Home from the Needlework Market- JDD new Nashville 2015

In a rather round about way we got home on Tuesday rather than Monday from market. It seems in airports these days one needs a bucket load of patience. So all is well at this end, we have lovely weather, it's sunny and mild and I must admit the Blue Sky Country is living up to it's name this year. Market was no end of fun and laughter and tons of hard work. I need some minions or something..... seriously though, Dale and I enjoyed the visits and the wonderful meals out, I think we ate shrimp everyday for some weird reason.

So that brings us to the pictures of the new products, I will post them here but look for them to come in the main design section of website. We are working on adding them all to the data base.

We had 2 large samplers English Rose Sampler, and while it has some accessories to go with it, I did not release them yet as I am teaching that project at EAC Seminar in Calgary, so if you are interested you may join us and work on this project in class. The other large sampler was the Hollandse Merklap -Dutch Sampler. It does have a set of accessories released with it called the ABC Pyn Pillow and Crown Tulip Thread Keep. These 2 projects have a very Dutch feel to them and I was thrilled to teach this 1 1/2 ago in Holland in Dutch. My immigrant Dutch parents would have been very proud of me, and it has a very special place in my heart.

I had fun with keys and did a piece called Key to Home in the Lone Elm Lane black square box. I put my house number in the piece but of course there is a set of numbers in the chart for you to put your own. In the Lone Elm Lane box is a smaller box that I put a small pincushion in and a key fob. This was a smaller Nashville only kit called Key Keep and Fob.

I did so love the Lone Elm Lane boxes so I also did a piece called Pins & Needles with 2 matching small pincushions also to fit inside the box. I couldn't decide on which colour choice to use so we stitched it up twice in 2 colourways and you can purchase the embellishment kit one colourway or the other. It includes the charms and buttons.

The Spring Bird is the beginning of a new little seasonal series that will continue with the rest of the seasons. I had them stitched and one could see them in the booth so you know what is coming the rest of the year in this set.

Lastly I added 3 new pin pillows (#13,14,15) to the growing Patterned Pretties collection!! How fun is that. Numbers 11 & 12 are in the JCS April issue.

Patterned Pretties #15

ABC Pyn Roll & Crown Tulip Thread Keep

English Rose Sampler

Key to Home

Patterned Pretties #13

Hollandse Merklap

Key Keep & Fob

Patterned Pretties #14

My next event will be in Alameda, CA - the bay area - for Needle in a Haystack with the Mermaid Treasure Box. Look for a fun time on the Friday night when Cathe and I have been scheming to have some interesting sea related items to 'play' with. Then I'm here in Calgary for Seminar in early May - looking forward to seeing you at these events.

Till next time, jeannette

Nashville Preview

I am thrilled I am getting close to my shipping day, then my office might be tidier than the shambles it has become. How can that be in such a short time, I cleaned and purged and sorted and made nice baskets and felt on top of it all but as January rolled along it has steadily gone downhill!  I move one thing to get at another, and then oh gee... where did that other thing go.... it's classic prior to a show. That brings me to show you a few of my things for the Needlework market.

I have 10 new offerings and here is a snippet of some of what is coming up. Pretty excited to share these items; there is something for everyone. There will be 2 fabulous larger-sized samplers, 3 medium- sized smaller designs, several accessories,  a Nashville Special and several new Patterned Pretties pin pillows to collect. Remember my tall jar with the pin pillows in it that I posted on facebook in December?  I will post it here for you to see if you missed it.

Have a check back in a few short weeks and full pictures will be posted.

Preparation for the Nashville Needlework Market 2015

How to express the feelings that one goes through preparing for market? There are the extreme highs of " oh, this is fantastic, they will love it" to " oh, you say that item I want to use is is back ordered; or really upsetting, discontinued?" It is the season of  pre market  pushes to get things done. You'd think that by now I would have a template and it would be easy, breezy..... mmmm.... my template must be broken, because there is always glitches. As many of you know, my shipping issues actually are my biggest problem. With boxes not arriving and twirling around in the cargo lot somewhere. So I am getting to things earlier this year and feeling a little less like a loose cannon! haha! The other thing that plays into my preparation is that we work 6-12 months ahead and those things are also on the plate and getting some time in my work day. To that end I would love for you to check out some of the events that are going on this year. We have added them to the events page and they are there for you to peruse. Of course at all of them, I will be saying "this is the best ever event! " you know me, I love them all and cannot say, this or that is better or worse, as each shop or event coordinator knows her clients/stitchers and puts on an exceptional retreat. I think it comes to what works for you and what can I do with a friend to make it memorable. Needle in a Haystack is first and I hope you have seen her newsletter of a picture of the project - 'she' turned out beyond my expectation, I am thrilled, look forward to sharing her with you. My " O Canada Sampler" is done and she is a beauty! I will release her at the merchant night held at the Calgary EAC Seminar, look for her to come in your local needlework shop. Pam and Kim of Tomorrow's Heirlooms in Glen Ellyn, are Paulette and my hosts in July. I have never been to that area, except years ago we took our girls on an across the country trip and we stopped in Chicago for a day and went up the Sears Tower - is that what it is still called? so this will be a treat to go to this area and see the shop and area. And those Buffalo girls, you are so wonderful, I look forward to seeing you all again, last time was too long ago already! I am of course thrilled to be doing the Close To Home event in Cambridge, ON as many of you know I grew up in St. Catharines, ON and this is then a close to Home event. As for the Cape Cod event with Celebration of Needlework and Olde Colonial Designs, this is will be so fun, I can't wait!  Please check out the events page on the website for exact details and dates. One other thing of note, the Christmas Wishes River Cruise is full, has been for months and I am thrilled. Check your Christmas Wishes note from Judy on whether you want extra days beginning and end in Prague and Budapest.

I have been meaning to post this for months but time just gets away on me. This is the Common Thread versions that were done from 2008 -2012 and then of course you know the release was last February 2014. Hope you enjoy them, it is kind of fun to see how it all played out in each piece.

So back to preparation.... we will be releasing new designs for Market! I am pleased to be going again this year and thankful that Yarn Tree and Needlework Retailer picked up the parts and are putting on a Needlework Market for Counted Thread! Look for posting of new things to come soon!

Jeannette