Forgot To Show You Girls...

This is a present my friend, Karen Bailey of Mosier, Oregon gave me. It is made of the tiniest of stitches and with a lot of love. I just wanted to share it with you. I meant to show it to you last time all of us were here on the Long Beach Peninsula. I think you can double click on the pic to see the tiny stitches. Pretty neat, aye?

April Has A Challenge For Us!

April told us she would have a challenge for us on Tuesday. She presented us each with a coffee travel mug. It pulls apart so you can decorate the outside of the cup any way you choose. We are to each take these home this week and come back next Tues with our transformed mug...very fun!

The mug April has in her hand shows what it looks like when the colored paper is removed.

The next pic shows the mugs as we received them.

The bottom pic shows Jan's addition to her jean jacket. She did a small project quite some time ago and has added it to the jacket. Make sure to double click to see the detail of her work.

We will all gather at Pink's next week to present our mugs to one another.

Tuesday at April's...

Another great Tuesday...Each of us were working on different projects this week.
Pic #1 is Jan working on her multicolored rag rug. The combination of various colors really makes this one "pop."
Pic #2 is Pinky working on her rag rug in burgundy.
Pic #3 is April's cards that she was working on. We have some excellent card makers in our group.
Pic #4 is Karen's postcard making project.
Pic #5 is Mary's project of making some hot pads for on the table. She did the sewing and now will be adding a back and a loop to be able to hang it up.

Don't forget to double click for a close up of their work.

Felted Flowers...

Last time we all met, I gave each of us a felted flower to alter. Quite frankly...I forgot to finish mine, but did get it started. April used her finished flower on our next give away...using it for the latch on the box. It just added such a nice touch to the already beautiful covered altered box. Karen also finished hers and made it into a pin with birds on it. It is always fun to see what we do with a challenge no matter how small.

























Pic #1 Karen's bird pin
Pic #2 April's Altered Box
Pic #3 April's Altered Box again :>)) Can you tell I haven't done this in awhile???
Pic #4 The felt flower pin we all started with
Pic #5 Mary's started pin

A Few Other Pictures From Tuesday...

Jan was our hostess for this week and went all out with home made muffins, turkey soup, and wonderful whole wheat bread for dipping. She just kept feeding us all day :>))

Jan started another one of her beautiful beaded hearts.

April worked on a 90th birthday card for a dear friend.

Mary finished the blanket stitch around squares that will be worked into a throw for someone in a care center.

Karen and Pinky worked on cards and Karen even did some letter writing. Both of them had backs that were not behaving themselves.

We missed Joan, as she is still not feeling well.

This is a new piece Jan is working on. She has done needle felting and beading and is now adding some embroidery. I apologize for not putting the pic on here correctly. It should be counter clockwise...OK...it's early :>)) It is a wetland scene and I can't wait to see the finished piece of work.

Jan, if you can turn this around, would you? Next week...tell me how you did it, OK? :>))

April has been working on a block that will be made into a quilt for a new bride. This is her progress so far. A couple of weeks ago we put the pic on of her design. She is now doing the actual embroidery.

Before Halloween @Jan's

Halloween ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) by Jan.  Sorry that Pinky and Mary weren't able to make it, they will get theirs next week.

April was embroidering a quilt block that will be part of a gift quilt for her cousin who is getting married. That might not be the exact story, but it is something like that.   It is lovely, April does exquisite embroidery. 

Karen was working in her personal journal book.  She says it is such a relaxing activity for her.  It is super cool.  Lots of nature inspired imagery.

Joan is knitting herself a hat that will be felted down.  If she ever finishes it;-) Notice our mascot Rocky snoozing in the background?

More pages from Karen's journal.

It was another fun day even though it poured down rain and April had to leave too soon.  Karen and Joan stayed until nearly 4pm and we sat talking.  Chain saw man came down and brought fresh salsa for them to take home.  He makes the best salsa around.

Next week we will be meeting at Joan's to celebrate Pinky's birthday!  We will also trade our Round Robin calendars and reveal our altered cigar boxes.  Should be fun!!  Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!!

 

Karen's Beading Project...

Karen is having such fun with her beading project of a horse. She has added a fringy thread around the horse and decided to add some padding to make the horse stand out. She , then, did a blanket stitch around the part that had the padding. Take a close look...this is looking wonderful. Karen has really enjoyed this project.

Jan's Wall Hanging and Tin Trade...

Jan did a tin trade with a group online and received her's this week. The tin was decorated with alcohol paints, rhinestones, and a piece of vintage costume jewelry...very cooooool. Inside was the neatest little book that was fabric pieced and embellished. We all had a good time checking it out.

Jan's wall hanging is really coming along. Today she was sewing on felt pieces to add to what she had done last week. She also told us her key project was almost done! Sheesh!

Double click on any picture to enlarge it. Check out the detail on Jan's hanging.

April's peacock embroidery

Jan is posting this older piece that April Wood made.
It measures approximately 15" X 15" and is crazy pieced, hand embroidered and beaded, then framed with a satin fabric which is also the backing. April made this for Jan, on the back it is signed and dated "To Jan, April Wood, 1997"














Here is a close up of the peacock. It is beautifully rendered in several colors of cotton floss, and there is a bead in each "eye".











Here you can see the bead embellishment along the framing fabric.











This is a good close up of the peacock where you can see how well she blended the colors. (sorry about the lint and hair, I didn't see those until I viewed the photos) April did a masterful job with this piece. It is a portrait of my peacock, Mr. Mel, at least, I like to think it is. Mr. Mel is gone but his legacy remains;-)

I feel so blessed to have been gifted this beautiful piece of art made by my friend. It hung in my house for several years until I noticed it was getting dirty and I took it down to protect it. I wasn't sure how to clean it so it sat in seclusion for another couple of years. Finally I knew I had to gently wash it in plain water and hope for the best. It worked and now I have it hanging in my studio. Thanks again for this, April. It is a treasure.

I know...It's Monday and I'm Just Posting!

Mary said: Last Tuesday we helped Joan celebrate her birthday and had a surprise visit from Gwen Jarvela. We all worked on various creations, but mostly had birthday fun and lots of laughing going on. Pinky worked on an iris folding projects that was driving her nuts. Take a look at the pics and see how our day went.

Red Tuesday At Mary's Place...

Mary says: Each week is so fun and this week we all kind of did our own thing and just visited and worked the time away. I made a pot of chicken soup and we each had some of that for lunch. The pictures I am showing are of Karen, Pinky, April, Jan, and myself. Joan wasn't able to be with us this week, but will see her at Jan's next week for sure. I heard rumors of a birthday coming up...

Jan has been working on her hand piece and adding embellishments as she goes. Can't wait to see how she will end up using this piece. Pinky worked on envelopes. Karen and April worked on cards and Karen did an ATC. I worked on some ATCs. I think I am hooked on those little pieces of art...so fun to do. Jan brought us all a couple pieces of rice paper. The texture is so neat. I am anxious to try painting on it, or maybe sewing on it...hmmmm....

Remember Girlies...THE CHALLENGE IS DUE MAY 4.....

A little late on Red Tuesday...sorry...

Mary said: Here it is, Saturday evening, and I still haven't posted pics from Red Tuesday at my house! Sorry girls! I've been pricing all the stuff in the garage for the garage sale here next weekend.

Kit and I went garage saling this morning and I bought a totem pole! Actually...two, but the one is really fading fast, so we put him on his side like the ones in Canada that are going back to the earth. I'm enclosing a pic of the better one. These people were moving and wanted to sell them cheap....wheeeeeeee!

Blue Tuesday At Karen's...

It is always fun to go to Karen's. Her house is decorated all Western and so many fun things to see. Thank you, Karen, for all the goodies to munch and the good company.

Blue Tuesday was April's birthday and I have enclosed some pics of that special time.

We all did a lot of yacking and concentrated on the birthday girl...so fun! April didn't want to go back to work...she wanted to go through her birthday stash.

Last week when I made my flag book, I wasn't happy with the binding part and was planning on taking it apart. When we all talked it over, I decided just to put the pages in and finish it. The next one I make I plan to take more time on the binding.