Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Sunflower

I finally got my sunflower for the front door done.  It has been on the to do list for weeks.

I painted the background with Inktense about a week ago but decided this morning it needed to be darker so painted it again.  I should look into a few more colors.  Once dry and set with heat I invisible basted it to a foundation layer.  

I cut a bunch of petals from various yellow fabrics and in 3 sizes. I laid the first layer and stitched those on with running stitch and yellow thread.  Making sure that I did not get too close to the edge to leave space for my binding fabric. Then I added the second layer of petals and stitched again in yellow thread.  

I remembered in time to leave the petal where the stem was originating open until I had that worked out.  I chose a deep olive colored flannel fabric which I cut my hand. The stem and the leaves.  I stitched the stem on then I could finish the last petal.   I added the leaves and the stems for the leaves. I added some texture to the leaves with some brown thread.

It took a while to find a scrap of brown fabric as I would not pick that in the wild because it really does not speak to me. I did managed to find a piece and decided how big it should be.  I cut my brown center. I added 5 rows of running stitch in yellow thread around the outer edge.  Then I created a mix of brown threads and did a bunch of French Knots in the middle.  It is quite textural and heavily stitched.

I had cut some leaves from this yellow fabric and after some consideration of blues and greens decided to use the yellow cotton.  I cut it 1" bigger than the front and ironed over the binding from the back.  I stitched it on with the sewing machine.  I hand stitched a hanger and it's hanging on the door!

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Wild Rose

It is wild Alberta Rose time of the year.  I am blessed to have many in my area.  I was inspired to use it for another door decor for my front door.

I chose a piece of white cotton and used my outliner pencil to trace the image. I wet the Inktense pans with aloe vera gel to limit the spread of color in the fabric. I painted the rose with pink, the center with yellow and the leaves with a mixed green. 

I stitched the outline of the flower with 2 colors of pink thread. I added yellow thread to the center and outlined the leaves with green and added the veins in the center with darker green.

I added a thorny stem in dark brown thread.

The backer is nice blue flower with pink flowers.  I stitched the front with out a foundation layer ( not sure why?)  So, I added a piece of flannel to the back of the rose and trimmed the piece to 6x8 inches.

I cut the backer piece 8x10 inches and brought it to the front and sewed it down.  I added a clear ring to the back for a hanger.

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - First Robin

With more light these days, at least till Sunday, I have been inspired to update my Door Decor.

I created a slow stitch piece of art for spring.  The first robin reminds of my walks around the lake in the city.  The apple blossoms are out and the birds are singing and the sun is shining.  Definition of a great morning walk.

I chose a turquoise piece of the sky and deeper blue for the lake.  I created a tree trunk and branch for the apple blossom and a place for the robin to perch.

A bit of cloud in the sky and the sun in the upper right hand corner.  

I added running stitch to the water which represents simmer on the light. I put cattails/bulrushes in the bottom right hand corner. The path around the lake in tan.  Spring flowers in pink and yellow all over the grass area. The robin has several layers light grey body, dark grey wing and orange breast covered with running stitch.  A black bead for the eye. The flowers are French Knots, the cloud is a bit of cheesecloth, the sun stitched with concentric circles of running stitch.

I added a green backer with was brought to the front and stitched with the sewing machine. I added a twill tape hanger on the back which was stitched on by hand.

I am feeling hopeful today as the sun shines and the temperatures is above 0C.

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Prairie Landscape

I am tired of seeing a snowman on my door so I made a new one.  I was thinking seasonal which nothing fell into that category so I decide not seasonal but just a bit of stitched art.

It is a prairie landscape with a canola field in the foreground with rolling hills in the background.  There is an agricultural building on the horizon with a big old sun shining.  A cloud and a few birds in the sky. 

Again, the art is 6x8 inches with a foundation layer of flannel. I did not invisible stitch because I did not want to change color of thread. I pinned it with applique pins and I put running stitch lines along all the top edges of the hills, the sun, and the small building.

I then started filling in the shapes with running stitch with same color embroidery floss to just create texture. A variety of green fabrics were used and cut with the rotary cutter. The yellow was placed in the front to which I added French Knots and Seed Stitches in yellow thread.  

I added a bit of bling to the sun with small metallic yellow E-Beads in a circle. I added a cloud and some birds in the sky.  

I cut the backer 8x10 inches from dark green cotton poly fabric.  Ironed the fabric to the front and folded it over to the inside to create the frame. Top stitched in dark green thread.  I hand stitched a hanger on the back.

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Bethlehem Star

 I made a Christmas piece for my door.  It features the Bethlehem Star.   I chose a dark blue background fabric with a flannel foundation layer. Cut 6x8 inches. The star was cut with the Sizzix Star and Starburst die from white felt. It was stitched along each of the points with white thread.  The stars around were stitched with white thread as well. I tried to have a variety of sizes. 

I used some eyelet lace and other lace to create the hills around the town.  I put the building in the v shape where the hills met. I hand cut the buildings from grey felt and added yellow windows. I did highlight the building in white to help them stand out a bit more. 

Again, the backer fabric was dark blue cut to 8x10 inches. Folded to the front and folded again and top stitched to create the frame.  I added a hanger on the back of twill tape which I attached by hand.

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Winter Snowman

The snow arrived today so it was timely that I finished my winter piece of door decor. 

I chose a snowman as the theme for this piece.  I chose a true blue piece of cotton fabric cut to 6x8 inches. I added a flannel layer and invisible stitched that to the front.  The blue fabric had thread polka dots on it so I stitched white snowflakes on those which made very regulary pattern. 

I chose white fleece for the snowman and the snowbanks. I had a die which cut a snowman but it was too big so I had to resize it to be smaller and work better in this piece.  The first snowbank was stitched on with running stitch on the left hand side.  The snowman was then stitched on with blanket stitch. The snowbank on the left was then added with running stitch.  I added brown stick arms, 3 small yellow star buttons on his belly, black French knots for the eyes and mouth, a tiny orange felt nose which was stitched with orange floss. I chose a length of yarn from my small stash and stitched a scarf right through the layers and knotted it on the front. I then fluffedout the lengths. 

I added a snowflake accent in the top left corner.  It was diecut from white felt with the Sizziz green die. I then used navy floss to add some dimension.   I added an irridescent fabric snowflake and EBead to the center to add a bit of bling.   

I added navy French knots in between the white snowflakes.

I chose a navy cotton fabric for the backer.  Cut to 8x10 inches to provide a 1/2 inch fold over to the front of the piece. That was machine stitched with folded corners this time. I added a grey twill tape hanger like the fall leaves one.

I plan to make one for the Christmas season.

Slow Stitching - Door Decor - Fall Leaves

I really wanted to have decor on my front door a this new to me home.  Many folks do have them and it looks nice.

I decided that I don't have a lot of room to store decor so it would have to be flat.  As a slow stitcher of course a fabric project spoke to me. 

I chose a deep orange printed fabric from my small scraps bucket. I cut it 6x8 inches.  I invisible basted a piece of flannel to give it some body and some dimension.

The leaves were cut from felt and the Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves die set (Bigz die and the mover and shapers).  I cut them from a variety of colors of felt - orange, yellow, bittersweet, and green. 

I stitched them to the front with running stitch creating veins in them as I went. Once they were all secured then I added running stitch in the background with various colors and in different directions. This again helps with structure. 

I added some EBead accents in the colors of the leaves which brings a bit of brightness and bling to the matte piece.

The backer is a piece of brown cotton fabric cut 8 x 10 inches to allow for 1/2 inch double fold over to the front of the piece.. I managed mitered corners.  The backer was adhered to the front with the sewing machine. I added a twill tape hanger on the back which I folded over the ends and machine stitched and also narrowed the width with another small machine stiched seam. The hanger was hand stiched on both ends with a few of the stitches catching all layers so it stayed integral when hanging.  Maybe some quilting through all layers could be considered.

I am happy with the result. 

Sylvia's Simple Shots

The front door decor received an update from last year.  

I wrapped green garland around the metal star shape and secured it at the top.

I added a green ribbon to the hanger because it was too narrow to fit on my wreath hanger.

I added some red and green Christmas ornaments secured to the hanger. I see that the extra bit makes it almost too low for the peep hole.  It will do!  Maybe a shorter hanger for next year.

I added a metallic red ribbon bow above the ornaments.

Really liking it.

I really enjoyed this book - Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.  John is the main character who was raised by a single father.  He had his rebellious years then joined the army.  With a bit of maturing he returns to visit his Dad while on leave and meets a girl who is building a house for Habitat for Humanity.  They connect in the week he is there and he is headed back overseas.  Letters and phone calls keep them connected.  He learns a bit more about his father on his second leave and they get to know each better.  When his father passes away he discovers his Dad's legacy.

I loved the story because it's not too sugary sweet. The characters are real and honest.  In the end, doing the right thing wins over what's in it for me.

I would recommend this book and I will search for more of his books.

A lot fewer recipes of Caramel Popcorn have been made this year as our large family Christmas has been cancelled.  I have a few siblings who live close so I will drop off bags with the right social distancing.

I generally make bags to sell which of course did not happen this year.

 

I was lent this book by a friend.  It was a quite read with a lot of wisdom inside and some beautiful art.  Some I recognized and others that I will look up on line.

 

I put up my quick and easy Nativity this year.  It is a large metal nativity which has be powder coated in shiny black.  I have set it on my antique trunk and used my photography backdrop stand to hold the starry fabric behind it. I was hoping the stars would show but I had to get far enough back to see it all.

I placed my LED Noma Heritage Teardrop lights in the front mixed with green garland. Since they are LED I don't have to worry about them getting hot.

 

Recently, I have chosen to watch only positive shows.  To fill my head and heart with good stuff. The news and some of the my regular shows are crime shows so violence, conflict and dissension were the order of the day. These are the ones I watch every week day.  I just love the Baking Shows. 

The challenge for Flickr Macro Monday this week was high key.  I thought it would be easy but it was not.  I learned a lot but took a lot of rejected shots.  You can check my Flickr Photostream SMDPics to see the image I submitted.

I am sharing with Angie who hosts Mosaic Monday #109 and Mersad who hosts Through My Lens #270. Keep safe and well!

Share Your Cup - This Week

I found a group of House Sparrows in a medium sized bush this morning on my walk.  They were a bit braver in numbers and I was behind the fence.  I managed to get a couple of good photos as they sat in the sun warming themselves. It was quite cool over night and you can see they are puffed to keep the warmth in.

The bees were a bit slow this morning as well so I managed to get this one on the Allium Purple Sensation in one of the yards on my morning walk.










I walked a different street this morning and found this wonderful decoration on a front door.

It was blue in real life but this seems grey.

I had some breakfast on the balcony a bit later than usual so the sun was pretty bright.  I placed a burgundy cloth on the table, added a turquoise placemat, and used my IKEA plate with coordinating red china mug.  I'm getting so I prefer the lighter porcelain mugs to the heavier ironstone ones.  I had a delicious Chai black tea with cream and honey.











I picked the raspberries on my walk this morning. I added them to the dish of yogurt along my usual banana. A chocolate bran muffin to round out the meal and it was all good.

Sharing with
Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson who hosts Share Your Cup #259

Mersad who hosts Through my Lens #105

Bernideen who hosts Tea in the Garden

Ruth who hosts Tuesday Cuppa Tea