BOSTON IS ON THE HORIZON!

We are forging ahead in our Boston plans at breakneck speed.  I first wanted to share with you information on some specific things we will be doing as we will be traveling - sort of a blow-by-blow itinerary.  So here is the first infomercial.

Our first night will be busy as we will have a class immediately after dinner!  It's a secret and is in your goody bag!  Just a little warmer upper!  We will start the trip on a lighter note first - visiting a needlepoint shop!

As stated earlier, we will be visiting three (3) needlepoint shops during our Have a Ball in Boston Tour June 8-13, 2017!  And we will have something different in store for us at each.

First up will be Wellesley Needlepoint Shop.  We will have 3 hours to visit, shop and stitch in this wonderful place.  Wellesley is sharing with us a very unique design that we can preorder!  This piece is so indicative of the area that it just screams Boston and the coastline.

You can feel the ocean breeze coming in from the water when you view this design.  Can't you envision the sound of the waves and hear the sea gulls noisily waiting for you to share some of your catch with them?  Such a happy and colorful design to document your visit to this area.  It can be a picture hung on the wall in your sunny place or beach house - or a cute pillow tucked on the wicker chair in your sunroom.  Fun stitches will keep you occupied for a bit so be sure to get your preorder in right away if you plan to come on the tour.  And. . . . tour participants will be given a special  surprise by Wellesley so be sure to watch on the secret Facebook page - Have A Ball in Boston for full details!

This exclusive design - Cape Cod Fish Market - will be the topic of discussion when we play at Wellesley.  You will pick up your preordered full kit when we arrive at the shop.  Once we are there, we can look over our kits and discuss any questions we may have while in the shop.  Maybe do some stitch refreshers, etc. However, we may also shop through their wondrous threads, canvases and stitching accessories.  What a way to start a road trip!

AND the shop has advised me that our tour participants will get a special surprise when they preorder this kit!  Details will be available on the secret Facebook Page which is only available to paid registered participants.  So don't miss out!

Wellesley will also have several ornaments that they will happily kit for us for our adventure.  This one is particularly meaningful to me because it has the Boston skyline, the Charles River and the remembrance of the Marathon Event - it speaks volumes - all in one little ornament.

I have lots more to share with you so be sure too check back next week to see what we will be doing in the afternoon on our 'shop hop'.  

Won't this be a great way to get our play things ordered and paid for before we even leave?  That way we will have more purchasing power when we get there!  LOL.  (Well, that's how I choose to think about it.)

So once you have registered for the Tour be sure to check out the special kit surprise on our Secret FB Page and get your preorders in right away so there is no delay in having them painted in time!

If you do not subscribe to our secret Facebook Page and would like to just email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com with your email address and say please add me.  All who are interested are welcome.  There we discuss upcoming tours/trips/cruises.  Once you register and book a trip then you are moved over to a secret Facebook Page specific to that tour.  Right now we have Party on the Po with 50x+ and Have a Ball in Boston with half our goal which is 20.  Remember that space is limited on these events.  A deposit will hold your place.  Boston is June 2017 and Italy is October 2017 - come join the fun!  Also visit our sister blog www.needlesnfins.blogspot.com

ONLINE MYSTERY CLASSES
Invoices have been mailed and payments are being processed on our last class for 2016  Santa's Rewards by Devon Nicolson.

If you have not received your invoice please email me right away.  The first lesson was just posted and we are on our way! email:  duodesignsinc@yahoo.com

As promised earlier, here is the agenda for our Online Mystery Classes for 2017!

          Check out the ad in the recent Needlepoint Now Magazine - back cover - listing agenda.      

REGISTRATION IS IN FULL SWING!

All classes (unless specified otherwise or a specialty class) are 6 months in length.  One lesson a month is posted through a secret Facebook Page.  Lessons are posted mid-month.  The class fee for the 6-lesson packet is $150.  Invoices are forwarded through PayPal.  For questions, or to register for any of the upcoming classes (you may register at any time and you will be placed on a notification list and notified one month before invoicing and beginning of class - however, invoices are not processed until one month before the scheduled class) just email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com

Mid-January 2017 - Larger Easter Rabbit

Brenda Stoff will start us off with her delightful Large Easter Rabbit.

BRENDA STOFFT – B264 

                                                    10” x 14” on 18 ct

In case you have no caught on, most pieces I teach offer a plethora of opportunities for embellishing, adding dimension, creating a different approach and experimenting with luscious threads, beads and ribbons!  This guy is full of such opportunities.

Mid-February - Steampunk Fox

Yep, another Brenda Stofft design.  This guy was not supposed to be on the slate of 6 classes for the year.  However the outcry was such that we just had to squeeze him in.

10” x 14” on 18 ct 

   

How could we say no?  Just look at that face!  What an attitude!  How chic!  I am so excited to be working on him!  (Oh, by the way, he is one in a series of three that we will be doing- there is also a Cat and an Owl that is included in our classes.)

Mid-March MENORAH

Tapestry Fair Designs joins us again on our Mystery Classes.

MENORAH  #3004

The design area for this piece is approximately 15.5" x 10" on 18 ct mono canvas.  What a beauty!  I love blues and this piece does not disappoint. Lots of bling going on here I bet! And, this design is available in individual canvases featuring one candle each!  So if you want something smaller to work on here ya go!  They are exactly the same as those represented on the larger canvas. The only difference I have noticed is that the illumination light is not present on the individual canvases. 

Mid- May SONGBIRDS

Danji is joining our party this year with a beautiful Laurel Burch design.

LB-117

As always, Laurel Burch designs offers up lots of beautiful colors with which to play.  The design area is approximately 10” x 16”  on 18 ct mono canvas.  Whatever will we do?  Ooooooo.

Mid-July CUPCAKES

Another newbie for us is BB Needlepoint.  Who doesn't love cupcakes?

BB-91

The designer specially painted this canvas for us in a larger size so we would have more room to play.  The original was much smaller but she gave each cupcake a little more room and made them a little larger for us to savor every bite - I mean stitch!  This will be a lot of fun.  I bet there will be a ton of embellishments! Design area is approximately 10" x 12" and canvas size is approximately 14.5"x 16" on 18 ct. mono canvas.

Mid-November GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Rebecca Wood Designs has this fantastic piece that called to a lot of you.

This is another piece that was not on the original agenda but some of you ganged up on me and recruited others to join you and here we are.  And I am so happy that we are.  What speaks to holiday fun any more than Gingerbread Houses?  We will deck ours out with lots of candy in various shapes and forms!  You don't want to miss this one.  When completed it finishes up to be a 3-D building about 9" in size.

MID-DECEMBER   SANTA WREATH ORNAMENTS

Raymond Crawford Designs has this colorful and happy piece.

I believe there are approximately 25 ornaments on this wreath and that does not include Santa!  I think we are going to have a busy 6 months with this one.  Design area is approximately 9" x 10" on 18ct canvas.

(My bad!  I listed the current Santa - Santa's Rewards - as the December class for 2017 in the Needlepoint Now ad on the back cover.  Don't know how I missed that one).

So currently we are featuring 7 classes for 2017.  We may need to push the December class back a little but we'll see as we get closer to the time.  Normally it should start mid-January but it just seems that he should start in December so that is what I have listed him as and hopefully can manage that.

There you have it!  2017 in a nutshell!  Email us to join in the fun - we'd love to have you.  duodesignsinc@yahoo.com

Looking forward to hearing from you and having you join the fun!

In the meanwhile have a great weekend and remember to Stitch with a Smile!

Sandy

CLASSES!  CLASSES!  CLASSES!  TRIPS!  TRIPS! TRIPS!

I am sitting here reflecting on our just passed Veteran's Day here in the US.  Thinking particularly of my Dad (Daddy to me).  He was so proud of his military service and felt very strongly about our patriotism and supporting our country - in whatever way - be it putting on a uniform or supporting our various systems.

I am not one to discuss politics, religion, all those volatile issues - but, I always think of things in terms of like being on the Board of Directors (since my background is business).  We all go into the Boardroom (voting booth, church pew, etc.) and we duke it out!  We are friends when we go in and thankfully (usually) we are friends when we come out.  One thing for certain, when I emerge from that Boardroom or voting booth, etc., I resign myself to the fact that whatever the outcome I have done what I can to support my position - but, when all is said and done, when we emerge we should do so as 'one'.  I will support whatever that group  decision is - I do not always have to agree with it but it is what it is and I will support it.  Once we reach that point, it is time to put aside personal preferences and deal with what is at hand.  I am not one to look back - I am not going that way - I am going forward. My country is too precious to me to do otherwise.  Okay, that's all you are going to hear from me.  It is not a discussion, position statement nor debate - just a feeling I have at this time in my life.

Okay, now for fun!  Wow.  Do you realize that in just 3 days I will be posting a kazillion lessons?
I just shared a new session in the Online Mystery Class - Arctic Parade from Brenda Stofft.

This is a fantastic 2 year class and has so much to offer.  Remember this design has two huge (did I mention HUGE) sides. This session is devoted to the main part of the wonderful blanket over the back of the moose and under the saddle.  I have a feeling we will be sharing several other sessions before this area is completed.  That is one reason I wanted to do it early so it can be a 'do a couple rows before doing something else' type approach.  Love it, love it, love it.  It is so beautiful and elegant.

While we have had 3 sessions now posted, people are still joining us.  Just last night I had a new participant - so if you want to join us, just email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com for particulars. We certainly have plenty of time.

Next up will be various lessons for our current and last classes for 2016.  

First up will be the next session in the Online Mystery Class - Pillow Collage from the collection.

As you may recall, this guy is another long-term project that covers one year with a lesson posted every other month.  This month we will be dealing with two more pillows to add to the 'bunch'.  I really surprise myself sometimes and that is the case on this lesson.  Can't wait to share.

Then joining in is the next lesson for Online Mystery Class - Happy Haunting Grounds from Eye Candy.

The kitty cat comes to the forefront for this lesson.  And we'll be adding things like candy corn and pumpkins.

Next is the wonderful Online Mystery Class - Robin's Wreath Melissa Prince.

This is such a beautiful autumn/fall piece.  It has provided so many techniques for me to share and I am loving every minute of it.

And last, but not least, our final new design for 2016 - Santa's Rewards from Devon Nicholson.

Such a happy piece to work on.  And boy those cookies!  Those are magnificent!  I know my students are going to love them.

Still time to join the group on this one.  All invoices have been sent out.  If you did not get your invoice let me know right away.  If you have not processed your invoice for payment you have not been included in the secret Facebook page.  So take care of that right away as we will be starting in just 3 short days with Lesson 1.  Email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com with questions or assistance.

And then there is that other 'thing' that is consuming my life.  The Stitching Tours.  Oh gosh I am having so much fun already and we haven't even started packing yet.

First up is the great visit with our New England area - Have a Ball in Boston.  This trip will hit some historic sites (how can you not? - Boston is a historic site.- LOL) and we will be adding some stitching adventures in between.  The trip is scheduled for June 2017 - email me for full details, copy of brochure, etc.  We'll visit three (3) needlework shops while there and spend a couple days on Cape Cod - where, I might add - we will have one full day of classes hosted by Osterville Needlepoint Shop - I love the happy, calming, free spirited feeling of the piece they have designed specifically for us to debut!  Can't wait to share it with you.

And our Party on the Po has gotten out of hand!  We have 50+ people (40+ already paid) ready to go and Parrrtttteeeee!  I am stitching the class piece model to share with the participants and to take preorders for our stitching riverboat cruise.  Ornaments will be coming forward soon - AND - I have some beautiful pieces from fellow designers to share a stitch guide with those who want to preorder them.  So we will have plenty to do in Italy during our 'down' (cough! cough!) time.

If you want to keep track of what is going on with these adventures request to join our secret Facebook Page - Needles 'N Fins.  Also, there are occasional posts on our sister blog - www.needlesnfins.blogspot.com -  We'd love to have you join us.  There will be lots of prizes and surprises for both events!

Have a great weekend and remember to always Stitch with a Smile!

Sandy

ONLINE MYSTERY CLASSES 2016 WIND DOWN!

It is difficult to accept the fact that the last Online Mystery Class for 2016 will begin in just about 13 days from now!

Santa's Rewards is a beautiful canvas design from Devon Nicholson.  The invoices have been mailed and payments are being processed.  If you did not receive your invoice please email me right away so we can get the ball rolling.  If you have processed payment be sure to check to see if you received invite to the secret FB page.  We're about ready to rumble!

There is so much embellishment on this guy!  Wow!  What challenges.  I hope you enjoy him as much as I have.  I knew he would have a lot to offer but I didn't even scratch the surface when I first approached him. I'm thrilled with the challenges he is offering up.

The next lesson for Online Mystery Class Robin's Wreath by Melissa Prince also has tons of fun going on.

Last month's Session included several leaf variations and there are still more to come!

For the upcoming Session I especially have been having fun with the pomegranates.  They were one of my favorites as a child because they were so strange and I use to get one for Christmas as a special treat if pineapples weren't the fruit of choice that year.  The limes and lemon are well on their way as well.

Then we have Happy Haunted Grounds from Eye Candy!

Did more of the larger trees last time for this guy!

More techniques are in store in this colorful piece as well. Sometimes it is so hard to decide which technique to include - there are just so many possibilities.

And the next Session in our year-long project Pillow Collage!  Beautiful design from the collection!

We're just getting a good start on this one and boy is it looking great!  Can't wait to share the next adventure with the participants.

Our last session covered completing the box and a new pillow!  

Needles 'n Fins has a lot going on as well!  This is our touring as we play, stitch and sightsee blog!  We try to have one water adventure and one land adventure in place.

Party on the Po is very active and we have over 35+ participants so far.  This stitching tour goes from Milan to Venice, Italy! There is room for more so come join us.  I am having so much fun playing with the various surprises that I have in store for everyone.

We have new people joining sporadically which is always exciting!  We still have room for a few more so hurry along if you can come play!

The specially designed project is at the painters and I can't wait to get my hands on it.  It is a happy, colorful piece that is exclusive to the riverboat stitching cruise participants.  There are also accompanying  ornaments - all optional - as participants can bring their own stitching if they so choose.  There will be other trip related canvases available with stitch guides as well.

And not to be left behind, Have a Ball in Boston has me working away on the stitch guides for some special designs and many more to choose from.  We will be visiting three (3!) needlepoint shops in the area as well as take in all the major historic sites and enjoy the ambience of Cape Cod and a full day class there as well.  Freedom Trail?  Boston Tea Party?  Boston Harbor?  Cheers? WOW!

Hope to be able to post some needlepoint offerings in the new few days to get your creative juices flowing and have you drooling to come with us!

So if you are so inclined, we would love to have you join us!  Just email me at duodesignsinc@yahoo.com and I'll gladly answer any questions you may have.  Brochures are available for viewing on our sister blog www.needlesnfins.blogspot.com

Have a great week!