same day different kit

a new kit is in the shop!


i had several requests to create a kit for my school-house-script home-sweet-home pattern - so i've done just that. check it out, now you can get the complete little package; the pattern plus all the supplies you need to complete the project. this one comes with a 5 inch embroidery hoop - a little bigger than the others!
also of note about the kits in my shop -- they're now being sold at lower prices! i'm now packaging them in clear plastic sleeves, instead of the hand made sewn drawstring pouches. while i will miss making the drawstring pouches (it gave me a reason to buy cute fabrics!), this cuts out a step in the process as well as materials costs - therefore, lowering my costs, so i can lower your cost!
next week i'll be introducing two new kits, so stay tuned. (to see the current offerings and their new nice prices, click here.)

miss midas

i stitched this one up last night. i so loved the first "stay gold" piece that it did. and i was happy and sad at the same time to have had it sold off the wall at THIS. and then i thought to do it in metallic gold stitches. yes. i think i'm gonna have to put in another request for a custom-built whiskey and chocolate frame for this one, too.
(my beloved golden apc ballet flats are looking a little worse for the wear. booo! anyone have any suggestions on how to clean them?)

joyous update

several months ago, in november, i showed a project i had done as a custom order for a december wedding. (here)
well, last night i got an email from newly wed jessica sharing photos of my little piece in action at her reception. take a look:


so pretty! the sizing worked out perfectly! and i love what she's done with the ribbons. thanks so much for sharing, jessica!
(photo by kate headley.)

that's my funday...

a couple of weeks ago, once i was back in california, i determined to work on my work/life balance a little. i realize that i work way too much, but the thing is; i almost don't know how not to.... it's my job to be stitching and making all of the time - but that's what i love doing anyway, so what else can i do?


i did, however, realize that i had gotten really far from the practice of making things just for the heck of it. i used to do so many different little crafty things with my time. now, and for the past number of years since chez-sucre-chez has been my bread and butter, i tend to feel the need to only be working on projects related to the business and making income.
in an attempt for better balance, i've created sunday funday for myself; one day a week where i use my creative energy for absolutely non chez-sucre-chez work. it's my day to play with mediums outside of embroidery floss and aida cloth - to do projects that i've been meaning to do for years - to try something new.
the funny thing about starting this new discipline was that it had been so long since i've thought like this that yesterday, i couldnt think of a project that i wanted to do! so i went to the purlbee blog for inspiration, and that's when i realized that i hadnt even looked though any of those inspiration/project blogs in such a long time! so i had a lot of catching up to do, and spent several hours clicking and reading. it was delightful.
rather late into my sunday funday, i decided that i wanted to play with felt and that i would make these beautiful little rose barrettes for my niece and for the many other adorable little daughters of my friends.


with such a late start, and with a party raging outside my door, i only finished one complete barrette and then i was eager to socialize a bit and to see the barrette in the hair of one of the little lovelies running around the back yard. by then, it was too dark for a photo, but oh my goodness, did izzy ever look sweet with that little red rose in her hair. (i'll try for a pic next time i see her or one of the other wee girls.)
i came back in later in the evening and finished the rest of the roses. next is to make and attach them to the barrette part. but that might have to wait a little...
i'm not sure if i'll stick to my plan for EVERY sunday, but it's at least giving me a goal/structure to strive for. i'm excited about it. stay tuned.

new additions

i haven't been doing so much stitching the past few days, except for on the orders that i have. instead, i've been photographing pieces and updating the shops. sheeesh, that takes SO long! it's my least favourite part of the process, honestly. but i'm almost finished - this round - for now.
take a look - i've updated the bigcartel shop A LOT. my thinking right now is that i'm going to use that as the place where i list most of my one-of-a-kind/limited edition cross-stitch pieces, and that i'll use the etsy shop more for the pieces that i make multiples of and for the more "product" part of my line. does that make sense? well, i'm going to test it out and see how it goes. my concern is just that my etsy shop gets so much more traffic - just from random etsy users and searches and treasuries. it's a really really powerful site. hmm, maybe i should be doing it the other way around. eh, whatever. it is there for now. now i just need to work harder on promotion. anyone have any insight/suggestions? i'd be happy to hear them! in the meantime - check out the new goods. here.

still reeling...

finally - a new piece added to the shop! "reel around the fountain" came up on my ipod shuffle yesterday and hearing those lyrics, i thought, "oh yes, that needs to be stitched." the color scheme is quite different from my usual, no? while stitching, i was looking at the colors and wondering how i decided on them - i came up with the story that the colors are very winnie the pooh -- pooh bear + bees..... maybe? really, i was looking for a new neutral. or just something different. anyways, i think it works for this piece. i like the photos i got of it for the etsy listing. (i didn't use this one of me in my slippers!) the new colors gave me new things to try with the photos. go check 'em out! (here)

ooh, it's been a while...

...hasn't it? i'm sorry, i've been terrible about keeping up the blog.


i've been doing plenty -- lots of blog-worthy projects in making and baking - but i've been so unmotivated to take photos along the way! and who wants to hear about the lemon souffles that i made, or the rug i knit for my bathroom, or about any of the projects that i'm trying to get through, without photos? i don't think it's nearly as interesting without images to accompany the stories. so, that's why i haven't posted....
and, i admit, it's also because i haven't exactly been kicking ass with work... i had a really lovely little break spending time with people that i love and doing extended christmas-ing and new-years-ing.
but now i'm back on the west coast and it's been in the 80's since my return and that's making me feel energized and motivated!
with all this sunshine, it'll be a lot easier to take photos and keep up with my projects and posts - okay? good. thank you.
(above -- little cakes baked today in my new favourite cast iron baking mold. {thank you, b!} they're flavored with lemon from our beautiful lemon tree - which is covered in the fruit right now!)
sending you all sunshine, - kj.

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!