Flocks of Birds...

Bird stickers, actually. I ordered quantities of stickers of the cardinals and mama robin with nest that I designed for my two previous bird embroidery wall hangings. They arrived on Saturday, and I'm really happy with the quality of the finished products.

They're not very big. Each sticker measures 2" wide. They're perfect for attaching to the back of an envelope, or for adorning a sewing machine. They'd be great on a travel case for embroidery essentials, too!

Handsome will be home in mere days, and then I have a list of things I'm going to be doing. I may close my Etsy shop for a few days to update inventory...or I'll just update it on the fly while I keep it open. I haven't decided yet, but I will be adding sticker sets to my listings. Of course, once I complete the bluebirds, I'll order a set of stickers from that embroidery, too.

I'm also going to get stickers of my goldwork pieces...mockingbird, blue tit, koi fish, frog, the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart. I already have the Tag, Bella and Carly stickers, and will soon be working on stickers for Claudette, Crystal, the real Otis, the sweet woodchuck I rescued, and Roxanne Raccoon. who came back with her babies a couple springs ago. By the time I'm finished, there'll be a real collection!

First thing is to complete the bluebirds, though. I'll build the rest after that. For now, I'll separate the ones I aready have into categories and package them as sets. These (above) will probably be two to four of each in a set.

Still have a few things to do before Handsome gets home tomorrow, so I'm going to be busy right up until I leave to pick him up at the airport. I'm even getting Bella and Carly excited at the prospect of having him home again. We've all missed him! I'll close for now...

Red & White Challenge Quilt Show...

 Direct Link: https://youtu.be/cTTG-sUp2gE 

I know many of you were unable to attend the Primitive Gatherings Red & White Challenge Quilt Show. So, today I'm sharing a link to Lisa's YouTube video of the event. There were so many wonderful quilts - from many different states - that I thought you'd enjoy seeing all of them. 

The video lasts about twenty minutes, so make a cup of your favorite hot beverage (or cold if you're lucky enough to be in warm weather), put your feet up and enjoy!

The Cardinals Are Home Again...

 

While I was at Primitive Gatherings yesterday for Sewcial Sisters, I collected my Winter Song quilt to bring home. In the package along with my cardinals and First Place ribbon, were two surprises...prizes I earned for first place in my category.

I earned a fat eighths full assortment of Red and White Gatherings from Primitive Gatherings, along with a $300 gift card for the shop!! When I realized what I'd received, my first words to Kathy D and the ladies were "I'm gobsmacked!" When Lisa Bongean joined our group after her live YouTube video earlier in the afternoon, I thanked her for her generosity. I'll be sending out a thank you card today. 

I've made and competed more than a few quilts (and my quilted elephant) in the past. They've been shown from SW Florida to southern Wisconsin - and even at the World Quilt Show - and I've earned beautiful ribbons, but this is the first time I received prizes, too. Generous prizes. I'm so very grateful.

I'll be hanging my ribbon with the others, and Winter Song will join Song of Spring in my studio. Every time I glance at them, I'll remember that 2022 was a quilting year to remember. Thanks again, Lisa!

Looking For Cardinals...

Just a short post today. I'm going to Primitive Gatherings with my sister today to see the 

Red & White Quilt Show. I'm anxious to share pictures and news from the show with you tomorrow.

Stay Tuned!

Winter Song, Done and Delivered!...

I completed the last stitch to attach a hanging sleeve on Winter Song at 2 pm on Monday afternoon. I made sure it was clean, pressed and show ready - along with my entry forms - and packaged it for the trip to Larsen, WI and Primitive Gatherings. It will hang in their Red & White Quilt show for the months of November and December. I'll get it back in the new year.

When I took it into the shop, my quilt was visible through the cellophane envelope (which was serendipitously the perfect size for the quilt to lay flat). I handed it to the the clerk who immediately took it to some of the ladies who work in the shipping area of the shop. They asked me all kinds of questions about my techniques, and then "oooo'd and aaahhhhh'd", which of course, I lapped up like crazy. (Yes, ladies. That's the effect I was hoping for.) I smiled as I thanked them and then I went back to go home with my waiting husband. 

This is the label I printed from a photograph of my embroidery. It's on printable silk. I made a border from the same fabric as the backing and attached it to my quilt. Rules for entering in this show required my address on the label, which I've obscured above for obvious reasons. As much as I know information is available on the internet, I like to think I'm maintaining a modicum of privacy.

I know this show is going to be incredible, because I know a lot of talented and creative quilters who will be entering their pieces, too. I can't wait to make the trip back once the show is hung. If you're in Wisconsin, or willing to make the trip to a great quilt shop, it's going to be worth the travel. I'll share more about the show in an upcoming post. I'll also put a link into my sidebar in the next day or so.

I took this photo of both of my bird-themed quilts right before I packaged up Winter Song. They won't be together again for a couple of months, by I'm looking forward to hanging these - and eventually two more - once my red birds come back home.

Needless to say, yesterday was a day of rest. My next surgery is tomorrow, so I'll do a few tasks today and go to bed early. We have to be at the surgery center early in the morning, and on a good day it's an hour and a half away. I'll also right a couple of posts to carry me through recovery, and I'll be back in person soon after. Thanks again for prayers. I know they're heard and answered. 

Winter Song...

As I write this at midnight Sunday evening, I've completed everything except adding the binding, hanging sleeve and label for Winter Song. The binding will be the same fabric as the last outer border, so it won't change the appearance. 

I have over three hundred hours in this piece, and am very happy with how it finished. I'll finish it this morning, and then I can focus on things I need to accomplish before my next surgical procedure this week. For now, I'm going to sleep. When I wake up, I'll get this done and enjoy my finished wall hanging...after coffee, of course.

Not Quite...

I stitched until after 11 pm last night, but I wanted to show you my day's progress. Hope that excuses the dismal image above. My work lamp washed out much of the center on my Winter Song quilt. 

I completed the two lower corners and two cornerstones, plus I completed half the embroidery on the upper right corner sections. I'll finish that and the last two parts on the upper left today. I'll be quilting on Sunday, and hope to have a finished project to share with you on Monday. I'm going to get back to work now. 

Happy Weekend!

Embroidering The Corners...

Decisions were made and now the entire quilt top is assembled. Now, I'm transferring my stem and berry drawings to the four corners and small cornerstones. I began stitching late yesterday and quit before Grandson arrived.

I'll take up needle and threads again today, and finish the last of the needlework embellishing so I can make my quilt "sandwich". Then I can do my machine quilting to bring everything together. At this pace, it looks like I'll complete "Winter Song" on Saturday. I'll be back tomorrow with more progress to share as I work toward the finish line. See you later!

A Few More Decisions...

I've assembled the inner borders and half square triangles, so I'm well on my way to completing this wall quilt. Then I have a few more decisions to make.

Once I have the final outer borders on, I'm going to embroider small branch segments and berries in the corners of the main piece, and also in the music fabric squares in the triangle borders.

A - Red Outer Border    B - Berry and Red Borders

Now, I need to decide on the outer border(s). These are my two choices: A is on the left...a simple red outer border. B, on the right...a narrow berry border, with the red outer border. I'm leaning toward B. What do you think? I'm also going to go with a red binding, which would be the same as the outer border, and they'd overlap.

So, this is what I'll be doing today...adding the outer borders, and then embroidering the corners. I'm saving the quilting for Friday. I'd better get to it, so I can stay on schedule! Coffee and breakfast, and then off to the studio. See you tomorrow!

A Perfect Studio Day...

 

I woke up Monday morning to SNOW! Noooooooo! Autumn is my very favorite time of year, and it seems we only had about three weeks of it. Where can I lodge a complaint? 

I went outside to make sure my girls were toasty warm in the current porch digs (you wouldn't believe what I've had rigged for them since late summer), and they were. Even so, I fortified it a bit, as I'm on restricted duty right now. The special heat reflecting beds I ordered for them arrived just in time, so I augmented their sleeping arrangements for now. Although it blew out of the west all day and wasn't conducive to a full move to the Compass Barn, it's supposed to warm up later this week, and I'll get that accomplished them (with a little help).

At any rate, it was a perfect day to work in the studio. I spent the entire day making half-square triangles for my Winter Song project. I used triangle paper because these blocks are 1-1/2" square when they're finished. The papers help keep things aligned and consistent. But, once they're all sewn, I have to cut, trim and removed all the papers. Lots of little shnibbles at the end. lol

I'll be back in the studio today as I work toward completing my wall hanging. I'll share more photos soon.

In the meantime, could someone please get some meds for Mother Nature? I think she could use some about now. She needs to settle down and enjoy a little more autumn before she puts on her white dress!

Completed Cardinals...

I completed my cardinals on Saturday evening, but wanted to take photographs to share during daylight so you could see the actual colors. These are my finished pair, and I'm so happy with how they've turned out.

The branch turned out as I'd imagined, too. First, I stitched a daisy chain with all seven strands of floss to raise up the surface stitches. I added a knot and more branches along the branch than I'd originally drawn, and I'm very happy with the finished look.

I think I captured a lot of detail with the thread painting and stumpwork techniques I used. For reference, the total piece measures about 10" wide by 7" high. The female is about 5" tall and 3" wide. The male is about 3" tall and 7" wide. When I'm finished with the entire piece, it will measure about 24" square.

These are the fabrics I've chosen for the rest of my project, and I'll be working to complete the entire piece this week. Of course, you can count on me to share more photos as I work toward my goal.

I'm healing well, and will have the final surgery on October 27th. I'll have this piece well done by then. Thank you to all who prayed for me. I know your entreaties were heard, and my improvements are proof. I'm very grateful.

Tag will visit with you tomorrow while I cut and sew. Thanks, always, for stopping by to visit, and I always appreciate your notes to me. 

Grateful hugs from me you!

I’m Here…

I’m resting and recuperating from my recent surgery. I think this one is finally a success (she says, gratefully). 

I did have a little stitching time yesterday, and made progress on the branch. I’m hoping to finish it today. Should I put snow on the branch? I think I’ll have to play around with that idea. 

Thanks (again) for your prayers and good wishes. I’m quite certain every request was heard. 

Shadow Play...

I may end up unstitching this, but I'm not sure yet. I'll keep going to see if I'm happy with the results. You can see that I laid down two lines of chain stitch in the darker brown as a base for the branch. I did that for two reasons. One is that those stitches will cover all the fabric on the branch, and the other is that it raises the rest of the stitching up to give it contour.

I always enjoy looking at my needlework after I photograph it, because I notice things I may not have seen in the hoop. One interesting thing about this branch so far, is that I stitched the lightest color for the bottom half (or so) of the branch. Then I went back and did the grey color on the top of the branch. Finally, I added a light brownish in spots for a little depth. Looking at the photograph, it looks like I added a darker color on the bottom of the branch. That's just shadow caused by the contour. I love that it helps show that the stitching is raised.

I'm going to be out of commission today. By the time you read this, I'll likely be drooling in an operatory. I'm planning to stitch during my recuperation, but probably not today. Wish me luck - or if you say prayers, I'd appreciate that. I'm preposting for tomorrow, but I'll be back as soon as I can. xoxo

The Cardinals Are Finished...

She took another five hours or so, but Mrs. Cardinal is finally finished. Of course, I still have feet to do on both the male and female, that won't be done until I stitch the branches they're perched upon.

I'll begin work on the branches in the next day or so. I admit my hands are more than a little sore with the change to cooler weather, so I'm giving them a rest from stitching today.

I didn't get to those jalapeños yesterday, and I have squash and green peppers that need my attention. That may be on my agenda instead today. Or perhaps I'll just sit and read my new copy of Inspirations that arrived in yesterday's mail. Isn't it nice to have options?

Three Hours Later...

Three hours is a long time to sit over my needlework uninterrupted. I do stop from time to time to stretch and refocus, but soon after that I need to get up and walk around. Lunch was the best reason yesterday, so Handsome and I could share a meal together. I decided to stop stitching for the day after that.

I need to pull a few other colors to finish her tail today, but then all I'll have left will be the branch, birds' feet, and berries. 

After I stopped yesterday, I decided to pull a few ingredients from the pantry to make a warm, hearty chicken noodle soup for us. I used some of the pressure canned items, and I really love being able to shop the shelves right here at the farmhouse. Chicken breast, sweet corn, and potatoes from my first efforts in pressure canning were added to fresh carrots, onion, red cabbage (chopped), garlic, and egg noodles. I haven't canned our own broth yet, so I used store bought. In no time, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of delicious soup. Handsome asked that I make up some homemade biscuits, so after another twenty minutes or so, we sat down to a meal that (as my nan would say) "warmed the cockles of our hearts". Handsome gave this meal a big thumbs up.

As we started after-dinner cleanup, I told Handsome that rather than put the leftover soup into the fridge, I could also jar it up, pressure can it and have it on the shelf as a future heat-and-eat meal. We would have at least five, perhaps six, pints if I did that. It's still an option. If I decide to do that, I'll likely make up a batch of beef stew to go into the canner at the same time. Double the meals for the same time in the canner. Have I told you how much I'm loving my pressure canner? (Of course, I have!)

I'm going to stitch again today, but I have the last of my jalapeños to pick, so I'm probably going to make the Cowboy Candy some time this afternoon. Never let a great pepper go to waste!

Have a great Friday, my friends. I'm planning to get this little lady finished today, and then start working on the branch. I'll share the results of my day with you tomorrow.

So Few Hours In A Day…

This is what I’ve accomplished so far on my female cardinal. I actually giggle a little while I’m stitching because I know she’s going to have a little “pottabelly” when I’m finished with her. That just tickles me to no end. 

I have a list for tasks I’m trying to get to before my surgery next Tuesday. One was to get a few more canning projects done. Yes. I’m still playing with my pressure canner. I did beef and venison roasts today. The venison was a tasty gift. Now that it’s canned with onions, I can easily turn it into a meat pie, or a topping for a brown and wild rice side dish. Likewise, the beef was seasoned prior to processing, so it’s already infused with flavor. 

I have delicata squash and cowboy candy (sweet jalapeño peppers) yet to do, and then I’m finished for now (I think). I’m planning to stitch today and do the canning over the weekend. 

The weather has been warm and sunny the past few days.The air is crisp at night, so we know these days will soon give way to the inevitable winter. For now, I’m going to savor autumn…my very favorite season. The trees are changing color, hickory nuts litter the ground, and there’s no chill a warm sweater or wool blanket can’t take care of. It’s truly my favorite time of year. I’m going to grab my morning coffee and enjoy it on the porch. Then I’ll decide what’s next. See you tomorrow!

Good Riddance, Ian!...

I watched current Florida weather coverage on my iPad as I made bread yesterday. Seeing all the damage, loss, and water had me in tears most of the day. I know all these sw Florida cities that we so hard hit from the hurricane, and my heart ached for everyone in the path of this most devastating storm.

I know some of my quilting friends live in mobile home parks, and I can only imagine just how bad it was for them. I'm praying no one was hurt. I don't want to make phone calls when they all have so much to do now - whether it's for themselves or to help others, but I do wonder how each of my friends has come through this event.

I now know that there's flooding in our old neighborhood, but I don't know how well our previous home fared this time. I'm hoping to find out that the folks who purchased it from us are alright. I can't even imagine how the people who suffered losses are feeling right now. I'll continue to pray for everyone.

After I finished baking bread mid-afternoon, I turned my attention to my embroidery. I made some good headway, but didn't come close to finishing her yet. We'll see how much I can accomplish today.

Wednesday Needle Dancing...

Between taking care of my new feline charge, and running out for a much needed haircut, I didn't stitch as much as I'd originally planned. Even so, I did make a little more progress on this little lady. 

I think she's shaping up nicely, and I found that I don't need to stitch as furiously as originally thought. My actual deadline is closer to the end of October, but I'm going to try to complete this piece in the next week to ten days. My next surgery is October 12th, so I'd really like to have it completed by then.

I have bread baking on my agenda for today, but I'll be stitching during my proofing segments. I'd like. to finish her body today or tomorrow. Then, I'll be able to go into the weekend with the branch and other embellishments on my list.

I also have eight jalapeño plants with peppers ready to harvest. That means there's a Cowboy Candy canning session in the near future, too. Truthfully, there are days where I stand in the middle of my bedroom wondering just what I should do next. I think it's a joyfully frustrating dilemma, don't you? 

I'm blessed that I'm able to do all these things, so I'm not complaining in the least. I just have to set priorities, make lists, and then check off my tasks one at a time. I can say that I sleep like a log at the end of every day. 

I've made my usual start-the-day decision...breakfast and coffee, and then I'll be about my daily tasks. I hope you have something fun planned today.

Before I close, I'd like to take a minute to mention Florida, where many friends and music family members are facing this day without power, and perhaps homes that have been devastated by Hurricane Ian. The eye of the storm made landfall exactly where Hurricane Charlie landed in 2004. I was there with the dogs while Handsome was back here in Wisconsin. I well-remember how I felt experiencing my first of four hurricanes that year.

Charlie created havoc in Charlotte County that year. We lived in Sarasota County, near the county line shared with Charlotte County. Post-Charlie, homes had blue tarps covering damaged roofs for months or longer. We didn't go into Port Charlotte (only a few miles away) for six weeks, because we couldn't bear to see the hardships caused by the storm. 

People came together. Restaurants who'd lost power, cooked all their food on grills and handed it out free to people who'd lost everything. We were also without power for a time, pulling buckets of water from our pond to be able to flush toilets. Drinking bottled water and cooking the food that was in our freezer on our grill, just like the restaurants. Thankfully, we had privacy from all the undeveloped land around us, so when it continued raining, we could use that opportunity to shower outside.

Ian was worse. The eye of the hurricane was three times the size of Charlie, and was much slower, causing much more damage to the landscape. Worse (if it could be worse) is that - I repeat - it took a second shot at those areas which had only fully recovered from the last assault. Seeing the television coverage from our farm on high ground, I found myself close to tears.

Our prayers are with all of the people in harm's way. We contacted many prior to the storm, and we'll be in touch with them again to see if there's anything we can do to help. There in for hard days ahead. Please pray for them.

Fingers Crossed…

 

Here’s hoping the afternoon service call gets us back on internet. Posting updates from my cell phone is more than inconvenient. I also apologize for not responding to your comments, and I promise I’ll catch up and respond soon. 

I’m continuing to work on my cardinals, having added padding to the female’s tummy to give her more dimension. All the wool will be covered with stitching, so she’ll be nicely rounded when all is said and done.

I’m not quite as far along as I’d hoped to be at this point. Handsome has been under the weather, and took a trip to the ER on Friday for diagnosis and supportive care. He was away from home two nights, but he’s back at the farmhouse where I can give him lots of TLC. 

I’m hoping things will be back to normal this week. Let’s see. Here’s my wish list: 1) Internet back up, 2) Handsome back to 100%, 3) Make significant progress on my cardinals, and  4) Get my quilt entry in to Primitive Gatherings before the weekend. I think that’s all achievable. 

Tag will be back tomorrow. I’ll be back Wednesday, planning to show you a completed female cardinal! Off to get breakfast and that morning cuppa java now. Toodles!

Donna

Still Stitching…

 

I’m still without internet, so I’m again posting from my phone. Not ideal, if you ask me. 

I started work on the female cardinal this week.

I stitched and removed threads twice before I found a combination I really loved. Once that was established, I removed the previous stitching and went to work. 

I’ll be stitching again today. I hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

Donna ❤️