A few more things for market

I have a limited edition Shakespeare's Peddler kit called "Spring Square;" it comes with the linen and hand-dyed threads. There are more new releases over at my Raise the Roof Designs blog at www.raisetheroofdesigns.blogspot.com.

In addition, there is a limited run of "Ann Dale's Flower Booke" which shops can only buy from me at market (or order from me later.) It has thirteen motifs from the Ann Dale sampler as well as a little sampler history and various and sundry ramblings. There is also another new release that I STILL can't tell you about...but I am sure you'll hear about it soon enough.

Wish me luck. I leave in the morning.

Presented without comment:

Jane Pattison 1806.

Jenny Bean's Gentle Spring Sampler.

Spring at Bean Family Farm.

More tomorrow...

Jenny Bean's Gentle Spring Sampler Thread List

Hey Gang, I don't have a picture today, but I will in a few...I wanted to post the supplies for the newest Jenny Bean Sampler: Jenny Bean's Gentle Spring Sampler. This one was stitched on 32 ct. Platinum Belfast (Navy Bean would be a nice Lakeside Linens substitute). The finished size is about 7 by 17 1/2 inches and the frame is Crescent Colours "Julie Ann" 8 by 18 3/4 in Fleamarket Icing.

The sampler is stitched over-two with two strands of floss in the following Sampler Threads: Moonlit Path, Old Hickory (2), Grasshopper, Cidermill Brown (2), Harvest Basket, Wood Trail (2), Wheat Fields, Chamomile, Toasted Barley, Carmel Corn (2), Roasted Marshmallow, Summer Shower, Antique Rose (2). The Gentle Art will be selling complete thread packs at the Nashville Market next weekend (for shops who are going). There will be a conversion to DMC floss for those who prefer it.

So many thanks go to Rindy Richards for stitching the model. It is currently on its way back to me, and I can't wait to see how it turned out. She said it is gorgeous and was fun to stitch.

And just to tempt you a little with what I'll be presenting that's new (and new-ish) at market...here's a list:

1. Jane Pattison 1806 (reproduction)
2. Ann Dale's Flower Booke
3. Spring at Bean Family Farm (there will be a limited edition Sampler Thread pack for this pattern at the show...this one is SO CUTE!!!)
4. Spring Square (a limited edition kit)
5. Tate's Stocking
6. February's Angel
7. March's Angel
8. April's Angel
9. Quilted Spring (another limited edition kit)
10. and...a surprise that I haven't been able to tell anyone about...but I can't wait for you to see it!!! It's BIG news!!!

My cousin is currently stitching The Cupcake Tree for me. I decided not to release this one at market, since I have so many other new things. But it will be coming out soon, and Just Another Button Company is designing a special button for this design.

I'll post more as I get more....I'm so excited!

Jane Pattison is back home

Kathy sent the Jane Pattison sampler reproduction back this week. She's LOVELY! Kathy did a fabulous job stitching this in the Sampler Threads WOOL threads. I have the frame on order, but I thought I'd let you know what you'll need in terms of supplies if you're getting this one.

Lakeside Linens 32 ct. Navy Bean (Vintage) linen

Sampler Threads Wools: Tea Rose (2), Chives (4), Harvest Basket (3), Faded Rose, Maple Syrup, Baked Clay, Schoolhouse Red (3), Terra Cotta, Parchment (2), Old Purple Paint, Soot, Barn Grey, Cidermill Brown (3) and Forest Glade (8).

The Gentle Art is doing a thread pack for these (shops can pick them up at market or order them from The Gentle Art afterwards.) If you'd like to pre-order the chart/fabric and/or thread pack from me, I am offering a 10% discount on the thread pack. Do not pre-order here on the blog -- contact me through my web site at www.shakespearespeddler.com.

Don't forget there is going to be a new Jenny Bean sampler, too! (Jenny Bean's Gentle Spring Sampler.) Rindy is busy in her stitching chair putting X's on fabric, and I can't wait to get that back. I can tell you that piece is stitched on 32 ct. Platinum Belfast linen in Sampler Threads, but a complete supply list will follow when I get the model back.

Lots of other irons in the fire...including a couple of limited edition offerings. I can't wait to show you all that's new!

Where am I?

I'm getting ready for market, and it's about this time of year that I'm just going crazy trying to get a bunch of designs done, stitched, printed, packed and ready to go for market at the end of the month. It is a lot of fun, but it is a lot of work, so it's harder for me to get to things like the blog, my dears.

This is Yoko. She has a cold. I dropped Isolde off at the shelter this morning (she's back to health and doing great!) And they had five more cats with colds. I am really only able to do one adult at a time (or my cats go CRAZY!) Southern Pines doesn't really have much for kittens right now (any that we have are in foster care.) But I continue to help the cats who are fixed but who have the sniffles, so they don't have to be put down. Yoko is very sweet -- inquisitive, affectionate and she has beautiful honeydew sorbet colored eyes (kind of an icy pale, pale green.) She'll be with us a week or so, until she feels better.

Azreal is still at the shelter -- but she's doing great. I don't think it'll be long before she gets adopted, as she is very social and elegant. The Southern Pines Pet Photography Project took some pictures last week at the shelter, and I loved this one of Azreal. Those photographers do a great job, and all of their time is donated to help find the animals forever homes.

I updated my Raise the Roof blog just now with a picture of the March Angel. She's very cute...go take a peek at www.raisetheroofdesigns.blogspot.com.

Isolde and Dottee

Steve and I scooped up these two lovely girls yesterday after they came down with colds at the shelter. Isolde had just had her surgery, and Dottee couldn't go (because of her cold.) Once again, we saved some furry little lives. They're doing great, and I thought I'd share pictures. I may already have a home for Isolde with a customer here at the shop! I'm trying to get together a group of volunteers for a Sneeze Brigade; fosters who are willing to take in these dogs and cats who just need ten days on an antibiotic in order to survive. No takers yet, but lots of friendly support.

This is Dottee. She's a grey and coral-pink calico with olive-colored eyes. She's a chunky gal (there's just more of her to love.) She's very happy to rub her face on my legs, and she's got a quiet calm manner about her.

And this is Isolde. She walked into our house last night, checked out the joint, then found a nice spot on Steve's lap while he watched Storage Wars. She's very lean and lanky and is kind of a seal point/tabby mix -- silver with blue eyes. She loves to knead her tiny little feet on anything soft, and she spent the night resting comfortably on the pillow in our guest room.

Wren's new owner, Sharon, wants to express her thanks for all of your good wishes. Steve and I drove him half-way to Pensacola and got to meet his new family -- Sharon, and her daughter and her mother. There was some discussion about what to name him, but they decided on "Tabasco." Sharon reports he's doing great in his new home; he's found the food and water no problem and loves to snuggle at night.

Azrael (aka Zee Zee)

This is Azrael. I didn't take this lovely picture; it was taken by one of the volunteers of the Pet Photography Project at Southern Pines. Azrael came home with us on Wednesday, because she developed a little cold. Standard protocol at the shelter is to euthanize cats with colds, due to space restrictions (they don't have the room to treat a cat for a week and a half) and fear of spread of infection (these colds are very catchy, and sometimes can wipe out our entire cat cottage.)

She has just been fixed and is a lovely girl. She's got long pretty fur, a white chin and bib, and white socks. She was trapped outside, but I am thinking she had to have been someone's cat, because she came to our house and immediately acted right at home, finding a great spot on the couch to hang out. She's very affectionate with a nice, loud rumble of a purr, and gets along well with our other cats. She does like to be held and be close to people, so I know she's going to make a great pet for someone.

("Azrael" was Gargamel's cat in The Smurfs and is also the archangel of death...yikes! This morning I started calling her Zee Zee, which seems a little more friendly.)

The shelter estimates Azrael is a year and a half old, so her adoption fee is $50.00. That helps cover her surgery, rabies shot, microchip, and health and temperament evaluation. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting Azrael, contact me by e-mail at xspeddler@yahoo.com.