This month's challenge was to make something that featured birds - Angry birds, crazy birds, whimsical birds or flying geese. If it's a bird, this is their time to show their colors.
This theme gave me the needed ideas to get the stitching finally finished on this piece. It was put into the CQ piece 10+ years ago, and I don't even remember what state I was living in at the time when I did that. Might have been Indiana.....or Massachusetts, or Wyoming..............lol.
I've loved this piece of cross-stitch since I saw the original kit. This was stitched probably stitched 20 yrs or so ago (and before you ask....yes I have ones older than that.....LOL). It was put into the CQ piece 10+ years ago, and I don't even remember what state I was living in at the time when I did that.
I added the hand-dyed dragonfly and the flowering vine along 2 sides of the cross-stitch at the time I made the piece.
Tree branches with hanging flower clusters and leaves were added. I used beads for the flowers. Then added 2 hummingbird buttons to this section. These hummingbirds remind me of one of my best friends who I've known for a lot of years, and who has been helping me with the house I inherited last year.
At the bottom of the piece I added another tree branch using some of the same ribbons I'd used in the tree above it. Then added a bird's nest with a couple of eggs made with freshwater pearls. Mama bird is off somewhere out of sight because I couldn't decide what kind to make....lol.
The final bit added was this prickly pear cactus and rock. Both were made using a padded satin stitch. two blooms are on the cactus. This one holds a lot of thoughts and associations - my home here in AZ, my immediate family who are now gone, one of my best quilting friends , also now gone.
This tree was made with several different fancy ribbons that came in a CQ assortment. It also was one of the first things added, but took forever to decide what to add to it if anything. While looking through all the various things I'd collected for using with the postcards I make I found this owl charm and thought it was perfect. The owl reminds me of one of my best friends and her family. The tree also reminds me of all the places I've lived that have real winters.
At this point, the top is done, but not a finished project. That will come in the future because I've got multiple commissions with due dates in the queue that are on a time crunch....lol, nothing new for me i'm afraid.
Don't forget to check out everyone else who is blogging today -
Gratitudes:
1. Colonoscopy is done and I'm back to a normal diet again. =)
2. For the blessing of AC in this 112+ degree heat out here in Phoenix.
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