This piece was actually begun about two weeks ago - but I put it aside in favor of working on the next one (more colorful). Playing with "lace" again in needlepoint, I wish I had seen Pat Winter's beautiful dyed lace before I started. That has now given me permission to get lace out of the realm of white or ecru and into something infinitely more interesting. The beautiful corner block from Allison's latest small CQ is the inspiration for the current project, but I am waiting for her to return from her trip and get back to embellishing! (and post pictures of this wonderful week of adventure with family and new friends). My rendition of it, so far: I rather like the green trim, as white or ecru was definitely out for this piece. As I have an obsession for leaves, and green is my favorite color, I am really enjoying this process. Will do more later. This is a different adventure of sorts in the needlepoint interpretation - as I had not worked with replicating the richness of the brocades, etc. and inserting the metallic gold elements. I have to put it aside now, as my son-in-law presented me with about 10 lbs. of figs from his trees last night, and asked me if I know how to make fig preserves? Do I know how to make fig preserves?? An old southern tradition, I believe, as I clearly remember my grandfather sneaking me down into the "root cellar" where Grandmother kept her shelves full of jars of fig preserves - and opening one to feed me a whole fig. YUM. My son Joe also is ecstatic about this news, as he loves figs too in any way, shape or form. Called from San Antonio this morning, where he had an early hearing to do, wanting to know if I had remembered to send him a bag of figs via his sister to munch on at the office when he gets back. Son-in-law went out last night and bought me a 10lb. bag of sugar for this project, so I suppose I have no choice but to get busy in the kitchen. I am dealing with intelligent, highly educated grown (at least in stature) men here. It has been a while, so I am rusty - but in the face of this kind of enthusiasm, what else could Granny do? My daughter has declined to watch, as she says she has "plastic" and a map to the supermarket. My mother always told me that if I never learned to cut up a chicken, I would never have to do so. Jennifer must have heard that bit of advice. Later on the crazy quilts - when I am resting. P.S. The little black dots around the outlined leaf are where I will insert gold beads to get the "effect" of that gold patch.