2010 All time favorite CQ

I know I'm not the only one sitting at their computer asking "Where did the year go?" Yep... another one has passed us by. Have you accomplished everything that you had on your 2010 "To Do " list? Have you learned a new technique this year? have you fallen in love with something that you've created? I thought that I would share with you one of my favorite pieces that I made this year. Using various pieces of my hand dyed laces and silk ribbons, I set out to make an invitation to a Fancy Formal Tea Party.

Last summer I hosted a CQ Tea Cup Challenge to the ladies on the HGTV Quilting forum. Each lady was given a 4" teacup panel (not all the same color teacup), a few pieces of lace, fabric and a couple charms that they were to incorporate into a 12.5" block. To say that the work was outstanding, incredible and just plain awesome is understating the fact. Every block was beautiful. If you would like to see all the Challenge blocks, please check them out in my Flicker Album : Tea Cup Challenge

My entry for the Tea Cup Challenge was a bit out of the norm for me. I decided instead of making a block in my usual "blue", I would try and throw the girls off by making a peachy/pink and green block. To my amazement I have fallen in love with this color combination and have since made quite a few other blocks using the same colors.

While searching for the right laces to use in my block, I found a piece that to me, looked exactly like a hat - decked it out with a pretty crocheted flower and beads and it worked perfectly. My friend Julie sent me some pretty dangley lace that was just the right touch to dress up the teacup.Outlining the teacup in gold metallic thread was no easy task - when will they make a metallic thread that glides? LOL!

My very favorite lace find was a pretty piece of white net net. At first it looked like a hand mirror but then I turned it upside down only to see that it made for the PERFECT dressy dress for my party. I found a cute little hanger in the scrap booking section of Michaels, dyed the dress and silk ribbon to match the flow o the block, added some tiny little seed beads and I was ready to partee!

lastly, when I receive a good bag full of pretty CQ goodies from my friend Karen, I knew immediately that the portion of the vintage tablecloth she sent would be great if I cut the center portion of it out... it revealed the perfect vintagey looking frame for this pretty lade. Because I thought the block already had a bit too much bling, bling, I decide to leave all but one corner of the frame naked, I loved making this block and hope to make it into a pillow before another year has passed.

Happy new Year everyone! May 2011 bring you lots of hope, happiness and good health.