Coffee anyone?

Having received our Caron Collection order in the shop this past week, one of the Watercolors, Sable #196 was perfect for the coffee swirl in my coffee design.  I released this design, Coffee,  last year, having stitched it in petit point and finishing it as a fridge magnet.  For the petit point model Dinky Dyes' #152 Kat's Cat perfectly created a creamy swirl in the coffee.  On the 10 count canvas I felt the silk would not be thick enough over the canvas, but wanting to maintain a similar effect, I needed an over-dyed wool or a Caron Collection Watercolor.
I had started stitching it in needlepoint on the drive to exhibit at the Stitching Jubilee (my husband and I travel to various stitching shows in the US to display and sell our designs) last October and finished it shortly after our return.  It then sat unfinished, until I could find THE hand-dyed fibre.   Satisfied with this "Sable" colour I could finally finish my pillow.  Last night I filled in the area stitching in a circular motion; always around the perimeter working my way into the center.  Thus the changing tones in the hand-dyed fiber create the creamy swirl in the coffee.  And today I sewed the pillow together.  I love it !!!

It's about time that I post something.  It's not that I had nothing to post;  much has happened during the past month.  I just can't believe that it's been a month -  where does the time go.  In the shop new patterns and kits have been arriving steadily and one in particular I could not resist - "Garden Fair" by Courtney Collection.

On the chart pack the designer's model is cross stitched in black and red.  Although I was completely smitten with the design I decided to substitute the red with a softly variegated blue, "Under Tow" by Hand-dyed Fibers.   Also, due to it's size, I decided to petit point it in the tent/continental stitch with 2 strands on a 32ct silk gauze.  I'm hooked, I've been stitching on it every possible moment at home.

During this past month Christopher's School held their annual Arts Menagerie.  It's an evening that shines the spot light on all the drama, dance and art students.  Christopher's drama class was the Master of Ceremonies, posing as their teachers.  Christopher played a math teacher equipped with flow-chart.  The flow chart was to show how over a students life his pant waist falls and rises.   It was a wonderful evening and the kids all did a wonderful job.


Sarah has also kept me busy these past few weeks. This weekend she is making her annual trek to the Anime North Convention at the Toronto Congress Center with her friends.  They go in costume;  dressed as their favourite animation characters.  This year,  

Sarah wanted to go as the Cheshire Cat to pair up with the "White Rabbit" that one of her friends is going as.   So over the past few weeks the two of us have hunted through charity shops for a top hat, vest and suit.  We weren't successful regarding the vest and tie, so I had to sew these for her.










The vest has a velvet lapel, with matching velvet tie.  The mask and ears she made herself.  All this was coordinated to the purple tail we found on eBay.

 This evening, we had to wave good-bye to my dad, as he is traveling to Germany to meet up with my mom.  The two of them will spend the next two weeks visiting family and relaxing by my aunt's pool.  The kids have missed their Oma, and Sarah drew a picture for my Dad to take and give her.  It is a picture of my mom surrounded by all 4 of her grandchildren.  Sarah has captured each of them perfectly, especially Alexander, my sister's son, with his smirk.