Working on New Website

Dear Friends,
I know just enough about computers to be dangerous.  :-)

I'm working on building a Word Press website that will eventually become the home of Embroidery It and I hope to have a shop on there to sell my designs.  I'm doing this myself rather than hiring a website designer to do it for me.  I did call around and got quotes from $1,000 to $2,000 plus more for monthly support.  YIKES!  Maybe at some point when I'm making a bit from my designs I can go in and have a professional polish up my website but for now it is what it is.  Most importantly, I'm learning something new and learning provides me with a lot of satisfaction.

Right now I have the domain www.embroideryit.com pointed to my new website through my new host.  Using Blue Host if anyone wants to know.  This blog will continue using Google's blogspot so you may notice in the URL it says www.embroideryit.blogspot.com   If, by chance you do happen to go to www.embroideryit.com, there is nothing there at the moment.  You can pop over from time to time if you like to see my progress, maybe cheer me on.....

Quite honestly, this post is more of a test than anything as I want to see if the feed from this post will be delivered to your inbox.  I'm not sure if my feed is connected with blogspot or not.  Boy this is a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo. 

As I continue to work on my website, I will be posting the occasional photo here of what I'm working on.  Hopefully it will be a little eye candy for you.  :-)  The above photo is my latest applique creation and is my own design.  I hope you enjoy!

Embroidery Blessings,
Nancy

Celebrating First Day of Spring with a new Machine Embroidery T-Shirt

Embroidery design from Embroidery Library.

Dear Friends,
So it is the first day of spring!

As I look outside my window I see a blanket of snow that is still a good 12" deep.  The streets are clear though and under the trees where the branches protected the ground I am seeing grass!  :-)
The chipmunks, or ground squirrels, are out as of a few days ago and I watched six of them scamper back and forth over the snow.  The robins are showing up as well as more birds singing.  I know this winter won't last forever.  As I walk our dog more life is showing.  Even when we had the coldest of winter days, God gave me some beauty to look at.  There were beautiful red cardinals and deer would walk right up to the house.  Poor things were hungry and I'd set out carrot peelings and cores of cauliflower and cabbage.  I'm sure now they are finding more food.  Oh, and I saw two swans in the river now that the river is not frozen over.  Beauty!

So in celebration of the first day of spring, I made myself a long sleeve t-shirt with a robin.  I hope you are enjoying spring in your neck of the woods.

Blessings,
Nancy

Embroidery It designs at the Embroidery Ranch

Clay's Choice Applique Quilt Block

 

Dear Friends,

Today has been a very big and exciting day for me!  I have launched the first two of my very own designs! 

 

Barb at Embroidery Ranch has got me set up with my own little shop, Embroidery It!  She and I have been working together over the past two months and she has waited patiently until I got my designs perfected.

 

Nine Patch Applique Quilt Block

I have been working hard at digitizing and have put together these sweet applique quilt squares.  I've worked on getting the in's and out's just so and making sure the cover stitches cover like they should. 

This was all done by me by hand.  I drew out the design and created the rick rack cover stitch by hand.  No auto digitizing here.  I wanted to make sure you would all get the best results!

Currently they are available only in PES format and the designs fit in the 4 x 4 hoop.  Can't you just imagine these on an apron pocket or kitchen towel?  How about the pastel nine patch below on a baby blanket or burp cloth?

 

I have many more quilt squares planned that I am working on.  I must say, I have a new appreciation for digitizers and what goes on behind the scenes to enable the designs to get to you! 

Most importantly though, I have been having fun.  We are still up to our knees in snow so digitizing has kept me busy this winter and I can't describe the good feeling of satisfaction I've had in watching my very own designs go from imagination to stitching out.

I will let you in on a little secret.  I'm also working behind the scenes here in getting my very own website up.  Squeal!!!  It may be some time yet, but I'm working on it. 

Thank you for letting me toot my horn here.  I look forward to sharing more of my creations with you.

Warm hugs and Embroidery blessings,
Nancy

Generations March Digitizing Challenge

Dear Friends,

This month, over at You Can Digitize, the Generations challenge has been on using the area tool.  We were all instructed to digitize this fish which certainly reminds me of Nimo.  He is a happy little guy!

 

I used a zig-zag pattern in the fish that I hope will be interpreted as fish scales.

 

The only two tools in the program that we were allowed to use were the area tool and the line tool which we had used last month to digitize the redwork teapot.  HERE is a link to my blog post if you would like to go back and see the teapot.

 

These are good challenges as they get me really working with the software and learning all the idiosyncrasies of what is involved in digitizing.

I'll have more of my digitizing to show you very soon!!

Finally, with all this crazy snow, and I think we have had about 120" now, we have had some leaks in our basement since the snow is starting to thaw.  Unfortunately they have been in my sewing room.  :-(

I've set up a table in Emily's bedroom, since she is away at college, and set up my embroidery shop there.  She has a large window that faces the front of the house so stitching in her room is really quite pleasant. 

The leaks are thankfully slow, just a seepage, but still.  Frustrating.  Mike cut out some of the drywall in my sewing room and we have the floor trim pulled off and carpet pulled back.  Just as we were finishing the other work in the basement remodel this happens.  Always something.  The leaks should be sealed this next week then Mike can replace the drywall and trim.  We will put new carpet padding down and I'm hoping a professional carpet clean will do the trick and the existing can be replaced.

That's it for today.  Here in Michigan the sun is shining and only a medium weight jacket is needed this afternoon.  Yeah!!

Embroidery Blessings Everyone,
Nancy

Embroidery It - Time of Lent

Dear Friends,

Today is an important day on the Christian calendar as it is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  It is a time of preparation for Easter the highest of Holy Days. It is a time of repentance and prayer. Many people use this season to give up something as a sacrifice and to offer that sacrifice up to God. For many years, I have taught religion, this year to first graders, and I would speak to them about Lent and having a Lenten resolution. Those children can come up with some thoughtful answers. "I'm going to share my toys every day." "I'm going to help my mother every day with chores." "I'm going to pray every day." Some I'm sure have heard their parents speak about what they are doing for lent and will say, "I'm not going to watch TV," "I'm not going to eat candy," and so on. I really stress to them, and to my own children that this is a time not just of sacrifice, but a time to keep Christ first and foremost in our thoughts and in our actions. It is a time to work on becoming closer to Christ and becoming a better person.
I've been giving prayerful consideration over the past few weeks as to what I would do this year for my Lenten resolution.  For the next 40 days I've decided to focus on surrendering.  Surrendering my day to Christ to let His will be done through me, surrendering that His will be done, not my will be done.

Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness in preparation for what was to come.  May we use this season of Lent to prepare our hearts for Christ's ultimate gift, his death and resurrection so that we may have eternal life with Him.  May Jesus remain at the forefront of my thoughts and may His light shine through me.

Last night we had a beautiful celebration as our son Tim was confirmed into the Roman Catholic Church.  I am so incredibly proud of him as I am of all our children. 

 

Our daughter Emily was his sponsor.  She flew in from New Mexico for three days to be with him during this holy event.

Finally, Mike and I have just returned from Oklahoma City to visit our daughter Katie.  She deploys to Kuwait tomorrow.  She is proud to go, but mama here is not so excited.  I guess Kuwait is probably one of the safer places to be deployed to so for that I am grateful.  I am keeping her picture up here on the blog.  When you see it, would you lift her up in prayer as well as all our service men and women.  As I've read, "Home of the free because of the brave."  It is so true and I am so thankful for their service. 

 

As for machine embroidery, I've done bits and pieces and I'm working hard at digitizing that I will be sharing with you soon.  For now though, I'm enjoying precious time with family.

 

Love and blessings to you all,

Nancy