I thought I’d do one post and try to catch up on a few things I’ve been meaning to show…
First up is Charlotte’s Azaela bush. A few days ago we were discussing them and I “think” I forgot to show hers… so here it is in all its glory and beautiful color…she said it’s at least 5 feet wide and that beautiful fuchsia-pink color!
Next up…that video I was telling you about for the braided hair I did on my Elizabeth doll. It’s actually pretty easy… just watch the video a few times and you’ll have it down… the video goes fast, so just get one part down… then the next part, then the weaving of that middle piece and you’ll have a spectacular new hairdo for your doll. I tucked mine up under the woven part, but you could leave it long and put your bow at the bottom. Make sure to turn up your volume so you can hear how she explains things. (Great, I can only get this to work on my phone…) Maybe it will work tomorrow… I’m not very techy at getting videos to load.
Now, who’s going to try it?
Next up you’ll see a three pictures from a friend here in town. Remember a month or so ago, I told you someone texted me and told me they had seen some porcelain dolls in a thrift store and she wondered if they had the right kinds of wigs? I had just gotten those porcelain dolls at our Goodwill and took them apart and made a few new wigs for my tiny dolls. Well, I ran into Lynne a few weeks ago and thanked her for keeping an eye out for me… then I asked her what she was up to…and she pulled out her phone and SHOWED ME! She’s been doing textile art. This is what she wrote me…
Hi Jeanne,
Here are the three pictures.
It is challenging to photograph textiles. But I tried again with the bunny page, and I think I got a better shot.
I should’ve told you, I am a just beginner at textile art. I am starting to learn about this. The challenge that I am following is hosted by Roxy creations by Rachel
She is Australian, but lives in Italy.
And by her sister Sarah in Australia at
https://youtube.com/channel/UCaWy5IKKOIR1Iruwzk3QqWw
They post videos each Wednesday about the challenge and what the next step or prompts are. I am learning so many new stitches and techniques. Each one that we do will become a page and a cloth book.
When I was a child, my mother had me do a Cross-stitch dresser scarf. It was kind of boring; there was only one stitch. I don’t think my mother liked it either. It was just something she thought little girls ought to do. This is so much more fun!
The Instagram hashtag for this challenge is #roxysjournalofstitchery.
My instagram is @lynnedavis3456
Thanks again,
Lynne
Thank YOU, Lynne! I’m so glad you shared your pictures with me… you’ll have to watch the comment below to see if anyone has any questions for you! They are just lovely!
Last up, I have a few garden pictures… I generally try to take a few pictures of my hubby’s hard work in the yard and garden, but hadn’t done so up till now. He’s getting ready to have his knee replaced, (again!) and decide to “raise” everything up a little bit to make it easier when he’s working in it, after his surgery. The big blue barrels were 55 gallon barrels and he cut them in half, getting two “pots” from one! The shorter containers were some he found at the recycle place here in town. They are about 8-10″ off the ground. Even that much raised up makes a difference.
First up is the Mulberry tree and some ferns. My hubby always trims back this tree and I always think he’s trimmed it too much.. I forgot to take a picture of it “bald” but you can see, it’s coming back… just like he says it will… :o) I love how they look when they are fresh and young and new and so pretty! After the sun hits those ferns for a few months they start to look a little tired.
Here is an overall view of the garden/flower area… (it would have been prettier if I had gotten out there and rolled up that hose, but that didn’t happen!
Sorry, another picture of my Hosta! It’s about 5′ across and is so healthy looking! I just love it… and my hubby planted those petunias in that pot too.
In the corner down the sidewalk, is my dinner plate Hibiscus… It’s really growing fast right now…
Here is my hubby’s garden from a distance…
Here are a couple of cucumber plants…
And last up are the “girls” who live outside! They wanted to say hi to you all. My neighbor got 6 five gallon buckets of strawberries given to her today from the Amish and she shared with me… so I’ve been cutting the tops off strawberries ALL afternoon and putting them in the freezer… I gave some of the tops to the hens… and from the looks of how many they still have left in that pan, it looks like they are about as sick of strawberries as I am!
Well, how’s that for a miscellaneous post? Hope you enjoyed it!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
It was a nice surprise to see my azalea in your post today, Jeanne! It’s still blooming quite nicely, although the lilac is about done for now. (I can still smell the lilac, though.)
I love Lynne’s textile art! So pretty–and she used so many different stitches! I agree, just doing plain stamped cross-stitch is pretty boring (although Counted cross-stitch is quite fun!). It’s always fun, though, to add to your repertoire of embroidery stitches–and once you start checking things out, you find out there are a LOT of different ones! Books full, in fact!! I recently used feather stitch (those variegated green “tracks” on Lynne’s second piece) to embellish the sleeves of a Wee Care gown, in fact.
Your yard and George’s garden look wonderful! I am so not a gardener (and with my knee and back issues, it’s probably best I’m not! LOL) but I do admire the efforts of others!! Thanks for sharing the pictures, and also the hens!! Yeah, maybe they got tired of strawberries after a while, too!!
Charlotte, Yes stitching is so much fun. When I learn a new stitch, it often becomes my favorite–until I learn another one. 🙂
HI Charlotte,
Every Azalea deserves some free “15 minutes of fame” time! :o)
Isn’t Lynne’s work sweet? I just loved them when I saw them on her phone! I knew my ladies would love seeing them.
I’ve got to finish my strawberries today! I wonder if the hens have any left in their pan?
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte, your azalea bush is absolutely beautiful! I think the fact you didn’t cut it back makes it more beautiful with the sprays of flower covered branches. I have to keep mine compact, which to me, doesn’t help for that beautiful flaring shape yours has. Our two bushes would look lovely together!
Wow, Lynn’s textile art is amazing! It certainly helps to have a lot of embellishments on hand! Lynn, do you have a certain theme in mind, or is sew as you go? Do you frame them or put them in shadow boxes? A lovely way to use up sentimental scraps and whatnot to give for gifts too!
Well, George has my utmost appreciation for the work he has done in the garden and he will soon see the fruits of his labor! I love thinking about those yummy salads you will soon be making, Jeanne! Everything looks so healthy and green!
By the way, I thought that mulberry tree was shaped in the form of a rabbit! I have seen bushes trimmed into animal shapes and thought that was what this was! I wonder if anyone else thought so?
Hi Linda,
I loved seeing your and Charlotte’s Azalea bushes. It’s the one flowering bush we don’t have around here. I’m not sure why, we seem to have everything else. When we moved here, it was so overgrown by the time we actually got possession of the house, we may have trimmed it down and not known what it was… oops!
I hope Lynne explains how she does each picture. I think she’s given a theme and had to go from there. They are sweet, aren’t they? I think I might be hooked on them if I ever tried! EEK… another thing pulling for my time.
No “rabbit” on the Mulberry tree…that’s just how it’s leafing out. It was trimmed down to nothing but the trunk… and somehow, it always comes back so pretty!
I can’t wait to try the fresh lettuce too. It’s been pretty easy to grow and I don’t think he’s ever grown it… so it will be fun to go out and “pick our salad!”
Thanks Linda,
blessings, Jeanne
Dear Linda, Thanks for your kind words. When I made these I was following the themes from the youtuber Rachel at Roxy Creations, and her sister at Roxy Creations by Sarah. I am learning so much and I also enjoy seeing how the other stitchers interpret each theme and develop them in their own ways. I can’t seem to part with my scraps, so this is a way to use them. I have not framed anything yet, but these are intended to go into a book that I will assemble at the end of the challenge. Thanks, Lynne Davis
Jeanne,
Thanks so much for publishing my pictures. It’s very kind of you to include them in your excellent blog. I loved seeing the garden pictures. George certainly has done a great job. I hope his knee replacement will go well, and his recovery will be quick.
HI Lynne,
It was my pleasure to share your pictures of your art work on here. I knew my ladies would love them. I’m not sure why the whole section I wrote about your work turns blue… but the link still works if anyone wants to click on it.
I think several ladies would love to know about how you get started with a theme… Maybe you could tell us a little more about how that happens…
Thanks Lynne,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I wanted to respond to your question about how I get started with the theme.
This project is called Roxy’s Journal of Stitchery, and the hosts Rachel and Sarah announce the theme for the month on their youtube channels. I look for their videos each Wednesday. On the first Wednesday of the month they announce the theme for the month. January’s theme was “bouncing bunny” and for the background “vintage lace.”
I watched the videos each week as Rachel and Sarah demonstrate how they set up their backgrounds and add focus points, embellishments and of course lots of stitches. I chose fabrics and lace from my stash and just started arranging the scraps to put the page together. For the bunny I found a line drawing of a bunny in the public domain. I got it to the size I wanted and printed it. I then traced the image onto my fabric using my window as a lightbox.
It is a “slow stitch” project, meaning we mostly use hand stitching, enjoyed the meditative process of stitching mindfully. Many of those participating use raw edge applique, and delight in frayed edges of some of the fabric scraps used. So if it looks a bit rustic, that’s why.
Some of the stitchers that are participating jump right in and have a finished project very quickly. Others take the whole month to develop their page.
The themes of the other two pieces were: “Bright butterfly” /“reclaimed fabrics” and “fancy flowers”/”neutral background.”
I hope that in the future I will come up with my own themes, but as a beginner I find it is very helpful to have someone suggest the themes and demonstrate the techniques.
Thanks again,
This sounds like so much fun, Lynne! I will have to take a look at that link. Thanks for explaining it!
Charlotte’s azalea is lovely. Gorgeous color. Amazing how it can thrive with the ivy. Around here we have ivy trying to choke a native oak tree in the neighbor’s yard. We are in a constant battle with the stuff.
The total green in Jeanne’s yard is a feast for the eyes. Not much green around here. What is supposed to be green is sort of a light barely thriving color. The innovation to raised beds is a great idea. Everything is thriving. Wonderful to see.
When I hear strawberries, other than eating in a fruit salad, I think of strawberry jelly. Will Jeanne be making any? Yum. 🙂
I think that today my FAO Ballet boy may finally arrive. He’s been sitting at a Fedex location in Sacramento for days. Finally got him on a truck last night and he is supposed to be here today. And hopefully, they can leave him on the porch out of the extreme heat because we have things to do today like dropping off our ballots. 🙂
I’m sure thoughts of another horrific elementary school shooting are on all of our minds today. Crying a lot here, and wishing for a solution from our representatives.
HI Joy,
The only reason our yard is so green is because of the rain (SORRY) we’ve had lately. Right after a rain you should see the yard…it’s almost like neon green!
Probably no jam or jelly from me… we like them plain, with just a little sugar, with shortcakes!
I hope your Ballet boy arrives at a time when you are home alone… wouldn’t that be just perfect?
Yes, the shooting in TX is awful… what a tragedy!
Thanks Joy,
blessings, Jeanne
Joy, we constantly battle the ivy! Someone. Else. (the first Mrs. T.) planted it!! Ron says he wishes he’d never been talked into it, as it’s been a headache for the last 50+ years to him! (She was only here a couple of years…) When Ron and I first married, the azalea was still quite small, and the lilac tree was shorter than I am. Now you’ve seen the azalea, and our lilac is probably at least 6′ tall, and has spread out somewhat, also!
Prayers for the poor families of the Uvalde tragedy. I’ve actually been and stayed in Uvalde, but barely remember it. It was when I was five and we went to San Antonio to The Alamo and all around that area. We stayed at an old hotel in Uvalde and crossed the border to Piedras Negras to spend the day in Mexico.
Beautiful azalea bush, Charlotte. I think not trimming it is why it’s so lovely.
I’ll definitely try the braid on a doll sometime.
Oh my goodness, Lynne, your textile work is gorgeous and amazing!. The bunny one is precious and I love the butterfly one as well. It looks like a lot of fun and I’ll check the links later. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work.
Yep, I saw a bunny in the mulberry tree as well and then saw Linda’s comment. I can usually see and animal or something in the clouds as well.
George’s garden is just wonderful. Getting a late start here with ours due to the extra long cold.
Yum, strawberries. I do have those planted and picked up a package of organic ones at the store this morning for tonight. I, for one, am never sick of strawberries or cherries. I could have either every single day. Lettuce is easy to grow. Doing that this year as most years.
Hi Laura
Yes, what a tragic day in Texas… I can’t imagine how those families are coping…
It’s funny to me that several ladies saw a bunny in the tree leaves…I will have to tell my hubby…he’ll think that is funny.
I LOVE strawberries and we had strawberry shortcake again tonight!! I think I could have it every night!! Yummy!
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte….that Azalea is outstanding! No leaves…just blooms. It is sooooo pretty! I love the ivy too.
Too many strawberries? How is that possible🥰 I actually thought about planting some this spring….I still might if they are still at the garden center. Strawberry rhubarb jam is the best.😋😀Georges green thumb is getting a workout. His plants look fantastic!
Our doll club sent the sweetest counted crossstitch to the UFDC convention this year. I’ll take a pic …the Sofa Sisters will love it.
Enjoy those Strawberries!
Hi Kathie,
I was tired of burning the strawberries yesterday, but today was wonderful enjoying them!! My neighbor said I could have more the next time she gets any!! I think I’ll take them!
Can’t wait to see your counted cross stitch picture…
Thanks Kathie
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks, Kathie. I do trim it on the other side, where it (and the ivy) try to take over the sidewalk every summer!
Strawberry-rhubarb anything is my husband’s all-time favorite. I got him two jars of S-R jam for his birthday in Jan., and today I brought home half a S-R pie from Safeway. Not Quite as good as mine, but pretty darned good!! We still have some left for tomorrow, too.