The Splendid Sampler -- Happy, happy!

I am in love with the fabulous Jen Kingwell and I adore her Splendid Sampler block Happy, happy!  Did you notice my block on The Splendid Sampler page?  I want to think that my block is the cutest one ever, but some of the other blocks were adorable!

Here's mine:

It is pretty cute, right?

I snapped a photo of my block in-process:

I used Reynolds Freezer Paper to stabilize the vase for hand applique.  I used Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Circles to make my fussy-cut flowers.  To make my applique easy, I used 100 weight applique thread, straw applique needles, and applique pins.  For the embroidery, I used Tulip Embroidery needles and 12 weight embroidery thread.  Every project is better when I use Karen Kay Buckley's "the most awesomest scissors ever", especially when I use them on April Rosenthal's Meadowbloom fabrics.

If you've never used Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Circles, they are pretty neat-o.  I selected a circle about 1/2" larger than the applique pattern, traced around it to fussy-cut my applique shape,  and starched the fabric in the shape of the original size circle so I could applique it neatly:

I love my perfect circles and having fussy cut them all was super-fun!

If you want to see everyone else's block, click HERE for the gallery.

I plan to start the machine quilting tutorials in the next two weeks.  To make sure you don't miss my post, sign up for my newsletter HERE.