April is here at last!

April is here and the weather is lovely.

Have a completion today.  This little box has been an interesting project with a story behind it. 

I bought the book,  Making Decorative Fabric Covered Boxes by Mary Jo Hiney published in 1996 back in September or October of 2011.  I bought it  with the intention of working on projects from the book after Christmas when the weather was yucky and I couldn’t get out of the house.  I spent several weeks gathering together the supplies and tools needed.  This was also during  the time when we were having the house painted and new carpeting installed and we had to box everything up. 

 In January of this year, I went to the bookcase to get the book and could not find it.  I looked around the house for weeks and still couldn’t find the book.  One day I simply said scr*w it and looked on Amazon to see if I could find another one.  The cheapest one on Amazon was 40 something dollars.  NO WAY !!!  Flipped over onto Ebay and low and behold there was another copy of the book plus two additional pamphlets on making fabric boxes listed for $8.95 including free shipping….Eureka!!  Needless to say I clicked right on it, so I had the book AGAIN!  So far the first one hasn’t shown up but I have no doubt that it will as things I can’t find always show up after I buy another one….lol 

There are 22 projects in this book and I plan to make several of them….not all but a few.

As there are still three empty shelves on my living room book case there is obviously at least one box of books unaccounted for…sigh.  At some point I will find the missing box and the original book will in all likelihood be in it.

Bible Cover update

The Bible cover is coming along pretty well.  The cross is done and consists of stem stitch filling and four shades of topaz floche.  The leaves are almost done.  I decided to outline the leaves as the satin stitching was a little ragged.  There will come a day when I won’t have to outline my satin stitch….yay!!...but not this time.   I’ve started on the flower but am not thoroughly happy with it and may rip the stitches out and start over on them.  I’m not very good at long and short stitch yet.  Except for the flower stitches I’m pretty well pleased with the effort so far.  The curve of the flower stem could be a little smoother  but I think it will pass.  I like the way the date is turning out; I’m doing that in stem stitch also.  Used a font from my msword program. 

I don’t, at this point, know how  I’ll stitch the crown, still cogitating on that one.  Should I follow up with the same colors I did the cross in?  Should I use satin stitch, stick with the stem stitch fill-in or use another stitch entirely?  Should I add a little bling and maybe put small beads or rhinestones on the tips of the crown or not?   Use some rainbow gallery fibers to add a bit of sparkle?  Also, should I use the same light gold for the French knots in the center of the flower or go with a brighter yellow?   Any opinions on these  aspects would be appreciated. 

Stargazer Lilies Bouquet

Some progress has been made on the Stargazer Lilies Bouquet but have been busy on the Bible cover and little box.  Will get back to the lilies soon.  I'm very happy over how it is turning out and can't wait to finish it!

Hope you enjoy looking at my stuff....lol.

The quest for organized stash is ongoing.....sigh.