it's christmas

the bats and rats are baked and decorated:


(not my best year for decorating... it's been a busy few months; i was feeling rather lazy...
... but this one's pretty special, in its own way, right?)


plus many many other varieties of cookies including, but not limited to: holiday biscotti (one of the best biscotti recipes i've tried. it works every time -- and certainly shouldnt be limited to the holiday season!), mexican hot chocolate cookies, sis's ginger snaps, pizelles, fleur de sel caramels, meringues, pecan puffs, shortbreads and sugar cookies, and lots of others.

okay - gotta run for now.. i'm being beckoned to decorate this gigantic christmas tree....


happy happy happy christmas eve to all of you. thank you for following me through another great year! more posts soon!
xoxo-kj

(me and emil!)

mushrooms springing up overnight

last night, like a crazy woman, i stayed up into the wee hours making mushrooms.
i'm happy i did.
first i started with the sachets:


i had a bunch of "mess ups" from the batch that i did for terrain, so i simply fixed them to make them right and then put them in the little boxes. i was so thrilled with that that i couldnt stop. i had it in my head that i was going to make the mushrooms like i originally intended them when i first started playing with the patterns and colors and shapes (way back here).
and here's what happened!


hooray! i love them! love love love them! i wish i had time to make even MORE!
last night there were a half a dozen things that i had on my list that really really should have been done before i did these. i was going to finish stitching up a "listen to your heart and follow it, even if it takes you all the way to california," and i was going to try to do a "...to hollywood" version, too. i wanted to stitch up a set of l.o.v.e. letters, and then there were tags, and labels and business cards to make... but instead, i did something that i just really really WANTED to do. something that wasnt a part of my usual line; something that wasnt for an order..... hot dang, it felt good! this is what i love love love doing -- making - playing with patterns, making pieces that are unique and not all uniform and them putting them into a pretty little package. oooh, makes me happy. of course this morning i feel a little panicked about what i still really should get done before the opening tonight at THIS (because let's be honest, i know i'm not going to be in a state to do anything productive afterwards....) but oh well --- what's done is done and what isn't isnt. wow, how's that for a great attitude?!

anyways, i even thought of a way to gift-wrap these little boxes:

and now here's my fruit crate, all loaded up and ready to go to renegade:


i hope to see you there -- saturday and sunday 10 - 5 - downtown historic park (also known as the cornfields) - i'll be at booth 106 -- right near the food, atm, and bar - wooo-hooo! and, i'm sharing my booth with my old dear friend from boston, jes anthonis, and her line - mosey handmade. the weather forecast is looking great - sunny and 72 - 82 degrees for both days. it's gonna be great. (more info here if you need it.)
and remember -- come out to THIS tonight - 6 - 10 (more info here) to see/buy my limited edition and one of a kind cross-stitch pieces. it's a cash and carry event, so get there early, because things are coming off the wall as they sell. the other artists involved in the show are amazing - i feel so fortunate to be involved in this show. (and there are the free tote bags! and good free beer!)
i hope to see you at one of these events! xo!

THIS just in

check 'em out:


the totes that i designed for the opening tomorrow night at THIS have just arrived. i'm thrilled with them; they're gorgeous.
(want one? better get there early! there's only 100 - minus mine - that means 99, really.)
friday night, december 10, 6 - 10 pm, 5906 north figueroa street -- be there. (i'm super-psyched for the event! to see all of my work hanging on the wall - to get to talk about it and hear what people think of it, and then to be able to relax and go have cocktails afterwards, woo-hooooo!) come by and say hello and score a tote!

a berry, berry holiday

(i'm not supposed to say "christmas" anymore, am i? ugh.)
okay - so i thought i was early with my ornament kits, and now i'm probably late with my newest ornaments:


i didnt get the exact photos i was dreaming of - but hey, it's hard to feel like i'm getting a seasonal shot when it's 74 degrees out and there arent any evergreen trees around.



those who order them through etsy (right here, please) will get them packaged simply like this:


but you lucky ducks who'll be attending renegade L.A. this weekend will get them all done up pretty-pretty in green berry boxes like this:


(bummer, but it's just too difficult/costly to send them in the mail that way... but maybe i'll figure something out in the next few days... )

sing my life

here are two more pieces that i sent on over to THIS:


(yes, you saw this one earlier -- but not in its finished frame!)

and then this one:


(this is a rather poor photo, but these pixies lyrics are done up in grey stitching on that blue-grey fabric that i love so much... mi piace.)
now, back to my prep for renegade los angeles this weekend!

let it go-go

here's another of the ones i completed in the last month in my push to have lots of work to show at THIS (this friday and saturday, peeps):


i actually started it a long long time ago... i did the border first, not knowing what i was going to put inside it... and then i heard the OK go song with these lyrics when my friend jonny posted this video to his facebook page. those words kinda stuck in my head and months later, i found a font that worked and poof - there it is. yep.

busy busy scissors (and needle, and thread)

just packed up and sent (almost) all of these pieces out the door on over to the folks at THIS (los angeles).
i'll say it again, if you are in the L.A. area, please please please plan on stopping by the gallery for the show/sale: friday december 10th 6 - 10pm, and saturday december 11th 12 - 6pm.
and now that THAT work is out the door, i'm moving on to my preparation for renegade L.A., which is also that weekend!


there, i'll be offering more of my crafty product things (and some of the regular classic chez-sucre-chez cross stitch pieces). find all the details you need here. (and plan on coming out to do some shopping, if you can - there'll be a ton of great vendors!)

more newly framed pieces

here are three more done up in those beautiful frames that brian made for me:



i had stitched these a long time ago (see here and here) and then was having a difficult time finding good square frames in just the right size. and now, they're complete and i love the way they look -- that top one, especially. i have an extra one of these frames; i think that i'm going to stitch up another just like it and keep it for myself!

happy happy joy joy

after several weeks of procrastination (i admit - i am TERRIBLE at this -- can't seem to get anything done until a deadline is looking me in the face; but i always get it done!), i got these lovely little letters stitched up and sent out on their way to jessica, who will string them above a fireplace mantle at her december wedding. best wishes to you on your special day, jessica!

(um, yep... i really did just make a ren and stimpy reference in that title. and then i left it there even after thinking about it.. yeeeeaah. it's okay.)

thanks johnny

here's a preview of one of the pieces going on over to the THIS gallery for the dec. 10th-11th show/sale:


it's one of my favourites, but then, i have a lot of favourites right now! my job tomorrow is to photograph them all....
with this unique, custom-made frame by my friend brian, of whiskey and chocolate, this piece is definitely one of a kind. it's kinda hard to think about giving these pieces up, but at the same time, i'm excited about it....
stay tuned; more to come.
(phew -- i originally published this post with the title of "thanks ponyboy" - but it was johnny who said it! really, i guess i should have titled it as, "thanks S.E. Hinton.")

holiday sale kick off

okay, lovelies.
i kicked off a little holiday sale in my etsy shop:


hand-embroidered monogram tea towels are going for two for $32 from now until i run out of towels.




and select kits are now $2 off. (these kits, plus more)

go on and do some shopping!

let's do THIS

i know i've been a little quiet here on the blog front; i apologize, but when you see all the stitching that i've been doing, i hope you'll understand. it's kinda hard to stitch and blog at the same time, you know. (hmmm, using the word "blog" as a verb makes me feel a little funny....) anyways - most of the stitching that i have been doing has been in preparation for the above event. you see that flyer -- it doesn't say "chez-sucre-chez" -- but it does say "kimberly scola" -- that's kind of exciting.. i think this is the first time i'm presenting my art under my own name, rather than my business name. i went back and forth about which i wanted to use, and ultimately, opted with my name. most of the pieces that i'll have on view/for sale there are one of a kind pieces -- they're rather different than what i usually offer up in my shop, so, i think the distinction is significant. i'm really really proud of the work i've been doing and really proud to be part of an event with such amazing artists! i'm going to continue stitching like a mad-woman for the next two days, and then i'll offer up a little preview of the work i've been doing. in the meantime, if you are in the los angeles area, you should put this event on your calendar. i'll remind you of it as the date gets closer, too.

heaven knows...

... i'm happy now.
my "please please please..." piece was featured in a smiths-themed etsy treasury:


check it out; it's a cute one. here.
also on there is a pair of cufflinks made out of a recycled/repurposed skateboard deck by etsy shop sevenply. i've bought from her before - it's a great shop to know about when looking for gifts for your favourite skateboarder boys (and girls).

it may seem early but...

... it's almost time to start thinking about decking the halls and trimming the tree.
i at least had to start my thinking about the holiday marketing season and so far, i am pleased with what i've come up with; i've got (almost) four new kits in the shop and they're all for making your own sweet little holiday ornaments/decorations.
lookie look:


no, you cannot have my frames, but you CAN make this:


i give you all the supplies:


or, if you prefer it in black - a little less holiday season specific, too:



and then there are the reindeer:


you can make it with or without the year.


i'm waiting on a shipment of white fabric, but in a day or two, the kits for this color option will be in the shop, too:


don't wait until the last minute! check them out here.

a whole lotta hanky panky

another project that's been in the works for quite a while and now it's finally off in the mail:


i couldnt work it out to get all - or even half or even close to it - of them in the photo - but there were 43 hand-embroidered hankies in all.


they were done for a wedding shower; each guest (and the bride) will receive a hankie with her name on it, embroidered in the same blue as the bridemaids' dresses.


sandy, my client, found me through etsy (via my boyfriend hankie kits) and she was SUCH a gem to work with. our correspondence and collaboration - from sourcing the hankies and getting them to me, to sending me info for the names and the color, to selecting font and placement, and then getting these back in the mail to her - it's all been so pleasant. i do love etsy for that -- the way most of the people who choose to do business there are doing so because they're looking for more of a personal connection than most current shopping set-ups. hooray, etsy!

cross my heart

these have been in the works for a while, but finally -- they're ready; they're in the shop; they're waiting for you!


it's the latest d.i.y. cross-stitch kit from chez-sucre-chez -- contains a c-s-c original pattern and all of the materials (except scissors) you need to complete the project. take a look here.

treasury love

my monogram tea towels have been getting some love lately on the etsy treasury lists - they've been in two in as many days!

they were here:


and here:




hooray! i feel good about these towels getting into holiday treasuries -- and i feel good about people who are shopping and ordering already; it makes the season so much easier for me, too!
i've also been contacted by etsy about a potential feature of these towels on HGTV, or the HGTV website... not sure if i'll hear more or not, but if i do, you'll be sure to know!

guided by voices

i finished up and shipped this piece the other day:


phew! that one was epic. at 8 x 10, i think it's one of the most involved pieces i've done to date; i'm quite happy with it. it was stitched up as a custom order for an anniversary gift. the lyrics are from a guided by voices song (i think!) and donna, the thoughtful wife, and i worked together to come up with the layout/design. hooray!

waiting to be framed

the piece on the left was inspired by my recent cross country trip, where i even drove through or past the hometown of mister woody guthrie (in okemah oklahoma). i was so excited when i thought of the idea that i was nearly crying. (but then, this happens to me a lot.) i played with a lot of different fonts and styles an ultimately, settled on this one... i like how it looks very print-inspired. (i dont like how it took days longer than making a print would have...) the font has a westernish, old-timey print look to it, i think; like work that came out of hatch show print, in nashville, which i didnt get to visit on this trip, as they were closed at 8am on sunday, when we were there. i've been before though and certainly recommend a visit if you find yourself in the area -- very inspiring.
then the red one is a little play with new borders, and the dylan quote is one i've been meaning to stitch up for ages (thanks to karen for the encouragement on that one).

halloween as the bat queen

skull muffins/misfits cakes were made:


i used this recipe; (it was PERFECT) and then after they were baked injected them with pumpkin cream cheese filling! SUper good.

mini pumpkin was carved:


and bat queen costume was successfully put together:


it was inspired by this image, which was thoughtfully sent to me by someone who knows my love of bats:


i cut a bunch of bat shapes out of felt, sewed floral wire into the tops of the wings, and basted them all over my $30 rodarte for target dress.


then i made myself a set of wings, put some bats in my hair and happily flew to the LACMA muse costume ball with great friends charles and hana. such a good halloween!