Gardening continues and...

Chores outside are continuing and I haven't finish any new needle-y projects though they are progressing.  So thought I'd share my recent (in the past 9 months that is, development of Watercolor painting. 

Through our local Senior Citizen's Center I signed up for an acrylic painting class a couple of years ago and enjoyed it weekly for six weeks.   But with the husband's declining health I wouldn't/couldn't dedicate any more time to pursue it as priorities shifted.  Last fall though  I decided, enough was enough, to made time to sign up for another 6 week class on watercolor though I'd be missing one class that interfered with his monthly Boston heart transplant follow up Visit.   All continues to be well, Thank the Lord!  I know we have many blessings and am grateful.   Anyways, I signed up for that 6 session class but this time it was with watercolors.  I love it! 
Though I'll not share my class etchings which showed progress  I'll share these latest ones done from Feb to May 2020.  I try to paint on Sundays schedule permitting. 

I paint on watercolor paper "cards" as my base.  My plan is to print out a set of any preferred art or just mail it off to a loved one with correspondence s needed.   

All of them scattered on the dining room table.
 A couple were of fields of spring flowers as I remembered and hoped for,
it seemed like a truly longer winter this year especially with the "Corona cations" and
fear going on with the isolation. 
My next attempt may try to mix the script liner, watercolor, pencils and ink to see where that leads me. 
These are probably etchings #10-19. 

I'll sign off with my latest playing art session. 

TTFN,

Jane

Some day, I'd love to try something reminding me of a local fire tower ..  maybe a long while off...someday.

Drum roll - for my needle roll - "NEEDLE FLIES"

Tickled Lime! 

Finished the needle roll last night!  I started it last year while in Florida and initially changed the ribbon strip to a different Sue Spargo one to "make it my own" and happily stitched along quite quickly until...  Yep, me.

Not totally sure of my finishing style and the colors.   Didn't care for the color that Sue Spargo company had kitted for the binding and the color of the elastic band for closing.   So while in the South this year with my Mom and my perfect mister, we went to Quilted Twins in Dade City, FL.  I found the perfect binding IMHO and luckily for honey we didn't stay shopping too long as he passed his time with another husband left on the porch.   lol
referencing a phrase in a book I recently finished mentioning a DOP  (dog on porch).

I actually had my list of things I was hoping to get so I could finish some UFOs and am proud that I kept to that list yet allowing my self only one wild card purchase if there was something so drool worthy I'd regret leaving it behind.

The Whole interior  (forgive the side wards orientation but it fit best this  way).

Some better detailed photos I'm flooding you with:

Left inside of roll

Center section show casing my first bullion wraps, bee and woven circle

right side interior - just noticed that the burgundy circle just to the top left of the sashiko label looks a bit like
the Corona virus with all those spikes off it!

For my own records I'm including the list of Threads used for the embellishments.

All Sue Spargo threads and of course used wool thread to attach my circles on with first with a simple whip stitch.  Then used EZ21 Let's Pink, EZ25 Signature Wine,  EZ31 Call-a-Truese as well as 

EZM08 Solar Yellow, EZM11 Fresh Cut Grass, EZM20 Riptide, EZM32 Saltwater Taffy, EZM33 Rock Royalty, EZM47 Conga Lime, EZM48 Bossy Boots, EZM50 Gossip Girl, EZM54 Torch Lily, EZM89 Eagle Drum, EZM93 Marsh Grass with some recommmended stitches and then did my own as my imagination and abilities persisted.

Batik found at Quilted Twins, indigo elastic cord from Sue Spargo that I recently received  and a button from Joanns fabrics.  

I'm on a roll!  

J

Butterfly pins displayed towards the left are to mark conveniently which needle I'm using.  Anyhow, that's my plan.
I painted my flat butterfly pins with nail polish to have a colorful kaleidoscope. 
We'll see how this idea of mine works out, fingers crossed here.....

a finish and planting

Did get this lil' thing done. 

Strip quilted a Moda grab bag featuring Rue 1800 designed by 3 Sisters purchased through Green fairy Quilts with a stash batik from my stash for the background and binding. 
Quilting was 1/4" echo stitched on the colored bands of the varying widths.  The  back side has a similar but different table runner so it's reversible.

Am always amazed that it seems to take me forever with life's interruptions and other fires presented throughout my day for me to finish my projects.  Now am finally realizing that it's me but with a state of grace and I do persevere and get some finished!  8~ /

Youngest grandson called me from his I pad.  He's getting quite shaggy and those aren't wings in his hairdo but the ceiling fan in his bedroom.  

 While visiting with him , I yelled DUCK!  He asked why - so mentioned the airplane coming down the runway toward his head.  He turned his perspective to see it and chuckled.  Of course couldn't quite capture that on film.  drats!   He admitted he was bored, and I mentioned it was too bad the social distancing was still going on, that my bathroom needed cleaning.  That's how I raised my children and grandchildren, if bored there is always a chore or two that needs attention.  Thank God they were never truly bored. hee hee   I don't mind him calling me because he's bored either.  we had a nice chat and then his sister who's 14 going on 18 now I'm sure, called me twice that afternoon too. 
Gotta love those offspring.  The eldest grand son who's 26 called too to say he missed us too.  And I know he likes it when we visit but we'll take him out for a meal if we're not hiking and I bring a picnic.  His choice of peanut butter and pickle sandwiches are easy to fix but the several hours to travel I could do without.  He's doing well but is lonely being alone. 

A peek/hint at my next project focus:

We've been gardening when the weather allows as we know when Spring is Truly here, ,it rolls in quickly. 
Stay well.

J

Happy Mother's Day

Our daughter and her family dropped by cautiously since she's an essential worker at the local hospital and has been working crazy extended hours to gift me with a local bakery special of Apple Caramel Pie.

Happy Mother's Day!  

Daffodils are dancing in the snow driven winds, thankfully the white crap doesn't stay long but those arctic temps are really getting to me!  Hovering near 32 F  and then consider the winds factored in  it's below zero.  Enough Already!!!

Recently we did get the colder crops planted in the garden.   Peas, Spinach, beets all done.   Will share what DH made to ease some of my garden chores.   Hopefully, it'll work great and be productive.

Off to finish a long awaited sofa table runner.  Love it so far and will share the finish soon.