Bird Brain Designs

Have some fun decorating for Halloween (and all of Fall actually) with our pair of Witches and their friends .  Make a table runner or a long pillow for your home. The bold black #8 Perle looks terrific embroidered on the Tea-Dyed cotton fabric.  Brenda finished my design with a simple and VERY effective quarter triangle border in Tea-Dyed cotton with a super black with tan polka-dots .  What do you think?

The last few days have been unusually cool with sprinkles yesterday.  Happily the sun has returned with the temperatures only 69 – 70 today.  I sound like a weather person! But the sailing club has taken to the water and given me some pleasure just watching them.  A quiet and relaxing day to design and fool around with new designs in wool. The Witches Hooray Table Runner borders were finished by our very talented Brenda on Friday and I hand hemmed the binding today.  Ready to a photograph for the pattern cover.  Here is a preview. Ready to “officially” announce next week.  Trick or Treat everyone!

More photos from around the Studio primped for our Open House last week.  Wish we could have Open House parties all the time!  We received some beautiful flowers from very thoughtful friends.  One bouquet came early and I didn’t get a photo   Thanks Gail! A cheery bouquet from Shawna with Tina’s favorite’s, Sunflowers.  The vase made a beautiful addition to our front cash register table!  Shawna is a former floral designer and now an expert fabric cutter in the studio. Another pretty from Mary Jean, our buddy from Houston….come meet Mary Jean in November!  Delivered by Flowers by Jackie right here in Lakeport.  It is sweet with the Bells of Ireland and spicy from the Stock.  Also has cabbage, berries and fluffy green things…interesting and super. Thanks, again, to all of you nice friends – NEW and OLD – who visited Saturday and come in to see our new Needlework Studio every day.  See you soon!

My lavender bushes were right on time with perfect fresh lavender to take to our Open House last Saturday.  The wonderful scent filled the whole retail area of our Studio.  So pretty and enjoyable to smell! We always have bags of French Lavender ready for you to add to your orders.  Fill pin cushions and make embroidered and wool sachets for gifts and sweeten your closets and drawers. Our pretty Fresh Lavender Pin Cushion Set has lavender in the cushion to keep your sewing basket lovely all the time!  Fun to do embroidery on Wool fabric too…give it a try with Sticky Fabri-Solvy to get your design onto the wool.  So easy to transfer designs onto wool…it is too thick you can’t see through it with a light box.    My gardens are growing the Provence variety of lavender.  It is one that is used for essential oils and Provence can be added to foods for interesting cookies, drinks and other delicious treats, too.  Happy Sweet Sum...

Just a reminder! Our Grand Open House 10% off EVERYTHING on our Website ends today. Enjoy an Open House treat and save on anything you might like to try on our website. Happy Summer Stitching!

We had such a fun time meeting and greeting wonderful people on Saturday.  A nice party and successful “official” launching of the new Studio and retail Shop. Lots of goodies to snack on – we did our share! Cookies, cheesecake with fresh strawberries and Sherry Wine cake was enjoyed all day…yummy. Campbell is the original furry greeter having a wonderful day of special ear scratches and extra pets.  At the end of the day it was hard for her to wake up and say hello to everyone after such a strenuous day of greetings.    You all know how we love our animals!  This is Sweet Noel, a shopper dog who came to the Open House with her Mom, Nireko, a special friend who travelled with her pooch companion to visit and have lunch with us.  Campbell shared greeting duties with this cutie! More photos along the way of our unique little Needlework Place.  Lots of new things in the planning and we are having fun decorating and working in the fun commun...

Saturday, June 16 is coming up quickly! We are busy getting the new Studio ready for our Open House all day Saturday the 16th.  I wish all of you lovely folks lived nearby and would come over and say hello. Tina was caught out front doing a little “gardening”!” Now that our windows look great with our new signs the pear tree needed a little primping. Inside we are rearranging and fixing up displays of our colorful RedWork models to show off on Saturday. Mark your calendars and plan a trip to Kelseyville, California Saturday, June 16…we look forward to seeing you!   www.VisitKelseyville.com

My mind is thinking FALL stuff.  We have to think ahead so we ALL have time to create these designs! Just finished a Witch Table Runner in BlackWork.  It only needs to have the finished borders invented.  We are awaiting the new black and tea-dyed polka-dot fabric just ordered.  I am  hoping the bolts will get here mid-week. The other pumpkins just sort of happened.  I love pumpkins….nearly as much fun to draw as snowmen! All of them have such personality. I think the tea-dyed cotton adds to the contrast of black DMC #8 Perle Cotton in the embroidery.  Also just wonderfully silky to stitch on! These patterns will be ready soon so you can get a jump on getting ready for “Trick or Treaters” at your house.