CQJP2014 Anything Grows Jan Block

I've started my Crazy Quilt Journal Project for 2014. The challenge is to challenge yourself. To improve and expand your artistic and technical skills.
It requires 12 CQ blocks one for each month of 2014 that will be put together in a quilt. The blocks can be any size from six inches square and up. You also have the freedom to use any fabric, threads, beads and embellishments that you desire. The bottom line is do as you will and then some lol!

The main theme for the finished quilt will be "Anything Grows". I am giving myself the freedom to choose the colors and mood/theme for each block independently.

My first choice was to work with lace and more fancy fabrics. I've worked with cotton for so long, it was time for a change. I never realized I was a lacey kinda gal till I had gotten some beautiful laces from other artists esty shops. And, of course, if you love lace how can you keep your fingers off of the pearl beads! Color wasn't a problem either. A piece of wine velvet got a hold of me and away we went!

Block mounted in a Grip-n-Stitch Frame

Now for a theme for the block... that's easy, too! For me, life begins after coffee. It's that magical time first thing in the morning to wake up with and set your day.

I found this lovely lace motif from Judith at her etsy shop The Queen's Flamingo. It so expresses the lovely coffee times with my Hubby. Thank you Judith!

Why the mouse you ask... his name is Anthony. I had left a cup of espresso on the glass table on our outside deck one morning, and when I came back the sweet little field mouse was "sipping his morning coffee!" I didn't have the heart to disturb him... those sweet little ears and big bright eyes!

After that he came back often to check for treats that I had left him.

The seam treatments were different lace trims and beads that I have and I cut different velvet's with a wavy cutter to make ric rac. Another challenge for me because I never really cared for the look and the velvet made it so much easier!

The striped fabric puts me in mind of Victorian Wallpaper so I hung a cuckoo clock there for Coffee O'Clock time. Again I added a ric rac with sparkle to it, I liked the look.

As I worked this block I kept my eye on the teal velvet area. Depending on the light and angle of the piece, it would change. First I would see a flowing  pattern, then it would change to look like small clusters of flowers. I decided to keep it clear of any further treatment and allow it to show just it's own magic.

This was my first time working with velvet, satin, and tapestry. I first applied a stabilizer to each piece that I thought needed it in hopes of better control and to cut down on fraying of edges. It didn't change the hand, it remained soft. The seams were a different matter, of course. I trimmed down the seam allowance as best I could, but still bearing in mind of them fraying later.

To help the visual confusion of seam lines and borders, I used a "window" to place over the large block so that only the finished sized block would show.

I added a few splashes of flowers and beads. They were added with texture in mind and to keep the eyes moving around the block looking for more things to see. For some reason this block did not want alot of embellishment past the lacey trims that I had already done. Maybe because I see it as a morning block, waking up to a fresh new palette in which to create my new day!

So here we are with it finished (for now).

Victorian Yule Tree

Yule Love These Vintage Kifli Cookies!

What better way to celebrate the holidays then with cookies! Here is my favorite and my families traditional cookie for over 60 years.

HUNGARY KIFLI or ROMANIAN FIFLE

(meaning “horn” filled cookies)

My Mom found this recipe in The Record Courier Newspaper. The recipe was sent in by Mrs. Peter Sench, 883 Wooster Rd. (the town/location was not mentioned) Since The Record Courier was a local paper it would lead me to believe she was local... maybe from Ravenna or Kent (Ohio),

Portage County. It was dated in the late 1940’s.

Here's the recipe:

6 cups sifted flour

1 lb butter – or (½ lb butter – ½ lb lard)

2 egg yolks

1 egg

¾  cup pet milk = small can, 5 fl. oz.

1 cake yeast .6oz. or 1 pkg. dry yeast

Crumble yeast fine into flour.

Work in shortening like pie dough.

Make a well in center of mixture, add yolks, egg and milk.

Work ingredients together with hands until dough pulls from side of bowl. (The warmth from your hands will ease the blending of the butter).

Form balls; chill.

Roll out very thin with powered sugar and fine grated pecans.

Add ½ tsp. filling, form roll.

Bake on nonstick cookie sheet or parchment paper for 15 to 20 min @ 375 degrees. Check your first batch at 15 minutes; cookies are done when bottom is browned lightly and top flaky.

Makes 120 cookies.

*We use Solo brand fillings that come in almond, apricot, poppy and cherry. or Emmy's (my Mom) date nut filling YUM!!!

*Emmy's DATE NUT FILLING – YUM!

1 ½ BOX CHOPPED DATES

1 ½ CUP WATER

1/4 CUP SUGAR

Cook until thickened, strain thru sieve if desired.

Add 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (pecans are my favorite)

Cool before using.

Setting up your work area. I like my pastry sheet in front of me with the powdered sugar and grated pecans near by. Cookie sheets await at the other top side of work area. All sticky stuff, jams, preserves, solo cookie fillings and the like are placed on the left where they will be spread on each cookie after rolling it out thinly.
See my little treasure, the small rolling pin in the left hand of the picture! It is a dough roller for chinese foods, but it fits so well in your hands and is gentle on the thumbs!

Cookies have been mixed and formed into balls. Now wrapped and ready to go in the refrigerator to rest for 2 hours or up to overnight for next day baking!

See my little treasure, the small rolling pin I'm using? It is a dough roller for Chinese foods, but it fits so well in my hands and is gentle on the thumbs!
My husband is busy on the right side spreading the sticky stuff! He's a great helper, without him these may not have gotten baked this year :)

Here they are baked and ready to be enjoyed. They store well in tin cookie containers or Tupperware storage containers.

Needle Lace join for Hairpin Lace Tutorial

This video shows a demonstration of the needle lace join used for the Klimt pattern published by Stitch Diva Studios. Adapted from  Romanian Point Lace, it is worked with a tapestry needle. The stitches are as light and airy as the loops of the hairpin strip, and pair particularly well with hairpin since these kinds of joins appear to be extensions of the loops themselves.

Felted Cobweb Scarf Tutorial

I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but it's on my list of things to do - how about you?  :)

Sumptuous Surface Embroidery From the Heart Project 1

My next in devour, plunging into the "needlework unknown" was with Sharon b from Pintangle. I so love her work and style and her ease of being a teacher. I knew it would be another challenge worth embarking.

Here is an excerpt about the class:
Sumptuous surfaces explores the wonders of highly textured freeform contemporary hand embroidery while also developing design skills. Students are guided through the process of developing their own design,  as well as being introduced to techniques used in freeform textured hand embroidery.

 Our first project was to be done in monotone, thus teaching ourselves how to apply texture as to color for contrast.

This is my design, but simplified

This is my main design

Lower left corner - see the little watch works? Love 'em!

Lower right corner

Side angle

Lower left corner

Close upper right

Finished!

Encrusted Crazy Quilting Week 3

Back at week 2 we were looking at the finished pieced 12" block, with the addition of lace embellishments. Now at week 3 I continue by adding more trims, beads and buttons. Additional seam treatment with embroidery stitches have also been included.

  added gem beads, star sequins, more beads..

whipped back stitch in red & white

 Spidey on spider web with beads & button cluster

 silk flowers with bead center

daffodil flowers

completed corner with silk flower spray

Almost finished 12" block. Added piping and black
borders. this just needs to be mounted in a shadow

box and hung on display. It really is square but my

camera angle makes it look wonky :)

This block is more a mixed-media crazy quilt block. The class was teaching you how to do the flip-n-sew technique for building the block itself and embellishing it with what ever we wanted with our own design in mind. Like I said in the begining I learned allot from the class of what to do and what not. I'm happy with it and it is unique - OOAK Crazy Quilt Block.

Treasure Box

As the old saying goes "one man's junk, another man's treasure" and here is a fine example!

This lovely treasure box was found in the trash and was quickly claimed and adored... by me! It's a beautifully crafted piece with loads of fabric lined compartments. A true Shabby Chic Delight!

 gemstone beads & chips

 crystal beads & gemstones

 more gemstone beads & chips

beads & charms

And a large compartment on the top loaded with jewelry findings, painted buttons and more charms.

Sweet!

Button Button Who's Got The Buttons?

I've got buttons! Metal buttons, MOP buttons, bone buttons, glass buttons, rhinestone buttons, coat buttons, you name it and they are all Vintage Buttons.
I inherited my Mother's huge tin full of them and they have been collected for decades. Being a good German, Mom saved all sewing notions from worn out and out grown clothes. I even found a Victorian Shoe Buttoner at the bottom of the tin.

Making Crazy Quilts is a great way to display and use them once again. I found it to time consuming digging through all of them and decided to get them organized... somehow.

i dumped out small piles of them (so I wouldn't get overwhelmed) and started sorting by color. I just beaded them up on heavy string and tied the grouping together with a slip knot.

Now all I have to do is select the colorway I wish to work with! What a time saver this has become.