I have always been fascinated by Fractals… things like those childhood kaleidoscopes, or Spirograph, would keep me entertained for hours! So, when I was considering ideas for an elemental series, the natural fractals found in nature were irresistible. Though I’ve … Continued
Do you believe in superstitions? In the days when water was drawn from a well and carried back to the house in buckets on shoulder poles, there was a superstition about it in Belarus. If one came across a girl … Continued
Simon the Musician is one of the first designs I created when I moved to Canada. I wanted to create a Belarusan archetypal image. Simon the Musician is a popular character from the poem of the same name written by … Continued
This piece was a happy combination of the theme for this issue and an art project our youngest did while in University! Katie created this large castle wall full of windows, and when you opened each window, you could see … Continued
A little history… The Mir Castle. In medieval times, Belarus (the former Grand Principality of Litva) was considered a ‘country of palaces and castles’. Unfortunately, there are very few ‘old’ things left after the numerous wars and 200 years under … Continued
One day, when having a conversation with a mom who had recently had an exasperating chat with one of her children, I said, “You know, there should be a certification for moms – a “B. Mom,” or something – so … Continued
In this feature, I also provide several tips for those who have never worked on perforated paper before, and even those who have may discover something useful. By the way, if the stitching on one of the cards looks slightly … Continued
This design was inspired both by the celebration of our newest family member, Ember Anne, and from cross stitch samplers common to my province in the mid 1800s. Ember’s birth provided the perfect opportunity to pull motifs from antique samplers … Continued
This design owes its inspiration to Carla, the publisher of A Needle Pulling Thread! She took this won- derful photograph of some flowers she had purchased at the Farmers Market, and asked me if I would use my talent to … Continued
You will have noticed that the last two International Santas have contained a good injection of humour, and this Canadian Santa continues the trend. During their design process I was going through some major personal challenges. Thankfully, designing cross stitch … Continued