… to participate in Independent Needlework News’ current contest.
There are wonderful goodies to be won, and so far, very few entries.
That means your chances of winning are EXCELLENT!
Technorati Tags: Independent Needlework News, contest
Sadly for the rest of us, Kim Ritchie has decided to stop making Qsnap Huggers, at least temporarily. Family issues must take precedence for her, just as they must for all of us at times. I hope she will be back soon.
Until such time as Kim is able to return with her fantastic product, I will certainly enjoy hugging my QSnaps on a regular basis … and INN will continue to offer QSnap Huggers as contest prizes for a short while — until I run out of the current stash Kim so generously donated her time making for me, that is. So if you wanted a QSnap Hugger and didn’t get a chance to order one for whatever reason, please be sure to watch INN for upcoming contests … and don’t forget to participate in the current contest, too!
Also, be sure to stay tuned to INN for future announcements because you can be certain that if and when Kim is able to return to manufacturing Qsnap Huggers, I will very happily announce it here, and Kim will always receive my full support in her endeavors.
Please join me in wishing Kim and her family all the best at this time and in the future.
Technorati Tags: QSnap Huggers, Kim Ritchie
As I mentioned at the end of the post announcing the winners of the wXSw Halloween SAL Contests, there was yet one prize left to award, and that was to a randomly drawn member of the voting group.
To determine the winner of that prize, I put my eight staff reporters to work. I wrote each entrant’s information down on a slip of paper. Each slip of paper was then wadded into a ball, and all of those were put into a brown paper bag from the grocery store. I also put some Yeowww! Catnip Buds Flowertops (see the product in the middle of the bottom row on that page) into the brown paper bag.
At this point, my reporters were already becoming very excited about participating in this particular staff meeting. The bag was taped shut at the top with duct tape so they would have to work really hard not just to open the bag, but also to get anything out of it.
I made a brief attempt to call the meeting to order, but the tension was palpable, and my staff have always done a very effective and thorough job with such matters. Instead, I moved out of the way to let them get to the task at hand.
My goal was to obtain the first scrap of paper to be carried or pushed into the kitchen, and I must tell you, this didn’t take long and their progress was one of the funniest things I have ever watched. I wish I owned a video camera …
It probably took about two minutes for them to determine they would have the most successful outcome obtaining the catnip if they handled the event as a team-building exercise. Once they came to that conclusion, they gathered in a circle around the bag and literally pulled it apart as if they were playing a carefully calculated game of tug-of-war in which the requirement was that the “rope” be pulled in all directions. That method took about thirty seconds flat.
At first, I feared their clever plan of attack would result in all mess and no random voter result, but not a single slip of paper was harmed during the randomizing process. I think that is probably because my precious felines were quite intent on not missing a single bit of that catnip! 
Several high kitties later, and with only a bit of a mess to deal with, I was prepared to announce our winner:
Maureen Ranson !!! Maureen, please contact me so we can square away the details.
Maureen wins a QSnap Hugger donated by Kim Ritchie (using fabric donated by me), along with the following from INN: a QSnap of the size needed to match her new QSnap Hugger (after all, I have to make sure she has a QSnap to hug! ), and — just to make sure she isn’t disappointed in her prize package because I picked out everything for her — a $10 gift certificate (worth closer to $13 if she uses it before midnight eastern time today) to One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies (plus free shipping) on me.
Technorati Tags: Maureen Ranson, random voter prize, Halloween SAL, wXSw, gift certificate, QSnap Huggers, Kim Ritchie, One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies,
As you all know, Jenna Magee has been INN’s “technical support person” for many months now and has repeatedly proven herself an invaluable asset. So far, the best I’ve been able to come up with for her is an unwieldy title (in fact, I’ve decided to run a contest to select an appropriate title for Jenna regarding her INN contributions).
Therefore, it is always with great pleasure that I advertise anything on behalf of Jenna’s online needlework shop. Of course, I’m happy do the same for any and all needlework shops, designers, and so on — there just aren’t enough hours in the day, LOL — but without Jenna, I would not be able to bring INN to you, or at least, I would not be able to bring INN to you at the high standards I demand of myself.
It is One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies‘ first Black Friday, and in honor of that — and also to help ensure you don’t need to leave your house to do any holiday shopping — Jenna is having a big sale.
All orders placed today, Friday, November 23rd, will be 25% off !!! The sale continues until 11:59 p.m. eastern time and requires coupon code BlackFriday2007.
So, please take this opportunity to treat yourself to a few special things … and help congratulate Jenna on her first of many Black Fridays in business!
Technorati Tags: cross stitch, Jenna Magee, One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies, sale, Christmas, holiday, shopping, gift
… that doesn’t sound like she runs around in a bathing suit all the time?
As you all know, Jenna Magee is INN’s “technical support person.” She has very kindly been providing me with extensive technical support for many months now. I wish I could afford to pay her. First of all, she’s so good at what she does that I’d love to make it possible for her to quit her day job (if she wished to do so, of course). Secondly, I could definitely make use of her talents full time (it still amazes me how quickly INN has taken off … if I can just get the advertisements up within the next week, I’ll be ecstatic!). In addition, she’s also provided unfailing friendship even though so far all I’ve come up with for her is such an unwieldy title …
So, I’ve decided to run a contest to select an appropriate title for Jenna’s INN contributions.
Individuals may enter once so choose carefully. All entries should be accompanied by your first and last name, and your city and state (or, for international INN readers, the equivalent of that information is fine). Email your suggestion to me no later than midnight Chicago time on Friday, November 30th. Non-stitchers are welcome to enter; however, if you do not stitch, please let me know in your entry email so I can select your prize accordingly.
The winner of the contest will be selected at my sole discretion after Jenna has privately accepted her new formal title.
The prize is guaranteed to be worth at least $25.
Technorati Tags: Jenna Magee, technical support, contest, INN, Independent Needlework News
Once again … I must apologize for the unplanned delay … but wasn’t it spooky? (Planned delays, of course, are just plain annoying, but fortunately do not occur when one is self-employed. Or self-unemployed. Or whatever.)
Here, at long last, but no less the worse for the wait, are the well-deserved winners of the Wonderful XS World (wXSw) Halloween Stitch-a-long (SAL) Contests.
Most Bootiful Tree
The competition in this category was very, very stiff. INN readers were charmed by several different styles of finished trees, from the scary to the folksy to the Halloweenishly lovely. It was a close race, but the results are in, and it is well past time to announce the winners.
Taking first place and also being awarded her choice of one design from each of our three SAL designers (Helga Mandl Designs, Periphaeria Designs, and Tam’s Creations) is …
… Karen Gieselman !!!
Mere votes behind to take second place and her choice of a design from two of our participating designers is …
… Lauren Kuik !!!
And just a few tiny votes behind her to take third place and her choice of one design from one of our participating designers is …
Joni Gochenour-Lehman !!!
Most Creative Display
INN Readers really had a good time voting in the next category, and as this particular category only has one sponsored award this year, it was really exciting to see we had one very clear winner.
Without further ado, many congratulations to the winner in the Most Creative Display category … for a tree which showed not just pizzazz and creativity, but also a big warm heart and good fun:
… Karen Gieselman !!! Karen is hereby the winner of a $50 Gift Certificate from Enchanted Fabrics! Karen, who lives in a small town and thus has to make most of her things herself, obviously had a lot of fun decorating this year. Her Halloween tree is made of tomato cages and papier mache and stands over five feet tall! Everything except the tombstones and the car were homemade by Karen with her family!
Most Creative Individual Finishing
The choices were a bit more difficult for INN readers to choose their favorites in the category for Most Creative Individual Finishing, although we did have a clear favorite in first place. Her finishing idea was so charmingly beguiling that I, for one, double-checked my pattern printouts to make sure I’d actually received all of them! For her exquisitely tricky and even magical idea, first place along with a $20 gift certificate and free postage from Violarium belong to …
… Rita De Graeve !!! Rita, I personally must thank you for such an inspirational finishing idea. It puts a big smile on my face every time I think of it, and reminds me of many good games of Battleship with my brother many years ago (I used to love cramming all my ships into one tiny little area … all that open sea for him to miss when he tried to bomb my ships, LOL … It’s one of my fondest childhood memories, and was nearly forgotten way back in those deep recesses until now.), and both the smiles and the good memories are much appreciated.
Second place and a year’s subscription to The Gift of Stitching online magazine go to …
… Karen Gieselman ! Are those old jeans? Maybe a pair that you accidentally spilled bleach onto? Just wondering because I am still amazed at all this creativity, and my mind is going a mile a minute — well, okay, half a mile a minute, as I did just get out of the hospital a few days ago — at the recycling opportunities for Halloween decor all of a sudden!
Third place and a $10 gift certificate (plus free postage) from Violarium is awarded to …
… oh, now this is just too spooky!
We have a TIE!
Joni Gochenour-Lehman (upper photo) and Joan Pavlick (we love those big, hairy spiders with the googly eyes — just as long as we know they aren’t real — don’t we?) have BOTH taken third place! What now? Will we have to have a stitch-off?
Because the Christmas SAL on wXSw is already in progress … ?
Not to worry! We’re all set, with many thanks to Leena from Violarium, who very generously agreed to sponsor both third place awards.
To all of our contestants, thank you so much for entering. Our pointy hats are off to you for a truly fun competition that made each and every little (and big) hurdle getting here worthwhile. We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we enjoyed watching things develop, and we are already putting ideas to percolate in our cauldrons for next year — so you might want to do the same!
That wraps up not only the first annual wXSw Halloween SAL Contest, but also the first ever contest intended to be hosted by Independent Needlework News, while actually being hosted by One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies.
Once again, thank you to all of our generous prize sponsors (all in the Blogroll):
Enchanted Fabrics,
The Gift of Stitching,
Independent Needlework News,
Helga Mandl Designs,
Periphaeria Designs,
QSnap Huggers,
Tam’s Creations, and
Violarium
Please don’t forget to stay tuned here to INN to see if YOU might be the prize-winner drawn randomly from the voting group! That’s where the as yet mysteriously “absent” (because I negotiated for that a while back … and thank you again, Kim!) QSnap Hugger mentioned above as a prize sponsor will make itself known along with some other stitchy goodness. Just as soon as the validation emails seem to have finished coming in (I had no idea there were to be so many, LOL), I’ll get my randomizing research team on the job, and we’ll get that award taken care of, too!
Technorati Tags: wXSw, Halloween, cross stitch, needlework, contest, competition, Wonderful XS World, Bootiful Tree, Creative Display, Creative Individual Finishing, Independent Needlework News, Random Voter Prize, Violarium, Gift of Stitching, Enchanted Fabrics, Periphaeria Designs, Helga Mandl, HMDesigns, Tam’s Creations, Jenna Magee, One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies, Karen Gieselman, Joni Gochenour-Lehman, Joan Pavlick, Rita De Maeve, Lauren Kuik
Please vote in the first annual Wonderful XS World Yahoo Group’s (Blogroll) Halloween Stitch-a-Long (SAL) Contest! Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
Most Bootiful Tree
For the scariest and/or most beautiful tree …
Most Creative Display
For a tree with pizzazz or a completely different display form. Creativity is the key …
Most Creative Individual Finishing
Who has dared to go wild with the finishing and done something exquisite?
Enter the Voting Booth (if you dare 
)
Sorry … Voting is now closed (but I will get pictures back up of our wonderful entries in the not too distant future … I hope … please be patient and bear with me 
)
Please note: You can click on each picture to see an enlarged version for a much better look.
Also, note: Until you have placed your vote in all three categories, please don’t forget to click on the link which says “Back to Contest Main” (in dark purple at the bottom of the page) after you vote in each category so that you can vote in the second and third categories.
And don’t forget — no matter who you are, YOU also have a chance to win because one lucky random voter will win a very special prize with a value of at least $25 — with thanks to sponsors QSnap Huggers (Blogroll) and Independent Needlework News!!!
Vote early, and vote often! We play fair around here.
You may vote once in each category. By “once,” I mean that you can can vote ONE time using ONE email address. Duplicate votes from the same email address will not be counted. Duplicate votes from the same IP address will not be counted. Duplicate votes from the same person using multiple email addresses will not be counted.
I will be emailing ALL email addresses entered during voting to ensure they are valid. I will also be asking an easy question of you in my email. Your response is required to validate your vote.
Therefore, please be careful to enter your email address correctly, and to vote for the picture you really like best. I also suggest you add inn@IndependentNeedleworkNews.com as an accepted sender to your SPAM filters, and be sure to check your SPAM folder for incoming mail from Independent Needlework News.
Many, MANY, MANY thanks to Jenna Magee (and her DH!) of One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies for doing both the programming for and then providing the web hosting space for the contest (since my web hosting service is behind the times … grrrr).
Thank you also, of course, to all our prize sponsors (all in the Blogroll):
Enchanted Fabrics,
The Gift of Stitching,
Independent Needlework News,
Helga Mandl Designs,
Periphaeria Designs,
QSnap Huggers,
Tam’s Creations, and
Violarium
Technorati Tags: wXSw, Halloween, cross stitch, needlework, contest, competition, Wonderful XS World, Bootiful Tree, Creative Display, Creative Individual Finishing, Independent Needlework News, Random Voter Prize, Violarium, Gift of Stitching, Enchanted Fabrics, Periphaeria Designs, Helga Mandl, HMDesigns, Tam’s Creations, Jenna Magee, One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies, Heather Orn, Heather L. Orn
The Online Needlework Show is now open! This is probably my favorite time of the year … and it comes around twice!
I am a very firm believer that this is the stitcher’s opportunity to take a look — from the comfort of our own homes, in our pajamas or whatever else we’d like to wear (or not — your choice ), and at whatever time of day is convenient for you — at all the different items available on the market to needlework shops and distributors from manufacturers and designers. We don’t usually get this kind of direct access but this is our chance to have an inside peek, and it is our obligation to take a look at what is there, make a list of what we like and would purchase, and then let our shops know. Too many shops today think the needlework industry isn’t doing well — this is your chance to let them know that the industry is doing just fine, but that the problem is that the shops haven’t been bringing home the items YOU want to stitch, or the tools you want to use.
So go take a look at all the wonderful offerings from this half of the year’s Online Needlework Show, make your list (and maybe even check it twice). Along your way, don’t forget to watch out for door prizes and other contests which may be offered by individual vendors! Then when you’re done, you just let your local needlework shop know what you want so they can order it for you! Simple!
Unless, of course, they’re not signed up to be buyers at the show, in which case you need to let them know how important this show in particular is for the current success and future growth of the needlework industry by putting them in touch with Cindy Ward (or have them read this article first if you think it will help ) … and make sure you show them the nice long list of items you’ll be ordering through another shop on the list who is signed up as a buyer.
We’ve all got to work together to help bring all our local shops into 2007 — there are actually a lot of them who don’t even have an online presence yet, or who don’t monitor what’s going on in the needlework world through any online resources. Those shops are missing out on SO MUCH, and it makes me really sad to say that my local shop is one of them. I’m going to take some time to look through the online show, make my shopping list, and then go visit her with it because she has repeatedly said to me, “Cross stitch just isn’t doing very well,” and even, “Cross stitch is dying.” I completely disagree. She just isn’t paying any attention to what stitchers want to stitch right now, and so her customers have gone elsewhere for the products they want — especially since she’s turned her store primarily into a yarn store in order to stay in business. Obviously, I can’t force her to drink … but I can sure try by leading her to the water … Just look at all the fabulous designers who will be hosting booths in this Online Needlework Show (in the tags section)! Who would want to miss this? Not me … See you there!
Technorati Tags: Online Needlework Show, Kitty Kats Original, Always Time to Stitch, Angelic Crafts, Annie Beez Samplings, AppleCross Designs, Art-Stitch, Aunt Susie’s House, Barrani Design Studios, Bask Designs, Beardie Designs, Brenda E. Kocher Designs, Brooke’s Books Publishing, Brunnerhaus, Butterfly Stitches, Camus International, Carousel Charts, Carriage House Samplings, Cats Whiskers Design Studio, Cedar Hill Designs, Charlette’s Collectibles, Cherished Stitches, Cindy Valentine Designs, Cinnamon Cat Designs, Country Bumpkin Publications, Country Garden Stitchery, Creations Annie Cicatelli, Creative Cross Stitch, Cross Eyed Kat, Cross Stitch and More, Cross Stitch Wonders, Cross-Stitch-Art, Dames of the Needle, DebBee’s Designs, Debbie Draper Designs, Designing Dogs, Designs by Lisa, Designs From Pamela, Dessins DHC, Dette Designs, Dinky-Dyes, DMC Corporation, Dutch Treat Designs, Enchanting Lair, Erica Michaels Designs, European Crosstitch, Fern Ridge Collection, Follow The Leader Designs, Forever in My Heart, French Needle, Full Circle Designs, Funk & Weber Designs, Gift of Stitching Magazine, Haberdashery Designs & Needlework, Handblessings, Harbour Light Designs, Heartfelt Designs, Heart’s Content, Historic Stitches, Imaginating, In Good Company, In the Company of Friends, Indigo Rose, Ink Circles, J. Designs, Jackie’s NeedleARTS MANIA, JAR Designs, JBW Designs, Jeanette Ardern Designs, Kelmscott Designs, Keslyns, Kooler Design Studio, KRIF, LGK Crafts and Supplies International, Lilipoints - Sarl, Linen Flowers Designs, Living Stitches, Liz Turner Diehl, Lizzie*Kate, Magic Needle, Marilynn & Jackie’s Antiques & Collectibles, Marking Samplar, MarNic Designs, Milady’s Needle, Moonflower Designs, My Big Toe Designs, My Mark, Myrtle Grace Motifs, Naald en Draad, Needle & Frame, Needle Arts Mystery Retreat, Needleboxes, Etc./Charted Imagery, Needle’s Notion, Needlework Designs By CJ, NeedleXpress, Needlizations, Night Owl Needlepoint, Northern Pine Designs, Olde Willow Stitchery Threads, Olive Hope Design, Original Designs By Christine, Over the Moon Designs, Periwinkle Promises, Pine Glen Designs, Princess and Me, Punchneedle Marketplace, R & S Designs, Reflets de Soie, Rishfeld Designs, Sandy Grossman-Morris Designs, Scarlet Quince, Scholehouse for the Needle, Sekas, Silver Lining, Simple Stitches, Spring Valley Stitchery, Stitch A Gift, Stitch Niche, Stitching Pretty Presents, Stitching Studio, Stitchin’spiration, Stoney Creek Collection, Sue Hillis Designs, Summer House Stitche Workes, Sweet Pea Designs, Sweetheart Tree, SzuLet Creations, Tasselart, Thread Gatherer, Threaded Needle Designs, Threads of Gold, Twisted Oaks Designs, Valdani Threads, Whispered by the Wind, Wild-Heart Designs, X’s & Oh’s, needlework, cross stitch, hardanger
Hancock Fabrics (Blogroll) is already advertising 50% off all Halloween fabrics and free shipping on all orders through their website through October 31, 2007.
That means it’s a great time to stock up for those Halloween-styled crazy quilts, or on finishing fabrics for your cross stitched ornaments to put on your Halloween tree.
You are in Wonderful XS World’s (Blogroll) Halloween SAL, aren’t you? Well, if you’re not, it’s still a good time to stock up on finishing fabrics for next year’s wXSw SAL! With designers like Helga Mandl Designs (Blogroll), Periphaeria Designs (Blogroll), and Tam’s Creations (Blogroll) offering darling spooky designs like those below for the SAL this year, you know you won’t want to miss it the next time it rolls around!
Don’t feel too bad if you missed out on the Halloween SAL this year … I’ve heard from a crow or few that these designs and the rest they go with may one day be available for sale! … and I’m pretty sure you’ll first hear about that if it happens here on INN, too!
Just wait until you see the finishes this year’s contestants have put together — they are really terrific, and you can tell we all had a lot of fun with this SAL! Voting will begin right here on Independent Needlework News on October 17, 2007! INN is sponsoring a random voter prize, so you’ll definitely want to be here to vote!
Technorati Tags: Halloween, Hancock Fabrics, sale, wXSw, Wonderful XS World, contest, Helga Mandl, Periphaeria, Tam’s Creations, Independent Needlework News, Halloween SAL, fabric, cross stitch, needlework, crazy quilt
Gay Ann Rogers’ patterns are extremely difficult to find, as those of us who are fans know all too well. A while back, Gay Ann made an exciting offer on her blog; if this goes well, she may repeat it two or three times a year.
The official start date of Gay Ann Rogers’ very first E-Merchandise Week is October 15, 2007, but Gay Ann is already informing those of us who are interested of which patterns or kits she will be selling through her blog.
So, of course, as a big Gay Ann Rogers fan myself, and also as your (usually) faithful Independent Needlework News reporter, I have been following her blog as diligently as I could manage so that I could let you know when this e-merchandise sale begins and what it includes.
So far, Gay Ann is following along with demand and making the instructions (at the cost of $32, not including shipping) for her most requested design, the much loved and coveted Redwork Cat Sampler, available in her e-merchandise sale.
Also available will be instructions for Gay Ann’s seasonal sisters who represent Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer, respectively:
angelic Acorn Girl (one of my personal favorites),
her stunning Snowflake Girl,
her fabulous Flower Girl, and
her sweet Strawberry Girl.
For those of you who had started stitching or collecting these seasonal designs, this is your chance to complete the entire set. Don’t miss it, as you don’t know when it may happen again!
You will also find available for sale — ***but in limited numbers, unfortunately for us stitchers*** — some gorgeous designs useful not just as holiday decorations, but also as gifts for a number of different occasions, including even wedding, bridal, and baby showers. These are the type of wonderful designs where your imagination is the limit when it comes to their usefulness.
***Unfortunately, Gay Ann has a limited number of each of the following heart kits, so she is considering a lottery system if she receives more orders for them than she has kits. In that case, she is considering putting names in a hat and selecting the winning buyers by a lottery-style method. However, she really wants to be as fair as possible to everyone, so Gay Ann has asked for people who have suggestions on how she might go about this more fairly to please contact her.***
The picture shown here on the left is called Gifts of Christmas Heart, while the picture on the right is named Christmas Mittens Heart.
Then she also has Halloween hearts, which have my heart going pitter patter … Beaded Halloween Heart is shown on the left. On the right, Grinning Kitty Heart is grinning — and maybe drooling just a bit if these kitties are anything like my most grinning kitties!
Other hearts Gay Ann is including in this e-merchandise sale include:
Tuxedo Heart and Wedding Dress Heart,
Frosted Heart and My Bruised Heart, and
Pink Quartz Hearts in Pale and Bright versions.
Again, all of these heart kits are limited in number, so Gay Ann is planning on a lottery system drawing unless you give her a better idea.
All of Gay Ann’s heart kits cost either $36 or $38 depending on the kit, except for the Wedding Dress Heart, which costs $48.
For further details, to (begin ) an order, or to request Gay Ann include your favorite(s) of her patterns in her E-Merchandise Week, please contact Gay Ann directly.
Also, be sure to visit Gay Ann’s design website, too, where you can see more of her fantastic works of art.
And keep following Independent Needlework News, as I will do my best to keep you up to date on what will be included in this very special sale from Gay Ann Rogers.
Technorati Tags: Gay Ann Rogers, Redwork Cat Sampler, Acorn Girl, Strawberry Girl, Flower Girl, Snowflake Girl, E-Merchandise Week, Gifts of Christmas Heart, Christmas Mittens Heart, Beaded Halloween Heart, Grinning Kitty Heart, Tuxedo Heart, Wedding Dress Heart, Frosted Heart, My Bruised, Heart, Pink Quartz Hearts
