Redwork Mystery: Surprise Window #8, the last one

Here it is, my last surprise window, and many of you guessed correctly that it would be the bathroom.
This is my second favorite room in my mystery house (after the stitching room) because of the claw-footed tub and the monogrammed towels.

Redwork Mystery has been going for 8 months and I thought I would be happy to see the end of it. Instead, I am rather sad it is over. So I concocted one last little surprise. I will post it here and Kate will post it in the Shining Needle Society chatroom two weeks after I mail Surprise Window #8.

Thank you to each of you who has followed my mystery. I enjoyed it each step of the way and hope you have too.

I will be back with a new mystery, next time a geometric called "Mystery in a Corner." When? One of these days. How will you know? I will post it here and in Shining Needle Society's chat room.

Gay Ann

For My Callaway Class, Cameo Extravaganza

Dear Callaway Student,

Below you will find postings showing 7 cameo projects. Please look at them all, then email me with your choice.
The class is set up for you to have a complete kit of your choice; then you may have also whatever other ones you wish also.
I will email you with the class particulars.
Please email me at GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com with any questions.

This is the real reason I chose to have a website and a blog. How easy it is!
I look forward to hearing from each of you soon.
Thanks.
Gay Ann

For Callaway Class: Two Cameo Heart Samplers

Two Cameo Heart Samplers

On the left, Plus Grand Cameo Heart Sampler, the larger of the two, is 8 1/2" tall x 6 3/4" wide.
On the right, Plus Petit Cameo Heart Sampler, the smaller of the two, is 7 1/4" tall x 5 3/4" wide.

Click on photo for a larger image.
Gay Ann

For Callaway Class: Two Small Samplers

Two small samplers.

The larger one 'Plutot Petit Cameo Sampler' is a little over 6" tall x a little under 5" wide.

The smaller one 'Tres Petit Cameo Sampler' is 4" x 4"

Click on photo for a larger image.
Gay Ann

For Callaway Class: Two Cameo Ornaments

On the left is Cameo Ornament.
From the top of the hanger to the bottom of the tassel, Cameo Ornament measures 12"
The stitched part of the ornament is 5" tall x 3 1/2" wide.

On the right is Cameo Ornament: Portrait of a Lady
From the top of the hanger to the bottom of the tassel, Portrait of a Lady measures 10 1/2"
The stitched part is 4 1/2" tall x 2 1/2" wide.

Click on the photo for a larger image.
Gay Ann

For Callaway Class: Cameo Collector

On the left is a photo of the whole 'Cameo Collector'
On the right, a detail showing the top and the first three cameos.
The length, from top to tip of tassel is 21"
The width is 3 1/2"

Click on photo for a larger image.
Gay Ann

E-Merchandise Week: Deadlines

Several of you have written noting that it is past my deadline but asking if you can still order or pay for kits and patterns.
I try to be understanding about missing deadlines but this time I am sorry, I can't be flexible.

E-Merchandise Week was much larger than I would have ever guessed and I need to finish mailing things and get back to my own not inconsiderable deadlines.

Thank you anyway.
Next time!

Gay Ann

E-Merchandise Week is Over! Thank you!

Thank you to all of you who made my first E-Merchandise Week quite an experience! I have sold patterns and kits at merchandise nights at seminars for several years but this was a first. It was great fun to e-chat with so many of you! Thank you for all your notes, especially notes of encouragement. Often, when I felt overwhelmed by it all, those notes really helped.

This is a roundabout way of saying I am keeping up fairly well with your orders. I am still waiting for a single thread and the supplier has promised me it will be here soon. Its delayed arrival may hold up a few of your packages and I apologize for the inconvenience. I will write to those of you who are influenced by it. I have high hopes that the rest of the packages will be in the mail a week from now.

So what are you going to do with all of these patterns I am mailing to you? I have an idea.

I have asked Kate Gaunt and Marie-Therese Baker if they will let me keep my Shining Needle Chat Room after my mystery finishes next month. I would like to turn it into E-Studio Time for a while. That way you can all get to work and it will be fun if you share your progress. Please come and join Shining Needle Society by writing to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com).

So what about a second E-Merchandise Week? When will it be? Jane Zimmerman told me that Brigadoon returns every hundred years. I told her it dates us both that we even know about Brigadoon! I hope it will be sometime before a hundred years from now. How about thinking about it a year from now. If any of you have reflections or suggestions for me, please write to me, GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com or post them here on my blog.

Meanwhile, I say goodbye to E-Merchandise Week with a photo of one of the most recent additions to my heart collection, Santa's Heart. I have to chuckle: remember the days when Christmas didn't go up in the stores until after Thanksgiving? Long gone are those days!
So Santa's Heart won't feel strange here for a while.

Again, thank you!
Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #7 is in the Mail!

I mailed Surprise Windows #7 this afternoon. I know it is early, but I had them all ready to go and thought, why not!
My house is mired down in canvas, instruction booklets, threads and kits, so mailing off these helped me feel like I was accomplishing something!

Enjoy the Dining Room.

I thought I would be relieved when the mystery was over; instead I find I am sad to think it only has a month to go.
I have enjoyed it and hope you have too!

Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #7, The Dining Room

Some of you are just too too smart: you figured out Surprise Window #7, the Dining Room.
Enjoy!

I can't believe we have only one more window. I have enjoyed this mystery so much! Hope you have too.

I will post a note as soon as I have shipped them.

Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #6 is in the Mail!

I sent off all patterns for Surprise Window #6 late this afternoon. I got to the post office just as they were collecting the mail so I watched the packages disappear into the big bin on wheels.

The patterns should reach you all in a few days. I hope you enjoy my favorite of the rooms.

Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #6 The Stitching Room

Here is my favorite room in the redwork house, my Stitching Room.
To see it in place on the sampler, go to my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on group designs.

I will mail the patterns probably on September 7.

Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #5 is in the Mail

Just about 2;30 this afternoon, Tony, our mailman, picked up all of your patterns for the Library, Surprise Window #5.
I hope you enjoy the room.

I may be delayed next month, at least with posting the photo of Surprise Window #6. I will be on my way home from ANG's Seminar in Baltimore on September 1. As soon as I am home again and human enough to post the photo, I will do so.

Gay Ann

My Redwork Mystery: thoughts related to books

In tonight's email Zeena sent me the following. Thank you, Zeena.

This poem by Clarence Day is shown stitched in a book Hope Hanley wrote, many years ago.

The World of books
is the most remarkable creation of man.
Nothing else that he builds ever lasts
Monuments fall,
Nations perish
Civilizations grow old and die out.
And after an era of darkness
new races build others.
But in the world of books are volumes
that have seen this happen again and again.
And yet, live on, still young,
still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling
men's hearts
of the hearts of men centuries dead.

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #5 The Library

My husband Jim is a retired history professor. Once a friend commented after meeting him that he is nice but a bit bookish. I chuckled; there are so many history professors in this world who aren't bookish, right?

I could not have invented a house without a library for Jim, so here is Jim's room.

I will put the patterns in the mail, as usual, on the 8th of August and will post a note here after I have mailed them.

Gay Ann

E-Merchandise Week

So many of you have contacted me in the last few months about patterns/kits of mine that you would like to buy.
My life is always a series of deadlines and right now I am getting ready for ANG's seminar in Baltimore. I am also trying to finish writing instructions for Callaway's classes.

I cut back on my participation in seminar this year; by this I mean, I will not be doing Expo (Merchandise Night). When I am home again and I have some time, I decided I would have an E-Merchandise Week from My Blog. I have a stash of patterns and kits that many of you have requested and I think I will sell them for a week in mid-October.

I will write more about this sale when I am home again from Baltimore, so if you are interested, I suggest you follow postings on My Blog
www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on My Blog.

I will not have everything in my portfolio for sale; I will not have unending copies of everything.
If there is something you would like in particular, email me and I will see if I can do it.

If this goes well, I may make E-Merchandise Week a regular feature, maybe twice or three times a year.

Gay Ann

In Our Side Yard This Evening

I cannot resist posting this photo of our resident Lady Hummingbird. I tried for a long time to get a photo of her at the feeder but she would see the reflection or the movement and fly off. This evening I was lucky. Camera was up and focused just as she swooped in for an evening drink.
Enjoy a summer's evening treat from me to you.

Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #4 in the Mail!

Finally, about 2:00 this afternoon I made it to the post office and sent off all of Surprise #4. You should start receiving them in a few days.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Redwork Mystery: Surprise #4, The Kitchen

Here is a Kitchen to add to your house. I can't remember who, but someone said I wouldn't include a kitchen. Well, I did! Fitting that I included a kitchen for July so that there is a place for all the hamburgers and hot dogs. You will have to look through the kitchen window to see the barbeque, though.

I will mail patterns after the holidays, probably on July 8th or 9th and will post a note on my blog when they are in the mail.

You now know what half of the Surprise Windows are. Four more to go, including my favorite one. Anybody wish to guess what the four will be?


Gay Ann

Congratulations, Donna Nelson!

Congratulations, Donna, on winning the June Zimmerman Silk and metal Thread Award for Malachite and Pearls.
I don't have a photo of Donna's, but I snapped a photo a short while ago of mine and here it is.

A nice photo of Donna and her Malachite and Pearls is featured in the June 07 issue of Needle Arts, on page 53.
Thank you, Yvonne, for writing me about this.

Gay Ann