Happy Pills

I guess I better start blogging since I have THREE FOLLOWERS! AAAAHHHH, the pressure!

I'm working on the March Tree of the Month now, taking time in between to knit some cool fingerless mitts. You're not supposed to know that I knit too so I have to hide it at home. I tell people I'm a closet knitter. There I sit, in the closet at home, knitting so nobody knows. Don't let my dirty little secret out okay? It's just between us.

This picture is blurry. I didn't say I was GOOD at this, did I?

Oh and I'm also stitching this new piece for a beginner's class. And today I stitched on a class I took at a Market who knows how long ago. A year? It's Jeannie by Ewe and Eye. Of course Jeannie was there stitching today and knew the name of it. Can you imagine? :-)

Here's the beginner's sampler.

I must say, I'm a little freaked out because the February Trunk Show - Petei - was supposed to be in the shop for the "first two weeks in February". I guess she really meant the first two weeks and it will show up Monday when I'm not there. Of course that doesn't really give me time to inventory it all in does it? I think Tuesday will be a heck of a busy day for us.

On a happy note, have you taken time to look at your life lately? I mean, I did the other day. With all this crappy stuff going on, I realized that these are probably the best days of my life. Some day when I'm old I'll look back on these days and think, "Wow. Those were the days."

Before you think I'm getting all sappy on you, think about it. I have the best job of my life right now. I answer to me, which in itself is pretty nice. Sure the pay is - um - not commensurate with the position but - whatever. I get to take my DOG to work for pete's sake. Who gets to do that? I have a job doing what I absolutely LOVE - it's stitching related PLUS it includes the business side of stitching so my brain doesn't turn into jello. Honestly I could do without some of the accounting, but I HAVE learned stuff. A lot of stuff. Computer stuff is the first thing that comes to mind. I'm still learning it. Look at this blog! I didn't realize this part would be easier than my own website!

I drive a 12 year old car but it still runs and the seat heater works AND I don't mind if my dog scuffs up the back seat. I can wear casual clothes to work which is handy because there's a lot of crawling around on the floor to be done. My job is FULL of exercise. Really. I can't believe how much better shape I'm in than I used to be. This was a good time of life to STOP working in an office and sitting on my butt for 8 hours. I've met lots of stitchers that turned into friends that I wouldn't have known otherwise. To me, this is all great fortune that I've been in training for my entire life.

Maybe take a look at YOUR life and figure out what you like about it. Surprise yourself! Because when you start looking at the positives, the negatives can take a back seat. Don't let them drive. :-)

P.S. No, I'm not taking happy pills, I'm an eternal optimist.

P.P.S. I would have been nearly done with the March tree by now had I not used Princess Perle Petite by mistake for have the tree and had to rip it out and start with regular P.P. Grrrrr.

P.P.S.S. I looked up how to spell commensurate in the dictionary before I realized this thing has a spell check on it.

Theresa

February Finis'!

I finished the February tree in time to start the March tree! :-) The February tree was SO MUCH FUN and so many people have loved it that I put it early in the year so that you have time to finish it well before Christmas. If you're not in the Tree Club (Stitch a Forest, Plant a Tree) then you don't know what the heck I'm talking about. Anyway, here's the picture. Yes! You can join in at any time. Here's the picture. Now I have to go because I'm at the shop.

Newsletter of January 4, 2010

I thought I'd post this in case you want to read it...
Here are some fun things I have coming up in January. Be sure to read to the bottom to find out about our upcoming sale.

Upcoming classes:
Canvas Embellishment with Kathy Fenchel:Wednesday, January 20
Wednesday, February 24
Tuesdays with Theresa continues each Tuesday from 2:00 to 4:00. If you're not a "regular" and are going to drop in, please be sure to call ahead in January as I may need to cancel occasionally due to family issues.

New Websites on OUR Website
New websites for you to explore! I've added a couple more websites to our designer list - Check out the All About Stitching and Enterprises. If you haven't checked out Julia's lately, you're going to want to as they've added a lot to their website too. Remember, if I don't have it in stock, I'll order it for you and it DOES get punched on your keytag. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read about our keytag program here http://www.homesteadneedlearts.com/Results.cfm.

Plant a Forest, Stitch a TreeIf you missed signing up for the Plant a Forest, Stitch a Tree program, there's still time. There's more information here http://www.homesteadneedlearts.com/results.cfm?SubCategory=180 and I'll be tickled if you join us. I'm working on the end of the February tree now so I'm actually a month ahead! Eeek! I better get going or I'¦ll lose my edge! Just say the word and join in.

Homestead now has a Blog
By the way, I finally started a blog. I didn't want to say anything TOO early in case I can't keep up with it. If you want to see a few pictures, just visit it here at www.homesteadneedlearts.blogspot.com. I didn't say it was fancy but if you like you can become a follower and I'll try to keep you up-to-date on my personal stitching achievements AND anything interesting going on at the shop!

Electronic Needlepoint Updates:Do you have a Kindle (an electronic book?) The Needlepoint Book by Jo Ippolito Christensen is now available for the Kindle. Imagine being able to download this book and have it with you on your lightweight portable electronic book!Next, Suzy Murphy came out with an iPhone application in mid-December for her Portable Stitches book. I believe it is $9.99 and of course you download it to your i-Phone. Now THAT'S handy.

Hours:Remember, I'm re-opening after the holidays on Tuesday, January 5, but our website is always open. ALSO, in case of inclement weather, always phone first if you're going to be driving a distance to the shop to be sure I'll be open. Don't make the trip and be disappointed!The New Year is here and I want to make room for NEW merchandise! So it's time for a BIG...

January Sale - January 5 through January 16, 2010
This applies to IN STOCK MERCHANDISE ONLY!

ALL KITS ARE ON SALE at 20% OFF - that includes the popular Stitch N Zips, Kreinik silk gauze kits, our beautiful New Zealand kits, beginner's kits and more. Great way to get something for a long car trip or get a friend started in needlepoint.

ALL TOTE BAGS ARE 20% OFF. This does not include mesh kit keepers (those without handles.) If it has a handle, it's a tote. We've got some great canvas one with an area that you can put a stitched canvas in - there's a sticky area covered with paper that I think is about 5 x 5".
ALL IN STOCK LEE LEATHER GOODS ARE 20% OFF! We have eyeglass cases, a mirror, a pink round box, an address book, a cosmetics case, a satchel and a wonderful large tote. Check our in stock canvases at the same time for these items and receive 20% off any canvas that fits your Lee item.

ALL OTHER PURSES IN STOCK ARE 20% OFF! Yes, we do have some non Lee purses. Can you believe it? We have lots of beautiful JP Needlepoint purses that can be changed into a non-purse piece and two velveteen bags with matching painted canvases. ALL BOXES ARE 20% OFF. That includes Sudberry, HP Designs and whatever else I have in stock here. This is a great time to stock up and finish your projects in a beautiful box. "Boxes" will include all Sudberry items as I have some nice pincushions and shutters you might like too. ALL DEBBEE'S DESIGNS CHARTS ARE 20% OFF. I seem to have FAR to many of these. :-)Now for the threads!

ALL APPLETON CREWEL AND TAPESTRY WEIGHT WOOL, PATERNAYAN WOOL, NEW ZEALAND STRAND WOOL AND BURMILANA IS 20% OFF. Go through your canvases and see what you need! Get it while it's on sale!

ALL 5 YARD THREADWORX FLOSS ARE NOW JUST $1.50 (they were $2.20). I'll be carrying 20 yards only in the future so I'm clearing out all 5 yard skeins. We have lots of colors so pick them up at this great price.

ALL KREINIK 1/16" RIBBON, 1/8" RIBBON, #32 BRAID are 20% off. I want to clear out the racks so come and get them!The following Rainbow Gallery threads are 20% off to make room for NEW COLORS IN JANUARY¡K.TIARA, GOLD RUSH 14, 24 KARATS, HI-LIGHTS, regular FYRE WERKS (OLD STYLE, not SOFT SHEEN), RAINBOW TWEED, RAINBOW LINEN, PEBBLY PERLE, FLAIR, BRAVO, PATINA, FROSTY RAYS INCLUDING PETITE, FLUFFY FLEECE INCLUDING PETITE, PATENT LEATHER.

ALL FLOCHE IS 20% OFF. What's floche? It's a very fine 100% cotton thread that is a size 16 perle cotton. You can strand it up or use it as is. It comes in a huge hank at $5.75.

Those visiting will find more bargains in our thread box as we have bits and pieces from various companies. PLEASE! HELP ME CLEAN UP SO WE CAN BRING IN THE NEW COLORS AND THREADS!What?

You want canvases on sale too? Okay, but only those with snow on them will be on sale. They'll be 20% off too. It doesn't matter if it's a pile of snow or one snowflake. YOU find the snow and it's on sale. Remember, keytags can not be punched on sale canvases.

Remember, THIS SALE APPLIES TO IN STOCK MERCHANDISE that's in stock as of this writing. The sale will start Tuesday, January 5 and end Saturday January 16. That means you only have TWO WEEKS to come and shop the sale. After that all the new merchandise will start streaming in the door and hopefully you'll have helped clear the way.I hope that you have a happy, healthy, prosperous 2010 and that all your stitching projects are on their way to becoming works of art! See you soon!
Theresa
Homestead Needle Arts LLC
Grand Blanc, Michigan
810-694-3040, 810-694-0370
www.homesteadneedlearts.com
email: shop@homesteadneedlearts.com
blog: homesteadneedlearts.blogspot.com

After Christmas

Geez, three weeks since I posted. What a bum!

I had a great Christmas because I was able to actually give gifts again this year. Not to many handmade of course! I did give one of my sisters the CUTEST needlepointed ornament that looks just like her car. Here it is...

This one was really hard to give away because it was so darling! I don't have a Mini Cooper but it was just so cute hanging on my tree. Oh well. Maybe in my next life. :-)

Also I received Sirirus XM radio which is the best thing for long distance drivers. I discovered this little gem on my way to PA at Thanksgiving in the rental car. I always thought people who paid for radio must be nuts. Now I know why they do. There's something about choosing your own music via their 3 gazillion stations and not having to listen to all those ads. I know, I should LOVE ads, right? I'm in sales, right? Well I don't. But I DO love listening to MY version of the golden oldies which is the 70's and 80's. Hysterical, isn't it? Sometimes, I switch to the 60's just to see how many of those I know. I suppose eventually I'll try more of the stations which I was doing on Christmas Day but for now, it's nice to be rocking to the oldies. While I clean my office. YIKES!

Honestly, what do you think I do when I take a week off? Go on a moonlit cruise? Shop til' I drop? No, I get ready for tax time and do inventory. I try to clean my office - I swear I'm doing it! My office also doubles as storage which is just BAD! I keep throwing out tons of of old papers and files and wonder why I kept things like all those newsletters from guilds I received 5 years ago. I keep finding things that belong at home (just so you know, when I'm at home cleaning, I keep finding things that belong at work). Then I find all those projects that I was going to start or teach or stitch for somebody. And that is like the opposite of making resolutions. I guess year end is a good time to do it.

Okay, off I go!

I Saw Santa

I saw Santa Claus this morning in an old blue Buick at US 23 and Grand Blanc Road. I am NOT kidding. He had his window down and was driving westbound on Grand Blanc Road. He didn't see me but I sure saw him! I've seen him before. Years ago I saw him in Ferndale on Nine Mile Road. He was driving a really old Pinto that time. I had somebody in the car with me and we both waved and he waved back. I always wonder if he's on the way to the mall or just driving around to see if anybody notices him. After all it was 9:15 this morning and that's pretty early to be driving to a mall. Still it just proves if you watch really closely you can always see something you didn't expect. :-) Of course one might think Michigan is close to the North Pole. I think my sister Chris thinks that. She lives in Arizona. Ha!

I can post a picture now of what I made for my friend Cheryl since I'm finally going to give it to her today and there's little chance she'll see this picture first. She loves cats. OH MY GOSH don't have a heart attack, it's not needlepoint!

Front of fob

Back of fob

Pennsylvania

Things I learned while on vacation:

1. Mapquest is not always right. Either own a GPS or have a detailed map with you of the area you're in.
2. Pennsylvania is FULL of roads. They all go somewhere but not usually where you want them to. I think it has something to do with the hills.
3. Pennsylvania is NOT full of McDonald's. Which is a good thing really. Until you're really really REALLY hungry (or worse yet, have to go to the bathroom) and you're driving around in the middle of somewhere and there's nothing but houses and hills and lots of scenery. By the way, if you get hungry and you see a bar, stop and eat. You'll be pleasantly surprised. We tried to stop at an Italian place but it wasn't open yet. So the bar got our business and BOY WAS THE BARBECUE GOOD! The name is Phamous Phils and I think it was on Swamp Pike. If you paid me to find it again, I couldn't but my sister could. She has a GPS. :-)
4. When you want something like a Coke or a candy bar or coffee you don't stop at a Stop N Go, or a 7-11. You stop at Wawa. I just about split a gut laughing at that name. Wawa! Wawa! Don't get me started.

Of course I took some needlepoint with me and started a new project! I hope to have it done for Christmas. I didn't take a picture yet. Cheers!

Follow Me, Where I Go...

Yikes! I didn't mean to break into song there. :-) According to Blog Directions, I'm supposed to tell you to Follow Me so I put a handy "tool" on my bloggy thing and you can click on it and never lose me. If you want to. Somehow. Can you tell I'm new at this? ...Looks like you push the Follow button and sign in and then it'll put me on your page or something. Okay that's enough technical stuff for tonight.

By the way, I'm also a closet cross stitcher. I guess I should say "counted thread-er." I have to say closet because if I were to do that at work people would expect me to carry it. I also still knit quite frequently in my spare time (HA!). In the past I've also been known to crochet, quilt, rug hook, do hardanger, spin, weave (but I cheated, somebody else set up the loom), punchneedle...I think I've just about tried everything at least once.

I'm only telling you this because I made a gift for a friend whose birthday is coming up and I did NOT needlepoint it. I can't post it yet because she might be reading this and that would ruin the surprise. Are you wondering if it's you? :-)