Our TAS (The Applique Society) group took on the national challenge to design a panel that represents our area. When I say we, I mean Katie M. said here's a thing, I don't have time to do it. Any takers? Well, naturally, I volunteered because I don't have enough things going on. I thought I'd go home and design something in EQ7 but I couldn't get the program to load on my computer. Yeah! So, this is a mishmash of copyright free coloring pages that represent the Metro East area. There's the city skyline, violets are the IL state flower, the State Seal in the middle, oak leaves for the state tree, couldn't leave out the cardinal which is our state bird and the TAS logo bluebird was the only required element. Then I tried to take a pano picture... imagine, if you will, that this is a straight piece of paper... no weird ripples or waves.
I was looking for something mindless to do at some point and started some pillow cases. I was trucking along pretty good but hated the yellow flowers and lost interest. I'm sure at some point, I'll fix it and move on.
I've been mourning the loss of a project that I can't wait to get my hands on since I finished my Art Nouveaux project. So I finally dug out Baltimore Album of Roses by Rita Verroca and picked one of the "easiest" patterns. Her patterns are SO COMPLICATED!! I chose Stevie's Quilt. In the end, it's a large wall hanging. This center motif is maybe 16-18"? Some of the projects in that book blow my mind!
I was afraid I hadn't accomplished the layered petal colorization she does. Looking at the picture, I'd say they're all pretty good except the yellow. She really manages to get the light and dark in the right spot to show natural shadowing. I kind of went with light, dark, light, dark and hoped for the best. I think quilting will enhance it quite a bit. I just drew on a bottom motif with a bird. We'll see if I get any better.
Our guild did a quick little School House project this month. I just love this little bit of cuteness. Oh Sheep.
Now, I'm afraid, this bit is a little boring but I can't help myself! I did some more fabric dying. An area I really need to get better at if I'm going to continue with it. My Yellow, fabulous.
Petal Pink, once again splotched all over. Maybe I need to dissolve the dye for 30 minutes before adding the fabric?
Raspberry was gorgeous, but then I used the last of my Raspberry dye. Go figure.
I think this was Scarlet but it's very orange if you ask me. I forgot to label the containers. I keep thinking I'll remember what's what and of course I don't.
Bright Orange, just as expected!
Lilac or Deep Purple, no one knows.
Fuchsia, fabulous.
Deep Purple or Lilac?
Avocado?
Earth Green?
This is just Green, I remember that. Why so pale?
I guess this is Chocolate.
Is this my Barn Red?! Honestly, I thought I'd lost some fabric somewhere. I couldn't find Scarlet or Barn Red only to realize they aren't anything like I expected. I was hoping to do a red/green Baltimore Album project now I don't have the reds...
Straight up Blue. Kind of cool. I see everything as rose petals right now. Those dark blotches would add a lot of life to a petal.
Black turned out better than expected. I'd always heard you couldn't get a true black from dye but I think this is pretty good.
I think this is Deep Forest.
Other than that, I've been baking up a storm getting ready for the wedding next weekend. Can you believe my oven is jacked up?! It's a gas oven and it's acting like the heating element is going out. Only there's no heating element... Any ideas? Sometimes it gets up to temp and sometimes it doesn't. My chocolate mint cupcakes were ruined but everything else has just needed a little extra time. Rich thinks maybe the computer is messed up. Why is this happening now?!! He even offered to buy a new oven mid- Panic Attack last night. Also, the vintage car we were going to use to drive the kids from the ceremony blew it's transmission last weekend at a car show!! It's a 1965 Crown Imperial, so it's not like we can run to the store and buy a new transmission!! Can you here the panic in my typing? No, really, everything is fine! I'm fine! It's all fine...
