I have been looking forward to this day (not July 4th particularly) moving day, for what feels like a long time.  A little over a year ago one of our daughters needed to move back home for a while.  That meant I needed to relinquish much of the space in "my" studio/craft/guest room so she could have a place to sleep, watch tv, talk on the phone, put on makeup, and put her clothes.  I moved my computer/design desk into our bedroom, emptied all my fabrics, etc. out of the storage chest and cleared out the closet.  Well she is still here, much to her dismay, but gone most of the time, with plans to move "soon". 

So, we talked about the fact "my room" sits unloved and mostly unused much of the time while she is gone 5 days of the week.  We all agreed I could move back in, or at least my computer desk/design space and she would pack up a bit of the things that haven't been touched since she moved back home.  

Today was the day!  I'm now back in the room where I can look at my current completed designs and have handy all my thread samples and all the other beads, sequins, markers, paints, etc. etc. handy.  And next week we plan to visit our closest Ikea store to check out the Expedit shelves. It is supposed to have an optional work table that extends out perpendicularly about 4 feet and seems like it would be a great place for marking and taping all the canvases for classes.  Pretty exciting! 

I'll report in on if the Expedit shelves work out.  If they do, we hope to slowly change over to them and move to the garage the unpainted bookshelves I've been using for close to (I hate to say it) 20 years. 

Feels good to be sitting here....home again.  

We have been having cool weather here in San Francisco for the last several days.  Cool enough I have had the heater on up until about 2 in the afternoon.  When I say cool it gets down to about 50 at night and up to about 65 during the day.  Now, last week it was up to almost 90.  For us that is really hot and of course, and most homes here have no air conditioning....just offices and the bigger stores and restaurants.  It's definitely what you get used to.....I went to school in Houston and that's hot. 

Just a note I have finally completed the instruction book for Dahlia and the kit is now available.  It's the fourth (and final) design of the Silk Ribbon Flower Series.....in this size.  Hopefully next year I can begin a new series as these were so much fun to design and stitch. 

I am always so happy to receive feedback from stitchers in my workshops with pictures of finished questions and/or comments about the design.  Lyn Y. of Canada just received her Winter Frost purse back from the finisher and plans to carry it a  wedding this summer.  Thank you Lyn for sending a photo which will find a permanent home in the Stitchers Gallery (coming soon).  Just beautiful stitchng!! 

Lately I have been staying up a little later than usual.  This seems to be the time for instruction books, both new ones and revisions for the new classes to be taught at seminar in September.  All the pilots have ended and feedback is coming in....about thread quantities, graph comments (for all sorts of issues), comments on the written portions, etc.  Now don't get me wrong....I really look forward to receiving the feedback.  Good instructions...more enjoyable classes for everyone!

  But anyway, I was checking my email one last time....about midnight....and McCall (our daughter and zoo keeper) sent pictures of the Scissors Fob and Needle Threader Set she had promised for the website.  Actually she sent two, but here is a picture of my favorite.  Just a soon as I have them actually in hand I'll be adding them.  Aren't they pretty?! 

Now I must go.  I've just started a new book.  Normally I just read in bed at night but today I must sneak in a little extra reading....Hit and Run by Lawrence Block. 

Unbelievable!  I received a call last Friday my project was ready for pick up at Marlene's.  I had to wait all weekend....but I knew they would do a great job....just anxious to see it! The pillow could have been finished with an almost infinite number of color combinations but I think this combination is very nice.  I had initially thought of tassels but this end treatment seems more appropriate.  There are 5 shades of silk and the custom cording with only 3 really visible in this shot.  The flower button is 2 colors.    Of course, the design wraps completely around and the horizontal bands match up along the seam.  That was the plan, but one is never sure if things will work exactly as planned. 

I can't write much now as I am actually getting ready to take a class for the next two days....from Joyce Lukomski.  The class is Fabulous Fillings and I'm really looking forward to it. 

Over the summer I will be posting followup photos of "squares and diamonds" (no final title yet), a dinosaur painted canvas my son-in-law just delivered to me this evening, and a three dimensional pear design.  I last posted a photo of the "squares and diamonds" initial palette on April 29th so it's about time I get back to it. Both the pear and squares will be new class proposals.

Also, my daughter is going to design some beaded scissors fobs and needle threaders specifically for my website.  Hopefully she will have the first prototypes ready to show in a week or two.  She already has some threaders and knitting/crochet stitch holders on Etsy, but these will be different. 

Hope everyone has a good week and weekend.  First day of summer on Saturday!!!