Princess Bubbles Creates

This is my bead journal project for January.  First I printed one of my photos onto canvas.  I then started stitching into it.  Yikes!  Not fun.  The canvas has a coating on it so that the printer ink doesn't sink into it.  It helps the colour stay more vibrant which is good.  However, it does make the stitching rather unpleasant.  Lesson learned.  I will not be doing that again but I did need to figure out a way to keep working on this piece.  I decided to take a more mixed media approach.  I have used heat-set crystals, dimensional fabric paint and glass gems.  I am not finished yet and may still add a bit more stitching.  I am not quite sure what the next step it at this moment. I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

I love the  Reversed Buttonhole Bar Stitch  that Sharon B shows us the week.  I created a flower with it but it does look kind of spindly.  I think I need to add another stitch in between the spokes. 

I think of my life as a unity of circles. Some are concentric, others overlap, but they all connect in some way. Sometimes the connections don't happen for years. But when they do, I marvel. As in a shimmering kaleidoscope, familiar patterns keep unfolding Dorothy Height I am linking to http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/ https://mysoultalks.com/

This piece is truly a slow stitching piece.  There is no deadline to finish it.  I can work at it as I please.  I love the way it is progressing.  I have started stitching on the left-hand side of the piece and will continue to work towards the right.  I have only photographed where there is stitching.  There is a lot more to do but no rush.  Working on something so bright and cheerful feels good in the thick of winter. I am linking to https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Once the embellishing and stitching is done I call the project finished.  In truth, it is not finished.  The not-fun part for me still needs to be done.   A backing and edge still need to be done.  If I worked like a regular quilter that wouldn't be a big deal.  Just do the same old same old.  But for me, I always have to figure out a way to finish.  That can be a challenge.  This time I used seam binding to 'frame' this piece.  I knotted and twisted and crumpled it as I stitched.  I quite like the results.  It also feels really good to have another mandala piece completely finished. I am linking to http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/ https://www.simply-crafting.co.

I have been quite keenly working on this piece since I have figured out what I want to do.  It is coming together and I am pleased.  There is still a fair amount of stitching to do but I feel like I am making progress and that is a good thing. I am linking to https://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/ https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

Thanks to Sharon B for showing us the  Italian Border Stitch  this week.  Such a good stitch!  I tried it with beads and love the way it turned out.  I probably should have added seed beads to each end of the bugle beads to prevent breakage.  I found it a bit difficult to get things lined up with the beads as it was though.  I will definitely be using this stitch again!