January block for CQJP 2015

Here I am, running up to the finish line with my block.....phew!! 

This block was a bit of a challenge to get completed this month, as I had a bit of a slow start, having to come up with a block shape and theme for the year before starting. 

Against others' probably good advice *g* (but what else would you expect from me?) I am going with a true "journal" block; each will be done on the theme of the preceding month's activities and moments and weather, so that I have in future years, a memento of each month of this year. 

Here is the "nude" block; I kept it in the dark blues/grays colour theme, as the month was a dreary one of constant rain and dark days leading up to the Winter Solstice. Dec 21st is always one of my favourite days of the year; I hate the winter and especially the darkness, and knowing we are now on an upward path to Spring is so cheering! 

Here it is just started, with my favourite day starting out the stitching:

The star and lamb represent Christmas (a very quiet one for us this year), the fabric to the left of the Christmas patch is New Years (also quiet)...and the rest is likely self-evident. 

Here's a closeup of the center portions showing the detail of the stitching:

Thanks to Valerie Bothell, who is leading a Facebook group called "Joyful Embellishments", giving us a stitch a week to try...the two feather stitches you see here are two of the ones she's shown. 

Please do come join us if you're a stitcher, or would like to be!

I'm not Dead Yet!

Well, it's been about two weeks of reduced hours of work...and I'm LOVING it, and I haven't starved to death yet...stay tuned! :-)

I have been working away on some of my current projects...finished a couple of things which were Christmas gifts requested late, so needed to be completed after the fact. Here's the first....

This is a double Half Persian 4-in-1 reversible (whew, that's a mouthful!) necklace for my son; I am letting him decide about the clasp, and he hasn't chosen one yet, so that is to come. I suspect I will be hand tooling a hook-and-loop closure out of the same bronze the small rings are done in. 

This was an enjoyable piece to work; it may become one of my favourite weaves. It moves quickly, is easy and rhythmic to do, and the result is quite spectacular. 

Here's a picture showing the reverse colourway, which is different, as you can see.

This is a project from Karen Karon's ChainMaille Jewelry Workshop book, if you would like to give it a go. 

I've also gotten some work completed on my CQJP 2015 block:

The middle cream blob there will turn into a lamb for my Christmas section when it is finished. I'm doing the motifs in each area first, and then will embellish with seam stitching around them later. 

Hope you're having a productive start to the year as well!