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Showing posts from 2020

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I made this piece with the silk paper method.  I used numerous different fibres in the process.  I knew I wanted to take it further but the problem was I already liked it.  I find it intimidating to stitch into something that I already like.  I don't want to ruin it.  It is kind of silly really.  I can always take out the stitching it if doesn't look right.  A few weeks ago I added some glitter and silver flake to the sky.  I like it but I also feel the dark part of the sky stops too abruptly so I will have to consider how to change that.  Yesterday I started adding hand stitching to the flowers (lower right).  I am only wanting to give the impression of flowers and think not a lot of stitching is needed.   I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitch Sunday

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 Slow stitching indeed!  I have started to add some flowers to the dress of my little girl.  My curious puppy has made it difficult to make much progress.  There is not a lot more that needs to be done.  I do need to remove the wonky flower on the sleeve and redo it.  I want to find a little rhinestone bow to add to the ponytail.  That will look cute!  I haven't quite decided what to do with the shoes.  They definitely need a bit of help. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I think this is the smallest mandala I have created.  I had been making most of them on 12x12 squares but I thought why not try something a bit different.  Now that I have started it I will finish it but I don't think I will do any more this small.  I just don't love it.  Mind you, it isn't finished and I may grow to love it.  The challenge of working a bit differently is good.  This is probably my last post before Christmas.  This has been a pretty tough year, obviously!  Still, it is my sincere hope that everyone has the best Christmas possible.  It may be a little more quiet and simple than usual but those aren't necessarily bad things.

Slow Stitching Sunday

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This slow stitching project is nearing completion.  I may or may not be able to use it in my book.  I am definitely hoping to.  The riot of colour makes me so happy.  I had some pleasurable stitching on this piece this week.  I gathered together all the needles that had bits of thread still in them from other projects.  I purposed to use up every last bit and that is what I did.  I also added some more beads.  As I look at this piece I don't see any area that needs further work.  Maybe I should just call it finished.  What will be my next project?  There are definitely many waiting in the wings! I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/  

Lace collage

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 I created this little lace collage to adorn a lap book that I have been creating.  I haven't attached it to the book as yet.  It needs a little something more before I do that.  Maybe I will stitch some pearl beads onto it.  Plus, I think I need to complete the inside of the book before attaching this to the front.   The inside of the book is filled with all things botanical.  I love the old-time botanical illustrations and have been collecting them for years.  It is time to start using them!  This photo shows the start of the inside.  There is still a lot to do.   I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/  

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I am liking this piece better now that I have removed the big blue flower beads that were near the bottom.  I add smaller beads instead.  I also added some embroidered green leaves to the area.  This photo has a darkness to it and that is exactly what I was hoping to achieve.  The three yellow blobs are supposed to depict fireflies at night.  This still needs something more to pull it all together.  I am not quite sure what that is at the moment.  I am really glad that I have given myself the time to get it right.  The Christmas deadline was not reasonable for getting the book finished.  It is better to get it right than to rush it.   I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

I heart Photography

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 Creating abstract images with my camera gives me a lot of pleasure.  It is playtime and everyone should get to play! I am linking to http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 I made a tiny bit of progress on my little girl character.  I knew I had the perfect lace for her dress but it sure took a minute to find it!  Going through my stash really made me see the incredible abundance I have!  There are times when I am embarrassed by how much stuff I have.  Then there are times when I am really grateful that I have just the right thing because of collecting.  I don't want to call it hoarding because I actually use my things regularly.  I also purge and take loads to the thrift store.   Back to my little girl, she still needs some stitching.  I think I want to embroider some small flowers on her dress.  Also, not quite sure what to do about those shoes.  They need help.  A little bow or something wouldn't go amiss on her ponytail.  Maybe something sparkly! I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Snowflake

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 Playing with Kaleidoscope Kreator never gets old.  I created this pretty snowflake with that program and a photo of one of my bead journal projects.   “Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late.” ―  Marie Beynon Lyons Ray I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I added some blue glitter to the sky.  Love it!  The sparkle makes me happy.  This is truly a mixed media piece.  I used rovings as the base and a silk paper method to put it all together.  I added yarns and dried flower pieces in that process.  I still want to add some hand stitching to this.   I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 I did manage to get a bit of stitching done on this piece this week.  Banksy is a pretty active puppy and needs a fair amount of attention so stitching time is a bit rare.  I like how this piece is coming along but I am wondering about the big blue flowers beads at the bottom.   I may remove them as I am not really sure they work.  I probably will add more stitching and beading before making up my mind though. Christmas is in the air.  We went to a tree farm yesterday and cut down a small tree.  At least for us, it is smaller than what we usually get.  It makes sense this year with a new puppy in the house.  I love a live tree and the pretty scent that fills our home.  The extended family gathered for this little event since it was outside.  I am imagining that is the only time we will see everyone this year. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Beaded Mandala

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 It feels good to be stitching a beaded mandala again.  It feels like forever stitch I worked on one but that's not true.  I have used rather large beads on this small mandala.  I am not sure that was the wisest choice.  At this point, they seem a bit too big.  I am wondering how I will make it work. I will ponder the possibilities. I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Window Painting

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 I have never thought of myself as a painter but I do use paint regularly.  Mostly for mandalas or in my art journal.  I guess I use to paint a fair amount in my stitching as well.  Anyways, I am not afraid to splatter some paint around and rather enjoy it.  Yesterday I painted the window of a local ice cream shop.  The photo isn't the best.  It is kind of hard to make out Frosty's black hat.  It was fun to do even though it is hard to get an even coat of paint on glass. 

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I started this piece in an online workshop a number of years.  Ugh or should I say ugly.  No workshop is ever a waste as I always learn something.  I rarely produce a worthwhile piece in a workshop though. I was going through my stash of unfinished things and came across it.  I wondered if I could do anything with it.  I certainly couldn't make it worse!  I decided to add paint and glitter.  I like it so much better now.   I will continue adding to it.  Possibly some more hand stitching.  I doubt it will ever be something I will want to hang on my wall but it isn't very large so I could cut it down and make it into a journal cover.  Or I could turn it into a page for my large fabric journal.  We will see.   I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Choices

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 The San Fransisco School of Needlework and Design has its Choices Challenge gallery set up.  Check out the lovely work.   Choices Challenge   I was delighted to see my piece featured in their newsletter that I received yesterday.  It is always a thrill when someone likes my work well enough to feature it!  Especially since I struggled with this piece and never got it to look exactly the way I wanted it to look.  That doesn't make it a bad piece though, right!

Slow Stitching Sunday

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There actually isn't any stitching on this piece yet.  I started this piece in 2019 and it has been hanging in my studio ever since.  This week I added some silver flakes to the sky.  I think I want to add glitter next.  I have been on a big glitter kick this week.  I have been adding it to my art journals and mandalas.  Oh so fun!  I guess I have a strong need for something joyful and sparkling right now.   I also want to add some hand stitching to this piece.  It probably doesn't need a lot though.  Mostly I just want to get the sky looking better.  This piece is made with different rovings and mixed media in the silk paper technique.  It is quite large, for me.  It has been a fun experiment and may end up as a page in a large book.   I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Another experiment

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This was a step in the right direction.  My little girl character is painted on fabric.  I plan to applique a sleeve and hand.  I want to add some lace and embroidery to the dress.  It is definitely coming along. I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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I am feeling the need to work on a stitched mandala as it has been a while.  I went digging through some past experiments and came across the ugly blob, top photo.  It was an experiment with transfer foil and it did not work out very well.  Rescue and redemption often inform my work so I was happy to see what I could do with this.  I have added a layer of iridescent paint and that worked really well.  If you look closely you can still see a bit of the transfer foil showing through.  I love that and now I am happy to get stitching on this.   I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/  

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 It has been a while since I posted about this piece.  I have added some stitches to it but not a lot.  I would love to include this one in my book.  It may or may not work.  I have to admit that my stitching mojo has been rather lacking this past week.  I am still making art.  Mostly meditative mandalas.  Also got a couple of submissions sent off.  Maybe, I just needed a bit of break from stitching.  I will get back at it this week in all likelihood.   I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Joy

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 As I have mentioned, I do love playing with Kaleidoscope Kreator.  This piece is a delight to my eyes.  I love that I can give my stitching another life in this way.  I absolutely love the circle and use it all the time in my work.  I do have a snowflake template in the KK program and it is probably time to start playing with that.   I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 Well, I have tried an experiment.  I am really glad that I did not commit and made a wig for my little girl character.  I have the face right and I didn't want to ruin it by messing it up with the hair.  This hair is definitely not good.  It is not enough and too much all at the same time.  The painted sketch I did of my character was exactly right.  Just what I wanted.  Now depicting it in fabric and stitch has become a big challenge.  UGH!  Maybe, I should try painting a piece of fabric to look like the hair.  Oh, light bulb!  Maybe I could use some dimensional paint!  Off to do another experiment! I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 I have added beads, an owl charm and more Inktense colour to this piece.  I have also turned it around.  There was something not quite right about it and now that I have turned it I like it so much better.  It is getting very close to finished.  I made next to no progress on my little girl character for my book.  Our puppy has come into a very playful stage.  It is best to use up his exuberant energy with play or he just causes me trouble!  I am not complaining.  Playing with him is delightful but it does take time away from stitching.   I managed to get more of the story written this week.  That felt good.  After talking with my husband I have come to the conclusion that having this book ready for Christmas is not the best plan.  I do have most of the stitching done for the book but still have to properly photograph everything.  I have to finish writing the story.  I know where it is going and what I want to say but still, need to find the right words.  Not having a Christmas deadlin

Kaleidoscope fun

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 So much fun!  Playing with Kaleidoscope Kreator and using photos of my stitching is so cool!  I can get lost in it.  Just like in a kaleidoscope one small shift and the whole image changes.  With this program, you can capture each change.  Is it enough to just post these beautiful images on my blog for you to enjoy?  Should I be taking them further?  How? I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I stitched some silver mesh that I had coloured to look like a rainbow.  The background I stitched it to is fun and funky but a bit busy and the rainbow didn't show up so well.  I decided to add faux gems to make it more noticeable. What little girl would love the glitz!  This princess loves it!  I think my granddaughter will enjoy it too.   I am getting really close to having all the stitching done for this book.  I have allowed the five-year-old princess that lives deep inside to come out to play.  What a joy!  I feel like using my stitching to illustrate a book for children is the perfect use for my talents.  I am not a deep dark person.  I love bright and cheerful and have often felt that I could never be a success in the art world because I am not brooding or whatever.  I don't want to be a success on those terms.  This book will be a success for me if Juniper loves it.   I am planning to make it available for purchase in some way.  Having others buy it would be a dream c

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 Okay, I think this page works.  It isn't exactly what I wanted but it works.  A bear eating blueberries is a fun little scene for my book.  Each page finished feels so good!  I am getting close to having all the artwork finished for my book.  I have been saving the toughest for last.  The main character is Juni J. Joy and I am feeling a bit apprehensive.  I have done a sketch of her and love it but creating her in fabric might be a bit tricky.  I plan to work on her this week.  Send me some good thoughts! I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Taking it further

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 I had finished this block a while back but have figured out a way to use it for my book.  I have added a few more critters to it.  Going through my stash to find just the right thing was an enjoyable process.  I have four blocks that are similar to this and I had planned to stitch them all together to make a larger piece.  Now I am wanting to find a way to use each of them in my book.  So far I have figured out three of them.  One more to go! I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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  I love my whimsical bunny even though the ears are not quite the right proportion.  That does bug me a bit but I can get over it.  I added snowflakes to the tree but they are a bit difficult to see.  I may or may not change that.  Leaning towards not changing it.  Overall I really do like this page for my book.  I think my granddaughter will love all the glitzy fabric I have used! I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

Mozart Mandala Meditation

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 I love the circle.  It is featured in my artwork a lot.  I have been making mandalas for a long time.  This past week I started doing them a little differently.  I found a good Youtube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shoVsQhou-8&t=3198s&ab_channel=HALIDONMUSIC It is great to listen to Mozart and create.  I use coffee filters as my base.  They are cheap and durable.  I then create marks to my heart's content.  It is such a pleasant loosening up exercise.  They don't have to look good as that is not the point. I have quite a stack of coffee filter mandalas.  Maybe even hundreds of them.  It would be cool to figure out a way to use them in an installation of some sort!

I heart Photograph

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  Let go of the past Trust the future Embrace change Come out of the cocoon Unfurl your wings Dare to get off the ground Ride the breezes Savour the flowers Put on your brightest colours Let your beauty show. -Unknown I am linking to http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/ http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/  

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 Okay, I think this is what I am doing with my bear.  He has not been stitched down as yet.  Nor has the blue piece of fabric on top of him.  I am not sure I love the blue fabric.  I think the shape is good and the placement of the bear works.  I will need to add some stitched blueberries but I have to decide about the fabric piece for certain first. I have dreams of grandeur for this book.  I would absolutely love to for it to be a best seller.  Wouldn't that be fun!  When I start going down that road of dreaming I start putting too much pressure on myself.  Ultimately, this book is for Juniper.  I want her to love it.  Anything else is a bonus. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

An Interesting Podcast

 Check out  Stitch Stories .  I have just learned of this podcast and really enjoy it.  It is always interesting and exciting to me to learn of stitchers who have 'made it'.  Well, any artist really.  It is wonderful to hear about how one thing leads to another and all of the sudden there are really interesting opportunities  People come knocking on your door.  I am still waiting for that to happen.  To be discovered!  Meanwhile, I will keep plodding away at my book and listening to interesting podcasts.

Some progress

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 Okay, getting a new puppy has seriously curtailed my stitching time.  Man does he have energy!  I sense another children's book coming on!  Possibly done with photography rather than stitching.  Might be quicker! Meanwhile, I am trying to get this book finished.  This bunny page has made minimal progress this week.  Even though I am now recognizing that his ears are not the right proportion I still think he is going to be adorable.  I am leaning towards using buttons for his eyes but haven't decided on a colour yet. I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 I have been puzzling over how to depict a rainbow for my book.  Yesterday, this idea popped into my head.  I got out some silver mesh and used permanent markers to colour it.  Silver mesh gives it an ethereal quality that I was hoping to achieve.  Sorry about the quality of the photo.  We have a brand new puppy and he thought this might be something with which to play tug of war!!  I had to snap the photo and call it good enough.   Meet Banksy. I can imagine he is going to make a great studio mate. Right now he has helped me clean everything off the floor of my studio as my art supplies a bit more interesting than his toys.   I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 I added some Inktense to make it darker around my fireflies.  It definitely helped and I need to add some more.  I also added more beading and stitching.  Oh, beads always make me happy.  This book page is really starting to come to life.  It is interesting to look at the photograph.  I wonder why it is that I can always see things a bit differently when looking at the photograph rather than the actual piece.   I chatted with my son yesterday about my bear page.  He had a terrific idea for me.  I enjoy getting his artistic input.  He is so clever.  As we were chatting I told him that I was feeling my work is very well suited for a children's book.  My confidence is growing.  He gave me a big hug and told me he is proud of me.  That lovely interaction makes me smile and always will. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Eye Candy

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 Oh, how I love looking at this kaleidoscope image.  These are so much fun to create.  I ponder how I can further use these images but maybe I don't have to.  Maybe I can just look at this and enjoy it.   I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Window Painting

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This was a fun project to do.  I had never painted a window!  I hope I get to do it again sometime!  I must go for a walk in Uptown Waterloo to see the other windows that were painted.  I am curious what the other artists did.   

Work in progress Wednesday

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 Working on another page for my book.  I am quite pleased with the drawing of my bear.  She is just what I want.  She is just on tracing paper for the moment.  I plan to create her in fabric and paint.  My other animals have been made of felt and that worked well as they were simple silhouettes.  This bear has more detail and I feel it is important that she not look the least bit scary.  To achieve that I will have to use paint. I really like her placement in the top photo but she is a bit large and doesn't look quite right.  I don't think I can make her much smaller and still get the detail I like.  Her size seems right where she is placed in the bottom photo.  But for the story I wanted her to seem far away.  What to do! I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

Kaleidoscope play

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 I am finding that I need a break from working on my book but still need to be creative.  I have the program Kaleidoscope Kreator and I am really enjoying using it as a little distraction.  I have been playing around with some photos of my stitching.  So much fun!

I heart Photography

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  The butterfly said to the sun,"They can't stop talking about my transformation. I can only do it once in my lifetime. If only they know they can do it at any time and in countless ways." -Dodinsky I am linking to http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/ http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 I have figured out a way to use this piece in my book.  I have added some 'fireflies' to it.  At least the impression of fireflies.  I was hoping that they would seem to glow.  Possibly if I darken the fabric around them I could achieve that effect better.  I am not afraid to add paint to this piece as there is already a lot of paint on it.  I think Inktense blocks will work. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Another page completed

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 I am making progress on my book and it feels so good.  I made a mixed media dragonfly and it needed a home.  I wasn't totally sure what I was going to do for that when I remember a piece I had created a while back.  My piece was made completely of silk with my own hand-dyed silk.  I used silk batting and silk thread.  It is as light as a whisper.  I called this piece Monet Visits Ontario.  It works perfectly for the dragonfly.  I have not stitched the dragonfly to it and won't.  Yay!  Another page done! I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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  I have struggled with this piece long enough.  I have added a bit of beading and I am now calling it finished.  Once I realized it was not going to work for my book I kind of lost interest in it.  In the process of making my book, I have revisited pieces from the past and that has taught me that every piece is worthwhile.  Who knows!  This piece could be resurrected in the future.  But for now, I need to stay concentrated on my book.   I am linking to https://www.quiltfabrication.com/ https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/  

Slow Stitching Sunday

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 Yay!  Another page finished for my book.  Making progress feels really good.  This page is meant to depict the aurora borealis.  Clearly, I am not going for high realism!  My style is a bit cartoonish and I am okay with that.  At least I am learning to be.  I think my style works really well for a children's book.  I love my crazy trees!  There will be a similar tree for each season.  I used iridescent white paint to create the snow in the foreground.  I think that works wonderfully well! I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/ Happy Thanksgiving!

Another completed page

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 I was super happy to find this piece last week.  I had stitched it a while ago and set it aside.  It was the perfect setting for my howling wolf.  Such a quick page to finish!  Getting the wolf right was a bit difficult but I am okay with the way it turned out.  I am making progress on this book.  I need to stay concentrated and keep pressing onward! I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/

Work in Progress Wednesday

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 Last week I made a giant leap forward on illustrating my book.  I went through some past completed projects and found some that will work beautifully for the book.  This beaded snowflake was enhanced with some hotfix Swarovski crystals.  I used the whole package of crystals.  It was rather liberating to use up all of something that I consider precious.  What better project could they have been used on?  I can always get more if I need them!  My granddaughter is going to love all the sparkly goodness! I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/