Hey guess what?!

I got my stitching mojo back!

 I pulled out my cross stitch supplies to make a Christmas stocking for my newest grand daughter Hideko. (pronounced Hee-day-co: she is named for my mother-in-law who was from Japan)

As I began thumbing through my past projects and my WIPs, my perpetual love affair with needle and thread was re-kindled!

I started this stocking and then just for fun began posting on my Instagram account some of my work. Well, suddenly the world of FLOSSTUBE opened up, and as I began watching I was hooked on stitching again!!

LOL!

If you have never seen flosstube go to Youtube and search for it. A myriad of stitchers are making videos showing their work, their stash, their WIPs, and on and on!

My favorites are Primitive Stitcher, and my old friend Vonna Pfieffer, The Twisted Stitcher with her wonderful finishing tutorials, and Nicole Neville, at Nicole's Needlework, whose blog I used to follow religiously. And there are many many more! Its like a virtual cross stitch guild!

So now the obsession is ON!

Hahaha!

I've been away from the cross stitch world long enough that a lot is new to me now, so that makes it really fun. And of course I cannot help myself, I have to start designing because all kinds of great ideas are beginning to fill my head! So look for some new goodies in my Etsy shop.

I decided to work on some smalls just to get back in the groove, so I ordered a chart from 123 Stitch by Little House Needleworks called "Sheep Virtues". Here is my progress on it:

I mostly stitched it in the car when my husband and daughter and I went to St. Louis for the weekend a couple of weeks ago. It is DONE NOW (yay! a finish!) and I still have to make it into a little pillow ornament. It has a little JABCO birdie button that goes up in the tree. Too cute!

Here is my finish:

I also pulled out an old WIP. This is called Sampler Tea Cozy, and it was published in Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly, Vol. 16. I have always loved this so much and I really want to finish it.

Here is where I was when I first pulled it out:

And here you can see what the finished piece looks like:

Isn't is pretty? I have the perfect place for it on my china cabinet.
 Follow my anniebeezfolkart account on Instagram where I post updates almost daily.

See you soon!
~Annie

My first Youtube video!!!

Is blogging dead?

It seems that most people are not really blogging any more. Is blogging dead?

Do you still read blogs? I have to admit I don't really read many anymore myself. But I am not sure if it is because most of the blogs I used to read are no longer being updated (including my own), or if it because I am hanging out in different places now.

 For example I am spending a lot of time on Instagram and Periscope.

Cloth and Clay Angel available in my Etsy Shop

Instagram

I enjoy Instagram for the many artists who post there. I think I have been posting on Instagram for about 3 years now. In that time I can say I have really grown so much as an artist. Just looking daily at the work that artists post there has inspired me so much. I have learned about so many techniques and ways of selling art. I have been encouraged by the many generous people who have liked and commented when I have posted my own art. It has given me a sense of community and comradery. I have learned about supplies, how to use them, and where to learn more involved techniques through tutorials and online courses.

And looking at so many different kinds of art has inspired me to make decisions on where I want to go with my own art. The latest buzz is that now that Instagram has changed its algorithm it won't be the same anymore. We will have to see if that is true. But for now it is my "go to" social media.

Periscope

Periscope is a fairly new video streaming app that is linked to Twitter. I have never been a huge fan of Twitter, but I find Periscope pretty fun. Basically people use their phones to live stream whatever it is they are doing or want to talk about. There is a quite huge art community on Periscope. The app is only little over a year old, and in that time lots of artists have taken to it. There are also a lot of art and social media business coaches on there as well. I enjoy it for the many artist who show off their methods for creating digital art, simply because I am in the process of learning it myself and seeing someone actually do it, and hearing what tools they like is invaluable. Especially because tools are so expensive. It would be so hard for me to try to navigate all the possibilities by myself. I also listen to a few art and business coaches, and their advice has been really helpful.

So I do enjoy Periscope.

So this leaves me with the question; is blogging dead? Is it worth continuing with? I am pondering this question a lot lately. Do you still read blogs? Do you find them worthwhile? I would love to hear your thoughts!

xoxo

Annie

My Backyard Chickens

Here is a little video of my baby chicks! They were born on August 1, 2015. We got them in the mail on Aug. 3rd and they were in perfect shape!

We are part of a pilot backyard chicken program in our town. Sadly one of them turned out to be a rooster, so we had to take him to a farm in Wisconsin. I was really sad about it but he was crowing up a storm! Not exactly conducive to suburban living!

The Speckled Sussex turned out to be a rooster!

So now we have 3. We got our first egg on Christmas day!

We have 3 different breeds. An Easter Egger, a Golden Laced Wyandotte, and a Buff Orpington. They are all wonderful layers.

OXOX

~Annie

First Folk Doll of 2016!

This is my True Love Angel.

 She is a mixed media guardian angel who will remind you that you have a protector and guide on your journey through this world.
 And just in case you forget, she will always remind you of how unconditionally you are truly loved by the Father!

True Love Angel

Available Now! 

on

Primitive Folk Art Trinkets and Treasures

Stay warm my sweets!!

OXOX,

~Annie