belt update

I finally found the right pink for the dogwood and on further reflection I won't add any butterflies, but I did add a dragon fly to the other end

The peacock was a quickie to sew. the rest took a little longer to sort from the big honking bag o' sequins.
then the purple flowers didn't look right in their normal form of slightly cupped so I took my handy-dandy iron to them and flattened them out, much better!
now to finish with some MOP teardrops and more flower sequins over the green.











the outside of this paisley took less time than I thought it would only two days to finish, it doesn't look finished though. I'm thinking french knots around the flowers to top it off.





I added beads to this motif

the geese got a few beads too!

more corner doo-dads

most of my embroidery motifs I draw on scraps of dress pattern paper as it is very thin ,easy to sew through and doesn't pull your stitches out of whack when you pull it off like tracing paper always seams to.

the two geese should look familiarI put these two fine fellows on the stocking I made for my DBF's x-mass stocking. Don't they look cozy here?

corner doo-dads

I plan on adding butterfly beads and light pink ribbon flowers to this as soon as I locate the right color, everything I have right now seams too dark.

our initials worked in another corner isn't it just too cute? I don't usually go in for cute but I couldn't resist.


just enough of this embroidered Georgette ribbon left for a corner.

HE DID IT!

Back from Chicago to see my eldest walk the boards and get his High School Diploma! WOO-HOO! I couldn't be more proud of him, he worked so hard for this and I couldn't not be there for it.
Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks?

He also has a job all lined up as a game equipment repair guy, at one of those play-it -again places. again he;s taking responsibility for his life and I couldn't be prouder of him!!
now, one down two to go.

the tree took all 8 hours to Chicago and back, to finish and now as I look at how it turned out, I wonder if it wouldn't have been better off with out the rest of the french knot buds on the lower branches. It looks much more open and not as fussy. note to self for next time.

rain barrels and other things

I realized I haven't done any posting over the past few weeks, Naughty mommabear!

It's been so wet and rainy since may that you'd think I'd get more done than I have oh well, that's how it goes!
when you have the time you piss it away, when you don't, you're a busy little beaver!

our new house project has been to build platforms and hook up 6 rain barrels to the gutters, around the house and garage, for watering the garden.
we have two hooked up so far and its been raining so much the 55 gallon drums are so full they spout!

my side project will be, to find 6 funny/cute/whimsical fountain critters to point the water in a direction, like into a birdbath or pondy type thing, instead of up in the air!

I have been working on the Hawaii blocks and did in fact take them to Hawaii in april.

I also started a pieced belt for a dress I have in mind. its all off whites and creams and I'm thinking of doing the stitching in whites creams and pastels.
I've pieced the belt and am designing the embroidery and border bits.
I'm having trouble deciding what to do with the diamond focus block.
I know I want flowers in the corners and cabochons and beads but I'm not sure how encrusted I want it.
I'll have it all planned out and I know I'll change my mind and do something completely different with it but that's the fun of CQ!

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day!
















Here's hoping you have a wonderful day of being waited on hand and foot!

Approaching Midnight

I have figured out how to use the new camera!

( a round of applause please!)

So I think an update on one of the blocks I have been working on is long overdue.

the picnic table is a lovely place to work. Some of the pictures are sideways but the new camera works a treat! closeups of this are spectacular! this is the prince's castle.

Here is Cinderella's fan, no one goes to a ball with out a fan to flirt behind!

the orange circle will be a clock face eventually

in some of the original stories (before it got disneyfied) there were three balls with a different outfit for each night, the second of which had gold shoes.

her horse and carriage was free handed, I haven't decided weather I will fill it in yet or not. It all depends on how ambitious I get!

the driver will, however, get a head when the blocks are joined together, for anyone who is worried!) the upside down bird patch still needs to be addressed. maybe I'll cover it with more flowers and call it good.

the patch under the castle still needs a little work, I'm planning on placing clock faces around the block and maybe i can find a glass slipper charm some where.

the weather in Seattle has been unseasonably warm and sunny so I have been taking advantage of it by riding my bike. we're at the top of a hill so we will see how well I do getting back up it! my last time out I only had to push it up the last three blocks or so. those are a work out pushing as they are trying to pedal since it's at a 60* angle! Wish me luck!

More quilt rescue

This time it's my youngest DD's quilt.
It's my 1st quilt ever!

I originally made this one for my son before he was born.
it's held up well considering I made it almost 20 years ago! but as you can see it's in pretty bad shape.

best part is she got to pick out all the fabric I used to fix it
and I got it done in 2 weeks as opposed to the tortuous
3-4 patches when I had time.
I think the only remaining original fabric in it is the
original backing that is now the foundation.
it has almost no batting in it but what is left of the older
patches seems to work just as well.

and now it looks almost brand new!
in fact my DD#2 was saying she will have to love it in all over again because its so stiff

(I will update with pictures in a few days)

I'm going to Hawaii!

Yep ! I am! My wonderful lovely dear BF has gotten us 2 tickets to Hawaii for two Whole weeks!!! I couldn't be more excited! and We will be there (almost) through my BD, so Happy Birthday to me!)

I have to figure out what to bring to keep me company on the plane ride out. something small and compact with out too many parts.
lets see, would it be too prosaic to take the hawaii CQ?
should I start something new?
what do I have in my stash that needs work, aside from everything?

OOh and I have to clean! eek!
I hate coming home to a dirty house!
I soo excited or did I say that already?

Spring break

the Children came to visit from chicago for spring break,
I had a good time taking them to a few places around town.
snoqualmie falls was our first stop.

we took in alice in wonderland at crossroads theater and a little mall crawling for the girls. it was interesting, I got caught up more in the visuals and not so much the story. It's tim burton after all and He excells in visuals but realy he only makes movies, to show everyone how clever he is.

the bremmerton shipyards and Ferryboat ride into seattle.
I wish we had more time to visit the naval museum as well as the battleship but alas we had to get back .It was lovely to see the DS engaged in something he loves and exploring battleships is a true love. I know this by the deep inhalation the minute he was aboard the old vessel, it smelled of deasl fuel, steel and musty leather,as far as I could tell but to him it was a freindly pat on the shoulder and brotherly punch in the arm.
I forgot the camera so there are no pics for this day. pooh!


then seattle and the space needle and the amusement park at the bottom.


To my wonderful Lovely BF, who had instant family for a week and survived,
mostly!)

and who could resist a visit to the troll-under-the-bridge?
Yes folks that's a real VW bug under the trolls hand!
and in true boy fashion, my DS wondered "Wouldn't it be cool if someone was stuck in there?"
to which I asked "you got anyone in mind?"
"Uh, no. I just wondered."he replied, and he got thoughtful. maybe his imagination just supplied the answer.


I had a wonderful busy week with the kiddies all to myself,
and now they are gone home and it's lonely here.

SRE purse is done!

I was given a challenge this last class by Moe the lady who runs our SRE class to complete my purse for the next class.

I surprised myself by making the deadline by more than two weeks!

there was another consideration as my kiddies are coming to visit this week and I didn't want to be distracted by an incomplete project while they were here. I want to focus on them and take them to see fun Seattle stuff,while they are in town.

as you can see I finally decided where to put the bird,I thank you all for your suggestions and encouragement.

I took some advice from Gerry's blog Olderose to break up the straight lines, I didn't brake them up so much as tone them down with some beads so they weren't so screaming white.


I think it all balanced out fairly well. my eye is drawn bird first thing but it's not stuck there like it was on the blue. then travel around the to the rest of the block because there is a lot more to see!