A Bee-Utiful New Cyber Class!

A while ago, I was talking with my friend Helen at FLEUR DE PARIS, a needlework distributor where I get most of my thread and canvas supplies.  I was telling her about some of my cyber class projects for the year, and she said in passing," You should do something with bees.  Bees are really trendy this year."  And she is so right... have you noticed all the cute bee projects showing up?

Anyway, I was in the midst of kitting up a spring cyber class, DAFFODIL TIME, and it occurred to me that the layout would be really fun to use for a knot garden with bees as the central theme.  So I pulled some threads, starting with the variegated Watercolours 297 - "goldenrod", graphed out some fun floral patterns, added some honey-colored walkways, and started to stitch.  And TA DA -- here's what I came up with, and I'm calling it  my "BEE-UTIFUL GARDEN":

And I gotta tell you, I'm totally in love with all those tiny bees!  Here's a peek up close at the bees and padded bee skip (stitched with a gently variegated ThreadworX #5 pearl cotton):

So now I'm pleased to announce that "BEE-UTIFUL GARDEN" is my brand new summer cyber class, with registration open NOW and running until the end of July, so we can get the class started sometime in August.  It's an 8" x 8" piece done on 18 ct. eggshell canvas, with a handful of summery colors.  And guess what?  Each stitcher can choose between LAVENDER DMC 333 & 340 (shown in the model above) or BLUE DMC 322 & 809 accent flowers:

Isn't that the sweetest cyber class for summer?!?  Please buzz on over to my website to see all the class information on this new "BEE-UTIFUL GARDEN".....
                     and HAPPY SUMMER WEEKEND STITCHING!!

A Kicky New Design!

Last month I had a craving for stitching something in red, white and blue, and while mailing out some of my old FANCY BOOTS patterns to a stitchery store, I had the brilliant idea of stitching up some red, white and blue cowboy boots.  Yee Haw!  That was a such a great idea, I immediately jumped on my inspiration pony and galloped away with it.....  Yessir, I just HAD to stitch me up some RED, WHITE & BLUE BOOTS:

I didn't want anything fancy -- just some good ol' American banners running around the borders, with a denim background, gold stars in the corners, and three of the cutest boots I could think of, so I could pretend I had them all in my shoe closet!  I mean, wouldn't these be perfect to wear with jeans on the Fourth of July?  Or better yet, turn this canvas into a denim pillow for your sofa?!?

Not a time-consuming project, and no fancy stitches here, either.  Just Straight Stitch, Diagonal Stitch, and Tent Stitch done on 18 ct. canvas in the eggshell with gold flecks.  (I was hoping there was white canvas with gold flecks, but shucks, no luck - the white canvas has silver flecks instead.)  But you could stitch it on plain white canvas, if you're a red, white & blue purist.... or maybe even work it on the leventeen blue canvas for a snappy blue background.

Here's a look up-close at two of the boots, tent stitched with #5 pearl cottons (although if you want, you can also stitch this piece with DMC floss, which is a tad easier on the fingers):

So if you have a hankering for some festive firecracker cute boots, mosey on over to my website: www.laurajperindesigns.net and check out my fun new pattern of  RED, WHITE & BLUE BOOTS.

And HAPPY WEEKEND STITCHING, too!