We are fixin' to get plants ready to either go in the back garage AKA the old topical hide a way for the fur babies or in the "DOG HOUSE" the new home for the fur babies. AKA the Sun Room. Course it is not new anymore but we still call it the DOG HOUSE. The babies have their own plush beds and heated and cooled like special babies need and sort of a Jungle theme. They have a door to go in and out of when they want. BUT if we have the door down one of the babies, our newest one will not go in without an invitation. Not a written one, they can't read, but one from us saying come on Charlie. So we have this "beautiful contraption" fixed. It is beautiful silver duct tape and towels with weights on it to help keep the towels from flopping around. We have tried everything in the world to train him to come in. Who ever had this baby before us trained him well is all I have to say. Now when it is snowy and really bad at night we tape the fancy smancy towel up all around the edges and says nice and 71 to 72 ish. Once it did get down to I think 67 but man alive it was cold outside. It is funny how "things" get their little names isn't it? Like Dog House for your sun room. No one in the world may get it but you and hubby or family but the name is there to stay. Like one daughter use to call candy num num, well it is still num num. That has been what 46 or so years ago.
I guess I better quit going down my " Bunny Trails" and get on with the stories at hand and what in the world I have been doing with my art. Well we did mow again, counting down on those little adventures-mowing. It is funny we are so anxious when spring is here and we get to mow and piddle in the yard but his time of year we are saying HURRY and freeze. Then when it freezes we think oh they yard was so pretty. Never can please us I guess.
Soooooo, at the Bernina Sewing Center, here in Lubbock they were offering a Sue Spargo class. Now I thought who in the world is Sue Spargo? It is for a wall hanging, which I will just make into a book. Our walls can only hold so much art and running out of room. Well to give you an idea, I have 4 30x40 inch canvases in my bath tub here in my art room. Not painted of course but this room is getting full. I could move everything to the basement and make the best art room in the world but that means going up and down stairs. If I got a wild thought and to tell Eldon the thought I would have to go up the stairs. As it is I can take about 4 steps, see if his eyes are open and tell the thought and then back to my art room. At my age, if I don't tell the thought, it is gone forever. I am sure the ones I forget are not earth shattering but still it is my duty to share with Eldon.
Back to Sue Spargo, it is I call it a folk art of sorts I think. So after doing the block I did have to bling it up, of course. I am thinking I need more bling and things going on with this but here she be.
This block is wool and the things are wool except for the little printed fabric at the bottom. So I will keep you posted on this little project. We are doing one a month and I have another one to the "middle" stage and will show next month.
Now after doing this project I thought oh my this would be perfect embellishing for my DoDo bird a sweet lady made for me. Steam Punk it is ---thank you Kathleen. She is going to be the cover of my Alice in Wonderland book. Perfect don't you think? When I got it I wasn't sure what I was going o fancy her up with but I think it suits her. The Sue Spargo look. The flowers are hearts, get it? Nothing is real looking so perfect for Alice .
I did use the wool felt and some gauze I had dyed for a journaling project and I was good to go. Only weighs 100 pounds but that is my weight limit for a CQ piece so fits right in.
A couple of close ups of what I have done. Of course I may or may not add more
Now you may be wondering what my October Day of the Dead block looks like so here it is. I am semi on the ball with some things, I have 3 wall hangings with 4 blocks each on them already done. But if I show them to you now the surprise for November and December will be ruined. So no no ya can't see yet.
Can you feel the festivities?
I am in a Round Robin of Under the Sea theme and this in my embellishing of one of the ladies Renee. I am using my mermaids, cutting them out and then adding to their blocks. This is number 3 in the series. I added a few Seagulls in the sky and had the dolphins jumping out of the water, I couldn't have an empty sky now could I?
Almost finished with the marathon post here. You may go get a glass of tea or coffee if you are getting tired. I will wait for you.
OK, I am doing a little swap with needle books. A friend in Australia Betty sent me a needle books several years ago. I need to take it's pic, I am using it like crazy and now I don't know how I kept my needles together with any semi order. THANK YOU BETTY !!!!! I do have the needles in the book and keep count of them in case one jumps out on the floor and we have to get the flash light to hunt for it. They do hide you know.
Here is the front of the needle book. Now a couple or so years ago went went to an Estate sale, really was a garage sale but then if it say Estate they can charge more. I was looking for any treasures and Eldon said Annette. I turned and looked and there was this beautiful beaded wedding dress for $5. Wow did he make a find, it was a lady's second wedding and my first treasure of a find. So the body and the pretty pearled bottom of this needle book is part of the dress. I had to add some more bling and a pretty crystal button I had. Of course.
The first part of the inside. I added some fabric to the inside of the front pocket, thanks Ann for that suggestion. Mainly so scissors would not poke thru the lace. Then some pretty added to the front of the wool part for the needles.
Inside of the needle part
The back side of the needle part with another little pocket
Now the back of the book.
There you go the needle book. Now I have another Alice page and painting to show you but I thought y'all would have to go get new glasses if I put any more pictures-photographs- on here.
Sooooooo
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.
XOXOOX
Annette
love seeing all the eye candy,,maybe you need a first floor room added on for your studio,,,stairs can be bad
ReplyDeleteLaughing hard here girl, then I would just have more stuff. The more room the more stuff glad you like the eye candy though xoxoxoox
DeleteWhat do I love about your blog? It is delightfully entertaining.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are great, and I love the way you ramble on and on.
So much so, that at times I get inpatient to read everything, and
am tempted to skip ahead, but I am usually good and don't .
LOL
It seems we have something in common, STAIRS. It appears
I can go up them a little easier than trying to go down them.
But at 72, thats not too bad.
Keep up keeping up Annette.
Bear hugs . . .
Thanks girl, I am right behind ya on the age. : ) I do ramble a lot , once I even tried to make an outline and go by it on here but as you can tell that doesn't work for me lol
DeleteWOW! Sweet lady you have been one busy girl! Love everything you make so its hard for me to pick a favroite but I will say... I love all the UTS RR blocks you've done so far. It is so much for me to get to see them first hand... in fact the last group is on the way to Lydia right now. Love your Sue Spargo creation - you rocked it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicki Lee, just keeps me off the streets and sort of out of trouble. Sort of. I couldn't let you down with the UTS blocks. Now you have me hooked also on those. oxoxxo
DeleteI never know where to start...lol--I have seen Sue Spargos books on amazon and i love her designs--I bet that class is fun! George and i have all kinds of our own words for things--we always say if people came to our house they would have no idea what we are talking about! We often find we are thinking the same things at the same time--do you and Eldon do that--like ESP. all of your new pieces are so pretty and I love those little needle books!! i need to get out my Frida and Diego piece and begin the hand stitching on it--it has been hanging in the closet since last year when I did the free motion embroidery on it (it's similar to those pieces that I did on the dish towels--the woodland fairy and the hippie dippie farm-do you remember those?)
ReplyDeleteYes her work Sue Spargo is fun isn't it? When Eldon and I are together, which is about 24/7 sometimes we don't have to say a word when something happens, we both break out laughing and know what we are laughing about. Yes I remember the beautiful work you did on the dish towels now get to work gotta see your Frida and Diego piece finished xoxoxo Glad you like the post here xoxo
DeleteYour SS inspired covers and books are fabulous!!! The details and intricacies are amazing! I would never have the patience! WOW!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anita so glad you like it all and you have patience. I just don't know when you would squeeze it in with all your pretties you make and teach it also. Hugs and have fun and I know you are ox
DeleteLove you newsy post Annette, your Spargo block is great and so full of fun and color!
ReplyDeleteYou have lots of rockin' pretties here and I love each and every one of them!!
Hugs my sweet friend:) ML
Thanks Marilou, the Spargo art type is fun to do. Almost to me like CQ, no rules to me anyway. glad you like the pretties and more coming . Hugs back at ya and keep safe with all the fires out there xoxo
DeleteYou had me lol again!! and yes, I did go get a refill before the needle book!! heeheee
ReplyDeleteI just love reading your posts Annette! You always keep it fun! love the num num for candy- I think I'll use that with my hub! heehee
As always ALL of your pieces are gorgeous as well as the new SS- which, yes, add more bling- in the Annette fashion! But my fav is absolutely the mermaid- she is just delightful!!
love & hugs my friend- and keep dry & warm
Jackie xo
Lol love it Jackie P. I am so glad you liked the post and the num num. OK I have permission then to go bling up the SS more. WHEW I was worried there. Renee, the owner of the block loved her also so it is a go. Hugs and hugs and back at ya my dear on the warm and dry business. Sell those gourds, bet you did every one of them xoxoxoxooxo
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