fine copper mesh from
  Kreinik Mfg.

Doug Kreinik found this awesome 
copper mesh for me after much 
fruitless searching on my part.
My dragonflies would be flat winged 
without his generous assistance.

Rendered in thread, one of a kind,
fiber art, mixed media canvas by
a Kimberly design©

As I rendered this piece .... my hands just seem to know what
to do, what a magical journey this piece has been for me.
The outlined flowers in the background, the hatchmarked
sparkle ... stems, leaves, many moons .... and oh!
Those WINGS!!!

The 'viney' things ...
that's the silk wrapped gimp.

Meet Betsy Bohrer!
She is the creator and curator of two different
art venues here in mid Florida.
Both of which she graciously asked this one
to be a part of.  She is helping me introduce
the world, one small step at a time, to my
world of needleart. 
I met Betsy about two years ago during a one
woman show of her beautiful works of art.
The friendship took off from there. She introduces
us as Mischief and Mayhem. You'll have
to guess at who is what ;-)
[although, I think we trade back and forth]

If you're in the area of Central Florida ...
Please join us next weekend for
Fine Art at the Magnolia
We are a collection of seventeen Fine Artists 
from all walks.
Ranging from pottery to paint to
sculptural basketry to
digital to photograpy
to sculpture
to jewelry to glass.
Something for everyone.
... and all in air conditioned comfort by 
beautiful Lake Mirror in the historical
Magnolia Building.

My proud Mom!
Love this picture of her!

Just a tad busy....

Tonight is a sweet “4 Squared Makers”

Opening reception at one of our awesome

local coffee houses. 

Hillcrest Coffee

I think we have 40 artists 

showing for the next month. 

So come check it out if you’re in the area. 

Tonight there will be art, music 

and of course,

☕️ 

These are my four,

Dragonfly and Echinacea 

have already sold 😊

I’m diligently working on my feature piece for
Fine Art at the Magnolia
August 18 & 19
THIS MONTH
Where did June & July go!?!

I hope you can join us for this wonderful event. 

We’re seventeen artists, all with our own

different and unique talents ...

... and, we’re in the beautiful historic

Magnolia building 

overlooking Lake Mirror 

in air conditioned 

comfort 😎

Yay!!

Life is sooooo good....

To say we had fun ...

would be an understatement !

Best Birthday Ever !

This was a most awesome group of stitchers we had at
The Beehive for "My Passion" class.
They just dove into the stitching like nobodies business!

Lisa! What can I say ...
Except ... she asks great questions!
Just a few and we love her!
She was thrilled to find the magic of
counting out a string art design and having it
land it the correct spot!

Wish you could see their work up close,
they are all very accomplished
needle workers! Thank you to all of you for joining
us at The Beehive!
[Lisa had to leave early or
she would have been front and center...
she kept us in 'stitches']

As I walked around the class room
I kept propping my piece in one of
the many colorful chairs Ruth has ....
which is your favorite?
I have one but will wait to hear yours.

This guy, Johnny ....
my housemate at The Beehive
and breakfast buddy.
Does he just not make you smile!?!

Ruth realized before I arrived ...
Just how long have we known each other???
When I taught my first class in the needlework
industry .... I was seven months pregnant! 
Ruth and I had our first cash and carry show
together in Hunt Valley, Maryland 
two years later.
My son will be 27 this December.



If you are interested in purchasing
"My Passion"or any of my other hand painted
needlepoint designs, follow the link.
Ruth Schmuff Designs .
Bedecked and Beadazzled

big stuff ...

For several months ...

I've had to stay quiet about what was going on 

with my stitching.

Not anymore!!

TADA !!

Introducing

"My Passion"

I've been designing this piece in my head for years,
I think.
There are re invented elements from past pieces,
with new additions ... just because. 

If you have known me in my design life ....
You'll recognize this panel as a new version
from a charted design I released in 1998 called
Mothers' Rocker.
This version is more hip in it's color way with
changes to the background.  The new variety of threads
made for some beautiful transitions to a painted surface.

There was no such thing as Silken Straw back in '98!
Nor was there a color called Oregano from Kreinik!

Sooooo .... if you do indeed remember me from my
beginnings in this industry ... I was a young punk with
so many ideas.  Now I'd like to think I'm a
wee bit wiser and wow, turning 60!
Still a rebel, still living the dream of
doing what I love!

Come help me celebrate with my fabulous
long time friend and distributor
Ruth Schmuff at her magical
BeeHive in Maryland
June 15, 16, and 17!!
Follow the link for all the scoop.

a Kimberly design distributed by Ruth Schmuff of Bedecked and Beadazzled