Catherine the Great Arrives UPDATED

Gay Ann Roger's long-awaited portrait of Catherine the Great is on sale now.  This is a counted design that comes with the instructions, congress cloth and the threads and jewels needed.  This page of the website describes the kit.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/catherine.html

The home page currently has a count of how many kits Gay Ann has unsold.  She will probably do a second round of kits but you can't count on that or her ever selling this again as so much depends on her being able to find the real pearls necessary for the design.  So if you are interested, you probably should buy if at all possible.  Otherwise this will only be available from someone who buys it now and then never gets around to stitching it.

UPDATE:  Gay Ann estimates the sale will end May 17.  Act now.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 2, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

No Flying Monkeys: Choosing the Right Needle Magnet

A great many stitchers like to use a pair of magnets on their canvas to park their needles between stitching sessions or when they switch to another color.   Being the fashionistas we are, naturally we like to coordinate our magnets to the canvas we are working on.  So when I started on No Flying Monkeys,  I pulled out my yellow smiley face magnet because this canvas makes me smile.  But isn't a Wizard of Oz-themed magnet more appropriate?  Let's see what is available.

Etsy is a good place to start looking for one-of-a-kind needle minders.  How about this little book?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/220063475/needle-minder-miniature-book-wizard-of

If you also like to use sets of tools, this magnet, thread picker and scissors fob assortment might be up your alley.  (The seller has another Wizard-themed set and also sells the needle minders separately.)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/213951610/wizard-of-oz-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead?ref=shop_home_active_7

I also found some wonderful magnets about 3/4 of the way down the page on the Down Sunshine Lane website.  They have the flying monkey magnet from Accoutrement Designs as well as some movie still magnets from Judy Garland's classic.   By the way, they have some amazing one-of-a-kind magnets here--things I've never seen before, like the little Cinderella carriages.  It's worth a browse even if you aren't looking for the Oz magnet I am.
http://www.downsunshinelane.com/magnets.htm

Elizabeth Turner Collection has ruby slippers in their Big Buddies line of needle magnets.  You can see them in the first photo, second row.
http://www.elizabethturnercollection.com/bigbuddies.html

Gosh, it is going to be hard to choose!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 24, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

National Academy of Needlearts' Exemplary Winners 2015 UPDATED

NAN is posting photographs of more award winners from the 2015 Exemplary (exhibit) at their annual meeting on their Facebook page.  These are the four Professional Original Winners.  
https://www.facebook.com/118153386709/photos/pcb.10152648111561710/10152648110426710/?type=1&theater

UPDATE:  Here are the three winners in the Original Design Non-Professional category.
https://www.facebook.com/118153386709/photos/pcb.10152676378136710/10152676376516710/?type=1&theater

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 19, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Wedding Season Canvases UPDATED

Jinny has a nice little collection of canvases appropriate for wedding or engagement gifts. 
http://stitchstyleblog.com/2015/04/needlepoint-gift-guide-wedding-season/

My favorite is this romantic bride and groom dance from Princess and Me.
http://www.annieandco.com/products/the-princess-and-me-c763

What canvas makes you hear wedding bells?

UPDATE:  Needlepoint.com is thinking just like me.  They have a Wedding and Baby section on their website now, complete with some wonderful designs.
http://www.needlepoint.com/shop/all-canvases/wedding-new-baby.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 16, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.