Mystery in a Corner, Shining Needle Society and Summer

Jeanne W's completed Mystery in a Corner. Thank you, Jeanne, for letting me use it here.

The Dog Days of Summer are upon us, Mystery in a Corner is winding down as the first completed mysteries trickle in. I have enjoyed the project and most of all, I have enjoyed the response to color.

Mystery in a Corner was a simple geometric. The stitches I used in it were basic, mostly techniques that someone would learn in lesson 2 or 3 of needlepoint. My idea was to take the emphasis off of technique and focus on color and texture. I am pleased it seems to have worked, as most of the discussions in my Shining Needle Society classroom have been about color choices and how they evolve as the stitcher stitches.

So it is approaching the end of Shining Needle's School Term, only one task left: FINAL EXAMS! August 1 is the beginning of Final Exam Month in my classroom at Shining Needle Society. And I have had a very interesting offer having to do with Mystery in a Corner and with its final exam. So stay tuned....

Gay Ann

My Classroom at Shining Needle Society reaches 700!

Today is noteworthy because my classroom at Shining Needle Society reached 700 people.
As it approaches its 10th month, Shining Needle Society itself stands at over 1500 people and it continues to grow every day.

For membership contact Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com). Membership is free.

Gay Ann

Almost Ready for EGA's BIG 50th Celebration!

I am excited to be teaching at EGA's big celebration seminar at the end of August.
I just posted photos and descriptions of the three classes I am teaching at seminar this year on my website.

I am teaching a big four-day sampler, one of my favorite, called A Hundred Flowers, after the poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, a two-day sewing case, a little Townhouse inspired by the row houses in a certain area of London (although many people have told me it looks like New Orleans houses) and a one day Redwork Friendship Sampler. A friend of mine says the little Crinoline Ladies on the Friendship Sampler look like they are the people who live in my Redwork Mystery House from last year. Maybe so.

To see my EGA projects go to www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on 'EGA Classes' on the Navigation Bar.

Right now I am absolutely mired down in Kit preparation and Mail Jail, for in addition to my EGA classes, I have reopened subscription to Mystery in a Corner for people who belong to Shining Needle Society and I have been selling a little perforated paper ornament on my website. It is almost more than I can do, but still nothing like my E-Merchandise Week was last year. That is the most I have ever packed and mailed! I don't know that I could have done it without my DH (whose organizational skills are ever so much better than mine).

This year I think I will do E-Merchandise Week again. I say this with some fear and trepidation, for DH has said that he plans to organize the whole thing this year. Has anyone ever had a husband reorganize the kitchen? Well, you know what I face then.

Meanwhile, on with Kits and Mail Jail.
Gay Ann

One of My Highlights of 2008 and Why

A Newbie just joined Shining Needle Society and she wrote to me asking about Mystery in a Corner. I have been busy all day long answering emails, doing bookkeeping, posting in Yahoo groups and so forth.

I was answering her email, just offhand the way one does, when I stopped and read what I had written. I realized, it did describe how I feel about Mystery in a Corner and what people have done with the pattern.

So here is my note to my Newbie:

"You will catch up and you can read the back posts.
And we look forward to hearing from you!
If you are falling in love with new colors, here is a chance to indulge.
If you have a lot of stash and are on a budget, use your stash!

Just because I used and recommended a watercolours, Impressions, pearl cotton and Kreinik braid doesn't mean you have to use those supplies.
You don't even need an overdye, you can use any Rainbow Gallery threads or any others that you might have.

The whole purpose of Mystery in a Corner is creativity in color and thread choices. You will get VERY high marks from me if you do something totally off the wall with the pattern!

Since you are new, I will write this to you: I am fighting for a field I love, a field that is mired down in technique (the more difficult the better) at the expense of emphasis on design and color. The stitches of Mystery in a Corner are simple, almost couldn't be more basic if they tried, so you can spend all that time focusing on color choices and (in parts 2 and 3) design choices and see how you do.

It has been a high point in my year that people have taken the project to heart and as you can see have done some wonderful things! It is even more heartening that the conversations in my classroom have almost all been about color. I am delighted!

And delighted that you are joining us!
Gay Ann"

Mystery in a Corner, Registration Reopened

The beginnings of Kim G.'s Mystery in a Corner, Part 1, is a dramatic one all in Halloween Colors.
The photos show the center started and the center finished. Many people are recording with their cameras the journey of Mystery in a Corner.

We have been having such a lively discussion about colors for Mystery in a Corner in my Shining Needle Society Classroom that I have had a flurry of requests to reopen sales for Mystery in a Corner. If you would like to see a wonderful variety of colors people have used for Mystery in a Corner, Part 1, visit my 'Galleries' on my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on 'Galleries'

Last night I reopened sales for people who belong to Shining Needle Society. If you would like to work Mystery in a Corner and join our conversations about color, write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com) for an invitation. Membership is free.

Be sure to visit www.ShiningNeedle.com to see Shining Needle Society's new website.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner in the Mail!

Yesterday afternoon I mailed the last of Mystery in a Corner Part 2 patterns. Most of you should have them by the end of this week or the beginning of next week.
Jeanne W. had a little headstart due to an error on my part. Lemons to lemonade: here is a photo of the unfolding of Part 2 for you to enjoy! A little preview of what's in the mail.
Gay Ann

A Continuing Exhibition of Mysteries in a Corner Part 1

An exhibition of Mysteries in a Corner continues on my website. Last night I hung Mysteries in another gallery, so I now have three 'rooms' of beautiful Mysteries. To see the exhibition, visit my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on Gallery, Gallery 2 and Gallery 3.

The photo here is of Zeena M's Mystery, Part 1.
Thank you, Zeena, for sending it.

Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Thank you for the Kind Remarks about Shining Needle Society

Here are some nice remarks about Shining Needle Society from its members.
I thought my readership might enjoy them.
Thank you! I am certain that Kate and Marie-Therese are delighted!
Gay Ann

From Barbi S.
I think we are seeing the next evolution in Needlepoint and reaching out to everyone across the continents. It's very cool to be a part of the Shining Needle Society.

From Pierrette P.
I think that Shining Needle Society is one of the best thing to have happened in our stitching world and I am saying that in all sincerity. For way too long we only had narrow options, but now everything has changed as our world has changed and we can use the internet to have access to some wonderful designers/teachers and be able to do great projects without having to leave our house. Only a few can go to all those seminars and the rest of us were left in the cold or so it felt. Now things are slowly changing and that is for the best as I have always believed that the goal should be to reach as many stitchers as possible if we want to keep this art alive and well.

From Sandi N.
I need also to say that I join those who thank you for this opportunity and for bringing the SNS to us. It will be a huge success I am sure! It certainly fills the niche we all are missing when we can't get off to Seminars or when our local groups don't offer us the challenges we seek. So easy and fun to join.

My Online Exhibition of Mystery in a Corner Part 1

I just finished hanging my Online Gallery Show of Mystery in a Corner, Part 1 from my Shining Needle Society classroom and I invite you to visit the Gallery. To see the exhibition, go to www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on Gallery. You will find some wonderful color combinations!

And while you are there, do visit Gallery 2 where more Mysteries in a Corner, Part 1 are hanging. In Gallery 2 is work from Pam Douda's stitchers.

For as long as people send me photos of their Mysteries in a Corner, Part 1, I will hang the photos in my Online Gallery.
Please send photos to GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com.

And please come join in our conversations about color at Shining Needle Society.
To join Shining Needle Society, visit www.ShiningNeedleSociety.com or write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com)

SEE you soon I hope!
Happy 4th of July to everyone.

Gay Ann

My Exciting News! My New Website

It is the first of July and I would like to tell you my exciting news!
For my exciting news go to

www.GayAnnRogers.com

and see my new website!

Happy Birthday to my new website.
To celebrate its birthday I stitched a small ornament on Vikki Clayton's wonderful 17-count perforated paper and her awesome #8 silk pearl. Details for ordering the little ornament kit are on my page 'Small Designs.'

The price for the kit is $12.00 for my website's birthday month of July.
The kit includes instructions, paper and silk. In addition you will need a partial spool of #8 Kreinik braid.

Gay Ann

Some Exciting News for Me and a Mailing Date

First off, a mailing date: I will mail all Parts 2 of Mystery in a Corner after the 4th of July holiday.
We have some beautiful examples of Part 1 in my Shining Needle Society classroom, and again, I extend an invitation to you to come and join us. Membership is free, just write to KateGaunt@aol.com and Kate will issue you an invitation.

I wanted to take this chance too and tell you that I have some Exciting News which I will talk about after July 1st. Why after July 1st and not right now?

I will explain that later also...

SEE you back on My Blog after July 1st.
Gay Ann

A Donation for EGA

There are a number of people to whom I can't say no, and one of them called me asking for a donation for EGA's 50th Anniversary. I decided to look for a pretty pair of antique scissors and make a scissors fob and threader fob for them. I just finished and I want to keep them! So I decided to take a photo and 'keep' them that way.

The blades of the scissors are marked 'Germany' and most people assume they are German. They aren't; they are American. Companies here imported German scissors blades then made little sterling handles to fit with the blades. The handles here are marked 'sterling' usually a good indication that the silver is American. Even without the marking, the style is American, c 1890-1910.

They are so pretty, with little flowers and vines around the finger rings. An added bonus is that this pair are sharp and cut well! I am such a sucker for these little scissors and I buy them whenever I see them.

To personalize them, I beaded a scissors fob and a threader fob for the handles. A couple of years ago the owner of a little estate jewelry shop here sold some remarkable beads from the 1920's to me. She said in all her years in business she had not seen beads for sale like them and I would likely never see them again. I have a small and treasured box of these beads and I used two of them on the scissors fob. They are the long white bead and the flower-like bead at the end. The beads are metal and if you look carefully, you will see tiny rhinestones sprinkled on them. They are, as I said, remarkable beads!

So I snapped a little photo of the scissors and fobs and I will send them off. I wonder where they will end up. I hope in a nice home. And I will enjoy the photo of them as a memento.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: a Great Commentary on Part 1

Pierrette is a member of Shining Needle Society and has been posting comments in my classroom there. She just emailed me the photograph I have posted here, of her newly-completed Part 1 of Mystery in a Corner.
Pierrette asked Pam Douda and Kim Propst (Tomorrow's Heirlooms) for help with the colors and then she documented each step of her progress on her blog. For a great evolution of Part 1 of her Mystery in a Corner, visit her blog:
http://www.lovetostitch99.blogspot.com/

And stay tuned for her completed Mystery in a Corner which I hope to post here in another month or so. I will send out Part 2, the mysterious corners, after July 1. The stitches for Mystery in a Corner are easy; the important part of the lesson comes in the use of color and, in Part 2, some design decisions. I look forward to seeing what Pierrette and others do with the mysterious corners of Mystery in a Corner.

Stay tuned...
Gay Ann

I wanted to add this one too: Jeanne sent me a link to her very pretty Part 1 of Mystery in a Corner. If you would like to see it go to http://juststring.blogspot.com/ and scroll down.
Thank you for the link, Jeanne.

GA

Mystery in a Corner and Shining Needle Society!

Registration for Mystery in a Corner is closed.
I will wait a few days for mail stragglers and then begin class at Shining Needle Society.

Speaking of Shining Needle Society, it just hit 1400 members!!!

If you would like to join and follow along the discussions on Mystery in a Corner, write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com). Membership is free. Kate will issue you an invitation.

Gay Ann Rogers

Mystery in a Corner: Just Two More Days...

Just two more days till registration for Mystery in a Corner closes.
If you wish to subscribe, please post-mark a letter to me no later than 6:00 p.m. on June 1.
Questions?
Email me, GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

As soon as I have mailed the last of Part 1, we will start class in Shining Needle Society.
Interested in Shining Needle Society?
Email Kate, KateGaunt@aol.com.

Happy almost-weekend!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner Deadline is Approaching: June 1

It rained in the night, then just after dawn it cleared and when I looked out, there was a rainbow over the ocean.
I snapped this photo and am using it as a reminder that the deadline for Mystery in a Corner is only a week off: June 1.
If you have questions please write: GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 31

Here is a bright and pretty turquoise combination.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 32

I have posted two bright color combinations so I decided it was time for this very pretty pale color combination.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 30

Here is a bright Part 1 from Nancy J who is a part of Tomorrow's Heirlooms class.
She used Color Combination #30 from Pam and Kim.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 22

Early in May I visited Tomorrow's Heirlooms where a group of stitchers are working on Mystery in a Corner and a number of them have completed Part 1.
In the next few days, as I count down the time till the deadline for registration of Mystery in a Corner, I will post some of their projects together with the colors that they used from Pam and Kim. The first is from Jo who used Color Combination 22.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann