Puffin Designs

All the purchases from the TNNA Market are arriving quickly this year.  The puffin order if here.  We have he Scissor Sitters in Puppy, cat & the new Lama.  The animal attaches to your clothing with a magnet.  Scissors are attached by a claw to the 18" leash.  Pop you scissors in the attached wire circle when not in use.  Some of the ladies are uning the circle to hold their glasses.  Puffin has added scissor fobs to their line.  There is a new Bee Needle Nanny.  Some of the ladies in Wales are wearing the Needle Nanny as a brooch.
Great idea.  Why didn't we think of that?

Tisha

SPOOKY STITCHES HAS ARRIVED!

June McKnight's Halloween book has arrived.  The book presents the finished stitch in color on one page & the stitch graph on the opposing page.  She gives thread & ply suggestions.  I've opened the page to Alicia Lace.  June suggests a pale fluorescent metallic thread and the stitch will become ghost flesh.  Isn't ghost flesh an oxymoron?  She gives instructions for stitching a bat, a cat & a spider using a black snap.  There is a pattern for a Pumpkin Patch.  Could be used as a diaper pattern for a background.  There is a pattern for Snake Skin.  She even shows how to make Witch Hair from Memory Wire.  This book is a must for my library!!

Today was a beautiful day in the desert - mid 70's.  We attended the Southwest Art Show which is held on a Polo Field at one of the Valley's two Polo Clubs.  After viewing exhibits from 300 artists, I felt like I did at the end of a long day at TNNA.  We had lunch on the patio at a new Cantina. The setting was magnificient, overlooking three polo fields with the mountains in the background.  A match was in progress on the far field.

I came home to a message from my Granddaughter, Skylyn.  She is the First Grade Student of the Month for the School District.  Way to go Girl!!

Tisha

MORE NEW ITEMS HAVE ARRIVED

The computer has had it's exam and doesn't have a virus. Something has still invaded my e-mail.

After personal research, I'v added the Gypsy Sit Upon to the web site. It's a softly inflated disc that prevents fatigue and reduces pressure on the tail bone. Sit comfortably for hours while needlepointing, reading,driving and more. Helps relieve lower back pain, strengthens core muscles (I'm waiting) and improves posture. The nubby texture allows cooling air flow, and promoters improved blood circulation. The durable purple rubberized material remains soft and pliable. One size fits all!

I've been using the Sit Upon for a week or more. The muscles along my spine are sore but I noticed I'm sitting straighter. A friend looked at the nubs and thought it was some kind of new sex toy.

SuZy Murphy's new book is in stock. Portable Stitches ll is distilled from SuZy's Lite Stitches & SuZy's Mini Stitches. 122 pages including a stitch index. 2-3 stitch diagrams per page. The only text refers to stitching tips.

Tisha

NEW SCISSORS

My computer is in the hospital. Shipping orders will be briefly delayed.

We are offering two new pair of reasonably priced scissors. One is a metallic thread scissor the other is a pretty pastel design embroidery scissor. Jane of Chilly Hollow has suggested that they would be great when teaching children to stitch. My granddaughter, Skylyn, would choose the pink pair.

I was talking to my friend Lynis who lives in Wales over the weekend. She had just purchased a skien of Impressions and was bemoaning the fact that it cost $7.50 in the UK. I purchased some this month. My skeins were all $4.90.

Lynis is going to help me with the blog. She is one of the few canvas teachers in Wales. She is the current Chairman/President of the Embroidery's Guild in Wales. I hope to get her on line soon.

Tisha

NEW ITEMS. LISTED

I signed onto MSN. My usual Palm Tree icon had become the Super Man Logo. How did the computer know? To be on the safe side, I've switched to the I Pad.

Some of the new items are on the web site. I think my favorite is the Stuff-It microfiber cloth. Small,easy to take along;it cleans your glasses, magnifying glass, cell phone, I Pad,
Camera lens,x etc.

I also need the Needle Minder with magnet. It's a small plastic box with a magnet on top. When I was moving furniture to make room for the Christmas tree, I found half a dozen needles on the floor. This will be the perfect place to store them.

THE SALE ENDS!

My web hosting company uploaded a new browser so my web site once again follows my instructions.
The sale has come to an end.  The most popular sale items were the Multi Flex LED Light & the Canvas Clips

Tomorrow, I will start uploading the first of the new products that have arrived from the TNNA Market.

Tisha

THE SALE CONTINUES!

My web site is not responding to my commands.  Rather than tear my hair out,  I've decided to take it as a sign that the sale should continue. ( That's better than saying that I have no choice at the moment.)  The sale will contunue until I find a computer tech who can outsmart  my web site.

Tisha

All Good Things Come to an End

We said "Good by" to TNNA this afternoon.  It is such fun to see all the new canvases and fibers.  I reorganized my unfinished projects last week.  Thus, I was able to restrain my personal buying to 1 canvas.  I saw several others that I would love to do.  As we were leaving, we bumped into the booth that sold lacquer boxes.  This particular booth was set up like a tunnel so it was easy to miss.  I went back to the car to get my Sue Reed SOTM project.  I found a box.  The display area is 6 x 6" so I won't have to finish the complete design.  We didn't find any boxes large enough for the complete design.  I'll post a photo when it is complete.

I am digressing.  Our mission was tools & accessories.  We finished walking the show.  We were in the knitting isles so it didn't take long.  We went back to complete our final ordering.  Pam makes a map of the booths we need to revisit.

We ordered the EZ-Beader.  You secure the disc on the canvas with magnets, sprinkle your beads onto the tacky surface.  it comes with it's own Acrylic case.  We ordered it's companion, a 50 yd spool of braided crystal bead thread.  We got some fun gadgets from the Toy Company.  Several items you didn't know you needed.  Found inexpensive metallic thread scissors so you can keep a pair in each project  (in your dual scissor case of course.).  Puffin has new scissors fobs.  This year, I liked their Scissor Sitters.  Ordered the dog & cat designs as well as the new alpaca. (Looks like a Lama to me).

Pam & I decided that we didn't come away as exhausted as in previous years.  I came home &  found last year's directory.  There were 21 isles last year, only 19 this year.  I'm sure there were more exhibitors there today than buyers.   

I have decided to extend the 20% off sale on the web site till the end of the week.

Tisha

What's New?

SuZy Murphy's new book will be in stock next week. Sharon G. Hopes her book will be ready to ship in Feburary. It will be the first in a series. June McNight has a new book of Halloween stitches. When she showed us her canvas of the stitches, we were sold. There is a spider created from beads & a boiling cauldron. The stitch diagrams are in color. This is a must for those who love to stitch Halloween.

We found & ordered the two sided sticky tape. I just read where a stitcher used it to secure her finished canvas into a box top. Speaking of box tops, I have been looking for a box for my Sue Reed SOTM project. No luck so far.

We are off today to do more ordering and search through the remaining isles of knitting & accessories.

Tisha

End Of A Long Day

Day two at TNNA started with a class by Robin King. She is an amazing stitch planner and loaded with personality! The stitch guide she created for zecca's canvases offered numerous techniques & stitches.

The showroom floor opened at 10 A.M. THere were 17 isles with booths on each side. Six of the isles were devoted to Needlepoint. The remainder were knitting & accessories. We walked till 3 P.M. And still have 5 short rows to finish. The show was smaller than last year. We managed to find a few new treasures. There is still tomorrow.

We had to stop early so we could rest up for my mother's 90th birthday party. Tonight's party was for the family. We had four generations - 21 adults & 5 children. Dad (91) took us all to Donald Trump's Country Club in Palos Verdes for dinner. A great time was had by all. I am so blessed to still have both of my parents. Tomorrow night is the party for their friends at the retirement community, and then another for their old friends who are all younger. And I'm complaining because I'm tired!

Tisha

Day One At TNNA

Our first day has come to an end. We spent an hour buying fibers at Needlepoint,Ltd in Garden Grove, CA. Diane maintains a huge selection of fibers. Self control is difficult.

We are staying in a Double Tree/Hilton Hotel on the Long Beach Harbor. It was Price Line's choice. I stayed in the same hotel & the same room when Lynis came from Wales three years ago for TNNA. The hotel has been renovated. Ruth Schmuff must have been consulted as the public rooms are fuschia & lime green.

After too short a rest, we took the trolly to the cosnvention center for Sample It. It's a cash & carry where the participating vendors select one item to sell. It is like a feeding frenzy as it only lasts one hour! We moved onto Designers Showcase where various designers were featuring their wares. The Pagoda canvas that Jane of Chilly Hollow stitched for Leigh had it'S own table.
It was fun to chat with former teachers & friends.

We have to be up early tomorrow to attend Ronin's class. She is teaching Zecca's bird & worm class.

Tisha

On The Way To TNNA

My associate, Pamela & I are on our way to the TNNA Market in Long Beach, CA. We have stopped for lunch to fortify ourselves for our quarterly visit to a needlepoint store. Stay tuned for future updates.

Tisha