WAS`SUP
FROM MY NEEDLE - JUL / 2022
Well, the exciting news this month was in my newsletter... we were hit by the tail end of a tornado, and lost almost every tree in our yard! We went from 23-25 trees, to about 3-4. Our yard... well, you can't see our yard for fallen foliage! People with chainsaws have been showing up - total strangers - to help out. Isn't it wonderful how disasters bring out the best in people? I just wish that isn't what it took!
We lost power for 5 days, so that was fun... NOT. But we have a generator, which we share with my parents next door. Bill (my DH) took it around to the neighbours for a couple hours each, to keep freezers frozen etc., so that helped.
OH, we also went to Toronto to see the HARRY POTTER play, CURSED CHILD. It basically picks up where the books left off - literally, LOL, and follows one of Harry's children through an adventure. It was VERY well done, and the magic effects were excellent. There was one scene where they wheeled a brass bed onstage (we could see underneath it), to turn the stage into a bedroom. The pusher picked up a folded quilt from the foot of the bed, flung it in the air to make the bed, and when it landed, there were two people in the bed. The whole audience went WHOAAA, lol, it was very cool.
Looking forward to heading to England in August, to see our girls and family. The youngest was 2 last time we were able to get over there, and she's now 4. Thank heaven for WAS'SAP, which is like Zoom, but on your phone and has no roaming. I have been able to read her a bedtime story every couple of weeks, and we visit quite often, so she knows who we are. Otherwise, we would be strangers to her!
Fingers crossed Covid continues to retreat, and our lives improve accordingly!
As promised, here is a peek at SNOW MAIL, which I will be stitching next. It will have THREE weights of Kreinik (shiny threads), and be stitched on a beautiful over-dyed fabric from Picture This Plus. It also has snowflake buttons - represented by those tiny black placement dots, LOL.
FROM MY NEEDLE - JUNE / 2022
This month feels very pre-Covid, LOL. Suddenly so busy! We've been making up for being locked up for almost three years - we've been to 3 shows so far (one Cirque de Soliel; 4 Hands, 2 Pianos; Menopause the Musical), and we have tickets for 3 more (Rocky Horror; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; then & Julia)... so LOTS of theatre!
I've done 4 writing lectures (zoom events), and have 4 more booked - and there's my writing course, which starts on July 1st, which will add several zoom meetings a month, plus homework, to my plate.
We went camping for a few days - we haven't been in years! It was nice to get away, with no internet or anything! We used our van as a 'tent'. Bill even made a screen door for the back, so we could leave the doors open! We're going to make some changes, then go again in July - I'll let you know how it goes.
My guild will be here in July for a day, and I'm looking forward to that. A day spent stitching and visiting sounds wonderful!
I'm still stitching on the Golfing Mrs. Santa stocking, I have it about half done, so looking good for a release later this summer. I also have to stitch about half of the snowman design I showed you back in July... my stitcher had to go in for surgery, so I'll have to finish it myself, if it's to be released in time. Here's a peek at Mrs. Claus:
Now I have to find time to finish designing the final Keirstead piece (sigh), so much to do, so little time!
FROM MY NEEDLE - MAY / 2022
Busy month... but what's new, right? I'm off to teach in Toronto this week, and I'm really looking forward to getting into a classroom again. It's been 3 years since we did any kind of event, and as I'm winding down for retirement, the opportunities to do so will be more limited in future.
But I'm still working away, never fear! I just put the finishing touches on a piece based on the artwork of Shelley McVittie, so that s/b released in July/2022, and I'm working on a Christmas stocking I hope to have ready for September... it's a companion piece to GOLFING SANTA, which is, of course, MRS GOLFING SANTA!
Not a lot else going on at the moment, as the big push was on to get my book out to the Beta readers - and that went this week, so happy dances here! Talk to you next month...
FROM MY NEEDLE - APRIL / 2022
Building kits for my class next month, getting organized and gearing up for an event - finally!!
Got a piece by Shelley McVittie back, HOMEWARD BOUND (if you want to look it up). Took quite a while to stitch, as it's completely covered, and it looks great!
But it needs some sparkle, so I'll be making some adjustments to that (adding Kreinik Pearl BF in a herringbone design over the snow) and updating the chart...
I have to admit, most of my spare time lately has been focused on finishing a novel I'm writing... I have several people waiting to Beta read it for me, so I'm feeling some pressure to get it out... which is why this note is so short - sorry! Might have more news next month, you never know, LOL.
FROM MY NEEDLE - MARCH/2022
Well, if you read my newsletter, you know this month is my birthday, and I celebrated a milestone. It's been an exciting month, as my DH was trying to decide what big special thing he could get me for this. He started with a car (!!), but ended giving me a year long writing course, which begins in July. I'm quite excited, as it has a lot of perks - like 10 students per mentor, and agent reviews if you finish your book in the year.
I also finished stitching the design I gave you a peek at last month, which will be called CHOCOLATE - but you'll see that in an upcoming newsletter, so stay tuned!
I'm still pecking away at the Keirstead harbor scene, but it's quite dark, and has so many colors it's going slowly...
And finally, as I mentione last month, the latest issue of A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD is out, with the THIRD in my Elemental Fractal series, so only AIR to go... but there's a bonus design in this magazine, which is this month's PEEK:
