My first button cluster & beaded ribbon

I attempted my first beaded ribbon. It turned out OK. I didn't have much space to work in but I wanted to give it a try anyway. I also made my first button cluster and I'm really pleased with it. I still need to add some fillers above the cluster, I just haven't figured out what yet. Click on any of the pictures for a closer look.

The last picture is a large clothes pin I painted Saturday. I know it's a little early for Halloween. I stuck a piece of paper in it so you could see that it can hold a picture, recipe, etc.... I still need to add black and purple glitter to it but I thought I would show it. I took a side view picture but my camera will not upload it to my computer. It does that to me sometimes and I can't figure out why. I just noticed the date is wrong too. I just took the pictures today.

I hope my next post is to say that this block is finally done. You probably will be too!

Special Addition

After having tatted a couple of pieces I thought I could use on my CQ block they all wound up in my pile of "what am I going to do with these" pile. Nothing I tatted seemed to work on this block for me. When TattingChic blogged about Tat Like An Egyptian I made a comment that the little pink heart she tatted would look perfect on my CQ block. She was kind enough to send me her little pink heart and I just love it! I would post a link to her blog but I don't know how but I'm sure if you google TattingChic you will be able to find her blog. She's very creative with her writing and a very talented lady. Thank you so much TattingChic for sharing with me! I think the little heart tatted in Egyptian thread looks great on my first CQ block.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Smidgen more Progress

I finally got a new camera cord since losing mine on my family trip to Kentucky. I've really been lazy since getting back but I thought I would post my little bit of progress.

I received some awesome "do-dad" packages from some of my favorite people. I've added some things from those gifts. I think if you click on the pic you can get a better view. You can almost see the little bird I tatted. He's kind of washed out in that area so I'm not sure he's a keeper. I keep tatting things for this block but nothing is working for me yet. I tatted a blue bird for a friend but for some reason it didn't upload. I'm "electronically challenged" so I'm not surprised. I'm going to add some more seam treatments but those are challenging for me. I admire all the beautiful embroidery and SRE work I've seen in blog land and wish I could duplicate some of them. I feel the upper left corner needs something else. Or, is it over done? Any suggestions?

Not much progress

I thought I would post what little bit of progress I've made so far on my CQ block. I don't have a lot of "doo-dads" to work with. The embellishment kit that we got at class only had pearl beads and a few strands of floss. But, luckily one of my fellow HGTV friends Joyce is sending me a package with some things to build my supply of "doo-dads". The one little flower that looks crocheted is actually something I pulled from my card making supplies. The rose colored beads I bought at the NQA show this past Saturday. Oh, the green trim came from my card making stuff also. The NQA show was awesome. I took about 40 pictures of the quilts but I don't know if I'm allowed to post the photos. I would love to show some of my favorites but I don't want to do anything wrong by posting them. If anyone knows whether I can or not, please let me know.

I also completed another oil painting but it's not framed yet. Once I get a frame I'll post a pic of it. I think they always look better once they're framed. The only thing I'm not happy with are my leaves on the trees. She taught a sponge technique which I felt didn't give me enough control. Lord knows, I like to be in control. My husband calls me the commander.

I'm also excited about getting to see my sisters and brother in the next couple of weeks. It's been a really long time since we've all been together at one time.

P.S. Don't forget this is my first CQ block so don't judge me to harshly.

What I've been doing

I had my first CQ class Saturday and I was hoping to have something to show. She had us practice embroidery stitches on scrap fabric so I don't have anything on my block as of yet. This is going to be a little more difficult than what I anticipated. All the decisions such as what stitch to use, color choices and what to do to each section is what I'm finding hard.

I did get a bird bath painted. He's painted on a clay pot and saucer. I hope he doesn't scare the birds but I thought he was cute as heck. I did get a couple of things tatted but I only have a pic of one of them. Excuse the threads, I haven't hidden them yet. I'll post the other things I tatted at a later time.

I have lost my mind...

and I'm naming names. First on the list is my sister Donna, next is my friend Marge who signed us up at the LQS for a CQ block. The block above is what came in the packet. We had five different fabrics to work with. I have one boo boo but my friend Kathy says anything you don't like put a button cluster on it so that's what I'm going to do. Oh yeah, Kathy is to blame also, and then there's sweet Lois. Lois is responsible for my love of oriental fabric because of the beautiful kimono quilt she showed me at the NH retreat. Kathy does beautiful CQ work and she shared some of her oriental bingo FQ's with me. Thank you Kathy!!! Oh well, what's a girl to do. I'll give it a try. If it turns out well I'll post a pic. If it turns out lousy I'll post a pic of my trash can!

I've been Tatting

I haven't posted for awhile, but I have been tatting.

The first pic is a cat I tatted for a special lady I met at the COF retreat in NH. Her name is Ely and she made me feel welcome even though I wasn't a quilter. She loves cats and recently lost one of hers. I hope she likes it.

The second pic is a dragon I'm going to attempt to put on a fabric post card. I don't think my sister is going to be happy until she gets me into working with fabric. I told her I would try making something small like the post cards. Now that I've tatted the dragon I'm at a loss as to what else to add to my post card. Any suggestions? I am painting on some fabric and if it turns out I will post a pic of that. I hope to finish that this weekend.

The third pic is a teapot. The color is a dark plum. I'm into tatting teapots right now since my sister got me Marth Ess new tatting book. I did tat one while at retreat but I gave it away before I got a pic. I guess I'll have to tat it again.