Birth announcement block

This was a joy to work on because I love pink and because it is for my first granddaughter Brynn, born just 6 weeks ago in Quebec. We were introduced to each other at Christmas and she is the sweetest little bundle.It's a 14" inch block. Most of the seams are part of the 100 details in 200 days which I participated in to the very end. The photo is on very fine cotton, which I provided to a copy shop, and they transferred the photocopy onto the fabric. I have tried to use the special liquid and do it myself, but I haven't had great success. I'm going to persevere because this is only the second of several that I will have to do.

Chicken Scratch & Dotee #5

I did get the wrapping done, and of course, there was time for one more dotee!!! I'm fascinated by this "chicken scratch" embroidery on gingham, and you'll see that #5 Dotee's body is all that. But before I started her I did a bit of practice using different colour threads (all #8 perle), and using the white square on the gingham as the centre the first time, and the darkest pink square the next. I tried white, pink and darker pink threads.My favourite is the top left where I used white thread and the white square was left open.The one next to it, top middle is my second choice: white thread and the darkest pink square was left open. The two pale pink tries don't have much impact because the colour of the thread matches the colour of the pink gingham. The darker pink thread - the two samples on the right - give a nice impact too. It worked up very quickly, and I found that it was much easier and neater when I used a small hoop.

Dotee 3

Well, this has to be the last one, I need to wrap presents now!

Dotee 2

Annet warned me on Flickr that these little dolls were addictive and I think she's right! Here's my latest.

Angel 8

This angel has a chain stitch dress, mother of pearl shell wings, a sequin head and wool hair.

Sewing instead of Shopping

I should be out doing the last of my shopping, but I had the urge to try a dotee doll. Here she is:I used gingham for the bottom half and tried some "chicken scratch" embroidery. Chicken Scratch is also called Depression Lace, Gingham Lace or Snowflake Embroidery. I've used a cross stitch, straight stitch and a woven circle stitch. I've seen some projects that have used the gingham squares for a counted cross stitch design.

Tea Cosy

The shape isn't the greatest, it should have been a bit higher at the middle. I didn't have a pattern and just made it to cover the teapot without thinking of making a pretty shape. Mum loves it, and it's hers now. This was another project to provide seams for the 100details.

The end of the Details

The 100 details in 200 days challenge has come to a close. I'm pretty amazed that I stayed the course, sometimes I was running to catch up! Here are the last few. This is detail 96.Detail 97. Detail 98aDetail 98bDetail 99 was about a million french knots, so I passed on that one! Detail 100 was lots of different stitches, all packed together. This section from an old under the sea block covered most of the stitches.

You can see everyone's version of the 100 details in Flickr and there's more information on Stitching Fingers (there's a link on the right). It's quite an inspiration to see how creative some of the stitchers are, you can get loads of ideas for your own projects. I've signed up for a new Challenge, it's called "Creative Every Day".

CQ Cushion

The crazy quilting is all finished, I just have to make it into a cushion now for my sister's Christmas present.

And here's my latest angel - sequin wings and braids.

Gum paste tulips

In the Fall I received an order for tulips for a wedding cake. This is how they looked. If anyone wants a tutorial on them, I'll be happy to do it for you. If the tutorial isn't following this post, please go to the side bar and search the label for tulip tutorial. Click on it and this post and the tutorial will now be on your screen.

Angel ATCs

I traded three of my angel ATCs recently. Here's three lovely new angels for my collection. This one is from Margreet in the Netherlands, she's very mischievous. I love the lace that Margreet used for her dress. This one with her pretty crochet dress and wings is from Annet, also in the Netherlands.And this origami angel is from Carey in San Diego.

Sick Kids Fundraiser

A couple of weeks ago CSSA (Canadian Society of Sugar Artistry) got together to decorate gingerbread houses for Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. Various businesses sponsored a decorated house by donating a specified amount of money (the larger the house, the bigger the donation), and CSSA members did the decorating. Decorating was an all-day event. Many of our members baked all the components before the date, while other members came prepared with sugar cone trees, small icing wreaths and candles for the windows, and various gingerbread and modelled folks. The finished houses are on display until Christmas at the Markville Mall, McCowan and Hwy. 7, in Markham.

Here are a few photos: This is the log cabin. Verdie and I worked on this. The MansionThe Garden Centre

The Golf Shop

Train Station

Train, sponsored by our GO Train (Govt. of Ontario Train)

The Bakery

I think this might be a gift store.

The penguin cake

The cake was a hit! And it came together so easily too. This is the 6" top, with the slide carved out. The top of the cake was very uneven, but we left it that way. To carve out the slide, cut a strip of paper about half the circumference of the cake and the height of the cake. My paper piece was 9" x 3". Cut in half to make a triangle. Attach to the side of the cake with toothpicks, then with a sharp knife cut into the cake horizontally along the paper edge, going into the cake about 2" for the width of the slide. Then cut down from the top the same 2". Then clean up the side. Here both cakes are together, the top one pushed back to give room at the front for the pond. I used a half and half mixture of my buttercream, (icing sugar, butter, vanilla and water) and Betty Crocker's Fluffy White Whipped Frosting. It was easy to work with and crusted over well. Finished! Here's a good shot, you can see the little guy coming down the slide on his tummy and one already head first into the pond. I don't have a photo of Josh with the cake. I'll add that later. For the penguin tutorial, click on "penguins" in the label bar below.

The reveal

I didn't tell you there would be a reveal coming up because I didn't want to spoil the surprise for my daughter. As I've mentioned before, the 100Details challenge creates a great need for seams, and after a while there is also a need to create projects rather than just block upon block of crazy quilting. This is the special project I decided on. It's a 12" x 12" crazy quilted birth announcement for my grandson, Joshua, (pictured in the middle). I made it for his first birthday which we celebrated today. I thoroughly enjoyed this project and I've incorporated a beautiful piece of old lace and a delicate old piece of tatting. Look closely, the tatting circles his picture and the lace is directly above.

East End Cake Decorators - 2009 Meetings

Hello everyone! EECD Executive is working on next year's monthly meetings to bring you what YOU would like. At present we have no plans for our Sunday meetings in 2009. We feel that the hands-on workshops suit our members best, and we have members who are willing to share their expertise. So.....we need suggestions and ideas for the January to May meetings. The June meeting will probably be the Cake Competition. From time to time we could bring in someone special to run a more advanced topic. In this case we may need the hall longer, say from 12 until 4pm to have enough time. We want to know what you want to learn! So we need your input. If you are interested in running a workshop, we'd like to know that too. I hope that every one of you will leave a message here with your suggestion/s - the more ideas, the better. Thanks Diane

Lots more Details

We are getting close to the end of the "100 Details in 200 days" created by SharonB, and although it will be a relief when it is over, it has been a wonderful learning experience. It has made me try, try and try again at the bullion stitch. I've learned new ones too: the cast on stitch, the up and down buttonhole stitch, alternating barred chain, palestrina stitch and the oyster stitch. Many of these repeated during the 100 details, so each time I would look up my books, or check out Needle n' Threads' video and keep trying until I got it for the 2nd or 3rd or 4th time. I've worked through many projects, some created just to get more seams to work on. There are "details" on at least seven blocks or projects. Here are the latest details that I have completed.

Detail 84 - I can see that my stitching is improving. These little cast on stitch flowers are quite neat. I used Caron Wildflower variegated thread which is very effective here.

Detail 85 Details 87 a & b Detail 88 Detail 89 Detail 90a - Palestrina stitch.

Detail 90 b - SharonB's example used running stitches. I covered the running stitches with the cast on stitch to give it more substance.

Detail 90 c Detail 91 Detail 92 a

Detail 92 b Detail 92 c

Detail 93 a, b, c & d - a is the button group, b is the alternating barred chan, c the laced herringbone and d is the palestrina stitch, on the left.

This is a close up of 93b Underneath in orange thread is a row of herringbone. The green thread is wrapped in and out of the herringbone. Small pearl beads were added.

Detail 94a - This is my best oyster stitch to date.

Detail 94 b

Detail 95a - This gorgeous thread is my first experience with Sassa Lynne. I begrudge every little bit that ends up on the back of my work.

Detail 95 b

Only a few more to go!