School Zone

This one has been 'on the burner' for awhile :) I finally got it off the sketch pad and done in fabric.
I'm open to suggestions for a title for it, if you have any suggestions. Can you spot the three dragonflies?
I did some 'sashiko' type stitching on it, and quite like the effect. The fish are all done with my hand painted fabrics.
I did two rows of flying geese, to portray the fish movement, one row got slightly covered.
I look forward to comments.
This wall hanging was sold at the show April 26th.

Still Life #4

I have finished another one of the pieces done in Pamela Allan's class. This was our 'independant study'.
I had a lot of fun with it, the raven is a true northern raven in the winter. He is all fluffed up to ward off the cold.
I have one more to stitch in this series, all with Ravens.
I will tell you the story of the raven, from our point of view.
My husband passed away 4 years ago, since then we have relocated. My youngest grandaughter and her grampa were hooked at the hip. When walking to my house after school, there is a raven that waits on the snowbank, and hops along all the way home with her, she's sure it's grampa. That's why I had to do a series with ravens, and why not still life!

Indoors on a Rainy Day

I have finished another piece that I started in the Still Life class.
Got a bit wild with the binding, it is the same fabric as the flower centers and I quite like it.
The course with Pamela was so informative, and I am enjoying the end results of my work.

Sweeping the Garden Path Under the Moonlight

I just finished my FFFC. The challenge was to use a split complimentary pallette and include an S curve.
My split complimentary was yellow/green and red and blue/violet. I tried to use different hues of this pallette. The S curve can be seen in the path and in the woman's form.
This was another great challenge. I did a lot handstitching, a carry over from the Pamela Allan class.
I reversed the order of the top three background fabrics, and realized it after I had much of it stitched in place...sooo I added a moon and some highlight of the moon shining on objects.
Hope you enjoy it.

Still Life

I am still working on the projects in Pamela Allan's online Class. This still life is from Lesson 2. It is now completed, with all the stitching in place. Many of the fabrics in this piece are recycled clothing.
The raven is there, you might have to enlarge the picture to see it well :)
Cold and stormy up north today. I yearn for spring, and color. Have you ever noticed the varying colors of green in the spring, it's a feast for the eyes.
I look forward to your feedback.
Have a great day.

Black and White Still Life

I am taking an online class with Pamela Allan. This is the first finshed piece. The class is called Still Life is Boring Not. And what fun we are all having.
I've got several more in the works, lot's of hand stitching to do. I took a lot of pictures of ravens, and have decided to do a series, so you will note ravens in many of the upcoming pieces.
It's still cold up north. I am having carpal tunnel surgery on the left hand soon, so am very busy trying to catch up on things.
Enjoy.

Trend Tex Challenge for Canadian Quilt Show

This is my piece for the Trend Tex Challenge. The Show is being held in Saskatchewan this year and the theme is Roots.
My grandparents and their children left Sask in the '30s for the Peace River area of BC. My grandmother, known to us as Nan, always yearned for her home in Sask and her family. As a child I heard a lot of stories about the area, I also learned to embroidery while this special woman told me those stories.
When this challenge arrived I immediately thought of Nan, so here she is heading home with cherished memories. I have included the Sask flower, the lily, the wheat, grain elevators, house on the hill with few trees in view, a bleak landscape. I have worked for two weeks on this piece, lot's of hand stitching to represent her era and modern machine stitches to represent part of my era. I had a difficult time working with the fabrics provided so threw in a few duller fabrics. I am pleased with it and know she would be proud.
Now I can get it off in the mail and catch up with other WIP.

Second Spring

This is the latest for the FFFC challenge. My theme is woman, the challenge was to use analogous colors and movement. I hope I have achieved that.
In the Chinese culture, phases of a woman's life are celebrated. Menopause is referred to as 'second spring', so my choice for this challenge. I chose the analogous colors of blue/blue violet. As I was working on the piece it was mentioned on the list that we could go further than just two colors beside each other, therefore I added some hues from violet,red/violet and red. The chinese lettering on the right is 'second spring'.
I choose the cool colors to suggest a calming period in a woman's life, the years of child bearing are over, chaos turns to calm. Less clutter, note her room is free of clutter, just a pot of lovely flowers :) And she now has time to tend to the flower box out the windor. Perhaps we need to give in to this time of our lives and enjoy it more. You can tell her age by the sagging breasts :0
The right side wall is a deep purple, however in the picture it almost looks black. I tried adjusting the color and got orange for the pinks...so finally left it as it is.
I definitely did this piece in Pamela Allen's style, with lot's of hand stitching.
I look forward to your critique.
Thanks for the challenge Ren, it was fun for me.

Midnight Poppies

Here is another piece done with my hand dyed fabrics. The background is a purchased piece of cotton, such gorgeous colors, it really reminds me of midnight. I did some embroidery to the poppy center which added more life to the, I believe.
This is raw edge applique with lot's of thread painting. Such fun.

FFFC #28 Blissful Betty

Our challenge this month was to portray an emotion and to uses zingers.
My theme was 'Women at Work', I Believe I'll change that to 'Women'.

Blissfull Betty is in heaven, licking the the cupcakes delectable icing from her finger. Amongst the chaos and pandemonium she is blissfully happy, enjoying her scrumptious treat.
This was a lot of fun to make, and I have two emotions going on. At first Betty was going to be frustrated by knitting, then I decided I just needed to add some happiness to the chaos I had created. The pink flower and ear rings are the zingers in this piece.
Lot's of bling on the flower, ear rings and her ring.

-42 in my world today, and I have to say it has been tooo cold for tooo long, it can warm up anytime. One thing about it, it makes more time for creating :)

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