Circle of Flowers - the final flowers

Hi, everyone!

I'm so sorry it's been so long since I blogged. We were gone on vacation Mar.17 - April 1st on a cruise with our son and his wife and when we returned, I was knee deep in work for our business. I finally feel like I've got everything squared away and can spend some time again with all of you. I just finished my Circle of Flowers - Brazillian dimensional embroidery project. I'm going to post pictures of each of the individual flowers and then one of the finished project.....probably in an additional post. I added an extra element to my design....an initial "S" in the center. Once I embellished the "S" which I made with the vine and leaves by adding flowers to it, I'm not sure it's still recognizable as an "S"......what do you think? Either way, I think it still makes a nice addition to the design. Now, I have to decide whether to start another BDE project or work on my Crinoline Lady Crazy quilt block. I'll let you know once I decide.

Brazillian Dimensional Embroidery Project

I said that I'd fill you in on all of my current projects, so here is project #2. This one is a Brazillian Dimensional Embroidery item. This lovely work is done using the beautiful rayon thread by Edmar. This thread comes in different weights and textures and has a fantastic sheen. It has a Z twist to it, whereas most threads are made with an S twist, which means you have to stitch with it a little differently. I've only done a couple actual BDE projects before. I'll post a picture of my very first BDE class project that I did while taking a class from Rita Goff last summer a the CQ retreat in Omaha.

Current Projects . . .so many and so little time!

I'm currently working on about 6 projects. I'll tell you about each of them in the next few days. The first one is a new bed cover for our upstairs guest room that our visiting friends and relatives call the "Pink Room". I had decorated this room for my mother-in-law to use when she stayed with us while battling breast cancer. I wanted a bright, feminine room that would be cheery for her when she didn't feel well enough to get out of bed. We carpeted it with dusty rose pink plush carpeting, I wallpapered it with a tiny pink and blue floral wallpaper, and added an accent wall with a framed dusty rose wall with pictures of victorian ladies in it. I haven't wanted to change the room too much, because it brings back some of the good feelings and memories of the bond that she and I developed during that difficult time together before she lost her life. We've replaced the twin bed with a double one, but have changed very little otherwise. Since the old coverlet barely fits the newer bed and and I don't want to replace the curtains, I've decided to use some of the old coverlet's fabric and the matching cotton sheets as a focal fabric, I'm adding an assortment of other fabrics to make a crazy quilted coverlet to replace the old one. Thinking of the pictures in the room, I decided to make the theme of the coverlet be Crinoline ladies and flowers or other items that might have been used by crinoline ladies......high button shoes, fans, etc. I love embellishing my crazy quilting with beads, buttons, silk ribbon, and other baubles, but since this will be actually used on a bed; I'm going to only use embroidery, applique, and painting techniques for embellishing. I will use fancy fabrics; though; like silks, satins, velvets,etc., as well, as a few cottons. I'm going to make larger blocks....16". I've finished the first section in the first block. It's a crinoline lady. This tiny lady is only 3 inches tall, but I sure enjoyed using Brazillian Dimensional Embroidery and painting techniques to make this section. I painted the background of the sky, grass, and dress using acrylic paint that I'd added textile medium to. I'll post other sections as I add them and embellish the seams. I'll also share a picture of the room once I take a picture of it.