Three Twenty Eight

Since my only two other posts this month had numerical references I wanted to be funny and do it again.  

I've noticed a pattern with me.  When I don't feel that there is a lot going on - or if I don't get pictures taken, I don't post.  This is the case for the month of March.  This month has had a lot of cutting and prepping, for retreats and workshops.  I also have been working on paperwork,  templates and instructions for workshops that I'm teaching at both guilds.  And then other than that I have been working on 3 hand stitching projects. 

First up I needed to finish "Sweet Tweet"  that I will be teaching at the CRQ guild in April. I needed to have it for the guild members to see at the March meeting.  Then I needed to get the supply list ready and the templates. The theme for this years workshops is to stretch our skills and get us out of our comfort zone.  I will be teaching 3 types of applique and how to combine them in one piece.   Sorry for the shabby picture. 

When I got home from the retreat a couple of my friends wanted a bunny bag like I made for my nieces - so I made 3 of those and put buttons and wool noses - but of course I didn't get pictures of those.  :(  

Next I needed to gather and acquire supplies for this months workshop that I was taking at CRQ called Invisible Machine Applique.  She provided  5 different cactus pictures that we could use.  

This is the one that I did.  And yes I want to do more.

Next I've been working on the hand stitching (Needle Turn Applique) of the Church Raffle block.  I'm about 3/4 done with it.  Here are some pictures along the way.  

These two show the vase almost done and then with the overlay on where the birds and flowers will go. 

 Here it is with the birds partially done.

 And here it is as I left it last night.  Birds are done and working on flowers. 

And all month long little bits at a time - I have been working on my "Bag Lady"  hand embroidery.  

I started off this month getting a ton done on this one and then as I've been doing the other hand stitching projects this one has slowed to a crawl.  And as slow as it's going on this one - I hope I can finish before month end.  LOL

Today Hubby is not golfing and mentioned a movie.  Not sure if we will go or not, but will work on the church block while we are still at home.   

Until next time - Happy Stitching and have a Blessed Day!

Lynn 

Fifteen past Four

Thought that would be a fun little title.  Wow my blogging this month has been really on the slow side.  My last post was 4 days into the month and then nothing for another 15 days so It's now 15 past the 4 days.   Ya I humored myself.  Uh hmm  I'll stop now.  I'm not sure why I haven't been posting much - I have been busy as I always am or maybe because I really don't feel like I have been finishing much.  However I need to catch up a little if for no other reason than to see where I'm at so I can re-focus.    When I left off I was going to make some bunny bags for my great nieces and they came out really cute.  

Then we went to see my Sister and Brother-in-law on the 7th and 8th, before they return to Oregon and to celebrate my Sister's and Hubby's birthday's. I of course took 101 photo's while my honey was driving.  But here are a couple from their park.  

This next one is a close up of a cactus that my brother in law planted in a pot.  The bloom is orange, and then has a bunch of pink buds that almost look like raspberries.  

I then spent the rest of that week 9th -11th getting together and spending sewing time with some of my quilting friends before one of them went back to Oregon.  She is the mother of one of my childhood best friends and reconnected with her when we moved here to AZ.  We had a lot of fun.  

Our friend Aggie is the one in the white sweatshirt. 

 I mostly worked on my Bag lady. Anyway we had fun sewing and visiting we did that both Friday and Saturday.   

Oh - and did I mention that on both Friday and Saturday after sewing at the Cottage with my friends - hubby and I went to a rodeo both nights.  Saturday was exclusively Bull riding. Lots of fun and lots of pictures. I won't bore you with all the wrangler pictures - ha ha - but here is one of the bulls.  We were in the front row for this one so was real nice. 

Then the next week 12th - 18th - on Tuesday was one of the guild meetings and I had paperwork to get ready for the workshop project for that guild.  On Thursday I had the other guild meeting and I needed to get my workshop block done for display for a class I'm teaching on April 27th.  Here is my block. 

Then the rest of anytime  I had left this last week was spent cutting and prepping for the retreat.  As always I changed my mind several times on what I was going to take but here is what I ended up with.  
I cut each block out for this kit that I've had for many years and wanted to do.  
Frog Works - 

Unfortunately it took me way too long on this next one to get to the above one.  
I cut and brought this Dresden Quilt that I got from "Quilt Doodle Doodles"  I am not doing in the 30's fabric however my friend loves 30's so she is going to do now too.  

I had to do them different than the pattern stated.  After 5 attempts of doing it the way the pattern said, and ripping it out, I decided to adjust and do it however I could make it work.  I got all of the plates done, and 4 of the appliques fused.  I'll show them after I top stitch.
That was all I got done at the retreat - but I did notice I was more social this time and hey isn't that what getting together with your quilting friends is about too.  We had dinner with our husbands on Friday night and on Saturday we had a white elephant gift exchange.  With all the stealing of presents going back and forth it was a lot of fun.  I got a mini jelly roll.  Here are a bunch of my friends as I look to my right.  

The pool view was on my left, and my room was in the background.

Here is the view from my room looking down on the sewing room.  The window in the center top of picture.  The left side of that window is where I was sitting.  

 

So today the morning after the retreat - I am catching up on all that has been tucked aside, regrouping and making new lists of what I need to get done this week. 

Have a blessed day!

Lynn 

Four Days Gone

The title pretty well states how I'm feeling right now.   WOW.  I'm pretty certain that other people experience this but every now and then I have these time warps.  There are times when 4 days feel like forever and I have ump-teen projects done. Then there are other times where 4 days go by and I say WTH.  When did that happen.  So I will try and figure out where I have been the last few days.  LOL.
I came home from the retreat on Sunday afternoon and I have been tired since. But it's a good tired, I had a really good time. Since I've been home it's been slow going but what I've been working on is this. My Sweet Tweet project that I will be teaching at the CRQ guild. 
I stitched on this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between cooking and cleaning. 

Here it is laid out before I left for the retreat.  The branch will be needle turned.  The birds and the leaf pods are a different type of applique using interfacing - and the flowers and other leaves are wool applique. 

Here it is once I had the wool fused down and the branch done ready for the birds and the leaf pods to be sewn down. 

And here's where it is at, as of this morning.

All of the stitching is done, however I have some embellishments that I want to do. I need to add eyes to the birds and I want to add some beads to the flowers.

Thursday I ended up running errands all day.  We needed to get the dog licenses renewed,  and do some shopping.  Friday I helped sell tickets for CRQ guild then only got to go to the cottage to sew for a couple of hours before I needed to leave for my pedicure and nail appointment.  

Yesterday ended up being an extra day of sewing at the Cottage.  So I worked on my 3rd Bag Lady - Millicent - Cheryl.  

I worked on it off and on for 6-7 hours yesterday.  We do tend to visit and snack too.  :) 

Today, I am going to work on some little Bunny Bags I saw a tutorial on -  If they turn out I think they will be really cute for my Great Nieces, especially since Easter is coming. 
I also thought it would be cute to make an extra one and put chocolates in it for the retreat this month.  
I still have a lot of hand stitching I need to do this month, however I haven't had a lot of time to play with my new big machine so it will be fun to do some machine stitching.  
Tomorrow, I will be taking the car in to get it serviced and then Tuesday and Wednesday we are going to visit my Sister and Brother in law before they head back to Oregon.  I will of course be taking hand stitching for next few days - so today will be a nice break.
I'll post pictures later. 
Have a blessed day!
Lynn