His Big Day!

Today was his big day, the big 71.  He got to sleep in until 11am and then he chose a Chinese buffet for his birthday lunch. 








I gave him a personalized shirt (picture taken prior to pressing).  Eric collects B Western memorabilia, a whole house full of it, so I put this really cool cowboy boot above the pocket on the front.  I got the design from ATW.






And here is the back.  The “western” letters are currently free at Nita’s Place: they were digitized by Becky McNeil.  Once this shirt was pressed it looked even better and got rave reviews from the birthday boy.








Eric had rehearsal for The Sound of Music this afternoon so I got busy in the studio. 

Here are the petals for a new applique BOM from Esther Aliu. 
I really want to do applique and I have been doing raw edge-fused applique, but have decided I want more of a needle turn look (arthritis won’t let me do handwork).  So I have a wash out stabilizer ironed onto these fabrics.



And here is the beginning of my first sunflower.  The funny thing is that between pressing down the edges and putting the petals together, two petals have disappeared.  It’s not like I can’t make two more, but where can they be?  I think they may have jumped off the ironing board, much like jumping off a bridge, in an attempt to get out of being in my flower.  And just for anyone’s information, there are 28 petals in this flower….and there are two of them!  What have I let myself in for?



And, what have we here?  The first rose of summer!  It has been 86F every day this week so the plants already think it is summer….and me, too.