Well, I must be rusty using blogger -- I wasn't able to upload all the images I wanted to and I can't figure out how to post pictures in the correct order grrr! I shouldn't complain as all this has been made available to me -- so I'm trying once again! Here are the pictures of the special fabric used in Mom's bag. I purchased fat quarters and used some of other quarters for the lining and many pockets (six plus a zippered pocket) for all Mom's stuff she likes to carry with her. If anyone who reads this has tips for putting pictures where you want them, I'd very much appreciate knowing how! Please, please send me an e-mail telling me how!

I've got some catching up and some explaining to do! It's been a while since my last posting and what have I been up to? As any productive person will tell you -- if we try to go in too many directions, then nothing gets done well and I needed a break to restore my energy -- so this summer instead of my usual evening activities of embellishing or crocheting, I've been spending a lot of time reading except that is, if you don't count the endless hours of starting and ripping out a lacy shawl I've had trouble knitting. -- I don't know whether it is me or the directions but if I'm to be honest then I must confess it is a bit of both! If it wasn't that the colors were so gorgous then I'd had given up 20 hours ago!!! but I keep on trying and I will make it if it takes me a lifetime! You can see the gorgous colorways here http://strickwear.com/

This all began during our annual trip to the Outer Banks where we spend time with some close family members and do nothing much at all except read and eat. We joke around that when it comes to the food which always seems to be the top priority; we are either talking about it, shopping for it, cooking it, or eating it! We do have fun. I also managed to read two excellent books that tweaked my interest for more and I also found the time to roll the eight skeins of lace-weight wool for my shawl which ranges from the palest green all the way to a deep blue.

I was invited to teach at an event held by Nancy's Notions in April -- the folks who work there are unbelievably organized and kind -- be sure to sign up for a class if you are anywhere near Wisconsin I also met a new friend, Susann Carlson. We had so much in common but, unfortunately, we just didn't have enough time together.

In June, I travelled to Nashville to teach at an event hosted by Sally Cheney or AAA Sewing and Vacuum. Sally and her staff know how to show students a good time and we made many new converts to our beloved Embellisher. If you have an opportunity, visit Sally's store in Madison as she and her staff go all out for the customer! I also had the good fortune to meet Brian Bailie (Designer Gallery Software) as well as Eileen Roche, Margaret Tully and Joan Friedrich. Margaret and Joan together are surely as funny as any comedy team during their serger presentation!

Lately I've been working with fabrics that inspired me to make a bag for my darling Mom's upcoming birthday (shhh! she's going to be 84 years old!) The fabric collection is "Garden Etchints" and I bought a fat quarter in each colorway! My dear friend, Barbara, took me to her favorite quilt store in Purcellville, Virginia, Web Fabrics. They've been doing business on line but now have a gorgeous new store packed to the gills with tempting quilting fabrics and supplies.

To begin with I layered the one fat quarter of the fabric, cotton batting, and muslin underneath. I then used my Embellisher to attach the yarns at random -- with some of them I embellished down multiple strands one at a time, side-by-side to add interest. The next step as to free motion stitch completely over the fat quarter and the yarns as well to anchor them well.

What to do with some fabulous "leafy" paper purchased a few weeks ago in an upscale card/gift store?

It has a handmade textured backing with really lovely delicate soft aquamarine leaves almost floating on top reminding me of the view you get when gazing up through the trees.

We hosted Easter dinner for our family yesterday. I really enjoyed doing this as I love planning the table decorations (to give the grandchildren fond memories and besides I'm just a kid at heart) and the menu with a few favorites such as stuffed leg of lamb as well . It also allowed the side of me that loves to experiment in the kitchen to try something new thanks to lucullian.blogspot.com; I tried her appetizer of crostini with pear pine nuts, ginger and gorgonzola grilled for a few moments - YUM!

After all that work, I needed an Embellisher "fix" this morning. I'm not surrounded by all my colorful samples since I shipped them off a few days ago to Nancy's Notions in preparation for next weekend class and trunk show so things feel a little "bare" here (okay, less cluttered!)

In my stash I found some lovely border leicester curls and a piece of wide silk ribbon dyed last year and left over from another project. It still needed something else so I decided that lace scraps would be perfect to add texture to the smoothness of the leaves. I still had no idea where this was going. I began with a rectangle of the paper and began layering lace, curls and ribbon. It was pretty but lacked interest so I took a chance and cut it up into several long rectangular pieces, arranged them mosaic style on to another torn piece of the same paper and embellished them down. It makes a great collage and will look great mounted on to a board for hanging. I'll look at it for a day or so to decide if it needs machine stitching or beads. Sometimes simplicity is best and you have to listen to your inner voice telling you it is time to stop.

This crazy quilt square is an ongoing work in progress -- the fabrics are a mix of quilting cotton, silk/rayon velvet and hand dyed silk pieces Embellished on to water soluble stabilizer. I enjoy doing hand work in the evening so it is far from complete -- I've begun in one corner using some simple stitches in matching hues with just a dash of an introductory color.

These pins were made from some materials left over from another project. Lime green silk chiffon needle felted on to scraps of wool felt with some bright pink curls and a little glitter -- these would be great for a fast gift or would make a fabulous package decoration when coordinated with the wrapping paper.

The next piece is named "tutti frutti" because it's mainly citrus colors with a little blue. I love the orange/yellow/blue combination. For the details, I added some simple french knots with a row of sequins below.

I've been working on a few new fabric samples - "Poppy" is the first was made using some velvet burnout in delicious colorways from Flights of Fancy. I like having some pieces ready to embellish with beads or hand work while I sit with my husband in the evening.

Next is a piece named "violets" and was made using velvets, silks and ribbon yarns. You have to forgive me for the incorrect order -- haven't quite got the hang of it yet but I'll eventually figure it out!