Season's Greetings



Image courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com 

Hello Friends,

Well, the decorations are up, the Christmas cards have been sent and we are on the way to celebrate with our family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.



I love Christmas time and all the hustle and bustle that comes with preparing to be with those we love.  I love to decorate and bake, although this year I didn't quite  get to the baking.  :(  I love to watch old Christmas movies on TCM even though I have seen them all several times.  I love to stitch something for friends and I enjoy spending time with my family. 

Exchanging gifts at my family's house is now a thing of the past.  We decided several years ago to make a change in our usual drawing of names.  We were feeling like we all really had enough stuff to last us a lifetime.  So, instead we each pick a charity that we are interested in supporting and then we gift the money we would have spent on each other to this organization in the name of our family.  Then when we celebrate Christmas we each talk about the charity we chose and why we chose that one this year.  It's been nice to see what others have chosen to support and why.  Of course we still do stocking stuffers to exchange a little something like a Starbucks card or a book card...something small.  My sister Beth always makes apple butter or jam for each of us.  We have made it a yearly tradition for the five sisters to go for coffee (without our spouses ) and talk about what has happened over the year for each of us personally.  I am so lucky to have four sisters who are also my best friends.  I know I can talk to them about anything and I will get support and love.  I know not all families are like this, so I am really grateful that we have this special bond.  So, I am really looking forward to spending time with family and friends.

I went to the Kris Kringle Party at the Attic Needlework Shop last Saturday and really enjoyed myself.  The food was great, the company superb and the ornament exchange was great fun.  I have a picture of what I stitched, but I was so busy decorating the tree and getting ready for this family visit that I didn't get a picture taken of the ornament I received!!  It was adorable and I will have to take a picture when I get back home on New Year's Eve so that you can see what it looks like. 

This is a colorized version of a pattern in the latest Antique Sampler Stitcher Magazine put out by Lesley Wilkins in the UK.  It really turned out so cute that DH said he wanted me to make another one for us.  An easy quick stitch and finish.

I brought along my Wisdom and Innocence Scarlet Letter piece so that I could work on it while on the trip North.  Since I joined Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year stitch along, I am inspired to finally finish this piece.  You can see more about this stitch along on my personal blog at www.samplermakerssamplerspot.blogspot.com. I won't have much time to stitch on it when I get back as I will be busy preparing for the March Nashville Needlework Market.  That always takes up most of the two months before the market.  Lots to do and never enough time. 

I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season and that the new year will bring you many blessings.  Merry Christmas.

Until Next Time,

Gloria

Thank-you

Hello Friends,

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am planning for a quiet time with family.  My husband's birthday is on Friday so we are just going to slow down for a day or two and enjoy each other's company.

I am grateful for so many things, but I wanted to take time to thank all of you who have helped to keep my business going over the last 9 years.  This of course includes all of the shops and customers who purchase designs from Milady's Needle and follow my blog.  In addition this includes the many friends who have helped me to stuff patterns and assemble kits before markets as well as those who have attended the markets and handled all the craziness that accompanies those markets.  Thank-you, Thank-you Thank-you!!  I would not be in business today without all of you.  Your excitement and enthusiasm for Milady's Needle is what keeps me inspired to continue designing.

My sister sent me a wonderful poem that I want to pass on to you.  The thoughts expressed encompass those intangibles that we can all be thankful for all year around.
 

For the peace and promise of a sunrise.
The quickening of breath that comes
when we take in the beauty of our surroundings.

 

For the mystery and humility
of daring to see how we are all connected. 

For the opportunity, over and over again,
to choose joy. 

 

For waking up every day to the unknown
and the courage to walk into that day. 

 

For loved ones and the trusted few
for whom we dare to be truly seen. 

 

For the ones we touch and those who touch us
never knowing the grace exchanged. 

 

For teachers and wise companions
who shed light on our path. 

 

For seasons of sun and rain and bountiful harvest.
For the reprieve of winter stillness. 

 

For the wild ones with whom we share this earth
those we see and those we never will. 

 

For giving and receiving.
For doors opened and walls broken down
by the simple and spiraling depths of love. 

 

For Belonging. . . 

 

to ourselves
to one another
to the world

 

. . .Thanksgiving.

--Chris Heeter

The Wild Institute

 

 

God Bless you during this holiday season.

 

Gloria

 

Je Suis Malade!! / Online Needlework Show Orders / Drawing Winner

Hello Friends,

I have been reading the book Les Miserables and so I thought my post title would peak some curiousity.  It just means that I am sick.  Basically miserable!!!  Guess I got a wopper of a cold or the flu beginning Friday and ended up with a 102 fever and aches and pains.  I have been sleeping most of the weekend.  Finally had a nice bath and my temp seems to be going down some.  Only 99 so that's good.  Since the Online Needlework Show things have been very hectic.

First let me say to those shops who ordered from the Online Needlework Show... It was a great show and now I need supplies to finish processing orders.  So hang in there, I hope to get all the supplies by the middle of this week and you should get your statements by the end of the week.  Hopefully all orders will ship by Friday.  It's great when business is brisk, but when I run out of things it can slow things up a bit.  Sorry about that.

My good friend Kim from Texas arrived right after the Online Show closed.  We had a great time despite the cold she caught the day after she arrived and then passed on to me.  She was here for ten days and we celebrated her birthday while she was visiting. 

 

 

This stitched piece by Plum Street Samplers is what I gave to her this year. She loves Halloween and really enjoyed this piece. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent time at the Attic shopping and then in Sedona and Jerome shopping too. It was a great time until Friday when I succumbed to misery. She left on Saturday morning and I have been in bed since. :(

 

So, before I head back to bed, I wanted to let you know the outcome of the Online Needlework Show Drawing.  The winners are as follows:

 

1st:   Lin

2nd: Valhi

3rd:  Penny

 

The three of you need to contact me via email and let me know your snail mail address so that I can get your gift off to you next week.

 

I am off to more bed rest.  I hope you don't catch this bug!!

 

Until Next Time...Keep Your Needles Humming.

 

Gloria

 

 

Winner of the 200 Followers Drawing

Hello Friends,

I have to tell you that I was thrilled to receive all of your responses to the question I posed regarding what you do with stash that you know you will never stitch.  So many wonderful responses which gave me some great ideas about what to do with my stash.  If you didn't get to read them all you should go back and read the responses.  You will get some ideas for your own stash plus a few chuckles.  I could relate to many of you who said you couldn't give up your stash just yet.  After all, you might live to be very old and get everything stitched.  :)

I really like the idea from Rebecca which was to ask yourself "What do you want to put your time into to leave behind 'one' day?"  Another thoughtful question to ask yourself shared by J9's friend is to ask yourself while looking at your current decor "Where would I put this piece?"   Of course many of you think of your friends who might want to stitch what you might no longer want to stitch and that is the best gift for a stitching friend.  All in all I really had a great time reading what each of you contributed as answers to this common "problem".  ;)  What we all seem to love to do is to go through our stash and enjoy thinking about what we plan to stitch. 

On to the drawing!!  The winner of the 200th Follower Drawing is: Natasha.  Congratulations Natasha.  Please send me an email to let me know your address so I can get your gift out to you.  Isn't it great!!  Once I posted hitting 200 followers it wasn't all that long before seventeen more people decided to join the blog.  Too much Fun!

Stayed tuned in to Milady' s Needle Blog to find out the winners of the Online Needlework Show.

Until Next Time...Keep your needles busy!!  You have lots of stash to stitch!

Gloria

Online Needlework Show Starts On Thursday

Hello Friends,

Well, it's time again for the Online Needlework Show!  Starting tomorrow you can go to www.needleworkshow.com  and browse for new and current designs.  Be sure to contact your local needlework store or your favorite online needlework shop and let them know what patterns you would like to see them order.  They need to know this as usually shops will do special orders for you during this show. 

After asking you for feedback regarding the Cottage Charm Stitcher's Pocket design a few weeks ago; I decided to release the pattern as a chart.  The design is listed as new for the Online Needlework Show.

I emailed some of the shops who participate in my automatic orders program and a couple of shops emailed me back to let me know they still had a few of the kits left.  So, if you are really wanting to do this project and finish with that cute alphabet fabric contact either Linda at House of Stitches (www.houseofstitches.com) or Debbie at Stitchville USA (www.stitchville.com).  I am sure they can help you obtain this kit.

Online Neelework Show Drawing

 

What would the Online Needlework Show be without a drawing!?!  :)  You all know the drill by now, but in case you are new to my blog here's what to do.  To enter make a comment to this post and list a couple of your favorite designs by Milady's Needle.  Be sure to include your email in your post or I will have trouble contacting you to let you know if you win.  The drawing is held after the show closes on Tuesday the 23rd of October.  So, be sure to browse the show and enter the drawing.  Boy, two drawings in one week.  What am I thinking.  :)

Til Next Time...Keep On Stitching.

Gloria 

P.S.  And don't forget to leave a comment about your "stash practices" on my last post for the 200th Follower Celebration Drawing.  There have been some great comments by all of you.  I am not surprised by how similar we all are as we think about giving away stash.  I have enjoyed reading them with a chuckle or two.  I might just have to do this again when I reach 300 followers.  :)

Milady's Blog Hits 200 Followers! Let's Celebrate!

Hello Friends,

I have been waiting for a long time for the follower count to hit 200 and within the last couple weeks it has finally reached that goal.  Not that I don't want more of course, but I promised myself a celebration when the count got that high.  So...to celebrate, let's have a drawing! 

The drawing will be for a few needlework related goodies that seem to be multiplying like wildfire in my personal stash.  If you know me, this is a real sacrifice since I don't often give from my "personal stash."  I have way too much trouble making a decision about what to give away.  My friends say I easily have enough stash to open a shop.  :)  Even though I know I will never stitch all that I have in my stash, I love to go through everything and dream about what I want to stitch next.  It's hard for me to let go of those dreams.  So, I hope you like what I have chosen to send on to some lucky stitcher out there in blog land. 

To enter, just post a comment here and tell me what you do with stash that you love, but know you will never get to in this lifetime.  Some of you may keep everything, others may give it away.  If you do the latter, how do you decide to give up on the dream of stitching that design?  What do you tell yourself when you decide to keep the pattern instead of giving it away? (If you are anything like me you might say to yourself "Oh, I think I will put that design to the front of the to do pile".  :)  As I hear from you, I will put your name in the drawing which will be held on Monday October 22nd in honor of a dear friend's birthday.  The odds of winning are only 1 in 200, so what have you got to lose?

I have included a few patterns from some of my favorite designers, gift cards, a needle threader, a cute gold bookmark with sewing items attached, sampler cards, a small alphabet notebook, a Mary Englebreit Sewing Kit and finally a Ginger Snip of which I have two more in my stash.  I just love these little snippers and I can hang it around my neck on a satin cord for easy use.

Looking forward to hearing your stories about your stash.

Until Next Time
Keep Your Needle Busy,

Gloria

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

Hello Friends,

The ornament issue has been out about a month now and I just thought I would give you a close up look at the ornament I designed for 2012.  I think it turned out quite nice. 














It's called....gee can you guess?...A Partridge in A Pear Tree.  Hope you will enjoy stitching this ornament.  I have had a few people asking when Two Turtle Doves will be coming out and I had not really planned on designing the whole song.  Not sure I want to commit to a series again.  Keeping up with a series is a commitment that is hard to manage and I don't want to disappoint people who are looking forward to the next installment.  So, if it happens that I decide to do another from this song, it won't be in order and it probably won't be all of them.

Until Next Time,

Gloria