Shariann Designs News

Coffee Anyone?

2011-12-12T18:20:00.002-06:00

Below is an image of the towels I made using 4 of the Funny Coffee Bean designs I've been working on. Notice the border fabric! I like making things that are different than what you can find in the stores or through other sources. I used a coffee themed fabric by Timeless Treasures in a really yummy shade of brown with darker brown coffee related terms printed all over it. It adds a punch to the really cute embroidery designs, don't you think?

The towels measure 26" long x 14" wide; the border measures the full width of the towel x 1-1/2" high. The towels are a wonderful, soft and thirsty cotton in an off-white.

These will be added to the web site tomorrow. If you are looking for something different for that coffee lover you know, why not give them something not only practical, but a gift that will provoke a smile!

Unfortunately, we are not able to accept any more orders for this holiday season. We're getting ready for the Christmas holidays ourselves. Our office will be closed officially on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

As this will be our final blog for 2011, I'd like to extend our wishes to all of our customers and friends for a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a New Year filled with the very best of everything!

Christmas Placemats

2011-12-06T11:59:00.001-06:00

Well, December has arrived and Christmas shopping is in full throttle! Happily, the Christmas placemats project was finalized and my customer is thrilled.

I had to make some changes to the original idea that I blogged about back in October. The designs I selected are wonderful, but for this project, they were too dense for the quilting fabric I used. No matter what tricks I tried, there was too much puckering and I didn't think that adding the stipple stitching would help. So, I came up with Plan B.

As you can see in the image below, I opted for appliques in three different Christmas themes, a star, tree and gingerbread. I had digitized the gingerbread design back in 2004, both as a filled embroidery design and an applique. I went back to edit it a bit more for this project, digitized the tree and star appliques and was able to finish the project in record time!

Unfortunately, you can't see the quilting stitches, but I stipple stitched around the appliques and went with a simple stitch in the ditch method for the quilt block area. Rather than competing with the bright fabric colors and matching (or close to it) threads, I opted for invisible thread and it worked out perfectly.

Now that this project has been completed, I'm working on several other projects. One, that I will post a picture later, is a set of Coffee Bean towels with a wonderful coffee themed border. I think that adding a lovely fabric border that matches the theme of the embroidery designs is a great way to finish off a set of towels. The other project is to finish up this lovely FSL Christmas bowl. I actually have several to do, so I'd better get my "thread" on!

Hope you are having a creative day.

New Christmas Towel Set

2011-11-10T09:14:00.000-06:00

Oh yes, the holidays are fast approaching! Decorated kitchen towels are a very popular gift item. Kitchens filled with the scent of baking cookies, pies, and breads are in need of a constant supply of clean towels. Decorated towels are perfect as they add to the festive activities.

Here's our newest set that will be added to the web site today. The set of 3 towels features North Pole "helpers" such as the Cookie Taster, Snowman Construction Worker and the Executive Elf. We have additional designs, but chose these three adorable designs to kick off our new towel set additions.

The towels are 100% cotton, measure 26 1/2" long by 18" wide, have a wonderful green check border on the bottom and feature a hanging tab on the upper corner of the backside (clever option for those who don't have a towel bar). We laundered the towels so that all the shrink has been removed, so you can launder them as you normally do for towels.

We think these are so cheerful and we're sure you will too. Not only will these help make your holiday kitchen festive, they would make the perfect gift for anyone you know who loves to spend time baking up a storm for the holidays!

Keep watching as I'll be adding more goodies to the web site in the coming days.

Funny Coffee Beans Newest Design

2011-11-04T15:54:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd post a quick note to let you know that the next design (FCB07) of the Funny Coffee Beans collection has been completed. I've posted a picture of the stitch out on the site, but am including it here in case you don't have time to visit the web site right now.

This one took a little longer to perfect, but I think he's a cutie. Perfect for decorating napkins or kitchen towels, especially for that bachelor you know who loves coffee!

Have started the next design, so please stay tuned. As soon as it's ready, I'll post it here.

In the meantime, the placemats that I posted about last month have become a hit, even before they've been added to the web site. As soon as the new set is completed (first set has been sold), I'll upload a photo to the site on the Kitchen Decor page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html .

With the holidays arriving in less than 7 weeks, now is the time to plan those gifts. If you have something special in mind, give us a call so we can make you a hero for gift giving! Why not choose something that can't be found in the stores that everyone else will buy.

In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of the Fall season!

Holiday Project

2011-10-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

Late last week, I realized that it was October and my new Christmas projects were not completed for the web site. In my defense, my excuse is I've been busy working on my new design set, working around the garden getting rid of weeds that seem to flourish, researching a new hobby (being mom to orchids) and also getting some carving done on a gourd I'm eager to finish. Does that work for a good excuse? It will have to do for now!

So, I gleefully sorted through my stash of holiday fabrics and realized I was lacking in some contrasting fabrics...sure, any excuse to buy more fabrics, right? This is spoken like a true fabricholic :)

Before heading out with my debit card polished and ready, I put some finishing touches on the pattern I created in EQ6. When I originally created this project in my mind in the spring, I hadn't completely decided on the embroidery designs I was going to use. Yes, I know, the time to complete this project should have happened in July, but with the move and setting up the new house, there were too many distractions.

After printing out one of the images of the project, along with the yardage I needed, it was time to head out to audition all the possible candidates for this fun project. It didn't take much effort to find the right selections, which seemed to eagerly jump into my cart. Although I may still need to hit another store or two "just in case", I think I made some jolly selections.

With fabrics happily in hand, I headed home and began the process of laundering everything so I can begin cutting these festive fabrics into strips, squares, rectangles and hst's. Soon I'll be busy embroidering the designs, which I purchased from Embroidery Library - http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/new.aspx?date=071311 - check out the stackable designs. They are so cute!

Here's a sample of 8 placemats I finalized in EQ6, complete with the embroidery designs I selected.

On another note, the next design in the Coffee Bean collection is ready. For a coffee bean, she's rather stylish, don't you think?

The next design is in the works, so it looks like I'll have to bring out the extra embroidery machine so I can multi-task between both projects!

Hopefully you are having an equally creative time, and if not, remember, the holidays are less than 11 weeks away!

Shari

Coffee Bean designs

2011-09-26T10:09:00.000-05:00

After having some difficulties with my digital camera, I was finally able to upload the newest design in the Coffee Bean collection. I feel that it resembles many of us coffee lovers checking our email!

While I was back in Illinois during August, I worked on design #6, and it should be ready sometime this week. So please stay tuned :) And I have some cute plaid trimmed towels that I plan to embroider these designs on for the web site. Those will be posted on the site on the Kitchen Decor page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html .

I've also been gearing up for Christmas, my favorite holiday of the year. I have a new machine embroidered lace ornament that will be uploaded to the Holidays page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html.

I hope you'll check back often to see all the new things that are being added to the site! In the meantime, have a terrific week.

Changes To The Web Site

2011-09-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Time just seems to move by much too quickly these days! It's now September, we are moving closer to the end of summer and the beginning of my favorite season, autumn. Although we are now Floridians, and won't see the glorious colors of the season in the Midwest, we'll be able to enjoy less humid air, slightly cooler temperatures during the day and a crispness in the air in the evening.

I'm moving away from some of the embroidered gifts I've offered and will be concentrating more on my baskets and carved gourds. I will still digitize new embroidery designs as well. I won't be offering aprons or embroidered frame inserts any longer, so those items will be removed from the web pages. Since the response to our variety of embroidered towels is wonderful, I will continue these, as well as adding new sets in the coming weeks. The lace ornaments will also remain as lots of customers have not only ordered them for their own holiday decorating, but also as gifts.

My new set of embroidery designs that is in the works, Funny Coffee Beans, is such a fun group of designs for those who love anything coffee! These designs can be used on towels, aprons, covers for small kitchen appliances, napkins, a quilted wall hanging or anything else that suits your fancy! Below is one of the latest designs that I've completed so far.

There will be 30 designs to this set when completed, 10 small (4"x4") filled designs and then 10 designs in redwork in two sizes (4"x4" and 5"x 5").

Finally, our fax option for ordering will be available as of September 13, which will make ordering either designs or one of our other products easier. Of course, you can still reach us by phone to place your order!

Have a terrific week and I hope you'll check our site often for new gift ideas.

Shari

New Location

2011-05-01T11:13:00.001-05:00

We have moved to a new home in a new state! It will take a little while to get unpacked and completely organized, but it’s an exciting new adventure.

Over the next couple of days, I’ll be making some necessary changes to the web site, such as address and phone. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the sunshine and warmth of Florida!

We’ll chat again very soon,

Shari

New Year and New Changes

2011-02-07T13:45:00.000-06:00

Can it really be true I haven't posted to my blog since last September? I've been extremely busy, but I had no idea it has been that long.

I have added a new basket to the web site and thought I'd give you followers a peak at it here. This basket has a hardwood base and is woven with flat oval and round reed, in a combination of natural and smoked reed, in a pretty double arrow pattern. It's perfect for fruit or other things you need to store in a decorative basket.

I like this pattern by Dianne Gleixner so much that I need to make a basket for my own kitchen in blue and natural.

And for those that emailed me about the embroidered picture frame inserts, the page is back on the site! As soon as I have some free time, I'll be adding a few more designs.

Free time is going to be very limited in the next couple of months due to our buying a new home in Florida. We'll be busy packing and moving down there in the coming weeks, so I'll post here when that takes place. All my quilting projects and gourds have already been moved into the new house. We aren't sure who will be moving down first, my DH or myself. My DH has applied for a transfer position to Orlando, but hiring is notoriously slow with the government agencies, so I may be down there first while he continues working here in Illinois and trying to sell our current home. There's so much involved that it sometimes seems overwhelming!

Well, I hope to be back in a week or so with more news. Until then, I pray the snow stops falling and that I'll have time in between packing to create some new baskets or embroidered treasures to share with you.

Stay warm :)

Learning New Techniques

2010-09-27T13:25:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe I haven't posted since the beginning of August. Summer is now behind us and the crisp and colorful days of Autumn now greet us. This is my favorite time of the year! I love to take long drives or walks with my husband just to gaze at the rich colors of the leaves against the contrasting skies of varying shades of blue. Soon it will be time to start planting for the spring that will follow yet another unpredictable winter.

One of the most fun adventures I've had recently was attending classes at the Michigan Festival of Gourds. Those that know me well are never surprised at the arts and crafts I pursue. I've been decorating gourds in different ways for over 12 years (maybe longer), but I've been needing to be challenged so I could take my gourd art to a new level.

Not only did I get to meet one of the best teachers and unbelievably gifted artist, Bonnie Gibson, I took four of her classes during the festival. Before leaving for the festival, I took three gourds, two of which I drew out my designs based on the skills I was about to learn. In the first class, Bonnie taught us how to carve 3-D feathers into our gourds using our rotary tools and a variety of burs. Since I've carved Eagle feathers into antlers many times, I had a feeling there wasn't going to be much of a difference carving on a gourd. There are some differences; first is that gourds have a rounded shape, whereas many antlers have simpler curves. Another is that antler is made from bone and gourds are "woody". No matter, this experience is going to lead to buying lots more gourds!

Below is a picture of the gourd I've started with overlapping Eagle feathers. I've drawn out other elements I'm planning around the gourd, but for now, I want to show you the "before" picture of the feathers.

Hopefully you can see the defined, but not completed, feather on the right and the uncarved feather on the left. There's a lot of work yet to do before this will satisfy me!

The next class was all about carving faux basketry into our gourds. I love basketry, especially those coiled with pine needles from South Carolina. The first gourd I saw of Bonnie's on which she had carved this technique was something I knew I had to learn to do. While trying to adjust to a Dremel for this technique wasn't easy, I'm learning to adapt. I've used a Dremel for roughing in carvings on antler, but have always preferred my high speed air carving tools for the majority of the carvings!

Below is my gourd that has the center carved out with the "coils" visible. Of course, this needs further sanding and then the burning technique will give the coils the look of basketry. If I achieve what I'm after, the basketry will look real. There's a second circle on the backside for the same technique and then two other circles which will have another carved treatment on the opposite sides.

If you look closely at the top border area, you'll see that has also been carved out. There's a matching border beneath the basketry area that needs to be carved and made ready for another technique, Inlace Inlay. My third class was learning how to carve recessed areas for inlays. The Inlace is a pigmented resin product that gives the same illusion as stone inlay that jewelers produce.

My 4th class was all about learning to do 3-D carvings with cutouts. I didn't take a picture of that gourd as it still needs quite a bit of work. Plus, I need to finish drawing in the designs that will go around the rest of the gourd. With this technique, you actually cut through the gourd to create voids within the design. I chose a design with cardinals, birch trees and leaves as I love birch trees and our oak trees here are home to several "families" of cardinals. Hopefully I'll find some time very soon to continue working on this wonderful technique!

I hope the balance of September will be good for you and that you'll find something that can inspire you to learn new techniques.

Quilting and Decorating with Machine Embroidery

2010-08-02T10:28:00.006-05:00

I've been so busy getting lots of "to do" projects done plus a bunch of customer orders and realized I hadn't posted to my blog in a while. Well, today I'd like to show you a quilting project I'm working on, and maybe you'll become inspired to create your own quilt with machine embroidery.

Yesterday I finally auditioned some embroidery thread colors for a quilt for our master bedroom. This color scheme is out of my norm, so I conferred with my DH as, after all, it's his quilt too! The fabrics are from the Robert Kaufman Floral Fusions line, Beige and Wheat. The beige has soft off white and cream tones while the wheat has a light and medium shade of golden tan plus cream throughout in a sort of mottled pattern. If you'd like to see the fabric closer, check out http://www.robertkaufman.com/fabrics/fusions_4070/ and scroll down the page, close to the bottom. (Sorry, I just cannot get these links to work!)

Below is a photo I took of the sample block next to the wheat fabric contrast. I auditioned two different embroidery colors for the flowers, a peach and a golden tan that has a hint of peach. The other colors are a light golden tan for the swirls and a heathered sage for the leaves and I will use a light creamy yellow for the flower centers.

Since we can't decide on the colors for the flowers, the project will be a UFO for the time being! My DH likes the peach flowers, I like the golden tan. We don't have peach in our bedroom, but it is a color that both of us were thinking of infusing into our room...maybe. But for this quilt, my eyes are just not loving the peach.

While I was waiting for the digital camera to charge up (so I could take the picture), I decided to tackle my new kitchen curtains that I embroidered a couple of months ago, but hadn't hemmed. Here's a close up of the embroidery.

Originally I thought I would use just two panels, but after I hung them, I realized I would need to make another panel to fill things out. The fabric is a very light creamy yellow, tone on tone print and the slightly darker creamy yellow embroidery is cutwork tulips and a cutwork birdie from www.s-embroidery.com. I fell in love with Stacy's cutwork designs and they stitch out so beautifully. I don't digitize cutwork designs, so I'm very happy to share Stacy's web site information with you :) Once I have a little time, I'm going to create that extra panel with just the tulips because the birdies are already mirrored between the two existing panels.

In the meantime, now that I've caught up with all my large orders, I can get back to digitizing the Baby's World designs I started weeks ago.

I hope you have a wonderfully creative day!

Must Read Interview for Quilters

2010-07-14T13:38:00.003-05:00

I read the most fun interview today and wanted to share it with all my friends and fellow quilters. Hopefully the link above will take you to the Connecting Threads blogspot page where the interview is displayed.

Quilting is a passion I wish I had so much more time for. I can't tell you how many books I've collected over the years, but there's one more I must add to my collection. Connecting Threads has interviewed a wonderfully talented quilter, Anita Grossman Solomon, who has authored a new book, "Rotary Cutting Revolution". When you check out the interview, please notice the fantastic quilt on the upper left with the book. The quilt is called The No Waste Windmill, made entirely from scraps! Now that's my kind of quilt.

Something else that I'm drawn to is Anita's style for pineapple quilts. For those of you who know me, my love of log cabin quilts is over the top. Well, pineapple quilts are log cabins with the blocks of fabrics turned in a different pattern. To see her variations of pineapple quilts, you need to visit her blog - http://makeitsimpler.blogspot.com/ . Sorry, I can't make that a clickable link. I've already saved her blog as a favorite and became a follower so I can visit time and time again!

If you are looking for a new and simpler way to quilt, read Connecting Threads' Karen Johnson's interview with Anita and then head on over to her blog for more inspiration!

Happy Quilting :)

Hawaiian Goldwork

2010-06-23T08:48:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted to my blog. It's been busy around here, that's for sure.

I've added two sizes to the Hawaiian Goldwork design patterns that have been on the web site. It gives the options to create more projects, from small bags and even your own tropical tee shirts using the new 3" designs, to quilts featuring the 6" designs.

I'm busy drawing motifs to add to the corners of the 8" block designs, but I may just leave these designs the way they are. It would allow the user to add echo stitching, which is the way most Hawaiian quilts are enhanced. As soon as I have decided, the designs will be released.

Summer arrived this past Monday, so I've been busy making and embroidering aprons for a long list of happy customers, just in time for the outdoor grilling season! It seems that aprons have continued to be a very popular kitchen "staple". I've been promised photos of those who have received an apron I've custom made for them, and as soon as they arrive, I'll upload them here.

Enjoy the rest of June, and I'll be back with more great ideas for decorating your home and fun gifts for those hard to buy for people in your life!

Shari

New Apron Set - Correction

2010-05-23T16:48:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure how it happened, but the picture of Ava in her apron set didn't get posted (it was there in the preview). So, let's try again! Here's a picture of my adorable 4 year old granddaughter.

Maybe it's me, but the photo of the embroidered apron ties didn't make it either, so I've uploaded that again as well.

There, that's better :)

Shari

New Apron Set

2010-05-23T12:04:00.014-05:00

I have been swamped with apron projects lately, but one that I was excited to do was for one of my darling granddaughters as a birthday surprise. Ava loves anything related to fairy princesses, but she also loves purple and dressing up to play.

Here's a picture of Ava modeling her apron set and below that is a larger image of just the apron and hat.

I used two different fabrics in the same color family, but the contrast has some sparkle, something required by every princess! Unlike her cousins' apron sets I recently made, this one has a rounded bottom section and gathered pocket.

Another recently apron project features a nautical theme. The original design needed to be edited slightly to mimic the owner's boat a bit more realistically. The boat name was added to the design and the tie ends were also embroidered with the owners' first names.

With cooking shows gathering more audiences these days, people are finding pleasure in spending time with their families cooking up fun and wholesome dishes, indoors or out by the barbeque. Aprons, whether simple or decorated, have grown in popularity over the past few years and I don't see the trend fading anytime soon.

Why not check out some of the design ideas we have on our web site, or have us embroider your own idea? There are so many fun, washable fabrics to choose from, we're sure to find something novel for you and your family! Our aprons are adjustable and can be outfitted with your choice of one or more pockets, or even a wide single pocket that is divided. And if you're not into cooking but love to garden, we have lots of different apron options for whatever hobby you're into.

As Julia Child would say...bon appetit!

Shari

Night Fairy Designs

2010-05-15T12:48:00.006-05:00

I've completed the Night Fairy designs and have uploaded the images to my web site so you can start dreaming how to use them in your own project. I've done them in two different color schemes so you can be inspired to choose different colors, giving you lots of design options. And, I've also used Swarovski hot fix crystals to add some bling to the designs. I can see these designs on curtains for a little princess' bedroom, or even on a fairy princess dress for that sweet little girl in your life.

The designs are quick to stitch, consisting of a fill for the fairy and a triple stitch for the decorative lines. I use Swarovski hot fix crystals from Design By Dawn - www.designbydawn.com - as they are the best quality crystals. If you've never tried them before, Dawn also sells the tool to apply them, along with easy to follow instructions. Careful though, adding crystals to your projects is very addicting!

The designs are on a special introductory price through May 31, so you'll want to order them before the price goes up. You get 20 designs in the complete set, one each in small and medium. The individual design prices is also lower during the introductory price period, and for each design you purchase, you'll get a small and medium for one low price!

For those who don't embroider, but would like to have these lovely designs stitched on something for you or as a gift, please email me with your idea or request at sharianndesigns@comcast.net.

I welcome you to stop by and browse around.

Shari

Digitizing Tutorials

2010-04-26T13:16:00.002-05:00

I've received several inquiries over the past month about my old PE-Design V5 tutorials. Although I haven't created any new tutorials for the digitizing software, I still have my movie and text tutorials available for anyone looking to learn (or re-learn) version 5 of PE-Design. The tutorials consist of Layout & Editing, Design Center, PhotoStitch and Manual Punch for Fur.

The tutorial for Layout & Editing covers everything you could possibly want or need to know about this segment of the software and includes a complete digitizing lesson. The movies have audio and you can see exactly what I am illustrating or educating you about within the software windows.

The tutorial for Design Center also covers everything about Design Center with audio and visual movies the same way and also includes a digitizing lesson. Not everyone uses Design Center, but if you like redwork or other easy to digitize designs, this is a wonderful program.

PhotoStitch will enable you to create stitched photos of your family, friends, and a whole lot more. If you have an image of a favorite summer cottage, you can recreate this in stitches with this popular program element. The movies and printable lesson document will take you from the beginning through stitching out your own photostitch masterpiece.

Finally, Manual Punch for Fur will help you learn about using one of the tools in Layout & Editing to create fabulous "furry" or controlled stitch direction designs. In this movie and printable lesson document, I take you through choosing a photo or other image of the animal you'd like to recreate in stitches to give it that realistic fur look. You can also use this wonderful tool for lots of other digitizing projects, but most embroiderers love the challenge of creating the wolf face, which is the subject of this lesson. You even get the image of the wolf to use for your own design!

If you'd like to learn more about these tutorials, just drop me an email at sharianndesigns@comcast.net and I'll give you more information. You don't need to be familiar with your version 5 software because I'll give you all the information, plus the why, how and what all along the way.

And if you'd like to join a group where you can ask digitizing or other embroidery questions and be kept up to date about my new designs, plus get free designs, I welcome you to join my Yahoo group -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sharianndesigns/ .

Happy digitizing!
Shari

Another Gingerbread Project

2010-04-21T14:32:00.006-05:00

Spring has arrived here, which makes me feel so happy. My tulips have bloomed, our Oaks have already started sprouting leaves and the birds are busy tending their nested eggs.

Well, I was finally able to get pictures of my Daughter-in-law and the twins with their custom aprons I made, and baker's caps for the twins. They turned out so cute with the Gingerbread pocket topper design.

JJ's cap is also embroidered with Head Chef across the band, while Holly's cap is decorated with a ribbon that ties into a bow.

I have another apron and baker cap set to do for another grand-daughter and hopefully I can get that accomplished very soon. Right now, I'm working on some sewing for yours truly :)

In the meantime, I'm also working on my newest set of designs, Night Fairies. They are so pretty and can be made even more so with a little bling...hot fix crystals! Here's a preview of the first design in the set.

The designs are two colors, so you can change the look of each design, depending on the project you are creating. And, that means you can also use different colors of crystals, which is always a lot of fun. They stitch quickly as the only fill area is the fairy, with all the lines as triple stitch. I can see these designs sprinkled across the curtains in a fairy princess bedroom. Hopefully I can complete this set of designs and have them tested before the end of May. So many things going on really interferes with my play time!

Speaking of curtains, I'm also working on a new set of curtains for my kitchen. They are embroidered (of course) with these beautiful cutwork tulips and a cutwork bird designs from S Embroidery - Just scroll down the page and look for the New Birdie and New Tulip designs. They are so pretty and stitch out so well. I'll be taking a picture of my curtains as soon as they are completed.

Have a great week,

Shari

Designs & Projects

2010-03-22T15:19:00.003-05:00

Well, the Gingerbread designs have been released for sale and they are on an introductory price offer through March 31. They are getting noticed by a lot of folks that want them embroidered onto their own linens and things too, which is wonderful!

I'm in the process of creating another fun project with the Gingerbread designs, but I'm holding off saying what it is until it's done. Let's just say it's going to be adorable.

In the meantime, I'm busy digitizing my next set and as soon as the designs are well in progress, I'll post some images here. They will be quick stitchers and fun.

For those who are interested in how my Fairyland quilt is coming along, I meant to upload the next block a couple of weeks ago. I was just so busy getting the Ginger designs ready :) Even though this block is part of Block 1, it's the second of 8 blocks. I think it turned out really cute and I'm loving these fabrics.

I'll be finishing up block 2 this week and will upload a photo as soon as I get it off the digital camera :)

Have a great week and enjoy the beginnings of Spring!

Shari

Gingerbread Designs

2010-03-11T17:06:00.003-06:00

Hi!

What a busy week this has been. The Gingerbread designs are nearly ready to release. I'm just waiting for any additional editing notes from my testers, and after the tweaking is done, they'll be ready.

I added another project photo to the page with the designs, but thought I'd upload it here. I found the nicest woven towels with the cutest woven border, that I knew they would be perfect for a set of Gingerbread towels. The new towel set is available at the link above.

Let me know what you think!

The Gingerbread Redwork designs are also being tested right now and they should be ready for unveiling within the next week or so, complete with a project photo or two.

Until later, have a wonderful rest of your week.

Shari

Adorable embroidery projects

2010-03-03T11:40:00.005-06:00

Greetings everyone!

Well, a hint of Spring is in the air. That will certainly be a welcome sign for all of us who've been buried under snow since December. We're itching to get out into the garden, but that may have to wait for a while yet.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some adorable projects my testers (and friends) have been creating with the new Gingerbread designs. They are almost ready to release for sale.

Shirley embroidered two different gingerbreads on her can opener cover and I think they look so cute!

And Joanne created this wonderful gift bag, complete with towels and a cookie cutter. What a fun project to give as a gift to anyone who loves to bake! I especially like the cute gingerbread fabric she used for the bag.

I have a couple of projects in mind myself and hope to be able to work on those this week. And of course, I'll post pictures so you can be inspired by all these ideas.

In the meantime, enjoy the sun and increasing warmer temps!

Shari

Mascoutin Society - Events - Winter Benefit Pow Wow

2010-02-12T09:58:00.000-06:00

Mascoutin Society - Events - Winter Benefit Pow Wow

First Goal Met and an Event

2010-02-12T09:31:00.006-06:00

Hi everyone,

Well, I've completed the Funny Gingerbread Men and the set is being emailed to my testers today for them to test stitch. While most of my testers use similar machines, it's always good to have designs tested on other machines than my own, since no two machines stitch the same. Here's the last design in the set and I'm really thrilled with how it came out.

So, that's one goal I set to accomplish before the end of February :) Diane, one of my Yahoo group members, asked if it would be possible to create a set of these designs in redwork. But of course I answered! So, I'm now in the process of redrawing the designs for colorwork and redwork. Colorwork designs are redwork, but giving you the option of using different colors for different parts of the design, if you choose. Here's design #1 so far.

One of the projects I had started a while back but had to take a break from, was the Fairyland quilt I am doing for my two younger grand-daughters. I never took a picture of the first block I finished, but finally did the other day so you could see my progress. I have 7 more blocks to do for the first quilt and then do all the same 8 blocks for the second quilt. Here's how the first block turned out. I'm using some additional scrap fabrics in addition to the main quilt fabrics to give my grand-daughters something different to look at each time they cuddle with their quilts.

As I complete each block, I'll post a picture here so you can see how wonderful these blocks are. The applique designs stitch out so fast and beautifully!

We have an event tomorrow (Saturday, 2/13) at the Will County Fair Atrium in Peotone, Illinois. If you are close to the area and have nothing to do for the afternoon, why not stop over to say hello and enjoy a really fun and educational Pow Wow. Here's a link to read more about the event and get directions - http://www.mascoutin.com/winterbenefitpowwow.php

See you next time!

Shari

A New Year of Challenges and Goals

2010-01-29T07:50:00.002-06:00

Greetings everyone!

I have to be the worst blogger in the world :) I read other blogs on a variety of topics, but I just can't seem to post to my own blog on a regular basis. Well, hopefully that will change in this new year. I've challenged myself to post something fun and interesting at least once a week. Oh dear!

There are so many things that are happening around here. I feel some excitement about our possibility of transferring this year in a way I haven't felt before. We are hoping that at least one of the new applications my dear husband has submitted will produce not only an interview, but an offer this year. To that end, we've been putting more "finishing touches" to various rooms in our house because when you are planning to sell, you're always trying to make your home look even more special. We've continued the de-cluttering process until I think there's nothing left to get rid of, but there always is!

During the de-cluttering process, I found some additional raw goods for our still existing first business that we are trying to sell off. Maybe that will happen this year too. One can only hope :) Of course, one of the locations we are hoping for a transfer to would really be a great place to try and sell off the inventory for this business.

I've also challenged myself to complete some projects that have been sitting on the back burner for a while, including a bed quilt and a wall hanging I started some months ago. Plus, I've been setting some new goals for digitizing design sets. One of those sets that I've been working on for a while, the Funny Gingerbread are nearly complete. I have one more design to finish and then send the entire lot to my testers. I'm so happy to be nearly finished with this set. The designs are so cute and can be used to decorate a number of different items.

Well, that's all the news for this week. I'll check back in next week with more news to share with you. In the meantime, have a wonderful week!

Shari

Memory Bears, Embroidery and Gourds

2009-12-14T09:21:00.004-06:00

Greetings everyone!

The Christmas holiday is now fast approaching and in 12 days, families here will be cheerfully opening packages. I'm getting a late start on my planning and shopping, but once my husband begins his vacation, we'll be adding to the economy!

For those who have ordered Memory Bears as gifts, they are all on their way. I have several orders that will be completed after the holidays, but once these are completed, I won't be making Memory Bears except for charitable donations, such as the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots. This is one cause that is near and dear to my heart.

The great news is I'll be devoting a lot more time to digitizing designs from all the art work I've purchased over the past year. I really miss digitizing new designs and I'm looking forward to it again. I've even created my new Yahoo group for machine embroiderers to promote my designs.

I'll also have some extra time to work on some of the gourd art I love to do. There are several started gourds on my shelf that are waiting to be completed, so I'm looking forward to that as well.

And of course, I'll be adding new gift ideas to the various pages for shoppers who are looking for something unique. They will feature in-stock designs as well as my new designs as they become available.

I'd like to take this time to wish all of you a very happy Holiday season! May you enjoy good health and happiness throughout the season and all the best of everything in 2010!

Shari

Memory Bears and Site Updates

2009-11-08T22:38:00.007-06:00

Greetings everyone,

I haven't posted to the blog for a while because I've been so busy, but I hadn't realized how much time had passed since my last post. Lots of things have been happening and with the holidays fast approaching, the next 6+ weeks will be equally as busy.

One thing you will notice when you visit the site is that the Memory Bears page has been removed. I've been making Memory Bears for 16 years and have enjoyed creating these for families very much. I have orders that will take me through February, but once those bears are all sent home to their families, I won't be taking new orders for a while. This was a difficult decision to make because so many families I have made bears for continue to refer others to me. My bears have always been very special to me, and I am humbled by all the wonderful letters and emails of praise from families who have received them. Unfortunately, because of all the time I spend on orders, other things have had to be pushed to the "back burner". I need to take a bit of a break for now and work on some of these other things I love so I can re-energize myself.

Two pages have been updated with items and I hope you'll take a look when you have some time. The Holidays page has been updated with a cute gift item for those who like to bring a bottle of wine or champagne as a hostess gift, or even as a "Secret Santa" gift. The apron set features an embroidered wine bottle apron and chef hat. The apron can be embroidered with a holiday or other occasion design, or a monogram. The set is priced affordably for even the modest of budgets.

The Kitchen Decor page has also been updated with a new set of towels in a theme for those who like Southwestern pottery. Also, a fun apron design has been added based on a Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson song "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere". The displayed design illustrates the text in a variegated thread color, but the color can be any you prefer. My husband really liked this one and he doesn't normally get too excited about aprons!

My plans in the Spring were to finish off a design set I was working on and have it ready by June. Unfortunately, due to my schedule of orders, that set hasn't been completed yet. I am hopeful that I'll be able to get back to them shortly after the holidays.

We will be out of town for a brief get-away between November 13 and 22, so if you contact me through email, I'll reply as soon as we return. In the meantime, I'd like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. I know I have a great many things to be thankful for and I feel very blessed.

Take care and God bless you,

Shari

New Home Decor and Gifts Updates

2009-08-25T08:40:00.004-05:00

Is summer really nearly over? It seems to have gone by so quickly. I hope your summer has been enjoyable and that warm sunny weather continues for a while so you can enjoy the outdoors a while longer.

August has been a pretty busy month. We have events that we participate in during August, so I've been busy creating some additional gift items to tempt those that shop in our booth. And of course, there have been new Memory Bears for families added to the site.

I love baskets and am always in the hunt to find new patterns to weave. Two new baskets have been added to the Baskets & Gourds page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html - the Smokey Mountain Storage Basket and the Black and Natural Curly Basket. A couple more new baskets are in the works right now and I'll be adding those when they're completed. Scroll down the page to see something else I'm working on - a moose antler I'm carving that will be incorporated with a pine needle basket. This one will take a little while to complete as carving isn't a process that can be rushed, especially with moose antler!

Also added on the Kitchen Decor page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html are some new towel sets. These make wonderful additions to your kitchen or great holiday gifts. We use good quality cotton that is laundered to reduce further shrinking, then cut and machine finish the edges and embroider. Most towels measure 26" long and 14" wide and really do a great job soaking up the water when hand drying dishes.

Did you know that Christmas is only 3 months away? We are already receiving inquiries for gift items for the holidays, so if you have something in mind, don't wait too long! Machine lace ornaments are wonderful for creating new traditions during the holidays and are the perfect touch to any holiday decor. Maybe you know someone who has just moved into their first home or apartment and is in need of holiday decorations. Why not give them a special gift that can't be found in the same stores everyone else shops? You'll find the lace ornaments on the Holidays page - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/holidays.html .

Wishing you a great ending to your summer!

Shari

New Updates for Memory Bears and Home Decor Pages

2009-07-24T13:24:00.005-05:00

Greetings!

It's been so busy around our shop lately that I haven't had a chance to update the web site with some new photos or even post to the blog. I hope your summer finds you enjoying time with your families and taking in the splendor of the great outdoors. It seems that the summer goes by so quickly, especially when our winters seem to extend well into abbreviated spring seasons.

I've uploaded some photos of new Memory Bears I've created for some really terrific families. It's sad to talk with families who've lost someone, but I truly enjoy getting to know these wonderful people and learning about the loved one they've put to rest. My heart and prayers go out to each and every one of you.

There are times, even when it's very busy, that I just need to escape into another hobby or activity I enjoy. Sometimes we need that diversion so we can feel re-energized. A couple of weekends ago, I decided I needed such a diversion and went hunting for my carving tools and the moose antler I had tucked away for a special project. You might say it was calling to me for some attention. And yes, you read that correctly...a moose antler!

For several hours, I enjoyed the hum of my carving tools while the mild breeze helped blow away the dust created from carving on this incredible gift of nature. I have always been fascinated by antler carvings and although I never dreamed I would become a professional, I do love to watch as etchings in the bone become distinguishable objects. Although I do have my heart set on an elaborate carving of some sort someday, for now I'm happy with the realistic feathers and animal tracks I carve into antler.

This particular antler is eventually going to be part of a free form pine needle basket that I've already started. The base of the basket has an inlaid agate in the most beautiful shade of sea/ocean green. Once I got to a certain point with the basket, I needed to set it aside until the antler was completed so that I could determine the continued shaping for the basket. I have no idea how this basket will end up taking shape, but that's the beauty of this craft.

If you'd like to see my progress with the antler, check out the images on the lower part of the page here - http://www.sharianndesigns.com/baskets-gourds.html . As I get further along with the carving, I'll take new pictures and upload them.

In the meantime, take care of yourself and those you love!

Shari

Special Designing Requests

2009-06-30T09:21:00.013-05:00

Every once in a while, I'll get a fun request from someone visiting the site. A few weeks ago, a gentleman from The Netherlands contacted me about creating a patch for the back of his vest with a design he saw while visiting my old web site.

Below is the image of the patch that was created and also a picture Ron K. sent me after putting the patch on his vest. The patch was slightly larger than the 10" we were originally striving for, but because the design itself was rather large, a little extra spacing was created for the placement of the design. Because I don't have access to a merrowing machine, which creates a solid commercial style satin border, I used piping to give the patch a nice, finished look.

Not only did this project outcome thrill my customer, but it gave us a chance to exchange information about our interests and travels with each other. One of the great things about offering design services on my web site is that it gives me a chance to learn about people and their lives in other parts of the world. Hopefully someday soon, my husband and I can visit the beautiful country of the The Netherlands and meet with Ron and his wife.

A patch isn't so unique, but designing offers a way to create items for others that aren't always obtainable locally, or even just one of a kind objects based on an idea. Many people write to me about designing clothing or home decor items using embroidery designs in unique ways, and this is something I have enjoyed doing since I became interested in machine embroidery back in 1998.

So, if you have an idea, let me know so it can become a reality!

Shari

Tips for Quilters

2009-06-11T08:07:00.003-05:00

Although I don't create quilts for sale, I do love to spend the breaks in my schedule working on quilts for our home and family members. Right now I'm busy with two nearly identical quilts (almost simultaneously!) for two of my Grand-daughters. The quilts are a machine embroidered applique version of the hand appliqued wonder that was created by Natalie Bird of Australia, the Fairyland Quilt.

If you'd like to learn more about this quilt and her other projects, you can visit Natalie's web site http://www.thebirdhouse.com.au/index.htm. To see a larger view of the quilt, this link will take you there - http://www.thebirdhouse.com.au/Fairyland/Quilt.htm

As I would love to complete the entire quilts myself, rather than sending them out for the quilting (a long arm quilting machine is on my wish list), I was undecided about hand or machine stitching. Since I'd love to gift these to my GD's before they are too old to enjoy them, I am planning to machine stitch them. And since I don't normally machine stitch my quilts, but opt to send them out to professionals, I needed to find some information.

There are lots of books written on the subject of machine quilting (and other tips), but there are also some great web sites which can provide just the right amount of information for free. I found such a source and wanted to share it with my quilting friends. The web page has a number of tips and tricks to help the beginning quilter and help refresh skills for those who haven't quilted in a while. http://www.battsintheattic.com/PrimaryPages/tips.html

I hope you enjoy these tips and tricks as much as I did! And once my quilts are completed, I'll share a photo with you.

Have a sensational day!

Shari

Memorable Gifts

2009-06-03T11:15:00.005-05:00

The summer season is almost upon us and we're all busy attending graduations, weddings, outdoor birthday parties...and the list goes on! Maybe you have a housewarming party to go to or your close friends just shared their wonderful dream vacation photos with you. Did someone you know just add an adorable new member to their family? Are you ready with that ideal gift?

Even in this economy, personalized gifts don't have to cost you a second mortgage and are the perfect way to show you really care. Did you know that we have a variety of ideas for that unique personalized gift that would cost you so much more in the store?

How about that first-rate friend of yours who is master of his new state of the art barbeque grill? Think how much merriment and fond remembrances you'll create by gifting your friend with an apron that tells the world he's (or she's) the master of BBQ!

And, it's never too early to think about the holidays. They always sneak up on us when we aren't thinking about them :) We have helped families create wonderful new holiday traditions with our machine embroidered lace ornaments or you can get someone else's collection off to a beautiful new start.

Here's a link to the Gifts & Decor page of our site. Browse around and give us a call to order that special gift that is sure to be remembered fondly with every use.
http://www.sharianndesigns.com/home-decor.html

For the exceptional gift for someone who has lost a family member, someone who served their country or even for someone who loves to collect bears, our Memory Bears are the ultimate gift! These are one of the most extraordinary items I've been creating for families for 16 years. Each bear is as special as the person the bear is made in memory of. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our Memory Bears page to read about how I got started and then check out the small sampling of the over 1,300 bears I've made over the years.
http://www.sharianndesigns.com/memory-bears.html

If you are someone who has purchased a Memory Bear from us, I welcome you to post your comments.

Wishing you a happy day,

Shari

Great Tip for Home Embroiderers

2009-05-26T12:14:00.004-05:00

Whenever I have something fun and new to share with home embroiderers, I'm going to post that information here along with any links.

Although I've been doing this for about 8 years, I found this great video for embroiderers to watch at Nancy's Notions online. So many times, embroiderers want to embroider on the pocket, but aren't sure how to remove it or, even more important, get it back on the shirt in the same spot. Now you won't have to embroider the pocket through the shirt, losing the pocket's functionality :) This method is the same one I've used repeatedly and it's so easy.

The link to the video is below. When you get to the page, look just slightly below the Bear Days of Summer designs information and you'll see the link to click to play the video. Make sure you turn up the volume so you won't miss a single word. The embroidery designs creator not only chats with Nancy about how the Bear Days of Summer designs came to be digitized, but this is where you'll learn the tips for embroidering on a pocket. And while you're at Nancy's Notions, check out all the great projects she has available and new notions you just can't live without. Enjoy the video!

http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/code/adp-66j.do?extid=090521T

Happy stitching,

Shari

New Page of Gift Ideas

2009-05-26T09:01:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend and remembered to shake the hand of a veteran and thank them for their service. If it weren't for their sacrifices, we couldn't enjoy the freedoms we have.

Something new has been in the works! I've been working on a new page of gift ideas for home decor. Have you noticed that aprons have become the rage again? They're everywhere and I have a special fondness for them myself. And I'm not talking plain aprons...no way. I'm talking easy care cotton aprons with embroidered designs. Do you have a special chef in your family? Or maybe you know someone who is a "king" of his grill. Well, come on over and visit the new Kitchen Decor page!

www.sharianndesigns.com/kitchen-decor.html

Plus, I'm working on my newest set of embroidery designs, Funny Gingerbread Men. They are taking a little longer than I first anticipated because I want them to be so unique. These should be ready in early June, so please check back. It's never too early to start planning for the holidays!

Have a great day :)

New Site is Online!

2009-05-11T10:37:00.004-05:00

This is a very happy day for me as the new web site has gone public. It took a long time in coming, 6 months to be exact :) I learned a lot from my web designer, Maureen, who has the patience of a saint! It's not easy learning all the ins and outs of html, css and the many quirks you run into along the way. So, thanks Maureen, I couldn't have gotten this far without you.

Hopefully I'll be able to post to my blog on an every other day basis, but definitely whenever there is something new to tell you about on the site. I'll be able to channel some of the time I've gained back from working on getting the site ready to digitizing more design sets for the home embroidery market, plus creating new gift and home decor items for the site.

I'll also be posting some tips for the home embroiderers since we love using machine embroidered designs on anything that doesn't move, and even on those items too when possible :)

So welcome again to my blog and I hope you find something useful here that you can take with you! If you'd like to follow this blog, just click on the link at the top of the blog to become a follower. I'd love to read your comments and ideas.

One Day Closer

2009-05-07T23:26:00.003-05:00

Well, the new web site is nearly ready. Possibly tomorrow will be the day the switch from the old site to the new will happen. I'm very excited. This was a long time coming! I hope you enjoy the new site and will bookmark it to visit again.