Walker bag giveaway for commenting on 400th blogpost

I've decided to have a giveaway to a randomly selected commenter on this blog entry commemorating my 400th blog.  This entry will appear on Saturday night and all comments made before my next blog entry (5pm EST Wednesday, 1/8/2014) will be eligible for a 10x13 double-zip Walker bag in your choice of 3 color combinations.

Remember that in my August 17, 2013, blog entry I gave instructions to help take the mystery out of commenting on blogs.  I would appreciate your participation.  (I still can't get a link to appear--some things never change.)

 I wish I had thought to do this in previous years because I have found it helps to nudge my memory to see the items I have blog-stitched.  And looking back, I am amazed at how many things I have stitched each year.  I realize that I am a fast stitcher, but I only stitch an hour each evening at home and off-and-on during the day at the shop.  Some days I am occupied waiting on customers or writing up finishing or packing finishing to ship to customers or doing inventory in preparation for making fiber orders--you get the idea.  I can't just sit and stitch all day, every day,  much as I might like to. Although a customer on Thursday said (and I quote) "how great.  You can just sit and stitch all day long!".  I wryly commented, "well, between ordering the restocking of fibers (many fibers) and writing up finishing and shipping items to customers and putting new canvases on the inventory and talking with clueless people like you"--but I didn't say that last because I like being in business. 

These canvases were originally designed by Trubey for slide shoes.  Shoes are expensive to finish and the demand was less than exciting so I decided to repurpose the canvases.  I think they look great as a pillow and I really enjoyed finding stitches to complement the design.

This is one of a series of designs by Susan Roberts.  I really enjoyed
stitching Santa, and especially enjoy rubbing the very velvet I used for his suit!

The center of a pillow canvas designed by Cheryl Schaeffer.  She has done it as a pillow and as a doorstop.  I special-ordered this without the borders because I didn't want to stitch that much and I felt the border detracted from the mermaid.  I went on You-tube to learn how to do the bouillon stitches for the hair and really enjoyed the process.  Isn't she gorgeous?

  

I got this idea after looking at some different swags done by Kathy Schenkel.  I wanted something that required a minimal expenditure from my customers, but creative use of stitches.

I used the outline of some painted canvases from Associated Talents, but only after asking for permission from them.  I love the way my finished garland looks with the addition of real starfish.  And it was fun and quick to stitch.  As an added extra, I made the hanging braid from the fibers used in stitching the starfish. 

This is one of a series of designs by Barbara Bengsten "Lily dresses" ala Lily Pulitzer. It is on 13-mesh canvas and stitched so quickly you have to love it.  And the finished product is wonderful!

This is a re-do of a canvas Needle Nicely has had for "years".  The original featured the LA Dodgers who used to spring train in Vero.  We eliminated their logo and emphasized the beach aspect of the design.

Let me re-introduce you Gunther, my magnificent nutcracker designed by Susan Roberts.  He stands 30" tall and is really quite attractive.  I'm pleased with the stitches I selected for him.  For those who are intimidated by such a large project, Susan has designed nutcrackers in 9 and 18" variations. 

In Good Company has a series of giclee ornaments that are so inexpensive.  The original colors aren't what I think of as Christmasy so I changed them.

This is a 13-mesh redo of a design Trubey did 30 years ago on 10-mesh canvas.  It was fun and easy to stitch and the finished pillow makes a nice statement.

This snowman is an excerpt from a canvas from Colonial Needle comprising many snowmen.  I special-ordered one of the snowmen first as an ornament and then another to be done as a pillow insert.

This is a design that I stitched from Plum Street Samplers in response to a challenge issued by the blog http://www.stitchbitch.blogspot.com
(and why that didn't turn blue, I still don't know.  At times like this I feel so clueless!  Thank you blogger for keeping me humble and in the dark)
I stitched this on pink congress cloth using DMC embroidery floss and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I then inserted it into a box from Amanda Lawford.

I had so much fun stitching this design from Associated Talents while I was at the summer cash-and-carry show in St Charles.  I love the way the trim from Michael's transformed the pillow, though my pillow finisher was not amused at the pain of stitching it on the edge of the pillow!








 

I stitched these two mini-stockings for a customer who wanted to acknowledge the new children of her husband's caregivers.  Such a thoughtful gift.

These pelicans were my final project of 2013.  My patience was tested trying to complete this canvas.  Sometimes a canvas just stays too long at the dance!



And may I take this opportunity to remind you to sign up for the on-line Jeopardy adult qualification trial this coming week.  At 7pm EST Tuesday night I'll be at my computer trying once again to qualify as a competitor on Jeopardy.  Hope springs eternal!

And please comment and enter the drawing for the Walker bag.  Thanks for reading my blog!