An adventure

Today, I ventured way outside of the comfort zone known areas where I now live and found my way to Peacock Alley Needlepoint in Ada, Michigan....only about 23 miles from my house!  Wow!  First, I met Michelle that works there on Wednesday and she is a very wonderful young lady that is very knowledgeable about all the goodies with our art.  I had talked to Sandy from there and asked her to hold a copy of SharonG;s Needlepoint Sense for me and I was dying to get my hands on it.  Since I can now find most everything I am looking for in the house it was time for some retail therapy.  There was a gorgeous Easter display in one window with lots of lovely pastel fibers and canvas.  They have a wonderful collection of Pischke Pockets bags and canvas as well as the trunk show with two tables full of Julie Pischke Designs canvas and they are just yummy. I saw the new Rainbow Gallery overdyed Very Velvet and the Kreinik Hot Wire, Easter Grass, and all the Kreinik candy colors.....lots of creative ideas for all of that.  I bought some purples for the hair on Wild Woman and some Painter's Threads for her dress.  I also had to get Sandra Arthur's new book called Shapes of Needlepoint.  So instead of stitching today, I am reading and getting some ideas to use in the next few days.....photos tomorrow!

Stash Enhancing

Jane wants to know what Needlepoint shop I visited in Atlanta. We made a trip to In Stitches. www.institchesatalanta.com The shop is owned by Bam Coleman, a former native to my area in the mountains of NC. I did not realize that when I walked into the shop but I was warmly greeted by one of her associates who offered her assistance and provided a thread conversion chart for some fiber I was looking for. I also told her I wanted to browse a bit. I was pleased to see all the fibers on display as well as room after room of wonderful canvas. The wall of Splendor was gorgeous as were all the other threads I found throughout the shop! Liz of Tapestry Tent had a trunk show and I managed to find the above stocking cuff that I could not live without and a couple of packages of Renaissance Designs angel hair. I had a very nice conversation with Bam as well and have signed up for her newsletters for possible future classes. There were lots of great stitched samples along with a great sale rack. I hope you get a chance to stop by.