Smaller

I am still beading and stitching on little bits. I know several of you said you liked this one despite my feeling that it had too much going on.

Will it surprise you when I tell you I cut it up? Yes, I did. It is now two smaller pieces and I think the embroidery and beading, which I think is what you liked, is well-served by what I did. Here are the two new and smaller bits.

I also thought this one could be improved by a little surgery.

The result:

I like having more focus on the stitching and beads. Each will be mounted on a piece of black mat board for framing.

The STASH group took a field trip today to McMinnville, Oregon. We parked on Third street and started at one end at Boersma's fabrics and moved down the street to the Currents Gallery then to the Jack of All Beads bead shop. Ha! I laughed when I found that their web site has been "under construction" since 2008—not too surprising. It was a little chaotic, a little disorganized, but boy, did they have beads! From the bead shop we continued down Third Street to Bistro Maison for lunch. Beautiful French restaurant. We ate in the garden and it was incredible. Gerrie took this photo across the table, of Reva and Suzy, which really captured the spirit of the day. I came home quite relaxed and happy, with a few new treasures. Beads and a yard of a dark taupe solid that I have need of. McMinnville treated us well.