smiles ....

'Transformation'
[titled long before our world changed]

I know this year has qualified for many of you, 

on so many levels, as 

'the worst'

but ...

I've witnessed and continue to witness 

joy, beauty, & little miracles.

I could write a dozen blogs listing them all.

I do recognize that I've had fear, sadness ...

and a couple times felt myself plunge

into a pool of depressed feelings ...

still, there is that ...but

I have plenty to be grateful for.

First and foremost on a personal note ...

a new grandchild is due October first.

The force is strong in this one for sure!

My sweet niece had her babe arrive into

this world well ahead of schedule ...but

this one too is feisty and strong.

Every day I read of her growing and 

becoming.

My year started off with many classes, I met

with long time friends and new to me stitchers.

Had I not had this good fortune, not sure I'd have

kept my head above water these last few months.

So a huge thank you to all who made that possible.

I've sold several original pieces, started a news letter,

written on this blog! I've designed and painted 

several new pieces that will eventually 

debut when life once again becomes

'balanced'.

I'm just back from my first bit of travel to teach.

I'd like to give a shout out to Tampa International

and Southwest Airlines

for their vigilance in social distancing.

I taught for Labors of Love in Atlanta.

Mark and crew were fantastic!

I did not feel uneasy at all, tables were

arranged and students were spread out

[unless they arrived together].

Luis handed me a marvelous contraption to 

wear so all could hear me.  A shield that fit

over my glasses and covered my face completely.

I'm soft spoken, hearing me through a mask

simply wasn't working.  The shield was perfection.

Beautiful shop, beautiful people!

So...

this is more wordy than my typical blog.

Obviously I had a lot on my mind that 

needed to jump out.

I wish you all peaceful and healthy days!

xoxo

[if you'd like to be added to my newsletter for 

updates on classes and new work, 

email me at akimberlydesign@gmail.com 

....make subject 'newsletter']

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.

If you'd like to meet me...

... and take a class featuring my 3 dimensional dragonfly 

"Flying Jewels"© 

It can happen, Ruth has a class time set for November.  

Sign ups have already started!!  Yay!!  

I know we're going to have a blast 

at the shop with the lime green walls!! 

To sign up follow the link to Ruth's place for more information. Dates/times/the whole nine yards. 

Bedecked and Beadazzled [scroll down page] 

it's happening...November 8 and 9!

Beyond the very cool 3D copper mesh wings,
there are the top and bottom borders. I've explored all kinds of different stitch techniques, to keep you going on this design.  Threads run from simple cotton to plied silk to wool/silk blend, silk perle, metallics, and just a few beads! 

I love teaching classes as it gives me the opportunity to meet so many of you and have a more personal connection to what all of you are wanting in your stitching.  

So I hope you'll join us for a weekend of sheer 

delight in stitching fun.

I've got to fly....

and away I went!  

From the humble beginnings of an idea.  I promised a great friend a piece to stitch, something I would design with an amazing dragonfly.  I sketched and for awhile it sat, then I sketched some more.  Then came a chunk of time that I could run with the idea.    

Initial drawing on canvas before painting.  

"Flying Jewels"©2014
a Kimberly design©
Remember the border with the little dragonfly motifs I posted a few weeks ago...It's along the top, along the bottom is the line up ready for take off.  
Here you see it all!!  Hand painted piece measures approximately 12" square on eighteen count canvas 

Voila!  Check out my fabulous dragonfly!!  

This could not have happened without the support of Kreinik Mfg. I was on a tear looking for copper mesh.  I knew it existed but finding it proved to be a daunting task.  I could find ugly gray screen at the hardware store, I explored the net and exchanged emails with someone in China.  

Then I had one of those blinding flashes of brilliance...they do happen! The inner voice shouted at me....'KIMBERLY, YOU NEED METAL, CALL DENA AT KREINIK'.  After all, they have provided me with beautiful metallics to stitch with throughout my career as a designer.  Dena responded within a day that YES! Doug has a source, then Doug emailed, YES, what do you need...I replied, he wrote back, I answered, then asked, 'are you going to carry it', YES!  WOW, I was doing a happy dance! 

Of course, the copper mesh arrived and I had stitched the rest of the canvas to be ready for it.  

But...what if it didn't work, so I stared at it for a couple of days...then dove in.  I cut out the shapes, scored the veins in, edged it with metallic thread, attached the wings and my dragonfly came to life!  Then I stared at it again for awhile, it's just so nice when a plan comes together.  Pretty sure this all occurred late in an evening, pretty sure I was snapping pictures and texting with Ruth to say, 'Hey, look what I did!!'  

They really do come in this awesome color!
Not the greatest picture...crazy bugs move pretty fast.  
I was lucky to get this.  

"Flying Jewels"© is available as a painted canvas
with awesome stitch guide & copper mesh

Have your favorite LNS contact
wholesale  from Ruth Schmuff Designs
or
Bedecked and Beadazzled

Have to add a P.S. here.

I belong to an amazingly talented group on FaceBook with the pin name "Needlepoint Nation".  When I commented on my fruitless treasure hunt for copper mesh one of the members private messaged me to say she had some screen and would send it to me. She was thrilled to lighten her stash and help me out.  Sadly it was too large but the generosity of Andrea truly touched me. Thank you so much for reaching out to help a fellow stitcher in need.  

Oh, and for those who comment, 'wow, that's a dying art', let me tell you that this nation is growing daily.  Last count I saw was 5,350 members with more knocking at the proverbial door!  Talk about a support group!