Waffling on my CQJP

I was trying to plan ahead on my CQJP, and decided to audition a few items to see if they pleased me. I began with week 1's work completed:

hmmmmmmm



What shall I do next?














Then I tried out the following:

white lace under the sequin flowers?
I like the look, but maybe there's too much lace?

some red lace on the right?
It almost disappears......

maybe a button trail?
I liked picking up the metallic in the fabric on some of the buttons

or a white lace heart?
although it points to the gorgeous tatted heart, maybe it's too big, and there's too much contrast?

maybe some red buttons too?
I like the red in there, but perhaps it looks too jumbly?

and a shell heart?
If red is the colour, and hearts are everywhere, does a white one work?

okay, no lace heart

do you like those leaves?
I don't think I do......well, I like the leaves, just not there.......


but maybe the red beads on the red chain.....
they repeat the beads on the green fabric, ....

red heart beads following the red chain?

well, maybe that's a bit much........

I don't like the red heart buttons on the white lace......and not with the red heart beads......

what about the flat red beads on the white lace on the left?
Well, it does carry the white and red around the block..........and it repeats the red dots on the wine fabric.......

then I tried white and red lace on the upper left.............Too busy!

The whole block looks too busy.....

how about a strip of sparkly red cord along the velvet edge?


maybe those red heart buttons on the rick-rack.........I rather like them there,....but it's still too busy


maybe there's just too many options!








So, after a week, where am I?

Well, I'm right back where I started!

Maybe pre-planning my embellishments isn't the way to go

Maybe I should just add one element at a time, see if it works, and then add another?

I'll try that.

Well, it's two weeks later, and I've finished waffling..........
What do you think of my finished block?
Does it work?

Here's what I added:
a large button trail with snowflakes... gold stars with 2 types of gold thread on the black fabric......
satin stitch hearts with french knots on the top fabric.....
sequin flowers on a smaller white lace dotted with gold and red french knots...
red heart buttons to carry the eye from the buttons to the red rick-rack.......
silver rick-rack with green beads and thread running into the red rick-rack and back up to the buttons which carries one to the silver weaving on red horizontal bars on the top right seam........

red sparkly cord squiggling over the seams below Fox's fabulous tat to add a little movement, and repeat the 'lines' of the bullion knots on the right as well as the waves of the rick-rack...........
and on the right I added red tatted flowers with a bead center and more french knots......
here's a closer look at the flowers....

sorry it's not very clear......

My CQJP block for May is awaiting my attention.










Hope if you're stitching, you're having fun!


Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Surprise Package and Spring Arrives

I  found a surprise in my mailbox!

Inside was a beautifully embossed card with added bling and a figure.

See the goodies inside the card? An ATC, a ribbon with metallic leaves, a large, lush ribbon festooned with sequins, beads and metallic thread, and 3 blinged leaf motifs.            Beautiful!

The ATC has glass beads, threads, a metallic stamped leaf on a background fabric that shimmers and changes colour

Another shot, showing the colour variation. So pretty and well done for a first ATC!

The smaller motifs are embroidered, multi-leaf stems.  Each is outlined with gold thread, and has a gold trimmed, tiny mirror.

Aren't they pretty?

Deepa sent all these lovely embellishments to me!  Such a wonderful surprise!  Thank you so much Deepa! 

I am blessed with a lovely and generous friend.

How have you been blessed today?

~~~~~

Spring arrives tonight. It's not soon enough for me! Now, if the snow would just melt, and the temperatures warm up, I'd be happy.

~~~~~

A little note:  I'll be taking a 2 week break from blogging.  A few things going on right now will be claiming most of my time, so, although I may be able to blog hop now and again, I probably won't be posting. Have a great 2 weeks!

~~~~~

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs from Suz