Fame!

Guess who was the poster girl for the Day of the Dead celebration in New Mexico?
http://phoenixneedlepointnews.blogspot.com/2012/11/poster-girl.html

You can see a stitched version of Belleza's Day of the Dead sister Pocito here, by the way.  Check out what Sheena is doing for the bodice of her Melissa Shirley Wild Woman canvas, by the way.  Sheena's stitching Mae West.
http://www.sheenasstitches.com/januarys-stitcherie-challenge/

Not to worry, I am stitching away on Belleza, but I'm working on a part that will take me probably two weeks to finish and show off.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

The Glamour Girl UPDATED

Pocito's Fingernails

I'm not the only person stitching the Day of the Dead canvases that decorate the upper left hand corner of Blog.  My friend Janet Moyer is stitching Pocito.  Janet has given Pocito a back story that in life she was a glamorous person and continues so in death, so Janet is adding bling to her canvas in a major way. The fingernails you see in the photo above are just one manifestation of this. (The others will be revealed later!)  Janet used glow in the dark orange Kreinik for the fingernails because there is so much red on the design already.  The fingers and other bones are stitched in Neon Rays+ glow in the dark white.

BeStitched has also stitched the Day of the Dead ladies.  If you have a Facebook account you will enjoy seeing their version of the lipstick for Belleza.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=398455886851657&set=o.108537025890131&type=1&theater

UPDATE:  BeStitched posted the same photo on their blog as on Facebook, just in case you couldn't see it at FB.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/day-of-the-dead-class-part-2/


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Guess Who Came By to Visit?

I was floored this morning to discover a Comment  by Manuel Salas left on yesterday's posting about Belleza's black dress.  Manuel Salas is the artist behind the Day of the Dead ladies that Tapestry Fair has reproduced on needlepoint canvas.  He said some very nice things, which were appreciated, and told me that more of his artwork can be seen on his Facebook page.  If you have a Facebook account, just type in "Manuel Salas" and he'll pop up.  Then you can click on his Photo albums and see a few photos of his work.  I think the photograph of Lupe is of the needlepoint version Peggi stitched in classes with Tony Minieri.

Here's the article with the comment, just so you don't have to hunt.  Isn't it amazing how the Internet brings people who ordinarily would never meet together?
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2012/04/little-black-dress.html?showComment=1335247942180#c4198077848318553046

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Two Birds in Beads (Day of the Dead)

Pocito Dove Underway

I've not mentioned Belleza, my Day of the Dead lady from Manual Salas/Tapestry Fair much this last week because I have been so busy with Real Life chores, I've not accomplished much. However, I did manage to bead both my birds.  Janet is working Pocito and also choose to bead her birds (Sheena's not at this point yet as she is working on her Pocito's face).  I thought you might like to see how differently my birds and Janet's turned out, even though they are painted in an almost identical manner.  The two Day of the Dead ladies are pictured on the left side of Blog for your reference.

Pocito's Right Dove Finished

Pocito (green background) has white doves outlined in silver.  Janet beaded them with three colors of round beads: orange beads on the beak, white pearl and silver beads on the rest of the bird.  Janet's orange and white pearl beads are size 14 from Sundance while the silver beads are size 15 from The Shepherdess Bead Store in San Diego.  She wanted all round beads but could not find silver beads in size 14 so she used the slightly smaller size 15 ones.  Janet pointed out that her beak is painted yellow and orange but she decided her canvas is already so colorful that using two colors in the tiny beak would be distracting. So her beak is solid orange.

Belleza's Glittering Crow with Yellow Eye

Belleza (purple background) has black crows outlined in silver.  I also used size 14 beads from Sundance but I used hex beads in four colors:  black, silver lined crystals, orange and peach-yellow.  My beak has both yellow and orange shades which is how it was painted.  I also put a yellow-peach bead in one bird's eye and used an orange bead for the other crow's eye.  Janet used a black stitch for her dove eye.

Belleza's Orange Eyed Crow

My birds are much harder edged than Janet's romantic little doves.  I don't think it is just the colors than make my birds crows--I think it is also the glitter that hex beads give.  Janet used round beads that are softer and that have a pearl "glow" instead of the glint that hex beads give when they reflect light.  The moral of all this is that your choice of bead type and size are as important as the color.  We both used beads of the same type (round or hex) and in the same size as much as possible.

Hope this gives you some ideas the next time you want to put beads on a needlepoint canvas.  If you want to add romance and softness, look for round beads.  If you need more glitter and shine, hex beads are the way to go.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Three Pairs of Eyes (Day of the Dead)

My Belleza has blank eyes

I'm sure you have been wondering what is going on with my Day of the Dead piece. Not to worry.  I've been stitching away on Belleza.  I'm just doing a large boring part--the skull and bones.  Nothing much to talk about!  At this point Belleza looks mostly bald. LOL

However, Sheena has been doing more interesting things.
http://sheenassweetstitches.com/beads-eye/2012/01/sample-post/


I won't tell you why she thought elongated tent stitches work better for her eye, but I will say that the three of us each choose a different stitch for our eyes for a different reason. I wanted a matte black look because of all the things going on elsewhere.  I choose regular tent stitches to create a "black hole" effect.  Janet went with skip tent for Pocito. She wants sparkle in her eyes so she will back them with a shiny fabric behind the canvas.  Sheena needs a platform for something interesting so she went with elongated tent stitches for her Pocito.  Three stitchers, three canvases, three eye treatments.

All these are the right choice for our interpretation of our own canvas.

Next time I'll talk backgrounds and why I am doing my background last this time.


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Sheena, Janet and I Set To Work

I'm sure you have been wondering what's next in the mad world of stitching that is the Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure. With Christmas chores and a secret model to be stitched for the January 2012 TNNA trade show, I've not been stitching anything I could show you recently, but that is about to change. I'm going to stitch one of Manuel Salas' paintings that have been adapted to needlepoint by Tapestry Fair.  I've chosen Belleza de Halloween (Halloween Beauty) which is a more Americanized version of the holiday which actually is celebrated each November 1-2.
http://tapestryfair.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-for-halloween.html

Dr. Janet Moyer and Sheena James, who are going to join me in stitching Day of the Dead,  have chosen to stitch his more traditional Day of the Dead piece called Un Pocito de Color (A Little Bit of Color).  You can always tell my canvas from theirs as mine has a purple background and a dead tree at the top while theirs has a green background and pretty blue flowers on the top.
http://tapestryfair.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-canvas-from-manuel-salas.html

I'm sorry.  Haven't you met Sheena?  This is her stitching for Ruth Schmuff.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/01/what-minx.html

She's already posting about her piece on her blog.   Janet doesn't blog so she'll come visit us occasionally.
http://sheenassweetstitches.com/un-pocito-de-color-begins-tapestry-fair/2012/01/sample-post/

You can see two other Manual Salas pieces (Rosa and Lupe) adapted for needlepoint at the Tapestry Fair website.
http://www.tapestryfair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=1


Janet and I will post here, although we won't reveal everything, since we will be writing a double stitch guide for the two canvases for Tapestry Fair.  Sheena may do a stitch guide, too.  I'm not sure about that as she's not sure either at this point.

All I can tell you for sure is that the three of us plan to have a whale of a time this winter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MzwqcEvqbA

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com