Whine and Wine

Last month I wrote about being stuck in a quilting project and talked about a looming deadline.  That deadline is tomorrow and the project is finished with help from a friend. 
Mary sent me an email asking how the project was going and did I need help.  I didn't reply for a day or two thinking I'd get it done but the more I looked at it the more I realized I really didn't know where to go next with the project.  I had the bones but needed to add a little spark to it.  I didn't know how to do that.  We had a major snowstorm Sunday night and after digging out for the first time yesterday I called and asked Mary if she needed rescuing from writing silly emails.  She laughed knowing it was I who needed rescuing.  We agreed to meet after digging out the plough's dump at the end of the driveway. 
Did I tell you Mary is a good listener?  We sipped wine and she listened to me whine about the stupid project.  Then she asked to see this disaster.  (I had posted it in an earlier  post.)  Well she talked me down by pointing out all the good things - nice colour, good composition, good fabric choices and said so what's holding you back?  I had to admit I didn't know what to do to get the plants in.  I had snipped bits of green but didn't like that and had no idea what to do.  I needed help.   Mary dashed back home, returned with an embroidery hoop and showed me how she created foliage for her landscape quilts.  Well that was what I needed - so we finished the wine and I figured I was good to go.   After supper I sat down and created foliage, hinges, a latch and light and got things stitched into place.  Today I made the quilt envelope and I have a finished piece.   The deadline is met.  Whew!

The finished piece.  Ready to be incorporated into a group quilt for our upcoming quilt show.