Flamingo sandal, panel 2 progress

It seems like my stitching mojo has gotten lost.  I've been trying to remember what I've done with my time this week that I accomplished so little stitching.  I seem to have been preoccupied with w-2s, quarterly reports, and other year-end matters.  I have a total of 5 employees and I can't justify to myself the expense of an accountant for things like w-2s or sales tax reports or quarterly tax reports.  Math has always been one of my specialties (I scored higher on the math section of the GRE than the verbal, a really unusual occurrence for a librarian!).  However,  I am more than willing to give my accountant the information so he can prepare Needle Nicely's annual tax return (and my own personal one).

And then for the icing on the cake, I received a scam letter today purporting to be an official request for me to report the minutes of Needle Nicely's annual corporation meeting.  Say what?  I was to fill in the blanks and send the form with $125.00 to a named non-governmental entity who would prepare my report.  It took me 2 reads to realize that it was a wonderful way to make money.  Where do these people come from?  And how many businesses have fallen for the scam?  And I will be calling someone Monday to report this.

On a happier note, here are several of the new canvases received at Needle Nicely this week.

This is such a fun nursery rhyme canvas from Susan Roberts Designs. It's large enough for the seat of a child's chair, but would also make a colorful framed piece or pillow.

Sandra Gilmore designed this and I took a class at TNNA several years ago learning how to stitch it with unusual applications.  It looks so homey.

These parrots from AGA are so Florida.  But as I type that I remember the wild parrots that inhabit an area
of San Francisco--is it Telegraph Hill?  Anyway, the large areas of color just cry out for pattern stitches. 

And I'll end with a photograph of some of the Pische Pockets.  I have a great selection of these kits in stock but can't photograph them because of the reflections off the plastic of the packaging.  I also have a selection of these tote bags without kits so you can carry them "bare" or select your own canvas to apply for a pocket.

The suspense is killing me to discover what canvases will arrive next week.  May I repeat that I requested shipment on February 1?  I have also ordered items that I gleaned from everyone's TNNA market blogs.  I called one designer who knew I hadn't been at market and when I ordered a brand-new design, exclaimed "But that isn't up on my website yet, how did you find it?"  The shadow knows.