Christmas at the Store

Mandolin Orchestra

Our neighborhood stores and restaurants have a "Walk About" 4 times a year and last night was the Holiday one! Everyone turns out to sample tasty treats handed out by the restaurants and hear live bands at our internet cafe, begin their Christmas Shopping and sing carols to the Mandolin Orchestra hosted by The Grove, where I have judipatuti fabrics.

This year the weather was perfect...a sweater and warm scarf was all that was needed and the whole neighborhood came out! A trolley took walkers to different parts of the neighborhood and Santa, of course shouted Ho Ho Ho and visited every store and restaurant!



The Grove sparkled with Christmas glam from the little white lights, the Christmas Tree, the mistletoe crystal ornaments, Christmas stockings, wonderful sounds of Mandolins and lots and lots of delightful little sparkly's to give as stocking stuffers!

These trees are wrapped with silk yarn and topped with wool roving or a jeweled pine cone. A perfect Christmas Dinner centerpiece!

The Grove store owners Anne and Susan with the
Celebrity of the Night
Santa!

Watch my blog for the next shipment of Beadmats -
a perfect Christmas Gift idea for that Bead Artist in your group!

Coming Soon!

The Return of the Beadmat!

My next shipment of Beadmats are here...I know...this makes two posts in one day - but just couldn't resist showing them off!

Tool boxes come with each one, in an array of colors from Juicy Lime to Sweet Summer Strawberry!


Divine Damask is for the sophisticated beader that loves patterns in palettes of greys and blacks.

SOLD OUT!

Big Plain Jane I just love for its simplicity and retro 60's feeling!

SOLD OUT

Freebird is a play on "tweeting", flowers and rich color combos!
SOLD OUT!

While Vera's Garden walks us through multiple shades of green on a rich chocolate background!

Love the name of this one....Exuberant! Doesn't that start the creative brain cells snapping?
SOLD OUT!

And then there's Carnival Blooms! Can you smell the popcorn and
taste the luscious pink cotton candy!

SOLD OUT

Trumpet Flowers is a favorite...so-o-o-o grand!

SOLD OUT!

And last...Oh so Sweet Sandalwood!

Each flap hides pockets for seed bead tubes, and other all the things you need to create your
next,and of course favorite, adornment! The short ribbons let you tie on your Fireline and the entire beadmat wraps with the long ribbons and is ready for traveling or moving from the studio to the living room -wherever your creative mood strikes!

Let me know which one you want...each style comes in different ribbon, piping and tool box combination's!

Too see them in use, go to Marcia DeCoster's Blog!

Roll It and Stash It!

Class is coming up this Saturday at The Grove to make this fun Knitting Needle Case. It's BIG and lets you store a ton of needles! The pattern is from the book Stitch 'N Bitch and is quite easy to follow.

The most fun is picking out the 3 to 4 different fabrics and then it's all "freeway" stitching! That's my term for "put the pedal to the metal" and sew straight! No curves...ALL straight, couldn't be simpler!

Those of you who knit and haven't dusted off your sewing machine for a while, will enjoy "getting back on the bike" and sewing the handy take along roll up!

The Needle Case if folded in half in this shot....

If you're in the San Diego area and are open on Saturday, call The Grove and sign up - a few spaces are still available. They also have copies of the book to purchase. If you're not in the area, pick up the book and get some fun fabrics and sew away!