Market update
Friday, February 26, 2010
Barb and I are back from market and almost ready jump into work again. There's never enough time to talk to everyone. Market was fast and furious this year. Your shop owners really have to work hard to see it all and pick out new items for you. They wait in lines and carry heavy loads!
The above photo was our Louisa Bell's sampler from Honeysuckle Manor. I wanted to show you how Barb framed this piece. We were not able to get this photo into the book. And I'm very sorry about the lighting....but our room was dark. I love everything about this piece.
Barb didn't want the framing to damage this sampler more. After taking one look at the nail holes you can tell it's been stressed enough. It's sewn to a piece of linen backing and was framed by Cathy at C.C & Company.
The small pin ball in front of the sampler is made from an unpainted wooden napkin ring. The pattern and instructions are in the book Honeysuckle Manor.
Every year while planning for market I search for fun items to decorate the booth. This market my favorite find is on the plate with the pin ball. Radishes! Can you believe them? I found them at Curious Sofa, one of my favorite stores here in Kansas City. Debbie had them in an old basket...they are chalkware and I'm not sure if they are old or not. I really didn't care. They just look like spring to me.
If you look right of Louisa's sampler you will see the basket with more radishes. I'm sure there must be some medication for me....but the good news is Barb just lets me decorate with what ever I want. I didn't even have to explain the "radish thing" to her. This is one of the tables we decorated at market. Inside the cloche on the right is the covered tape measure (which is in the book too.)
The round "tomato" pincushion and the keepsake box are both in the book. We love our pincushions!!! The Bluebird and Bird in Hand pincushions are pictured here too. They are in our Reward of Merit series.
You recognize the small sampler on the upper right. It's the free pattern offered in the last blog post.
When decorating the room, we have to deal with a large sleeper sofa. It's the white elephant in the room. You know it's there...but how to hide it? Usually we hinge three doors together to block the sofa from view. We use the doors as walls and hang samplers and other fun items on them. This room seemed smaller and more claustrophobic than our previous room. To provide a more open space we covered the sofa with a quilt and put the doors over the arms. The result...a table.
Lois from Elegant Stitch in Modesto, CA, is always teasing us about making things from toilet paper tubes. I know these look just like giant ones...but these are really long cardboard columns sawed into 8" segments. I lightly spray painted them white and bolted them together to make a shelf. You should have seen me in the parking lot....well, maybe not. If you ever come to market and see a strange woman with her rear up in the air sawing and painting like crazy ...it will be me. Not a very pretty sight. My feelings won't be hurt if you pretend that you don't know me.
Here's our trusty fireplace. We take it with us to all markets. No fire burning here though!
The paper covered pincushion and Hannah Lovina Joslin (the sampler) are both in Honeysuckle Manor. Hannah is the Barb's reproduction of Louisa Bell's sampler. She replaced Louisa's name with her great great grandmother.
The two samplers hung at the top are from our newest series, "Anniversaries of the Heart." The one on the top left is Snow Garden and the one on the right is Valentine Rose. They can be stitched individually or on one piece of linen. Instructions for both ways are noted on the pattern.
Pat Ryan from R&R Reproductions is going to stitch all the pieces on one piece of linen. She let me photograph this to show how it's coming together.
More to show...but it will have to be tomorrow!
Until later.
Alma
39 comments
Everything is so beautiful and creatively displayed. It was fun to read your post and learn a little bit about your personality. You sound like a hoot! Glad Market went well for you guys!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the radishes and, of course I'll say hello, might even hold something steady for you! Very smart thinking with the door on the sofa!
ReplyDeleteYou're my idol and I type that with much sincerity...everything always looks so pretty and fresh and homey and warm. Just makes a body want to curl up and chat. Thanks for showing us outsiders what the insiders get to see!
ReplyDeleteI think that everything looks lovely! Although I had a pang in my heart for Louisa's original sampler. I'm glad that it's in the hands of someone who really appreciates the piece and quite frankly, for the amount of damage done to it, I love the way it's been framed - I think it adds wonderful beauty.
ReplyDeleteI love everything you ladies do from your designs to your decorating! It is all so beautiful and just enough quirky to make it interesting. I am smitten by your Anniversaries of the Heart series, and I plan to stitch each and everyone. Mine will be done individually, and I can't wait! Looking forward to more tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHello Barb and Alma~I am new to Blackbird Designs and I too am smitten with all of your wonderful
ReplyDeletedesigns! I have recently purchased two of your booklets and have been pouring over them both! Your display looked lovely! warm regards~Kathy
I JUST Love seeing all these pretties! Thanks for "inviting" us to your display. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love the progress on that "all-on-one piece"... umn,piece. What is it about the WiP that makes our heart go pitter-pat? :D
I'm enjoying work on NIKM ABC's freebie, and if I weren't also finishing exchanges I'd be done! Whew! I'm thinking of finishing as a pin pillow...or should I make it part of the fabric backing in my scissors cabinet!?! Maybe I need to stitch a second one! ;)
You gals are so talented and artistic. Love looking at all your photos. I'm anxiously awaiting another printing of Honeysuckle Manor...heard it is sold out. The book is amazing! My two Anniversaries of the Heart patterns are in at my LNS, but we have too much snow to get there today!
ReplyDeleteGuess I'll just be content to study all the great photos you posted. And to work on the little ABC's freebie, which I started last night.
Also, my February's Hearts is at the framer. Yea, a finish!
Oh my! What a feast for the senses! Everything looks just lovely and I love all the new designs! I don't know how you two do it, keep improving, but I'm glad you do!
ReplyDeleteAs I live outside of the US, things always take a long while to get to me, especially after a market. Meanwhile I can dream by looking at your photos! Thanks!
I really look forward to reading your blog, it is so interesting and full of such lovely yummy things. I have got Honeysuckle Manor, the linen, and threads on order from Shakespears Pedlar. I can hardly wait for the postman!
ReplyDeleteThank-you so much for making my evenings happy! Love Julia, from the Cotswolds in England.
Thanks alot for these so lovely pics!I ordered yesterday for all your new releases.Fondest thoughts .Couson
ReplyDeleteTalk about great eye candy!! You two really outdid yourselves with this Market. I'm glad I have everything winging its way to me as I type this... now I need to go hyperventilate in excitement, having seen more pics!
ReplyDeleteYou two are so creative!! Your displays on so warm and inviting. I could easily sit down next to the fireplace for a nice chat with you!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get my hands on all the new goodies!
What gorgeous displays! I love the round tubes and may have to do that in my craft room! I love how it looks. I can't wait to get the Honeysuckle Manor book. It's oh, so pretty!
ReplyDeleteWow! I love everything! I agree with everything written in the above comments and can't wait to get the new books!
ReplyDeleteWow what a beautiful display,,,and I love the radishes..thank you for showing us you room...wish I was there thou...have a restful weekend..
ReplyDeleteDevon
Your room looks amazing. I think I have purchased every new item you had at Nashville. I just love the photo's in the new books. Oh how I wish I could go to market sometime. It looks like a lot of work,but so much fun. I look forward to your blog and check it everyday to see what is going on in Alma's world. All of us Kansas girls must stick together. Keep doing what you are doing. We all love it.
ReplyDeleteConnie
Wonderful creative juiciness as usual! You and Barb are a great team! Can't wait to get the new Honeysuckle Manor book. Will be at my local wonderful needlework store "The Attic" tomorrow bright and early :)
ReplyDeletegreat stuff
ReplyDeletelove your tubular shelving
kinda of olympic spirited
those radishes are
crunchy fresh cute
It's all beautiful Alma....just simply beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for cheering up my day with your lovely sweet little vignettes..Love them. The sampler is priceless. It looks so very fragile. I do not think you need medication at all..You know exactly what you are doing and even better so does Barb..you are truly kindred spirits..Louise
ReplyDeleteYou two are just amazing - your photos take my breath away and I keep wondering when you are going to run out of ideas. Not soon by the looks of things. Is that sampler burnt? Are you crazy? It looks fantastic. I'm just shaking my head all day in disbelief. Thanks so much for all your inspiration.
ReplyDeleteYour displays are so creative! Do they give a prize for the designer with the best displays? Maybe they should. I'm sure you would win. Can't wait to get your new book. That is such a pretty sampler on the cover.
ReplyDeleteGlad you survived market and are about ready to provide us with more great designs.
Hi -- I loved the peeks into your market display. I'm picking up Honeysuckle Manor bright and early tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait. My poor husband just shakes his head -- and tries to understand. So wonderful to see the original sampler. Your framer did a fabulous job. Can't wait to see more pictures tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI love it all, but the radishes really made me smile.
ReplyDeletei love every single thing I've seen in this post - what a great creative you are, thanks for sharing your pictures and thought processes.
ReplyDeleteLove the displays and the way you framed the first one. I like simple and prim ways to finish them.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Gorgeous! Love it all - you are so talented - my fave is the cardboard tubing. What great display ideas you have!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Alma, I received my "Honeysuckle Manor" book in the mail today. Just sat down to enjoy it and I'm in awe of everything!! LOVE IT LOVE IT! Thanks to you and Barb for all your wonderful creativeness! Can't decide which project to start first!
ReplyDeleteI've been watching your blog everyday to see your market pics. Your decorating always seems so fresh and beautiful, which makes me want to try to make my home look like your books. I have ordered all of your new releases and can't wait til the postman delivers. The radishes are wonderful and when we return to the states, I'm going to keep my eyes open for some to decorate with. I also love the cloches (sp) you use. Ever since I've seen you use them, I have been looking for some. Thanks for the wonderful eye candy this morning.
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard when you talk about 'medication' as I too feel like I may need some! Love everything!!! How fast can I work to do it all?
ReplyDeleteAlma: I've been waiting all week for this and can hardly wait for tomorrow's instalment. What fun! Glad you're back safe and sound and had a good time.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Wow, your display in your room looks fantastic - y'all are so creative. Love the radishes, and I especially love the shelf made from the cardboard tube!! so clever!!
ReplyDeleteRoberta
Oh Alma!!! thanks so much for the pics! I looooove your radishes!!! And your room -- so lovely. You should be an interior designer. I'm serious here. Everyone always remarks on you ladies and all the props you bring with you. It's definitely worth it with the way your room looks! I have the fibers for both the samplers from your new book and the book too! I'm waiting for the Anniversaries of the Heart to come. Well basically, I bought everything from you this market. lol! I'm hoping to start stitching one of the book samplers soon. Maybe the one you designed with my name in it. :D
ReplyDeleteLove your designs and sense of display. The radishes are great. Wish I had some myself. Can't wait to get the book. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI also love your blogsite.
ReplyDeleteI would like to request the strawberry pattern missing from the Joyeux Noel book that I purchased.
Is this where I request it or is there another e-mail site I need to send this request to?
Love all you gals do!
Love your display. How very smart of you. Ann, at Dyeing to Stitch, told us all about them and I'm so glad you posted so many pictures from Market. Love all of the new books. I can't start on them until I finish my stockings. See you soon.
ReplyDeleteNancy in VA.
Love the displays and all the new patterns! Will be ordering Honeysuckle Manor soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Alma,
ReplyDeleteI'm just getting back into stitching after a long hiatus -- I really like your Anniversaries of the Heart houses! Will there be a chart for each month of the year?
Making my wish list ...
Jeanne
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