OWL AND CACTUS

 I've been working on this 100 Day Stitch Book page since before my trip to Tucson.  I finally finished the beaded eyes today so I could call it done.

It commemorates the Saguaro Cactus, the Great Horned Owl and the Snow Moon which occurred on February 1st, the night I arrived in Tucson. 

FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS

 I fused some black wool onto the back of the wool piece I've been working the birds onto.  This will hide the knots from the applique stitches and decorative embroidery on the front.  After it cooled I cut the birds out leaving a quarter inch outline around each.  I decided the legs were wrong on the wren, so I will need to unpick them and re-stitch them before I cut it out.

They all still need to have a blanket stitch stitched around the outside and a ribbon or string attached which to hang them with.

BIRD LEGS

 I've been working on the Fine Feathered Friends wool embroidery project.  I've appliqued all of the pieces down and today I embroidered the legs onto the birds.

FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS

 I bought this wool embroidery kit called Fine Feathered Friends a month or so ago.  Today I had the urge to start it.  So I did.  I should have been working on my bead project.

I cut out and fused two birds today.  There are five birds.  They will all be fused onto this black wool background, then appliqued and embroidered.  Another black wool piece will be fused to the back to cover up the threads and then the birds will be cut out.

BIRD WATCHERS BOM

 Wonderfil Threads is offering a free Block of the Month, Bird Watchers.  They will have patterns for Foundation Paper Pieced (FPP) and another for wool applique.

I downloaded the FPP pattern and made the first one.  It is a 12" block.

EVERGLADES NAT'L PARK

 We left Everglades City early having decided not to do the airboat ride.  Instead we wanted to get to Everglades Park as soon as possible.  

We drove across the state on Hwy 41 and entered the park at the Homestead entrance.

First stop was the Mahogany Hammock Trail - where a very large, old Mahogany tree lives.

Right when we got out of the car, there was a Red-shouldered Hawk sitting in a tree. 

Then we drove down to the far end of the park to the Flamingo Visitor Center.  There is a small marina.  We were told that we might see Manatees there.  And we did!

There was a dam between the fresh water and the sea.  Atop the dam was a very large Osprey nest.

Then we started back out and stopped at one more loop trail.  It was interesting, there were big sink holes everywhere.  

Great day in the Everglades!

CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY

 We continued on south to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary operated by the Audubon Society.  We had purchased tickets online last night for the 1pm time slot.  They only allow so many people at a time on the boardwalk.  The boardwalk is a 2.25 mile loop through the swamp (a lot of which is dry this time of year) where you can see birds and animals in their natural habitats up close.

It was very warm and the sun was intense.

A lot of beautiful Bromeliad in the trees.

About a 4 ft brown snake

Egret

Alligator

a little alligator

And another alligator

I almost had Darrell convinced it wasn't real because it did not move or even blink.

A Turtle

It was amazing.

The Birds we saw:

Tri-colored Heron

Great Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Yellow-Crowned Heron

Green Heron

Night Heron

Egret

Great White Egret

White Ibis

Northern Parula

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Carolina Wren

Grey Catbird

Northern Cardinal

Grackle

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Black Vulture

Red-shouldered Hawk

Swallow-tailed Kite

Black and White Warbler

Northern Mockingbird

And Anhinga sitting on a nest of fluffy white chicks

I was able to identify a lot of these with my Merlin Bird ID by sound.

Afterwards we drove on south to Everglades City where we had dinner at the Diving Pelican Restaurant and spent the night at Everglades City Motel.

It was a great day.

DAY 15

 Today's prompt for #30daysketchbookchallenge is "Bones."

Finally, a chance to use my collection of skulls.

DAY 11

The prompt for today's #30daysketchbookchallenge is "Wallpapers".

No wallpaper in our house, so I just googled it until I found an image I liked.  There are millions of choices out there.

I used my fountain pen with black ink.  Then used a dip pen for the gold ink.  I mixed white ink with the black to get a grey which I applied with a brush.  Then finished it all off with a watercolor background.

DAY 3 + MORE

 Here is my little sketch inspired by the prompt 'Rainbow' for #30daysketchbookchallenge.  It kinda got away from me.

Then I finally packaged up Blissfully, took it to the post office and sent it on it's way to Austin to be in Quiltcon 2023 in Atlanta. 

                                     Good luck Blissfully!

And, I made the first 6" charm block for Art East Quilting's Mini Block Sampler.  There will be one block every Monday - 48 blocks.  I'm using the stack of hand-dyed fat quarters by Jane Sassaman that I've been hoarding.  I added a white with black squiggle lines for the background.

OWL EYES ETC

I sewed the button eyes onto the Owl body and auditioned some fabrics for around the eyes and the belly.

I ended up changing the belly fabric to a grey plaid that was a little darker.

I ordered 5 yards of Kona Blue Jay for the background of Wildflowers.  I also changed my mind about the size and am going to make it twin sized.  It will probably be a while before the fabric gets here though.

OWL BODY

 I bought the pdf for the Dastardly Owl pattern on Ann Wood's Handmade site.

I scrounged around for a few fabrics and made the body this morning.

Here's how I left him.  Those are pins where his eyes will go.

I rummaged through my Grandma Jennie's button collection and found two black buttons to use for the eyes.

I'll get to those tomorrow.

After lunch I made another page spread in my Junk Art Journal.

I'm having fun.

WEIRD BIRD QUILTED

 I got the Weird Bird quilt quilted and off the longarm today.  I used a pantograph called Dickey Birds.

It is weird.

BACK FOR BIRD

 I've been working on the backing for the Weird Bird quilt for the last few days.  I finished it today.  

I used up almost all of the leftover fabric pieces, even some really small ones and some bigger chunks.  I had cut a bunch of yellow strips when I was making the letters in Joe's workshop, so I used most of them, too.

These are all the leftovers, which will go into the scrap bins.

BORDER ON

 I put the final grey border around the Weird Bird quilt.

I go round and round about whether or not to put more on the bottom.  So far, I haven't.  Also, I'm pretty much out of that light grey fabric.

So, now, it's time to make a back.  I think I'll use the leftover fabrics.  I've got a lot of yellow strips to use up.

IMPROMPTU FRIDAY

 Our Brave Patch Monday group had an impromptu meeting today.

It was fun!  I like twice a week.

I got the columns of the Weird Bird quilt sewn together.

I think it still needs some light grey borders around the other three sides.

GOING TOGETHER

 More work on the Weird Bird quilt.  I've started sewing these pieces together.

It's a puzzle and I've discovered I don't have many grey prints.

WEIRD MOVES ON

 I'm working on the Weird Bird Quilt - is that it's name now?

FLOWER FOURTH

Today is May the Fourth and I forgot all about it!

May the Fourth Be With You!

I messed about in the garden planting poppy and marigold seeds.  I loosened the soil and added some soil amendment with chicken manure, then spread the seeds about.  This makes a perfect place for the cats to dig around and do their business, which will attract the dogs.  So, I'm trying to fence some of it off to prevent that.  Good luck little flowers. 

I had some company while I worked.

The double-backed tape came today, but no batting - it's now saying it will be here tomorrow.  I got the centering tape on though.

MAILING PRINT

 I finished off the print for Maria's Monumental Puzzle Print, 100 Acts of Kindness.

I wanted to include some goodies for Maria for doing such noble work, too.

So, off it all goes to the Post Office.