Our NEW Selfie Sampler

You know what a "selfie" is...right? Those annoyingly revealing (but fun) photos you take of yourself (and maybe a couple friends) while holding your cell phone at arm's length. Well, put that image out of your mind, because we're talking a different type of "selfie" here...a "selfie" in stitches!

While brainstorming about kits for market, I was inspired by this fabulous linen! It's called Red Pear (Weeks Dye Works) and it is yummy. It's the most glorious shade of pink and it was calling my name. So I designed a kit around this lovely fabric. **Linen is actually a little darker than my photo shows...trust me, it's a fabulous color that I still love after cutting yards and yards.

In 2016, I've been working on a theme at L*K. Sort of an "empowerment/encouragement/you can do it" sort of vibe. When I found the phrase "Dear Self, Today I Will Shine", I knew it was perfect for my pet pink project.

I've been wanting to do a really wide, height challenged design for a while. So I got to work graphing my saying with a fab pink background on my computer. I stitched the little bugger, and then got a little worried. I heard voices in my head that sounded like..."will anyone like this shape of design?", or "is this design TOO wide and weird?".

So I returned to the computer and rearranged the design, added some things here and there, and got a more traditional rectangular shape...and STITCHED that shape! Then I was really CONFUSED...which "selfie" did I prefer???? After I got a frame on the original shape (#1), and made the other into a pillow (#2) with chenille trim, I decided to include them both!

Clearly, this "selfie" (myself!) is a little indecisive. But more fun for you all is how I prefer to see it!

While I was waiting for the frame to arrive, I designed a bitty little BONUS project and sent it to Mona to finish along with the project #2. She returned the cutest little "weenie" project. It's adorable! I predict this weenie is going to get a lot of attention at market. Check out the "self" (little girl) on the pic...this is supposed to be "me/you/our little selves"!

So choose whichever shape you want for your Selfie Sampler. Fabric included is enough for either shape. We're also including some pink beads, silver "Made with Love" charm, and complete finishing instructions for pillow and BONUS weenie.

We hope you enjoy your Selfie Sampler, whichever shape your "self" chooses! We will be anxious to see what creative finishes you dream up. My original vision for shape #1 was an uber-wide pillow with wide rick rack trim...and then a beautiful frame caught my eye. 

Selfie Sampler will be premiering at the Nashville Needlework Market on March 4-6. Look for it in your favorite needlework shop soon after. If you want to make sure you get one, contact your fave shop NOW to pre-order. Shops love pre-orders, because it makes their buying decisions at market easier.

Which shape do you prefer? 

More Market Peeks!

The countdown to market is on and we're finishing up our last 2 NEW KITS for the big needlework party in Nashville. Check out our other new kit, Love Summer, in the previous post.

I'm feeling very patriotic this year...thankful for the wonderful country I live in (despite the annoying political buzz surrounding me) and all the blessings and opportunities I have daily. 

So I decided to celebrate a new year with a new patriotic design. I began with a long wavy flag and worked a design around beautiful red, white and blue hues. Hence, the name of this kit!

Red White and Blue Kit (K89)

I got a little carried away with lots of fun finishing goodies, and decided to include them all so you could enjoy them, too. Here's a list of all the goodies included in the Red White and Blue Kit. Everything is also pictured below.

* 32 ct. Lambswool linen

* Deep sea houndstooth wool 

* Navy/cream cotton backing fabric

* Red/white stripe ribbon

* Round mother-of-pearl button

* Iridescent white beads

* Jute for cording

* Complete finishing instructions from our finishing guru, Mona

It was a busy weekend assembling kits. Actually, the really time consuming part is prepping all the components for a kit...cutting/folding linen, cutting/folding/ironing cotton backing, cutting ribbon, sacking embellishments...you get the idea. Actually assembling them is like the reward for all the busy work. 

And after a long weekend, the trunk of our car looks like picture above. And that's just one trunk load of many trips to/fro the L*K office and home. Who wants to spend the weekend at the office when you can work from home, and and enjoy the company of friends and a great basketball game?! Most people clean up their homes when company visits, but our pals are used to the L*K routine. They keep asking "when do you guys leave for market?"

Ready for some Red White and Blue at your house? Contact your fave needlework shop and ask them to pre-order NOW. We'll be releasing Red White and Blue officially on March 5. It will be available in shops everywhere soon after.

But just so you don't think we are all work and no play, here's a pic of us riding a nearby rails-to-trails conversion. I literally took my new knee for a spin! We have had the strangest winter, with temps reaching near 80 degrees last week. We basked in the gorgeous 60s temps on our Saturday ride between 2 little towns west of Wichita. It was just us, the grazing cows, a few horses and goats along the way, greening winter wheat and beautiful sunshine. Even better, no slimy snakes slithered across my path, the absence of which always makes me happy. A snake on the path is so alarming to me, my shriek is usually delayed until after I roll by the unwanted wildlife. 

One more NEW KIT info coming later this week. Check back soon tosee our new super fun Selfie Sampler.

To market, to market we go!

We leave for market in less than 2 weeks, so the crazy market prep countdown is ON!!!

Market madness isn't confined to the crowded L*K office...it's invaded our house. You may trip over a piece of twine cording or encounter rolling beads on the floor almost anywhere.Below is a pic in our lake level family room/mini kitchen.

I LOVE my vintage rolling kitchen cart. Do/did you have one? Did your grandma have one? What color?

I get comments on this cart almost every time someone visits. I guess these colorful carts are a big part of kitchen history for many of us! Bonus for me...it matches my aqua retro refrigerator (top of picture). And it's super useful for all sorts of projects - maybe even food related.

Today my rolling cart is full of Love Summer Limited Edition kits. They're ready to roll to the car and be loaded for the L*K office. Then they'll be counted and packed in large boxes to carry to Nashville Needlework Market.

I'm continuing a fun little "Purse/Pocket" Limited Edition Kit series. We're doing seasonal designs, so the new one will be Love Summer. I do truly "love summer" and especially the idea of summer...relaxing, enjoying, being outdoors, and extra time with family and friends.

Love Summer has our first ever L*K mermaid, merrily floating at the bottom, holding a golden seashell. How to draw a mermaid? I was a little perplexed so I began by cut/pasting another character I graphed before...an elf. The elf head got me started - I removed the hat and add some floaty hair and a crown.  Then got to work on her wavy lower half. She's pretty cute and I'm hoping the needlework censors won't get me for her bare top. 

Here's the Love Summer cover with a nice denim-y background and some rope. I love designing these covers!! You can't imagine how many different background/elements I try and reject before sending the final to the printer. The final version is always unrecognizable from my earlier efforts. 

As always, Love Summer Limited Edition Kit comes with stitching fabric (30 count Lambswool linen), picnic-y bandana finishing fabric for top and back, seashell charm, twine for handle and complete finishing instructions. This kit is such a quick stitch, I promise it won't interfere with your summer fun!

Want to bring Love Summer to your house soon? Contact your favorite needlework shop and pre-order. We'll be releasing Love Summer on March 5, and it will appear in shops around the world soon after. 

Check out the companion purse/pocket kits, already available at your fave needlework shop. Now is the perfect time to work on Hello Spring. The vintage-y finishing fabric is so lovely, and the burlap-y ribbon handle is accented with flower shaped mother-of-pearl buttons. And that little chick!

K86 Hello Spring

And don't forget Merry St. Nick, who was the first purse/pocket kits last holiday season.

K84 Very Merry Santa

Check back soon for more market previews! It's back to the kitting table for us...1 kit done, 2 more to go!

Our "almost forgotten" Boxer kit

It's a RARE occurrence when we get a new product ready a month ahead of time at L*K. When we release new designs every 2 months, our new inventory is usually ready "just in time". And often while we're packing orders, we run out of new stuff, and have to stop and assemble more.

And that's my excuse for why I forgot to mention our upcoming Inspiration Boxer in the previous 2 blog posts. It's been ready to go for a month - gasp - and collecting dust on the L*K shelves. I think it got lost in the holiday shuffle going on in my mind.

I'm excited about this one! The saying is "Life is better with stitching friends". It's a great stitch to share with a special friend who shares your passion for stitching, or keep it for yourself and smile.

Inspiration Boxer kit (B52) includes 30 ct. Lambswool linen (great inbetween thread count), dark blue buttons, and BONUS design. I LOVE this little BONUS (pictured below)!  Ever since it returned from Mona, my magical finisher, it's been sitting on my very crowded desk.

Check out my newly restored terrarium behind the BONUS project. I cleaned out a couple overgrown terrariums last week, and replanted with tiny new plants and newly pruned remnants of terrariums past.  . Sometimes those plants are so happy they outgrow their glassy spaces, not to mention get the glass all gooey and icky. Clean and happy again...these terrariums make me smile...and no watering!

We'll be having a working weekend at L*K, and get all 5 of new releases shipped to shops everywhere next Tuesday, February 2. Can you believe February is just around the corner?

Happy Stitching!

2 new kits coming soon!

We're shipping new goodies on Tuesday, February 2 to needlework shops everywhere. Check out our previous blog post for our other 2 new releases. One design has great empowering words for 2016, and the other is just plain "undergarment" fun!

Meanwhile, here are our 2 kits coming SOON! We're busy cutting/folding linen and finishing fabric, sacking buttons/embellishments, and doing all those pesky assembly tasks. I expect when our friends gather at our house to watch basketball games in the weeks ahead, there will be some kit sacking stations in the TV room. 

A Little Baby Kit (K85) will join the "Little" kit club. This one is a cutie, and has space for easy personalization. It's a quickie gift that will last a lifetime. The colors are also easy to tweak for girls or boys. Just change the color on the baby booties! Kit includes 28 ct. Lambswool linen, antique gold charm, and alphabet/numbers for personalization. The personalization with name and date is stitched over one linen thread - thank goodness for magnifiers!

Hello Spring Kit (K86) is a companion to our recent Very Merry Santa Kit. I just adored doing the little purse/pocket/whatever you want to call it finish, so I'm doing a series for 2016. We're including some yummy vintage looking fabric, burlap-y ribbon, 2 mother-of-pearl flower buttons and a baby pink button. And, of course, complete finishing instructions. This is a real spring cutie - I just love the sweet colors and cheery flowers on this one.

I enjoyed my Very Merry Santa model so much, he found a place in my holiday decor. Now I'm plotting where to display the Hello Spring Purse as soon as spring is in the air. It's freezing outside today...I'm hoping for our first snow, or (alternatively) some 60 degree weather!

***Missing Big Girl Panties update. No sightings to date. We'll keep our eyes open, but I'm thinking this missing model crime will remain unsolved, just like the runaway bunny. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, see previous post.)

Enjoy your week, everyone!

What's coming in 2016

It's been over a month since I blogged! What happened??? The holidays, of course!

So now I'm trying to get back to my desk, and return to the daily groove of running a cross stitch biz. I'm making lists, and even starting to cross things off. I'm trying to pull everything together for a new bunch of designs coming in early February. These designs were all stitched before Christmas, but somehow the publishing part is taking longer than usual, due to some unusual setbacks ***see details below!!

Here's what's on my desk for 2016:

175 Bras and Panties
The Big Girl Panties are back!!! Many years ago I did a kit with the saying "Pull up your big panties and deal with it!". I still remember trying to explain this saying to an Italian customer at Nashville Market. Anyway, it sold out in a couple hours and had the shortest life of an L*K kit to date. (I only made a small number because I had no idea if anyone would like this phrase...who knew?) Since then I've had numerous requests for more Big Girl Panties! I've tweaked the original design a bit, and added a second design about Bras.  Now we will have an underwear duo, both packaged as a chartpak. We're including some hand-dyed buttons in orange and pink to add to the "unmentionable" fun! Ask for #175 Bras and Panties.

***Regarding the above mentioned "unusual setbacks"....I have a really funny story to tell about the Big Girl Panties. Before Christmas, I stitched the design at home. Then it went to the L*K office to have my husband mail it to my finisher, Mona, in nearby Oklahoma. A couple days later she told me it still hadn't arrived. Panic and dismay! The Big Girl Panties had gone missing! And...long story short...they have never resurfaced. The Big Girl Panties model is now officially MIA. We can't find a record of it on the shipping log, can't find it in the L*K office or at home, the UPS man isn't confessing, and it certainly isn't at the Magic by Mona headquarters. After mourning it's loss for a few days, I realized my release deadline was approaching and I reluctantly (argh!!!) restitched the model.

Mona says the Big Girl Panties have absconded with the "Runaway Bunny" (pictured above before he went AWOL) - another model that went missing in spring 2015. We thought we might find the missing bunny model when we moved last summer, but alas, no :"wascally wabbit" resurfaced. It's a truly sad day when your panties are missing!

#174 Be Bold and Brave
Everyone keeps requesting inspirational sayings, so I've combined 2 favorites in this chartpak, plus a bonus coordinating pin cushion design. I just love both of these empowering phrases. They're great words to begin the New Year! I used a darling little Shaker pin cushion from Lone Elm Lane.

Instead of making resolutions, I have friends that select a "word" or "phrase" for the New Year, and try to live the year with intention through their selected words. Wouldn't the 2 phrases above be great for a 2016?

What else is coming in February?
I've urgently pulling together a couple more kits. I'll share pics and info on the next post. I'm really excited about both of these. Stay tuned for our next blog post - soon, I promise.

Meanwhile, keep an eye out for those missing Big Girl Panties!

My great Christmas elf caper!

I love to do crafts!

Yes, I earn my living as a cross stitch designer so I do tons of needle crafts (I still stitch all of my L*K models myself). But sometimes, I just have to try something different and put my hands to work on something new.

And that's where Pinterest...and my crafty co-conspirator, Glenna...take over! Glenna and I get together several times a year - not often enough - and attempt new craft projects. We decide on something we like (usually from Pinterest), gather supplies, and meet in her awesome little "Girls Only" creative haven.

Next to her house, Glenna has a darling little "shed" where creative things happen. Glenna creates beautiful quilts, and all sorts of other lovely, handcrafted things. But when I visit, we usually bust out the glue guns, scissors, and all that. I have limited sewing machine skills, but Glenna has a couple machines in there that make sewing (almost) easy. And sometimes she helps me with pesky sewing tasks.

Here's a pic from INSIDE the little shed. Isn't it darling??? Glenna has been busy collecting lots of things from the past (read: our childhood).Check out the Formica/chrome kitchen table and shiny red vinyl chairs. Everywhere you look there are fun little retro details. I try not to get distracted by all the charm and get to work when I'm invited. You can see the beginnings of our recent caper on the table above.

Our Christmas 2015 mission was to make these "Felt and Pinecone Elves" from Pinterest. We downloaded the free templates, bought beautiful felt (Etsy) and wooden "heads" (Hobby Lobby), rounded up pinecones and lots of glue sticks and we were ready. And then we started to wonder...will our elves be as cute as these guys?

***Note: at the time we started our elves, the pattern download was free. Now they seem to be charging $5. We ordered felt from an Etsy vendor that the pattern maker recommended. Fast and friendly service...and gorgeous colors of felt.

After lots of cutting, sewing (the little pointy hats), and gluing, heads rolling on the floor, eye and mouth markering and scarf tying...here's our elf swarm we made that night (below).

And then I got in a sort of elf overdrive mode, and made a bunch more at home!

Yikes...here's a bunch of headless elves waiting on head transplants. Sometimes it was a little tricky to get those pesky elves to stand up straight on their felt-covered cereal box feet. Once the heads were in place, it was surprisingly fun to "get them dressed". I had to choose colors for their mittens and hats, and then tie a little scarf around each neck. I may/may not have obsessed over the elf accessorizing. Everyone loves a properly accessorized elf!

Here's my finished elf army...ready to visit my friends' homes...and help them navigate the busy holiday season. I'm packaging them in groups of 3 so they don't get lonely for elf companionship. These guys are ready to go to work, spreading Christmas cheer and getting to work after the lights go out.

Everyone needs a few elves this time of year...right?