Summertime Flowers

Time for another walk in the garden.  Our summer continues to be a spectacular year for our vegetable and flower gardens.  This is a hibiscus that I added to the garden a year ago and may now be my favorite.  I'm so glad these beauties are perennials in our area. 

 I have always been a big fan of sunflowers and over the years have started many varieties from seed.  These are two that reseeded themselves this year.  I love watching the increase in Goldfinch once the sunflowers start blooming.

 

Surprise lily is appropriately named as they are truly a surprise to see each year.  I often notice them blooming in someone else's yard then go home to find that mine have shot up to over 2 feet tall over night and are in full bloom also.

 Zinnias are so easy to start from seed and have in the garden each year for flower bouquets.  Their colors are so bright and vibrant and add great interest to any bouquet. They are pest resistant and long lasting.  So hard to beat.  I always wish I had planted more and this year I did include them in several beds as good color filling in several areas.

 

 This is a unique and interesting bloom I added to the garden last year.  I like any "daisy like" bloom and the shape and color of this one appealed to me.  It is called osteospermum Lavendar Bliss.  Even with a hard winter it fared well.

  

 This unusual plant is also in its 2nd year in my gardens.  It is a long lasting bloomer and quite unusual.  It reminds me of allium  but I don't recall the name of this variety.

The rains this Spring have been wonderful.  My flowers have never looked better.  I have favorites that each year I make sure to have in my flower pots on the patio and in the beds.   

These happy nasturtium are an old time favorite; I love the leaves in arrangements just as much as the pretty blooms. 

This hyacinth bean vine is an annual favorite that quickly fills the trellis. It puts on many seed pods that are easy to dry and save for next years plants.  I especially love the contrast between the flowers, vine and leaves. 

I look forward to the blooms of the tall garden phlox each year and have added several varieties and colors over the years.  The fragrance can not be beat.

I have always liked the colorful foliage of coleus and now with many sun tolerant varieties I use them in pots and beds. 

Cleome is such an unusual plant and very hardy.  Each year it abundantly resows itself, often needing thinning.  This completes todays walk through the garden beds.  I'm looking forward to the blooms still to come on hibiscus and hydrangeas.  The zinnia starts are ready to be replanted in beds to fill in with color through out the summer.  Check back for another garden tour.

Just heard this morning that this is the 10th heaviest snowy winter season for our area.  It just doesn't seem to want to end even though it is now March.  What better way to spend a cold, snowy Sunday than in my comfy chair stitching.  I continue to work (and rework) this pillow top and I'm pleased with the results.  A few more touches then ready to make it into a pillow.  The size is somewhat odd 15" x 15" plus the sides so will now search for the pillow form to finish the project.  I was not pleased with the daisy wreath in the top left section so reworked it yesterday using Brazilian embroidery stitches to wrap each petal.  It added some dimensional depth to the piece.  What do you think?

I started 2014 like many of my crazy quilting friends....feeling like it was time to clean and organize my sewing room.  I took some photos but don't want to show how really bad it was stacked.  The good thing about having a sewing room is that I can just shut the door and leave it in what I call organized chaos.  Others would call it a mess.  During my organizing and cleaning I admitted to my husband that I may have a hoarding problem.  I was seeing some of the signs but I'm not quite convinced yet.  He laughed.  I found too many UFO's that I had good intentions of completing. 

 The above items started out to be a lampshade but I soon decided that opaque fabrics would be much nicer for a lampshade.  I now have plans to complete it into a pillow. 

 This came as a kit; I saw one completed and thought it was really cute so started this one for my grandson a couple of years ago.  I work on it each Christmas but can't seem to hold my interest.  I will get it completed!!!

I saw this quilt made up in a Branson shop and really liked it.  I want to work crazy quilting into the piecing of the embroidered blocks. 

This is a purse that I worked on during a crazy quilt retreat in O'Fallon.  I really like it but again haven't gotten it completed.  But I will soon.  Stay tuned for my progress.

I have been home for a few days and decided that the cq pillow would be my first project to complete.

I am pleased with the results so far; I have a hard time deciding when enough is enough.  So many great ideas and stitches to incorporate into each piece.  It is so nice to have my trims, buttons, beads, and fibers organized.  Made it easy to pull just the right ones for this project. On a cold day like today can't imagine a better place to be than in my comfortable chair (otherwise known as "the nest") stitching.

Project Complete and the winner is........

   A day later than planned but the CQ witches hat is now complete.  All names went into a box and out came the winner's name which is Go Crazy With Me.

Grandbaby's visit yesterday prevented me from putting the finishing touches on until today.  I will place in the mail tomorrow if you contact me with instructions.  My email is  msbjray@cs.com  This project like most of mine evolved along the way into this finished piece.  It was great fun to work on.     Hope you enjoy having it in your home.

Looking like a HAT

Today is the day.  Hat brim to be added, drawing done and hat goes in the mail to arrive just in time for Halloween. It is the perfect day to be inside where it is warm, stitching away.

I will be wearing my hat on Halloween and it will be fun to see the surprised looks from all.  I talk about my crazy quilting hobby and of course everyone thinks I'm making quilts.  This will give them a glimpse of the various ways that CQ can be enjoyed.  Check back to see photo of completed hat.  And it isn't too late to get in on the drawing.  Just leave a comment so I can put your name in the hat.

CQ Witchy Hat continued

This has been such a fun project.  As always I never know when to quit.  But with Halloween just over a week away I will soon need to wrap it up, do the drawing and get it on its way to a new home.
A few more stitches then will seam the top, add the hat brim and a few buttons and trims to finish.

It has been a beautiful weekend and much was accomplished.  Couldn't just stay inside and stitch all week end.  Flower beds were cleaned up, hay was hauled and put away in the barn and some baking done.  Along with the usual week end chores it has been a busy few days and gone by way too fast.