Sunday, April 1, 2018

IN WHICH I POP MY HEAD BACK 
INTO THE BLOGOSPHERE


I have been a busy little bun working on my projects and thought I would bring the world  up-to-date with my doings.  The Wren block from Sandra Leichner's Naturalist's Notebook is finished.



I am happy with the result. Batiks are difficult to capture with a camera but you can get a sense of the color variations in the fabric.  I searched for a long time to find some "perfect" background.  This is called Garden Splendor by R Kauffman.  The fabric is a pretty sharp white so I have tea dyed it to tone down its brilliance.  The writing is mostly french gibberish but the effect is perfect-writing in a naturalist's notebook.

I have begun work on block #2-The Goldfinch.

The bird and the leaves are already stitched down but the petals are basted as I am still reviewing them to see if their color is right.  This block has lots of background embroidery and detailing on the bird, leaves and flowers.  Here is a photo of the pattern so you can see what is going to happen.
Pretty challenging!

I have developed a bit of a rhythm over the past couple months for working on my projects.  I am participating in 2 BOM programs.  I talked about Helen Godden's  Feathered Friends quilt last post.  Each month she releases a new block depicting an Aussie bird to be painted and then quilted.  The other BOM looks like a rainbow of color!  There is some piecing so I have to concentrate on this part and the rest is applique.  The BOM is from Morning Glory Designs.  She releases a new pattern each month which is posted and available for download during that month.  Here is a drawing of the quilt :


and a link to the site:
https://www.morningglorydesigns.com/free-block-of-the-month.htm
Here are my versions of the first 3 blocks:

I love the color, the way the diamonds and squares form up, and the movement of the applique.

Helen Godden's new birdie block was released today tho I am on hold for now as the printer ran out of ink (what a racket!) and I ordered a couple new colors of paint.  Here is the finished Feb block:
And March block:
I just cannot say enough good about this project.  It is so fun to mess around with the paints and then do the quilting!  Helen has videos with instructions on the painting process and another on the quilting process.   I am learning about the paints which are Jacquard Luminere and about different FMQ stitches.  Link at:
http://shop.helengodden.com/index.php?route=common/home

So anyway, back to rhythm.......The BOM's come out the first of the month and both are completed in a week or so apiece which gives me then 2 weeks to work on the major and challenging Naturalist Notebook which is a very time consuming and intense project.  I am pretty happy with my project line up-there is lots of variety in materials, style, difficulty, and color.  I also do some FMQ practice during the month as this has morphed from being the terror of my creative life to being a favorite thing to do.

FROM OUR WALK ON THE WILD SIDE:
Signs and sings of spring in the Missouri woods:




AND NOW........YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN!

This artist makes temporary works of art out of natural objects.  His vision of the world is awesome.  If you want to see more of the beauty made out of our ordinary world, check out his webpage at:
http://www.jamesbruntartist.co.uk/




See the charming outer ring of rock people!


HAPPY QUILTING TO YOU UNTIL 
WE MEET AGAIN!  
PURPLE, BIRDS, AND FLOWERS ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!

I am linking up with:
Slow Stitching Sunday, Bambi's Blog, Making Monday,  Em's Scrapbag, Esther's Wow, 
Let's Bee Social, Whoop Whoop, and Finish or Not!, Off the Wall Friday.


16 comments:

  1. Your projects are all lovely. I like variety too. Glad to see spring is happening in Missouri, maybe it will eventually make it's way to northern Indiana. Blessings!

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  2. Your projects are amazing. I love the little wren, one of my favorite birds.

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  3. The James Brunt works are stunning - thank you for sharing them. Your birds though are glorious - I especially love the applique ones (and that background fabric) but the painted ones are beautiful too. Nice to have the contrast of the patchwork BOM to work on too. Lovely to hear from you Pam. xx

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  4. Your background fabric is perfect for the applique birds. Your work is beautiful.

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  5. Very nice - in fact I went to Reese's website and signed up! I love the blocks! The birds are so pretty! Nice post!

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  6. Wow love your hand appliqued birds, yes the back ground is perfect. Love the beach art.

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  7. Absolutely lovely birds! Thanks ever so much for letting us know what the background fabric is. Lovely to hear from you, Pam.

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  8. I am ever so happy to see you back here and to know that you have been a busy little 'bun' with your lovely projects. I adore your naturalists blocks but realize they are beyond my skills so glad I did not jump in. (I am so easily influenced...inspired!) Meanwhile I hope working with lovely fabrics and solving these gentle problems with all the colours is soothing your soul. Think of you often.

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  9. I have a few of the Naturalizt Notebook patterns but there are on my "someday" list. I'm inspired to start by looking at yours. wow..

    Can you tell me how much of the background fabric you purchased?

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  10. Ohhh my goodness Ive just drowned in all your colours, what a magical blog it is today. Your work is awinspiring. Love what you are doing with Helen's paints and designs, I bought the paints several years ago but like you the terror of FMQ still has me in its gripsLOL Thanks for a inspiring visit. Cheers Glenda

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  11. I really want to stitch the Naturalist Notebook blocks, but I wanted to purchase them when it was too late! I don't think the kits with the patterns are still available! I'm also busy with three blocks of the month and about six other projects, so nothing is getting finished. I love every second of it!

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  12. Pam, everything about this post is absolutely marvelous. Yes, that is the PERFECT background for your Naturalist project, and your work is impeccable. Love the rainbow project, and the painted bird blocks are intriguing! I hadn't seen this magical art of James Brunt before - so glad you shared it. My daughter and aunt will both fall in love with it, as well.

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  14. Your bird blocks are extraordinary!

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