New Accessories!

It has been a busy few weeks and things for new releases are moving along. I've been stocking up on lots of new inventory for the upcoming trunk shows that will be visiting some of your local shops. One of my favorite accessories is the handy threader, which is now freshened up with a lot of new beads and color combinations. These are a few of my favorites!

For brand new accessories, the hat pin "Oh, Deer" is just about ready to join the MBT assortment. It will be regularly available in three colors ~ cadet, mocha, and rose ~ but I am more than happy to entertain custom colors for these a-deer-able little pins. I didn't go as far as camo for the regular line, but that mocha pumpkin bead with a green accent bead would be quite cute.

Also joining my line is a fun little centimeter ruler. It can be created with any of the little pictures from my regular sized needle threaders, but it doesn't have the magnetic touch. Perfect for measuring out corners!

Here's a little sneak peak of the new large design as I was preparing it for framing. You're seeing the backside as I was doing the ironing. It is a reproduction style design, similar to MBT-190 Disturb Us Lord, the prayer of Sir Francis Drake. There are some great little features of this design when it comes to framing. The horizontal border is designed to go into the rabbit of a standard 16x20 frame, which gives it a custom look. The frame I used was from Hobby Lobby, and on sale was $25. For everything - spacers, mat, lacing, etc - the total framing cost was under $35. Yay!

The past few days have been very productive for me and stitching. I ended up sick (again! Tree pollens and I are not getting along) for a planned mini vacation to the hill country. So hubby and doodlebug are enjoying hiking in Dinosaur Valley while I have been working on lots of new releases and trying to placate a very pouty pooch (the dog watched them walk out the front door and has barely moved from the hallway since that moment. I finally moved her bed in there so she wouldn't be on the cold floor). It looks like the batch that will be released next week will be shortly followed by another four!

A wonderful beginning of spring to you and yours. 

An update to an oldie

Over the past month I have been working on updating older designs. Contact information has changed for some companies, other businesses have been sold and have new names, and fabric has been discontinued, so I figured it was time to start working on all that. I came upon one of my older designs, MBT-137 Love Always. When I designed it I couldn't decide between "Love Always" or "Love Always Hopes" for the cover model, but I had this beautiful blue square frame and that is what swayed me to Love Always. Both designs were still included in the chart, but life happened and I didn't make it back to stitch that other design for the cover. Until now.

Of course I had to tinker with it a little bit. I stitched it on 28 ct. Wichelt hand dyed jobelan, "Thyme," with Weeks Dye Works threads Grape Vine, Kudzu, and Red Pear. It perfectly fits into a 4x6 frame that I found at Hobby Lobby (Green Tree Gallery #1555218). I changed out the blue thread to brown, so that it better matched the frame. I love how this design turned out with the new colors and frame! This is the original which is on the cover:

Then there is the other fun part of work... new designs! A week ago I had this idea come to mind and it is one of those that comes together quickly because I could see it so clearly. The chart was ready, I found the threads I wanted to use and the cutest little JABCo button accent, and then it was time to drag out the fabric totes and start figuring out the right color to best highlight the threads. I wanted to start on it immediately and could barely contain myself! I turned around to look at fabric, and then this happened:

My helper happened. "Catticus interruptus" in her natural environment - on top of anything of value, or that I need, at any given moment. My new chart is underneath her, with claw punctures and all. She is ten years old and has been with us since she was eight weeks old, when the shelter released her to our waiting home. She licks my pillow at 5 am each day, to let me know she is there and that the sun is going to be up in an hour or two so it is time to start my day. She is the inspiration for quite a few of the snarky pet designs - with still more to come!

With that hint, new releases are probably just around the corner. Today I framed the final new one of four. I need to do cover pics and some formatting and printing and packaging, but look for new designs in a few weeks! There will be two that are slightly sassy, one in the circle series, and one large reproduction style prayer design that is a sight to behold.

Have a wonderful March!