Inside Orna UPDATED

Orna Willis isn't just a designer with a great color sense, she is willing to explain how design elements balance each other as she creates a new piece.   I find this fascinating, particular for this design which in my mind is one of those Tiki figures....
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2013/12/understanding-designs-progression.html

UPDATES on the design's progress....
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2014/01/moving-along.html

http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2014/01/more-design-development-or-where-do-i.html

I have no idea why this makes me think of Trader Vic's!
http://themenupage.com/tradervics.html

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.

Odds and Ends

You may have noticed that there have not been quite so many postings here on Blog recently. The Needlepoint Blog-o-Sphere has been busy with holiday fun instead of blogging their brains out.  So have I, plus I have a big TNNA deadline looming--eeeekkkk!   This means fewer things to report on, whether they are my own or someone else's.  Sorry about that.  At least I have not started talking about the six month project to reorganize the Monthly Clubs tab so that you can actually FIND something there!  (But it is coming, I feel it.  LOL)

Before I lose all self control and start babbling on that topic, let's go listen to Nimble Needle who has laid out some goodies to spend our Christmas money on.
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-splurge.html

Then we can go gawk at Mary Agnes' pelicans design.  I have no idea how she managed to find that many wing stitches so that each pelican is the same but different.  Nice job!  MA's been working on this piece at odd moments in the life of a shop owner since September.  This is a Trubey piece, by the way, and exclusive to the shop.
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/12/pelicans-everywhere-done-done-done.html?showComment=1388410500659#c7936299847522357846

Finally, we can talk new threads.  Anna Scott, former editor of Inspirations, does a lot of crewel embroidery and loves Paternayan which has been hard for her to find.  However, she does have a substitute that she says is quite nice--Strand Mohair Embroidery Yarn.    Because this is a New Zealand thread, it may be quite hard to find here in the USA.  The site says that this is a crewel yarn, a bit thicker than Appleton's crewel.
http://annascottembroidery.blogspot.com/2013/08/back-in-business.html

I managed to find this information about it--it is half mohair and half wool.  The colors are more limited than Paternayan's but of course New Zealanders are used to working with limited supplies since island life means they have to grow their own or import from far away.
http://www.nancys.co.nz/strandnz.html

http://www.nancys.co.nz/STRAND/strandyarn.html

Maybe tomorrow my postings will be more coherent.  (But don't bet large sums of money on THAT.)

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.

Friday Finishing: Acrylic Boxes And Regular Frames

Vicky shows off some fun finishing ideas using small canvases and acrylic boxes and trays from Kreative Acrylics.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/need-a-finishing-idea/

Here is the company's website, just in case you need a full sized acrylic box for your mummy case!
http://www.kreativeacrylics.com

Melissa Prince also distributes acrylic boxes, just in case you want to see even more.
http://astheneedleturns.com/melissa-prince-trunk-show-boxes-and-inserts/

I also have some lovely framing to show you that Randi has done for two counted pieces she just finished.
http://twisinc.blogspot.com/2013/12/revenue-enhancement-at-framers.html

Here is an unusual bit of finishing--a snow globe.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/12/blog-post_21.html

There is lots of amazing stitching AND finishing here from customers of Nimble Needle.
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2013/12/encore.html

Finally, it's appropriate that the final finishing for this first Friday of the new year is a new baby's ornament for the First Christmas.  We wish the little one much joy in life!
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2013/12/crossing-another-finish-line.html

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.

Ruth's Newsletter is Here!

The Bedecked and Beadazzled monthly newsletter for January is ready!   It's all about the classes and clubs the shop offers, but there is a bonus--a stitch used on the current mystery project is explained and diagrammed, just for you.  This is the newsletter full of eye candy and you'll learn something new, to boot!
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/downloads/bedeckednewsjan2014.pdf

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.

The Rep Made Her Laugh

I love the Needle Nicely blog. Not only does Mary Agnes know her needlepoint, as a shop owner she is always writing about how shops actually work, which fascinates me.  The recent articles have been wonderful.  In the first link below, Mary Agnes talks about the traveling reps who represent various designers and travel around to the shops, showing off their work so the busy shop owner can order goodies for your stitching pleasure.
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/11/laughs-provided-by-rondo.html

This one mentioned shipping costs, which are always a factor in mail order.  I just never thought that shops had to consider how much shipping would eat into their bank account, too!
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/11/some-new-ornament-canvases.html

The next article is serious indeed--the financial balancing act a shop has to do to figure out whether a trip to one of the big trade shows is worth the expense.
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-financial-reality-of-market-going.html

Next time you see your own shop owner, thank them for doing what they do for you!  It's not exactly an easy job.

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.