Is there anything else in life but stitching?

I seem to have spent the entire week sewing, even though it is midsummer and I have plenty to do outside (not today though, which is 32). On Sunday I started playing with shaving foam painting, using a simple flower out of Vikki Pignatelli's book Quilting by Improvisation. I was pleased with the effect, mottled with interesting flecks of deeper colours, both on the flowers, centre and leaves. By the end of Sunday I painted the background a pale wash of blue, and quilted the whole thing. I felt the flowers should have had more variation to show one petal separated from the next, but other than that. Really happy.

Then I became truly obsessed, and decided to make an oval 'picture frame' for it. First, added some silk I had painted at the same time as additional separate petals to give a more rounded effect. Then ploughed through the internet looking for how to draw an ellipse. It was a bit mathematical, but it didn't have to be quite that precise. A couple of drawing pins and a piece of string and voila, achieved! Then couldn't decide on a binding or not. Initially went with pale green but ended up with pink.

Finally this morning I made a twisted cord and couched it down with a seed bead every inch. So totally floral and pink, not at all me, but it was interesting to do. The other happy chance was finding a stencil in a wall paint book that I could use to quilt the swirly dark purple which had a similar design but too small to quilt. I didn't want to do major quilting. This was after all just an experiment!

After lunch I did a couple of projects for my embellisher class. I feel I have missed out on some basic info like how you achieve different effects like ruching etc. Must ask Judy.

This was a momentous week with Obama's inauguration, but for me it was just stitching and going to the movies. Saw Benjamin Button on Monday - far too long and rather dispiriting, though interesting idea (Scott Fitzgerald story). Then Vicky Christina Barcelona - again a little off the wall, and well acted. As always, had fun with Sandra and Jane.