Back in Action

So sorry for the long absence.  Wow, life has a way of HAPPENING, doesn't it?  Now I've got so many things to post about (and finally have pictures, too), that I'll probably divide them up over a few days.

But first of all, I noticed that I'm just a post or two shy of my 200th Post Anniversary.  So, you know what that means.  A GIVEAWAY!!   Give me a couple days to get it together, and I'll announce the details.  I'm thinking of doing something similar to my drawing during the Holidays last year - several prizes and you pick which one(s) you want to go for.   Stay tuned for that.

Next, some eye candy.  I mentioned before I'm currently working on a purse that I must keep under wraps for now.  It's for CQI's annual purse contest, and the deadline, which was April 1, has now been extended to April 15.  Either way, once entries are submitted, the members will vote anonymously for a week or two.  The winners will be announced toward the end of April, so once that's determined, we can all show off our stuff.  In the meantime, I promised photos of an old UFO I've got to finish this fall.

This is the left front panel (as you're looking at it) of an oriental-themed vest that I pieced several years ago.  I did some work on it myself (mostly seams), then sent it around in a RR.  It is not complete.  Not nearly.  

I did the base of the tree (below), and the leaves were stitched by Candji Buckohr, one of the RR participants.    Also participating in this RR was Jakkie Lease, Debra Coon, Barb Babb,  and Dorothy Matheson.

The motif below I stitched with one strand of silk floss from a pattern in a Dover book.  I also did the base seamwork, which needs more embellishing.  :-)  That black thread was actually surgical silk I tried using.  First and last time.  It will likely be frogged.....

This is the right front vest panel.   I have no idea why I made this vest so big - it's wider and longer than I needed, even in my heaviest days.  (BTW, I've lost 19 lb. since last year and am still going strong).   It will need some serious down-sizing and frogging, or else I'll find someone it fits and give it to them.

One of the RR ladies had attached a large red tassel to the black gong-like motif below.  I had to remove it because as you can see from the placement of that black "donut" in the picture above, that tassel would've looked, uh, rather....  well, let's say it would've been very "Las Vegas Showgirl", LOL!!

That black and gold trim above was a lovely vintage piece I received years ago as a gift.  Isn't it gorgeous?

So, hopefully this fall I can get this finished and out of my pile of UFO's....

And in ending this hodgepodge post, I wanted to share with you some lovely goodies sent to me by Susan of Plays With Needles .  I had commented on some of her lovely things in a recent post and before long they arrived in the mail.  Is she awesome, or what?   Do visit Susan's blog - EVERYTHING she posts is lovely - pictures, words.... WOW.  Someone from Stampington needs to include Susan in their Artful Bloggers magazine.  Really.

Thank you, Susan!

Hugs to all,