Hibernating from the heat

It has been too hot this week to do much of anything, but stay inside.  If this is the first day of summer at 98 degrees, what does August look like?  Ah, dreams of the coolness of  Alaska....so I have been working on two new blocks for the AK quilt. 

Tundra Rose....the Tundra Rose grows wild in AK, and it just happened that the cabin  where we stayed  was named the Tundra Rose.  A log cabin block as the background for the machine applique seemed just right to me.   I used my machine to stitch the name along  the top log. 
Second block was the Chapel on the Hill in Copper Center. 
I knew the photo I wanted to use for the view, so I confess to a

"cheat" here.  Tracing paper taped to the computer screen (after I enlarged the view of the photo) and a felt tip pen made quick work of the basic pattern.  The 3/4 view had some funky angles that I just didn't think I could get right.  I actually pieced the brown part of the building--using freezer paper for templates to get the angles right.  Finding the right fabric and then creating the shadows, and figuring out how to do the steeple took most of the day.  I used stitching to create the chinking "between"  the logs.  I will probably add a few more details before I get it squared up. 

I also finished the quilting on the jewel box quilt yesterday...I still haven't named it yet.   Just the binding to go on it.   And the art group meets tomorrow, so I have lots to share then.