Embroidery

I'm learning to embroider! I designed the pattern off a line drawing I made and then transferred it to the flour sack with a .25mm Micron pen (as recommended by Alicia Paulson). I have a few more flower drawings that I'll try with different techniques next. It is supposed to look like a zinnia, the flowers that I'll have for the wedding.


I've been consumed by flower-making lately! I have made dozens of these tissue paper flowers to decorate the wedding reception hall. These are the ones I opened, the others I've left "unfluffed" to make them easier to transport.
They are on my dining table, which is half-covered by cake stands and lace-edged milk glass. We're using the cake stands for the wedding, and the milk glass is just because I have a problem with pretty things and willpower.

my summer blog

Awww yeah, it is summer! Time to kick back and relax!

Oh blog, how I neglect you until it is summer again! This time I'm back to gloat about how much I got done today! A blog brag.

First, I woke up, ate breakfast and drank coffee. Then I mowed the front yard. Then I talked to my best friend in Dallas for awhile and read the news and the blogs that I read lots (I should make a list here of them!).

Then I made a to-do list. Then I put off the to-do list by making paper hearts. Then (like "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie") I needed something to do with the hearts. So I gathered up sticks from the yard and put them in a vase.

I strung the hearts on some thread and there you go!
One of my big summer projects in to make lots of scalloped bunting from vintage sheets for the wedding. Why yes, dear blog, you ARE the last to know! I'm getting married next summer!

So far I have lots of the scallops cut and sewed and pinking sheared, and lots more cut, awaiting sewing. Yesterday, I sewed the first group onto the bias tape and today I sewed a second set.

I also finished (started today too) an artwork to donate to a silent auction for MSGAO . Little Winchester modeled his feet for me. :)


Flowers!

A sweet student gave me this zinnia, which I will soon re-pot. I'm going to have zinnias in the wedding.

Tomato and Basil!

Violas! A toad lives in this flower pot. Fiancé says that sounds like a line from a book :)
He gave me this tropical hibiscus as part of my birthday. :)
Right now, I'm enjoying a left-over burger I made. I put bleu cheese and avocado on it, yum! After dinner, I'll mow the backyard, how's that for bookending a day!

New new new!

Whew! So much has happened. I've taken a new job (I love it!), moved to a new house (I love it!), and added more flowers (I love them!).

The best parts of my life have happily stayed the same. :)

Like this one. I think this is my new favorite picture of my sweet little Winchester.

Who gets progressively more worried about all the pictures I take of him.

My second orchid is growing a new leaf! I swore off orchids after unintentionally killing my first one, but I couldn't just leave a sad little clearance orchid in a big box store where no one would love it could I? I couldn't!

It even needed a bigger pot.

My chives are going to bloom and I just can't bear to pinch off the bud. I know with herbs you are supposed to do that. But it will be pretty! And it makes me happy.

These passionflower grow on the side fence of my backyard (yeah, that's right, I've got a backyard now!). You can see the stages of development in that pic, the bud, the flower, the odd fruit.

Like an alien ballerina.

I have a birdfeeder! And a regularly visiting flock of sparrows! Seriously, there are like thirty of them. Seriously, I'm not even exaggerating!

Three names: Moss Rose, Dessert Rose, and Portulaca

One pretty plant.

Pretty geranium has a nice view.

These sweet things have been blooming their little heart out all summer!

Dusty Miller still looks like lace.

This toad lives near my patio and snuck into my house. I opened the door for Winchester and he invited himself in. Of course, it might have been one of the other hundreds of toads around here. I caught him and put him outside.

I love windowsills. Especially windowsills big enough for flower pots.

As if I needed another excuse to go buy plants.

But African Violets are just so sweet. They don't ask for much.

More Winchester!

These are from back in April in Village Creek State Park!

I did this pen and ink drawing for MSAGO's dog wash fundraiser and auction.

I used this photo as a reference.

He saw something interesting out the window!

:D