Mr. Slide .....

Once again my favorite part is getting back a Squiggee from the finisher....This little turtle has been transformed into a cutie at Stitchery Square in Camden Maine...I really love the color they picked for his underside...as always it is hard to let go of a model...but Mr. Slide just hopped in the box with stuff and headed off to Texas...he will then make the TNNA show rounds...lol... funny little guy !

Today It Is All About Me!...lol

OK...A little bragging can't be all that bad........ I am so proud of Squiggee Designs.......

I started this line with a small idea, to use up all the bits and pieces of extra canvas and explore the new world of embellishments, something I had not been exposed to until 2004....when searching eBay for charms.

You see, I spent most of my working life in studio, creating custom needlepoint and a line of canvases, some of which were the corner stone of my first big wholesale line that the POIA Designs, marketed for me. Lots of very traditional designs, and fun sayings...but Squiggee Designs opened up such vast possibilities , unleashing my crazier side ,as my husband calls it, my bent weather vain side .........I was just having fun and exploring when I started Squiggee.....

I will always call Squiggee Designs my eBay baby....I didn't have a shop and eBay afforded me the opportunity to sell and evolve with the maximum of exposure and the minimum of expense.....I found the eBay customers refreshing and full of great fee back, and to my surprise they loved my off beat sense of humor and my take on embellishments....

What makes this cover so sweet, is that I designed and worked all the models, but for the peacock rollie........ my dear friend and fellow artist Judy Harper worked it .... Stitchery Square, my finishers in Camden Maine, did all the finishing, and has been a joy to work with.....the cover is all the brain child of my new distributor ,Lynda Richardson of Dream House Ventures . Lynda designed the cover layout and took the photo, and submitted it to the magazine. She has been a tonic and great at making this happen , giving Squiggee Designs a great start and a wonderful prelude to the upcoming TNNA show in Columbus, Ohio.......Squiggee Designs got her toes wet at the Dallas cash and carry...but Columbus is important! Time to play with the big kids...lol.

I am amazed at how far Squiggee has come, and with such a ridiculous name....but once learned...one can hardly forget it...

So allow me to share just how happy I am and just how much I appreciate all the support , making Squiggee Designs possible.

When you are young ,you never realize how hard life can be. With all the many twists and turns, to have the luck to have life plop you down in a spot that is custom made for you.... today, to date.... I am right were I belong ....

and after all, I can't brag that I am an amazing cook, or have a well run house or garden...I have turned into what I was always meant to be.... just a hard working day to day artist that loves what she does.....the cover is just gravy...everyone loves recognition for something they are proud of...so please just take all this twirling and my big head in stride...

I just wanted to share and acknowledge , giving many , many thanks to all that have made this possible....and a special kiss kiss to my eBay Squiggers for the love!...you know who you are....l

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Squiggee

Spring in Squiggeeland !

Just little tidbits from Squiggeeland to brighten your Saturday and celebrate Spring....

enough with Christmas needlepoint for the moment....I know that if you are planning to get your Christmas projects done, now is the moment...

Oh well...Needlepoint always seems to be out of step with the actual season, unless you are just working on something you enjoy and the time frame is your own.... beautiful ..I am already planning for the big TNNA show in January 2010...

Baby Robin Update

My husband waited till Mama Robin was having a baby break this morning , and climbed up on the railing on the porch and took this great picture of the babies . They are growing fast and I personally love the feathers on the head...lol...

Checkered Crab

This little guy is now finished and will go on a straw bag in the end....he will be a little stuff and attached to the bag..lime green straw bag......I added some sparkle pom pom eyes...makes him look like he is ready for fun...
he is on 13st and worked with all kinds of fibers..the small white checkers are bump stitches and the large white are a bigger version...so he has plenty of texture...

Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Robin !!

Yesterday morning, my husband took this picture of the newly hatched baby robins. He had to wait till Mom had left the nest, so he could take a quick snap....they must have moved , but you can still see, that they are hatched. Mother Robin guards them and sits on the back edge of the nest , keeping a constant look-out. While my husband was taking the picture see was not far away watching from the front lawn. He didn't hang around for another shot, he didn't want to take the chance of
upsetting , Mom to the point of her attacking him. You never know, mothers protecting their are formidable, to say the least.
What a great day to celebrate Mother's day in Squiggeeland...!!!!!

Mr. Slide is finished.

Mr. Slide has already left Squiggeeland and landed in Camden Maine earlier this week. It is always interesting to see how the worked piece compares to the painted canvas.

I didn't do any fancy stitches, he is all basketweave. So much stopping and starting, the only thing that made him fun , was the changes that came about, by using so many different fibers. I love the way one fiber will enhance another, especially the blings..aka.sparkle fibers.I did tweed fibers in the blues, to give interest. I am not sure what stitchers call this technique today, I only know it as tweeding( two strands of one shade and one of a second shade).
He is on 18st, and will the size of the little Prince Frog, small enough to hold in the palm of your hand I can't wait to see him finished. I have no doubt that Stitchery Square , my finishers,will spin their magic on him.

Who Said Needlepoint can't be Quick!

This morning I read, Margaret Travis's blog... she is a Squigger of long standing....a link to her blog is on this page........she talked about making a list ,of all the needlepoint projects she has finished so far this year.........it occurred to me .......what numbers, have I worked in the last 12 month period ,since i started to make models of Squiggees ,for trade show display....it is easy, to lose track, because it all moves from here ,to the finisher and then off to my distributor ...the whole purpose to promote
the design.................... like everyone, in this business you have to plan way ahead, for shows in the future.........so you have things in a draw waiting.....all are ear-marked for the finisher for a certain time frame.......you have to look ahead.!!!
I made a simple count in my head, this morning...yikes.......I have finished roughly 28 designs...all shapes and sizes.. some on 18, 13 and 10 stitch canvas, using a vast variety of exciting ,sometimes frustrating new to me fibers ........now that is not the exciting part.......... it occurred to me that, Squiggee Designs ,are exactly what I wanted them to be...fast and fun.... a canvas you can tuck in your bag and take anywhere.......whip it out and stitch a little ,at the traffic light, doctors waiting room, visiting another stitcher for coffee, almost anytime and anywhere ,that takes your fancy............ 12 months ago ,when I started to stitch, I hadn't worked any needlepoint , for at least 20 years and never in any fiber but wool..........I am not particularly clever, just a basic stitcher ,with a very full life and a full-time job...I stitch on the fly....it is not always possible to accomplish a goal ...so much of life tends be have it's own plan.......but Squiggee, is my jewel...an ebay baby......started just for my pleasure...it made me laugh and happy.................Squiggee was developed to be fun and quick......instant gratification...what a cool discovery ,to have ,on such an ordinary Friday morning.........now running a perfect household, or anything else that is routine...that is just a fantasy...lol

Two Mings are better than one !

It is always interesting to see how two stitchers( I laugh...calling myself a stitcher is a stretch) can take the same basic design and give it a unique look, using fibers and as in the case of the rollie Emperor Ming ...fancy dancy stitches...lol.....me ,I just stick to the basics...I know my level and tend to work within it...the first Ming Short and wide) is the rollie Ming....worked by my friend Donnelle . She is the manager a world class needlepoint shop ,in Everett, Washington, called The Needlepointer

......Donnelle is an expert as far as I am concerned ......she even worked his braid separate and attached it...how cool is that.....she is now working on his wife, Empress Ming and they will make quite a pair . When finished , the pair will be on a stand together...can't wait.....

now the second Ming ,that is taller and thinner...I designed & worked ,so it would fit a Stirling bag.... I added another color ,a darker red , that I worked in a deep purple...in the wonderful new DMC Satin Floss...the two Mings have fibers in common , but many different fibers , we each selected...funny we both worked his shoes in Petite Very Velvet...lol...but what else would befit an Emperor.....I love the fact ,that I have a wealth of talented friends ,that find my designs interesting enough to help with the models...the only problem is that it makes me realize that painting is my real calling...I enjoy making models and I am totally crazy about trying new fibers...but to be frank...the real complicated stitches don't interest me...thank goodness that other stitches don't feel the same way......the thing that makes these stitchers so great , is that they use the stitch that fits and adds to the overall design, and does not overpower the painted canvas....this is the true test of a master stitcher...in my opinion, but I am no expert...just know what my designs can handle and what works to make the design sing !...lol...

Sweet Tooth Gingerbread...from the Cape

I just got this great photo of my sweet tooth Gingerbread house from Anne Stradal ....
She wanted to know ,if this model she kindly offered to work for me was, OK... the woman must be high...lol...All I have to do is to add the beads around the base....dah...... it is perfect...a masterpiece...every stitch amazing...like all Anne's work...Good enough to eat...you know one could really hate Anne...if she wasn't so nice and generous ...lol........a talented artist , mother , and organizeded...hummmmm...good thing she can't walk on water...then I might just have to think twice...lol...oh me just being me..absurd and off the wall...just ignore me and enjoy what a great job Anne has done.................................

BOOBOO......

Today was a dog day in Squiggeeland...literally grey and rainy....but with a bright spot....this is BOO BOO...a Shar-Pei

this is the first dog of this breed, that I have painted the whole dog standing....you never realize how beautiful and muscular the breed is..all one ever sees is the Manatee like face and rolls and rolls of fur...I was entranced ...I do love dogs...he was around 12sq...on 18st...he will be made into a stool top...I did his brother last year...just the head...these dogs are good size...and have the look of being sweeties....

Mrs. Robin is back....it must be Spring !

Last Spring our front porch became a bird nursery.....Mrs. Robin spent a week preparing her nest on top of our porch light, wedged in between the light and the house. She then started a family.....we watched and waited checking the progress daily from a safe distance ..... then the little guys hatched, excitement ( we are city people) ...just like proud relatives, we checked their progress daily....

the little Robin chicks , got big and fat , and finally they flew off to start their life ,here in rural PA.......My husband then removed the nest and pitched it into the woods , and cleaned up...a little messy...low and behold... a day later the nest was back in place and She was nestled in and starting a second batch of eggs...no wonder there are so many Robins in the area, they have no family planning group to advise.......the second family hatched and when good and plump....left the nest for the last time...and started their own lives.......after a long period of seeing no activity, , my husband again removed the nest and cleaned the area.....

Fall...Winter...and NOW....... Mrs. Robin or her twin sister has returned making another nest in the same spot, and as you can see, see is expecting four little chicks( or whatever they call baby robins)...

My husband had to wait till she was off this morning having breakfast, and snapped this picture....I guess that the spot on the porch is now earmarked as Mrs. Robins hood!.....she does not like us coming out the front door, so we respect this and will use the back door until she has finished her family responsibilities....and not mess with her nest till the onset of Fall.........

with all the woods and rural landscape, funny how she has decided that this is a safe place to have a family.... of course we have no cats....the dogs could care less...now if she was a wild Turkey that would be a whole different story....

I personally think her eggs are a great color...isn't nature amazing....