Dog Days of Summer.....

     Roxie has been learning several new tricks this summer. One is fairly basic, how to walk on a leash and not constantly pull.  We have been putting her on a Gentle Leader and she is  a delight!  Good dog, Roxie!

      This is one of the fans on the corner of a crazy quilted table runner that I have been working on. At the rate I'm going, it will be years before I'm finished!

    Here is my Fabulous First Timers block back home after its travels.  All I did was make the block.  All of the embellishments were done by Ruby in White Oak, NC, Linda in Tucumcari, NM, Judy in Seneca, NY, and Pam, Issquah, WA. Thank you ladies for all of your hard work and talent!  Now, What am I going to do with it.......

    My husband and I take care of my mother who suffers from  alzheimer's.  One of my brothers and his wife who live in Maryland traveled all the way to California this summer to take care of mom and the pets so that we could get away. Isn't that one of the nicest things you ever heard?
    My husband, daughter, and I took a road trip to Yellowstone.  Here are four of my favorite memories.

Visiting the falls.

This was taken right before the bison got irritated enough by the crow to chase it. We were all startled!

There were so many hot springs, mud pots, and geysers but this is one of the prettier ones........I don't recall its name.

We stayed late one night to capture images of the full moon. It was a beautiful, warm evening filled with night birds and bats.

     

Cats and Quilts

 These are crazy quilt blocks I  put together for two different round robins.   The set on top is for an Under The Sea round robin. I was thinking about ocean environments when I put them together and came up with deep sea- on top, lagoons, the two in the middle, and coral reef for the two on the bottom.

This set of crazy quilt blocks is for a Basically Beaded round robin. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

Last week I attended my first sane quilting class ever.  We were all working on Buggy Barn quilts and mine was crazy cats!

This is Pippin. If he doesn't look happy, it is because he's not.  He doesn't groom himself and he won't let us do it either.  So, poor kitty, this summer he got shaved to remove his matted fur!!!

 Rosie is my sweet, spooky Halloween cat.

Four cats on my bed!!! My excuse to NOT make my bed in the morning. I wouldn't want to upset anyone!!!  LOL! Note that Pippin has his fur in this picture.

  My garden is rewarding me for being patient- winter was extra lonnnng this year and spring was almost non-existent.

       Delphiniums are one of my mother's favorites.

Making Blackberries

I have been putting raspberries and blackberries in a lot of my embroidery lately and a friend asked me to show her how I did it.  It is really simple. Click on the images to see them close-up.

First, use fabric markers in berry colors to shade in the area you want to bead.  I made mine about the size of a US nickel.

Next, fill the spot of color in with beads. For blackberries I like to do a few in red for realism.

Make a running stitch around the outside of your berry.

Cut out your berry. Be careful to avoid your running stitch.

Gently pull the thread of your running stitch. The edges of your berry will turn under and the berry's shape will become rounded.

Finally, sew your berry onto your embroidery and embellish.

June Is Such A Beautiful Month....

Roxie the dog and Mango the cat hanging out.  These two, who bully and irritate everyone else in the house (we have a lot of pets!) absolutely adore each other.

This is my work on Pam's  block from Crazy Quilters International's Fabulous First Timers Round Robin #15.  I embroidered and beaded the fish, worked the seam, embellished the leaves, and added the orange flowers. I have sent it on to Linda and can't wait to see what everyone else does with it.

The bleeding hearts are blooming all over my yard

This is my first attempt at a dragonfly. You can click on the picture to get a larger image.  The wings are angelina fiber.

Junebug

Crazy Quilters International is hosting a fundraising event for the quake/tsunami victims in Japan. This is my block for the Hearts and Hands To Sendai charity.

Click on the images to make them larger.

     Spring is really here when my girls start overloading me with eggs!  
     The little spotted hen in the middle's name is Twilight (named looong before the book and movie were even thought of!).  She is over ten years old and still gives an occasional egg.

We have had an unusual amount of rain and snow this spring.  Everything is trying to bloom in spite of it all....The dogwoods make me happy.

April Showers

Finally!!! The plums are blooming.  It always makes me happy to see because I know that other wonderful things are soon to follow. May is one of the most beautiful months here in the mountains of Siskiyou County, CA

I have been doing a 'round robin with Crazy Quilters International. Here is Ruby's beautiful block with Judy's work on it.  This was taken before I added anything. I spent about a week drawing out my ideas and thinking before I began. Ruby's theme is Victorian.

This is my "After" picture.

I had so much fun making the blackberries! Not only did I get to experiment with Angelina fibers for the leaves, I learned how to to do dimensional beading. It was surprisingly easy.

I had a terrible time deciding between the lovely scallops and the amazing flower print just below. I finally decided to leave the flower for someone else.

      Finally, I have to add a shot of Mount Shasta. It is really lovely this year.  It was the perfect day to take a ride and enjoy the beauties of nature. This is a view of Mount Shasta today, Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011. I hope everyone enjoyed the day!

Spring Vacation In Mount Shasta, CA

 

Trying to make things more spring-like, at least inside! Here is the link to  Folding Trees. It has all sorts of beautiful origami projects you can do.  

   http://foldingtrees.com/2008/11/kusudama-tutorial-part-1/

The current focus of my classroom beauty spot

My cherry tree on March 25

According to the Mount Shasta Herald we have had the snowiest March on record - eight feet in the last week alone!

Needless to say, the pets are tired of it!

Judy's Unembellished Block
Crazy Quilters International Fabulous First Timers #15

I am doing a round robin through my online group. The first block I received was Judy's.  We are each supposed to work 1/4 of the block and then send it on.

My work on Judy's block.

Parasols were a symbol of status.

              Victorian Symbols
 One of the monthly challenges of my online group is to incorporate a designated Victorain Symbol into your work.  This is my attempt.

 Marlene's Work


My friend Marlene makes these wonderful beaded necklaces. She will be offering a class at Weston's in Mount Shasta  this summer.

Marlene's Heart