New listings on Prim Nest

c.jblack - Lazy Hare

Hi

This month on Prim Nest I am offering two new original  "Spring is Here" ornies. These are done using punch needle and hand dyed cotton threads. The back is a hand dyed wool. I used vintage style ribbon as the ruching. Patterns will be available when I get around to them on my 101 things to do list LOL. I'll also be offering the fiber package - wool and ribbon for sale along with the paper pattern. In total there are four new ornies from my spring collection.

c.jblack - Prim Purple Posies

Enjoy the lovely spring weather  - we finally are seeing some! g'nite, Joni 

First Day of Spring Really???

10 good reasons to make biscotti. Starting with crunchy Cherry-Pistachio. King Arthur Flour – Baking Banter

Every Christmas Mom makes biscotti for us and it does not matter that I make it all year round - hers is always special. I just love biscotti. It is something I dunk in a cup of tea and mostly have during the winter months. It's when I curl up with a current read and a favourite quilt to cuddle under. It is a big sigh of happiness with snow carpeting the ground and there is a nip in the air. What! stop -  why am I talking about snow and nip in the air on the first day of spring. Well Mother Nature played a trick on us today and put us in the midst of a snowstorm. I know the snow won't last but it sure is a reminder of who is in charge.

So Monday was spent on the road driving through a snowstorm to Cornwall, Ontario and not in my favourite leather chair reading my book with a cup of tea and a plate of biscotti. It was that type of weather though! The trip to Cornwall was for a very good reason and well worth the drive. Cheers to Derek!
G'Nite all 

Spring Hare # 4 Wool Stuffie for 2011

copyright Island Cottage Needlearts 2011

Forgot to mention the new design for Island Cottage Needlearts - the 4th in a series of 12 for 2011. I am now working on #5. All are themed with my hand dyed wool and some simple cross stitch. Great to do in a couple of sittings and so practical as they all can be used as pinkeeps or smalls to tuck on a shelf. I don't know about you but I ran out of wall space a long time ago what with the quilts and the rugs!

This one along with the other three designs can be found on my website as a kit.

Spring is Here!

I decided to do some spring designs. To me hares do not necessarily mean Easter - they are a sign of spring. In the morning I can see the tracks criss-crossing the backyard. They've been foraging under the snow for some spring greens which are finally popping up. I do have a small lake in the backyard due to all the rain we have been having. It's a favourite watering hole for birds and playful squirrels. Yesterday Roby found it and decided he would just plop himself in it. He has very long fur so we had a very wet soggy belly dragging itself through the house. I have given up on trying to pick up every paw print. I have animals what can I say and spring time is bound to bring in some pawprints!



Spring is Here!

 These are two new designs in punch needle. The patterns will be for sale in a couple of days off my website and Patternmart as a download. Meanwhile the original pieces are for sale on PFATT.

Have a wonderful weekend..I am off to bake some peanut butter cookies with chocolate chunks and do some needlework.
Joni

Road Trip

A selection of Dorr wools

What a great weekend this past weekend. My sister and I went on a road trip down to New Hampshire. We left Saturday am and prayed for good weather. You never know up here when you are going through the mountains what you are going to run into. What was our destination? well where do all wool lovers go but Dorr Mills. It was the first time I brought my sister and she definitely could see why I loved stopping in at this place. It is paradise for me. So many treasures - so much wool - so much inspiration! I am like a kid in a candy store LOL.

Terry,the owner, showed me some new black wool that came in - perfect for wool applique kits and penny rugs. My mouth must have dropped a foot - I have never seen so many rolls of wool. Dear Lord I would have a hard time working there - I would be running my hand over each and every bolt and the colours - oh la la la! We came home with a trunk full and the Canadian government was happy to have their share (taxes) Thank God there is no longer any duty on wool - only if it is made in the USA.

Wool for my next dyeing projects

Now to find a place for these bolts. Requires major re-organization, long overdue. Realized that when our internet failed us this past weekend. I was glad I was not home or I would be chomping at the bit. Repairman was here when I got home and then poor him I had to dig a path to my phone line in order for him to check the line and I realized it is time to clean up and be serious about it. So this week is re-organizing the supply room!

With the kitchen renos I have been slowly cleaning out all the kitchen cupboards and recycling, giving away or throwing out the unnecessary and being quite brutal about it. Today was the pantry! Yikes. It wasn't too bad. Swore to myself though that only buy what you will need in the NEAR future and USE IT! Tomorrow the baking pantry gets a makeover because of course a trip to New Hampshire means a trip to King Arthur's flour. One of my favourite places. I came away with a few baking supplies from there so a good excuse to clean out and see what it is buried in there. Recipe for 2010 Great Cake winner here.

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake - winner of the 2010 Great Cake Contest

With what is happening in Japan - it gives you a jolt and you tend to rethink your life and what you can do to improve yourself and I think one of the things I am going to do is make a conscientious effort to be less wasteful. Buy what I need and use what I buy. This of course does not apply to wool! Everyone should have a harmless little vice and if I can say I LOVE having fibers and colour around me then I can consider that not such a terrible vice. Don't you think? We artists, do need our pretties to inspire us to create.





Having said that I discovered some beautiful ribbons that I am using in some of my pieces - cross stitch and punch needle. They are reasonably priced and have a beautiful lustre and the colours are gorgeous. You can find them on my website. I am also listing a whole bunch of new patterns from some very talented designers. I am getting those up this week. So drop on by and see what we have as NEW STUFF...

Good nite..Joni

New Critters

Today I thought I would show you two designers that I recently discovered. The kitty on the wool pillow is made by Judy Johnson of Bay Colony Designs - can you believe this is needlefelted. Such talent. You can find her on ETSY. She will even do a figure from a photo!

Being a passionate person about wool I have to admit that I do have a collection of sheep. I swore off collecting anything years ago when my collections just got out of control. So decluttering my life meant getting rid of some things and passing them on. Since then the only thing I do collect are sheep, bears and the occasional doll that speaks to me :) Because of my pact with myself I limit what I buy.

Having said that I came across Mary Stivers of Cedar Hill Rustics whose sheep are so well done! I love what she has created.

Fully Wooly Primtives on Prim Nest

March 1st, 2011 is the launch of Prim Nest - you can find a couple of my pieces for sale there. My Harvest Day rug and one of my punch needle pieces - Hare and Tulips. Drop by and check out all the other pieces being offered by the different artists on Prim Nest.


A sneak peak at my hooked rug

Prim Nest :. Fully Wooly Primitives - link for Prim Nest!!!!!