Almost the end of another financial year and time to do the dreaded stocktaking -
counting and recording all the items of stock in the Needlework Gallery,
storage room, cupboards and drawers.
Once again - as per previous years - have to confess to not supplying the accountant
with my books for the previous income year and subsequently have spent days and days
gathering up all the relevant information for them, writing up the books
and creating the financial statements
(and as told you before - all by hand as have done since leaving high school
and working in an accountants office)
for our accountant to double-check and lodge with the IRD.
Some pics of the Needlework Gallery
for those of you who have not been able to visit.
Where does one start?
As for the Needlework Market in the States, returned home from it Tuesday, 8th of March.
Had a wonderful time.
So many precious friends to meet up with -
Gigi, Monique, Giulia, Romina, Simona, Maria Teresa, Niky, Karen, Janis, Bonny, Maureen, Beth - to name a few!
A disappointment was that some special friends were not able to be there - Judy, Sandie & Cece. Really missed seeing them.
Pictured below are two special Belgium ladies - Gigi and Monique.
Also met up with Pat Carson of 'Gloria & Pat'.
Hadn't seen Pat for years and so it was wonderful to see her again.
Some of you may recall her coming to stay with us for a couple of days
when we lived in Taupo back in December 1994.
At that time I organised an evening at Manuels,
for folk to meet her after she had shared and told us of her love of needlework
and how she began designing.
I've also stayed with Pat in the States.
After Ginnie & Ken Thompson retired,
Pat took over hosting the 'Danish American Days' needlework classes
(at a Golf Resort at Pawley's Island, SC)
taught by Jytte Harboesgaard,
a distinguished tutor from the Danish Handcraft Guild in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jytte taught at the Danish school for over 30 years.
Sadly, Pat informed me that just a couple of weeks prior to the show Jytte had passed away.
A real shock as I had only been in touch with her a few weeks prior to Christmas
at which time she told me that her lovely husband, Neils had passed away in the October.
The last time Keith and I saw her and Neils was when we spent time with them
here in the Hawkes Bay some years ago when she was touring throughout New Zealand
teaching the Hedebo technique at classes for the embroidery guilds.
Some of you may recall going to Jytte's class.
And some of you may have purchased one or two of the published she published.
I used to sell them for her.
As for the show itself, always a wonderful experience!
So many designs. So many threads. So many fabrics. So many accessories. So many choices.
And this is only in one direction!
Pictured
to the right is
Nicola
and her
special man, Ray.
Above -
With Thy Needle
To the right -
The Scarlet House
So many designs. So many threads. So many fabrics. So many accessories. So many choices.
Pictured is the welcome sign that greeted everyone as they entered the lobby of the hotel.
and after a few days, once everyone had begun setting up their exhibits in their rooms,
pictured below is what the hotel looked like when standing on the first floor
and looking towards the elevators.
And this is only in one direction!
If one was standing in the elevator,
and looking the other way,
the scene was the same!
Four floors,
each room on each floor of the hotel occupied by a vendor
with so many tempting items.
My room was on the 9th floor.
Before I left New Zealand I was determined I wasn't going to purchase a lot - but I weakened!
The "in" thing at the moment is reproduction samplers.
Before leaving New Zealand and therefore before attending the show,
English designer, Nicola Parkman of 'Hands Across The Sea Samplers'
contacted me and asked if I would represent her here in New Zealand.
I subsequently met up with her - and what a wonderful lady.
Classy, elegant, intelligent, a perfectionist, sweet natured, and gracious but humble.
A beautiful person inside and out and so gifted with her needle.
Her love for reproduction samplers is infectious.
I now have available every sampler design that Nicola has reproduced.
Each pattern is
* beautifully presented
* printed on the highest quality paper in booklet form
* colourful with easy to read charts and instructions
* filled with historical content and/or provenance of the needleworker
Pictured
to the right is
Nicola
and her
special man, Ray.
Below are a few pics of some exhibitors displays.
Some of Giulia's
exquisite dolls -
GPA
Giulia Punti Antichi
Above -
With Thy Needle
To the right -
The Scarlet House
And pictured here are Jim and his daughter from 'The Gentle Art'
(Sampler Threads and Simply Shaker Samper Threads)
on the right of them is Megan - editor of the Needlework Retailer magazine
and one of the show organisers.
Jim's mother, Nancy, began dyeing these lovely cotton threads back in the early 1990's.
When I began purchasing them from her,
the complete range was a choice of less than 30 colours in the Sampler threads range.
Simply Shaker Sampler Threads were not introduced until several years later.
And - Giulia's husband, Mario and our mutual friend, Gigi.
In the plane on my way home I began stitching one of Judy's (JBW Designs) latest designs
Design Title: With Love
Design Code: JBW 345
Price: $17.50
And pictured to the right
is how it was a few days
after my arrival home -
When I began purchasing them from her,
the complete range was a choice of less than 30 colours in the Sampler threads range.
Simply Shaker Sampler Threads were not introduced until several years later.
Now - altogether - almost 200 colours.
Another special friend exhibiting at the show was Janis of Noteworthy Needle.
In addition to designs, Janis creates wonderful beeswax shapes -
bees, beehives, hearts, animals, pet paw prints, flowers, etc. etc.
Janis was holding a competition over the weekend - and I was the winner!
Prize was a
wonderful bag
of goodies!!
Beeswax items,
bee related ornaments,
a jar of honey
and a huge mug
with a
Queen Bee
and a crown
stamped on it.
A wonderful feeling to have won. I felt like a Queen Bee.
Pictured above is myself and Janis.
One of the highlights of market is the getting together of all the exhibitors at the hotel's 'Happy Hour' - free drinks & nibbles - at the end of the day to socialise and discuss the days happenings.
Pictured are "The Italians" -
Giulia, Simona, Romina & Maria Teresa and husbands.
Giulia's husband, Mario is not pictured.
He must have been away getting another drink.
And here are another couple of pics of some lovely friends together.
Jean (owner of the fabulous shop, 'The Attic Needlework', Phoenix, Arizona)
Gigi (designer - GigiR)
Nicola (designer - Hands Across The Sea Samplers)
And - Giulia's husband, Mario and our mutual friend, Gigi.
And finally,
all things
must come to an end
and so here I am
about to leave
the hotel
for the airport
with my
trusty limo driver,
Azaz.
He has been transporting me to and from the airport
(about an hours drive away)
every time I have attended a Nashville market/show.
with one of Romina's (Romy's Creations) threads - Fuchsia.
A really pretty coloured overdyed cotton thread.
Design Title: With Love
Design Code: JBW 345
Price: $17.50
And pictured to the right
is how it was a few days
after my arrival home -
And here are all my purchases.
There doesn't look to be too much, but I assure you there were heaps of things to price!
I have to confess that I called this trip to Nashville my "Nostalgic Trip"
as I cannot be sure that I will attend again.
Life and circumstances have changed.
But - one never knows!
That's all for this time.
Bye for now.
