Retreat Applique Project and more...

I haven't posted something quilty this week so here goes! This is the finished applique part of my 2005 applique retreat! I still want to enhance it with beading or rhinestones or something like that. Also, I am going to do a striped border that I will cut on the diagonal and add some pizzazz to it as well. As you can see, I struggle with picking fabrics that stand out on this background. I could have trouble picking out fabrics on a cream background! LOL...one of my challenges with the dreaded "A" word in quilting! Here is a closeup of a couple of the flowers using bias to highlight the petals. I really liked this method because I didn't have to worry about things shifting! Just butt the pieces up to each other, baste them in place, and attach the bias that I made.
I put a pink ribbon from another breast cancer fabric that I have in the center of this flower!
The ribbon was done in pinks for my being a breast cancer survivor. I think I'll hang this in my sewing room when it's finished! IF it gets finished! ;o)
Lastly, these are 3 of 40 applique blocks that I am going to put into a patchwork quilt. My friend who went on retreat with me last year and again this year, and mysel bought 5" squares of this gorgeous line from Moda. We just fell in love with it. I knew right away that I wanted to applique them into hearts. I found a gorgeous deep red and a buttery yellow (the pics don't do the colors justice) for the backgrounds. I don't think I will sash them...but I'll wait and let the quilt talk to me when it's done. It's nice to have something simple to applique on at night.

SO...there ya have it! Something quilty from me!
Hugs
Laurie