Heart Mouse -- May 17, 2008

A while back, okay a long time ago, I posted about my first project for the ANG 2003 Auction. This is the second project that I stitched for that auction.

This little guy was a lot of fun! There were hearts on the mouse and they were each done in bright primary colors. I selected Splendor Silk in bright primary colors for each of the hearts. I then selected a bright white in the Splendor Silk for the background and a green Splendor Silk for the green grid. Since the colors were so bright, I decided to stitch this canvas just using the basket weave stitch.

The canvas worked up quickly and since I was doing basketweave it was a very relaxing project. I would stitch up a bunch of the hearts and then the grid. While watching TV, I would then basketweave the background.

The mouse was in three parts, the back and each of the two ears. It was fun to compete each of the three sections and did not take that long.

I then sent it off to be finished. If I remembered correctly, I think that Sandy Jenkins did the finishing and she did a beautiful job! How do I know? Well I was able to bid on my own project even though I wasn’t there that day!

For the first time that I know of, the auction coordinators accepted sealed bids from those who did not attend the auction that day. We sent them an e-mail listing the highest bid that we would make. When the bidding was done, the highest bid won the item and for the Heart Mouse it was my bid! Yeah, he was able to come home to me!

I really appreciated that they would accept bids from the stitchers and I hoped that they would continue to offer this option. After putting all of that time and effort into a project it was wonderful that it was able to come home to me!

Unfortunately, they haven’t continued with this policy as every auction coordinator decides how they want to handle the projects and this must be quite a job. Keeping track of all of the canvases and who is stitching them and then coordinating the finishing. Then they need to write up a brief description to encourage everyone to bid on the completed piece and that doesn’t include setting up the display for the auction! Currently, they are not offering the stitcher the option to silently bid at the auction but I think you can offer to “buy” your project. Even though you purchased the fibers, developed the stitch guide, and donated your stitching time, they can’t “give” you the canvas as it was donated by someone else to raise money for ANG. Have I stitched additional pieces for the ANG auction? Yep, just check out the labels on the right and look for ang-auction, or pumpkin-boy. Will I stitch more in the future? It depends as I can’t attend seminar every year and I like to see what I’m going to stitch before volunteering. I’ll have to review the descriptions for next year to see if something catches my eye.

If you are an ANG member, check out the ANG Live and Silent auctions here at;
http://www.needlepoint.org/Auction/2008/index.php

and if you’d like to see the items that are available to stitch they are at;
http://www.needlepoint.org/Auction/2008/canvas.php

If you have any needlework related items that you would like to donate, then please contact the ANG Auction Chair at;
auction@needlepoint.org

The Heart Mouse now sits in one of my display cabinets and I still grin when I see him! He’s such a bright happy mouse!!!

I also wanted to thank everyone who is posting comments. It’s wonderful to know that you are reading my blog! Thank you!!!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow

Entry for April 15, 2006

I promised pictures and I thought I would start with what I have stitched in past years for the American Needlepoint Guild Auction. In 2002 I volunteered to stitch the ANG Logo Trinket box. Unfortunately, right after volunteering and receiving the canvas, my father was diagnosed with cancer. Dad was diagnosed in April of 2002 and he passed away at the end of June. Most of the stitching that was done for this project was stitched sitting with my father and my mother in waiting rooms and in the hospital.

It’s amazing sometimes how your memories of an event are linked to what you were stitching at that time. This project helped me make it through some very difficult days and nights.

I kept the materials simple. I actually used DMC floss as I couldn’t find a silk that had quite the right shade of purple at my LNS. I did use silk on the angel. I then used Mill Hill beads for the gold stars. Since things were so hectic at that time I didn’t keep records of what stitches I used.

I thought I had done a very nice job on the stitching but I was absolutely amazed how it looked once it was professionally finished! Absolutely Fabulous! I am now convinced that a well stitched project can be made or ruined by the finishing and I think this box is an excellent example of a project that was elevated by a fantastic professional finisher. Believe me when I say that it didn’t look that good when I had just finished stitching the canvas!

It was hard sending this piece off to the Auction as I had invested so much time and emotion in its working. I hope that it found a wonderful home and I hope that you enjoy seeing the completed ANG Logo Trinket Box!

Cynthia
Windy Meadow

Originally Posted: April 15, 2006