Where do you find your inspiration?

I was chatting with a friend about how inspiring and motivating it is to view the stitching of others. My friend has been fortunate enough to have visited several national needlework exhibits over the years, and I, about every 6 months or so, go into my collection of back issue's of NeedlepointNow and Needlepointer's for lots of rousing stitching stimulation.

I pull out the annual Exhibit issues and just ogle. Revel. Riveted for hours and then run to my stitching. I derive great joy from doing this. My issues go all the way back to the early days when the publications first started. It is great fun seeing how our craft has evolved in such a relatively short period of time to the fabulous industry it is today. For centuries needlepoint meant tent stitch and brown penelope. And then in the past 30 years, WOW! look at us now! Charmed, blessed, golden, whatever the expression it's marvelous to be a stitcher in the 21st century.

I knew when I first moved to Colorado that I was going to be a very lucky stitcher indeed as our local ANG and EGA Chapter's are filled not only with talented stitchers, but with nationally renowned instructor's and designers; to whom many accolades have been attributed for years. Individuals who's work I have always admired, and those that I have recently met through and only through the mutual love of stitching, right here in my own back yard. Talk about striking it rich, there's gold in them thar hills! Golden nuggets like Tyler, Ritter, Goodman, Kerschner, to name but a few. All generous and giving of their talents and skills to those of us that struggle with what stitch goes where. There's also numerous talented stitchers not standing in the limelight, sitting right next to me (you know who you are), inspiring and giving me hope that I too one day may reach their level of execution. These are my friends, they support me, encourage me and never peer at the back of my work!

Perhaps the most prolific inspirational resource of all, the Internet. If you're reading this, you are familiar with what I'm talking about here. Talk about a domino effect. One site leading to another and another. It's endless, apparently. Below are links to inspiring blogs that were all found from visiting just one new blog in one afternoon. Enjoy!

http://yuks-behappy.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-mums-works-2.html

http://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com/

http://carolsxsblog.blogspot.com/

http://judiromi.blogspot.com/

http://asamplerofstitches.blogspot.com/

http://caroliensstitches.blogspot.com/2009/01/skeelers-and-skates.html

http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2009/01/ok-were-rotating.html