I have been so busy the last few weeks getting ready for TNNA show in two weeks.  Ahhhhh!  But I’m squeezing in a quick blog post.  The Wonderland Heart came back from the finisher and it is just to die for!

I love the tassel that my finisher puts on.  The finishing goes from drab to fab with that!

How cute is the fabric for the back.  I have to give Linda the credit for the finishing ideas on this piece.

You probably already know that this piece is one of the three pieces featured in the Go Red with Thread fundraiser for this year.  A portion of the proceeds will go to the American Heart Association.  We have them in stock at the shop right now.  Don’t wait too long to order your kit because I’m sure we will be sold out of them at the show.  You can call the shop to order or you can purchase the kit online.

Time to get back to stitching, painting, writing stitch guides and editing pictures.  I hope I can get it all done!

It was so crazy the week before Christmas that I didn’t get a chance to write this blog.  I know we’re all sick of Christmas right now, but I’m going to share this with all of you anyway.

Last year I suggested to the girls at the shop that it would be fun to pick a name out of a hat and you stitched an ornament for that person.  My reasoning was that for all that we stitch for other people, no one ever seems to stitch anything for us.   Everyone was into the idea. . .so I thought.  Apparently this caused some angst among a few of the ladies, which I didn’t find out about until a few weeks ago.  We got together for a little lunch at the shop and exchanged our ornaments.  Despite the anxiety among some people, everyone really enjoyed it.  Here’s what we stitched.

Becki stitched this for Andrea.  Andrea loves turquoise so Becki thought she’d love the colors.

Linda stitched this for me, because she knows how much I love penguins.

I stitched this cross for Mary.  She saw it in the shop after we got back from Dallas and thought it was so pretty.  I told her I would order her one but she couldn’t purchase a brand new canvas.  Good way to throw her off the scent!

Andrea stitched this for Aggie.  Aggie had been eyeing it during the Melissa Shirley trunk show.

Mary stitched this sweet piece for Mary Susan.  She thought it looked like something she’d stitch.

She wasn’t far off, because Mary Susan stitched this for Becki.  We all know how Becki loves her woodland friends!

Apparently Aggie missed the memo about the ornament concept.  She stitched this bee for Linda, who has a bigger bee obsession than I do a penguin problem.  Linda says she won because she can leave it out all year long.

This was so much fun to do with such a great group of women.  We have the best time together at the shop.  Most days it doesn’t even feel like work.  Can’t wait to do this again next year!

Happy New Year!

It has been one crazy year at The Enriched Stitch!

Between starting my own wholesale line of canvases, purchasing Amanda Lawford and DC Designs, and everything else that goes on here day in and day out . . .I was exhausted!  I desperately needed the last week off.  And what do you think I did all week . . .worked of course . . .but in my pj’s.

I’ve been furiously stitching away new models for the TNNA show at the end of the month, writing stitch guides, building a new website, updating price lists and hanging out with my little guy and the family.  I have over 100 new designs that will come out at the end of the month, so keep your eyes peeled for all the exciting things coming from the Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery.

Unfortunately I can’t show you what I’ve been working on lately, you’ll just have to wait a few more weeks.  But here’s the year in review of everything I stitched in 2017.

Bright Floral – Amanda Lawford

Wonderland Heart – Amanda Lawford

New England Santa – Amanda Lawford.  I will be teaching this piece at our Needlepoint in New England Retreat this spring.

12 Days of Christmas Wreath by Melissa Prince

Red Tails at Sunset – Leigh Designs

Two Chicks Egg – Kelly Clark

This was part of our Hippity Hoppity Egg club last spring

Perfume – DC Designs

Dazzling – Leigh Designs

Limited Edition Heart – Amanda Lawford

Mojito – Leigh Designs

Strawberry Daiquiri – Leigh Designs

Pina Colada – Leigh Designs

Lemon Drop – Leigh Designs

Cufflinks for my husband – Pointe 2 Point

Snowball Cafe – Maggie Co.

This is part of our newest club that starts later this month.

Gingerbread Man – Leigh Designs

Kate Dickerson Alphabet Round

GOAT  (for my future husband Tom Brady lol) VNG Canvas

Shark Mini Stocking – Kathy Schenkel

Boo – Amanda Lawford

Three Birds on a Wire – DC Designs

Long Santa – DC Designs

Mediterranean Diet – Melissa Prince Designs

Serafina – Leigh Designs

Hydrangea Basket – VNG Canvas

Basket Egg – Kelly Clark

Autism Heart – VNG Canvas

Mary’s Cross – A Poore Girl Paints.  This was what I stitched for Mary in our Secret Santa Stitching.  More on that later.

Wine Stopper _ Pointe to Point.  This was a Christmas gift for my mom.

Change Purse – Point of it All (more on this piece coming in another blog)

Phew!  That’s 34 pieces that I can find.  Seems a little light for me this year.  But then again, I’ve stitched about a dozen pieces that I’m not sharing yet.

2017 was a great year, both personally and professionally.  2018 is going to be even better!  I have so many plans for this year . . . new clubs, classes, new canvas designs . . .my brain is always working on overload. Just ask the girls in the shop.

Let’s raise a glass and toast to the upcoming year!

I’m serious . . .get the Kleenex.

Last February we lost a wonderful customer and friend, Mimi, to a long battle with cancer.  She would come whirling through the door with a huge smile on her face.  Yes . . .whirling . . .always in that good kind of tizzy where she had something very important to take care of with whatever piece she was working on.  She always put a smile on our face, with her random sayings that no one had ever heard of and her wisecracking.

Some of the women who work at the shop became very close with her.  They would stitch together at Cobbs Mill Inn, (which I could never make it to since I’m never allowed out of the shop.  lol!)  Mimi was planning on stitching a Christmas stocking for her first grandchild, but only got so far as to pick out threads and put a few stitches in because she was so ill.  So, when everyone knew the end was near, the girls promised to finish the stocking for her.

Mary Susan, Becki, Linda and Andrea from the shop, along with Debbie F. and Debbie G. ( yes . . .we have a lot of Debbies in the shop), passed the stocking around over the last nine months and stitched the entire stocking.   I had painted the letters on the top of the stocking for her before she passed.  I love the idea of the name tag attached to the stocking, which Mimi had wanted.

Last week we got together for cocktails to toast Mimi and give the stocking to her husband to pass along to her daughter.  This is such a special gift, truly done from the heart.

Christmas is just over a week away . . .but it’s not too late to stitch up a last minute gift.

I just stitched up a monogram canvas for a friend  (she doesn’t read the blog  . . .hopefully) to go in the new zip pouches from Colonial Needle.

I can personalize any of these 3 inch rounds while you wait.  They stitch tup in a night or two.

They slip right inside the boxes.  Here’s a hint .  .  .don’t pull off the adhesive top of the box.  There’s no need to.  If you don’t get it on straight the first time it’s not so easy to fix.

The same designs also come in a rectangular shape.

If you need help putting your canvas in the boxes or pouch, stop by the shop and we’ll help you out.  The worst part is cutting the selvage off the canvas.  I know that’s scary.  But honestly, unless you cut into your stitching there’s nothing to worry about.

 Stop by or give us a buzz and we can get it right out to you.

         To all our friends and customers who         celebrate…Happy Hanukkah!

Wouldn’t these little 5 x 5 canvases be fantastic in an acrylic box to hold matches for the menorah or sweet little treats? We have them in stock and they are 30% off through Saturday while our storewide canvas sale is going on!

You know the drill by now how our sales work.  But, if you’re new to The Enriched Stitch, either stop by the shop or if give us a call to place an order.  Please refer to the frame number BELOW the canvas when you call so we can locate the canvas you’re looking for as quickly as possible.

If we can’t answer the phone, make sure to leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.   203-210-5107  The sale starts Thursday December 7 and ends on the 16th.

All in stock accessories are also 20% off during this sale.  Unfortunately I can’t photograph everything in the store.  So you can let us know if there’s something you’re looking for and we can see if we have it.

If we have your credit card on file, you can email us your order and we can get it right out to you.  Have fun looking through all of our fabulous canvases!

Frame 1

Frame 2

Frame 3

Frame 4

Frame 5

Frame 6

Frame 7

Frame 8

Frame 9

Frame 10 (Goody Bags)

Frame 11

Frame 12

Frame 13

Frame 14

Frame 15

Frame 16

Frame 17

Frame 18

Frame 19

Frame 20

Frame 21

Frame 22

Frame 23

Frame 24

Frame 25

Frame 26

Frame 27

Frame 28

Frame 29

Frame 30

Frame 31

Frame 32

Frame 33

Frame 34

Frame 35

Frame 36

Frame 37

Frame 38

Frame 39

Frame 39

Frame 40

Frame 41

Frame 42

Frame 43

 Frame 44

Frame 45

Frame 46

Frame 47

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52

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56

57 (30 inches on 18 mesh)

58 (30 inches on 13 mesh)

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68

69

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71 (30 inch Santa on 13 mesh)

72

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79

80

81

82

83

84

85 (middle image limited edition from Labors of Love with sculpted porcelain face)

86

87

88

89 (stitch guide available)

90 (movie coasters)

91

92 (more movie coasters)

93 (more)

94 (more coasters)

95

96 (even more coasters)

97 (that’s all of them . . .I promise)

98

99

100

101

102

103

104 (travel coasters)

105

106

107

108

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162

Phew!  That’s a lot of pics!  Call the shop if you’d like to treat yourself to something this holiday season!

203-210-5107

Santa is riding into town this year in his hot little red car instead of his sleigh.

Nancy just finished stitching the second canvas in our newest exclusive club, The Christmas Diners. This piece is so stinkin’ cute!

I love how she stitched the car. Honestly . . .I was a little stumped on what to do with this car other tent stitch it. The wheels look like they have tread on them.

One of the most frequent questions I am asked at the shop is what stitch to do on a Santa’s beard. I always say that every beard is different on a Santa. They all have a different look. Nancy nailed it on this one!

I love the snowflakes Nancy found to embellish the canvas. Those will only be offered with the club. So don’t wait to sign up!

You can sign up online or by calling the shop. I hope you join in the fun!

203-210-5107