and away I go...

to Houston!

The skies may still be heavy with rain clouds 

but we'll be stitching away 

with bright happy colors inside the walls of  

Chandail!

'Blossom'
a Kimberly design©

Catching up...

My whole reason for traveling to Germany!
Our little bird turned one!

This is what drew me to Firenze!
Il Duomo
This massive piece of architecture
overwhelms the buildings approaching it.

Whitney catching me, catching Il Duomo.
Our apartment was this close, of course,
the gelato was that close too!

We three, probably not our best picture but the backdrop is WOW!
This was after a magnificent day of touring the Chianti region.
Several wineries later ... we were back in Firenze
a top this hill looking over the city.
The day of touring could not have been possible
without friends that came down  for the day.
Can't thank them enough!
What memories we have from this day. 

Shelby, Whitney, Emma, & Nikesh
What great friends to come and chauffeur us
all over Tuscany's Chianti Region!

The sky was that blue!

Border designs anyone ...
I'm told this was built with no scaffolding!

As my creative right brain took in this shot,
my left was telling me that if one suffered claustrophobia ...
 it would be hard to live here. Good thing I don't!

So much beauty to take in.

They call this the gateway to the Chianti Region. 
You can just barely see the vineyard fields off in the distance.
Greve in Chianti is a town and commune in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
[just imagine addressing that envelope]

The BIG dream ...
a secluded villa in Tuscany ...
can you just imagine retreats here ... 

Solatione Vineyard
I was so in awe.
Hope I have this correct, the name means 'lots of sun'.

Solatione Vineyard
Tiny little grapes on the vines at this point.
The owners of this golden spot were so welcoming.
We just showed up with no appointment.
Whitney remembered this amazing vineyard from
a previous trip to the region.
A quick search found the address to be less than fifteen minutes
away and off we went on another adventure. 

The first bridge you see in the distance is Ponte Vecchio.
Which I was cutely corrected on how to pronounce.
Just forget that 'h'.
I decided I would fit in nicely only if I could make
myself up speak in the center of almost every word
that comes out of your mouth in Italian.
We had a sweet young couple sitting at the next
table one evening for dinner.
The young man had me in a fit of laughter telling me how Americans say Ferrari so wrong.
They were great entertainment for Emma that evening too.
Wonderful memories made.

Wiped out.
We'll definitely have to do this all again in the future
at an age that she'll remember every wonderful detail.
Love you sweet little bird.
Thank you for being such a good little explorer
with Mimi and Mama!

Mimi goes to Germany...

Soon...very soon,

I will be hugging my most 

amazing daughter & I will most assuredly

have a fit of giggles with my 

very entertaining Granddaughter in person!

YES!

'Mariposa'©
My travel project, are those colors fun or what?!

All packed and ready to go, flight leaves tomorrow.
Am I just a little excited....oh yes I am!

Chat with you in a couple of weeks,
Ciao! [side trip to Italy too]

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.