To Change The World

Half the worlds citizens (3 billion people) struggle to live on less than $2 a day. This affects their nutrition, health, and their ability to send their children to school. It also affects the social and political stability of our planet. Women, many raising children alone, make up 70% of the world's poorest. Wow! As I sat there waiting for my turn to get my haircut, sipping my $2+ Star Buck's and flipping through a woman's magazine I came across an article about FINCA International.
FINCA provides loans, not handouts, to over 500,000 microentrepreneurs so they can build their small businesses. Through Village Banking, FINCA, helps very poor families with small loans to invest in their microenterprises. As a woman, a mother and a entrepreneur this article really struck a cord within me, I came home and did some internet research. I was very impressed that the money donated is used as loans and not handouts. I felt that this was such a worthwhile endeavor that I set up a monthly withdrawal from my credit card to help other women in their struggle against poverity. There are many ways to make a difference in the world, I hope you will consider joining this one.
FINCA International is a non-profit, microfinance organization, founded by John Hatch in 1984. to read more visit:
www.villagebanking.org

Current Project

Today I'm playing hooky and not painting orders from the show. Everybody needs a break now and then. On the way home from the Long Beach show I happily sat in the back of my husbands truck and stitched, well I napped a bunch too. I brought with me a piece that I've been wanting to stitch for some time. #76, Dancing In The Moonlight. I love bunnies and this is one of my favorites. It shows two bunnies dancing in the pale light of a new moon. I started by stitching the background. I wanted to try Bargello and decided on a heart pattern. There is a row of hearts standing upright and then a row of the hearts with the bottom point up. It took me a while (and some reverse stitching) to work out the dividing row that is between the two rows of hearts. I started by setting up the outlining frame work using a darker shade of blue Impressions., #7053. Once that was in place it was very easy to go back and fill in the center of the hearts with the lighter shade of blue, Impressions #7075. The pattern leaves a blank canvas thread in the dividing row. This can be filled in with a bead or a third thread choice. I wanted something shiny and used a pale pink Kreinik thread, #12 braid #9200.

The bunnies were simply done in basket weave and I will go back and fuzz up the thread to give them some texture. Before I stitched the bunnies I outlined each one using a wrapped-back stitch. After I fuzz the bunnies I will stitch the bows around their necks. The moon is stitched using a Framed Mosaic stitch. The mosaic stitch is done with a more intense yellow color, Splendor #S999 and the framed part is a softer yellow, Splendor #S943.

I got a little bit of the grass started. I'm using a Jacquard stitch. The single dividing stitch is done in a dark green thread, Splendor #S829 and then I'm filling in with Frosty Rays, #Y081.

The design image size is 7 x 7 inches and I plan on finishing it as a pillow for my sister.

A larger view of the design can be seen on my website: http://www.happyheartdesigns.com/

Reflections on the TNNA Show

We've made it home, safe and sound.
I gave up trying to write on my husbands laptop while at the show. First of all my head was so tired every night that I could hardly hold a thought much less write it down. And secondly, I had a hard time dealing with an unfamiliar computer sitting on a tiny TV tray. Anyway, enough excuses.
I guess overall I wasn't that impressed. I didn't see anything that I thought was really new and innovative. Sure, there were tons of great canvases and I'm sure all you stitchers out there will find lots of wonderful new things in the next few weeks at your favorite shops. There were new colors in some of the thread lines as well. But overall, there wasn't anything that was just WOW!
This year, as in the past three years, there was a decline in attendance from shop owners. On the other side of the coin, there was an increase in needlepoint booths (vendors) at the show. So the bottom line is that there are more designers selling and fewer shop owners buying. Everyone keeps saying that needlepoint is making a come back and I believe it is, however, the shop owners are still a bit leery and are afraid of making much of a buying commitment.
Although the show started off with a bang for us, the next two days were almost dead. As I walked around the floor I kept hearing this sentiment from all the other vendors. "Where is everybody?" It's sad really, this is the biggest show of the year for needlepoint and yet every year the expenses of attending far outweigh the sales written.

This year I was across the aisle from June McKnight, a very charming lady. I have several of her books and enjoyed looking at her newest book on Bargello. It's filled with wonderful patterns and is such a small, convenient size.
I saw lots of beginner designs in many different lines. Hopefully the shop owners will understand that in order for needlepoint to continue to florish they, the shop owners, must encourage and teach new stitchers of all ages. My beginner designs were wonderfully received and I'll be busy painting for the next few weeks. I hope they are just as well received in the shops and that many new stitchers will discover the joys of needlepoint.
My newest series, In My Garden, did very well. While there are always those stitchers who are undaunted by massive projects (I'm not one) I think just as many like to have something much more manageable. These smaller designs fit the bill perfectly and are very charming. They're perfect for using up your thread stash and for taking with you to doctor appointments and on other errands. My series from last year, the Calendar Hearts, was a huge success, even more than from the year before. I had so many shop owners wanting to start up a series that I let one take my models home for 3 weeks to help sign people up. As soon as she is finished I will send them on to the next shop and on down the list. This was very exciting for me and I hope their customers will be as excited about the series as I am.

First Day

Wow, this is so exciting. Thanks to all of you for the good wishes. We had a super first day, selling almost as much today as we have for entire past shows! Everyone is interested in our new series, In My Garden as well as last years series, Calendar Heart Series. The response to our Beginner designs has been wonderful. Many thanks to Judy Harper's beautifully stitched models and her article in the January issue of Needlepoint Now. The majority of shop owners spent today walking the show, picking up catalogs and making notes. We're hoping that they come back tomorrow to place orders.
I didn't have too much time to walk around myself but did get over to the Kreiniks booth. I love their new metallic ribbon, such beautiful colors. They are very generous with designers, supplying us with lots of threads to use in our stitched models. I can't wait to try out some of the new ones.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get around to more of the needlepoint booths. I love to see what every one has been busy with for the past year. This year the show floor seems more divided between needlepoint and yarn booths. In past years the booths were very mixed requiring buyers to walk up and down every aisle looking for the booths they wanted to see. This meant that they had to walk the entire floor several times to see everything and place all their orders. Most shop owners found this overwhelming. This year with most of the needlepoint booths on one side, I'm hoping the buyers will feel that they have more time to talk with the designers and get information and ideas. And that boils down to more sales for the designers.
I hope I can report more tomorrow on new items. I'll be out there walking and looking.

Exhibitor Move In Day

I love set up day, it's so exciting and fun to see all our friends. We arrived early as instructed but found that others had the same idea. Still all went smoothly and soon our boxes were dropped off at our booth. The convention center is so different on set up day, it's like looking at an animal from the inside out. The bones are there but no meat. Tomorrow morning when we walk in it's totally different. The carpet is down, plants and seating areas are set up, booths are assembled and full of gorgeous canvases and threads. It's really too much to take in at one time, all three days are needed to see everything. I love to walk around just before the opening bell. I can look at everything and visit briefly with the different exhibitors before the crowds arrive.

It takes several hours to set our booth up so that everything is just right and by the time we finished we were famished. We went across the street and had a wonderful lunch at Parker's Lighthouse. We sat outside under sunny, clear blue skies, ate lunch and watched the yachts go in and out of the harbor. This afternoon I'm relaxing and working on a new piece. It's one of my earlier designs but one I haven't had time to stitch yet, #76, Dancing In The Moonlight.

It shows two bunnies dancing in the pale light of a waning moon. I'm trying a Bargello stitch for the background. It's one I worked out on the drive here and while bouncing along in the back of our truck...not an easy task. It's hard enough to count stitches much less hitting the right hole with the needle.

Anyway, this Bargello stitch is a heart pattern. I'll share a picture as soon as I can.

We're Here

We've arrived safely in Long Beach California last night. Not much to report on the drive here. Each day I was tossed into the back of the truck and handed a Starbucks to keep me quiet. Occasionally Steve would stop and announce that I had 5 minutes for a potty break. Good thing I can pee really really fast. The first day we crossed through west Texas and spent the night just across the border in New Mexico. The second day we stopped in Phoenix Arizona. I must say that driving through Los Angeles is rather scary. Nobody goes the speed limit and they are all on their cell phones which makes you wonder how much they are paying attention to the other drivers. But we made it and have a really nice place to stay. There is an RV place here down by the water and just a short distance from the convention center. They even have a free shuttle service, how nice is that? Today was a free day for us to just unwind so we went to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Wow, what a great place. There is so much to see and do there. We even fed some of the birds they had. I'll share the pictures later. After lunch we found the closest grocery store and of course, the nearest Starbucks. Those of us who are addicted will understand my obsession. We thought it would be good to make a run past the convention center to see where the loading docks are and when we should arrive tomorrow morning.

We also wanted to check out Howard Hughes, Spruce Goose. When we finally navigated our way over there we were told that the exhibit had been moved......15 years ago. Well I guess we're just a bit on the slow side. Tomorrow is set up day. It's always fun to see old friends and get a early look at all the new designs. I'll try to take notes on all the new trends and then share them with you on another post.

Are We There Yet?

My dear husband has decided that we will leave for our trip at the crack of dawn. Now to me "the crack of dawn" comes sometime after I've had my Star Bucks for the morning. Not so my dear husband! He actually went to the Star Bucks near our house and asked them what time they would be ready to serve in the morning- 6:00am! 6:00am! I'm supposed to be up and ready to greet the day at 6:00am. Now that means you have to go backwards for the amount of time it takes me to wake up, shower, dress, make the bed and get my last few things down to the RV. Then run back inside and love on the puppy, who isn't getting to go on this trip, wake up the child who is also staying behind to tell her good bye and oh yes, one last thing..... This will never do! It's not happening! He's made a pallet up for me in the back of his truck and he thinks he is going to roll me in there, toss me a pillow, hand me my Star Bucks and hit the road.
I'm supposed to wake up 11 hours later and find myself somewhere in west Texas.
Obviously I'm not the best of travellers....are we there yet??? And no, there will not be a picture of me at 6:00am driving down the highway.