The Latest on the Cardinal

Here is the latest on the cardinal. I've now completed the left side of the pattern, very exciting! I'm very pleased with how he's coming along. Usually I stay seasonal, so I would have typically put him away by now but not so much with this project.

Enjoy,
Michele

Sunday, Sundae

Here is an update on my WIP. I figure if I'm accountable to the blogging world I'll finish it in a timely manner.

My next recipe. I made a Shrimp Corn Chowder I saw on another blog I follow. The Sampler Girl posted this and I thought it looked wonderful. It was!!!! Too bad I'm the only one who eats it (not really).

I haven't posted a cat picture for a while. Here's my sweet girl, Haley, trying to hide behind a quilt no less.

Enjoy,

Michele

Catching Up

Over the holidays I needed portable projects so I finished several Christmas ornaments. Sorry I'm not going to rearrange them. We start with Six Geese A-Laying.

Five Golden Rings...

Four Colly Birds...

Three French Hens

Two Turle Doves...

And a Partridege in a Pear Tree. These are from Cricket Collection. The plan is to finish the remaining six before next Christmas.

This is Birdhouse Mitten, also from Cricket.


Michele

Spooky Fence

I am definitely in the spirit right now. I've had this Raise the Roof chart for a couple of years and finally felt the need to make it. It is made with Weeks Dye Works thread and Just Another Button Company buttons. I'm seeing it as part of a quilted wall hanging but now I really need to finish my stuff for the quilt show.

Michele

In the Spirit

Two Christmases ago we had a real tree. We had decided that when Lowe's put their trees on sale after the holiday we were going to get an artificial. Well, we went to Indiana for the holidays that year and when we came home we found baby praying mantis' all over the living room, so that solidified the artificial tree purchase. Last year, we put it up where we normally put the tree and it was too big. It was like the scene out of Christmas Vacation, "Really full, a little sap." Anyway, I thought it could use some more ornaments and after hitting a speed bump with the blue stump doll I mentioned a few posts ago, I've been trying to make some cross stitched ornaments. These are two I've finished. There are two more whose designs are done and need to be sewn to background fabric, and I'm working on another.



They both come from Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazines of different years. I also got together with some girlfriends to knit a purse that will be felted. I will have the bottom finished for Saturday so DeLane can help me with the next step. If I get on a roll I can finish it next week. This has helped keep me focused on the holiday while dealing with Jason's job situation. They have laid off all but 36 people. We are waiting to hear if there will be a merger or they will close.

Michele

Hodge Podge

This is for my Studio Journals class. It is a complimentary color study. I wanted the blue circles to show up better and I wasn't really satisfied with my watercolors earlier in the week, so I got out my watercolor crayons which gave a much richer effect. I would like to try the crayons with the salt technique and another where you use cling wrap for a different effect. I didn't do the fabric/fiber additions because, well, today is Friday and the next lesson is out, so I'll save it for later. That is the great thing about this class. All of her exercises can be used over and over to spark creativity.

Sharon also wanted us to explore the color wheel. One of the ladies shared a photo of a thread wrapped wheel which intrigued me and another showed a sample of one she had stitched years ago from a free pattern, which unfortunately was no longer available. Well, I searched for a stitched color chart and found one for purchase but it won't be finished for the class. Anyway, I was struggling with using the correct colors. I know this sounds silly but if they aren't labeled how do you know. (The ladies from my class know what I'm talking about.) So, I was coloring with Natalie and have some older Crayola's with the right names on them. I figured this was the only way I would be happy. I think it's pretty.

Now for some piffle. This is my latest finish. Sometimes when I can't focus or am stuck on a project I find a small cross-stitch in my stash and I usually finish it within a couple of days. Sometimes I feel better and sometimes, like this time, I find another little one to start. I should just post it here and ask for help but I guess I haven't reached that point yet.

So, it is July in North Carolina and what does Natalie want to wear with her customary dress...tights. Winter tights. We went to the grocery store like this today.

Here she is sitting at the table with me while I worked in my journal and what she was working on. She was also into her watercolors today. It seems only Crayola offers her the vibrance she desires. Anyway, she started to paint her hand and I had her make a handprint to put in my journal. One of the ladies in my class is staying with her daughter and grandchildren, and someone suggested she do this. I thought it was a great idea and as soon as I saw the paint on her hand I knew I had my opportunity. I should put her piece of art in my journal, too.

Michele