A Good Mentor is Worth a Million

What a weekend!! I had the pleasure of having Linn Skinner http://www.embroideress.blogspot.com/ at my house for the weekend. I learn so much from just talking with her, not to mention having her give me hints on my stitching. She has the magic touch as an embroiderer - taking the mundane into the realm of artistry. She has the magic touch as a mentor - giving support and ideas that help me grow. She has the magic touch as a person - I am a better person for knowing her.

Now I'll rework the Elizabethan design cover, get started on embroidering the German Renaissance dress front piece, and work up my notes from the Smocking class into an article. Not to mention finishing the husband's blackwork collar.

The class went REALLY well. I accomplished what I set out to do -- make people think about what they are seeing in portraits and woodcuts. Does smocking exist pre-1600? Maybe depending on your definition of smocking. The technique part of the class went okay too - but then I had a wonderful class assistant .