TAST and CQJP

I've not been around much, sorry to say, but I'm getting back in gear and hope to be posting more often.
Here's my TAST for week 2:

The sampler is stitched totally with buttonhole stitch, except for two lines of straight stitch on which I used the buttonhole stitch.


Next time I think I'll have to make my stitches a bit larger.
Gee, see the crooked rows. You wouldn't know I used a ruler, would you?    ...sigh....practice...practice....








I've been working on my January CQJP. I was waiting for my Christmas present to arrive in the mail. The goodies below are from Evening Star Designs. 





and I loved what I'd received so much, I used the rest of my Christmas money for a second order

I plan to use quite a bit of these supplies on my CQJP 2012!

The middle bundles open up to reveal these wonderful fibres!

 I used one in a variegated colourway to wrap onto the stitches of this seam treatment, adding green and pink and repeating the colours of adjoining fabrics. The ends were tacked down with red seed beads.

Bullion stitch adorns the silver. I think I should have made it a bit fatter.

I added seed beads to the row of flowers.

So far, so good, I think, but there's a lot more to do before my January block is finished.


Here's a pic of Turtle Island last week. It looks as though the snow is blowing in waves across the frozen lake, but this was a warm day, and mist was rising from the ice.

My amaryllis is in bloom, and looks beautiful, but, I'm disappointed it has so little scent. Don't you think the strength of a flower's scent should be in proportion to it's size?  This baby would make the whole room smell delicious, then.












I I finally finished piecing all my blocks for the CQJP 2012 Christmas wall hanging!  Yay!!  Here's a peek:

Lots of fun stitching ahead.
I hope you've been having fun doing something you love.

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs from Suz

Tuesday Stitchers: TAST: Wk 1- Jan 2: Fly Stitch

Tuesday Stitchers: TAST: Wk 1- Jan 2: Fly Stitch

http://suztats.blogspot.com/2012/01/tast-2012-week-1.html

TAST 2012 -- week 1

TAST  week 1 :
FLY STITCH

  I've made a  book of double-layered fabric for my TAST challenge. I hope to stitch on the front of each side, hiding the backs when I then stitch the rows together, adding seam binding for a smooth finish. That's the plan, anyway. We'll see if it works. ;-)
This book has 30 panels, so I may need to add more, have two fabric books, or use more than 1 stitch/panel.  When completed, the fabric book will fold up accordion style, I'll add or create a cover from the panels, and tie the book together.

I've given the fly stitch a longer tail, and joined rows of fly stitch together to create a honeycomb pattern. I thought the stitches in the upper right section of the panel looked like geese flying in formation. The Y in fly is formed with a fly stitch. What fun.
Sorry the thread color doesn't show up better-- I may decide to use some darker colors next week.

Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season. Best wishes for a creative New Year.

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Merry Christmas

Looking through the window.........Turtle Island rises above the ice..........














 

I've made a few tatted gifts and sent them on their way.........

little snowflakes to hang on the tree........
















Our guests will be arriving soonfor our Christmas Gathering. We'll eat, and talk, open presents, and enjoy each others' company.  We shall walk in the outdoors, sing carols, play games, and admire the tree. Bird seed will be scattered on the ground for our feathered friends. 


However you celebrate the season, may you be blessed with the company of family and friends. May your gatherings be joyful, and filled with laughter and love. 
Thank you for being a part of my world in 2011. 

Blessings to you all!                                                                 See you in 2012!


Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Boho Bag Beginnings

Gerry  Krueger of Older Rose blog and Block Talk with Gerry had a giveaway a little while ago, and I was so lucky to win.
Here's what I found inside the box she sent me:

ribbon-wrapped and what's that little round shape on her card?

 Wow! It's one of Gerry's fabulous hand-painted MOP buttons! Isn't it beautiful?


I love how the rose just glows!

beneath the wrapping was this roll of fabric.......

more roses.....perfect!
I love this pattern!

I opened it up to find all this!
  A wonderful assortment of delicious fabrics and trims!

here's a closer look

I love the ribbon with the beaded trim, the gimp, the ...well, everything.









Thank you so much Gerry!

Now, I'm heading back to Gerry's Boho bag tute. You can check it out here. I think I'll be sewing for a few days.......

Hope you're having a creative day.

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

2012 Challenges

              2012 Challenges



Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge.

Well, I've really done it, now.  I signed up for TAST 2012! I've been enjoying CQing so much, but I needed to improve my embroidery skills. Buying an embroidery stitch bible gave me a reference, but I wasn't practicing my stitches. Participating in TAST  might be the impetus I need to get to work!




                                Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012.

Then I read about CQJP 2012. It sounded like a wonderful idea---to create a CQ block each month. I know I need that pressure to work harder, to learn more, and become a more skilled CQer. What better way?........so I joined...... gulp!



 I read a post on Stitchin Fingers from Debra who was organizing a smaller group of people doing 1 or both of the embroidery challenges.( There's even one brave soul adding the BJP 2012 as well!) Debra was hoping to have a study group who would support each other, encourage, and inspire. I jumped in! What was I thinking?! Well, I was thinking I needed all the help I could get, heheheh, and that accountability is a wonderful motivator.

Our group is called  Tuesday Stitchers.  You are welcome to bookmark our blog, become a follower, make comments and ask questions. I'm a relative beginner to CQing, but many of the ladies in this group are very experienced quilters and embroiderers. They have fabulous ideas, and I know you'll see some beautiful work!

I'm also on the list for several StitchMap courses in the New Year, so I'm looking forward to being very busy with needles and thread. I hope I can keep up!

Obviously, my focus for 2012 will be on stitching and CQing. I do hope I can post about my paintings, too. We'll see how I cope with the challenges.

Here's a pic my sister took last weekend of the bay. Isn't it a great shot?

It's been raining, and the four inches of snow have been washed away.
Now, I'm off to begin making the blocks for my quilt challenge.
Hope your day has some good challenges.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz

Christmas Cards: Funky Tree

I've been making cards for Christmas. First, I prepared a mylar stencil of a Christmas Tree sketch. It's a little bit funky.

the mylar is placed over a card and the opening dampened

first some green

then some blue

the mylar removed to show the tree






the drips and splotches add to the effect

some dried cards

different color combinations


some look fat

some are colorful

some are just a little weird

The cards are ready for the next step..........

a little gold here and there

Once dry, I added some glitter glue, and more gold on the edge to make the cards look like this:

Now I have to send them on their way to family and friends.

It's fun to make my own cards

Hope you receive many wonderful cards this Christmas Season.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz