ketchup anyone?

this is a town that takes its ketchup seriously

Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center animated

sign pouring ketchup

Heinz Field

some people even say...

ketchup makes everything taste better!

Like Matt in his grilling apron...

will you be grabbing the ketchup bottle as that

burger comes off the g’rilla?

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

a flowery thank you...

Flowers for you!

Yes...all of you!

one year ago, I stumbled into this blog saying...

wait, what???

it’s live right away?

no practicing allowed??

365 days and 165 posts later…

Stitchfork’s blog is one year old!

a little history...

A few years ago I was on a quest for an original/unique

name for my monogramming and embroidery.

I had lists of possible names everywhere, and

asked countless people for their opinions.

When everyone's eyes started to glaze over, or they veered off in another direction at the sight of those lists - I knew it was time to choose a name that reflected me.

Stitchfork - not found in the dictionary

Stitchfork - not found in the extensive search through government business and trademark/copyright records

Stitchfork - nothing in Google searches other than a now defunct heavy metal rock band in Atlanta, Georgia

Stitch - well, that part is obvious

Fork - reference to my previous profession

as an RD, registered dietitian.

And 'fork in the road' - to choose another path.

Stitchfork Designs -- done!

So flowers for you because…

You stop by to read and say hi

You make me laugh

You make me cry

And my world is a much bigger

and brighter place because of you!

I can’t thank you enough!

Oh, and that rock band in Atlanta...

one of the guys in the band must have seen my website.

I found this posted on his My Space page...

His comment - "Stitchfork, it's not what you think"

Wonder if he needs anything monogrammed.....

Rock On!

disrobe...

no peeking!

and step into my parlor...

my tattoo parlor...

my embroidery tattoo parlor, that is!

Needles? 

Yes, there are needles with many, many colors.

This won’t hurt a bit!

C. F. F. O.

‘dis robe is now sporting a monogram sleeve tattoo!

Dis this monogram looks to match mid-century

1950’s style design.

But surprisingly,

it is based on artwork drawn much earlier in 1902.

What's your favorite dis robe?

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

martini and hummingbird...

Hey… f. L. b.

Could you hum a few bars???

it'just embroidery, have fun with it!

don't worry, be happy...

don’t worry...

be happy

Phrase originally attributed to the Indian

mystic and sage, Meher Baba (1894-1969)

Best known don’t worry, be happy sung by Bobby McFerrin

don’t worry...

be happy

#1 hit for Bobby McFerrin in 1988

also Song of the Year and Record of the Year 1988

don’t worry...

be happy

Are you humming along yet?

don't worry...

bee happy

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

@

@...distinguishes a sender, or address name

originally chosen because it was already on our keyboards

@...form, function and clarity...all in one

@ by any other name…

in English...at, or ape tail

Spanish...arroba

German’s call it...monkey tail

in Italian...chiocciola, snail

Chinese refer to @ as little mouse

the Russians think of it as a dog

the Finns...a slumbering cat

bag  for C@

(Cat)

shhhhh...

but keep  th@  under your  h@

otherwise  th@  would let the  c@  out of the bag!

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

cupcake...

An update of Google’s Android operating system,

a major U.S. winery in California,

a term of endearment,

a small cake baked in a cup-shaped container & typically iced

They’re historic...

the first mention of the cupcake can be

traced as far back as 1796

They’re instigators...

Cupcake Wars, a competition challenge on the Food Network

They count...

12 to a dozen

uh, except if you’re a baker, then it’s 13

Float into the mix  a little root beer...

a high point of American gastronomic inventiveness

Now doesn’t that just take the cupcake?

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

no bull...frog

somewhere in these depths...

under the water lilies...

Lurks...

The biggest...

The loudest...

Bullfrog ever!

a camera shy.loud.lurking.bullfrog

maybe this will get his attention...

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!

QR codes...

You are here:

Wait, what?

QR codes—seeing them everywhere!

And got totally caught up in my

geek-mode playing with them!

QR codes = Quick Response codes

They’ve been around since 1994 and

currently becoming very popular.

Why, you ask?

Because they are easy to generate (I did it!)

and incredibly versatile!

They can: link to your website/blog/Facebook...add contacts to your phone...get directions...send a text/email...advertise your business...store info on your business card...

stitch them...

Yes, could not resist trying to stitch one! 

Erich from Black Duck Inc created one,

and dared me to try one too.

So how do you read them?

with your smartphone, iPhone or iPad

(apologies if you don’t have one of those devices and don’t

want to leave you out, so I’ve included a QR code monogram too)

First you need an app for scanning QR codes

I went to the App Store, searched for ZXing, and downloaded this free app called Barcodes Scanner

Then just point your app at QR codes to scan—easy!

Want to make your own QR code?

There are many free sites out there, I found Kerem Erkan has quick and easy to follow instructions. 

(suggestion: chose bit.ly in the form to shorten your code)

Now test it on my stitched QR code!

So...what do you think?

Great?  Or just too geeky?

QR code monogram as promised…

quiz time...anyone tell me where this QR code takes you?

it's just embroidery, have fun with it!