Thursday, December 5, 2013
Planning Ahead
I had a text conversation with Janet from Valley House Primitives yesterday. Janet is the talent behind Valley House's incredible line of grained frames. We were talking about planning ahead and how it seems to get harder and harder to do. That conversation got me thinking about how I need to think about plans for 2014.
Optimally, I'd like to start planning designs ahead. Rather than design for Christmas in November and December, I hope I can design for Christmas in September or October. And design for Halloween in July or August. You get the idea. Will it happen? Who knows!! But, I'm going to try!
And, I'd like to design some teaching pieces and get back on the teaching band wagon. I love teaching and traveling and meeting stitchers and shopowners!
Now that I have 24 designs published under my new company which means 24 models, I'd like to start planning trunk shows too. Trunk shows are great for designers, shopowners and stitchers alike. If there are any shopowners reading this, please contact me to schedule a trunk show for your shop for 2014. My email is kathybarrick@gmail.com.
And the little snippet above? It's from a new design Beth is currently stitching for me. (Edited to add: Beth mentioned that the purple color in the bird is not true - he's more of a navy blue/dark gray color.) Beth not only stitches my models, but also comes up with names for them. What a bonus! The name possibilities for this sampler include: Sven on Sentry, Reuben on Roost, Fowler Afoot, Baxter on Beat, Caleb on Call, Einer at Ease, Pavel on Patrol, Donald on Duty, Archibald on Alert, Wallace on Watch, Lionel on Lookout. Cool, huh?! These all arrived via text while Beth was at work one day. She truly keeps me entertained!
The sampler above (name to be decided) will be released in January. I'll have one more design coming out in December - a Christmas-sy piece Carol Sims is stitching for me. I'll be turning Carol's hard work into a pincushion/pillow as soon as I have it in my hot little hands, will get the charts printed as soon as possible and get the pattern out. All this last minute stuff has me determined to plan ahead. I can do it, I'm (reasonably) sure I can!
I'm off tomorrow morning to Lancaster for Liz's wedding weekend. Can't wait!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
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Repeat the Sounding Joy
Repeat the Sounding Joy
Maddie
Maddie
Pretty as a Peacock
Pretty as a Peacock
Halloween Greetings
Halloween Greetings
Minerva
Minerva
Tea Keeper
Tea Keeper
Miniature Quaker Sampler
Miniature Quaker Sampler
Autumn Harvest
Autumn Harvest
Tonight is Halloween
Tonight is Halloween
Miss Elizabeth Perkins
Miss Elizabeth Perkins
Halloween Stocking
Halloween Stocking
Ann Smith, Reproduction Sampler
Ann Smith, Reproduction Sampler
Time Enough
Time Enough
London Zoo
London Zoo
Dearie and Darling
Dearie and Darling
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
And Heaven and Nature Sing
And Heaven and Nature Sing
Home in My Heart
Home in My Heart
Painted Wings
Painted Wings
My Day Complete
My Day Complete
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
This Little Gift
This Little Gift
Good Intentions
Good Intentions
Autumn on Lazy Bear Mountain
Autumn on Lazy Bear Mountain
Bird's Eye View
Bird's Eye View
Little Lamb
Little Lamb
Three Snakes in Paradise
Three Snakes in Paradise
Susanna Folley, Tombstone Angel
Susanna Folley, Tombstone Angel
Girls...
Girls...
Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
Bird Study
Bird Study
A Halloween Birthday
A Hallowe'en Birthday
The Village
The Village
Rodney
Rodney
Mary Cotton
Mary Cotton
Pennsylvania Fraktur
Pennsylvania Fraktur
Rebecca
Rebecca
Gregory in the Garden
Gregory in the Garden
Blue Spruce
Blue Spruce
Reindeer Games
Reindeer Games
Anna's Bird
Anna's Bird
A Multiplying Bird
A Multiplying Bird
Winter Swan
Good & Proper
Into the Manor Born
Adam & Eve Revisited
Adam & Eve Revisited
Black Heart
Black Heart
Riley Harbor
Riley Harbor
Bee Study
Bee Study
A Fine Farm House
A Fine Farm House
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Grace
Grace
Strawberry Town
Strawberry Bird
October 31st
Moon Dance
Miss Martha's Potting Shed
Joyoux Noel
Deer Heart
Crowned Heart
Christmas Day, 1826
Cat & Mouse
Adam & Eve
7 comments:
Have great fun at Liz's wedding! Take lots of pictures as I'm sure she will be beautiful! The new piece looks like it will be a great one. As for planing ahead you can do it! It seems like I'm in the mood during the season so maybe during the season you design for the next year. That way in july you not dreaming of snow.
Hoping you all have a wonderful, beautiful time at the Wedding ~ take lots of pictures please to share with us!!!! ~ Loving your new design and still want to talk to you about a retreat!
xoxoxx
L
I hope this isn't a stupid question but...what is a trunk show? I have seen it mentioned before but still do not know what it is.
Thank you. I really enjoy your designs.
Can't wait to see the rest of this new design. Already in love with the colors of it!
And I enjoyed looking at your Xmas decorating!
Linda in VA
Hi Angela,
A trunk show is when a designer sends their models to a shop (supposedly in a trunk), to display in their shop and sell charts. At the end of the pre-determined time, the shop returns the models and unsold charts and pays the designer for charts sold. It's a great way to get the models out there for stitchers to see.
I've been holding off on trunk shows until I had a number of models available. But 24 is a good number I think!
Kathy
Wishing you a most wonderful wedding weekend. I know it will be beautiful. Please let us all see pictures. I love weddings.
I know what you mean about planning ahead. I've been in this business since 1979 and I'm still always behind. If you figure it out, let me know.
Blessings to you and your family,
Sandra
Wow, I LOVE that bird in the upcoming chart! That's a definite MUST STITCH for me. We're very fortunate that you're designing again. 24 charts already!? That's wonderful! Hope you have a wonderful time at the wedding, and a wonderful Christmas.