a new project and other assorted bits

So I have this plastic four drawer crafting  box. In it, I have more 2" x 2" and 4" x 4" cotton squares than I might use in this lifetime or the next. When cleaning out the studio/sewing room last week, I found myself plucking them from the drawer with this want to do something with them again.  I use to make watercolor quilts years ago. My designing and stitching have taken priority now, but I still find myself wanting to fiddle with fabrics.

A box full of orts and four drawers full of squares= a whole lot of little bits of stitch meditation! 

1*18*15

1*18*15

I had recently found images of fabric stitch journals on Pinterest and a few of my favorite Facebook pages and thought they were interesting. This morning, a fellow artist friend pointed me a weekly challenge to create these little embroidered squares, and she thought it might be a cool way to make up one of these stitch books. (Thank you, Lee Ann!)  I would like to make more than one a week. I am thinking one a day. A warm up of sorts, a morning meditation. 

I have tried to step away from crocheting. (Like I ever *really* thought that could happen!) I needed to free up more time for designing and stitching.  I had a few stray orders to fill for Tidbits. Realized as I was making these that I really miss the futzy work with my little hook (oh, I never ever would have thought I would find myself saying that) So, to sate that hooking itch, I'm going to create a few things each month to offer as a monthly special.

Cotton Hearts

A Whole Bunch of Butterflies!

And finally, what's next in the cross stitch realm? So happy you asked. I wanted to do another piece that felt like a combination of quilt blocks and cross stitch sampler. I found several floral motifs and changed them up. I'm still unsure if I want to stitch the entire block in or leave that negative space around each flower.

And so the week begins!