WE'RE TWEETING ON TWITTER!

One last little bit of news!  The Stitching Bear is finally tweeting and catching up with social media! Please follow us! We are @thestitchngbear.   The "i" is missing in Stitching on purpose.. it isn't a typo. :)   So...for all those who begin to follow us, the first 25 "Twitter Bears" will be entered into a drawing to WIN.... a copy of each of our new design charts being released at the Nashville Needle Market in March!  Two lucky winners will be drawn.  Embellishments will be included if they are part of the chart package.  So Tweet us a hello and follow along... we will have lots of fun things and contests and give-aways all year long.  Until Next Time!   Good Luck!   Deb

Happy Valentines Day!

Hi Everyone!
Happy Valentines Day to you!  I am sorry I haven't written in a while but I have been so busy with designing and stitching getting ready for the Nashville Market Show the first weekend of March, I don't know if I am coming or going!  These late nights are getting hard for this ole' gal!  We will be releasing some brand new designs in two weeks at the show, and we have to keep them secret for now but I can tell you Part 1 of our new 4 All Seasons Sampler Series called SPRING will be released and I absolutely love all the colors we used from The Gentle Art.  I am hoping we will have a thread bag available of all 23 colors ... I will keep you posted and of course you KNOW we don't do much without also including a button or two from our friends at Just Another Button Company! :)  We are also releasing the 2nd design in our Chocolate Lovers Series called "GOD & Chocolate" and was so much fun creating this one I sure hope you will like it and enjoy stitching it. Quite a bit different from our first one - Chocolate Understands.  Will look forward to getting feedback from you once it is available.  I am hoping to have two ornaments completed in time from our "Deck The Halls All Year Long" holiday ornament series.  This is my very first series...so you can see...lots to do and get ready for the show.  For our shop owners who will be visiting us at the show, we will have a wonderful filled tote of Stitching Bear goodies for the winner of our contest.  Every shop with a paid order will be entered for the drawing and the winner will receive their prize on Sunday!  I also want to give a very special THANK YOU to my two model stitchers who have recently signed on to help me with some of my projects!  Thanks Amy and Erin (see her blog in our list.. Less B*tching More Stitching!)  I appreciate you both so much!
Well, guess I better get back to it.  Have a wonderful day and take care of you and yours.  Have a wonderful day of love and stitching...and if stitching in your love too...you have the best of both worlds!     Deb

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!

Where does the time go?  The holidays came and went, as did our family's battle with colds and flu. I hope this finds you all well and starting off 2013 in a good positive light!  My resolution for this year was NOT to make any resolutions this year because I, like so many others, never really follow through with them anyway. So...this way, I won't be breaking any!  Now that the holiday rush is all behind us, we are getting back down to business here after a much needed little break. Lots of new designs are in the beginning stages and I have plenty in mind for this year including two, yes, I said it... TWO new series of stitching projects.  It is going to be a big task to take on but I just figured we'd go for it!  "Deck The Halls All Year Long" will be a quick-stitch holiday ornament series and each chart will include an embellishment and I may even decide to do a chart, embellishment AND thread pack or two as well.  Also coming this year will be the "Four All Seasons Sampler" which will be a 4-part series, you guessed it, one for each season, that can be stitched individually or if you choose, can be stitched all together for one larger project!  Finally, and this will probably be MY personal favorite, the 2nd in our Chocolate Lovers Series will be "GOD & Chocolate" which will feature the Chocolate Delight sampler thread bag exclusively by The Gentle Art! This thread bag is a Limited Edition and just in case they are gone before you have a chance to get one, the chart will include alternative thread suggestions.

   What is great about the hand dyed, over dyed threads is you will have a unique design unlike anyone else because of the process they use so  if you can your hands on some Chocolate Delight ahead of time you won't be disappointed. The colors are so wonderful! Check with your local shop to see if they have them or if they can get one for you. A special button pack from Just Another Button Company will also be available for this design too!  Are you ready for some more chocolate now?

Chocolate Delight Sampler Bag - 5 colors!

Our website has a brand new look and we colored up our logo a bit too.  We hope you like our new layout and you will be able to get information on all of our designs including the materials used and where you can find them.  Well friends, guess I will call it a night for now. Have been working all day long and this gal needs sleep! Hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend.  Until next time, here's wishing you all   "Beary Happy Stitching!"  
Take care of you and yours,  Deb

Happy Sunday Everyone!

What a beautiful day here in Kansas City, MO! Sunny and in the 60's. So not normal for this time of year but we will take it!  I just wanted to share with you all that Jingle*Jingle*Jingle has now been released and is available to order. We have already been receiving orders from some of our shopowner friends and our distributors will also have it this week as well. There is plenty of time to stitch this quick little project...maybe even two!  The holidays are upon us already, time seems to be flying by so quickly this year. Also, please take a look at Diane's post from Little House of Needleworks down toward the bottom of the page.   

This is very important that readers, especially those who love Pinterest as much as we do, understand that it is NOT ok to share actual charts on the boards. It infringes on copyright laws and the designer's right to their work.  We all appreciate your support of our designs and the needle arts.  Have a wonderful weekend, until next time... Take care of you and yours!  Deb

Jingle*Jingle*Jingle is coming!

Good Evening All!

Sure seems like the holidays are just around the corner and decorations are going up everywhere!  I just wanted to post a little bit tonight to let you know that our next new holiday design will be released next week!  I am really happy with this fun and festive project and it will be a quick one too - you decide how you'd like to finish it!  It looks adorable as a little decorative pillow (measures about 6 X 8); you can do an ornament or just frame it. The choice is yours!  Here is a little peek at the finished project below.  You are the very first to see it! We aren't even showing the entire design on our website yet! It has been pretty busy around here trying to get new designs created, stitched, printed, and shipped along with our other orders so I am going to be short and sweet tonight.  I have one more new design planned for this holiday season so I better get myself busy.  Who sleeps during the holidays anyway?  Over-rated I say!

Have a wonderful rest of the week friends.  Please feel free to comment any time. Would love to hear how everyone is doing and what you are working on.  Until next time, take care of you and yours!   Deb

A Sneak Peek - New Design! Jingle*Jingle*Jingle!

Hi Everyone!  
It has been busy here today! Just finished designing the chart for another new holiday design that is going to be so much fun to do and it is a quick project! 
I released a little sneak peek on the website and thought I would do the same here for all of our blogging friends. Jingle*Jingle*Jingle* just sounds festive and I wanted to use a holiday pallet.  You will be able to create many things with this finished piece such as a small decorative pillow, an ornament, or just frame it and sit it on an easel or hang it if you'd like.  Because it is going to be a "Stitch-It-Quick" design, you may even want to do another for a gift!  There is a picture below of the materials being used.  The size of the design including the embellishment will be approximately 4 X 6 but you will want to add additional fabric for framing or sewing allowances.  Here is a list of the things you will need in case you want to get them ahead of time:

* Weeks Dye Works 30 count linen in a BRAND NEW color: Grasshopper. You will need at least an 8 X 10 piece to allow 2 inches around for finishing.

* Weeks Dye Works Cotton Floss in the following colors: #4105 Noel, #1276 Kris' Bon Bon, and #4125 Snowflake. 

* Mill Hill Button #86155 "Star Santa" which is about 1"X1".

 Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend so far. The weather in Missouri today beautiful...sunny and 57 degrees. Couldn't ask for a better fall day. Please keep the prayers going for those on the east coast who are trying to recoup after Hurricane Sandy. Thoughts and prayers are with them all. Oh, and don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight if it applies to you - 1 hour back so that means one more extra hour of stitching on Sunday!  Whoo Hooo!

Until next time - I wish you "Beary" Happy Stitching~   Deb

Christmas Time Is Coming!

Hi Everyone!

It sure has been a busy time between getting orders and door prizes out from The Needlework Show to designing and stitching new holiday designs. As we watch another Halloween come and go I realized that tomorrow is November 1st already.  Where did this year go?  So far we have been lucky in Missouri as the cold weather is not yet upon us and we are looking at near 70 degrees on Friday and close to mid 60's next week!  I remember as a child (years ago - dating myself a bit!) that by this time of year it was starting to get cold and in many instances we already had snow! Gotta love those old Chicago winters!  Didn't miss them at all though when we lived in Tennessee just outside of Nashville - and we sure do miss our home there.  We've been in Missouri just south of Kansas City for 3 years now guess we are starting to finally get used to it for the most part but there is nothing like the South! (One reason I am so exited about the Nashville Market in March and I will be there with bells on!  It seems once we get past Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are here before we know it and so I figured now was a good time to introduce a new design to everyone who didn't see it at The Needlework Show last week.  I came up with the idea for this one by remembering my childhood Christmas' with my Grandparents.  Oh how my Grandpa loved Christmas. He was all about the decorations and Santa Clause. Grandma's turkey dinners were to die for along with her cranberry ice sherbet and dressing.  It always seemed to snow back then too... I don't remember too many Christmas' where we didn't have a blanket of white. There were always a lot of family at their house too when I was little. We lived with them for about 5-6 years and they were some of the happiest times I can remember. Hard to believe that my Grandparents have been gone now for over 20 plus years but I can remember those wonderful times like it was just yesterday.  This was my the inspiration for this little story told with needle and thread, buttons and bells.  I hope that you will enjoy stitching it this year to share with your family and friends and perhaps one day pass it down so that it keeps the holiday spirit alive in the hearts of many for years to come.  The photo doesn't do it justice at all, but the fabric used was DMC's Metallic Silver 14 count Aida.  It may be a bit hard to find now I am told,  however, Charles Craft's Stardust 14 ct Aida in either Silver Dust or Gold Dust will work perfectly and much easier to come by.  The design glistens and the DMC colors, Just Another Button Company holiday buttons,  and gold Jingle Bells (which are included with the chart) are bright and cheery.  If your local needlework shop doesn't have it yet, I am sure they will order it for you.  We will be doing a Holiday Ornament A Month beginning in 2013 along with a new series called "Calendar Bears".  More about those later!  Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween - it's time for this ol' stitcher to turn into a pumpkin and hit the hay.
Wishing You All "Beary" Happy Stitching,
                                Deb