I hope you have all managed to get together with friends and family for a bit of special time together. Here in Australia we have a four day break, which allows us all to slow down a little and rest and relax after our long hot summer.

Mind you ... the summer has decided to keep on keeping on this year. Here in Western Australia we are still getting temperatures of 33C every day. We've been promised rain tomorrow (Easter Monday) which will be very welcome as our gardens certainly could do with a good soaking or two! I have my brand new blue polka dot wellies all ready and waiting ...

Life here at Cat's Whiskers continues to be busy and full - and I have a new release for you again this month, as well as photos to share of the class I taught at the Queen City Sampler Guild in Cincinnati, Ohio in February this year.

I am thrilled to announce that I have just sent off a donation to The Australian Red Cross for the Victorian Bush Fire Appeal of $531 - money donated by you when you purchased the Bushfire Kitty Chart! This is a fantastic effort! And there are several more donations filtering through the PayPal works at the moment, so I will wait until the end of April and then make a final donation. Thank you all so much - I am overwhelmed by your generosity and it just confirms once again how caring and compassionate the world-wide stitching community truly is.

Just for fun there's an Easter Egg Hunt happening over the next week at The Stitchers Village. The prize is a collection of my current 2009 new releases, plus the first two in my Lounge Suite series. The prize also includes the Dinky Dyes threads and ribbons required to complete several of the designs.

Finally, I need to remind you that the On-line Needlework Show is on again this month - in fact it starts this coming Wednesday, the 15th! This is a great place to browse to see what's new in the world of needlework, without leaving the comfort of your own home! If you find something you like, contact your favourite needlework store and they will get it in for you.

So, dear stitchers, here we go with a new release and photos of class ...

For larger
pictures
click here

April Release - Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat
Soft Box

As the time approaches for my very first grandbaby to be born [eleven weeks - but who's counting?] I find myself thinking about things that would work well in a nursery setting.

Here is a perfect quick gift for a new baby. The old English nursery rhyme is stitched on the four sides and lid of this little fold-up box using DMC threads and 32 count Antique White linen. The design incorporates cross stitch, beads and specialty stitches.

Stitches used: Cross Stitch, queen stitch, ermine stitch, straight stitch.

There are comprehensive finishing instructions included in the booklet.

Some Pics from the
Queen City Sampler Guild, Cincinnati Ohio
Forget-Me-Not Sewing Roll and Accessories - February 14 & 15, 2009

Our class was held at the Hartwell Recreation Centre

There was plenty of room - a desk for each student - bliss!

You could hear a pin drop whilst everyone concentrated!
I've never taught such an attentive and conscientious group of students.

Some students found that sticking out one's tongue helped the process along!


And it always helps to 'find a friend' when it comes to making
twisted cord. And there was a lot of twisting of cord to be done!

Here's Janie pulling the raffle prize name out of the bucket held by
Patti. The raffle prize was a beautiful embroidered and pieced quilt.

The class - and what a great bunch of ladies they were to teach.
I do hope they all went home feeling proud of themselves - they acheived
so much in those two days!

After class on Saturday night we went to the Montgomery Inn Boathouse
for the very best ribs in the world! The food, the company and the view
were all wonderful.

I would like to say thank you so much to the Queen City Sampler Guild for the most
wonderful weekend - the organising committee took such great care of Ros and I. The
event was very well organised, and I had the best time teaching the class.
Let's do it again some time soon!

Stay tuned dear stitchers ... In May I have another new release to tell you about - something that will help with those frustrating little frogging moments!

Until then I hope you and those you love keep safe, well and happy.

Stitching hugs
Janie