determination....

Since I know, positively, that I am not alone in this obsessiveness about stitching...I know many of you will understand why I'm falling asleep sitting up in my chair at 3 in the afternoon!  

I simply had to finish this border last night!

Bottom border of 'Flying Jewels'© FINI !
Just the center focal point to get creative with...
waiting for new toys to play with.

Lined up for take off.

'Flying Jewels'©2014
a Kimberly design©

I know a lot of you post these great shots of your toes with the ocean or a sparkling pool as a back drop. I have a puppy for a back drop here...and the foot is badly bruised.  

Did you ever do something fairly foolish and decide to share it with the world in hopes that no one repeats your wonderful experience??!  

Long story...my favorite way to stitch is on my lap with one of my two favorite frames from Kay's Creations. I have a Petite Z Frame and then a larger one. [About two years ago they came out with one that does it all.]  

Kay actually plunked the petite frame down in front of me at a summer market, smiled ever so sweetly and told me to try it out. There was always method to her requests...my booth was across the isle from another frame rep :-)  I can't tell you how many frames 'we' sold at that market and to this day, it is still my favorite.  

So, here I am working on my large dragonfly design in the larger Z Frame.  I continually need something that is not within reach, so up I get and off I go to dig/search/retrieve said item. However, the other day I only took hold of the stretcher bars...I had been flipping back and forth, universal clamp was not fully tightened and BAM...it landed on my second toe!  One or two choice words followed as the pain reached my brain, weird how that takes a beat to get from foot to brain.  I also heard Kay in my head 'well twit, what did you expect'.  Miss her.  

Heed my warning...

Universal is fully tightened!

Firm believer in Arnica Montana.
Bruising could have been a lot worse.
Chance is the best footrest one could ask for.

Have a fabulous week!

nose to canvas...

...nice block of time to stitch,

means I'm actually seeing daily progress!

Finished the background, yay!

Love silk ribbon, cover a lot of ground quickly!
'Flying Jewels'
a Kimberly design©2014

You've seen the top border, hope I can wow you with the bottom border band shortly!

On another note, Ruth Schmuff just added three more of my designs to the website & blog!!
Click here
Color does make us both happy! 

what made my day...

Actually, many little minute pauses to appreciate is what always does it for me.  The hard part is the remembering to take the pauses.  

Quick conversations with customers in the shop where I work, people whom I've never met can be treasures to chat up.  It's the getting to know little bits of people that come through my days.  

Seems in order to truly appreciate the treasures, one must also embrace some sadness too.  A sweet friend lost her soul mate, another fights a battle with health.  [I don't much like this part]

So when I pull into home at the end of the day and there are a ton more blooms on my Frangipani I have to smile and drop all to take a picture.  To look even more closely at the amazing shading nature puts out there for me to take in.  

Of course, one must not forget my beautiful family and our newest little member.  My daughter found a quote that I'm going to repeat here...she's discovering how amazing being a new mommy is and I love being the watcher of this new life unfolding before us.

~Nothing can truly prepare you for all that comes with having an infant.  The immediate connection is indescribable, but the best description I've read is from Elizabeth Stone who said that "Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." [excerpt from my daughters blog, Emma is already one month old here]

What makes me love baby piggies!?

Look at all that color!
I love the branch, the color contrast from leaf to stem to branch.
Pretty amazing.

beginnings...

My brain loves this!  

Calculating a border sets my design muse on its ear, 

too much fun...no way!

Some days are made for playing with thread and stitches.
Messing around with string art and fine thread is one of my favorites.
And a little dragonfly was born in the corner.

Coming up with a light coverage background
is next on the 'todo' list.

Happy little bug.

Art Deco feel, maybe.
Reminds me of a carved border around the top of an old building.
 Didn't know I was architectural, did you?

I take many pictures while stitching.
The camera sometimes shows me a totally different perspective
than what I'm seeing while focused on the stitches.
Sometimes this perspective is very cool, sometimes I'm reverse stitching.

Reality....

Reality along the Rhein, hard to take. 

The square downtown Wiesbaden. Stormy spring day reality.

New design 'Little Bird'©2014
In honor of my very first grand child,
sweet little Emma.
All in lovely rich colors of silk & wool,
all basketweave.
She'll not ever be told she can't
snuggle with this pillow.

Can you tell how much I am loving
this sweet little baby!
Rocked my reality!

Sweetest little reality in our families world!

My darling daughter takes great care of me.
Even makes me gluten free treats in heart shapes!

First gardenias this year.
We have two huge bushes full!
Pretty nice slices of my reality,
now to get back to work.
Loving life.

She's here!

Introducing the most beautiful Granddaughter ever,
Emma Katherine
born May the 5th, 2014
Mommy is still glowing, Daddy is awesomely proud,
and me, so wowed,
walking on air!

lots of art happening!

... and I can't show it all to you ... YET!  So snippets for now ....

Puff ...

his castle ...

clowning ...

a tassel ... maybe a quilt ... maybe not saying too much ...

love a border ...

Fuchsia ...

stretch....

accomplishment for today...
new doodle and
I'm posting this from my new tablet!

Learning curve with Windows8 .... My 'Happy Beast' is not the only thing being stretched.  The brain is getting a great workout as well!

did you ever get your needle stuck...

Odd thing for one in the needle work industry to ask ... but I get these ideas and I can't let them go until I fully vet them out!  For two days I've been scouring the internet and bugging locals shops for copper screen. Actually, I found it immediately but I don't happen to need yards nor do I wish to spend a minimum of $75.  

See ... and I'm determined.  I know it's out there and I'm positive some one sells it in smaller portions. Problem is I don't move forward in the interim ... I basketweave instead!  

And watch reruns of silly movies, last night was Captain America 'The First Avenger', yes, loved it.  Thought it a riot that Agent Smith from the Matrix played Schmidt aka Red Skull ... seems he's been typecast although he was pretty amazing as Elrond the Elf King in the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit trilogy.  His real name is Hugo Weaving ... so I watch 'Weaving' while basketweaving .... very big grin here.

Love a messy pile of thread to play with ...
actually, it's not as messy as it looks,
none of it is tangled together.

 Watching the negative shapes play across the emerging design is a lot of fun.  Lets face it, I'm easily entertained most of the time ... especially when it comes to color.  For a while it looked like T Rex repeats across the canvas in coral.  Then little birds.  

Once upon a time a comment was made.  
'I'd love this design as a belt, Kimberly.'
'Mondays' Belt©
I do listen and retain great ideas
that are often just idle comments thrown out there.
Thank you Carol Eix !  

So happy to have fresh spearmint from
the Farmers Market for my tea once again.
Great way to start my day.

Coolness...

I think these amazingly somewhat pre historic looking birds are coolness personified!  So glad we live in the same neighborhood.  Although...they fly off to the coast for the summer months.  

First finish....

I've seen so many 'First Finish for 2014' posts on FB and felt way behind each time.  To my credit, I've finished many projects, just not of the stitching type.  Guides have been written for at least three canvases and several new designs drawn up and painted. Made an awesome mobile with my daughter one weekend and have a baby sweater on the needles for my soon to arrive grand baby girl. Yay!  

So below is my actual first 'finish' of the stitchy type.  He was a blast to work up even if the beard did give me a few fits.  

TaDa!!
'Santa Close Up'©
a Kimberly design©

Fish Eye Turkey Work with Vineyard Classic
First time ever that I've not brushed and cut Turkey Work.
The Classic doesn't need it I'm happy to say.

Next up on the frame is a dragonfly....stumpwork, maybe, almost positive, yes...it's playtime.  Wings that glisten are in my head.