About JMD Designs
Janet M. Davies 

JMD DESIGNS is the name that covers many aspects of my designing and writing. Below are a few of the things that have taken up my days: 

I have always had a needle of some kind in my hand growing up. My Nana and Mother showing me how to use a sewing machine and do needlework, knitting and crochet etc. From the age of eight I was designing and stitching clothes for my dolls; not forgetting to give them a great hairdo also. As a teenager I focused on Needlework; though I remember designing and knitting a jumper with words knitted all over it. I wore that jumper till it wore out.

I was naughty at High School and purposely failed typewriting/short hand classes so my parents would not make me a secretary like my two older sisters had been trained as. It was not creative enough for me. But fancy me failing typing and then going on in later life to be a writer at a keyboard for hours on end. I am sure there is a life lessen in that somewhere.

My first career was in Hairdressing starting in 1980... anything to be designing and creating. After my apprenticeship in a salon I went on to become a tutor at a private hair design school I had been a student at in previous years. Then to being a free-lance trainer to individual salon staff. I then became the Head Mistress for a hair design school being established and I helped set up the curriculum. Eventually going on to owning/operating my own hair salon.

In due course my hobby of Needlework and Sewing took on a more structured outlook. In 1992 I started tutoring Needlework and working part time in a Needlework and Haberdashery store. Working in the store gave me a good grounding of what customers liked in the layout of design instruction packs and books etc.

Have I mentioned my beautiful children were born between 1993-95? With myself and the help of their Nana they were able to grow up in their own home and not have to go into day care. Besides caring for my children while I worked my Mother was a great business sounding board and I am grateful to have such a person around me.

I have tutored Needlework/ Hand Embroidery workshops for Retail Stores and Embroidery Guilds around New Zealand and privately in many varieties of Needlework. I personally design and produce all the workshops. I have attended recognised embroidery tutor training seminars with the "Association of New Zealand Embroidery Guilds". ANZEG.

I have done freelance designing/writing and have had my work featured in: Needle Pointers (USA). Needlecraft (UK). Creative Stitch & Craft (NZ). Threads (NZ). Your Home and Garden (NZ). New Zealand Baby (NZ) etc. I have had excellent book reviews published also in many magazines around the world.

In 1997 I was thinking of buying an existing Needlework/Haberdashery store. When discussing it with a friend I mentioned I could 'do up' some designs and sell them in the shop; my friend said," forget the shop just do up and sell the designs yourself". And so begin the growth of my 'wonderful monster' (JMD Designs).

I had never done the nuts and bolts of publishing myself before, having only done articles for magazines of other publishing companies. I did presentations to a couple of book publishers about the books I wanted to design/write. I was offered contracts but was not happy with what I would end up with, with the time and effort put into a book in this genre. So I researched publishing and thought, "What the heck I will do this myself."

At this time I had no idea how to turn a computer on. I thought a 'hard drive' was taking a truck off road!! So with a large learning curve it also lead to in 1999 to building a website to market my first book to the world etc. Not many artists have the combination of a business/creative mind. I have been lucky to have been one of those that has. It has been a lot of hard work but I have loved every part.

Since 1998 I have personally designed, wrote and published six Needlework books on the subjects of
Casalguidi (1998) - Schwalm (1999) - Mountmellick (2000)  Stumpwork (2001) - Blackwork (2008) Whitework (2009)

In 1998 I was invited to a Garden Reception at Government House (similar to the White House, USA) for my contribution to the Arts in New Zealand.

I have previously been a trustee of a local art gallery and the local art council. Which facilitated the running of art events within our city and the running of a community arts centre.

Previously I structured and implemented part of a National Marketing Structure for a company who were distributors of quality needlework and craft products. My role was to set up structures/tools to aid retailers in the promotion and marketing of their retail products.

Since 2002 I have released a successful ongoing range of design/Instruction packs in Needlework. Then venturing into the field of Quilting and Applique design/Instruction packs. I design and hand stitch the actual designs and write the instructions myself.

  

In 2006 I began to produce the printed designs packs into PDF booklets. This allows customers to have their purchased products emailed to them once payment is confirmed. The customer then prints out on their home computer; not having to wait days for the hard copy pack to arrive by snail mail.

Currently my design packs and books are being sold around the world.

For questions or comments telephone +64-9-2966570.
Or email Janet: janet@jmddesigns.co.nz

Beyond the Needle
I was born and bred in the 'Bay of Islands' New Zealand (1963 was a good year), growing up in the country among the cattle and the sheep. I am now living in Papakura in a more urban setting. I am a 5th generation New Zealander with both sides of my family tree having been born within New Zealand since the 1860's.

Poetry has always played a part in my muse. Click here to read the poems published in my books and others I have written.

In my spare time I enjoy photography. I have taken all the photographs used in my published books, design packs and website.

My muse roamed outside the stitching arena into the world of Mosaic Art for a couple of years. To see the Mosaic Art I designed and hand made click here.

     

I love seafood and good coffee either cooked over an open fire or served in a five star restaurant.

Being a writer my mind loves the tangents in life. Also as an artist colours in nature and the patterns in cobblestone city streets invite me to look and wonder…

I tend to decorate my home in colours I enjoy, than what is classed as the 'decor of the day'. It took me ages to find a new bright orange lounge suite and grass green carpet. I have an antique oak dinning table that has yummy turned legs that I intend to paint purple one day.

From 2005 for two years I studied towards a degree in the field of Psychology. I had a very soul searching time sorting my own baggage in the study process and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I think the reason my life feels so bright now is I had so many 'light bulb moments' within in that two years and since.

In general I see the glass full not empty. I have learnt that life is what you make it. As long as you don't break the law and treat people the way you want to be treated. To not be afraid to think and act upon what is outside the square if need be; then life can be great.

I would like to personally thank my family and friends for their help or encouragement over the years. Giving me the verve to feel the fear and go forward.


Janet M. Davies