Happy New Year 2017! Looking Back at 2016.

We had a snowy New Year's Eve for the last day of 2016.  Just outside my condo door there are some windows.  I was nice and warm inside but enjoyed the falling snow.

 Here is a short video I shot thru the windows.

Here is a picture I took on January 1, 2016, very foggy quite a contrast.

 February brought Chinese New Years celebration around our city.

February brought Cherry Blossoms out in full bloom in our courtyard.

Took a class with Susan Teece and made birch trees while everyone else made evergreens.

I also was busy stitching my beginning blocks for Let It Snow mystery with Buttermilk Basin.

 In March I took a quilt as you go class with Marianne Haak.  I still have to join my blocks together.

 I made some Spring pillows for Easter.

Some bigger than others.

 Even though some of the trees were without leaves the tulips and hyacinths were blooming.

 A small basket quilt for the seasons were made in April.

In May I was still working on my circle quilt blocks.  Stopped in July, I need to finish the last part of the year off.

 June smoke from the burning bog across the river.  This lasted for several days.

 I was working on my Sarah Fielke Happy Days applique blocks.

 Baskets for a Gwen Marston Sew Along.  I did three in total.

 I drove to Spokane for a retreat with Mary Lou Weidman.

 Adding some applique to my fish blocks.

 To my bird blocks I designed an applique cage.

 And a tree for my owls to roost on.

 Stopped in at a quilt shop or two along the way home.

 In July I went to Sisters and met up with Anna from Woolie Mammoth blog.

 I also got to meet Stacy West on the right of the photo from Buttermilk Basin.  Robin is on the left, Anna and Lori.

In August I went on a Quilt Shop hop to pick up some row by row patterns and stopped at the Deception Pass bridge for some photos.

 One of my favourite houses in the Mount Vernon area.

 An abandoned old barn.

 I also got to meet Sylvia Pippen and video Anna's interview with her. Her new BOM is gorgeous.

 Anna's dog Enzo rolled his eyes at me as I took this picture.

 September I got my wonky log cabins made for the Mary Lou swap.

 A dear friend Brenda gifted me with an angel made of old quilts from Louisiana.

 October blocks, not sure if I'll make a quilt or pillows with them.

 Colourful trees in my neighbourhood.

 Views from my condo of October sunsets.

 Finished the applique of my cage, plan on adding some borders soon.

 November I made a Sue Spargo needle case.

 December photos from along the quay.  Beauty Berry bush in my friend Rita's garden.

 Strawberries also.

 Snowman pillows, appropriate for all the snow we got this year.

 Christmas trees.

 Finished my Santas just after Christmas.

 Snow crystals on the deck plexiglass.

 Wonky free cut Christmas trees in progress.

 Woolie Baskets from Dawn Heese of Linen Closet Quilts.

 Gwennie Sew Along Twin A

Gwennie Sew Along Twin B

 Windblown Tulips Gwennie Sew Along.

 Let It Snow from Buttermilk Basin with my bottom original border.

 Now to plan what to do in 2017!

Playing in the Trees with Susan Teece Day Two

Playing in the Trees is actually the name of the workshop by Susan, not something I dreamt up but our group definitely was playing with the trees.  The next decision was background, I didn't get mine chosen and prepped as I wanted some input from Susan.  This was my second choice.

 This was my original choice.  It is a dimples print and the flash didn't go off for this photo so it looks a bit more yellowed, especially the foreground.

 Starting to build some branches and a small suckling tree beside the fourth one.

This is a photo I took in Bryce Canyon in April 2008 that was my inspiration.

 I'm afraid I don't recall everyone's name who did their piece but here is one starting to get some boughs added to it. This is my friend Carmie's piece love that added eagle, the tree will be on and behind some large rocks.

 Sorry don't recall whose this one is.

 Another one that will be on rocky coast line.

 Have you noticed they all seem to be placed to the left?  I noticed that when I got home and reviewed my photos.  Those lower limbs are called Widow Makers as loggers are sometimes killed by either one falling on them, or as they are climbing the tree to trim branches they reach out and because they are dead they break off from the tree and the logger falls.

 Yesterday this tree was hanging in nowhere, there was no foreground.  She used commercial prints for the background, water rocks and grassy foreground and got it quilted for class.

 This one has a nursery log, a fallen tree that often sprouts new growth and two other trees.  She also has some fairies here and there.  The background isn't quilted but had those rays of sunshine shimmering through.  This is Sandi B's piece.

 My birches went on a diet and growth spurt and have some branches forming...not sure of that sucking, I think I'll change it.

 I changed out the top haves of the two in the middle, the centre of the three now has a more even shape.

 In the process of topping them down.

 All topped and now the suckling has the same texture to it's family.

 I took a bit of a break and took my sewing machine to the car and took some photos in the rain.

 I love how they form on branches of flowers.

 Love this photo.

 If you look you can see an inverted scene in the raindrops.

Back in the class room about twenty minutes before leaving trees are getting more boughs.

 There was a rock forming, but Carmie took it away as I took the previous pictures, but you can see her hobbit hole and base are more defined and a bough has been placed.

 Kendra was fussing cutting butterflies and other motifs and placing on her mid ground.

 A couple of orcas playing in the water and the sun setting on Jill's piece.

 A closer look at the first nation totem poles and feathers she added to the trunk.

 Another bird for a bit of interest.

 This was the wall that had all those many trunks on yesterday.  Most people were working beside their machines so I didn't get photos of all pieces.

Here is where I left it for the day, I need to add some more to the snow, if you take another look at my inspiration photo you can see some blue tones in the snow and different colours of white.  I'll work on that over the next while at home, then quilt it.  Next step will be adding the trees and finer branches.  I decided not to have any of the evergreens or wall from the outlook in my piece.

I'm so pleased with my progress and all my group, you should consider asking Susan Teece to come to your guild and teach Playing in the Trees to you. Here is her website once again http://www.bentpincreations.com/  Thanks Susan for a wonderful weekend.