A new challenge for me……

I thought I’d share a little about a new challenging path that I’ve taken…..I applied to BDEIG to teach at the 2011 Seminar in Portland this next June.  When the Seminar Supplement came out this last week, it was exciting to see my classes featured in it along with all of the others.  What a great feeling!  Now that the supplement has been delivered to all the members, I can talk about what I hope to teach if enough members choose me classes and share some photos here.
Many times, designs taught at Seminar reflect the Seminar theme….which is Floral Bouquets this year or they might be designs featuring the flower of the year….which for 2011 is the Orchid.  One of my classes will represent the Flower of the Year.  Earlier this year, we had a challenge on our BDEIG Online Chapter on Yahoo groups.  The challenge was for everyone to stitch their state flower in BDE.  Well, my state…Minnesota….has a State Flower named the Showy Lady Slipper….which is a wild Orchid!  I used to see these beautiful wild flowers in the wooded areas near my grandmother’s old log home way up in the wilderness in northern MN……in fact…..I got in trouble once as a little girl picking  a bouquet of them for my grandmother!  I certainly had no idea then that there was a $100 fine for picking just one!
So, it was fun for me to research this lovely flower that was part of my childhood memories.  This flower is very three dimensional. White petals sit on top of a ballooned out magenta & white pouch.  The ones near my grandmother’s home had larger white petals than those pictured, so I made mine like those.  I won’t share how I stitched my Showy Lady Slipper with you, but I will share a picture of my finished design.
I just called it Showy Lady Slipper

Figuring out how to stitch the three dimensional pouch was  the most fun.  Look how far the flower sticks out from the fabric.  Isn’t BDE neat!
I hope lots of the members think so, too,because I’m going to enjoy teaching this class. 
I came up with an idea for a Christmas design a while back and decided to develop it into a design to teach at Seminar.  I wanted a casual design, so decided to make a wreath with natural materials and flowers….but something a little different, too.  So, this is what I came up with….. Ring Around the Wreath:

This design is made to represent grape vine pieces, poinsettias, white roses, rose leaves, holly, holly berries, pine boughs, pine cones, a cord bow and silver bells. It will have directions for alternate designs with it, too.  A candle design may be substituted for the bells, or the frape vine design area on the left can be filled in with flowers,  so that it can be used as a candle mat.  Lots of versatility for holiday use.
I love BDE because of the realistic dimension that you can get when making the flowers and the sheen of the rayon thread is so gorgeous!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my new designs and if you are going to the BDEIG Seminar this year, maybe I’ll even see you in one of my classes!
Once Seminar is over, I’ll plan to have both of these designs available for purchase.  They’ll be printed on fabric along with the complete written directions to complete the stitching.