2021.08.25 WIPs Wednesday

It's been a busy couple of weeks, I realized today I forgot to do a WIPs Wednesday post last week!  I work 4 days a week outside the home as a custom picture framer/bookkeeper, but I spend many hours creating and crafting for my #Etsy shop.  Lots of research this week for "Print on demand" services so I can add more merch with my own images!!  

New in the shop this week are the "Summer Scarf", "Square Doily", Sticker Plates for framed stitcheries, and the Queen's Jubilee 2022 commemorative souvenir tin with gold crown paperclips.

Coming soon...snoods and a new lacey collar!  Visit the shop and see if you find any new favorites!!

TheLadyKayDesigns.Etsy.com

Oh!  And a social media update...I started an Instagram page!!  @TheLadyKayDesigns 

I try to post once a day to all my social media (read: EXHAUSTING) but I am enjoying the hashtag
#BlackCatsOfInstagram!!  

Slainte Mhuth (Much Health)

2021.08.11 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.08.04 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.07.28 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.07.21 WIPs Wednesday

 The first time in a long time with no cross stitching done this week.  Trying to build my inventory in my Etsy shop.  To visit and browse, click here --> TheLadyKayDesigns.Etsy.com

Also worked on some graphic designing of ads to promote the shop.

I'm thinking about finally starting an Instagram page.  I just worry about losing more time each day to another social media channel.  But, it would probably help my shop get more sales! 

I'm already on
FaceBook @TheLadyKayDesigns

Twitter @TheLadyKayLong
Pinterest @LiberalLadyKay

I'll keep you posted.

Slainte Mhuth (Much health)

2021.07.14 WIPs Wednesday

You can browse my Etsy shop by clicking here:  www.Etsy.com/shop/TheLadyKayDesigns 

 

2021.07.07 WIPs Wednesday

To browse my Etsy shop:  www.Etsy.com/shop/TheLadyKayDesigns

 

2021.06.30 WIPs Wednesday

 

Layout Update

2021.06.29 The Lady Kay Designs

Last month I changed the name of the blog to match my Etsy shop and a Page on FaceBook I've been updating so things are cohesive.  But today I did some editing and adding which gave me the notion that you should updated.  I've been crocheting a lot lately to create more inventory for The Lady Kay Designs on Etsy.  As well as having some of my photographs made into art prints, postcards, and magnets.  The hope is there will be a steady income from my shop by the time I need to retire from my day job as a custom picture framer/bookkeeper.

Hand crocheted lace collar

Imagine mosaic in Central Park, NYC

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon USA

If you click on one of the pictures above, it will take you to that listing in my Etsy shop.

In the interests of transparency, I have rearranged just a couple items on the blog.  I have removed the WIPs List from the sidebar as it didn't give me the functionality I liked as it only listed them alphabetically.  For this reason I created a new "page" which you can find in the list of pages on the sidebar.  

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The WIPs (Works In Progress) page now has my WIPs listed in the order they were started with the oldest one at the top of the list and the newest at the bottom.  Additionally, I decided to utilize my list from January 1st of this year and make notations as to the dates of origin and completion, if applicable.

Here is the newest addition to the WIPs list.  This is called Butterfly Effect by Kate Powell and is from Heaven And Earth Designs (HAED).  My daughter loves butterflies and she picked this one out with me.  (You can find a link to the website in my list of favorite designers & suppliers in the side bar)

HAED Mini Butterfly Effect

I plan on creating a new list for each calendar year and having the most current one at the top of the page while retaining previous years below.  This way I can see at a glance how one year's work compares with another.

You may have noticed there is now advertising in the form of two small square banners in the sidebar and three different banners at the bottom of each page.  I know I don't have that many readers, but on the off chance something catches someone's eye, if you click on them I will earn a small pittance as an advertising affiliate.  

Additionally, I may add relevant links within future blog posts to make it easier for you to access the item(s) that are being shown and/or discussed.  There is no added cost to you, but if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive monetary compensation.

Photo by Melinda Gimpel on Unsplash

The final item I added to the sidebar is a "Contact Me" section.  If you have any questions and you do not wish to leave them in a comment, please message me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading about the boring, legally responsible stuff!!  TTYL!!

Slainte Mhuth (Much health)

2021.06.23 WIPs Wednesdays

This month's International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW) had the theme of butterflies.  My daughter, Avalon, loves butterflies and we had previously picked out this pattern from Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED) a mini size of Butterfly Effect from the artwork by Kate Powell.  I chose a pale sky blue hand dyed Aida from Mystic Fabrics from my stash and started at the bottom center.  The needleminder is from the cover art of the book "The Mists of Avalon" by Marian Zimmer Bradley. 

This story is what prompted my mom to suggest naming my daughter Avalon Rose.  As I was looking for the right name to accompany my son's name, Tristan William.  Their names are a reflection of my history background with a focus on English monarchs.  Which also explains the Henry VIII pattern I'm working on, LOL!!  

Tristan is named after the character in the movie, "Legends of the Fall" portrayed by Brad Pitt.  His middle name is honor of my stepdad William "Bill" Vanderheid and my stepbrother William "Little Bill" Vanderheid.  

After mom suggested Avalon, I knew her middle name would be Rose not only for my city, Portland, called the "City of Roses", but also for a very dear friend, Cecil aka Tonya Rose.  This would solidify our family as part of the "Rose" drag family forevermore.  

Slainte Mhuth (Much health)

2021.06.16 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.06.09 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.06.02 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021 Stitch Maynia results

 

2021.05.26 WIPs Wednesday

 

IHSW--May 2021

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

But as I work weekends, my stitching is confined to the evenings.  As this is the month of May, this weekend's stitchy time falls during Stitch Maynia.  This year my goals are towards finishing--completing stitches in a pattern AND finishing stitchy items into FFO's or Finally Finished Objects.

But as my weekend hours are limited, I worked on completing some patterns.  The first one I completed this weekend is my oldest living WIP--A Right Royal SAL that I started on 2018.06.26

But after many stitches over many months, along with many beads, I finished it up on 2021.05.24

Next up for the weekend was finishing a stitchy gift for a friend--Bumblebee which I started last summer on 2020.06.26.

The gorgeous hand dyed fabric named "Opal" was created by Mystic Fabrics and it shows it off to perfection!!

It feels so wonderful to have two finishes from this past weekend!  I'm looking forward to more finishes and of course more starts!!

That's a wrap on IHSW for May.  I look forward to seeing what June and PRIDE month brings!!  Feel free to leave a comment or a link to your blog post below.  Until next month...Be Well!!

Slainte Mhuth (Much health)

2021.05.19 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.05.12 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.05.05 WIPs Wednesday

 

2021.05.01 FFO Extravaganza

This weekend, one of my cross stitch challenge FB groups called Semi Sane Stitchers had a challenge for this weekend only called FFO Extravaganza.  FFO is short for "Finally Finished Object".  This was a challenge to take a completely stitched piece out of a drawer or box or wherever it has been stashed since the final stitch was placed and FINALLY finish it into an object.  It could be framed, made into a pillow cover, a decorative block, or mounted on to a wooden finishing.  Whatever we want!!  

To keep everyone honest, you have to include a handwritten password in your photos that isn't given out until the beginning of the weekend, so no one can pass off pictures they took a month, 6 weeks or even a year ago.  That is why you'll see a paper with the word "Gold" in the following pictures.

This stunning pattern was created by Steotch for their annual mystery Stitch-A-Long (SAL).  This past year with all the restrictions due to CoVid-19 they changed the name from Steotchalong to Steotchalone2020!!  Bless This House features a hyper realistic portrait of Hugh Laurie as TV's Dr. House.  I added a line from the show "Rule #1:  Everybody Lies" as that is something quoted around my little family.  My son suggested the use of a rainbow colored border, so I stitched it using a variegated floss called "Bradley's Balloons" by ThreadWorX.  The fabric is an 18 count Aida hand dyed by Mystic Fabrics called "Opal".

I decided to create some collage pics of the different steps along the framing process to make it easier to share on social media.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take pics of the frame moulding being chopped to size with the miter cuts using the circular saw (my boss is the master at this as she has to eyeball the length when they get this small).  

I hope you enjoyed this virtual field trip to my place of employment Hangin' Custom Picture Framing which is located in Hillsboro, Oregon (a suburb of Portland, Oregon).  You can visit the FaceBook page to look for our annual anniversary giveaway of a $100.00 gift certificate that starts June 1st at www.FaceBook.com/HanginCustomPictureFraming.  To see more wonderful stitcheries, paintings, collages, shadowboxes and general framing visit our blog at www.HanginCPF.blogspot.com.

Slainte Mhuth (Much health)