Creative pursuits...watercolor, quilting, needle felting and the latest on the bulbs!

The Amaryllis bulb which finally started to grow last month (see photo) is becoming fabulous!

 

 

What a beauty!

           *********************

Here are some recent watercolors!

 

This one is still emerging....

 .

The first one is sold, the one in process will be coming up for sale.

        ******************************************

Here are some quilts made from scraps......for charities which our quilt guild supports.

 

 

 

                        **********************************

Finally, some photos from a needlefelting workshop with Dani Ives..(google her and look at her gallery of pet portraits!)

 

The baskets of wool fibers (roving) dyed in many colors...

 

I do a little English robin (because I find them charming).

 

My friend, Liz works on a bee!

 

My little charmer in an 8 inch hoop/frame!

The Mystery quilt ...by Bonnie Hunter

In November, I joined in to do the mystery quilt, " On Ringo Lake" by Bonnie Hunter!

Lots of small pieces, lots of fun and some changes along the way!

 

Once I saw what her finished quilt looked like, I decided to use more aqua in mine and eliminate the diamond pieced coral lattice which she had done.

This meant that I had 200 pieced diamonds to use somewhere else....

I ended up making a "throw" size quilt which my daughter claimed! 

Here it is as a top....show and tell at Loose Threads....

 

Then the top was quilted....

 

And is on it's way to my daughter in Georgia!

At the same show and tell, I showed my finished mystery quilt top....now more calm with the blue lattice! It has 50 blocks set "on point"!

 

It is at the quilters and will come back to me eventually! 

It is a gift for a friend!!!!

A New creative year! 2018!

We are almost thru the first month of 2018.

Our day today was sunny and wonderful, high in the 60ms.

Just like last Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 when the weather gave us a beautiful day for the local women's March to the Polls!!! Getting ready for mid-term elections this year!

 

 

  

My friend, Kathy made hats for us! 

Some of the posters were great!

 

 

Marchers of all ages, we must teach our children our values!

 

We couldn't hear all the speeches but it was great to be there and feel the goodness!!!

I have a project...I am happy!

I found this small chest of drawers at Goodwill in Georgia and have brought it home.

I didn't get a photo of it with the drawers....but after chalk painting and finding pretty knobs...different ones for each drawer...it has a new life!

I am also painting to be ready for another outdoor art event, Art in the Park!

September 17th at Dave Peel Park in Bentonville. 8:00-3:00.

Also working on 5x5 small paintings for Art Center of the Ozarks.

 

 

******+********+*********+**********+

One thing I found this summer that I love is coconut shrimp from Mojito's Grill!

 

It is the dipping sauce which is amazing! Coconut milk, coconut, mango and cilantro!

I make this at home too, sometimes. I bake the coconut shrimp on a rack in the oven! [ My last blog post showed my "girls" enjoying the shrimp from the oven!]

*******************

This past Saturday I went to a quilt workshop. It was about diagonal design in quilts. I started a fun scrappy, strip pieced quilt.

My friend, Paula Mariedaughter was our teacher. Her quilts are exquisite, and she is a good and patient teacher!

Lori had this beautiful antique machine which I enjoyed seeing! A New Home. The company is now called Janome!

This was a wall hanging one student was working on! Bright batiks!

Another friend worked on this split 9 patch block. Fun, lots of small pieces!

I chose something fast and scrappy....it will take about 5 or 6 of these chains, sewn together with contrasting strips,to make a quilt top....

 

Since Paula's birthday was the following day, I made some carrot cake cupcakes! Carrot cake is Paula's favorite! The recipe was published just this week by Susan Branch on her FB page...

http://www.susanbranch.com/carrot-cupcakes/ ( this may not be a live link...but the recipe is below)

Here are a couple of the ones I baked....

Here is one of Susan's beautiful handwritten recipes...for Carrot layer cake...which is exactly the one I made but baked in cupcakes! [ and I added chopped crystallized candied ginger! To her recipe]

 

The latest current project is rearranging and decluttering my sewing space...doing this is like doing an archilogical dig...through 2-3 generations of my family who sewed and saved scraps!!!

The view from the basement stairs, at the moment....my sewing and painting....the big bookcase is headed out to the yard sale!

That's enough for tonight...

 

April art times! And recap of life!!!!

This is now finished and hanging in my studio! Influenced by artist Faith Ringgold!

I am working to add patchwork and stitching on this art piece too!

Using a sashiko needle, I am able to embellish the painting with per level cotton stitches!

The patchwork border will come later...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week I have been able to do other art too!

Friends came and we did watercolor....

Featuring a fabulous tulip bouquet from the local farmer's market.

Moving from watercolor to acrylics ....

These are finished now....?...I think!

And 2 smaller ones...which may still see some finishing!

The store where I have a part time job is closing....so I will have even more art and creative time.

I have plenty of fabric, and am making scrappy quilts and quilt tops for various family members and for charity!

And sewing for grandchildren!

Sophie in a dress I made!
**************************

moving towards grey hair....saving $$$$ as we are on Social Security!
I thank God for my many dear friends, especially those with whom I share such good times!

With Karen at a birthday for Tracie!

With Gayle and her granddaughters, friends Sally and Liz, at a French restaurant in Carthage, MO.
April is great, and today is friend Sally's birthday!
Our lilacs...on a windy day!

Hope to be back with more good things soon!