Family Tree

As you may have guessed from these photos, I am done letting it "gel" and have done something a little different with this quilt. ( If you are confused about what I mean, read my last post.)  The quilting that I did in the center block of this quilt just did not show up like I wanted it to.  I had this idea that I would make a tree to represent my husband and I and our marriage of 28 years, a tree to represent my son and his wife's 5 years of marriage and their two wonderful children, and my daughter and son in law's 2 years of marriage.  Well, from a distance, you couldn't see any of that.  What to do???  I decided to try painting my trees.  First I tried fabric paint sticks...FAIL!  I looked all over Hobby Lobby for fabric paint, and discovered that it is all hideously ugly colors designed to make what I can only assume are "Fashion Don't" t-shirts.  Finally, I found some permanent, acid-free, archival, pigma markers.  I thought to myself..."What's the worst that can happen?"  So, I tried them.  They look pretty good.  You can still see the fabric through them, which I like.  The problem was, the trees were still lacking a little bling, bling!  So, I got out my hot-fix crystal set for the first time EVER, and went to work.  I didn't have enough of any one color of crystals, and they are expensive little suckers, so I used a variety of green, crystal, yellow, and teal.  Again...I like!  Finally, I wanted to make one focal point for the heart surrounding my husband and my initials.  I chose the least offensive pink fabric paint that I could find.  It definitely stands out.  Overall, as an experimental piece, I will give it a "B" (that's the former high school teacher in me coming out!)  I LIKE it, but I don't LOVE it.  Oh well, it will hang in my upstairs family room, and it does what I wanted it to do...honors our marriages and creates a Family Tree worth hanging:)