Sliding my...

OMG to be my Feb-Mar OMG!  Fingers crossed with that timeline too!

Okay, since I did so well with a few of my goals in the past 3 months I listed four projects that I wnt to be done with this month.  I just realized last night (I know, slow learner here!) that I won't be able to get them done as I'm heading to Florida for two plus weeks to visit with my Mom and sister who lives an hour or so away her.  Am bringing some of my Buttermilk Basin Homestead Hearth blocks to work on while I'm with her. 

The only project that proceeded along was quilting with my domestic on the community quilt for one of my guilds.  I "pulled the trigger" and finally decided how to quilt it and I'm loving it so far. 







TTFN, Off to pack my bags. 

See you next month. 

Jane

Slow Sunday Stitching -first link up 2019

I enjoy slow stitching and figured I'd link up with Kathy for this event.
With the recent scissor fob finish I'll be starting this project next:

It's all pulled ready to get started.  I may switch into a redder red tones for that house yet.

February 2019 OMG's proposed

Notice the OMG (S!) in the title?  Am hoping to accomplish several again this month.  They are:

This Community quilt quilted  and bound for my guild WFQG-

This PIG - A Prima Diva wallet that was all cut out at the Oct. 2018 retreat in A-bay-

This WIP - Bird song pillow that was started years ago with a Joan Ford class-

Get the January Applique parts caught up for my "Skitch A Day" .   It's a SAD (Skitch a Day) with Susan Claire of the Gourmet Quilter-

Plus there are a few other bits I'd like to get too 

but won't list them here as it would put me on overwhelm..., 

I'll just surprise you and me too as I go along this month.

3 for 3 with January's 2019 OMG

Just finished the beaded edging on this scissor fob, another pledged OMG that can be checked off!
Not to brag but I'm on a roll with getting three for three done this month. 

I am happy.

Hanging off one of the handles in my working basket for now.  Will have to locate an appropriate pair of scissors for this Shepherd's Bush "Glad Tidings" scissor Fob.  Started this after Christmas and finished in the nick of time for OMG 1/2019.  Stitched with 1 over two with all the called for threads that were kitted.  No substitutions.

Will have to figure out which UFOs I want to process for February.

Valentine's Wallhanging for January's OMG - a second one!

This simple panel wall hanging was sewn in 2016 and then... it sat.


Finally cleaning off my  sewing table and putting things away I ran across this older WIP  and since I now have room to work on it, it became my OMG (One Monthly Goal) to finish up for my January 2019!
Deciding to let the print motif create the quilting designs and then filling in backgrounds with simple meander stitching. 
First quilted perimeter

• Second did a circle design on the vase as if it was a hobnail vase.
• The flowers needed some detail quilting to show petals in a soft outline
• Hearts were edge stitched and then a soft scallop sewn around them imitating a lace edging
• The brown first border was edge stitched on both sides..
• Then the red border.....,   I was stumped.... and then I saw a panto graph that eluded to a heart sew by two rotations around with echoing, so I did my rendition of it.  One side the hearts are upside down. : /

 I'll show the back side illustrating the quilting details:

I LOVE IT and love that it's quilted!  Next the label, binding and hanging sleeve.....

Split hanging sleeve to accommodate two different modalities of display.

Just in time!

Is it perfect, heck no,

but Done is better than perfect and it will hang in the kitchen for February.

TTFN

Jane

OWL pincushion done

One of my monthly goals is finished and the other two are coming along fabulously.

Threads used are pictured in the background and besides the "needle-holding flags on the front right,
did my version of a chicken scratch stitch to attach to the pincushion base.  

I placed a couple layers of wool hanging off the front edge as a place to hold my sewing needle when not in use.  It's edged with fray check so hopefully it'll stand up  to the wear and tear.  If not I can always cut it off as if it was never there.
Time will tell.

I also did my version of a  "chicken hen scratch" stitching to attach that black wool to the cotton print background.   I felt that with this piece an organic look would complement it best.  Stitched wonky Xs , /, \  and even l's both long and short.  Actually, the stitching was done at UNO's while sipping a martini and having lunch waiting for the Christmastide service to begin in between a couple of hockey games.

It was a very busy Sunday.
Shhhhh, I'll never admit I went to church after having a martini.  My first time,  BTW but  I felt so guilty in a very pleasant state!


TTFN
Jane

January 2019 OMG or should I say TMG {Three Monthly Goal} project(s)

Feeling blessed and getting better organized so I hope to finish three of my WIPs this month.

1- Glad Tidings Scissor Fob, a counted cross stitch designed by Shepherd's Bush

2- Owl Wool appliqued Pin cushion designed by Buttermilk Basin in their Half Pints Line.

3- Valentine Wall hanging I made a couple of years ago, I think the center panel is a Sandy Gervais design but I am not sure. and I did get the borders on already.  I did get it layered and now the rest needs doing.  Next step is the quilting then the finishing.






I'm linking this post in with Patty at Elm Street Quilts .  It's a great incentive to focus on one, but being small figured I'd shoot for 3 this month.












Off to cut some Bali' Poppies and yardage needed for my 2019 Skitch it designed by Susan Claire's sketching & stitching block a day for the year and you get to play with some inktense coloring too.  What fun, I hope!

TTFN,

Jane

December coming to a close- 2018

Me after celebrations of the cooking, wrapping, card sending, visiting and attending:

Wishing you and yours plenty for the coming year.

Plenty of love, family, time, projects, rest, health, finances, food, creativity, BALANCE (my word for 2019).

Happy New Year!

December 2018

December was smooth and it was nice to observe some "family time" and the traditions of the holiday, "couple time" and some "me time" as well.

Near the first of the month, my youngest grandson turned 10, (my favorite number btw!).
He and a friend who was too quick for me to catch on film were having fun popping the balloons by sitting on them.

Robbi won in this endeavor.  They are great friends.  They play Fort Nite on the X-box, Hockey, are in the same grade though not the same class this year at school and have been friends for years.







Then we were back in Boston for another heart biopsy, clinic check, echo, and blood work.

While there, we were able to see "How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Wang Theatre, it was a fantastic show.  The props, music and story line so closely followed  the Suessical book and DH tolerated it well as he'll go to honor my enjoyment of these shows.

The following two pictures are some of the architectural details within the Wang theatre.

We had a nice dinner before going back to our hotel room at the Park Plaza with an enjoyable stroll along the street.

I actually was humming the "Silver Bells," Christmas Carol while strolling and just a hint of snow was falling.

It was Beautiful yet so.o.o.oo Cold.

Our stay at the Park Plaza was very nice and comfortable besides it was conveniently located.
They happened to have an in-scale  gingerbread House of the Plaza as part of their decor in the lobby.  You could walk around the whole gingerbread table for a full view of the establishment and the accessories finishing the scene were perfect and quite nice.
It was massive and Gorgeous!

Shortly after that, my Mother sent a package for her Great Grand son #3, my  PGS#3.
It wasn't for any special occasion like Christmas or Birthday it was just because she loves him and she wanted to make this quilt.  She made a label hinting at him flying to the planets in the future and when I saw it, thought they were flying pucks, so I'm calling it "triple play" not quite a hat trick yet, lol. 

He showed me his favorite block and then started dodging away from the camera.

While spending the night, we played games as is our usual but we spent time reminiscing by looking through my blog books of years gone by.

He loved hearing stories about what happened and the roles he played within those stories.
I let him know that I couldn't produce those stories and pictures if he kept hiding from my camera.
He graciously  thankfully stayed put and I as able to take the shots.  (Not sure how long this will last!)

This pic he reminds me of Mcauley Culkin when he did the Home Alone series,
another holiday tradition we l;ike to watch and make time for. 

Then Christmas came with all the usual flurry of the season.

Christmas concerts, church services, family gatherings all contributed to make it a wonderful Holiday season.

PGD#! plays trombone for the Christmas concert, she's the second one in.

PGS#3, is in the grey sweater for his class song presentation.








I found and made some time to sit by the fire and stitch while listening to Christmas music.  Heaven!  Started a new Cross stitch project after the holiday just befor eNew Years.













As for finished projects, there were a couple of successes in that domain-


The long time WIP of St. Patrick's Day a Patch-a-bilities design took me
F-O-R-E-V-E-R!

The rainbow I embroidered the old fashioned way, then started to play with shiva paint sticks for those coins and then Mod Podge for the white petals on the daisies so the background fabrics wouldn't' show through as I learned from Lara's book, Crafted Applique.

Then to make the daisy centers stand out better I did colonial knots, not a gazillion but probably around 35 or so until it was enough.  The next step I puttered around to make the gold piping which I used a roll of lace sold by Sue Spargo wrapped around the cording to "finish" it. 
Am so happy with the final results.







Another project that I started and actually finished in December was the needlepoint called "Liberty Stars" designed by Nancy's needles.
I  find the rhythm of the needle even in needlepoint is so enjoyable and with this design found it easy enough to do anywhere.  When company stops by I can pull a length of thread/yarn  as the pattern became quite evident to me.  With this one,  I'll wait to frame for a couple of months, perhaps get it framed later in the Spring.
Notice the Christmas themed reading glasses.



It was a very eventful year and I'm glad to see it behind me.
Things can only be up from now on.

More finishes and back from the Framers

November seemed successful to me.

Finished my tessellated heart which has been a WIP for way too long, I continuously wonder why I do that to myself!  A top is almost finished and then it sits there, aka: percolates as I wonder how I'll finish it.  With this I decided to just meander it while I did my asthma treatments in the sewing room.  Surprisingly, it didn't take long. Then I did the next step....and then the next.

While making the piping I inadvertently sewed one strip of grunge red fabric right side out and then the other needed strip was sewn with the wrong side out.  Calling it a happy accident because I ripped out the correctly sewn one and did 2 wrong so I could get the look I was looking for.  Click oon the picture to get a closer look of the piping.  It's barely visible here.

Finished with label.  Hand sewn while in Boston waiting for another last minute biopsy needed 2 days before Thanksgiving.

Another wool finish is a class I took while at my quilt retreat last month.  It's totally finished and just in time to put away.    My son and husband think it looks more like a  llama than a deer but what do those hunters know anyway!?  LOL

She's setting around here at this step.

The Secret Santa SAL a Mystery QAL sponsored through Temecula Quilt Company, I truly love small detailed items.  Finished step one in a  relative timely manner  but then was derailed as we had an unexpected trip to Boston for another biopsy needed to double check a couple of elevated numbers.

Even then, Tufts is great to work with.  The  phone call came on Monday morning, the 19th and being just before our Thanksgiving, I quickly asked, "how about tomorrow for the needed heart biopsy" as I didn't need to worry wonder and knew DH didn't need the added stress either.  Luckily they had an opening and we left within the hour to get to Boston.  That's finishing laundry, booking a hotel, vacuuming the floors - uh-humm... okay pushing roomba's button then packing.  Oh and calling his chiropractor to change his appointment as we had to leave immediately.  Luckily there too, they cancelled his appointment that was suppose to be in half an hour and said whenever we got there, they'd work him him immediately.

Would you believe the chiropractor even tried to find last minute lodging for us too?  He is such a great person!  DH told him I already procured lodging and I was returning the cans at the redemption center and currently at the bank for $$ while he was there.  Sometimes things just fall into perspective with many blessings and a little luck.
While waiting on Biopsy day, my daughter  sent me a text and said she'd bring 2 pies and supply quite a few of the side dishes to help out for our dinner.  Sounded great to my ears!  (And they were delicious too. )

Since her Birthday was on the Holiday we celebrated with those pies, cake, Austrian tea cake and ice cream after a full Thanksgiving feast.  Played games, vegged in front of the TV and just hung out.

Thankfully we rec'd word the night before Thanksgiving his Biopsy was ZERO!   Yeah!!
Much to be grateful for.

Also back from the Framers was this:


I absolutely love the finish Michael's store offered locally.  
The mat, frame and workmanship was perfect for what I had visualized.


Nancy's Needle "Autumn Medley" in the called for threads and canvas.  The only personal-ization I did was in the diamond  squares, (the smallest squares showing in the top and bottom rows).  

love, Love LOVE  it!   smiles and giggling!

TTFN,
Jane

That is #3  Totally finished UFOs and a new kitted  project in November!   Yippee!