Blossoms and Stitching

Blossoms are everywhere!

 this apple tree grows just beside the school yard, and last summer Jewel would pick an apple from its boughs each time we walked by on the trail

 other plants are in flower, too, all along the walking path.

fruit trees and lilacs are a feast for the eyes, and the nose

 this wee bird bath sits in my garden, and I giggle each time I see it

2 nights ago I startled one of the nesting robins as it was having a refreshing bath

creeping phlox in bloom beside some creeping thyme.....

These lilacs sit on the dining room table and fill the area with a wonderful perfume.
















There has not been a lot of stitch progress made this past week, although there has been some stitching on the wedding piece. I've put the Christmas skirt and wrapping cloth aside until the wedding gift is completely stitched, as there is a short timetable until the big day, and we hope to gift it to the happy couple before then.
Just a few peeks:

 The stitching boundary is marked by a row of chain stitch

More JK's have been added to the existing garland on the right side, and also anchor a beautiful piece of lace. It was a frame, but too small to use as I'd envisioned.........

the second half of the lace frame appears on the left side, also anchored with JK garlands.......


What's that winding bit beside the lace? I wonder what that will be?   (snicker)

You'll have to wait until next time........



Many hours have been spent in the gardens. I've finished preparing the beds, but it's too hot today to plant, so I shall plant the remaining bed, and transplant all the pots of wonderful stuff my BIL and his girlfriend brought me, over the next few days when temperatures are expected to return to normal.
Now, back to more stitching!

 I hope you've had a creative week.



Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Not Much Stitching

Hi everyone. My Sis arrived Friday for a visit and left Tuesday afternoon, so there wasn't much stitching accomplished while she was here. We had fun, though.
I did, however, begin a new project late last week. It's for an upcoming wedding, but, in order to protect the identity of the couple, their photos were smudged

the lace monogram

Josephine knots cascading along the lace trims



more JK's to come

parts of the wedding invitation are included in this embroidery, but the couple's names have been blocked out

 more embellishing and embroidering will happen, and perhaps some silk ribbon embroidery as well will appear on this piece

to date, we plan an oval presentation under glass and DH will create a fabulous frame.

it's a beginning..........

and that's it for this week stitch-wise

my hands are sore from gardening/weeding/mulching, digging, and hauling flagstone and rocks

there is blue and purple in the garden

the new bed I created, hauling and placing the flagstone and rocks

the new garden shed is up and the bed on the left is for more veg  once I finish the digging and create the raised beds

weeding, weeding, and more weeding as I discover just what is growing in the new-to-me gardens.

oops, there's some yellow I need to weed out.....

Hope you've had a creative week.

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Middle of May

Hi everyone. I've made some time to stitch over the last week, even though the gardens have been calling to me.

I finished my May stitching of "Shady Lady", which was created by Ellen Mosbarger, who kindly allowed StitchMAP to adapt her design for our HEX LABS project. I found the applique to be challenging, but had fun with the rest of the stitching. I added some dimensional tresses, just to see how they'd look, as well as some shading on the lips, and along the chin and neck.

 On wrapping cloth piece #11, the hole has been filled, and is hugged by a Josephine knot garland.

There is more stitching to be added to this piece

lots of room for more embellishing!
















I found some treasures at my favourite second-hand shop:

doilies

4 heavy cotton napkins

2 pillowcases to match the double-sized bed skirt

 a dresser scarf

another doily

 a queen-sized bed skirt

the eyelet on the queen-size bed shams


as well, I found a patterned tablecloth, plus a delicate crochet-edged handkerchief.
Most of the items are either stained or have some issued with the fabric wearing, so I shall probably use the good parts for my wrapping cloth.
There's lots of wonderful eyelet!

On Mother's Day, we went for a short hike at the conservation areas near the University.
Lots of happy birds singing.....

 pasing the pond, we spied something ......

two turtles sunbathing on a log.....

the sun created sparkling diamonds

 in the front garden, the magnolia tree is blooming

 aren't they beautiful?






I hope you've had a good, creative week.




Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz