Threads have been picked!

Mod Ornaments Mystery is moving right along.  Have you ordered your canvas yet?  If not you better get it on order.  This is a very popular class and registrations keep coming in.

Have you registered?  Please keep in mind that stating on Needlepoint Nation that you want to take the class does not serve as a registration.  You need to send an email to duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and tell me you want in and provide your email address.  I don't want the spam police coming after me and your letting me know through email makes it official. Registration closes in September and the first class starts mid-November.

I have set up a Yahoo Group for participants to share information, pictures, etc.  So far less than a third of those registered has joined the discussion group.  If you want to participate in the discussion group and did not receive an invitation just let me know and I'll get an invite out to you right away. Yahoo group participation is not mandatory.

I have whittled down my thread selections.  I currently have 15 threads.  Now, keep in mind that once I start stitching I could easily change my mind and switch out one or two and maybe even add one or two.

Stitches and techniques are pretty much decided on. Okay, okay!  Here's a sneak peek!

Awwww, come on guys!  You knew there had to be some basketweave somewhere on the canvas.  Those fun techniques need some type foundation. And you knew if I showed the color you could figure out which ornament it went to. But I promise there will not be much basketweave!  Too many other fun things to do.

Now I need to concentrate on beads and/or other embellishments that I might want to add.  In fact, I need to hold myself back in that department.  I could bead everything!

I think I will be able to get a thread list out before too much longer.  Some shops have expressed an interest in offering a thread kit for participants to be able to purchase in response to our request to have one.  I'll pass that information along once I know who will be offering them.

Okay, enough talking and back to stitching.  Be sure to get your friends on board to join our fun.  Check with your local shop too.  Several are working with me in setting up a social get together at their shop where participants let the shop do all the work (order the canvas, download the lesson, pull the threads) and they meet at their shop once a month after the mystery has been released and stitch and discuss the mystery.  Shop owners contact me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and I'll be happy to share with you how some other shops are handling this.

Until next time - remember to stitch with a smile!

Sandy

DECISIONS!  DECISIONS!  DECISIONS!

But, but, but, I wanna use them all!

It is so hard to choose for the Mod Ornaments Mystery online class when we have such a wonderful array of threads from which to make our selections!  All these wonderful threads plus all the other embellishments that I will be using is waaayy too fun!  And my picture doesn't even show all the bling in these threads to tempt you further! This is work - right?

If you aren't familiar with the Mod Ornament Mystery online class just scroll on down a little ways and all the details are there for you.  Don't want to scroll, just email me that you want in and I'll add you to the registration list - duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.

In the meanwhile, I'll go back to trying to make some decisions!  

Come join us!

Sandy

I LOVE TO TEACH!

I had the best time this past week at The Needlepoint Clubhouse in St. Louis.  Everyone there was wonderful.  Those names that I especially remember are Angela (she is the force behind getting things done), Linda and Pam, owners and fabulous hosts, Judy and Carole who work there also and helped me.

The students were so fun and they brought the most amazing canvases.  Unfortunately as the teacher I did not have time nor remembered to take pictures.  I get so mad at myself for doing that.  The pictures of the canvases that the gals sent ahead did not do the canvases justice, of course.  But, they were so colorful and happy!  I had a cutie sitting on the beach in her 1940's red polka dot swimsuit and it looked like it was at Coney Island; some funky gals in their swimsuits that obviously were no longer bathing beauties; there were frogs swimming - diving - floating; how about the Anne Lane chickens - I can't wait to see those finished; one of Brenda's cats; Lani's collage of leaves; of course, there was a mermaid (almost one in every class anymore); a Charley Harper (almost one in every class anymore); couple of santas (always some in every class); flowers, and no class is complete without at least one Maggie and  Melissa Shirley.

What helps make these classes so fun is when there is a great thread selection available.  The threads allow the mind to go another mile in imagination.  Needless to say, sometimes I go over the edge!  But I love it.

Next to teaching I love most to stitch!  Now I am home and able to get comfy in my nest and back to that part of my work.

I am preparing stitch guides for some wonderful canvases and I never tire of it.

I am stitching models for great designers to accompany stitch guides as well.

I am also preparing kits for ANG National Seminar next month.

And, I am working on my own new designs for proposals.

The new Online Mystery Class, MOD ORNAMENT MYSTERY,  by EyeCandy through Ruth Schmuff Designs is on the front burner now too.  The support of this class has been amazing.  We are all going to have so much fun.

Complete details about the class are in my previous blog.  You can sign up by merely sending me an email at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com.  We would love to have you join us.  Right now we are deep into the setting up and housekeeping end of getting things rolling.

Well, back to kitting for Seminar!

Have a great week.

Sandy

St. Louis will never be the same!

I'm getting all packed and ready to jump on that plane tomorrow morning to play with my friends at The Needlepoint Clubhouse in St. Louis!

Oh gosh, these gals have given me such cute canvases to work with.  I can't wait to match them up with their owners.  There are all kinds of stuff like Annie Lane, Maggie, Lee, Melissa Shirley, Brenda Stofft, Charley Harper, and Lani for instance.  How can you not have fun with all those wonderful designers' products at your finger tips! I have birds, cats, chickens, flowers, frogs, swimmers, santas, ornaments, etc.  I am not going to be bored that's for sure!

We are gonna stuff, ruche, lay, bead, pad, pinch, destroy and do just about everything we can think of to try and stay out of trouble (or maybe cause it).

And if that's not bad enough, I hear there is a to-die-for bead shop across the street.  I am in trouble!

If you are in the neighborhood, please stop by and say hello to us.  I would love to meet you.

Hope to see you in St. Louie!

Sandy

NEW MYSTERY CYBER CLASS COMING SOON!

I am so excited to be sharing with you information about our new Mystery Cyber Class.  My webmaster just today posted the announcement to those of you signed up on my various mailing lists so you should have the notice by now, hopefully.  I never really have understood how that works.  Seems that some things are so fast on the internet yet others take hours.  I have come to the conclusion that some things, like blog posts, are released by the time allowances of the cyber gods.  Anyway, we eventually get them.

When I saw EyeCandy's Mod Ornaments through Ruth Schmuff designs my mind just wouldn't let it go.  In fact, I'm still having problems letting it sit until I complete other commitments. (Patience is not one of my virtues.)  I just know it is going to be so fun.  And it's like watching a flower grow, bud and then bloom - that sucker is growing and I have the bud developing in my head and on paper but my schedule just won't let it bloom yet!  Dang it!

Below is the notice that my webmaster distributed.  It outlines some of the details about the upcoming class.

MOD ORNAMENTS MYSTERY

Designer:  EyeCandy Design #8242

Available through Ruth Schmuff Designs

Join Sandy Arthur as she stitches through all the wonderful possibilities of this canvas.  Who knows what’s in store?  Or Nué? Woven Webs? Peyote Beading? Shisha Embroidery? Jessicas? Or none of the above?

Play with fantastic threads such as Kreinik Braids, Pepper Pot Silks, Rainbow Gallery Specialty Threads, and more!

See what fun embellishments come to mind with the beautiful beads and other goodies.

Mod Oranaments Mystery is covered in six (6) easily managed lessons.  They will be released monthly. 

Students are encouraged to obtain their supplies from their Local Needlework Shop.  We will be available, however, if assistance is requested.

Monthly lessons are distributed through the Internet in the pdf format.  Clear, detailed instructions will walk you through each technique.  Wonderful, fully illustrated diagrams accompany lessons as needed.  Photos of actual sessions will also be available on a limited basis.

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION:  SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

FIRST LESSON:            NOVEMBER 10, 2014

LESSON COST:            $25 per each monthly lesson

CONTACT:                   SANDRA ARTHUR, DUO DESIGNS, INC.

                                      e-mail:         duodesignsinc@yahoo.com

                                      blog:           www.sandyarthur@blogspot.com

                                      website:       duodesignsinc.com

All that is required at this point is for you to email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and say you are in!  You will be added to the class list.  You will then be invited to join a Yahoo Group (which I hope works out better than my last effort).  From there, you need to make arrangements to get your canvas.  Then, you will receive a notice of a PayPal invoice for the first lesson's release ($25.00).  Once paid, you will receive the lesson in pdf format. Can't hardly beat that can you for sitting home and getting to take a fun class for a very nominal fee!  I'm in!  Oh, I'm the teacher, of course I'm in.

So won't you come join us in this new adventure?  I know it will be fun!  In the meantime, remember to stitch with a smile!

Sandy

Stitching!  Stitching!  Stitching!

Returned home, rather hurriedly, from Designers Desk Monday night but arrived safely.  They were changing and cancelling flights like crazy because of some very nasty weather.  So, Pat came to the classroom and announced that in order for me to get home at a decent hour I had to leave 'NOW'.  Talk about scurrying.

I had such a wonderful time and met some new students.  Luckily for me, I had several returning students!  I love them!  We did three days of canvas enhancement and one full day of techniques - What to do With Ribbons and Such!  The students enjoyed it very much and wanted it to be two days instead of just the one.  So, if future shops or chapters are interested in this workshop it is going to now be two days to allow more time for execution.

We played with ribbon, Wonder Ribbon, Memory Thread, Flair, Neon Rays, Sparkle Rays, felted balls, beads, Kreinik, Painters Thread Hankies, Sparkles, and on and on.  Too fun!

I hit the ground running when I arrived home!  I had to do some finishing touches on class proposals for TNNA Phoenix which were due July 1.  So now that is one thing off my list.

I am busily working on stitch guides for clients and I am loving every minute of it.  I am also working on some models for some designers and this, too, gives me a great deal of pleasure.  Can't wait for you to see them!

Duo Designs is getting ready to release a wonderful series of canvases and I can't wait to share them with you.  More on that later.

For the moment, however, the next priority is ordering supplies and making up kits for the 5 days of classes that I am teaching at ANG National Seminar in Chicago.

One of my classes went to lottery so that is a lot of canvas cutting, assembling, etc.  But I love every minute.

Beading for Needlework is a one-day class where we will be discussing and experimenting with various ways to attach beads, executing different stitches, edgings and fringes. 

Back to the Beach is a 4-day class and is a follow up of To The Beach.  These gals have been so much fun and I am anxious to share them with the class.  To The Beach is now available for purchase as I have retired them from classroom only.

If you are going to Seminar, you might want to check with Designers Desk and order a neat Chicago Bean magnet to show off on your projects.  It is so cute!  I am already using mine.

Well, if I'm blogging I 'ain't' stitching so I better get at it!

Have a great evening and remember to Stitch with a Smile!

Sandy

STITCH GUIDES!  STITCH GUIDES!  STITCH GUIDES!

Well folks, my leg might be broken but I sure have been stitching like crazy!  Some of the fun stitching I have been doing has been for Ruth Schmuff Designs and they are the new Sandra Vargas canvases and they are great, great fun.  There are loads of beautiful, exciting threads and unique stitches and techniques. Get your wonderful canvases now by contacting Bedecked and Beadazzled www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com and be ready for the announcement of the availability of the stitch guides.

Lady Hatter

The Queen

For those of you who are interested in Stitch Guides, my Webmaster has been adding them to my website.  Be sure to check them out and check back often.

http://duodesignsinc.com/wpsite/stitch-guides-only


The hottest items right now are the ones for Leigh Designs Russian Santas.  I have four.  Here's a couple to whet your appetite.

There will be more to come as I get them finished and my Webmaster gets them loaded.

If you have a special request just email me at:  duodesignsinc@yahoo.com

Just returned from teaching at  EGA CAR Seminar in Ridgecrest, NC teaching the Bright Holiday Tree - - -  this is a fun 2 day class.  Great bunch of ladies!

Have a great day and remember to Stitch with a Smile!

Sandy