Snow and Ice

This is my work on Colleen's winter themed block. I tried to keep embellishments to white (snow) and silver (ice).

You can't really see them from the photo above but there are ice crystal sequin flowers in amongst the silver rhinestones.

A Little Crazy Quilting

This is the second 4x6 block (Colleen's) I stitched for the exchange hosted by Kathy Shaw. It was a little challenging since there were squares with so many different colors so  I broke it up a bit with my seams. I feather stitched all seams and added a different type of "flower" to each. Then I added some sweetheart roses here and there.

On Ruby's winter themed block I added some motifs- a sleigh, wreath and tree -  in metallic threads. It's hard to catch the sparkle in the picture. Around the silky I ruched some organdy ribbon and some white bumpy yarn.  I was hoping it looked like snow. Most of the stitching was wrapped backstitch with a single strand of the metallic thread.

The Latest Craziness

This is my work on Peggy Sue's block for the sewing themed RR.

This is my section of Peg Sue's block done by the entire group.

This is the entire group block after Ruby, Carol and me. Lorrie and Ruby need to add to it now.

This is my work on Susan's winter themed block. For the pine sprigs and holly leaves (those are holly leaves, I hope) I used one strand of white plus one strand of some flourescent green metallic type thread in order to hopefully look like they are kind of snow covered. 

On Paula's rose block I added more silk ribbon overstiching the leaves that seemed bare with the chain stitch I used. I feel better about it now.

Also, previously I thought the pink stamens were too pink so I toned them down with some acrylic and added some yellow beads to the center of the rose. Wendy suggested nail polish, but, alas, I don't wear it so that's how I ended up using acrylic. I thank Wendy for the idea. I was going to completely redo the rose. I feel better about the rose now too.

And, now off to some sane quilting before the guests (family) arrives to celebrate my granddaughter's birthday this evening. My baby will be 7 (going on 13). I spent a few hours at Toys R Us last night after work looking for gifts for her birthday, my other DGD's birthday in 5 weeks, Christmas and the advent calendar. Quite a few of the gifts will turn them into crafters, I hope.

Winter Scenes

This is my work on Wendy's "Winter Scenes" RR block. I framed the snow shoveler in lots of "snowflakes" and a few button snowballs. And there's some hairy yarn "snow" over by the bird button. The block sparkles quite a bit more than it shows. 

Hope I don't have to look at any real winter scenes for several months yet. I'm not a fan of winter except for looking at it out a window.

I'm on vacation this week in order to clean up the garden since I got behind when I had my bout with Guillaine Barre and couldn't use my hand and feet very well. Retired DH doesn't think it's his job to take care of my flower gardens or the strawberry/blackberry/asparagus patch so things are embarrassingly overgrown with weeds. I'm heading out in a few minutes to help DH cut up some downed trees that have fallen over part of one of my flower gardens. Also downing more trees on the acreage for firewood for next year. This year's is split.

Naked Again!

Winter Scenes for 6 inch CQ DYB RR.

More Winter Scenes for 6 inch CQ DYB RR (I should have made them all cookies...)

Roses  block for CQ RR. This is a larger sized block - 12 inches if I remember correctly.

Another Roses block for a different CQ RR.

If I would quit joining in RRs I might get some work done around here.

Four Finishes

I have been taking a creative writing workshop for the last 6 weeks so, in addition to a 10 hr per day job and the grandkids, I've been busy. But it seems there is always time for stitching. I've fallen behind on my Civil War Quilt blocks, my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks, my Fairy Crazy Quilt and all other sorts of things for myself; however, I've kept up on my CQ RRs. And that is mainly because I can sit and veg out but still be busy and stress free while I stitch.

Unfortunately, the TV shows many people in many countries in distress; the news tells of children missing and abused; a cousin has been diagnosed with cancer. Sit, stitch, watch, listen, learn, give, love, pray...the mantra of the day.

This is for an English Garden RR. This is Rita's block and I have included foxglove, deliphiniums, lavender, roses, pansies, poppies, clematis - some of my favorite flowers.

Next up is Peggy Sue's Tea Time block for another CQI RR. I wish the sugar bowl showed up a little better. It was difficult for me to know what colors to use on this block so I used mostly purples to go with that little patch on the upper left.

This is Helina's Summer block. All of her blocks have now been mailed home. This was the last one for me to work on for this RR. Summer to me means tomatoes, lemonade, watermelon, ice cream, pinwheels and flowers. I hope it means the same to her.

And, finally, I have Lorries Winter/Christmas block. Her theme was "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

Hopefully Winter

The big middle section of wool with pile was very difficult for me to stitch anything on. Everything seemed to get lost in it. So, I added things that would stay on the surface - a button with straight stitch and bullions hopefully looks like a snowflake, the white silk ribbon flower hopefully looks like a white poinsettia and finally, I made a ribbon streamer with bells that actually make a tiny jingling sound. The embroidered snowman has a rounded button on the ground near him that hopefully looks like a snowball. And, next to that is some angora snow with some evergreen trees growing out of it. You can't really see it but the feather stitch has some sparkly beads attached that hopefully look like ice and the sky-looking patch has what hopefully looks like twinkly snowflakes and stars. This is for a Winter RR so hopefully Meg likes it. And hopefully Winter here will be over soon.