Crazy Quilted Gift

This is the gift I had been working on the week before Christmas...for my sister. It is a crazy quilt block with a photo transfer pic of her and I when we were about 3 and 2 ish. I loved stitching every bit of this! It is in a shadowbox frame thus the reflection on the glass. I do love a shadowbox...something about stuff tucked inside a dimensional box!

The "D" for her last name, my maiden name and my niece's name...Darcy, i actually 1 of 2 bits from a belt I found at Sally Ann's. I covered the side edge with silk ribbon since it didn't have rhinestones on the part. The cat charm is from a bead shop I went to in New Hampshire at my quilt retreat in 2009.  We both have cats and love them!

This wine themed charm was from the same bead store....we do like our wine!

I am not usually a button cluster fan but had some great vintage ones and decided to go with it. The cool button on the right is from a coat and the pinkish one was in a button box I found. The Celtic button I bought a few years ago just because....well I am Irish!

Of course a crazy quilt block is not complete without a good luck spider web. The spider is made of seed beads.
I need to get it into the frame now...not sure how to do that. I will figure it out! I hope my sister loves it. You know how it is when you make a gift for someone that doesn't do what you do! If not I know Darcy will take it under her wing!

On Monday I have to mail this block out. It is my base block for the Steampunk RR at CQI. Colleen alerted me to this RR a few months ago, knowing I had a busy year ahead of me. She knew I would be very interested in a CQ RR in this genre! It is very me. I look forward to this RR and each block I get to add my own interpretation of steampunk-ness to.

I bought this Karen Phillips-Shwallon embroidery pattern at a quilt show last spring. Her booth was gorgeous, her work inspiring. I saw am article about her recently in American Quilter I believe. I wish she had a website. I want to work the PEACE on the linen. Not sure about all the flowers yet, but I love the letters.

I have been off work since last Thursday. I love it. I am never bored. It leaves room for creative thinking! I worked on a mug rug today for an HGTV swap I signed up for. A mug rug is basically a small placemat and a large coaster. It is a great size for quickness and fun way to try something new. I did!  I had so much fun making this that I made 2! Not sure when we swap, but when we do I will post the picture.

So 2010 is ready to wrap up. 2011. I am not a resoluter. I wish I believed it was a "new" beginning. That would be cool.
I plan to be home in my favorite place stitching tomorrow night. That makes me happy! Happy New Year!

I have learned:

1. I love mussels! Yummy meaty mussels!
2. Melody Gardot CD. Easy listening. Sunday morning music for anytime.
3. Growing hair out is a pain in the arse, but I am trying.
4. Thread sketching is fun! 
5. Dutch Blitz. Fun card game.
6. Gas prices to go up to $4 this year? Really? I need a bike.