Lost in Needlepoint and Painting Chickens Portraits and Dogs

I have been Lost in Needlepoint which is somewhat akin to being "Lost in Space" (play eerie music and cue sound affects) !  I have been designing, painting, drawing, researching, reading books, stitching, and purchasing thread for almost 2 years now.  I have found that all stitch guides are not created equal.  I have found that black plastic spiral books, are small, handy, and filled with information.  Hard back books with glossy beautiful pictures are a feast for the eyes, but not as informative and wonderful to own and carry around.  I've learned some people in this industry filled with so many women are lovely, generous with information, kind, caring and sharing and just terrific, and some are not, just like in the real world.  Go figure!  I've learned about mono canvas, interlock, penelope, Zweigart, and stitched on all.  Now I know from hands on experience why Zweigart Mono canvas is the canvas of choice to stitch on.  I've learned about 2" margins, and so many holes to the inch.  This has all taken time, and a complete immersion in Needlepoint at all levels.  I'm 63 years old this year so time is very precious to me.  Needlepoint Canvases, thread, and Acrylic paint has literally encroached on every area of my house.  It's like I was invaded by Aliens from Mars, and they drop little snippets of Kreinik, Rainbow Gallery, DMC Cotton threads all over the house.  I sometimes even find them in my bed.  My husband is a patient man, and thank God, loves and encourages me in all of my endeavors.  I still have stacks of New Needlepoint canvases to paint, more to stitch, and still more to design.  I haven't even drawn anything for Holidays, special events, or spooky Halloween.  I haven't put up all the dogs I've designed, or painted the original of my Dog Lobo who went to Dog Heaven 2 years ago.  He kind of got me into stitching because I want a pillow for my couch with his image on it.  I guess I better stop musing about my Needlepoint Life History, make my husbands coffee, and up load more of the watercolor images I've been working on since the studio became too hot to work in.  The Acrylic Paints are permanent so they are banished from the house, and must only be used in the Studio.

I want to turn some of these chickens and Roosters into Needlepoint Patterns, and I'm sure eventually the Dog Portraits and the Chickens will find Needlepoint canvas homes.  If there is anything in the natural or supernatural world you would love to stitch or see in Needlepoint let me know.  I will have to post some of my images of Dragons, Mermaids and Mermen, and of course Wizards.  See I could paint and design until I drop from exhaustion, but write when I get work....hug your loved ones, and be kind to strangers and familiars alike.  Being kind is a much better policy for your life than being mean spirited, vindictive, thoughtless, or cruel.  As John Lennon penned:  "All we need is Love", and as another song extols "Love makes the world go round!"  Have a very good day, and send me your thoughts.  Love   Annie

Needlepoint Beta Canvas and Dog Watercolor Portraits

I've been busy working on Needlepoint canvases, and doing some watercolor paintings in my home when the studio gets too hot.  It's been hot and humid this summer, but San Diego probably still has the best weather in the whole country.  My tropical plants are doing well.  Canvases at JellyBeanStock are selling briskly, and I'm painting away on canvases getting ready for Trunk shows in the fall.

I take requests so I've painted one of my Beta canvases with a background.  Remember Beta are fresh water fish, and thus the plants I paint with them will not come from tropical oceans.  However, that said if you want coral I will pretend the Beta live in a fish bowl, and their new owner bought them some coral for decoration.

I've also been painting watercolors of Chickens, and dogs for the fun of it, and to keep out of the heat.  I will put some of this art work up for your enjoyment, and hope you will write when I get more work.

Children's Hand Print Zoo Animals for Needlepoint

James and I have been very busy printing hands on Needlepoint Canvases.  James is my five year old God Son, and I have been painting his hands, printing with them, and then he cheerfully goes and washes off the paint.  We are going to make some more hand prints in different colors, but this is what our collaboration has produced so far.  Now a couple of the canvases got some extra spots of paint on them, but working with a child of five, eager to help is fun, and paint does happen.  If you should want your child's or grandchild's, or significant other child's hand print just buy the canvas and paint their hand with Acrylic paint.  Try to position the hand so the animal semi-makes sense, or if you just want to stitch a Zoo Animal or Aquarium make-believe fish order these canvases from Jelly Bean Stock.  James and I have a few more animals to hand stamp, and then I do the painting of the different critters.  We had fun making these for you, and I hope you have a great deal of fun stitching them.  Some have glitter, all are brightly colored, and all are 10" X 10" canvases Zweigart 18 count, but the borders are different widths depending on where Jame's hand ended up on the canvas.

  

Here are the silly little canvases that make me smile, and were so much fun to create for you!!!

These small ten inch by ten inch canvases can be obtained by going to Jelly Bean Stock, and James and I will soon be using his hand to make more Zoo animals and pretend creatures of the deep especially for you!
I have been learning stitches from the Needlepoint 101 book, and perhaps I might even know how to do more than the tent stitch and the Basket weave stitch.  Everything takes time, but half the fun is the journey getting there.  Write when I get work, and enjoy your day whatever you do!

New Triceratops Babies Needlepoint Canvas

Well, I have finished a new group of  Baby Dinos, but this time they are Triceratops babies.  Cute as can be, and ready to stitch up for your Needlepointing pleasure.  I want my viewer to know that all of these canvases are designed by me, drawn up on the canvas by me, and then painted by me.   Jellybeanstock North represents and distributes my work, and does all their own painting also.  None of our work or designs are shipped out to other services, countries, or nations.  It's all made in America with our own little hands.  We may be old, but we still have our skills and our talents.  If you purchase one of my Dinos you are purchasing something made by me.  I have no minions, no helpers, except my assistant Ale, and she went to Art school with my son, so she is qualified to come to my aid when necessary.  I also come to her aid also, and I will put up the cutest quilt that was auctioned off to raise money for her son's Kindergarten class.  But first the baby Dinos, and I will explain how the quilt was made later.  

These are the Five new baby Triceratops that will soon be seen at JellyBeanStock, and you can call Kim and order them right away.  Thank you, to the lovely woman who ordered a baby dino already, and they will be shipped along with all my other completed canvases to Jellybeanstock Wednesday June 1.  Thank you for the order, and blessing on your home and hearth for supporting our endeavors.

Now, this is the quilt made for James Shannahan's Kindergarten class.  The squares of cotton were cut by Mrs. Dean, the teacher, the children's individual handprints were painted and applied to the squares by Ale and her friend Heather.  Ale brought the squares to me, and I painted each hand print to look like a Zoo animal.  She told me the children's personalities because she works in the class room, and I tried to paint an animal that suited the handprint and the child.  Mrs. Dean then sewed all the Zoo Jungle Print strips to the squares, and made a wonderful quilt to raffle off to the parents.

Here is what the process looked like!

Now you can see how the painted Zoo Hand Animals became a quilt.  The Children each wrote their own names, and I tried to preserve the actual hand print so the parents could see their own child's hand.  I added hooves, paws, hands and feet below the finger tips of the child.  Each child's hand told me which animal they were to be, and Ale was the person transporting the painted square to the drying table, and bringing me a new square to paint.  A very fun project, and after Mrs. Dean sewed our masterpiece together we were all delighted with the results.  I may not be rich, but I do have fun every day.  Thanks to little children, new projects, and having work to keep me busy.  

Thank you to everyone, and I hope you enjoy the latest work to come out of my studio.  It's not earth shattering, but sometimes, happy, quiet, peaceful, and fun is much better.  Write when I get work....Enjoy your work, and may we all be at Peace and Prosper.