March Block for Crazy Quilt Journal Porject 2013

Last night I finished the March CQJP 2013 block. I'm ok with it. Although I'm a little disappointed that the white stitching on the top of the orange blanket stitch fans did not turn out the way I wanted. I had hoped that the white would have been more pronounced.  Oh well, I think it is ok. So, here is the block.

Today I will be working on putting the blocks together for the remainder of the year, so that I may stitch on them as the year goes on. 

I have a little rescue that has been with me for about a year now and I took her to the Vet's office to get all checked out and get new tags for this year.  Although it was an easy visit, a heart worm test and an eye & ear exam, she has not been happy with me.   So, please meet Zoey!

As you can tell, she is not happy with me and does not like to have her photo taken. She has been pouting all day. LOL!

The drama got to be too much, so she finally laid down in her bed under my desk. You just have to love the Drama Queens, they are too much entertainment. When I chose the bow this morning, I did not expect it to match her afternoon attitude.   She is really a sweetheart and does not bark, which I understand in unusual for the breed. But come on, how can you not love that face?

It has been snowing all night and now that it is light out, I am able to say that we have at least 4 inches of snow.  Some might be surprised, but I've seen snow or Ice Storms as late as the 2nd week of April. So, although I start my vegetables inside the house in early March, I never put them outside until after the second week of April. LOL!

I finished my February block yesterday and I've started on the March block today. These are the blocks for the CQJP 2013. Thought I'd share the new block with you, hope you like it. I thought it turned out rather nice.

February Block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013



I'll post the March block once it is finished. Right now, I've got to get breakfast ready. Hope everyone has a great day.

It has been so long since I last posted here, and I've been so busy with stitching and yet I'm still behind in my participation in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project of 2013 (CQJP 2013).

I have three blocks to work on for my CQ Group, as there is no Meeting for April and This 16 month RR ends in May.  Also, I've been working a CQ Class with StitchMap, and I've finally finished stitching and beading the Thread Roll, I thought I'd show you my block for that class.

 

Although I have to finish the "E" in the upper right corner, it is not a requirement, so I've put that on hold for a week, while I finish up on the blocks for the CQJP.

 

Having finally completed the January Block, I thought I'd share  with you the first of 12 blocks for the Journal.

 

 

 

I'm really happy with the way it has turned out. Now, two more to do before April and I'll be good to go, caught up and ready to complete the SitichMap Course, RR Blocks and on to personal projects.

 

Ok, on to the next CQJP block!

 

 

 

 

It has been snowing all day and is still going. We have at least 10" and I've not seen it snow like this for years.  My wonderful DH was able to stay home and we had a lovely time with Soup & Sandwiches for lunch and a lot of NCIS reruns. LOL!

I have been stitching on a RR block for the local CQ group, I have Marci's block this month and it is an underwater theme. She has 20 blocks and has made a plan as to how they go together. Not a bad idea, however, I have a block that is on the second row from the top, so no sea floor work. I'm working on an embroidered fish design and have an idea for a jelly fish and floating kelp.  Just can't seem to get into a good rhythm with this block. Oh well, it will come to me.

I had a very nice surprice, when I noticed my Orchid Bloomed yesterday. I just have to share.  I've had the plant for about 4 years now, and this is the 3rd blooming in that time. I'm thrilled that it chose such a day to bloom.

 



 I think she is just beautiful and had to put her in the Studio, so that I could really enjoy her all day. What a wonderful thing in the middle of Winter. Such a blessing.

Ready for February

Today is the last day of January 2013 and I for one am glad. I'm ready to start February fresh and ready to go.

It snowed Tuesday night and Wednesday most of the day. Only our second snowfall, and what a nice picture it makes out my studio window. I had to laugh the other day, because I noticed that my Orchid plant has decided to bloom this year.

I bought this plant 4 years ago, and it bloomed twice that first year. My uncle told me to throw it away, because it wouldn't bloom again. Well, I couldn't do that! It's a live plant and I can't intentionally kill it. That's insane! 

So, I've nursed it with food and water, making sure it was warm and had humidity. But until this past weekend, it only put out more feet and grew new leaves. Now it has a nice long stalk and has 5, yes, 5 buds. I can't wait until it blooms. I'm so excited. It's like Spring in the middle of Winter.

I finished up MerriKay's RR block and thought I'd share before taking it to the CQ Meeting this weekend.  MerriKay made all of her blocks using vintage Christmas cards her sister-in-law had given her. So, it is all about Christmas.  I must admit this one was a color challenge for me, as my Christmas colors are Blue and Silver, with a touch of White. So Red and Green seem plain and a little boring to me. Sorry, just can't do it. 

Moving on, I finished the block and here it is:    She wanted a Christmas word or saying, and I took inspiration from the card on the block.

I have to admit that MerriKay did not want large beads, but I couldn't resist attaching the candy in wrappers and the candy cane glass beads I've had for two years, wondering how I was going to use them.

A close up of the top: One of my favorite songs from my childhood. My sister's and I use to sing it every Christmas. A nice memory of simpler and good times. I used silver threads and #15 white seed beads across the top seam and attached a little beaded angel. Thought she'd look nice in the window. LOL!

 

 

The Right side:  I worked up the seam with gold thread in a Creton stitch and came back in the opposite direction with a verigated green petit princess perle by Glorianna.  The Gold bows are stitched with two Lazy Daisy Stitches and a Fly Stitch in 24 carte gold thread. The gold charm is a heart with "Merry X-mas" written on the front.

 

 

 

Bottom portion:   I used a size 12 perle cotton in white and red for the peppermint stick along the seam, and the Christmas Spider is on a silver web and was made of a crystal teardrop bead body with a pearl head. Since it is a Christmas spider, I thought it should be more decorative, so I used #15 seed beads on the legs.

 

 

 

Left side:  Ok, this is NOT my design, it is from an Alessandra Adelaide cross stitch pattern I purchased. I did the ornament in an outline stitch and added seed beads. The seam treatment is done in a cotton and metalic thread with Pink/Gold TOHO beads and topped with Gold thread Lazy Daisy stitches.

 

 

I hope you like the block. I'm pleased with the way it turned out and I think MerriKay will like the block as well.  At least I hope she will.

Well, Christmas with family was fun and a happy time. A niece married on the 21st of December and I wish them both a wonderful life together.

But, with the good, there is always the bad. How else would we know when things are going well? LOL! My mother stayed with my sister an extra week, coming home late on January 2, 2013. We had a great time together, as she spent the night at my home. We had lunch together the next day before she traveled the hour home.

She always calls when she arrives home, so I was expecting her call. I was not expecting her to tell me her home had been broken into while we were gone for the holidays.

The police were there and she was checking to see what was missing. Problem was that they carved obscenities on her piano as well as cutting her chair and pulling out the padding.

Jewelry items were taken, including her Class Ring, and my father's WWII medals.

We are just heart sick. This is an 83 year old woman who has always be the sweetest person God put on the earth. Worked hard all her life outside the home before the 60s and raised 6 children.

She was starting to settle into home life, when my father had a massive heart attack and she had to go back to work. He survived and lived another 15 years, but was never able to work again.

It was hard for them to save and what they had was hard earned and only made life a little easier. To think that someone could/would invade her home and take her memories is without reason and unfortunately speaks to the heartless and

callousness of the individual.  This was in a small town, so we know the person knows my mother.

She has neighbors that are keeping an extra eye on her for me, so she feels safe now that things have been fixed. But what a trama it has been.

Projects:

Ok! I finished with that. Now I'm on to the things that I've been working on to keep my mind occupied.  RR work is going well. I finished Pam's block and now working on Merri Kay's block.  

Pam's blocks have all been about sewing. A fun topic and everyone has been having a great time adding some unconventional items to the block. Here's what I mean. Take a good look at the Pins & Needles potion of my block.

 

                               Entire Block

 

 

                             Pins & Needles - Yep! A real pin and needle.

 

 

                              Had to add flowers, my studio faces the garden.

 

 

I don't have any pictures of Merri Kay's block yet, but I do have pictures for you of my latest project, a pincushion. It is NOT your everyday pincushion, it also houses my CQ pins, those long silk pins. They needed a special place, so I made a Hobbit House for them. Take a look!

 

                                Left Window

 

    

                              Front of home 

 

 

                              Right window

 

 

I found the felt in Joann's and I knew it would be perfect. The grass roof is the pincushion. Made from a circular plastic container.

 

                              Before the work.

 

 

 It's been a rough start to the new year, but we are moving on and still creating!

 

I was so excited to have finished the Christmas cracker for my CQ Group and the Reticule Bag for my Uncle’s Friend’s daughter, that I have just been relaxing the last couple of days.  So, here they are:

The outside of the Christmas cracker was supposed to be a Hussif. However, I wrapped fabric around the outside, and had to wrap the Cracker in paper, because the Hussif would no longer fit around the paper towel roll. LOL!

Since we do a dirty Santa, my Cracker was chosen and then stolen twice, ending up with the person who drew the last number. I must admit that I was pleased that it was a desired item.

      Front Cover

Inside Front Cover with pocket and Needlebook.

Inside Center with pocket and scissor keep. 

 

Center pocket and scissor keep.

Right Inside cover with pincushion and Thimble Keep.

 

Inside cover and back.

 

Back and front cover.

 

Now! I am so happy with the way the Reticule Bag turned out. I Crazy quilted the four sides and couched a purple and metallic piping along each of the seams. I lined the bag with a pale pink linen fabric, to help stabilize the bag and keep the internal wear & tear to a minimum.  Hope you like how it turned out.  

Open bag with Little girl and butterfly.

 

Open bag with mother reading to daughter.

 

Closed bag, two little girls playing music.

 

Closed bag, little girl with dress skirt full of blossoms.