WARNING - this is going to be long, as I've been VERY busy this month, LOL! I have QUILT CANADA coming up in a couple of weeks, and I'm trying to get several new things done up for that, so here's what I've been doing:

First, I've noticed over the past couple of years, that more and more stitchers are looking for small kits... some beginner things, but also just quick and easy projects to travel with, or finish as gifts.

So I've been giving that a lot of thought, as kits are expensive and time consuming to assemble... but I finally decided, if there's a need, we should fill it.  But I wanted to keep it fairly simple - at least to begin with (wink).  So the first thing I did was RETIRE 16 Charmings - the first 4 sets (of 4) that I created.  These small, easy designs were the perfect base for what I had in mind for kits - though I must admit that in the beginning, my ideas were kind of vague!

I took the 4 Christmas motifs, modified and added to them, and turned them into absolutely adorable little bellpull ornaments, which are on the website (click on the link).

Second, the next set of four I'm working on will be FOLK BOOKMARKS, and they will be added to the KITS link once I have the models finished.  I found 4 short sayings about books, or reading, and I have the graphs all done, and I'm hoping to get them stitched (AND kitted) this weekend.

Which brings us to the THIRD project this month... creating FOUR NEW designs for the FRIDGE NOTES series!   Again, you can follow the link to see the existing set (if there's more than 4, the white backgrounds are the new ones).  These are notepads with magnets on the back (so you can hang them on your fridge), with designs stitched on perforated paper and inserted in the top!  I have 2 of them stitched so far, and again the last 2 are on my list for this weekend - wow, it looks like June is going to be busy as well!

Number FOUR is more a progress report, on something I designed that is out being stitched.  The model for DANCE WITH ME (the little girl on a water color background I've been telling you about) is on it's way home - hurrah!  It will be going out to shops in June, and in the July newsletter...

FIVE is a new design I finished, for a pair of GORGEOUS evening bags, which I'm calling GOLDEN MAZE and SILVER MAZE.  They are being stitched with Kreinik braids (gold and silver, obviously, LOL), so will be quite elegant for an evening out.  I plan to make a Dorset Button (with braid) in a lovely pinwheel pattern on one, and buy a large decorative button for the other... I'll see what I can find for a button, and whether it's gold or silver will determine the color of the Dorset!  This model went out to a stitcher near the beginning of the month, and the first one is about half stitched already (this stitcher is FAST!).  I already have the lining material on hand, and the chart set up, so can't wait to get them back and finish them.

But wait, ROFLOL, there's more!  Number SIX is ALSO a new design - I finally got the Keirstead IRIS & MONARCH artwork converted, and it looks gorgeous (if I do say so myself)!  That too has made it's way off to a stitcher, and I expect I'll have a good report for you on that one next month.

But I'm not done yet!!  After some discussion with the editor of "A Needle Pulling Thread", we have bumped the LOUIE ARMSTRONG piece I've been working on, ahead two issues, and I am frantically working on designs she would like to have instead... but she has been told that they are going on hold until AFTER Quilt Canada - I can only do so much, LOL.  So though I started SEVEN and EIGHT, they are mostly rough sketches and have been set aside for 2 weeks.

And now we're up to NINE.... I am updating the basic fridge magnets I used to make, to a lovely square plastic version ... if I can find small easels, I will also package some up to stand on a desk or shelf.  I love the look of these - and they are so much easier on my hands than using the manual machine that makes the other type of fridge magnet!  We will be retiring those old magnets shortly.... and I'm about half-way through making 9 dozen magnets (with 9 quilt sayings) for QC... I'll convert the rest if I have time, or after the event.

TEN and ELEVEN are things I did JUST for Quilt Canada, or at least in limited quantities.  I have half a dozen small, fat, wooden hearts, that are BEAUTIFUL, some are layers of different color woods, some have a hollow heart centre, all are stunning!  I picked them up at a gift shop (where they were just sitting in a bowl on the counter, looking pretty, LOL).  I drilled tiny holes in the tops and added an eyelet, and put them on silver chains, for beautiful necklaces!  However, they only had a limited quantity, and I may not get more, so the ones I have may be the only ones available.

Eleven was another limited item, though there's more of these (almost 40 all together), and they're needlework ... I had some cute little ornament toppers, a Santa, Rudolf and Snowman, so I ordered in some little 3" hoops, and created designs (smaller, slightly different versions of the charming sets, as well as two snowflake designs), and created little kits, which you can see HERE.  Again, these were a left-over item I hated to throw out, so re-purposed, and the patterns may not be available once this original batch is gone - though I think I'll keep stocking the wee hoops, and may re-package the patterns w/o the ornaments when they're gone.

Ten and eleven will NOT be available to shops, and the wood necklaces won't be added to the website unless there are any left over after QC... though the HOOPED kits are on the site now.

There's a few more things on the drawing board, but we're almost done May, so they will wait for next month - or at least next months note... but FYI (wink), I ALSO got the tile backsplash done in the kitchen, and the tile border done in the bathroom, though neither is grouted yet... (whew), no wonder I'm tired, ROFLOL... have a great month, and maybe I'll see you in Ottawa at Quilt Canada!