These are my favorite boots!!  Got them in black (shown) and brown at the "mall" 3 years ago in Aldo's. I was in a store catering to teenagers because I was shopping with my granddaughter.  She didn't find anything but I found the only boots in the store that didn't have 3" platforms. 
Needed to have them resoled over the summer so they are ready to go for another season!!  

I decided to add a little something to them... like they needed it!  So I cut black ultra suede to fit each boot and embroidered them with of course sequins, beads, and fringe!!

Now I think my brown ones need some cuffs!!

I was asked to design the June page for Pam Kellogg's (Kitty and Me Designs) 2016 CQ calendar.   The only requirement was that it included a hummingbird.
I spent a lot of time on  line and looking through books for pictures of hummingbirds.
This was my first attempt looking more like a fish!!

This is my second attempt.
 I wanted it to be ethereal.... but not so much like a lobster 

My third attempt looks more like an angry ant!! 

This is my forth attempt. The body was more in line with what I wanted but the wings were puny!!  

So I took out the sequins and made the wings bigger.

  

This is the final page.  Thanks Pam for including my work in your calendar.  Go to Kitty and Me Designs to get your own copy of the calendar.

My latest project is a vase of flowers for a church altar.
It measures 22" by 30".
I used the techniques I learned at the Ecole Lesage to apply the sequins and beads. Each flower is an applique ... that is they are embroidered on silk organza first then cut out and sewn to the background.

closeup - sorry this is not rotated!!

It is not done yet.  The  blue flower in the center is missing its center which I have completed but somehow lost.  Also more leaves and two side panels which are still in my head!!

I have been busy with life and embroidery.  I did a page for Pam Kellogg's 2016 Calendar which will come out in September and I entered a Crazy quilt challenge.  I can't show the calendar page yet but here is the challenge block.  The entry was due June 1.   Among the items in the challenge kit were 11 different gingham fabrics that had to be include.  I though I was most clever to pull out my Arlene Baker flower mold and make gingham flowers.

Well there is a sad ending to this story.  I made repeated contacts with the challenge person who advertised and sold the kits to find out when the winners would be announced.  Each time there was a horrible event that  happened in this persons life that  prevented the finalization of the contest and the announcement of the results.  I felt petty for asking any further and finally just asked for a refund of the kit price.   Actually when you read the fine print it said when the entry was due but did not spell out when the winner would be announced.  So buyer beware!!!
My luck with CQ Round Robbins (never getting your block back) and now entering a contest, putting in a lot of thought and work with no result makes me want to swear off both. 

I am a little behind on my  CQJP 2015 this is Mays entry not quit finished

We have been making some day trips this is the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburn Falls MA.  It's an old Trolly bridge and has wonderful flowers all season long.

We toured Edith Whartons home The Mount in Lenox MA.

Took a long weekend and went to Rockport Mass. 

 This is the Sally Webster Inn where we stayed. 

The homes along the ocean and the flower gardens are fabulous.

A view of the harbor at Rockport.

We took a tour down parts of the Connecticut River under the French King Bridge.  Saw two Bald Eagles but the picture is just a white spot in the trees.

My husband and I ordered Lobster in Rockport of course!!

My first selfie with my husband on  my hand-me-down IPhone!!  

Spent the last 5 days, and according to my FITBIT tracker 87,500 steps, at the Sturbridge Host Hotel Textile show on Monday, and then Tuesday through Friday at the Brimfield Mass Antique /Junk
/ Flea market.
  Here are the goodies/bargins (ha ha)  I found.  

The flowers are organdy and really sweet.  Most of the findings and sew on's came from old ( closed boo hoo) Tinsel Trading in NYC.
  She now  has a new more boutique type store at a different location but still has stock left from the old store that she  sells at the Host show. 

A dealer at the Mays show on Thursday has tables of these metal stampings can't resist the bugs!!   About 1" X 2"

Jennifer Osner, a dealer from California, bought out the Lace samples from the M.E. Feld  Co in NYC about 10 years ago.  She has been selling them at Brimfield every year since at Astronomical prices so I usually walk on by.  But this year she was having a sale and they still were pricey but I couldn't resist.
 She also has a web store.

Then I came across an older lady selling odd bits at fire sale prices.  (Of course the cat has to get into the picture!! ) 

Sweet enamel butterflies and silver flowers

We had a lovely conversation and  I paid her without even asking for a better price.  As I was an leaving I spotted this vintage metal lace.

I love vintage metal lace!!

But it is totally out of my price range.  As I was looking at the lace she came right over and started telling me the story of how she bought it 20 years ago  from a fellow dealer and paid $200 for it because she had to have it.  She also said that the 3" wide trim was 40 yards long.  I admired it of course and put it down to go and search out my husband.  She came after me with the lace in her hand and asked me what I would pay for it.  I hesitated as I didn't want to insult her saying it was out of my price range but she said how about $50.  I said of course I would pay $50 and she handed it to me.   

Needless to say I was flabbergasted!!  I paid her the money and went away in a daze looking for my husband.

3 inches wide

The lace was wrapped on a cardboard card and I knew there was not 40 yards.  When I got home I measured the lace and there is 18 feet.... still a bargain at $50.   Under the lace in the center was another piece of different lace.  This piece is 2 feet long and 6 inches wide!!

I am in love!!  Great week at Brimfield!!

I won this book on Facebook from an online acquaintance.   Christi Herbst Paulton had an extra copy and offered it as a give away. I left a comment along with several other people  and my name was selected.  I wanted it to experiment with my tambour hook, not a regular sewing machine.

I am participating in the CQJP2015 project and below is my February "updated" block.  I was not happy with silk flowers on the original (see previous post) so I used the techniques from the book above to make the ribbon flowers.  I am pleased with the way they came out.

I really liked the ideas is the book "Silk Ribbon by Machine"  and plan to use more of the techniques shown on future projects. Thanks again Christi!

This is my March entry for the CQJP2015.  I have never used Shibori ribbon before and I had fun experimenting with with it.

Grow Your Blog Winner 2015

First of all today I want to announce the Winner of the GYB drawing.  I don't have a fancy way of selecting a winner so I printed all the comments and cut them up and pulled one out of hat so to speak!!
The winner is  CatieAn from Catie An & Company.   The gift is a flower pin.  This is a picture of the flowers and leaves.  Assembled each pin is about 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  I have let her know she is the winner and am waiting for mailing information. 

Thanks to Vicki at @ 2 Bags Fill for throwing the partyand Thanks to all that participated in GYB 2015.  I found some new blogs to follow and have some new followers!! 

I am also participating in the CQJP 2015.  This is my February 8" circle.

The last I checked it was 9 degrees here in New England.  We only have 2 feet of snow but I am all stuffed up and I am going to turn the heat up in my workroom, snuggle on the couch and maybe stitch a little but definitely watch TV!!! 

Grow Your Blog 2015

Welcome to the Party sponsored by Vicky Boster creator of the Two Bags Full Blog.  

My name is Shirlee Fassell and I am an embroidery "holic"

I have studied many forms of embroidery my entire life but it became a serious addiction when I retired in 1998.   I continued taking class in different types of embroidery and was making my second crazy quilt when I attended my first class at the Ecole Lesage, Paris France , in 2007.   I was literally HOOKed on the tambour technique or as the French call it the Lunéville Hook.

There is a video on my side bar showing the tambour technique.

image from www.woodedhamlet.com

I have incorporated the couture embroidery techniques I am learning in France along with my years of embroidery experience to create my own unique art quilts. I have also been sewing clothing and embroidering it as well as anything else I can get on a frame.

The following is some of my work:

This is a tracing of my left hand.  Pat Winter is making a wall hanging of hands and this is my contribution. 

Lll

This is part of my February 8" circle for the CQJP2015 listed on my side bar.

This is a sweater I purchased on sale at AnnTaylor.  I mounted a piece of Sticky Wet N Melt stabilizer on a frame and embroidered a free from design on one side. 

A Jacket I made using a Burda pattern and a vintage felted wool blanket.  I embroidered the collar and cuffs with and an original design using a tambour hook.. 

Flower pins make from metal organza, sequins and beads.  Pattern from Lesage level IV design.

Couture Circle quilt 2012.

If you want more views the items are listed on my sidebar.  

Leave a comment and your name will be put in a drawing to win one of the flower pins shown above.