Thursday Stitching

It is that time of the year when I start gathering my things for our annual one week retreat to Maine. The ladies in my family have been doing this for at least 20 years. This year Mom, my sister Lorraine and I are heading south for the beautiful ocean beaches of Maine. For me it is one week of relaxation where I read, sketch and muse on some designs I would like to do. Along the way we seriously indulge in good food (anything fish - the most amazing donuts and anything else we can find that is yummy), talk and laughter. We treasure these times and appreciate them for what they are.

Needless to say I have to have my handwork ready to go. This year I am bringing my next release for Island Cottage - I am working, for the second time,with Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk. I used it for the first time on my design May Flowers (release date May 15th) so cannot show you a picture. I loved the feel of it and the richness of the colour. I found it has more of a similarity to my wool than cotton does. I guess it is the softness and the texture. I always thought silk would be cost prohibitive but you get 12 strands vs 6 in cotton. It is still twice the price of cotton but so worth it. I am using a 35 ct spring green called Guacamole from Weeks Dye Works.. I just love the names people use for their colours! My contribution is my hand dyed wool called Tantramar Marsh (this is a marsh that runs between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) Peter's grandmother lived here most of her life and painted the old barns on the marsh. It is one of my favourite places.

I am excited to get this one started and done - and of course our trip will include jaunts to Halcyon Yarns, Dorr Mills,  King Arthur Flour and any other interesting/crafty place we come across. Just hope we have the time to pack it all in! Bon Voyage....

Time to Work

Another thing I have learned from being a stay at home person is that what the day is doesn't really seem to matter anymore. A Saturday can be a Monday or a Tuesday can be a Saturday - meaning I do what I want when I need to. Yesterday I spent watching TV all day - catching up on wedding stuff so today I need to buckle down and get some work done.

Having said that today will be devoted to working on projects for Island Cottage Needlearts -my other moniker :). I 've got wool to cut, fabric to slice and a pattern to publish for the next May release. Then for another project, dyeing wool, choosing the silk threads and the hand dyed linen to complement the design. It will be a work/creative weekend. Just what I love! Hope you are enjoying a weekend doing something you all love.

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.

Packing Day

Today was spent packing up my mother-in-law for the move to her new place. It will be an early and hopefully bright Monday morning when we get her into her new abode. I often wonder how elderly people manage if they don't have kids (family) who come around and visit them and help them cope with some of the stressful issues that can come up. Having been right in the thick of senior care for the past 3 years you get to know what is happening out there with our elderly folk - what resources there are. 

Where she is now there are not many of the elderly who get visited. It's like time has forgotten them and everyone is too busy with their lives. I miss the way it was when the family was a real extended family who could often be in each others face - a little aggravating at times -  but you knew there were people that had common ties with you and cared for your well being. It is a sad state of affairs. 

This is a new project I have just put toegther. It gets started tonight - today was the selection of colour and I think this says spring!

 Have you seen these new project envelopes from Lady Dot Creations. They use Blackbird fabric (which I love!). I think they are so pretty and so nice to carry from here to there- better than some old plastic bag - which I have a tendency to use. I have some available on my website in three different colours. I have my next project using up one of them and they do hold a lot of items.

Off to do some cross stitch. Good nite!

This and That

Its been a busy two weeks. We are moving one of our parents to a senior citizen's home that is absolutely gorgeous. Thank God she has already downsized so it is not a nightmare - just a bit of running around and co-ordinating everything (movers, phone lines, mail delivery, and internet). This new place is just perfect for her and will give us peace of mind.

I have been adding new items to my website and expanding my inventory. Deanne Fitzpatrick books on rug hooking are on their way along with new cross stitch patterns by some brilliant designers. I am also looking into carrying some applique patterns that I can see being done in wool. So drop in and see what is up at 

Fully Wooly Primitives. 

Island Cottage Needlearts - Clover Sheep

On March 1st the new designer site opens up - Prim Nest - where I will be offering one of my original rugs. It's never been listed before - so i am excited about that. It also happens to be one of my favourites and has fond memories as I hooked it while I was in PEI last fall while sitting on the porch overlooking the ocean.

Since I am now a stay at home Mom to the furries I have been dyeing wool and working on my cross stitch designs as Island Cottage Needlearts. I have two spring ones on the drawing board.

Also have a new punch needle design next in line to do, which has been inspired by the new TWEED threads introduced by Valdani at Nashville Market this past weekend. I am anxious to execute the design and see how these new threads work out. I'll be carrying them on my website as soon as I get them - ordered yesterday.

Off to relax for a half hour before bed - reading a mystery on my Kindle (which I love) so much easier to read in bed and up early tomorrow to make some scones for breakfast.

G'nite all -- Joni

New Valdani threads - Robin's egg

New Valdani Threads - Lime Sand



Island Cottage Needlearts - Eliza's Heart

copyright Island Cottage Needlearts

A new design by Island Cottage Needlearts available on my website...Fully Wooly Primitives under cross -stitch. This is called Eliza's Heart and is the second in a series of 12. Next release is mid-February. These are cross stitch designs combined with hand dyed wool to make what is called a Stuffed Woolie. Sold as a kit which includes fabrics. Easy, fun and makes a wonderful gift.

Happy Confederation Day!

I am a day early but tomorrow is a busy day - July 1st. Driving my brother and his family to the airport as they are winging away to Crete, Greece for a month. Lucky devils!

It's been busy here in the Black household..besides planning some reno jobs for the house I have a show in November that I have to prepare for now in order to have everything ready for then. I am almost finished my cat rug and that has turned out quite nice - hmmmm I may have to keep that one. Also working on some cross stitch patterns that need to be ready and published under my other name "Island Cottage Needlearts" which are available wholesale from Kelmscott Designs.

Finally got the shed all built and what do you know it is already stacked with boxes of supplies. I need a warehouse - just kidding. I just need to seriously divest myself of STUFF I will never use.

Fully Wooly has some new pattern books available from Notforgotten Farm. You can see them on my Facebook page and I have ordered some new cross stitch patterns that will be available mid July on the new website.

You know how you have a great plan and have everything set out and then something just happens to whack it out of place. I was hoping to have the newly redesigned website up and running last weekend but unfortunately my mom took a serious tumble and the priority has been her care. I am happy to say that she is pretty resilient for an 81 year old woman and has strong European stock that has allowed her to bounce back quicker than I thought. So it will get launched, I promise, sometime within the next couple of weeks with some new wool bundles using my hand dyes and some wonderful Rebecca Erb AS IS wools.

So I am off to get the dye pots going and we'll be talking. thanks Joni 

Cat & Dog

Today I took up my hook again - it's been awhile. Sorted the wool again - cut some more strips and started pulling wool strips. It is so relaxing!

Here is a work in progress.. A design by Warren Kimble, which I love. There are lots of different shades in this one and there will be some eye-popping colour in the braided rug. I have decided that in order to move on to other rug hooking adventures I need to finish what I have in the basket. The intention is there and whether I follow through - we'll see. There are wools that are calling my name that may just have to be worked into another project that can't wait its turn.

So I have my prim cat I am working on and my pup by my feet making sure that he is included in all I do. LOL

 A new item up for sale on Pfatt Marketplace tomorrow - June 10th.

This is a design by Stacy Nash which I love. You can find some of her patterns on my website. This one is an exclusive design. Love those teeny tiny stitches!

Off to do some more hooking :) g'nite..Joni

AWOL in Maine

                                            sunrise at the ocean

Hi

I have been absent for awhile - how time flies. I was immersed in Farmville and have now found my way out of the initial onslaught of being on the farm and making sure I did not miss anything, LOL
Also been busy with my new website design which will be launched in June. There were so many details to learn, uploading and re-organizing the site that it has taken longer than I thought.

Right now I am in Maine for a week by the ocean - one of my favourite places. Provides all kinds of inspiration and lo and behold what was waiting for me but a box of sumptious woolens by Rebecca Erb. Enough to inspire me for sure!

I have been working on some cross stitch after finally getting a pair of magnifying eyeglasses. I ordered some X6 and was so disappointed - i needed to hold the piece 3 inches from my nose - yikes. settled on x2.25. Why i am taking up cross stitch again at this time in life is beyond me.

 I do design for a publisher who loved my punch needle and wanted me to convert to xstitch so that has kept me busy the past 6 months.

Stacy Nash pattern

The project I am working on right now is a Stacy Nash pattern only available through a club done by he Country Sampler. I love this piece - not sure if I will sell it or not.

So here is my view from my window in my Maine retreat. Getting lots of reading done and knitting a sock or two. What more can one say when we have a  view like this.

and a  storm coming in tonight - g'nite...Joni

Feathering the Nest

Another windy,snowy day so the snow is drifting and piling up.

 A perfect day for feathering my nest.

Homemade chicken pie in the oven with a lovely deep red cranberry sauce for supper.

To splurge, a double chocolate cheescake.

Next week I will think of calories.

Dr Who on the tele - one of my favourites.

Not to waste commercial time but read a book "The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold".

And having started the book had to finish it.

A don't put it down book!

The first part - horrifying,

the second frustrating and

the last part tissue in hand and tearful.

Yet it was hopeful, enlightening and very loving.

The next few days project is to finish the piece above. I have been doing some cross stitch lately and really enjoying it. The pattern above is one of Stacy Nash's available through a club I joined with Country Sampler. We get 4 different designs a year exclusive to the club. This one I hope to finish as milady's dear pillow and post it on Pfatt Marketplace.

A lovely poem I found on Willow Manor blog (link on the side) that I thought was perfect to start the new year.

To laugh often and much,

to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children,

to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends,

 to appreciate beauty,

to find the best in others,

 to leave the World a bit better,

whether by a healthy child,

a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

G'nite, Joni