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Just in time for your Valentine's Day gift-giving, all acrylic heart pendants are now 25% off! Acrylic pendants come in fun bright colors like red, purple, and blue, as well as soft and subtle ivory and black. Head to the shop to check out the selection. This classic heart pendant was one of my very first designs, and it is still a favorite. It is quick to stitch and a particularly good choice for those who are new to cross stitch. Stitch one up to give to someone you love!

This weekend I will be at the 7th annual PICNIC Holiday Sale in beautiful Portland, Maine. I will have with me all of your favorite cross stitch kits, in particular plenty of quick-to-stitch and fun-to-gift ornament kits. I will also be bringing along a selection of ready-to-wear stitched jewelry made just for the show. If you are in the area, come say hello!

I'm building a list and I'm checking it twice! Don't miss out on 10% off your next order. Sign up here! The coupon will be emailed to you after you confirm your subscription. Offer expires November 30, 2015, so act fast!

Our cross stitch leather cuff kit has quickly become a top seller, and this week it was featured on Etsy as an Editors' Choice for DIY craft projects. Thanks, Etsy! The leather cuff is easy to stitch and really makes a statement. There are four different patterns included in the kit, so you can choose your favorite. I wear one of these cuffs nearly every day!

Those of you following me on Facebook know I released some new designs earlier this year, and it's about time I got around to sharing them here on the blog! First up is a collection of pendants that feature straight stitches in addition to my favorite cross stitch. It's called the Straight Stitch Collection (well, duh). The teardrop-shaped pendants were inspired by traditional blackwork patterns, while the kite-shaped one has more of an art deco feel to it with a color palette I love. Available as DIY kits, both styles are fun to stitch and easy to wear. You'll find them in the shop.

You know I'm all about my stitches, but that didn't stop me from designing this delicate little heart pendant with nary a stitch on it. What it lacks in stitches, it makes up for in sweetness. Made of eco-friendly bamboo on a silver-plated chain. Perfect for Valentines gift-giving and beyond. Now in the shop.

The other weekend I took off to steamy St. Charles, Missouri for a needlework market put on by The National Needlework Association (TNNA). It's a trade-only show with an interesting format. Instead of being held in a convention center, it's held at an Embassy Suites hotel, and your booth is the living room of your suite. Nice!

It was my first time at the market, and I had a blast. I loved meeting owners of counted thread and needlepoint shops from all across the country. They were all so welcoming and generous with their advice and insight. Very helpful for a newbie like me. It was a cash-and-carry show, meaning instead of placing orders, shop owners could purchase new items for their stores to take home with them that weekend. I imagine unpacking their bags back home at their shops on Monday must have felt like Christmas morning! Many of those bags contained goodies from Red Gate Stitchery (yay!), so be sure to look for them the next time you pop by your local needlework store. And if the shop by you doesn't carry Red Gate Stitchery, ask them to drop me a line!

A busy, busy spring gave way to some much-needed calm for the first half of my summer. I handed off some projects that were weighing me down. I took a few weeks to deal with a nagging health issue. I spent some lovely summertime days enjoying the company of my family and some lovely summertime evenings stitching for fun. Which is to say, I'm feeling restored. And as tends to happen when your mind has time to wander, I've got some ideas brewing that I'm very excited about. New kits and new ways to express your creativity through stitches. They're all still in the development stages at this point, but I'll share them with you when I can. Stay tuned!