And the ribbon goes to....

As many of you know I submit pieces to the Needlework show at Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria, Virginia every year. This week I took a day off from school to go down and see the 48th Annual exhibit. It was amazing! I love having the opportunity to see what kinds of pieces everyone has been working on.

For those unfamiliar the nation’s premiere exhibition of contemporary needlework is held annually at Woodlawn, a National Historic Landmark located in Alexandria, Virginia. Woodlawn was the home of Eleanor Custis Lewis, one of America’s foremost needle workers (and George Washington's step-daughter). The exhibition honors her legacy by maintaining the tradition of the needle arts and by raising funds to preserve her estate. Woodlawn is a completely self-supporting, nonprofit historic site.

This year I sent the turkey which I had posted on this site at Thanksgiving. It is a Raymond Crawford canvas and I just loved working on it and thought the finishing was out of this world. I was thrilled to find out that he was awarded an Honorable Mention ribbon.

I also submitted one of my own Barefoot

Designs pieces, Dolce Bunny. He was fun to stitch and was one of the fastest pieces I've worked in a very long time. You all know how rare it is that a piece seems to just fly by and be done. I'm especially proud to say that Dolce won a First Place ribbon! Hopefully Dolce, and his ribbon will be home from the plantation in time to celebrate Easter.

I invite all my fellow stitchers to submit something to the show next year. Don't worry that you live too far away, pieces can be mailed in and the volunteers who set-up and staff the exhibit will mail them back home to you. If you are close enough to visit I encourage you to go in and see the show. I challenge any stitcher to walk through and see all that beautiful work and not feel their creative juices start to flow.

We're official!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Barefoot Needlepoint Designs is official now...we have a website! I finally admitted it was time to take the next step and join the 21st century. So now we have a website that is up and running although parts are still under construction. The web address is: http://www.BarefootNeedlepointDesign.com

Please come and check us out. New pages are being added almost every day as are images of the canvases, and retailers who carry them.

Also, we will be adding a page to spotlight your work. I would love the opportunity to showcase pieces that you all have stitched. Let's face it so much time, effort and love goes into every piece we work on and I think everyone needs to be recognized for the beautiful work they do. Frankly, I love to see what your vision for the piece is, what stitches you used, the threads and the finishing. So if you are willing to share with us we would like to share it with the world and put your name up in lights. Well, maybe not lights put I promise to use a really pretty font. :-)

If you have any questions, suggestions or just want to say hi come by the site and check it out. You can email me at Cindy@BarefootNeedlepointDesign.com.

I look forward to seeing your pictures soon. In the mean time keep stitching!

Cindy

Here comes Santa Claus...

If two heads are better than one imagine how great three must be. How about our trio of Santa Claus? Not only is he bearing toys in that pack on his back but he even has candy canes for the good boys and girls on his list. You know, if you look deep in that bag I am sure you will find needlepoint canvases, threads, needles and a nice scroll frame, everything the well behaved stitcher could possibly have on their Christmas wish list.

Here's wishing one and all a very happy and healthy holiday. Ho Ho Ho! Happy stitching to one and all!

Gobble...Gobble...

I realize I'm a little early here but forgive me. I've been gone a little while. In the last couple of months I've had surgery to repair multiple tears to the ligaments in my wrist...in my writing, drawing and painting hand. After 6 weeks in a long arm cast and 4 more in a splint I'm finally getting back to the business of painting. Yay!

So now here I am, full of ideas trying to get them onto paper and canvas.

Additionally, I've begun building a website. It's slow going since I am technologically challenged but it's there, all 5 pages of it. When you check it out, please keep in mind it's a work in progress but also please, please, please let me know what you think. As always I look forward to your feedback and suggestions. The web address is BarefootNeedlepointDesign.com

Have an amazing holiday where ever you are.

Cindy

Call of the Wild

I created this to honor all my friends who hear the call of the wild each September and answer it. You are the ones who provide the solid foundation of future generations. Teachers.

Anyone who has ever taught school can appreciate that "it's a jungle out there" and jungles by their very nature are filled with wild things. Things we try to teach and tame. It is a labor of love, a calling. Not everyone can do it. But for those who can and do, there is no greater reward.

So everyone think back to your favorite teacher; the one who really impacted your life, and thank him or her.

Sailing....

I'm sailing away
Set an open course for the Virgin Sea
'Cause I've got to be free
Free to face the life that's ahead of me
On board, I'm the captain
So climb aboard
We'll search for tomorrow on every shore
And I'll try, oh Lord, I'll try to carry on

Everyone needs to get away once in awhile, why not sail off into the sunset? I'm ready to head out myself. A nice jaunt down the river should do the trick. So who's in??

Ahhhh luxury....

Ahhh the luxury of a bubble bath in a deep ball and claw tub. No mud for this pretty piggy. She will stick with a blanket of thick bubbles thank you very much. Add a glass of champagne, Dom Perignon of course, and you have the ultimate in relaxation. Does it get better than this? Not if you ask this happy piggy. The only thing missing are her aroma therapy candles and a massage from that handsome, muscular pig from across the yard.