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.

Take me away...

Sometimes there are days when you feel like you need to get away from it all. Today was one of those days. It was such a long day and when I came home I painted this...wishing all the while that I was laying on a tropical beach. I could see myself there; umbrealla drink in my hand and the sun on my face. Maybe there's a nice breeze blowing and rustling the palms. Well, maybe I can't be on a tropical beach, at least not until school is over for the summer. But, I can pretend. Anyone care to join me? Oh, I almost forgot, this is painted on Zweigert Mono 14 canvas and is 9x8 inches.

By the way, I'm working on a website that hopefully will be fully loaded soon so keep an eye out for us at www.BarefootNeedlepointDesign.com

The one that didn't get away...

My brother Steve loves to fish. He's bought all the best equipment. He has poles, reels and lures galore. He has a library filled with fishing books, each one claiming to have "the secret" to landing that perfect catch. Each time Steve heads out with his rod and tackle box he's sure he's going to catch a monster. "I'll bring home something good for dinner" is his usual good bye.

Unfortunately, Steve never catches anything. For all his efforts he would probably do just as well to hang a tiny dinner bell from his line to call all fish in the vicinity to come and eat. Perhaps a sign (written in perfect fish-ese) inviting them to the "All You Can Eat Buffet" would do the trick.

This sunny fish, dare I call him Sunfish Steve? was born out of my brother's recent fishing expedition.

Sunfish Steve is painted on Zweigert Mono 14 mesh canvas and measures a whopping 9x7. Come on, it's bigger than anything he's caught! Since he was inspired while in Sanibel he carries that name but we all know the oceans are everywhere so his monicar could be anything you want.

By the way, Steve did finally catch a fish. I rolled up this canvas and tossed it across the room to him. He caught it!

Best seat in the house

Sometimes the best seat in the house isn't in the house at all. Sometimes, like this time, it's outside on a sandy beach looking out over crystal clear waters. The name of the beach changes...maybe it's Captiva, maybe it's 7 mile beach in Grand Cayman, wherever it is, it's perfection.

This piece is 6x6 inches painted on Zweigert mono 14 mesh canvas. It fits perfectly in the 6x6 opening of a frame and looked great in a Sudbury box. No matter the finishing it's a nice little reminder of a tropical paradise.

I saw a starfish...

I saw a starfish on the ground. He was half buried in the sand. Just so out of place and ahh. He was a long, long way from home.

I saw a starfish on the ground. Oh, he was still buried in the sand. Now he's not so all alone. And he's finally going home. So I smiled and I shook his hands....and we were singin'
Na na na na na na na Na na na na na na

This funky starfish is handpainted on Zweigert 14 count mono canvas. The image size is 9x9. inches

Siren's song...

See what happens when you have a blizzard and sit in the kitchen listening to reggae? You are magically transported to the warm waters of the Caribbean where mermaids frolic in crystal blue water and sing songs to lure poor seamen to their doom. Our girl is more interested in gazing at her own reflection than singing for the passing ships. As always she is hand painted on Zweigert 14 count mono canvas. If you listen closely you might hear her hum of satisfaction...

Wild things...

Recently I was asked to create an animal print for a client. Here is the lepoard print I came up with. I am pleased with how it came out, enough so that I'm thinking about doing other prints. What prints does anyone suggest? I was thinking zebra and giraffe. Thoughts?

Merry Christmas to all!

I just want to take this opportunity to wish Merry Christmas to one and all!

You better watch out...

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout I'm telling you why. Well, you know how it goes. He's watching and after the day I had I'm not sure if I'll land on the naughty or nice list this Christmas. (though right now I'm leaning toward naughty) So I figured I'd cover my bases. I have both naughty and nice in 4" rounds on Zweigert 18 count mono canvas. Now if I only had some time to work the pieces...

Turkey

OK I just HAVE to put this guy up here because I really love the way he came out. This is a Raymond Crawford canvas (I think he calls him Larry the Turkey) that I worked over the summer.

I loved including so many different stitches and fibers. But truly the finishing put me over the top.

As you can see he has ribbons on top as well as silk leaves and some feathers.

There are real feathers incorporated into his tail along with braid and beads. I have the feeling he is going to be the talk of dinner tomorrow and will command more attention than the bird we're going to eat.

Stitches....Stitches

OK I was searching around the web for ideas for a background. I have a Christmas ornament of a flamingo and wanted to do something Christmassy but not too Christmassy since it will be up against a hot pink flamingo.

I decided on a Christmas tree darning pattern in a dark forest green and went on line to see if there was anything already done. What I found was an amazing website called Stitchopedia. It's a free site with tons of stitches diagramed. Here is a link to the site. http://www.stitchopedia.com/index.html Check it out...you'll like it as much as I did I'm sure.

Enjoy!

Cindy

Seahorses Rule!

Did you know Seahorses are truly unique, and not just because of their unusual equine shape. Unlike most other fish, they are monogamous and mate for life. Rarer still, they are among the only animal species on Earth in which the male bears the unborn young. You have to love that! our elegant seahorse, SeaBiscust (I couldn't resist) shows his true colors on this 14 thread mono canvas.

Thank You!

I just want to take a moment to thank all of you who have emailed feedback on pieces I've posted and suggestions for new ones you would like to see. You have all given me so much to work on. Joyce, thank you especially for the push to do Christmas ornaments. I think you sent me the muse because my creative juices were really flowing and still are.

It has been great fun finding charms and other do-dads for the pieces and eventhough I know it's a little late to be stitching Christmas pieces when you know Santa is coming you just can't help yourself.

Thanks again everyone. Please keep the feedback and suggestions coming!

Gobble Gobble

Gobble! Gobble!

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which went down in history as the first Thanksgiving. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. While the menu most likely did include turkey I doubt they would have eaten this cute little guy. Our turkey is hand painted on Zweigert Mono 14 count canvas and is ready to give thanks for a good year.