Sandi's Africa RR Block

Sandi this block was very challenging when it first arrived and it took me a few days to try and find a theme as Rita had already done such marvelous work prior and it was leaning so much to a show piece.

I started first on a purple seam and put some star flowers on this. I use caron wildflower for the herringbone stitch and the metallic yellow is from a krenink cord. The little star flowers are my gleam from Walmart.

I then wanted to do something to the beautiful " King of the Jungle " block so went into my cabs that were waiting to have something done and had one that I had made and put a metallic coat of nail polish on....it does make a difference. I then peyote stitched using a size 6 bead around the exterior and held it in place with a small piece of double faced tape while I stitched the bottom row down. It is large, but seems to fit the block well.

Following this I moved over to the lion and took one strand of the new dmc metallics in a copper tone and separated it into six strands and then into twelve strands and did an overlay on the mane of the Lion which makes his head look like stump work. The stitch used here is called exaggerated herringbone. I then wanted to bring him to life so added to size 12 champagne antique mill hill beads one in each eye. He is staring at me as I type now.

Below this is a chain of wooden beads that came from a collection that Barbee had and was in one of the boxes that the littlest angel sent so I knew it had to go here. I let the string of square beads stay as they are, did not clean them up and beaded over the chains. I then added three little butterflies flitting amongst them, another Walmart gleam.

I wanted to do more so went to the top and used a piece of gorgeous braid that Carolyn had sent and added it in a movement across a patterned block to accent it. I then added a collage of beads at the base of a very old metallic bead and went back in and beaded with assorted copper tone beads in size six.

I must now let this block go or will have to keep it, so travel safely to Marianna my little King of the Jungle.