Turning blue for Monday

It really didn't take me all day to find something blue to photograph. Just all day to get back to the blog. I am in a blue block RR for CQ4Newbies. This is a collage of the blocks I am working on and different threads, beads, buttons, lace motifs and other doodads I've collected to embellish them. I have threads from DesertSky Quilting and lace motifs from Fashion Frills. Some of the fancy trims are from Crazy for Fiber and most of the fabric and buttons came from Crazy Judyth's. I was blog hoppin' earlier today and Smilin'Sally is having a Blue Monday. It was just meant for me to post about my blue stash.

Traveling the Internet

Does everyone just travel around like I did this morning? I am new to blogging and following. I checked out Shari's new post. Lovely stitching. Then I also follow Pat Winter. Great little tag post. I see she follows Diane Knott so I stroll over to see the kitty. Very sweet. I knew a Diana Knotts once. I have good memories of her. So in the comments section I find Barb Barb makes nests, pins and things. She is doing blue monday. This is happening at Sally's place. I need to find something blue to post about. Not sure about all those links. Remember, I'm new to blogging! Anyway, Sally has a beautiful blue bowl or vase. And I'm in the comment section, again! Here's Diane who loves dogs. Well, I can certainly identify with her, so I run over and look at doggie photos. She has some photos over to the side followed by her list of blogs. Ah!, here's one with a new colt photo. I loved horses even before dogs. So off I trot to Kelley's and what a lovely baby she has pictured. Boy I'm I tired and my morning is running away as I sit here typing. I think I'm hooked. I think I'll go look for something blue.

Dyeing

I used Wilton's icing colors. It is a concentrated gel. During this session I used 3 colors, Christmas red, sky blue, and violet. Color was added to glass bowls of 2 to 3 cups of hot water. All lace was soaked in a mixture of distilled white vinegar and water. This photo shows the lace before it was rinsed. The next photo is the lace in previous post. I do not know why the blue rinsed out. Better records need to be kept BUT I did nothing to the red or violet that I did not do to the blue. Although, I did not keep exact times; I did not take a lace out to make it lighter, it just came out that way. ******* I kept the dye water hot by microwaving. I sometimes put the lace back in the vinegar bath. And I would add more color always using a new clean toothpick. You do not want to contaminate your food colors. Most of the lace is a synthetic; most likely polyester or rayon but I really don't know. There was color in the flowers of this one strip. The dye bath has darkened and enhanced the color. The smaller edging took the dye the best in both the blue and red. I did not get the violet to dye anything. The cotton doilies and edgings only kept a light tint and mainly look dirty not dyed. Of the 3 border strips in red (light) all were in the dye bath. ONLY the lower one took the dye. The middle one I painted on some dye with a toothpick. I enjoyed my dye experiment. Will next time keep better records.

Spring in North Carolina

I think spring has arrived in NC. We had rain, AND tornadoes in the area on Friday. It is still partly cloudy here today. The sun came out a little so I got the camera out! This is a shot of the flowering weeping cherry tree. This shot showed the least amount of yard!! No sense in advertising all the work I need doing. Then I took several photos of my chickens. This is Esmeralda. She's a Light Brahma. She's taking a sand bath.

Lace, dye, motifs, giveaway

Here's a photo of my 1st attempt at dyeing with tea. Must remember next time to make some notes. I used a herbal blend and several tea bags but don't know the details. Shari has given me some good advice on dyeing and I hope to experiment this weekend. The original lace is on the right. It is not white or cream and after the tea bath it is still not beautiful but at least better. This photo of machine lace just screams to be a motif. See how easily it could be cut apart? How would I embellish it? Any suggestions? In the second lace strip I see two different motifs as shown at the side. There are fans hiding in one row and butterflies in between or are they flowers?? Of this border I have several strips between 1/2 yard to almost a yard in length. For postage costs I'll send a strip. Email me. Remember to include a suggestion for embellishment!

Memory Quilt

A family memory quilt created by God's grace the year before my Mother passed away. It includes photos of my parents, their parents and siblings and then the 5 children. The 4 girls are in each corner. My brother in the lower center. If I created such a quilt today it would have been crazy quilted!

Kittens introduced to Dachsie

I have had several very good suggestions for names for the kittens. Just can't make up my mind. I introduced Toby, my black and tan dachshund to them. The yellow and white was not at all interested but Miss Tabby has found a new friend. This photo of Toby ( in my lap) is a few years younger. It is hard photographing dachshunds without them being on something---lap, the couch, the vet's table. I have lots of not so good photos pointing down at a dachshund! ----------------------------------------------------------- My good friend and neighbor, Susan said goodbye to her dog Christa this week. Christa was a good dog.

Needle books for CQ4N

I finished and mailed three needle books for a swap with CQ4N, a yahoo group that has really taught me alot. It is a joy to log on and "listen" to the girls chat. The 1st needle book is actually a paper pieced section of flying geese. Then I added some CQ embellishments. The second one is from recycled wool. My buttonhole stitches just would not work so the edge is done on the machine. I raided my button jar for the front and appliqued a fan motif from pieces of silk tie and shirt and a rayon tie.

Spring fever, help me name my NEW kittens

I have been bitten by the spring bug! When a neighbor said she had kittens needing a home I tried (almost) to talk myself out of saying yes. So, I brought TWO home. Oh, dear. They are girls and will need suitably girlish names. I have two other cats named Alfalfa and Murphy. They are so handsome. One cat has never been enough. They are like chocolate, fabric and potato chips, just more expensive. Here's another couple of photos of the kittens. Drop me a comment. Thanks.