A Few New Canvases

A few new canvases trickled into Needle Nicely this week.  These would be so delightful to stitch.

This tree stocking is on 13mesh.  There are so many possibilities for doing pattern stitches.  Melissa Shirley designed this beauty.  It arrived so late in the season because Melissa's stockings usually point to the left.  The ones pointing to the right have to be specially painted.  At market I have to remind myself to specify right pointing, though some designers won't change the direction of the toe.

Ashley Dillon has done a series of "march" canvases.  Her latest is the barnyard march, led by a bull.
I love every one of these and wish I could take the time to stitch each one.

The Wrap and Ship Department at Needle Nicely

You'll have to excuse my tardy posting.  Yesterday was filled with goodies like hearing about my polyps from my colonoscopy; being assured that the bump removed from my thigh by my dermatologist was not going to start growing again; and finding out that my high calcium level was not yet worrisome.  In between doctor visits, Arthur and I stopped at Target for tp, Office Depot for printer ink; and Sam's for 2 wedges of Locatelli Parmesan cheese.  We also stopped for lunch at "Robert's by the Sea" (better known as Bobby's).  By the time I got back home, I was too frazzled to think about posting my blog entry for the day.

As I have mentioned before, I have been selling some discontinued fibers and elderly canvases on a website called The Needlepoint Nation Stash Exchange.  Buyers prefer that their canvases are rolled, rather than folded.  Previously, I have used corregated paper left over from the rugs shipped from various rug finishers over the years.  I've depleted that supply, so I had to break down and buy some on line.  The rolls come in a myriad of sizes from which to choose.  After much consideration, I settled on a roll of 24" wide x 250" long paper with single corregations.  That results in a roll of 24" wide by 23" tall.  The box it was shipped in was a foot wider in one direction.  The easiest way to deal with getting to  the roll was to cut the box away, side by side.

NOTE:  That yellow you see to the right back side of the photograph is the foam I sprayed to keep water from pouring in the back door as it did last summer.

Condominium Stockings Designed by Barbara Eyre

In the ANG on-line auction I mentioned several weeks ago, there were about 9 of Barbara Eyre's  condominium stockings.  I managed to win the bidding on 4 of them.  It is hard to believe that these designs are from the late 1950s through the 1960s.  Here are the photographs that I was successful in buying.

 I also bought this canvas designed by Patti Mann.  It's a little large to be an ornament, but could be made into a standing stuff so it could be played with like a truck.

 I couldn't think of how to display the croakie--and then I spied Gunther.  They're a little large for him, but you get the idea.

One Family's Use of Basket Purses

Lori and her sister want to remember their father, who was a tremendous Florida fan.  Rather than wearing these belts, they thought it was a great idea to put them on purses so they could look at them as they carried the purses.  Other memories involve their grandmother Rose who stitched the belts for her son-in-law before she entered her Christmas red and green needlepoint period.

Here are two views of a basket purse with one of Lori's belts she can no longer wear.  I think it looks gorgeous!

These were all examples of finished belts that no longer were useable by their owners.  Do remember that you can stitch a strip and just fold back the edges, hiding the back of your stitching with the ribbon that comes with each bag.

Colonoscopy and another example of a small town

I've been dodging and diving to avoid another colonoscopy for over 12 years.  My gp has guilted me into it. After he saved my "bacon" this winter, I felt I owed him one last colonoscopy  So, tomorrow I will consume only clear liquids, orange jello, and the dreaded product that will provide the "cleansing" that isn't quite as chi-chi as some would have you believe.

This is definitely my last one.  Colon cancer is an ugly death; but I hope if I ever get it,  I will be able to find a Hemlock Society to help me deal with it.

Last week Needle Nicely had a sale with Easter eggs containing discounts from 20% to 1 60% (no one got that one, though someone did get a 50%).  It was a successful sale, but quite exhausting. I don't know why everytime I have a sale, people start lamenting that I'm going out of business.  I have 400 belts in stock and about 150 Christmas stockings and a multitude of Christmas ornaments.  It doesn't look like I'm going out of business any time soon,

This morning my husband and I went bookstore shopping.  Vero has one of the best independent bookstores, The Vero Beach Book Center.  My husband dropped me off to park our car and I proceeded to the front door.  There, I encountered David Walker, one of Trubey's nephews.  He married a Vero Beach girl, so it wasn't a surprise I encountered him with his daughter while they were exiting the bookstore.

It was great to see David--when he was about 12 or so, he was going to marry me because he didn't want me to be alone.  He and his brother spent summers in Blowing Rock along with their parents and Trubey's son and daughter.  They would spend all day roaming the streets of Blowing Rock, and especially the town park.  They knew they could always come to Needle Nicely for candy or cookies, a telephone, and more importantly, Mary Agnes to take care of bullies.  The fact that in those days I weighed about 120 lbs at 5'6", I don't think that would have struck fear in the heart of any bully.

Croakie finished, a feather purse flap, and Easter Eggs for a sale

The finished needlepoint croakie arrived on Monday.  Though I stitched several inches longer than suggested, I still think it is a little short.  But individuals can determine length for themselves.

Currently, I am stitching a feather that we painted on a purse flap.  The customer stitched the background and then asked me to stitch the feather.  This is the flap for a Sophia purse.

Lastly, this week Needle Nicely is having an "egg" sale, where we have plastic eggs with different amounts of discounts from 20% through 1 60%.  It has been fun to watch people's reactions to what percentage they get off.  Much more fun than a set percentage announced ahead of time.

So many eggs left, so many discounts remaining.  "Come on down!"

Can You Guess Ages? Obviously Nothing to Do with Needlepoint

Jennifer Tan of Pippin Designs blogged this week about watching her children playing sports when they were young.  I smiled to myself.  To me, Jennifer is young and I was mildly surprised that her children were mostly out of the house forming new lives.

 Of course, this blindness to age in others, also includes blindness to my own age.  I am always amazed when people defer to me because of my grey hair.  Of course, you must realize how long it has taken me to realize that is the reason.  I finally gave up  carrying on a bag when I was flying to markets.  People insisted on helping me.  NOTE TO THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE--wait until you are asked for help.  I practiced and practiced beforehand to be sure I could handle the suitcase over my head and was insulted that no one considered I might be capable of putting it into the bin under my own steam.  Now I check my bags (Thanks Gold Amex!).  That is a lesson for all of us!

I'm getting ready for the week-long sale at Needle Nicely starting Monday (through Friday).  You are welcome to call about fibers or canvases and we will draw your egg while you are on the phone.  Discounts vary from 20% off to 4 50% and 1 60% off.  Go for it!

And if you haven't checked it out, go to the ANG frogs auction which ends tomorrow.  Some great canvases available.  I have bid on some Barbara Eyre Christmas Stockings.  WooHoo!

Sale Celebrating Needle Nicely's 40th Year Selling Needlepoint, April 9th through April 14th

Needle Nicely is having a store-wide sale of our entire inventory April 9th through April 14th.  We will be filling plastic eggs with slips indicating what the discount it, one per customer.  The discounts vary from 40 20% off slips to 4 50% and 1 60% slip.

When I mentioned the sale to a customer this afternoon, she thought it meant Needle Nicely was going out of business (AGAIN!).  The truth is that January was a disappointing month, business-wise.  Most people don't realize that businesses in Vero Beach must make enough money during the "season" to carry them through the "off-season".  Thus, while this sale is celebrating NNs 40th year in business in North Carolina and Florida, it is also an effort to build a war chest for the summer.

Our remaining rug inventory is now on sale for 70% off.  There are still some beauties remaining.  And if you purchase the yarn for anything during our sale, it will be whatever percent you find in your chosen egg.

Hope to see you next week!

The Season's Coming to an End

Today was Needle Nicely's annual employee luncheon.  We snagged a window table at the Ocean Grill on Vero's beach.  The view was like a documentary of beach life.  There was  a group of 8 people wearing identical t-shirts collecting trash of various types.  Then there was the older woman sitting at the water's edge letting the water pour over her, but also getting lots of sand in her bathing suit.  One man obviously thought it was a naturist beach since his bathing suit was almost non-existent.  An added touch were the vees of pelicans swooping through the scene.

The snow birds start leaving beginning March 31st.  That's when the 3-month leases end and I-95 North is bumper to bumper.  The next departure is before April 15 and tax day.  Then Easter, whether before or after tax time.  In latter years, many people have realized how beautiful April and May can be; so they stay longer.  It is also nice to be to eat out without long waits since the crowds have thinned out.