Returning to the Needle

A work in progress

I have been working on a beautiful sampler 

for months now.

It is titled

"Quaker Seasons of Friendship"

and was created by Designer Pat Ryan
a Crown & Thistle Design.

I first saw it hanging on the shop wall

of 

"Dyeing to Stitch"

my local needlework shop.
(An amazing shop that I took for granted for years)
I chose a beautiful hand-dyed vanilla linen
and variegated hand dyed silk called Berry Cobbler
by BelleSoie

My sister and I both began the piece on the same day,

she has completed and framed hers already
and it is a beautiful accomplishment.

I on the other hand am just a quarter of the way done ...

I am savoring each stitch.

 I have also learned that I can't "stitch along"

with anyone.

I must go at my own pace.
My timing is my timing.
I thought stitching with my Sis would motivate me to stitch more.
It did in the beginning . . .

But I did learn that, I don't want

to stitch under pressure or deadlines,
or along someone else,
it just doesn't work for this little stitcher!
My needlework relaxes me
and I pick it up whenever I can find the time.

This sampler was to be my return to needlework,

after a very long journey away.

Hard to believe that in 1990,

I was the founder of the

Tidewater Sampler Guild,

where women who loved stitching, 

antique samplers and their history

used to gather

at the Historic Francis Land House

here in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

I stitched for years and then slowly 

let my life get in the way,

my focus had changed.
Wow that was over 25 years ago!!!!!!!

I've realized now

that sometimes we must walk away from something,

in order to return to it.

So in between working three days a week,

teaching Zentangle®, Tapestry weaving,
raising Josie (my 8 month old Lab)

and loving on my three grand babies,

finding the time to stitch is a sweet luxury!
I did find time to sew this adorable
pin cushion to add to my needlework box,
I love it!
The linen I stitched on had the polka dots on it!

Pattern by The Scarlett House

This past weekend I attended the

Dyeing to Stitch Spring Fling Retreat

at the beautiful

Greenbrier Country Club.

The guest teachers were the design team

of Blackbird Designs,

Barb Adams and Alma Allen   

and they were so amazing!

Two creatives who are the best of friends

and share the love of the needle!
How delightful these ladies were!
How lucky we all were to get to spend time with them
right here in Virginia Beach!

Barb and Alma

We first created an adorable pin cushion box.
It was a lot of fun and lots of laughter

could be heard around the tables!

When our boxes were complete,
Kits were handed out and 
we began stitching the pin cushion,

that will be tucked inside.
(here is what the finished piece will look like)

During the retreat we were also give two other kit designs.
I've got a lot of stitching to do!

Sampler Kits

We created our own pin designs for our cushions
and had fellowship around the tables

with other needlework "enthusiasts"
I plan on making more of these!

My pin designs

I am so glad that I attended this event.

Ann and Pat worked so hard to create

an incredible experience for all who attended!

They sure did succeed!!

My goodness the treats kept coming,

one surprise after another!

The highlight gift was a handwoven basket

created for each attendee,

by 1803 Ohio Farm Basket ... a treasure!!!

The food was delicious,

the teachers were stupendous,

the atmosphere was happy and joyous,

the attendees came from all over the country.
New friendships were made!
We ended with a count of 97 for dinner
on Saturday Evening,
the perfect ending to a perfect day!

Thanks to Ann and Pat
of
Dyeing to Stitch
for a wonderful experience!
One I know I will not forget.
I am sure I speak for all the attendees!

There were over a hundred attendees
to this wonderful weekend.
I heard so often throughout the day
 how lucky we were to have
such an amazing Needlework Store so close by.
I have taken that for granted over the years,
not any more!
Ann and Pat work hard to keep their shop
well stocked with the latest in materials, fibers,
tools and patterns from amazing designers.
They have an open door "You are welcome here ...
pull up a seat and stitch with us for awhile" 
feeling to their establishment.
Apparently that isn't found much in
needlework stores these days.
It was good for me to reminded of that.

I know the saying
"What goes around comes around"
is used an awful lot.
This statement couldn't be more true for me
and my stitching life!
It was always there,
it went away
and now I have returned to it,
I have come full circle.

My stitching treasures

I continue to pursue the Arts that soothe my soul,
Knitting, Stitching, Tapestry Weaving
and my Zentangle® process.
I am always finding moments to calm my heart,
feed my soul
and find joy in the quiet still moments!
I am just so happy to have found
those individuals that share the same passions as I do,
the fellowship makes it all so worth it!



Donna Lee

It's been a little while

My Heart Talisman
Photo taken in Providence, RI

Well I must say it has been a little awhile since I've been here.

This girl needed a break from her blog!

So much has been going on since I took my hiatus . . .

I have written a lot of poetry,

taught a lot of Zentangle classes,

rebuilt my hot yoga practice,

worked on creating my own Mandala style,

got a new MacBook I have been getting used to,

held another Artful Spirit gathering,

I've worked on my book beginning

while finishing up my e-course

The Conscious Booksmith

with Christine Mason Miller

(a must do experience!!),

I took another session of

Sketchbook Skool,
and have fallen in love
with sketching and watercolor!
I am observing the world all around me.
I participated in another gathering of
Love Notes Project,

I attended the amazing

Squam in the City,

in Providence, RI,
and was able to reconnect with
amazing and precious friends,

I cut my work week

down to three days a week

but most important of all ...

My second grandchild was born,

Grayson Blake Wynn!

So my life is amazingly and wonderfully full!
Being a Grandmom really rocks!
I have so much I want to share with Annabelle and Grayson.

I think I have my hands full!

With fall comes a time to slow down,

appreciate the season change, 

it is truly my favorite time of year.

I gave to myself the gift of quiet,
the act of slowing down as much as I could,
putting the computer aside,

I cut out as much as I could

and concentrated on living more simply.
I am restored and life is still full.

What I did miss was writing on my blog,
sharing my thoughts and life moments,
my artistic adventures ...
it is good to be home again,
it just feels right.
I've learned so much blogging ...
I have gone back to my beginning posts
and read all the way through,
WOW I have written and experienced so much.
Thanks for being here with me my friend
Donna Lee

Return to Monet

Monet Waterlillies

Modern Museum of Art

March 28, 2014

While traveling to New York City

in the year 1997

I was able to see an amazing exhibit

of 

Monet's Water Lilies

in the 

Modern Museum of Modern Art

located at 

11 West 53rd Street

I still carry the vision

of the three large paneled

original artworks

in a very quiet room,

with only a bench

to sit and take it all in.

I bought the beautiful poster of the works,

had it professionally framed

and that poster now hangs

in the hallway of my home,

a constant reminder

of the artist

I so truly love.

Before leaving for my yearly trip to New York City last week,

I made it a goal that I would get to MoMA

and I would see the Monet work of art yet again.

I just happened to check the date on the back of my framed piece,

wondering if I had recorded a date to remember that day ...

as luck would have it,

I had pasted the museum ticket on the back

dated

3-31-1997

it was a little dusty, but still there!

So this time I had Returned to Monet

almost 17 years to the day

3-28-2014

on a very rainy Thursday afternoon,

alone and eager to see the exhibit.

I will never forget how I felt

entering the same room

all these many years later

I was filled with emotion

and immediately felt tears falling down my cheek

It was as if it were waiting for me to return

after all these years!

The subtle beauty I saw in these large canvases,

the muted colors, the textured paints,

it was as if Monet were present in the room,

for I could feel his presence!

I took many pictures, 

including "selfies" along the way

and so many like this,

capturing the texture and colors

that Monet created with

I took the time to write down all that I saw,

recording all of the emotions in my journal,

and of course

being the Poet that I am

wrote a poem

entitled

"Return to Monet"

(I knew the title before I ever left home)

It was an amazing afternoon,

one I will never forget.

How extraordinary a feeling

to return to a place

you know you have been before

so long ago

yet

it was as though

no time had gone by . . .

How I love the artwork

of

Claude Monet,

his work speaks to my heart,

this encounter

touched my creative soul!

So another MoMA ticket

is placed beside the original

always a reminder,

that I had returned

once more to Monet.

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