TS pieced bear

Today was the annual Needle Nicely luncheon.    Macy left last month for the summer and dog agility and field trial events, but she left a picture of herself on a piece of yardstick so she could be at the luncheon in spirit.  During lunch, we placed her in the candle holder in the center of the table. The summer is definitely here.  Marcia leaves for the Northern summer on Wednesday, and Lynn leaves on Wednesday for her regular May week apiece in London and Paris.  Helen and I will hold down the fort in Vero.  There's just one more Monday to be open and then the summer schedule of Tuesday through Friday begins for Needle Nicely.

I'm still experiencing my stitching slump, so my blog entry today is about a shop model we have had for years.  It's Kalvin the running bear from TS Designs.  There are two large canvas pieces that contain the pieces that form the bear.  We used various stitches and fibers in the stitching.
The toughest part was that no finishing instructions come with the canvases, so the finisher has a tough job.  This is one of the two pieces for the bear.

 Here is Kalvin in all his glory.  He really is delightful to hold, just like a regular teddy bear, but with details of stitches and patterns to admire.

 A rear view.

 This is Kalvin's best "side" for photographing!!

Sasha, the lady chef almost finish-finished

 I received Sasha back from the finisher yesterday.  She is gorgeous--well, almost.  She's bald!!

I guess I just assumed the finisher would magically produce some hair for her.  Not his fault, mine for not asking.  So now to do some investigation and decide which of  several options  I'll do.  All suggestions will be gratefully considered.

Many of you probably don't remember Sasha.  I was shocked to find out that I stitched most of her starting in December 2010.  I bogged down on the white apron with the vegetables and utensils in the pockets--in a word, boooorrring.  In an act of extreme kindness, Macy finished her for  me this past winter. 

Whew! It's the season (thank goodness!)

Well, they've (the snow birds) been here since the end of January.  Starting last Thursday, they must have realized they won't be in Vero forever, so they started shopping.  Hooray!  I'm exhausted, but happy.  I'm spreading the happiness as I start to pay for the new canvases I've been receiving.  Plus, I spent this afternoon writing up finishing to mail to finishers.  And just to prove to myself I can still do it (Helen usually does our cording, so well I don't need to supervise), I made cording out of neon rays plus to be used as an edging on a wall hanging.  I only had to undo it once to twist it tighter.  Of course, I forgot to take a photograph.  I'll try to remember to do so before I close the package.  Some other time I'll do an essay about the skill sets that needlepoint shop owners must possess.  Perhaps sooner rather than later because of the recent string on the ANG chat list about what stitchers want in a lns.  Not to mention the essay detailing the desired attributes of a needlepoint shop customer!

My home stitching is almost nonexistent--last night this old lady took a short nap before dinner (our day was that busy).  Thank goodness dinner was spaghetti with home-made (by my dh) sauce that was frozen, my home-made garlic bread (again, frozen), and a fresh salad prepared by my dh.  Marvelous planning on my part!  

So tonight's blog is to showcase some "Oldies, but goodies" in Needle Nicely's inventory.  I love them too much to reduce their prices, which you'll understand when you see them.

First, we have this pieced Christmas tree from TS Designs.  It is one of a limited edition for 1989 (shock!).  At one time we had 4 or 5 of these because we had a stitched model.  We mistakenly thought we had sold them all and donated our model to some charity.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered this canvas hidden away--especially since we'd had inquiries over the years and said we had no more.       

You'll have to excuse Blogger for inserting those photographs before my commentary.  As I have learned, Blogger definitely has control over what happens on these blogs, free though they may be!

This next canvas by Melissa Shirley is of Santa Claus.  I stitched the same design for a customer over 10 years ago.  Then we had it finished as a large stand-up.  I loved the finished product so much that I ordered another canvas thinking I might stitch it for myself someday.  So I won't put it on sale, but I also haven't stitched it.  Other shop models seem to always be clamoring to be stitched and thus take precedence. 

It was so much fun to stitch that trim so it really looked like ermine!

And the final canvas is one by Trubey.  This also is finished as a stand-up.  The design seems to scream, "stitch me with lots of glitz and fancy stitches!"