June 2006

Okay, I know an update was high overdue, but exciting news..... I have a new webdesigner and we have been working on  a brand new website so I didn't have access! So you must stop by soon and see the new digs! We are hoping that sometime in June we will be able to launch it. I have always done it myself so this is great. She is Veronique at www.evoquedesigns.com and it has been delightful to have someone to bounce ideas and thoughts off of. She has made me a new logo, and other cool things, so look for that soon.

Well to say that my events this spring was awesome would be an understatement. It was so great. I enjoyed myself everywhere I went and every place was just the best! It certainly brings home to me again how easily you all made me feel at home, I think our love and passion for stitching gives an instant bond.

Spring lasted 6 weeks for me... In very early April, I was in Portland at Acorns and Threads and marvelled at the glorious magnolias and tulips and daffodils... we had such a great time with the Acorns and Threads Sampler, and Olde Colonial made us a special box for the piece, which just sets it off wonderfully. The retreat weekend ended with my dear high school friend driving down from Vancouver, Canada to meet with me and we went shopping!!

In mid April I got to see beautiful magnolias, tulips and daffodils again in New Jersey/ New York, now you must know that there is nothing in Calgary at this time yet, so it is such a big treat! Where Victoria's Angels Stitch hosted me with an event for the New York/New Jersey Sampler and this piece will become the next in the American Journey Series. I was very pleased with the 'yellow taxis'  on this piece and after 'pulling' the Statue of Liberty's arm to make it longer I was pleased with her! The stitchers took me into New York City and I had an absolutely wonderful time, thank you girls!

With a little jaunt back into Canada on a very small propeller plane with myself and 17 business men, Montreal was the next stop. The Lakeshore Stitchery Guild hosted a weekend retreat at Manoir d'Youville an old Grey Nuns place south of Montreal and I got to see budding willow trees and magnolias and tulips and daffodils all over again!! Learning new French words for stitching things was great fun, eg.'le chemin de fer egals' is railroading! Did you know that! The Montreal Sampler was a great hit and it is now available if you want a memory of a trip to this lovely city in Quebec. It is also available with full French translation. Please see www.lacigalebrodeuse.com or www.jeannettedouglas.com to purchase this piece.

Back in a little propeller plane I went and on to Celebrations in New Hampshire. Well I have never met so many stitchers at one time. What a great event. It was lovely to meet with peers in the industry and to meet new and revisit with known stitchers from before. And yes I got to see blooming cherry trees and tulips and daffodils again! I stayed an extra day in Nashau and went shopping.... and had a wonderful long swim in the pool. This was great as I knew that coming home there would be piles of everything to deal with, so it gave me calm before the storm.

Returning to Calgary I got to see tulips and daffodils again, but no magnolias they don't grow here, but we do have lovely flowering almond bushes and flowering plum trees....which I did get to enjoy.....so, see how many weeks of spring is that! I am working on many different pieces, and of course for events above. I am releasing Spring Stitches in the next week or so and am putting the finishing editing on Summer Stitches - so it will soon follow.

As I am working on new pieces, I have wonderful memories of of the past events and look forward to meeting you again soon or meeting you for the first time. We are so lucky to enjoy such a fun hobby!

As ever, keep stitching Jeannette

May 2006

Here are some upcoming events that I will be attending:

• June 10, 2006 in Cochrane, AB CANADA at the Stitching Corner. The piece will be Crystal Winter.
• October 12,13/2006 at Salty Yarns in Ocean City, MD . This is a place, band style sampler or I may try something new! ...and it will be fun with a real ocean flair. Please see www.saltyyarns.com
• October 20, 21 I will be in Hamilton at Golden Threads -  www.gthreads.com with a band style place sampler for Hamilton.
• October 27, 28 in the Niagara area for the  Niagara Peninsula Needle Arts Guild with a Grape Sampler. Contact Nellie Zonneveld at jacnelli@vaxxine.com. I am so looking forwrd to being in my old stomping grounds and visiting with my sisters!

As ever, keep stitching Jeannette

February/March 2006

Well, it is the New Year, and I suspect an exciting year it will be.

First, my apologies to shops for not going to Nashville, I had to cancel as I just felt that I had made commitments to being at events that I needed to get in control of, and I wouldn't have enough new patterns to warrant going. It is with regret that is so but my stress level has diminished immeasurably by doing so. I actually cancelled last fall already when I saw how tight the spring was going to be. I am grateful for the event opportunities and I do hope that I can go next year again. I loved going last year and will be sorry to miss it.

The new release is 'The Sunshine State Sampler' the 3rd in the American Journey Series. It will be posted on the New Releases page. It was a delight to go to Kissimmeee, FL with www.stitchershideaway.com and meet some wonderful Floridians. I loved my time there and this sampler gives me great memories of a terrific visit, hurricane inclusive!

I am working on Spring Stitches, the mate to the Autumn Stitches that was released in the Just Cross Stitch October Issue and Winter Stitches released in November, but it is just not done yet as I was focused on getting class materials done. And I suppose when you read the event schedule below you will see why I am bit behind!! Some of these will be strictly event pieces and others will be released when contracts are fulfilled.

April 1,2/2006 at Acorns and Threads, Portland OR- the piece promises to be a delightful mix of acorn design theme plus the thread portion is depicted by use of varying kinds of threads. Please see www.acornsandthreads.com

April 21,22/2006 at Where Victoria's Angels Stitch, Clifton NJ - this band sampler style piece will be a wonderful mix of  2 impressive states - New York and New Jersey.  I had hoped to include Pennsylvania but it certainly would have been a blanket sized sampler of immense proportion to try and do the Tri-state area together. Please see www.wvas.net

April 27, 28/2006 for the Lakeshore Creative Stitchery Guild, Point-Claire, Quebec -with a band sampler style piece - a place sampler called 'Montreal - La Belle Ville.' Please email Julia Sinclair:  stitchergirlca@yahoo.ca

May 4-7/2006 for Celebration of Needlework 2006 in Nashua, NH. It is America's oldest continuously running needleart show. I have 3 events booked. Please see www.celebrationofnw.com For a good picture of these pieces please new releases page and scroll down to where they are labeled.

October 12,13/2006 at Salty Yarns in Ocean City MD - this is a place, band style sampler and it will be fun with a real ocean flair. Please see www.saltyyarns.com

October 20,21 and October 27,28 I will be in Hamilton at Golden Threads -  www.gthreads.com with a band style place sampler for Hamilton and in the Niagara area for the  Niagara Peninsula Needle Arts Guild  with a Grape Sampler. I must check which weekend is which...

As you can see it is full speed ahead. I do hope that you are able to see me at one of these places and that I can reconnect with you or meet you for the first time, I am sure we will both be delighted, to have a weekend of stitching, who wouldn't like that!

Just a little reminder Victoria City Sampler is available for general release, any of the Canadian cities is available to shops or stitchers who wish to order it. It has an embellishment pkg. available.

As ever, keep stitching,          Jeannette