Hi, Everyone —

I promise to stop posting my boring travel photos, but since we have had “Organizing our Stashes” as a topic this year, I just had to share a few more pictures. I had to conclude that needlepoint was big in royal circles — they had the most beautiful and practical storage for stashes!

I'll store my Silk and Ivory Here!

Perhaps this will work for my silks?

Kreinik and Other Specials?

Paternayan?

DMC!

Seriously, some of these were three to a room….

You can see at least two here!

I don't think anyone would miss these pieces, do you? I think even I could be persuaded to organize with these cabinets as incentive! How about you?

Don't you wonder what they needed all of these for (if NOT needlepoint stashes?)?

Cheers!

Rosie

Hi, Everyone —

I thought I would take advantage of this rainy afternoon to show you some of my “needlepoint research” from Scandinavia!

So, my tour group probably thought I was nuts because I kept snapping pictures of ceilings and floors — but seriously these were awesome ideas for needlepoint. You can see if you agree!

A ceiling in Sweden

Another Ceiling in Sweden

This Ceiling was in Denmark!

Another one in Denmark!

Wouldn’t this make a beautiful canvas?

Love this Window in Edvard Greig’s Home

How about this Viking Prow?

Another Beautiful Ceiling

An Inlaid Table Top

Even More Ornate!

A Potential for Or Nue!

I have tons more, but you get the idea!

Cheers! Rosie

Hi, Everyone —

I've been trying to find the time to write a few needlepoint-related posts from my recent trip to Scandinavia. We had a fabulous time and I met another stitcher in our tour group! We compared notes on stitching shops or museums that we found.

We saw some fabulous tapestries, beautiful ceiling designs, and furniture — all inspirational for things needlepoint!

I thought I would share with you my only needlepoint-related purchase (for which I got great grief from my husband.) I know that I have shared on several times, Debbie Stiehler's great idea about using a hammer to obviate the need for Evertite bars. So I've been on the lookout for a small hammer that I could keep clean for use with my needlepoint.

Beautiful Hammer from Bergen, Norway

So, while I was doing some last minute shopping in Bergen, Norway, I came across this beautiful painted hammer and knew that it was exactly what I needed. So I bought it! Harold really didn't understand this obsession, so I didn't tell him that I snuck it into his suitcase for the flight home! (My bag was overweight to begin with.)

In any event, I used it for the first time at the SOTM meeting last Saturday and it worked like a charm!

Cheers!

Rosie

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t choose to blog about the completion of my St. Margaret’s Star. However, after many frustrating attempts to post about the NJ Needle Festival using my iPad mini, I ended up back on my regular laptop. Now the point of getting the iPad was so that I could blog while traveling without having to lug the laptop and its myriad of cords around with me. And with apologies to those who “follow” the blog for the test messages — this post is actually a real test with pictures, captions, and all!

So, for this post I am using the application called Blogsy ($5 at the App Store) which I downloaded to my iPad at my daughter’s recommendation. I added my WordPress blog to it and after a brief tutorial, I am now writing my first independent post. So first I had to get the picture downloaded from the camera — that was easy! But I have to edit the photo in the photo application on the iPad and save it as a new photo. OK — did that, but I’ll probably need some practice with the approach — I like using my mouse better!

St. Margaret’s Star

Whew — I forgot how to insert the picture for a moment, but now I remember that I had to drag it into the post with my finger. Then I double tapped it to bring up a screen that allows me to add a caption. Unfortunately the caption doesn’t show up in the posting screen, but I know it’s there and that it will show up when I publish the post. (Because I tried it a lot of times during the tutorial!)

OK — I think I am ready to publish this. Blogsy is nice because it gives me font options as well as MS Word features like centering, bold, and underline. I’ve used my iPad mini, my flexible silicone full-size bluetooth keyboard, my camera, a special camera cord which is about three inches long, and that’s all! This set-up (if it actually works) will be easier on my back, but more challenging to my brain!

Cheers to all!

Rosie

Today was the second annual New Jersey Needlefest in Pluckemin, NJ.  The NJNA was well-represented at this event.

First, it was organized by Susan H of Foxview Needlepoint who is our reigning NJNA president!  She had Sue R and Ellen T helping with check-in and food and coffee service.  Our own Anne M from Mrs. Stitches was one of several vendors and it appeared that she was doing quite a business.  (In fact, I heard several women discussing the need to make a visit to her shop in Mendham!)

There were seven stitchers at our NJNA table and Sue C, Gwen, Rona, and Mary were all sitting with other groups.

Pam, Dee, Carol, Diane, Linda, and Kathy at the NJNA table!

A lot of our NJNA stitchers were working on St. Margaret’s Star and we attracted a  good deal of attention as others stopped by to view our different colorways and even variations in the same over-dyed threads.  Later in the day, Joan and Nancy stopped by to say “Hi” and to shop at the vendors!

Some (but not all) of NJNA attendees!

The lunches were made by the DAR who donates all proceeds to the Veterans Hospital.  We are so grateful that Susan chooses them to be the lunch vendor.  Don’t these look delicious?

Ham Sandwich Lunch

Vegetarian Lunch

Gwen and Sue C both won door prizes — so even though the NJNA table wasn’t so lucky, our members certainly were!

Gwen proudly displays her door prize!

Susan presenting Sue with her door prize!

Members or our chapter were thrilled to reconnect with some former chapter members and we hope that our friendliness and enthusiasm will entice them to rejoin NJNA.

All in all, we had a wonderful day of stitching with friends — and I can’t think of anything better!

Cheers!  Rosie