If you have visited my website, you may recognize Flora as my logo. Flora is a goddess of spring and a popular subject for cameos. When I was stitching all my projects for cameos, I thought it would be a challenge to stitch my idea of a cameo and Flora is the outcome. When Laura did my website, she used Flora as my logo.
This past spring I exhibited Flora in a needlework show here in Southern California along with Treasured Remembrance Sampler, Verena's Golden Flowers and Hollyhock House. Laurie McLellan was very involved in the show and said she thought I should support the needlearts. She is right, of course, so I entered the show.
Flora, Verena's Golden Flowers and Treasured Remembrance were in needlepoint; the organizers put Hollyhock House in another category, Petit Point.
Well, I was lucky: I won a first, second and third place for Flora, Verena's Golden Flowers and Treasured Remembrance Sampler and a first place for Hollyhock House. Doesn't this make me sound so important? Very important until you learn that my three were the only entries in their class, Canvas original, and Hollyhock House was the only entry in Petit Point original.
Much to everyone's excitement, there were a gazillion entries in other categories, more than a gazillion attendees and the organizers were so happy! It reminded me that we all have a responsibility to help needlework by showing our needlework.
With this in mind, and with some fear and trepidation, I sent off 10 pieces of my needlework to Callaway day before yesterday. Most are models for my classes this year and next, but I did send Flora as an entry for the show. I wanted her there for my cameo class anyway and I thought, why not.
Part of the reason I am writing this entry: I have a question for you out there in stitcherland. Have any of you ever entered the Woodlawn show? How did you find it? Did you mail in your pieces and were they returned promptly and in good order?
Over the years I have thought of sending in entries for this show but have always backed off because I don't know anyone involved in it and I am hesitant to send off my work blindly. Just yesterday I received an entry form for the show and thought, I should ask about it.
I would certainly welcome any comments.
Thank you and again, Jolly Holidays.
Gay Ann
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8 comments:
Hi Zeena,
Thanks! And Jolly Holidays to you too.
Gay Ann
Gay Ann, I've entered things in the Woodlawn show but I hand delivered them. The show is run by Nellie's Needlers, who use it as one of the major fund raisers for Woodlawn Plantation. Most of Nellie's Needlers are stitchers and they seem to have the whole thing well organized. When I picked up my piece and my friend's, I had to show a note from her allowing me to get her piece. The show itself has docents stationed in every room (at least one and usually 2 but it depends on the size of the room) to keep an eye on things and there are ropes to keep folks away from the needlework.
For the last two years Michele Roberts has entered teaching pieces of hers and Anna-Marie Winter entered some of her original works two years ago. Pieces come from all over. Friends in Boston have sent pieces several times via the mail and I never heard of any problems.
As far as I can judge, pieces are handled carefully and returned promptly. If I were you, I'd ship in sturdy boxes as they seem to return pieces in the boxes they were sent in. At least, the pieces I picked up were in the boxes I used to drop them off with.
I don't think you have anything to worry about if you want to show at Woodlawn. The worst thing about the show is that Woodlawn Plantation is an old house, not a gallery space, so it can be hard to see things hung high or in dark corners, even with the flashlights the docents carry to illuminate items on request.
Hope this answers your questions.
Jane/Chilly Hollow
Hi Jane,
Many thanks for the information! I will give it some thought. I have always wanted to enter the show but have hesitated to do so because I haven't known anything about it. Every year they send me an entry blank.
Gay Ann
It's a big show, with 300+ entries, and well known. It looks like they take good care of their entries and they usually have well-known certified judges coming in to award ribbons. It certainly is worth showing in although only the most knowledgeable visitors are going to recognize your work. Still, the D.C. area is full of fabulous stitchers and they will appreciate it greatly if they get to see Gay Ann Originals in person.
I've got my fingers crossed that Flora visits. That would be a special treat for me!
Hi again, Jane,
I hadn't thought of sending Flora; I had thought of sending Hollyhock House.
Flora might like to go and it isn't a half bad idea. She isn't very large and shipping and handling would be much easier for the group at the other end.
The only problem I can think of is, she might not be back from Callaway in time to send her off again.
Gay Ann
Gay Ann, I would love to see Hollyhock House in person! I hope you enter it in Woodlawn!
I found your Blog and your website through the ANG website where I first saw your Hollyhock House piece. Where can stitchers order your patterns?
I am also contemplating an entry this year - I stitched Jan Houtman's ABC Sampler in Vikki Clayton's silks. I think the pieces are well cared for at the Woodlawn show. When they set up the rooms they try to keep similar styles together - so all of the pieces depicting Christmas are usually in one room and all of the florals are in another. I am lucky enough to live only about 20 minutes from Woodlawn - so I will hand-deliver my entry.
Alex
Zeena,
DUCK!
Not really; I wouldn't mind stitching a pair for Flora but probably not for a while. I have a stack of drawings and I need to find some blocks of time to stitch. Maybe if I get out of Kit Hell (where I live all too often) I will find time.
Gay Ann
Hi Alex,
Thanks for writing.
Hollyhock House is what I intended to send, but the piece means a lot to me and I was worried something might happen to it. It is very large and heavy. I have a man who packs my needlework and ships it, so that isn't any problem.
Then Jane suggested I send Flora. She is so much smaller, therefore easier to handle. But Flora is already in Pine Mountain GA.
Indecision!
Happily I have a couple of weeks to make up my mind.
Gay Ann
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