Bonnie of Bonnie's World

This week's Blogger of the Week has been blogging longer than I have but I only really got to know her when we resurrected International Hermit & Stitch Weekend.  Which is this weekend, so it seems really appropriate to feature her today!  She has a wonderful selection of WIPs from tiny series to the BAPs of Ink Circles and Long Dog Samplers.  Please welcome Bonnie from

Bonnie's World

1. Please introduce yourself – name, where you are from, family, pets etc.

Hey everyone.  My name is Bonnie Brown.  I am from a VERY small town in Southern Ontario, in Canada.  Like blink and you miss it small.  There is still only one street light there!  I currently live in Cobourg, which is a bigger small town, still in Southern Ontario.  Cobourg is on Lake Ontario and about an hour east of Toronto.  The beach here is a very popular attraction.

I am married and have two furbabies.  My husband Blair and I met in College where we both took accounting.  We have been married for almost 12 years.  Our two “kids” are two black cats names Leonard and Sheldon… yes from Big Bang Theory.  We do not have any 2 legged kids.

The Happy Couple

A couple of happy cats

2. How long have you been stitching and how did you start?

I have been stitching on and off for a very long time.  A teacher in elementary school taught some of us.  I’m thinking that was probably around 1989.  My stitching has been up and down over the past almost 30 years, but I would say I have stitched the most over the past 10.


3. How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start? Is there a story behind your blog title?

My first blog post was March 2009.  I can’t remember the exact reason behind starting, but I think I can thank Ann of Knowledge and Needles (My LNS) for that.  I was complaining to a few people on a Yahoo Group that there was no one in my area that stitched.  One poster (a friend who is no longer with us) mentioned Ann.  I was shocked as I didn’t even know there was a stitching store in that area. I ventured to Ann’s store in June of that year.  That day I purchased a few charts (Ink Circles) and that got me stitching again.  That also was when I got the invite to her annual open house and that day is the reason for “and days that have changed my life” under the title.  No story behind the blog title… I can’t remember how or why that name came to me.  I have never been 100% happy with it, but can’t think of anything better so it has remained. 

4. How would you describe your stitching style? Are you a serial starter, a rotator, a OAAT (one at a time), highly organised, random and eclectic, etc.?

I am definitely NOT a one at a time person!  I do however have a limit on WIPS I can have before I get a little stressed about them.  It seems that this number is around 10.
I have a stash room, which is a little organized.. but is in desperate need of a good clean and re-org.  I am currently trying out a bit of a rotation to try and get some older WIPS done.  Basically I have decided to stitch one ornament and one of the Year in Chalk a month.  Then I pick a focus piece to work on.  This worked well in February, so have my fingers crossed for March.  Who knows how long I can keep it going for.


5. Do you have a favourite designer or style of design you are drawn to?

The name that comes to mind first when I think about favourite designer is Ink Circles.  I love the symmetry of her designs, and the fact that they are not your average cross stitch from the 80’s.  I don’t think I have a specific style that I am drawn towards.

This Ink Circles was one of the first I did (2nd I think) called Growth Rings. I did it to match the colours of the company I work for, and it hangs in my office. 

6. Which piece are you most proud of in your collection?

That would have to be Touching the Autumn Sky.  I know it is a unicorn for many.  I have actually stitched this as well (sorry… chart is not for sale).

There is also a memory behind the chart. I was on a holiday to Quebec City (my happy place) when I talked my hubby into a side trip to go check out an LNS there.  I happened to see the chart and grabbed it and never let it go.  When I got back to the car, I couldn’t stop talking about this amazing find! 

7. What has been your worst stitching disaster?

I think I am VERY lucky on this front (knock on wood).  I think the worst disaster I have had was an issue with dye lot on my Cirque de Carreux (Ink Circles).  I had not planned ahead and realized about 1/3 way through that I had 2 different dye lots.  This meant a TON of frogging!  I was lucky enough to get enough of one dye lot to finish the project.



8. Which new technique would you like to try, either stitching, finishing or another craft?

I would like to get better at finishing… especially ornaments.  I tend not to go outside the box and finish the same way. 

I have recently learned how to tat, and this is one craft I would like to continue to learn.

9. Do you have a box of finished-but-not-fully-finished pieces?  Or is everything FFO'd?  What's your favourite way to fully finish a project and what do you do with them? 

I don’t have a box, but I do have a drawer!  Framing is just so expensive that I can’t work all of it in my budget.


10. Which of your projects most represents "you"? 

This was a hard question.  The only project that comes to mind is AAN’s Maple Leaf as I am a proud Canadian.

11. Tell us a secret about yourself.  Or a joke.  About anything!

I wanted to be a school teacher when I was growing up.  I didn’t get into the program I wanted, so ended up in College with Accounting.  I love what I do, recently graduated from University (I only had college when I first went to school), and have almost finished my Professional Designation Course (CPA in Canada).