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WHAT'S NEW april 30, 2008 please
check this out re dmc and the rumor mill!!! i am trying to put some rumors to rest...if you click on above - it will take you to the dmc press release...this is just insane...and certainly we have more important things to worry about than cotton floss - don't we??? i am behind again this week - no kidding...but my server is having problems because microsoft has ceased to maintain and support frontpage extensions...so guess what - i have to find a new software and totally rebuild this web site...and that should make me truly stick my head into a vice. but, nothing like a challenge to keep me focused...but, i'm getting way too old for challenges. doggers went to the vet this week - mr. gatsby will be having his "surgery" in two weeks from today; mr. nick has a tiny hernia that we are watching and had his 3rd pupper shot. the weights are in and gatsby at seven months is 9.5 pounds full grown and the slugger known as nickolas at 16 weeks weights in at 8.5 pounds. daddy and momma have told gatsby to be careful about picking on his baby brother...because in about a pound time - they will be on equal footing. and we thought nickolas would be small like gatsby - NOT!!! he has 2.6 pounds in three weeks...and i think a brick on his head would be in good order. it has been very very windy here for almost 5 days - we went from hot and windy to cool and windy...and we had a 20 degree temp drop overnight...and more and more wind so the allergies are just nuts and everybody is walking around with runny eyes and sloppy makeup sneezing all the time...and it makes a person so tired...very tired indeed. i have to finish cleaning out the rest of the mess in the next door unit...but we are freeing up some space here in our back area so we will have some extra room to put the extra stuff and we are massing boxes and boxes for our sidewalk sale in july so that is coming along too!!! and, i might actually be able to find a little bit extra time in the next couple of months...so i can get working on all the things i want to do for the store - life is good - if the wind would just stop blowing... we are working on our special treat from blackbird...moda fabric came the other day - am contacting weeks for the threads we need; sampler threads are already here...and i just need to find some ribbons and wait to see what our waxer is going to look like...this is going to be way fun. we are also playing with other things too - special pin cushions, bag, this and that...and waiting for our kelly to come home from school for the summer so she can help me with all this computer stuff...she is a wizard - truly a wizard. so..without further ado...and because i have to go clean up the web site on the server when i try to get this update loaded...and because i have to go fuss with new software...and because and because and because... it's fine-ally finished
- this was my birthday pressie this year - inspired by the wisteria that grows
in our back yard. we have completely kitted it and we are doing a limited
number of kits based on the oscar de la renta silk taffeta that lines the piece. shepherd's bush - two new ones for mother's
day...i love them both...one quaker and one very sweet - one small count and one
big count...it's a very good thing. little house needleworks: country cottage
needleworks: lizzie kate: from europe: and so...i'm out of here to see if i can figure out how to load this correctly and then start searching for a new program. i just had a lovely visit from a good friend from new york who is in california - it was great to see her...she and her daughter just left for san francisco - so good to see her!!! so...enjoy the rest of your week - have a great weekend - wish me luck on a new program - and after that learning how to get the new program to work...life is a series of challenges...and nothing is ever too big - or so i've been told!! see ya soon - maybe with a new look...and then again...maybe not - all depending...thanks for joining us this week...until later...lgm and the gang at elegant stitch * april 26, 2008 * there has been an inordinate amount of things to clean up, put away and scrub up since our retreat ended last sunday afternoon and jackie climbed on a plane monday morning to head east. we've had week 5 of puppy dogger class and that was just the start - i don't know where all the stuff comes from - to give you an example - the blue tub with all the extension cords and power strips is still in disgusting condition and i have to removed the shipping boxes at the end of the room so sara can make some sense out of it this morning when she comes in. the incoming box fairie pooped on us tuesday and wednesday and thursday and by yesterday - annie and i couldn't see straight - let alone function. actually it takes about a week to get our acts back together after a retreat...so we are right on schedule. i have a pile in my basket - and i'm coming in tomorrow to do the update - but tonight annie, kristen and i are being the clean up crew for kelly's mom cindy at the school auction. we are in charge of the shrimps for munchies and making "dump cake" (i have no idea but i have a strange feeling i am going to find out) and then we are clean-up crew...so everything i 'dump' in those glass baking pans i had better be neat - i hate scrubbing backed on ick off!!! anyway, we told cindy a very long time ago that we would be her crew...and she knows she can count on us to cover her back...and besides, we absolutely love the big room at the church for our retreats...so whatever it takes...we'll do it!!! closing the shop at 4:00 this afternoon so we can go "shrimp" and "dump" and i'll be in tomorrow with an update and some serious cleanup and list making...it's going to be a fun year...and we have lots of stuff in the planning stages. lgm april 16, 2008 two very clean doggers, one very clean shop, one very
organized (or so we think) shop and we are ready for our retreat starting on
friday with the first of our guests arriving tomorrow. i finally got all
the rest of the pictures hung above the front windows, annie helped me this
morning...and jessika and annie are just finishing up the last of the
"stuff" and the last of the orders as we head into our weekend.
just spoke with jackie on the phone and it was really nice to hear her
say..."see you tomorrow". and so...because we have a very full weekend with the on-line show and with our own retreat and because we will be up to our eyeballs until at least the middle of next week - i am proceeding along here...and hoping we can go where angels fear to wander :) made a quick trip to costco yesterday morning...made trips to the dogger day spa today...jessika has a flat screen monitor again...the original flat screen got blown out with a power surge at the old shop...so yesteday i got a new flat screen and jessika got the one from my desk...we can all actually see again...you don't realize how small a old monitor is until you go from a flat screen back to one of those. the next celebration will be getting a new copier and then a new fax machine...but baby steps...the move wasn't easy and we are catching up from that...but oh boy, is new equipment just the most fun!!! also...note please...somebody has "borrowed" my e-mail address and is sending out thousands of e-mails for everything thing from "replica watches" to men's health products (you can only imagine) to everything else. we are fielding about 1,000 emails a day now into the spam box and the undeliverable box...and i'm working on getting it solved...but, if you don't hear from me within a reasonable period of time...assume that i didn't get the e-mail or that it landed in the spam folder. until we get this straightened out with the server...i'm just trying to manage as opposed to making any significant changes while i'm not around to monitor it. so...because i have grocery shopping to do and heaven knows what else...here we go...yet again :) primitive traditions: i
ordered these at nashville...cathy was out of the round baskets so we opted for
the ovals and we just love them. the basket is good (not terrific) but
good and the charts are great and so are the finishing instructions. the
kit includes an 8" oval baskets, charts for all the designs and complete
finishing instructions for all the accessories and the basket. there is
also a chart for a small extract sampler designed for the underside of the lid. primitive bettys: i found
a new designer the other day - i just love these new primitives.. they
just call for a piece of "cross stitch linen" in whatever count or
color you want...and dmc thread...i love them. we are finding that
zweigart flax is a good color - but you can go however large or small you want
to...and what find they can be. bird brain designs: i love
these...i love the pink pin pillow so much...and mine is finished...love it a
million times. country cottage needleworks:
bright, spring, fun - makes you smile despite yourself kind of piece... little house needleworks:
very sweet... homespun elegance: love,
absolutely love pincushions...addictive... prairie moon: love these
too...the cats and the pumpkins made me laugh out loud when annie brought them
in this morning... midsummer night designs:
so nice...be ye kind...and immortal bloom...gentle and kind... the weather has been beautiful, we had 95 last sunday, 85 tomorrow and then a little bit cooler for the weekend...but it's really just the end of april. the wisteria are all gone...and we are madly sweeping dead wisteria blossoms off the patio but my peonies are supposed to bloom any time now. but, every single thing that has a tree trunk is in bloom at the moment...and no matter what...it takes about three hours every morning before i quit sniffing and the tears stop running down my face from allergies. oak, cypress, liquid amber...everything with a tree trunk is in bloom...making us just crazy. annie rescued another golden retriever from homeward bound
two saturdays ago. give her a day off and she's a crazy as i am...her name
is madison or maddie for short and she and the raider dog are good
friends. she's quite the clown...and has been taking swims in the dogger
swimming pools and then jumping up on the patio table...she's a beauty girl and
raider is quite happy with his new friend...it is truly a match made in
heaven...got lots of pixels in this one...but annie has promised to take a good
picture - she sent me this one from her cell phone...maddie on the left...raider
on the right...she's a blonde girlie she is. we have a new exclusive kit that we will put up next week after retreat - it's called wisteria and it's quite beautiful and i know you will just love it...we certainly do...and we also have an exclusive kit from a wonderful designer team done on our pink linen - the fabric arrived from moda this week...i think you will love it but i need to iron out a few more wrinkles and make some plans for some additions to the kit first...this is pink money...and i want it to be "perfectly pink" before we go forward. so...i have to go clean the bathroom and head to the grocery store in a little bit...got some dinners to cook for some friends tomorrow night and then...let the retreat begin..."let them eat cake" and we'll see you next week when the party is over. we thank you for stopping by and wish you a great weekend and terrific rest of the week :) from all of us here at elegant stitch...happy, happy spring :)
march 26, 2008 despite rumors to the contrary...we are alive...the hammer goose egg on my head is now only slightly sore to the touch...certainly nothing that can't be lived with until it's not sore anymore - are those double and triple negatives...wait...i'm seeing stars still...and not only can i use the hammer incident as an excuse to get another puppy...but for bad grammer, excessive shopping, boring updates...all kinds of things - it's great!!! we are expecting some rain by the end of the week - it's been beautiful for the last week - and i actually didn't come into the shop on easter sunday...the cleaning guy jim fed the kitties for me...this was the first time since before thanksgiving that i haven't come into the shop on sunday...so i got to spend the day giving doggers showers, planting ferns in pots under the redwood trees, going to the nursery and working on things for retreat...which, dear heaven, is in three weeks...BUT, we'll be ready...and the notepad is strapped to my head and the pen is between my ears...and i mean point in the ear - right thru the vacant "air space" and right out the other ear :) so...just to start the update off with some spring...here are
some pictures from my backyard last night...and then a little bit further
down...we'll introduce you to nickolas and show you the newest cat entertainment
toy that we got for dixie doodles. spring... these were last night about 7:30 in my
backyard...and i can hardly wait until the purple wisteria really blows
open...the white ones are on top of the patio cover...and get quite a bit of sun
all day long. the jasmine is a beast and will get a serious haircut this
weekend...before it takes over the world. that small fence area is off the
master bathroom. it's fine-ally finished:
we love these...and yes, we have the banding...of course we do... on-line class from it's fine-ally finished - whine & weave - we have a limited number of kits for this first time and as soon as you sign up - we will be sending you the kit for pre-stitching...you have some serious pre-stitching. jackie will be contacting each of you via e-mail so you can sign into her web site when the finishing class starts. we will also have that information inside the pre-stitching/kit package. just nan: the bella bees and the barnabee's bride are here now...see coming attractions and the tins and goodies are not due here until the middle of april... we are sold out on the first "hop" tin and goodie...and if you are signed up for the hop tin and want the other three tins/goodies in the series - you have to let us know in advance...so we can mark the lists - once these are gone - i can't get them again...so please, help us to get you on the right lists. liberty hill: the box
arrived yesterday...and we are so excited...we waited a long time for these and
they are just really swell...we have a certain amount on our pre-order and once
those are gone - we will have to reorder and i can't make any promises as to
time limits. prairie schooler: the new
charts finally came BACK from kansas - where, depite the forwarding order put
into ups...they were sent...we are glad they have arrived again... little house needleworks: and so...that's the end of the update...we are finishing up
the last of the boxes that we keep finding...they are all labeled "where
the devil did this come from" and then we shake our heads and wonder if ALL
the boxes are multiplying like mushrooms under rocks (or to be more precise in
the storage unit next door) so are the other pictures that i promised...
you can probably figure out who is who...and who got a new screen saver...and
who is not showing her face because she's going thru rather an unsocial stage as
she lures young pups into her "whapping" area!! when i finally
get the rest of the pictures hung in the store - we'll do another round of
pictures...i'll finish that up over the weekend - after i go pick up my NEW pair
of "just in case i drop another hammer on my head" glasses tomorrow
:) and...my little boys who are irish twins...six months old and 11 weeks
old...and both are very good...and gatsby has started his puppy classes last
monday...and his little brother watched. we wish you a happy week as spring break gears down...our kelly is back from school this week and is helping with retreat things...as is sarah...and we shall get this done - not even a question. thanks for visiting...everybody is waving from modesto and we are hoping for some more spring....it's so pretty outside. march 10, 2008 i just had an e-mail from a very good friend asking me if we had descended into the 5th level of hell...actually it felt like the 15th level of hell...but the elevator is now going up...and we are back on level 2 and working toward even ground again :) the saga started with the last update...as you can see...and then we moved the moving truck to the 26th and they came and made two round trips...but, we also moved in on top of the construction crew, three electricians, a plumber, the painter, the phone company, the security/alarm/wireless guys; no bathroom facilities, the drywaller crew up on 50 foot ladders cleaning off blown drywall texture all over my beams, the cleanup crew scraping drywall texture off the windows, two guys putting the code required paneling on the bathroom walls - and the pod sitting outside and four 27 foot trucks and various van loads of our stuff in the unit next door because chaos was reigning supreme in our unit... so, in all - we've moved three companies (mine and the two that we do distribution/shipping for) at least twice, maybe more since february 16th. with the help of some exceptional (beyond friendship) friends and the incredible women who work with me - we managed to get it in some sort of order...and i still have all my hair and it isn't snow white... we have a space (our backroom) that is even bigger than the front of the store, but it isn't quite ready for that kodak moment yet...soon - but not quite yet...but here are the "befores" and "afters" of the 15th level of hell (or moving as we at elegant stitch know it) before in the shop with not much in it and of course the unit next door that held our lives:
then we actually have some pictures of the front of the
store...and this is what it looked like yesterday morning early with no lights
on yet...we absolutely love the skylights and the huge ceilings...and the bright
and the light has gotten great response so far...and oh please...do we love the
color of that floor!!! and not dmc 435...UGH!!! so...now that hell is over...and the world is back on an even
keel...and i can find my computer and everything works - here we go.
didnot has been hiding for a week now - we brought her over last sunday - she is
now just starting to come out during the day - but i know where her magical
hiding spot is - under the worktable by my desk over in the corner...and ms.
dixie doodles...well - if we had only known - we would have moved here years
ago...we've seen more of her in the last week than we've seen of her in the last
year. she takes sunbaths in the windows...she comes out and is
social...it's an amazing transformation in ms. doodles and we are so
pleased. and...in the middle of last week - mr. gatsby and didnot had a
little slumber party in the front of the shop - amongst all the chaos and moving
of fixtures and furniture... now...i seem to have gotten all the shop news taken care of here...and because the brain engaged a couple of days ago and i realized that our petite trianon retreat weekend is 5 weeks from this coming weekend...i had better start getting those very french ducks in a row - so i'm jetting and zooming... we have also scheduled our first ever sidewalk sale here at elegant stitch. we will be having these twice a year - they are in-shop only (meaning we can't do this on the internet) and the 2008 dates are as follows: saturday, july 12 and saturday, november 22. we hope you will mark your calendar and join us - it will be fun...crazy but fun...and we are already making piles of goodies for our july 12 date. cricket collection - love them
all - we have fabric and threads for all of them...i'm starting on kisses as
soon as i finish a couple of things on my footstool...an advent calendar by sam
sarah and my heart of america by little house needleworks. gpa designs - from italy -
gorgeous charland designs: i love
this heart - it is soooooo fun to stitch and put together using the templates
provided. heirloom embroideries from
england m designs - two new trees from
mary...they are beautiful the sampler house - eileen
bennett cherished stitches jeanette douglas designs country cottage needleworks -
the start of a new series - and these are WAY cute...saw it at market!!! the gathering place - new for us
- we love these!! stacy nash primitives and last but certainly not leastest... and so... we are back amongst the living...if we can just get our prairie schooler automatic back from ups (because they didn't deliver it to our new addy) i'll be very happy...and hopefully we'll have that up on friday's update...that's right...i'm going to do one on friday or at the very latest on saturday. we have a new class offering from it's fine-ally finished - called "whine & weave" and it's beautiful - you can see it at www.itsfineallyfinished.com and we are also working on another on-line class with indigo rose as well as an exclusive on-line class with brightneedle. we also have a beautiful limited edition kit from jackie du plessis called wisteria...we will have that ready in the shop for retreat...and it is just spectacular as well... so...there is lots coming...the sidewalk sale in july - we are just too excited about that one and gorgeous new classes and as soon as we finish with our april retreat - we will have pictures of our october retreat - and because the fabric is out of print and never to be seen again (liberty of london) this will be a one time, one shot only class called "berry thief". i have to go cut mat board and batting and pull orders and do some shipping for our wholesale clients and then run some errands and get my lists in order and here we go...a new year in our new shop...and the world is looking rather sweet!!! thank you for visiting us - thank you for your patience with us as we tried to move businesses and take care of you all at the same time...it got a little hairy...and i know we dropped the ball somewhere along the line - and for that - please accept our apologies. we will fix anything that is wrong and do our very best to make it right with all of you - but your patience and kindness thru all of this has been beyond measure and your have our deepest gratitude!! lois and everybody here at elegant stitch
OFFICIAL SHOP OPENING CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, 03/05/08 - PLEASE READ BELOW. so...in a nutshell... if you were anticipating a visit to the new shop this coming saturday, 03/01/08...please stop anticipating it. totally out of our control and all we can do is apologize for the idiots who have been in control of the construction. bad news: we didn't get a gas meter until this morning; because it rained all weekend and there was no heat in the unit - the epoxy on the floor did not dry; because the floor did not dry we could not move the furniture into the new shop today and thus have to do it tomorrow; because the floor did not dry, the bathroom cannot be finished; because the floor did not dry the cleanup crew cannot bring in the heavy equipment to remove all the drywall mud that is spattered up about 50 feet onto the overhead pipes; without cleanup and bathroom installed we cannot get the fire marshal to come in and approve the site, nor can we get the county inspectors to come and in and signoff on all the permits/plumbing/etc. because the county inspectors will not come in an signoff on all the permits - obviously we cannot get an occupancy permit and thus, cannot allow anybody to come into our shop. and...until the floor dries...four 27 foot truck loads and countless loads in the car as well as the POD on my driveway full of stuff will have to stay exactly where it is (in my driveway and in the unit next door to our space until we can get the floor dry...are we starting to see a "community issue" here - like the floor drying????? and who would have every thought that a floor could cause such a problem - i certainly didn't. good news: is there any??? actually yes there is. by march 5th we will be ready for company. by saturday march 8 we will REALLY be ready for company and it should all be put away by then. if only we were as good as we thought and if only we could have taken care of all of these issues but unfortunately we had absolutely no control over any of this...and thus, the best laid plans of mice and women have gone totally behind the back door. gooder news: the phone lines will be brought up tomorrow between noon and 5 and as soon as those are good - we'll get the computer loaded back up and everything else turned back on and we can answer the e-mails and the telephone calls which will make me very happy. in the interim...i'm so glad that i didn't break down the computer quite yet ... something kept wiggling in the back of my brain...so i could post something to the web site...
february 22, 2008 i took pictures this morning...i did...i took pictures of the disgusting, horrific mess that this shop is in...and now i can't find my camera...i will find it tomorrow...but this evening - it is has quite disappeared off the face of the earth. i also had some new things in my scanning basket - guess what??? that has been packed!!! i know you are surprised by that but it's really true. this is one of those weeks that could be described by anybody as totally insane. of course the construction has not been completed on time...a classic case of the right hand having absolutely no idea what the left foot was doing...and me stuck in the middle...there's a song there - i just know it... stuck in the middle with you...but i can't remember the words to that either. the absolute worst case of all of this was that construction was going to be completed by 02/15/08 - or so they all promised when i signed the lease. i spent a good deal of time on monday last trying to get our gas utility company to drop a meter at the new building. why this was my job - i have still yet to determine. today i spent another couple of hours trying to accomplish the same task - except this time i got stuck in the giant whirlpool of utility company and county of stanislaus building inspector/permitting department...and the utility company said the county needed to send them an e-mail about the permits and the meter tags and the county telling me that they didn't send e-mails about that to the utility company. finally, thankfully, somebody actually listened to me instead of blowing me off...and now we have the meter being dropped/installed on monday - somewhere between 8 morning and 8 evening...they can't give me a better time than that but i was so grateful that i am not complaining about the time frame. now, in the interim...they are spraying texture on the walls, hooking up the lights, etc...because the painter is supposed to come in this weekend and paint. however, it's damp and cold and is supposed to rain all weekend...and we're trying to figure out how paint and floor epoxy are going to dry with no heat...kind of a question - isn't it? so, the movers have been rescheduled until tuesday morning, annie is going to hang out all day on monday or until the utility company comes and installs the meter, i'm going to be here tearing furniture apart and having it ready for the movers and tomorrow and sunday we are going to be filling up trucks and taking boxes and more boxes and more boxes over to the new location and putting it all in the suite NEXT door to our new place. sound like a nightmare yet??? it does, doesn't it. okay...if you've read this far and your eyes are not crossing yet...here's the question and the contest. 2.5 months ago when this entire process started...i told the contractor that i wanted to pick the color of the floor in the new shop. we are going to have painted, polished cement...easier to keep clean, neutral, easy with area rugs...new decor, new look, etc. on wednesday i asked him when i got to pick the color for the floor - since the painter was going to be purchasing/applying said treatment to the floor very shortly. i was first informed that we had never had this conversation about the color of the paint and then i was told the color had been picked and purchased by the MALE because i had been out of town and it took 7 days to get the product, blah, blah, blah. i very quietly (actually not so quietly) told him that i had been out of town (at market) for exactly 4 days (02/07 - 02/10) and had been available the entire time by cell phone and had been home and available from 02/11 thru today 02/20 and that was well within the boundaries of the 7 day purchase time frame. then i asked what color he had picked out for me and i was told "TAN". calmly, because i knew exactly WHAT color TAN actually was, i told him that i would not live for a minimum of 5 years with a floor that was the color of what you find in a baby's diaper - it would not happen and i didn't care what he had purchased but he better make arrangements to take the color back. i got some song and dance about women and color and needing to have swatches and how long they take to make up their minds and that's when i really bristled. i told him that i worked in color all day long, every single day and that he had better bring me the color card toot suite because i needed to make a color choice and he needed to get the new epoxy paint toot suite and if he brought me the color card it would take me exactly a minute (or less) to chose the color. in he comes with said color card - and out he went 45 seconds later with a new color choice (neutral) as opposed to TAN. so...the contest is as follows: the first 5 people to send me an e-mail at lois@elegantstitch.com that correctly names the closest DMC color to "baby poop tan" win a prize. annie and i have picked the dmc color number ...and now it's up to you if you are so inclined. this is probably not going to take too long for the first 5 people...and it will be a fun treat...you will have to wait until we get moved over...but there is nothing like a little fun to liven up the place :) i now have my five winners...and a door prize winner and the dmc number was 434-435 mix. it was fun and thank you!! so...the bottom line of all of this is...if you are coming to see the new shop next saturday, 03/01 we are just very excited to see you...but...it will probably still be a little like chaotic insanity (which for us is not unusual but rather the norm) because we are about 4 days behind the worst case schedule and there might be boxes in the back room (and in the front too) and, i will try and do an update in the next couple of days if i can find that scanning basket in whatever box it went into while i tried to clear the desk here...and the didnot and dixie doodles will be figuring out the best spot to be at the new shop and gatsby will be there to welcome you too...but it just might be sort of like a zoo...and jump right on in and join the fun...i'll be the one with no hair on my head...because i've ripped it all out over the next 7 days. also...some unfinished business: i have been asked often about mama kitty. mama kitty is alive and very well - gatsby and i see her quite often when we go for our morning walk. mama kitty has been adopted by a family to the north of the shop...she is very fat and well fed and quite sleek and happy...and i believe she has been neutered because there have been no baby "mama kitties" in the last 6-8 months. she still responds when i call out to her...she still knows her name of mama kitty...and we are very happy that she has found a good home and somebody to love her and take care of her...we can leave here knowing that she finally has her own family and is happy. so...i will do my best on an update with real pictures instead a bunch of yapping...if only to find that scanning basket in some box somewhere :) enjoy your weekend...keep good thoughts that i don't kill males with sheetrocking tools and paint cans at the new location...i would hate to get this far and not be able to enjoy my new NON-TAN floor :) thanks for visiting :) february 15, 2008 it's been a hard couple of days...but we got thru it just fine...mass chaos...but we got thru that just fine too. i know that the market report was a little bit "not too exciting" and i didn't write it with much "wow and wonder" but market was hard this year...and i missed the social part of the market...and i missed seeing people who weren't there...and i just missed in general. we all worked very hard in a very short period of time and then poof...it was over. maybe because i knew that after market was going to be of nightmare proportions...with the move and everything...but we're good now. i also had a very good friend from kansas tell me that i haven't been quite the same lately. i love this friend dearly...and took her sage advice to heart...and i know why i haven't been quite the same and it's time to tell you all...and it's taken this long for me to be able to speak about it. so...here it goes. three week after we lost our old female red persian whizzer wee ...we also lost mr. shoo. he was 7.5 months old. he died of a brain aneurysm. his first episode happened on a wednesday afternoon when his little back legs collapsed out from under him until the massive event that happened about 9 p.m. on saturday evening when he flatlined until monday morning about 3 a.m. when his heart and lungs finally stopped working. there was nothing we could have done to prevent, fix, stop, diagnose, control, make better. it was just one of those one in 1.5 million chances that caused both mr. shoo and his daddy and me to have a bullseye painted on our backsides...and it just happened. needless to say - our hearts were broken. i had waited so long to get a puppy...it had been 23 year since my last "puppy" and i thought i would never stop crying. i didn't cry like this when i faced cancer 11 years ago...and the worst part was that we had no idea what it was until it was all over and the tests could be made. so...that is how we spent december - sad and more sad and sadder than even that. we have mr. shoo with us now...next to his picture...and he
is the most perfect guardian angel dogger for...gatsby...our new
puppy...who...knock wood appears to be healthy and happy and very smart...and we
love him as we loved mr. shoo...and we would like you to meet him now too!!! so...yes, i have been a little bit quiet...and yes, i have been a little bit reserved...and yes, there has been a lot going on in the backgroud with mr. shoo, finding new house for elegant stitch, trying to be patient while the build-out happened, getting ready for market and going, dealing with family things, having one of my bestest friends be away for almost 8 weeks and i missed her terribly as well as other dear friends with health issues that i worry over...and i thank you for your patience and kindness - it's been a tough couple of months...and i am glad they are over and we are finally moving forward and hopefully the rest of 2008 will be just normal, everyday-run-of-the-mill kind of stuff. so...now that i've 'fessed up'...let's go here and get this update done. i am still waiting for a couple of things from market...need some pictures for charland's beautiful new heart creation she did...and annie has brought me a "stick" with the pictures on it...i just haven't found the time - i think my brain is packed in one of the boxes that is in the "pod" in my driveway at home - it has to be...because i've searched and searched here for my brain...nope - not to be found :) shepherd's bush little house needleworks lizzie kate keepsake stitches and so...i have put "coming attractions" back up on the front page...and we will keep that updated with what we know as new arrivals and anticipated delivery times...that is going to be fun. we will have the newest whine & weave class up from jackie du plessis in the next week or so...and a new one from indigo rose when i get the pictures. we are waiting for boxes to come in...and they no sooner come in than we take everything out - load them up and off to the "pod" they go... they have finished the sheet rocking and insulation and next week they are painting and doing the floors and then we can move in. i will have some pictures for you...they came to borrow my one and only key on monday so they could do phone lines and security...and i didn't get back over to pick it up...but next week - i promise. in the interim...we are shoveling both out the door and into boxes...and pitching, straightening and tossing with a passion...the question is as follows: "do we want to move it???" and you can only imagine what happens when the answer is "not so much":) and...i can certainly take some pictures to give you some idea what this place looks like...i'd say the south side of hell at the moment...but i guess it's all in your perspective. we hope you all have a wonderful president's weekend...the weather here is windy and blue skies...and they were actually talking 68 degrees today - but we have wet coming back by next wednesday or thursday...just not enough so my sealed floors don't set up - oh please!!! we'll have pics and other things...good weekend to you...and hang on - the roller coaster is moving down the tracks :) all of us at elegant stitch
february 6, 2008 we are leaving on a jet plane...we are leaving at the crack of dawn tomorrow...and, as usual - i am not taking a computer - i can't handle a computer and 3 extra suitcases - it just doesn't work and i've got meetings and lots of work to do for the shop and very little time to get it all accomplished before we jump back on a plane and head home on sunday so the update will be done when i get home...that's the only way i can do a good job. in the interim...we have quite a schedule ahead of us with the move into our new shop...so i've done a "es schedule" just so you all know how to find us and when to not panic because you can't get in touch with us... we are also on major overhaul with the web site when i get back - we are going to be using another program and totally re-do this web over the next couple of months...it will be interesting and fun and another learning curve for this old person here...but...change is good...and i'm all up for an adventure!!! challenge is good...and this is going to be quite some diversity off my "safe spot". and, i have a very dear friend who has given me a new motto..."storm on" and that is exactly what i'm doing...and life is good and we are looking forward to our new shop and our new life for elegant stitch. life is truly a flurry...but it always is around here...and we do our best to keep all the balls in the air...balls falling on our heads...it gets ouchy...and we do our best keeping them flipping around above us :) so...before we head out tomorrow...here's a few things that have wandered into our shop... carriage house: we are picking up the new ones at
nashville...but this one snuck in the door while we weren't looking :) blue ribbon designs: we just love these...they are
terrific... midsummer night designs: and so...bags are packed, checks packed, checked in at the airlines, need to get gas in my car, need to finish up here and then we are gone in a blaze of dust and hope that nashville doesn't have any more tornados this week...the weather in nashville is a constant source of unbelievable amazement...every single year is different...and it always makes our yearly visit exciting to say the least. we will see you all back here on monday for the market report...until then - be safe...have the rest of a good week and thanks for visiting. puppy needs a walk...and since i've been here since 5:45 this morning...so do i :) nashville here we come...again...for the 12th year...
january 25, 2008 and now we're wet...and duck like...and the feet are webbing...and the weather guy on the new last night said another 10 days of more rain...which we need desperately and the mountains need the snow pack...but does it all have to come in 15 days...it hasn't dried out one little bit and we are growing moss on our behinds. it's been a full week since we've seen anything that resembles sunshine... BUT...even though the roof is leaking AGAIN in the old shop...the new one is right on schedule...and we are packing and we are getting ready to move and we are doing happy dancing all over the shop...and the pile of boxes grows in the corner by the front door and the dumpster in the back is getting fuller every time they come to empty it. yesterday i attacked the closet in the back of the shop and today, when i'm finished this and after i've worked on the orders, i'm going to start pitching and cleaning up the back hallway and jessika is going to bust up one of the rolling cart things so that two handsome men can arrive tomorrow to convert them into wonderful rolling carts that are going to hold our thread containers...it's going to be fun. so...here we go because i've got a very busy day ahead...and actually a busy couple of weeks...but i'm not projecting out that far at the moment :) drawn thread: the two newest ones are here and have
been for awhile - i've been so busy taking care of the shops under the
distributorship and the re-orders that i realized i didn't get ours up on the
web site and i do apologize. just nan: the new ones are here and there will be more
new ones at market...and we've already pre-ordered those - it's going to be
fun. another little enameled box like the ladybug...except it's going to
be belle the bee and i can't want to see it!! little house needlework: and so - that's it...they are up on the roof again, banging around...doing absolutely no good because it's all still leaking again and continuing to leak...and frankly scarlet, i don't give a d...! the wind is blowing, another storm is moving in...we have the heat on - we're warm and dry and until mr. gatsby needs another walking when he wakes up from his nappy...everything is good here. we are leaving for nashville two weeks from yesterday and arriving home late sunday night the 10th...and then we will roll right thru february and have our grand reopening in our new shop on 03/01/08. as i told somebody the other day - thank heavens it's a leap year - the calendar is giving me another full day in february - i can move mountains and build an ark all in one day!!! stay dry and warm and safe...thank you for visiting this week and i'll continue to keep the "coming attractions" updated as i get more pictures and fun stuff...it's actually going to be the start of the nashville market report...which we'll get up and posted as soon as we return from market :) have a great weekend - i'm off to find boxes and tape and dumpsters!!! lgm and crew!!
january 20, 2008 delayed?-you bet!!! behind?-absolutely!!! frustrated?-ya think!!! wanting to move?-not soon enough!!! and this is just one tiny quarter of what is going on here in modesto and around the country it seems. am i anxious to start life again in the new and beautiful shop that is being built-out for us right now - without a doubt. is the journey getting to that beautiful shop making me insane - yep!!! do i want to get to market in three weeks and see the wonderful and terrific things that are being offered - not soon enough!!! BUT - until i can do all of those things - i will continue to pack boxes, throw things out, work on this web site and get it cleaned up and reasonable, and move forward into 2008...and dodge the bullets that seem to keep getting thrown at everybody across the nation. but, sometimes frustration and angst are good things - they make us move faster, pay more attention to ourselves and our friends and family and get the world back on a better tilt...only time and efforts will tell that...but it is going to be a very interesting ride for the entire nation. and, speaking of interesting rides...i'm going to get this update done, some more housekeeping and then head for home to watch the end of the noon game and actually see how cold it can be in green bay for the afternoon game...brrrrrrrr...we have a good friend who lives in green bay - and thankfully she is staying home and watching the game from there - there would have to be a bunch of us head out to pry her cold and stiffened body from the seats i'm afraid. i don't know how they do it up there...and i'm sure we'll see some of them without shirts today!!! i can't even think about it :) i've put a page in up top for coming attractions to nashville...i'll keep that updated as i get information over the next couple of weeks...we are taking pre-orders on anything that is posted on that page...they are not here yet...but they are coming. and these are the things that are in right now. little house needleworks: fingerworks: midsummer night designs: and so...that's the end of this update...and off i go to do some housecleaning. the weather is cold here (for california) and although we are above normal in rainfall - we need some more and a lot more snowfall to get caught up and out of drought conditions. i'm very excited about the coming attractions page...and will keep that updated as best i can with peeks and news and prices......and exciting things coming as i hear about them...or as we get the kinks worked out of things we are working on and can get that information out to you all...this will be fun. in the interim - i had better get those things posted on that page and get this upload. for those who are watching football today - i wish everybody's teams a good game and this will determine who is doing what with superbowl in two weeks. it's good stitch and football weather...and i'm off to look for chinese food cartons for a project i'm working on :) enjoy sunday!!! and please, please, please, please...for somebody you know...for yourself...do a favor. it's up on my title page - on every page of my web site... the breast cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. it takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window near the middle). this doesn't cost you a thing. their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammograms in exchange for advertising... it's a good thing. i just celebrated my 11 year diagnosis anniversary on thursday the 17th. you are doing a good, good thing. www.thebreastcancersite.com all of us at es!!! january 5 2008 happy new years to everybody. we are in the middle of a giant wave of storms coming in from the pacific and alaska. those of you to the east of us - hang on - they are coming...tons and tons of rain and snow. there is absolutely nothing new this week so we are having a sale...rainy days and mondays...for those of you old enough to remember that song. rainy days and mondays sale... until then...have a good week - be safe...watch the weather...and get the kidlets back to school on monday safe and sound. in the interim...we have our water wings out and inflated... december 28, 2007 are plans being made??? for december 31st??? and january 1st and rose parades and football games and being inside in warm and quiet and stitching and creating and making lists and being inspired with all the things we have on our lists for 2008. cleaning out a couple more cupboards...making a couple of more black garbage bags to sit by the cans at home to fill in the empty spaces (we never manage to fill our cans so "extra" is just wonderful filler); maybe a movie or two...and another long weekend which will be good because i think i'm actually going to attack the sewing room - and that is a seriously scary thought. we've had a lot of new things come in these last 2 weeks...and lots of things in semi-planning stages and lots of other things happening around here too... annie is being a pitbull today and tormenting me until i get this update done...and then i have to figure out how i'm going to move things around on this web site and start the cleaning process all over again. this is actually worse than my sewing room at home if that is possible :) reminders: we are almost ready to close our brightneedle class with a few spots remaining. kits will be mailed out the end of january, 2008. also - we will be posting a new on-line class by jackie du plessis called whine & weave. we will post this new class sometime after the first of the year. also - our april retreat - trianon petite sold out. we have waiting list only. we are also in the process of kitting up an exclusive for elegant stitch - and i will tell you it's on specially dyed fabric by r&r reproductions, it is a beautiful "wisteria" color with beads and silks and ribbons and, and, and, and...and we are very excited...and it's lined with the most gorgeous oscar de la renta silk...and i'll have pictures of that when it's ready to go... so...because kelly is coming in very soon and she needs my computer to print off color pictures...opps - i think i just heard the door go...i'm off to get this finished...or they will both be on my head... :) lizzie kate: a new series called "double
flips" which gives you two charts and two charms in one package...the first
2 charts have arrived here this week... designing ladies 2007 - needle casket needleprint: a gorgeous
book from edwina ehrman - 91 pages - soft bound primitive needle: stacy nash primitives: plum street samplers: we
love these too...and were delighted to find them!!! little house needleworks: country cottage needleworks: milady's needle: so we can
start stitching for next year... and so...the year is over...we wish you a grand celebration (if you are so inclined) and if not a grand celebration then a quiet, peaceful and thoughtful celebration. there have been lots of ups and downs this year...changes - both good and bad...saying goodbye to people we love, things we love and yet knowing that life continues on - sometimes not as rich as it was...but rich in memories and good things remembered. new years is a time for plans and adventures and excitement about what is coming in the new year - a sense of renewal and also a sense of time spent in the next couple of months hiding from horrible winter weather and waiting for spring to knock on our doors... i enjoy winter...i love sweaters and cold and hot cups of coffee and knowing, as sure as i know my own name that spring just around the corner...and the trees stripped naked by the cold winds and rain will pop beautiful blossoms and be breathtaking...and that all the tired holiday trees waiting in the gutters will be picked up and turned into mulch and scattered throughout the flowerbeds and orchards to help with the renewal in the new year. thank you for visiting us in 2007 and we look forward to 2008. be careful, be safe and again, our thanks for your kindnesses and support this last year. from us all at elegant stitch.
december 14, 2007 9 days to the holidays - is everybody ready??? i'm not...and i won't be...the tree is up...actually the three trees are up...and i'm done now. i have to figure out what's for dinner on the 24th and 25th...we have to pack some more boxes around the shop and throw out a few more things over the next couple of weeks...get ready and set up yahoo groups for our brightneedle class before i head to market the first week of february and get the shop ready for moving the last week in february... i haven't done an update for 2 weeks - and if i tell you that the very BEST part of the last two weeks was when i fell in the parking lot yesterday - skinning my left knee and twisting my right ankle so it only looks like 3 redwood stumps - would that give you some idea as to how nasty it's been? we are done now...we are so done now...and moving along... so...forgive my lack of "news" but my heart and brain have been elsewhere and i'm trying to get both those things back in the saddle again... shepherd's bush: it's christmas soon...and although not
possible for this year...oh how cute to get the start on next year... special things: little house needleworks: country cottage needleworks stacy nash primitives designing ladies 2007 and thus...i am finished with the update and need to wiggle along to other things... a few things to take care of on my way home tonight...a day tomorrow and then a couple of days to try and recover and get our lives back on an even path again. it's the bustle of the holiday season...everybody is flying faster and quicker than normal so please be careful out there - breathe in and out and remember...in some form or fashion - it will all get done and if it doesn't - the only person to know that is you - and if you don't tell - nobody will be the wiser. be safe and thanks for visiting. november 29, 2007 i'm having to list everything down the side so i don't forget a single thing...i feel like the wabbit - but this time the wabbit has absolutely no head...the headless wabbit wonder. i'm actually writing this on wednesday - haven't lifted my behind off this chair since i got in this morning and i'm still behind...even though the desk is almost cleaned, the scanning bin is empty, the checks have been written and mailed and all the drawn thread orders have been taken care of best i can until we get more boxes in from cynthia. on the other hand...i have piles and piles of fabric to cut for class kits, i have paper boxes to paint, i have wool beads to felt, i have a couple of other things to complete and i have a ton of bins that have to be gone thru and reorganized as well as piles of garbage bags to take out to the dumpster...and heavens...it's really only wednesday...and i have to get this web site into some sort of order again and wait for pictures to come for our it's fineally finished whine and weave class so i can get that posted but the good news is that i'm done with the last of the local stockings that needed finishing and it's not even december 1st...so i consider that a real coupe. i have also managed to get the furniture re-arranged at home - making room for a 50 inch television in my family room (bear's b'day pressie - and mine too) was quite a challenge...but with a little help from cost plus in the form of some baskets and a little room in the garage...i think i've done it. the next thing is to waterproof the bottom of the ceramic fountain on the patio since it leaks water out the unsealed bottom and put the tree up - and i think that's a sunday kind of thing. most all the presents have been taken care of and shipped off to parts of the country and mr. bear and i are just going to pretend that the 50" is the christmas pressie part too...so that makes it easy on the home front. and i think roast beast will be the dinner of choice so that should be easy too and mr. shoo thinks that is a very grand idea!! actually all we really have to get is pressies for the kitty meows and mr. shoo shoo - i'm trying to talk his daddy into getting him a christmas sock...and it's not going over very well so i might have to take matters into my own hands - or just stitch him a sock for next year. can any of us believe that it's really christmas in just 25 plus days...personally i can't. it seems i just put the tree away from last year and i couldn't even tell you where this last year has gone...poof and it vanished into a cloud of pixie dust and good intentions as the months and seasons sped by and i don't believe i even got a chance to blink. 2008 is going to be an exciting time for us. we are moving into brand new, gorgeous digs about the end of february - they are doing the permitting and build outs for us as we speak and i am really looking forward to our new place. huge vaulted ceilings, sky lights, halogen lights, gorgeous epoxy floors and lots of open room to do what we want. and, believe it or not...we have been in this place for five years and with the disgusting rental increase that my current landlord thinks is reasonable and me not being in the mood to roll over...we're moving. it's going to be a lot of work but we are all very excited about our new "home" and i'll try and get some pictures of the before and after... however, cleaning all the cupboards and bins and drawers is a little daunting...i truly don't know how it is possible to accumulate all this stuff in 5 years...but all the junk is slowly but surely making it's way to the dumpster and leaving our lives permanently. what i have discovered is that there are a lot of wonderful things that i want to do and i'm not getting them done by spending hours on the computer when it's not necessary. it's almost like it's become the "new" television...and however addicting it can be...i don't need to read chat boards...i really don't and i'm going into summary mode on all the different groups i belong to. there is just not enough hours in the day and there are so many other things i want to do and create and stitch...and it's just not happening. so...that's my new year's resolution - about a month early - but who's counting - except that the days and months are slipping by me at such a rapid pace and i don't want the same list of "undone" things to be staring me in the face again next year...because by then, i'll have a whole new basket full of things that i really want to do too!!! mr. shoo shoo got a tremendous shock this monday - his baby
fur had managed to grow into his big boy fur and between a harness when we went
to tahoe, his surgery and no bathie for 2 weeks and then thanksgiving and the
groomer being booked for a week solid...he finally got to see sharon on monday
with quite a coat full of tangles and snarls...and he came away from that
experience with hair on his tail and on his head but very little hair anywhere
else. i guess these puppies do this sometimes when they go from puppy fur
to big dogger fur and we won't have to do this again...but he is now the proud
owner of two sweaters and a coat...as witnessed by the picture below as we wait
patiently for his fur to grow back in. the groomer and i figure about 30
days and we should have some peach fuzz on that little body but until then -
he's one "short haired shih tsu" and...so on with the rest of it...and i'm just going to "list and run" because i have boxes of stuff calling my name and everybody here is sick again - annie, jessika have "the cold" and i have a scratchy throat again...and i'm dodging the sick germs - 5 weeks of that stuff was more than enough for me. kill the bugs with coffee and vitamin C is my motto :) blackbird designs: blue ribbon designs: needleprint: with my needle: the primitive needle: just nan: little house needleworks: country cottage needleworks: elegant stitch on-line class: we are absolutely delighted to announce a new on-line class from brightneedle called dreamkeeper etui. please click on the on-line class link for details. and finally...i am very pleased to announce our retreat in april, 2008: trianon petite with jackie du plessis of it's fineally finished. click here for all the details and some wonderful pictures. and so...it's the end of a day (wednesday) and i've got a full one for tomorrow...lease signing, general running around and carrying on as we prepare for life in 2008 and some grand and glorious changes in our lives. we wish you good preparations for the upcoming holidays - be safe out there - people are running and trying to get everything done in record time...and sometimes we get a little bit disjointed and careless with all that we have on our plates and all that needs to be accomplished in a very short period of time. thanks for joining us this week...some of the dust bunnies are cleared out - not all that i had hoped for - but i'll take what i can get and to quote a favorite of mine..."carry on". from everybody at ES to all of you...thank you! november 21, 2007 first - from all of us to all of you - wishing you a happy and peaceful turkey day tomorrow and a wonderful weekend. i have many, many things to tell you all and classes to post for 2008 and news and all sorts of good things but it's going to take a very long time to get it all done and time is at a premium today with all the festivities going on. we will be open on friday, 11/23/07 regular hours and closing a tad bit early on saturday as we are going up to sacramento for some time with friends over the thanksgiving weekend. so...with that - i'm going to go back to updating and moving things around and cleaning dust bunnies and i'll be back with new pictures of mr. shoo after he gets another puppy cut on monday - his hair is so long now that it is impossible to comb and he is a tangled boy and we lost our annie whizzer wee kitty last wednesday night...she was one of our original rescues and she lived a long and good 8 years after we brought her home with us. she went on her terms and at her time, in my lap and it was the best for her...but very sad for us but she's in a better place now. she had been so abused the first 6 years of her life that it had left permanent damage that never could have been fixed and we gave her 8 years that she never would have had otherwise. bruce is heading out to orange county again on monday afternoon and life just gets more and more crazy around here...but crazy is good. we hope however you spend your weekend that it is good and peaceful and accomplished...and although none of us can believe it - the holidays are coming very quickly - at record pace and it seems to come quicker the older i get. enjoy your weekend and i'll be back with some good news and great classes and retreat information next week!!! gobble...gobble...gobble november 9, 2007 and so another week has come and gone...and the leaves are turning bright orange and golds and are filling up the gutters both on the roofs and the curbs...and we are actually supposed to get some rain this weekend which would be just wonderful. came home from spokane on monday morning very early and as i was driving down I-5 to modesto it was very strange to see all the fire trucks heading home and going north on I-5 - returning home from the fires in southern california. as the trucks proceeded up the freeway, everybody finally started to realize who they were and where they had been and people were honking and giving them "thumbs up" as the fire trucks passed them. an amazing bunch of men and women and they did a incredible job and i admire them greatly!! we are going to be closing early tomorrow (saturday) as a bunch of us are heading to phoenix to take a merry cox class which is being put on by jean lea at attic needleworks in mesa, arizona. we are very excited to see phoenix (and of course none of us have our prestitching done) but we are going to take incredibly good notes and stitch in class and just enjoy our teacher and our surroundings and the wonderful hospitality that jean provides and we are looking forward to it. so...this will be my last trip for awhile - at least until nashville market in february. i'm a little tired of the inside of a plane and i wish there was a magic wand that we could all use to transport ourselves to all the places far and wide that we wish to go...however...until they get that technology figured out - it's the inside of a plane...but i've had too many in the last couple of weeks - even though the destination is always just wonderful. now i have to get to the business at hand and get all our classes scheduled and put up for 2008 and continue on with our retreat arrangements and all things that need to be done for the shop - the biggest one is cleaning and rearranging and pitching out - and that will start when i get home on tuesday the 13th. mr. shoo shoo had his "little boy surgery" yesterday and bruce has a kitty shot appt. this morning at 10:30 and is picking up mr. shoo at the same time and bringing him here for a long nap this afternoon and some relaxation. he's just fine albeit a tiny bit sore from surgery and he'll be better off here where his mom and 2 aunties can keep an eye on him...and it will give the two kitties a chance to recoup from their shots in peace and quiet as well. lucy bear is fully recovered from her possum skirmish...her hair is growing back now and she still looks like a little lioness with a fairly short haired behind where they shaved her off to do surgery but she is back in fine form and i'll get some pictures next week when i get home. it was a long haul for the little girl...and the second surgery on the wound site took some time and set her back a little bit...but she's her old sweet self again and we are very grateful to our vet for taking such amazingly good care of her. so...on to the business at hand...new things...and promises of great new things for the nashville market in february...goodies and fun things and i'm looking forward to that but until then...here we go!!! carriage house samplings - four new samplers - all of them
wonderful... midsummer night designs - this has been sitting in my scan
box - it came in right after the last update...it's very sweet...we love this. bygone stitches - a new designer for us - this is just a
beautiful piece... country house needleworks - a beautiful pink house with
threads from crescent colours.. lizzie kate - a big and two little snippets...very cute... so...that's it from modesto this week...life is good...a little bit crazy but so what's new and who could believe that thanksgiving is two weeks from yesterday and that starbucks has already rolled out the christ |
