I have so many details to share! I’m in love with this canvas. You know I love tiny details and this canvas has lots of them. There’s a logic to the stitches, threads and techniques I choose. The more details, the more I can share the inner workings of my mind. It’s a scary place […]
Posts
The Books
Just a quick hello to say books are in-stock should anyone need a volume or five. LOL. Yes, to date there are five volumes of my stitches books. Each book has anywhere from 250 – 300 stitches diagramed one per page for easy peasy reading. With each guide I write, new stitches are born and […]
Kimberly Magic
Kimberly not only paints beautiful canvases and stitches them like no other but she has her own very special way of finishing them! She graciously shared this info on her blog and I’m sharing it here to. It’s super cool and totally doable! Here’s her technique for a beaded edge to finish off your beautiful […]
Let’s do the Twist!
Woo Hoo! I made another video! Some techniques lend themselves to videos. On the tree skirt of Eleanor Grosch’s Nutcracker I made a tiny twisted cord using the Corkscrew technique. Here’s my how to video. Hope it helps. Let me know what you think. My goal for this year is more videos. My goal is […]
Say Yes to the Dress
I became obsessed with Clara’s dress on the nutcracker. Three layers of stitches to create the pattern just weren’t enough. LOL. I added beads and the most adorable scattering of buttons across the bottom hem. So cute. This was the final lesson of Eleanor Grosch’s Nutcracker Mystery Class It was all about the finishing touches. […]
Christmas Blocks has a Guide!
You are probably expecting this post to be about the last lesson of the Nutcracker. Well, the snow gods had a different plan. LOL. I’ll take photos today and we’ll be back on track. Until then, I have breaking news! Mary Legallet has written a stitchguide for Diane Dirks Christmas Blocks! This has been a […]
Look What We Did!
Last weekend was our first embellishment extravaganza of 2019! We had so much fun. Canvases, stitches, good friends, good food. The friendships really are the highlight of the weekend. I wrote guides for 14 different canvases. Did I say different? There was something for everyone. The three days were spent stitching and trying new techniques. […]
The First Embellishment Extravaganza of 2019!
We’re 4 days into 2019 and it’s time to celebrate the first embellishment extravaganza of 2019. And by Extravaganza, I do mean EXTRAVAGANZA! So many different canvases. So much fun. Class starts today. Follow us on IG or facebook for pictures of the canvases getting started! It’s going to be fun! Abstract Bears by Melissa […]
Ring in the New Year! It’s 2019
Max, Richie, Callie, Quinn, Harley and Johnny would like to join me in wishing you and yours a happy healthy sparkling 2019. Max is Max, such a good boy. Richie’s favorite place is the sink. Whatever Richie wants, Richie gets. Callie is my tomboy. That’s very confusing to me. LOL. Quinn is so sweet and […]
Cliff Hanger!
Yesterday was the third lesson of the Nutcracker by Eleanor Grosch. And, wait for it, there’s a cliff hanger. You won’t see this one coming. It was all about the Rat King. He now has a fabulous blue jacket worked in a two part stitch and a shiny white ascot! Yes my rat king is […]
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas from our house to yours. Whether you are celebrating today or not may this find you happy, healthy an full of joy. Hugs from Santa Richie. xo ruth
What to my wondering eyes should appear
in my inbox?! but a virtual tour of Angie’s Christmas. It knocked my socks off. How fun are these finishes? Here we have Naughty or Nice by David Galchutt, Holiday Owls by Brooke Connor and one of Barbara’s Needlepoint’s Limited Edition Santas Melissa Shirley’s Christmas Village is a great stand up! My Silly Christmas Birds, looks very happy […]
She’s home!
I love this girl. She makes me happy. I loved every moment stitching her and now she is home again, hanging on the walls of the beehive! Why Fit In by Zecca with stitchguide by me. My mind is a mysterious place. I see this piece as timeless. I chose classic framing for it. I […]
Happy Happy Owls
It’s the most wonderful time of year. The holidays are upon us and celebrations are everywhere. Even the owls are dressed for partying. These are Brooke Connor’s Holiday Owls with 4 amazing finishes! I’m not sure which is my favorite. 🙂 One lives at the beehive so it better be that one right? The Holiday […]
It’s a Pretty Bow
I love the big fluffy bow on Santa’s Books by Melissa Shirley. I made it from WireLace which is one of my favorite things to work with. WireLace comes in several sizes. I primarily use 6mm and 12mm. 6mm comes in more colors so YAY! 6mm is easier to pull through the canvas so YAY! […]
Stitches Volume Five
Just in time for the holidays we have a new book! Stitches Volume 5. It’s perfect for gift giving to friends, family and even yourself. Why not? It’s the holidays. We all need a present. Right? This is the 5th book in my series of stitch books. Can you believe it? So many stitches and […]
I had a Sudden Realization
Its time to unveil our first Mystery Class of 2019! Let’s stitch Sudden Realization by David Galchutt. I’m ready for something lush and detailed. What about you? I love the art of David Galchutt and this is one of my favorite pieces. There are so many details and textures and embellishments to create. Oh, we […]
Things you need to know ;-)
I love sparkle. I love beads. I love polka dots – not that it matters for this piece. And I love rick rack. It’s true, I do. Put all of those pieces together and you will have my inspiration for lesson two of the Ghost Collage Mystery Class. There’s lots of beads. There’s a bit […]
Beyond Amazing
Boy did we have fun and learn a lot!!! Apollinariya Koprivnik was here this past weekend from Slovenia. She taught her style of beaded jewelry. She calls it Beaded Architecture. Oh My! It’s complex and gorgeous. Each piece is more ingenious than the next. So many fun techniques. Polina is a delight of a teacher. […]
In an Octopus’ Garden
Oh so fun! We just finished Zecca Retreat 2018. I love this event. Best friends, great canvas, fabulous colors. What more could we want? Karen, the joyous mind that is Zecca designs a brand new canvas just for us. She likes to challenge me with the subject, LOL. It is then my job to write […]
Zecca!
It’s time! Zecca Retreat is this weekend. It’s so much fun I wish you could all be here. We must celebrate across the globe! So, let’s have a sale! All zecca canvases are 20% OFF (some restrictions apply*) through October 24th! Now is your chance for epic savings. Have fun! Pick your favorites. Do you […]
Epic Embellishment Extravaganza
What exactly is our Embellishment Extravaganza? It’s a party! It’s a girls weekend! It’s a creative endeavor! It’s epic amounts of fun. How happy do these girls look? Prepare to be spoiled. It really is “all about you.” You pick the canvas. It can be any canvas you want within reason. I write the stitch […]
Components!
Sherry Serafini was here for three fabulous days of beading fun. You know I love all things sparkly and this weekend was sparkly. Sparkly beads, sparkly teacher. I love Sherry she is just too fun and so talented! We had a blast. She explained her design process and how it is all about components. One […]
Who wants to be a Honey Bee?!
It’s time to launch the 2019 Honey Bees! If you were a Honey Bee this year or wish you were, you know what this is all about and it’s time to sign up for 2019. If you are wondering who or what honey bees are, read on….. We love our customers! There, it’s that simple. […]
