Beautiful Friday

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
Yesterday it was so stimulating to get together with the girls.  Linda had made some really gorgeous stitched picture things with cigar silks.  I get so many ideas when we get together.  Also very yummy apple crisp with ice cream and coffee!
I started quilting on my grandmother's flower garden late yesterday afternoon.  I had earlier done a little outlining of the straighter areas to get started. As it happened, I decided to just fill it all in with meandering.  This is my default choice, when I can't think of what else to do.  Rather, I can think of other ways to do it, but then I quickly evaluate whether I would be willing to put in the required time.  So, I would love to have the hexagons all outlined by hand-stitching, but I know right away that it would take me years to do that, and by the end i would be just pulling my hair out (okay, not literally, since I like having hair).  Then, I repeat my mantra, "Finished is better than perfect". 

one thing I took for show and tell to our coffee get-together was the clock I made at the workshop last weekend, made out of cardboard, paint, and embellishments.  I was excited to do this project, because it was similar to another clock I have, which I got in Kalamazoo a few years ago:

There were some amazing clocks made at the workshop, and one of the other participants figured out the accordian pleated shutters, so I hope she doesn't mind my using them as well!  The basic design for the clock is by Charlotte Lyons, and there is a possibility that she might sell kits to make such a clock from her etsy shop, i think,  She has also written a couple of great descriptions of the workshop, which you can find at her blog: house wren studio.

 The bird motif is everywhere, it seems, and these are some cute owls on this flannel:

 But right now, I am loving wool!

Thursday Java Girls

Enjoying my first cup of coffee of the day-- no-one makes it as good as Richard. 
In a few minutes I'll be leaving to go to my coffee/sewing group, and the sun is shining, what could be better????
nothing.

Last night I continued making little birds, but just the bodies, as embellishing them was too much for me at the time.  Actually, I was also exploring how to alter the body type by cutting the pieces in different ways.  I think that I am most happy sewing them by hand out of wool, with perle cotton thread.  I've been stuffing them with little pieces of batting, since I don't have any "stuffing" on hand.

this is me at my desk, in the sun, taken by the web cam, to prove we have sun.  Also, I bought my first pair of "reading" glasses. 
Have a great day!

Messy Desk

Okay, my desk is chaos.  I was so eager to make more fabric birds when I got home from the workshop in St. Louis, that I started to make them immediately.  Then, I had to finish off my cuckoo clock from another class, so I pulled out more stuff.  Then, today I brought home various sorts of paperwork from the store, and started an order on the laptop, which happens to be on my hand-work desk as well.  That's the explanation for all the clutter.

 I must say that it is fun to make birds.  I don't know why, it just is..  what i'll do with them, I'm not too sure of that either.  Soon I will have birds all over the house. 

 The only drawback to today was that the cold, rainy weather continues.  However, it is better than yesterday morning when it was SNOWing!!! I tried to look for the beauty in the snow, and noticed the different colors of the emerging leaves of the maple and plum trees in the back yard. I'm not sure if you can see that in the photo, I took it through the window, as there was no way I was going out in the snow.    

Oh, I noticed that the community Garage sale for Asquith is to occur this Saturday.  If you are in town, why not drop by and say hello!

Last Day in St. Louis, the second part

Well, after the amazing tour of Mary Engelbreit's studio-office, we were kept busy doing a few other St.Louis activities. 
One thing I am impressed by here is the quality of the restaurants!! (Last night we had an amazing!!! meal at a French/Italian restaurant named Atlas.  It was memorable. )  But I digress, this is about today!  So for lunch we went to another Italian place for salads--- Caprese for Richard, and a Tuna/Canneloni ? bean salad for me, with a couple of yummy basil/tomato/mozza brushetta--- yummy!
We walked around a bit, over to the Old Basilica Cathedral of St. Louis,  what a stunning place for the people of St. Louis to gather.  It is filled to the brim with exquisite mosaic work which took 56 years to complete.  It is among the most beautiful churches i have ever had the privilege to visit. They were inspired to create this church in the style of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. 

We then made a visit to the Botanical Gardens.  Being a bit tired, and not having too much of the afternoon left to us, we took the tram through the extensive gardens.  Wow, what a lot to see.  It was nice to just soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the gardens.  There were a lot of families there, people of all ages.  Again, what a resource for the people of St. Louis. 
 A gentle fountain...

A little sprite running through the trees...

A little bird who hasn't yet learned how to fly:

Can't you just smell those roses, they are so perfect  

In the main building was a display of botanical artwork, utilizing photo transfer onto a heavy white muslin or canvas like fabric, enhanced by blocks of the image being repeated in a quilted area.

I love the colors of the orchids in the gift shop, wish I could fly some home with me.. m

Last Day in St. Louis--morning

I still have to tell about days 2 and 3 in st.Louis, but today, Sunday, was pretty good too.  The workshops ended yesterday, but there was a treat in store for today.
Guess what it was?

  One of the activities included in the workshop was a tour of Mary Engelbreit's studio-office!
I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly enjoyed it!  I am impressed by the generous spirit she shows, not only did she open up her space for us tourists and fans to be inspired by, but also, through her assistant and guide, invited us to take photos for us to remember and pore over later.  They even suggested sitting in her chair at her drawing table for a photo-op!  

 A small part of her colored pencils.
And as you might expect, the rooms are full of colorful and appealing items.

 and of course there are prints of her artwork beautifully displayed...

The prints on this wall were all artwork used on the covers of the magazine she master-minded for 11 years, the Home Companion.  Stunning.

and delightful.  A huge thank you to you, Mary Engelbreit!!