Painted Pony: A Mini-History

Ever wonder how designers get started?
https://debbieppd.wordpress.com/2017/03/09/i-can-see-for-miles-and-miles/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 10, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Trend Spotting: Sheena's Elves

Sheena James of Sheena's Sweet Stitches noticed another trend that totally escaped me among the huge number of new canvases debuting at the TNNA Winter 2016 show in San Diego--elves!

Mary Engelbreit 

Like everyone else, I was charmed by this elf and birds canvas from Mary Engelbreit.  This is distributed by Painted Pony, by the way.

Santa's Workshop Set, from Danji

A lot of shops noticed Danji's Santa's Workshop set, which naturally has elves!  Here are slightly larger photos of the boy and girl elf unstitched--

Danji Elves Up Close

Cute, aren''t they?  Alice Peterson also has elves.  Sheena found these although I don't see them on the Alice Peterson website yet.

Alice Peterson's Elves

The best part of the elves from Alice Peterson and Dani is that they appear to be rather small.  They will make a quick, fun stitch!

Patience Brewster/Kate Dickerson "Vixen's Painter Elf"

Kate Dickerson's elves are larger and more elaborate.  Don't you just love his paintbrush and oversized hat!  The elf above is from Patience Brewster's art, licensed by Kate for needlepoint canvas.  You can see more of Patience's whimsical pieces, some of whom are elves, at the Kate Dickerson website.
http://www.katedickerson.com/#!patience-brewster/c45o

The Elf from Labors of Love

After Sheena alerted me to the new elf invasion, I found another myself.  This little chubby guy is from Labors of Love.  Love his peppermint stick striped background!
http://www.laborsofloveneedlepoint.com/see-whats-new.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 20, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

My Personal Favorites from Destination Dallas

"View of St. Andrews" by Otto Agular/Purple Palm

Let me show you my personal favorites from Destination Dallas. First up is this piece from Otto Agular, the new artist represented by Purple Palm Designs.  There are quite a few new pieces from him available to stitch but this one really caught my eye.  You can see all of them on Purple Palm Designs' Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/PurplePalmDesigns/photos/a.800127770017208.1073741834.796107397085912/1113256142037701/?type=1

Mary Lake-Thompson's Witch on a Bike

I also like the new Mary Lake-Thompson witch on her bicycle with her streaming red hair and the hissing cat in the tote bag up front.  Even the smiling pumpkin riding the rear makes me smile.  Melissa Shirley Designs posted information about this new design from their MLT line on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/370199729251/photos/np.1440792456018235.1277706333/10153603712969252/?type=1&notif_t=notify_me_page

Mary Tussey's "Drink Up Witches!"

What Halloween decor wouldn't be livened up by Mary Tussey's latest?  Giggles are guaranteed!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/247020819/handpainted-drink-up-witches-on-18ct?ref=shop_home_active_1

Elizabeth Turner Collection's Rabbit Portrait

Elizabeth Turner Collection has added a rabbit to their animal portrait line.  It's a real honey, too!
https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethTurnerCollection/photos/a.918574041516580.1073741827.487381781302477/1051485164892133/?type=1&theater

Liz Hess Painting, Distributed by Barbara Russell

Barbara Russell has adapted this wonderful Liz Hess painting to needlepoint canvas.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1227844017241045&set=gm.930422670368225&type=1&theater

Elizabeth Turner Collection

I really like this spooky still life from Elizabeth Turner Collection.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1077440088933634.1073741844.189965167681135&type=3

Melissa Prince's Robin Wreath

The bird wreath from Melissa Prince Design is lovely.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1077440088933634.1073741844.189965167681135&type=3

Share One's Ideas Rabbit Wreath

Wreaths must be in these days.  I really like the bunny wreath from Share One's Ideas, too.
https://www.facebook.com/189965167681135/photos/a.1077440088933634.1073741844.189965167681135/1077458952265081/?type=3&theater

Sharon Hendy-Moman's "Breeze Caught Kimono"

I'm a sucker for Asian themes on needlepoint canvas so I really liked Ruth Schmuff's latest artist, Sharon Hendy-Moman.  I particularly like her "The Breeze Caught My Kimono" which you see above.
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/Products/?category=275

A Prancing Pink Poodle form Pajamas and Chocolate

Patt of Pajamas and Chocolate tickled my funny bone with this Pink Poodle with Attitude.  LOL
https://www.facebook.com/PajamasAndChocolate/photos/a.190193044488883.1073741830.182000068641514/490821214426063/?type=3&theater

Mindy's "Art Nouveau Tile"

I have always loved Mindy's designs.  Her new "Art Nouveau Tile" design is an instant classic.
http://www.mindysneedlepoint.com/shop/Mindys-Needlepoint-Designs/New-Designs/p/Art-Nouveau-Tile-x8914369.htm

Mary Engelbreit's "This Is The Life"

Painted Pony Designs has bought the rights to reproduce some of Mary Engelbreit's designs on needlepoint canvas.  It's hard to pick a favorite but "This Is The Life" is really fun and has the bonus of looking like me when I was ten.
http://www.amybunger.com/catalog/item/8948140/10215228.htm

Kimberly's "Little Dancer"

Kimberly Smith has quite a few new canvases out, and once again it is hard to pick a favorite.   I finally settled on the bird and flower piece above but it was a hard choice!
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/Products/?category=260

Patti Mann Does Wizard of Oz AND The Mummy

Choosing from Patti Mann's newest was so hard I gave up and picked two ornaments!
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2015/09/destination-dallas-day-3.html

So what were YOUR favorites?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 1, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Columbus Show Gossip (May 2015)

The upcoming TNNA trade show in Columbus, Ohio has some really interesting things going on. First of all, fans of Mary Engelbreit designs will be thrilled to hear Painted Pony has licensed some of her art for painted canvases.  Mary Engelbreit needlepoint designs will be available again starting Fall 2015.

Secondly, Amazon.com has signed up to attend the show as a retailer.  This means like your local shop, they'll be browsing the designer booths and trying to arrange orders.    The brick and mortar stores are worried about this new online competitor although I personally think that ordering hand painted canvases from Amazon instead of a real shop is a greater danger to us stitchers than the shops' bottom line.

If Amazon runs our local needlepoint shops out of business by undercutting them on price, we won't have classes, stitch guides, help kitting threads, anyone to match dye lots for us when we run out of thread, assistance with color changes, places to see designs and threads in person while chatting to other stitchers, or any of the other one thousand and one things the shops do for us now.  It will destroy needlepoint as an art form.

Think about that the next time you start shopping for online bargains.  You get what you pay for, after all.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 21, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Special Christmas Friday Finishing

As this is the Friday before Christmas, I wanted to share a special piece of holiday finishing that Diane just got back from Marlene's.  This Melissa Shirley Christmas Pear banner was an Amy Bunger class.  It's amazing what happens when you combine a great design, a great class, a great stitcher and a great finisher.
http://www.dianestakingtimeouttoneedlepoint.com/2013/11/the-christmas-pear-banner.html

The sentiment brings me to tears.
http://summerlouise.blogspot.com/2013/12/mary-engelbreit-ornament-finished.html

The love that has gone into these pieces is amazing.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/12/blog-post_12.html

Merry Christmas Pears to all!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.