Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Flags Are Waving




There's been a lot of fun with this blog hop - all kinds of creative and beautiful projects.  I hope you've been following along!  Many thanks to Madame Samm for the idea, to Thearica for the organization and to the participants for their dedication to this stitching adventure.  But an especially huge thanks to those of you who come to visit.  Without you this wouldn't be much fun at all!

I've never had a flag in my yard other than the American flag so when this was announced I started to look around at other homes where I would see flags in the flower beds, on the porch columns and once even in a garden!  Since Easter is coming, and so were my grandchildren, I thought an Easter egg would be the perfect thing for the season.  I have a similar one on my front door so I used that pattern (each row on it is a different stitch on my Janome) with rick rack as the decorations instead of stitches.  I think it shows up nicely.



As much as I love this Easter egg I knew I couldn't leave it up all the time - that would be kind of like leaving Christmas lights on my house all year, don't you think?  :)  So I made a second one that I thought represented me quite well.  It's all about love!




One of my favorite things to do is to combine embroidery with applique - and another love of mine is a more primitive look.  Now these bright colors don't really shout primitive but I knew that for the flag to really be seen outdoors it called for something lighter and more colorful.  I loved picking out these colors for the flowers and houses - they almost glow, don't you think?  I added some free motion quilting using loops and hearts; now this is where the primitive comes in.  :)  It was the first time I'd tried doing hearts and it was so fun!  Not perfect of course, but then I never am!

Enjoy the rest of your Flags on a Stick blog hop - you won't want to miss a one of these participants!

April 2nd

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Stitchin' By The Lake

Just One More Stitch

The Quilting Queen Online

Selina quilts

Whims And Fancies



April 3rd

Pigtales and Quilts

DachsiesWithMoxie

Just Keep Swimming

The House on the Side of the Hill

Texas Quilting Gal

Madame Samm

61 comments:

Judy B said...

Love your Easter egg flag and your little house with the flowers is wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

Anita said...

Cute Easter egg, but the house quilt is just fantatstic!

Melody said...

Two fabulous flags - well done.

Anonymous said...

2 great flags, indeed, but my fav is the flower flag and the sentence is soooo true: every flower brings hope, so let's love the day ahead of us! Hugs from Switzerland

Rhonda said...

I think you did a wonderful job on both flags. The second one is my favorite!!!

Susie said...

Love the flags, the second one looks amazing. Thanks for sharing. Susie x

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I love the Easter Egg flag

Shari said...

Your easter egg is very cute, and I just love your house flag too. Such lovely daffodils and forsythia...faith in God that this snow will melt and I'll get to see mine soon too. I'm having a real yearning to see my grass again. Thank you for sharing your lovely flags!

Lesley said...

Love your flags. Great idea for Easter, and your little house looks beautiful!

Sparky said...

Ok, the EGGGGGGG OMGoodness Marlene...this is a brilliant idea...kinda of like a die cut...ohhh so smart is you....and yes embroidery and home...what could be more homey....delightful at best

Thearica said...

The egg is a brilliant idea! Perfect for Easter. and I agree, it must go after Easter is over. When we travel after the Christmas holidays, it is always amazing just how many people still have their decorations up at the end of January. Not cool. :)

Your second flag is really fantastic! Love the applique design! Perfect!

Elizabeth Coughlin said...

Both of your flags are wonderful, but the Easter egg flag is really clever too!

Dorian said...

Lovely flags Marleen. That Egg is so cute, your grands will love it.

Jeanie said...

Love your flags, especially the sweet home flag. Your FMQ is perfect....great job on both!

Jeanie said...

OOps... didn't mean to reply...meant to post new comment. Duh.

Heidi [Banks of Frog Creek] said...

They both turned out so well! Very fun :)

Vickie said...

Your grandchildren are going to love the big bright Easter egg ! And the other flag is just wonderful, flowers do represent hope, health, well wishes and beauty. A perfect flag to represent Marlene.

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Good morning!! The Easter egg is adorable...but I love the house flag....such detail and your quilting really suits it...Good job!!!!

Britt-Inger said...

I love your Easter egg flag but the flag with the little house is adorable. Thanks for sharing your creativity and being part of this hop.

CeLynn said...

That egg flag is very cute! Love the house flag and your heart quilting too!

Purl Buttons said...

The Easter Egg! Such a cute idea! I'll bet it was fun to decorate. I like your house flag, too. Your idea of combining applique with embroidery is a winner. I especially like the machine quilting. Does that cloud look like a heart? :)

Doris Rice, The Quilting Queen said...

The grands will love the easter egg. It is so cute. I love the house flag too and its perfect to leave up year round. Great creativity on both!

Gmama Jane said...

Your Easter egg looks perfect with the yellow daffodils. I made an Easter Tablerunner but it needs binding before Easter Dinner. I do love your FMQ, you're getting quite good at it!!
Love to you Marlene
Gmama Jane

Shelley said...

Yummy flag marlene :) Looks good enough to eat lol. There's dark chocolate inside right :) I was looking back at your ruffles post and love all the ideas. I have those exact same embroidered pillowcases-minus ruffle-and mine are done in colors And I did Jenny's bird too....and the snowman in wool...gosh, we have alot in common lol

Robin said...

Oh your egg is fantastic!! Great job on both flags. Your garden will be topped off with those flags in it!

Michelle said...

Your egg flag is really cute. I love combining applique with embroidery too. Where Flowers Bloom is pretty.

Agnes B. Bullock said...

Fabulous! Lucky grandkids!

Carol Swift said...

They both look perfectly wonderful and sweet! Your little house is so cute with the quilted hearts.

Needled Mom said...

I LOVE the Easter egg. That looks so cute, but I can see why you can't leave it up all year. The embroidery and applique is wonderful too for year round display.

Quilt n Queen said...

Marlene...luv both your flags...your Easter flag is perfect and original...and the grandkids will love it!! I love the applique and embroidery too...the saying is perfect!! Great job, thanks for sharing your creativity!! Happy stitching Pauline

Carolyn said...

Adorable flags, Marlene! I love them both! You always come up with the most creative ideas. Thank you for sharing them with us. :)

Daryl @ Patchouli Moon Studio said...

Marlene your egg flag is darling and the house flag is beautiful.

Denise :) said...

Marlene, these are both darling little flags!! I have to admit, though, that I am crazy about the Easter egg!! Too cute!!! :)

Carla said...

Marlene, beautiful flags. I love that you did something besides a square with your Easter egg. It is just a happy sight. The ric rac makes it so adorable. Your second flag stole my heart. Your quilting is the perfect accent to it.

Calicojoan said...

What a great idea...a flag with a shape. And what a shape it is! Much like mine! LOL!! The Easter Bunny will sure know where to stop now! ;-) Your home flag is fabulous! I love the quilting on it! It just makes it perfect!

Linda said...

Both of your flags are wonderful!! Your grandchildren will love the Easter egg and the garden flag will be gorgeous in your garden the rest of the time!!

Sharon Dawn said...

Your flags are a nice spot of color! Love your verse!

Createology said...

Such a fun way to welcome family and friends...with a Flag. Love them both. Thank you sew very much for Hopping and Flag Flying...

Scrapatches said...

Your Easter Egg is sew cute. I am sure your grandchildren will love it. The home flag is so heart warming. Lovely message. The quilting adds a wonderful touch. Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful flags in the hop ... :) Pat

Grammy Staffy said...

I think your yard signs are darling. I like putting up yard signs. I need new ones. I wish I felt like making some.... maybe I will before too long.
I am going to borrow your sign "saying" for my blog, Hugs













































































The comment I wrote just disappeared when I hit publish???? Oh well...
I think your yard flags are darling. I like putting up flags but mine are faded now. I need to make new ones like you. I'm going to borrow your flag "saying" for my blog today. I am doing it on blooms and your quote will be perfect. Hugs, Lura
p.s. Thank you for the card you send me.












tink's mom said...

Lovin both of your flags. The egg is a priceless Easter decoration, such fun. Your house and flowers are sweet, love the quilting.

Kathy H said...

I love both of your flags. The egg shaped one is extra cute.

Brandy said...

I admire your quilting, it looks wonderful. And your Easter Egg is very fun! I am now feeling the need to make an Easter flag...
~Brandy

Mary Pat Callihan said...

Marlene, you really stepped out of the box on this one! When I saw your egg, I started wondering... How did she do that without the egg top flopping? You are so clever! Your grands are so lucky!

MoeWest said...

I think the grandkids will love the Easter egg flag. It looks great with the different colours of rickrack! I love the saying on the house flag. That's how I feel when the garden starts to grow in the spring.

Farm Gate Creations Incorporating Hummingbird Quilting said...

Your Easter Egg flag is eggcellent....and your second flag is absolutely perfect for any home. Great job on the hearts.

Tina said...

Your house flag is wonderful, but the egg is genius!

ShirleyC said...

They are both very cute, but I love the hope saying.

LJ said...

Both flags are wonderful and you'll love flying them. I'm glad Easter isn't too early this year; with all this cold (and sometimes snowy) weather, I would not have been in the mood.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Your flags are lovely. Love the Easter egg. But then the house with the embroidery is lovely too.

Corrie said...

Clever, clever with that Easter Egg. Super cute. They are both so sweet. I want to stitch by a lake!

Marcy said...

I'm really smiling with the Easter egg. Who woulda thought! The second flag is simple delightful. I, too, like embroidery with applique. Great flags.

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

The easter eggs is beautiful and the second flag is so lovely! I love the embroidery and the quilting on it.

-Soma

In stitches and seams said...

I just love your easter egg might have to make one of those fun and easy ...... and your little house stitchery ...sew cute
thanks for sharing it is always a joy to stop by and see what you have been up to.
in stitches

Amy said...

They are both cute as a button. The embellishment ric rac is just perfect. I'm sure your grand kids will love the little egg. ;)

Jane's Quilting said...

They are both so cute....I liked you idea of the egg...but I think the embroidery with appliwue stole the show. Adorable!!

Suze said...

I love the saying you embroidered on the house/flower flag. That resonates with me. It is filled with hope. I can hardly wait to share it with my GriefShare group next week. We are all healing with the death of a loved one. I love the Easter egg. I've been trying to think of something to make to send to my grandsons and nothing just tickles my fancy. This is adorable. My daughter and son-in-law are looking to move (much closer to me) so maybe I should start making some flags so WHEN they do move, I'll have a stash of flags for them as a house warming gift. I say when because they really are planning to move they just don't know when. He's working on a PhD and I've told them they need to stay in NM until he finishes it. He had an interview in TX and wasn't offered the job. We all agree it'll happen when the time is right. His mom lives in NM and I live in OK. So, of course, I'd much rather have them in TX. Thanks for sharing your wonderful creation and giving some ideas for future projects. You are a great inspiration. How did you get the Easter egg to stay on the flag pole so well?

Leanne Parsons said...

Both flags are so cute. I love the quilting on the house on. Very nicely done, especially for your first attempt.

sandra said...

A big Easter egg how adorable your Grandchildren will love it. The other one is so pretty and I love the words on it.

Carrie P. said...

I just love the idea of the Easter egg. Really unique and different. Your other flag is really cute too.

Renee said...

Your flags are just darling! Lovely work!