Tast Week 8

This week the stitch is the chain stitch, another fun one to do that can be used in so many ways!!

It is nice to be caught up just in time for another stitch tomorrow!! I have had such a great time and am happy to be back "in the stitch" again! As always you can check out all the fun at Sharon B's Blog !
Blessings~~~

TAST Week 7

  Can you believe that we are almost ready to start Week 9 of TAST on Tues?? I am behind on posting the fun I have had. This week's stitch was Detached Chain, I love this stitch  (don't I love them all???)
The idea of the heart was one I had someone put on a block of mine many years ago, I have used it ever since, and love the look of it. I also made a couple flowers on another piece of the crazy quilt.

Enjoy your weekend!!
Blessings~~~~

Stitching FUN!

I have finished up my work on the RR from CQI which was FFT#11. I finished early and sent it home to Michelle. Here is the last of the work that I did. The point of the corner I added SRE and then above the line of beaded flowers I added some lace and several rows of embroidery. She says she is very happy with her block so we must have done good!! I am anxiously waiting for mine to come home. It is not due until after the 15th of June and I will be on vacation so I told Ing to take her time and not hurry as it will sit here and wait for my return.  Speaking of vacation I will be offline the 15th through the 22nds, visiting family and friends in Ohio. I am taking a "break" from life, caregiving is getting the best of me. Hubby will be staying home with DD and I will be running away, this time. I am looking forward to family time with the grandkids and shopping with friends. I have a day planned in Berlin OH (Amish country) so lots of good food and shopping in fabric stores and antique malls. Then I have another day planned in a huge antique mall. Good thing I have the suitcase 3/4 of the way packed with things for the grands isn't it??? More room to pack things that I buy to bring homr. LOL

This green block shown here naked is a Garden/Farm block for CQ4N's. It will be a block swap so I have to get this baby embellished to send out the end of July. If time permits I have ideas for another one too. Below is the beginning of the work on it with a tree on the left side. I found the how to on Kathy's blog. So easy and cute when finished.I will share more pictures of this block when I get home !! Have a grand weekend, see you after the 22nd!!!

CQ Lesson Beading

I have been working like a little bee trying to complete Lesson 7 which is beading, one of my least favorite things to do. I maybe crazy but I think it is turning out pretty well. This first picture is a partial shot of my pincushion. I do not have the seam finished above the butterfly. Still a work in progress that I have ideas for.The second picture is the needlebook case with some beading added. It will still some SRE added to the right hand side that I cut off. Then we have the tin topper, I added pearls and the butterfly. It may get more this evening. A rose will go in the middle yet too.

Here are two pictures of Vickie's block. The top one is the whole block the second is a close up of the work I did. Below is my naked Season to Season block for CQ4N. I have to embellish half of it before I mail it on to Lesa for her to finish the other half and return it to me. This is the 4th and final block in the 4 seasons. Can't wait to get started on it.

Finally some goodies I picked up at JoAnn's. Bargains!! All of the trims were 25 and 50 cents a yard. The gorgeous glitter , more of a green then it shows here wa 50 cents. Love it!!!

Best of all these CQ classes have taught me to not be so uncomfortable with beading. I sat and beaded the other night and didn't want to stop to go to bed!!! How shocking!!

Hope you all had a great Mother's Day!! I got a card and flowers!! Also bought myself some gifts, new bathing suit and some new clothes, amazing the ones I have are becoming too big again. Can't beat that!!

Have a creative week.

Did ya ever????

Did ya ever feel like a project had drug on so long/needed so much more work than you planned........................ seems like it has taken over your life??? I have one of those, it is a new problem for me. I usually have inspiration and know when something is finished. This one has become a pain in my backside. I think I HATE it at this point. I could easily walk away and not ever look at it again much less want to finish it.

Maybe my problem has been I let too many other projects get started at the same time. I had been doing so well, just one project at a time until it was completed. Then on to a new one. This was working just great for me and look Ma no UFOs.

Then I agreed to start the CQ class and then I jumped into an RR. Well you might get the picture here, oh let's not forget moving and being a fulltime caregiver. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Guess I need to sit back and get things in order here, prioritize needs to be the word of the day.
Number ONE: finishing my CQ class piece. so I can move on to lesson 7
Number TWO: working on Vickie's block for the RR
Number Three: finishing the doily pillow
Number Four: good question as I have two embroidery pieces going, do I pick the table cloth back up or finish the table runner. Will figure that out when I get there I guess.
Maybe by the end of the week the question will be answered.

The sewing room is progressing. I got THREE new plastic thresss drawer containers, two are full of mixed media goodies. One is still empty. (imagine that)
I have found the floor in the closet again, cut up clothing from the Goodwill that was taking up alot of space, folded and stored all the fabric on shelves and even got some folded and packed into the fat quarter storage units I got from JoAnn's online. They are Marie Osmond ones and I love them. I need to completely fill the first one and start on the second one. They hold 60 fat quarters and havve handles so you can take them with you. Love this idea. I have also emptied ALL the boxes in the sewing room and got them out of there.
Here is Vickie's Block, isn't it beautiful? Beisde it is another embroidery piece I found that is not finished, to be added to the above list (LOL) Next is the embroidery piece that I started on after finding it in my stash. Below that is the needle book and the needle roll, these are the pieces from h***. Last  is the picture of the fat quarter storage I talked about.

Not bad for one month here. I thought it was going to take much longer than this. I am thrilled that I can actually (maybe) go in there and get something done without thinking I need to move things or unpack things.

Hoping you have a blessed week and Don't forget your MOTHERs this week!!!

Working Away

Here is an update on my CQ needlecase for StitchMap. It is coming along pretty well I think. I have added fill in on the butterfly and a vine with the purple flowers at the bottom. I need to finish the spider's legs and some more of the seams need to be completed.

Scarey but I taught myself to crochet tonight. No it is not great but I am sure with some practice I can do better. I didn't enjoy this....................made me tense and on edge but the future will tell. Hoping my BFF Louise doesn't pass out when she sees this! She is such a wonderful crocheter and tatter. She taught me CQ but I have always been afraid to ask her to teach me to crochet as my mother told me I was the only person she ever saw who could make their crochet work get smaller instead of larger!! Leave it to me, couldn't have been the teacher could it??? LOL

On the left is another vintage embroidery that I found and finished up. The clouds and large tree on the right need to be finished. The next one I am working on is not vintage, because I started it many years ago, LOL I found it and the matching piece so I have removed the stitches that I had started and then  started over with the colors that match the first one. They will not match but they will certainly be close.

I spent alot of time in the sewing room today trying to find things and trying to get more of the fabrics on the shelves ! I got some more boxes emptied, almost no boxes left in the sewing room. I would be in good shape except for the mixed media goodies that I have. They seem to be the sticking point in getting the room settled but where there is a will, there is a way so I will keep on going!!

Crazy Quilt Block returns Home

I was so pleased to get my Season To Season Block, winter back this weekend. It had been in the mail, getting forwarded!! Susan in Iowa did half of the work on this block. The close up shows the heart she did and a piece of lace she added. I just am thrilled with what she did for me.

The next two pictures are of Gayle's block from the FFT#11  RR. I shared a picture with you before but here is my finished work on it. I added the word joy, some tatting, rayon seam binding, buttons and a seam treatment. I hope she will like the work that I have done. It was a little tough to work on a Christmas block when there is Spring in the air but I got it done!!

Speaking of Spring the pollen is finally settling done. The great yellow dust that covers everything is gone. I had never experienced this before so it was a bit of a shock to find everything covered in yellow dust!!! The roses are in bloom and so many of the trees are just gorgeous here!!

Below is a seam treatment that I worked on for this month's challenge for CQI. We were to have used 5-6 different stitches in one combination of stitches. I used French knots, straight stitch, cross stitch, back stitch, and chain stitch.  It is so nice to be back to stitching. I have done some more work on my needle roll for StitchMap's CQ class. I need to get the rest of the pieces unpacked so that I can get on with that class. Hard to believe that they are still packed.

The unpacking and settling are getting better each day. I will soon have most of the boxes unpacked. Still have the china cabinet boxes to unpack, wash and put in the cabinet. Maybe this week.

Have a terrific weekend.

New Storage New Book ................

Hubby is a dialysis patient for those of you who don't know and has to take in alot of protein. Lately they have been sending him home with protein drinks (he says taste terrible) in these cool plastic tubes. Of course my first thought is drink lots of these they are perfect for storage. The label peels off so easy and they wash up great in the dishwasher! I can see buttons, pins, ribbons and more in them. Unfortuneately they are not clear but will work anyway! next is a lovely book from Tues Morning, while browsing there I happened upon it $6.99/hardback with such lovely pictures of women doing needle work.I had to share pictures of the beautiful FL strawberries that DD brought me. Her boss gets them and brings them to work to sell and I was thrilled. with them. It seems like it should be June to me with the counters full of fresh berries. Large sweet berries!!Then there is this beautiful bottle, not my usual buy since it was pricey but I couldn't pass it up. Another purchase at Tues Morning. Since the bedroom will be black/white with pink touches this bottle just seemed to scream that it needed a home in the new bedroom. I think a touch of pink fru fru inside will be great but will have to wait and see. I tried so hard to pass it up but couldn't do it!! LOL

This is a picture of the whole block for my needleroll that I am working on. Thought you might like to see how it is turning out. Remember this is the practice one. I have just begun work on the real deal!! It is not nearly as far along as this one. This one I didn't put alot of thought into it, some but not like I did the one for my class.

Found out yesterday that we can get the keys to the apartment on the evening of the 30th. I am even more excited that we can get in sooner. Cable guy comes the morning of the 31st and then we are free to go!! All the planning I am doing in my head, furniture placement. Of course all depends on what I really have in storage, is it there or did I sell it......all good questions until that storage unit is emptied. I know that my memory is not what it used to be that is for sure. Hope that your weekend is full of fun and sunshine!!

Embroidery on Needle Roll

Here is the latest embroidered motifs on my needle roll. This is not the actual one I am using for the class but the second one that I pieced. I am practicing on it before I start on  the real one!! I made some spider web roses, using the drawing provided in the class info. These are the first ones I have ever made and I learned that it makes a difference if the spokes are not even, hate that they show where I couldn't finish filling it in. Learning experience. Guess I will be more careful with the next set I make. I used a varigated perle cotton #5 from DMC and like the way they turned out color wise. Below are the butterflies that I had just outlined earlier. I filled one in with satin stitch and the other one with French Knots. I don't think they turned out too bad!

Remember that posts maybe come infrequent or stop for awhile while I plunge into the big move next Thurs. Between exhaustion, not being able to find the camera and who knows when I will have computer service!! LOL So many variables to being able to be  online and post. The other thing is there will be little or no time to stitch so I won't have much to blog about anyway!! Hope your week is creative!!

Embroidered Lady

I thought I would share with you the embroidery that I worked on yesterday. This is the second needle roll that I pieced for the CQ class at StitchMap. This lady was an embroidery outline that came with the class and I couldn't wait to get to work on her. I wanted to give her some texture so I used chain stitch to do her dress and French knots for her hat. She will still be getting some SRE for a bouquet for in her hands.

Here I added some black lines to both the skirt and hat to give it some highlights and break up all of the pink!! As usual, it is pink!! LOL

Have a super week!

Stitchin and painting Sunday!

Lots to share today! First I added lace to my CQ block for my CQ class on StitchMap. Next will be the stitching!! Then I decided to play with the fabric paints again! Do I love this?? YEP!! I also added a picture of the paints thatI used. I have used both of them each time that I painted on lace. These turned out different than the first set! I adore something new!Pictures of the lace and paints are at the bottom of this post. For some reason blogger thinks I don't know where I want my pictures today. Really I did know but I can't get them where I want them!! LOL

Speaking of new! Check out the bird feeder that I found at Lowes the day I got the angel and bird. It was a mere $7 and I love it. Thinking it will look pretty gorgeous on my patio/deck of the new apartment. Two and a half weeks and we will be moving!! Can't wait!!

Finally I have Ing's block finished. I added the small rose bud lace applique to finish it off. I really hope that she will like this work that I have done. I had to really push myself to get through the block that I put in my own mind about working on her block. I sure hope that I don't feel the same way when the next block arrives at my door. How scarey would that be??

Recycle, knitting, and more

Recylcing was on my mind today when I was in the sewing room! I have had this little ham salad can sitting there staring at me, wanting to be something besides empty! I took a scrap of fabrci and wrapped it. Then rick rack for covering the edges. I cut cardstock to fit the top, covered it with scrap minkee fabric and stuffed it with polyfil! No cost and using up my scraps and now I have a pincushion and small storage container!! I had to add a couple of crochet motifs that I cut out from a lace band that was in the drawer! 

I found this lovely lace at the GoodWill on Thurs. It was attached to a boring navy jacket. Now that it has been removed, it can be cut into smaller pieces. It is a cream or light gold color and will be great on CQ.

Next up the wrist warmers that I started last night. Not very exciting looking I agree. They are my favorite color, warm, comfy, and EASY!! Who doesn't love easy?? I plan to add some cream yarn to kind of jazz them up when I have the other one done!! Made from left over yarn, so no current cost!! Might have to make more!I

Another flower made from the left overs from the minkee throw. Don't ya love the color?? I have green velvet leaves that I put with it. Another freebie project for the day!!

Last but not least is my sewing buddy! For some reason he decided to nap on this pillow while I played at the table. He is DD's but has been in our care for the majority of the past year. It will really be tough to move out and leave him behind in a few months. Can't remember being without a pet in many years.

Have a fun, creative, and Blessed week!!!!