Heavenly Garden

I participated in an angel themed rr over on CQI yahoo group. This is the last block I had to stitch on and it belongs to Joyce. She had the cross stitched angel on the block when I received it. I really had a difficult time thinking of what to do on this block but finally decided to do all stitching in white and gold, to add lots of stars to kind of keep with the angel theme and to add some flowers since that flower trim was on the block when I received it.  I really didn't like that blue sparkly plastic strip below the angel motif and it bothered me when I thought I was finished with my stitching. I finally decided to tone it down with some white feather stitch with cast on flowers. If I had thought of it to begin with I would have trailed some gold soutache like I had around the rest of the cross stitch over that blue but I didn't know it was so pliable and I could stitch through it until the end.  So, anyway...I hope I have some stars and flowers fit for an angel. 

And now I can't wait to get all my blocks home!     

Flowers in Winter

The following are some pics from some RRs I am participating in:

This is Lauri's 6 inch angel themed block. I added 4 different seam treatments in variegated DMC then framed Lauri's silkie with silk ribbon flowers. I tatted a butterfly for upper right and made a bullion fantasy flower for lower right.

This is a different type of RR where everyone stitches on one large block. This is Ely's roses themed block. I added sweetheart roses, spider web roses and bullion roses around the fairy center and added a crocheted butterfly.

And this is Ely's block after Arlene, Paula and I have stitched on it. One more lady needs to add her stitching and then it's going home to Ely.

This is another rose themed RR block. This time it is for Meg and she requested yellow roses so I added a large one plus some other rosebuds and flowers...

...plus some bullion rosebuds.

This is Meg's block after Rita, Ruby and me. Then it's on to Kathy to stitch on and then home to Meg who says she will auction it off for Texas firefighters.

Angels

My work on Peggy Sue's angel themed block. Remember the old string rag dolls? Several years ago I made some Christmas ornament angels like the old string dolls. I thought I would make one in miniature for the block. I used a large bead for the head. The rest is nothing too spectacular - mostly metallic threads for bling. And so the angels are amongst us.

Angels

My stitching for Ruby. This is an Angel themed RR with 6 inch blocks. It's shimmerier than it looks. Angel has wings made of couched gold cord, dress of metallic french knots, halo of gold sulky and hair of bullions. Big star was stiched with coppery colored metallic thread on felt then stitched to block. JOY was satin stitched directly on to block with one strand linen thread and one strand gold metallic thread. Stem stitch is of perle 8 and has shimmery white beads where "leaves" meet. And finally there are some silk ribbon flowers with gold bead centers. Ruby says she is going to make a Christmas stocking with some of her blocks. Somehow this will be the toe.

Some Crazy Stuff

First up is my work on Wendy's Angel themed block. I hope the motif looks like an angel. I used organza ribbon for her skirt, gold metallic cord couched for her wings with some hairy type yard couched down in between the cord. I used perle #8 bullions for her hair and gold metallic effects DMC for the trumpet. I am not real happy with the trumpet and was ready to rip it all out and use the finer gold sulky...but it is what it is.

Next...my pink color study block arrived home. Jenni, Ruby and Nina did all the stitching on this lovely block.  And, I just finished my stitching on Jenni's pink block...

Someone before me left that dark pink rose all by itself on the block so I added more around it - a pink yoyo, more pink roses and some other flowers. Now it's not so lonesome.

Someone had added this feather stitch so I further embellished it with bullions. I also crocheted the butterfly and added a body of beads...

...again, someone before me left these bead flowers out in the middle of nowhere on this block so I added a bunch of feather stitch with variegated lazy daisy stitches and a few bullion roses on the seam. I know...the photo is dark.

This is Jenni's completed pink block ready to be sent home when I can get to the P.O. She dyed a tea towel with that teapot motif pink and added other fabric on it. I had a very hard time doing my stitching on this since there were so many buttons on it when it came my turn and my threads kept getting caught up in them. Oh, and I added the crocheted flowers in the upper right corner to balance the butterfly in the lower left.

And finally, these are all the color studies I've participated in so far. I always piece my naked blocks with a heart.