Rainy Days and Monsters (with Ryn and Ruth)

Ruth Schmuff has announced another in Ryn's series of small monster canvases--the Rainy Day Monster.  The canvas comes with a guide to recreate the cuteness when you need a rainy day project yourself. (second link below)
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/12/rain-rain-go-away.html

https://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/geisha-monster-b4645/

The Twelve Gnomes of Christmas

Alice Vantrease Needlepoint Designs has posted two photos of one of their twelve Christmas gnomes on their Facebook page.  
https://www.facebook.com/108210849243364/photos/pcb.832112976853144/832112373519871/?type=1&theater

This canvas is called Rudolpho and the stitch guide is from Judy Greet of Needles and Threads of Ruxton.   Contact Judy if you would like to order Rudolpho and his guide or if you are interested in any of the other gnomes.
http://www.needlesandthreadsofruxton.com

Here are all the other rollup gnomes.  They come with stitch guides, but I don't know if all the guides are by Judy.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.116559821741800.16355.108210849243364&type=1

Christmas Came Early This Year (Tony Minieri Guides)

Yes, Christmas has arrived two days early here in Chilly Hollow--Tony Minieri's website finally has some of his stitch guides available!  These are electronic guides (unless you live in countries where Tony has to collect VAT) available instantly after payment.  All the details are here.  Prices range from $35-85 per guide.
http://www.tonyminieri.com/kazoos-store/

I expect more guides will be added as Tony has time to make them available.  No, I haven't bought any yet.  I'm still trying to decide....

If you have and you want to let the rest of us know what the guides are like (some of them are likely quite old), please comment below or email me at chillyhollow at hotmail dot com.  Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Blog-Stitching Stardust

Pat Miller has started blog-stitching Stardust, one of Leigh Designs' Las Vegas Showgirls.  There are eight of these tall beauties, so even if Stardust isn't to your liking, one of her seven sisters is likely to strut into your heart.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp502x.html

The stitch guide will be available from Leigh Designs or from Pat once she is finished (probably January).  So let's sit back and watch the show!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/whats-next.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/working-border.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/stitching-again.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/skin-and.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/and-more.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/getting-there.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/just-leg.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/feathers.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2014/12/working-along.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/and-onto-beads.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/all-over-place.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/beads-and-borders.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/skirt-feathers.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/just-beads.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2015/01/top-feathers.html

SnowGlobe 1 (Laura Perin Stitches Sandra Gilmore)

Laura Perin has stitched another wonderful Sandra Gilmore canvas, this time her small Snowglobe 1.  The canvas and guide are available from Fleur de Paris, which distributes Sandra's canvases or you can pick up the guide alone straight from Laura herself (second link below).
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2014/12/shakin-up-little-snow.html

http://www.laurajperindesigns.net/ljp-stitch-guides.html

Santa Up Close

If the Christmas spirit has you longing to see (and stitch!) Santa, Kimberly has you covered with her "Santa Up Close" canvas and guide.
http://akimberlydesign.blogspot.com/2014/12/wowto-busy-to-blog.html

Here's the unstitched canvas.  I think the guide is included in the price but you will need to ask the shop about that.  UPDATE:  Kimberly tells me the guide comes with the canvas, which makes this quite a deal!
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/Santa-Up-Close/

Hawaii Flora with George James and David McCaskill

Carol has posted a photo on Facebook of her floral canvas from George James, with a stitch guide from David McCaskill.  It's lovely!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205182133214146&set=gm.772560976154396&type=1&theater

The canvas is called "Night Blooming Cereus" which is a cactus that only blooms in the evenings.
http://www.needlepointhi.com/catalog/artists.html

Biodiversity in the Burbs Guide

Lori Mazza of Waste Knot has finally finished her latest masterpiece, Charley Harper's Biodiversity in the Burbs!  This beauty is off to the framers while Lori and Suzanne Howren work on writing the stitch guide for it.
https://www.facebook.com/wasteknotneedlepoint/photos/a.726502374043251.1073741827.128279907198837/1004418006251685/?type=1&theater

UPDATE: It's back from the framers and off to the Woodlawn Show.  Good luck, Lori!
https://www.facebook.com/wasteknotneedlepoint/photos/a.726502374043251.1073741827.128279907198837/1042098785816940/?type=1

If you'd like to get on the waiting list for the stitch guide (or want Lori to order the canvas for you from Treglown Designs), contact her via the Waste Knot shop website.
http://www.wasteknotneedlepoint.com

Lani's Lady in a Turban is Stitched (Guide Coming Soon)

Lani has finished stitching her Lady in a Turban and is now busy writing up the stitch guide, which should be available shortly.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204001854658959&set=gm.769488756461618&type=1

Lani also designed the canvas.  You can pick up a copy of it and the guide from her by contacting her through her website.  The design is brand new, so it's not pictured there yet.
http://www.lanisneedlepoint.com

Two New Melissa Prince Guides

Melissa Prince Designs has announced two new stitch guides in the works--Michele Herron of The Bristly Thistle has stitched a gorgeous version of MP's fall lantern...
https://www.facebook.com/341998565857547/photos/np.83867873.1277706333/836369683087097/?type=1&theater&notif_t=notify_me

...and Diane Willwerth of Creative Stitches and Gifts in Dallas has created a fun guide for MP's Route 66 Birdhouse.  Contact Melissa Prince Designs for these wonderful guides.
https://www.facebook.com/341998565857547/photos/np.83867873.1277706333/836367013087364/?type=1&theater

Tommy the Ghost (Leigh Designs)

Leigh Designs' Tommy from Lil Goblins Series

I have put the final stitches in Tommy, the ghost from Leigh Designs' Lil Goblins series!
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp520x.html



Do you ever have designs tell you emphatically that they don't want the fancy foo-foo stuff?  This is one of those bossy designs.  It's a rather masculine design, after all, and little boys don't want fancy bows or sparkles or anything like that.  How do you make something interesting to stitch when it the design  refuses fancy touches?  I decided to do an ombre shaded background....

ombre shading background underway

create a sheet from a simple Bargello pattern....

The Sheet--Which Uses Glow In the Dark Threads, Naturally!

....and add candy to the fancy pumpkin pail Tommy uses to collect candy tribute from each house he visits.

Candy Ended Up Inside the Pail

As always, the stitch guide is available from Leigh Designs when your shop orders the canvas from them or you can pick up the stitch guide directly from me if Tommy is already haunting your house.  This design is particularly suitable for the stitcher who wants to move from plain tent stitching to using a few fancier threads and stitches.    Nothing is too hard but everything is fun to play with.

BOO!

Santa's Workshop (Rebecca Wood and Sherry Bray)

This magnificent Rebecca Wood Santa's Workshop was lovingly stitched by Sharon Quick according to a stitch guide from Sherry Bray.  The design is approximately 15x21 inches.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=845838538814100&set=gm.766653850078442&type=1&theater

Another Vicki Sawyer Guide (Carolyn Hedge Baird)

Carolyn Hedge Baird has created another model and stitch guide for one of Vicki Sawyer's canvases, this time for the Prickly Pear Owl.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10203482847855876&set=gm.765936476816846&type=1

Carolyn has also worked up a guide for the Baby Mockingbirds canvas and...
http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com/2014/10/baby-mockingbirds-vicki-sawyer.html

...for the Festive Owls.  Vicki's designs are turned into needlepoint canvases by Melissa Shirley Designs.
http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com/2014/10/festival-owls-stitch-guide.html

Here is Joanne's Festive Owls.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160841405492968&set=gm.8103229373087483&idorvanity=108537025890131