UFO- Peacock Challenge Block 2010

This is the last of my UFOs slated for 2017.  I'm glad I signed up for the UFO challenge because even if I can't complete it, it has made me really prioritize what I really want to do this coming year... and this   piece is one of them and the most difficult.  This was a challenge block from 2010 and I like my concept but hate the block.  I've taken it out periodically and it is NOT working and I throw it back in the basket.  This time I've really taken a hard look at it because I was either going to fix it or scrap it entirely...

It had a moon which came and went, crystal stars which came and went, lace clouds which came and went, the fan by the silkie comes and goes, and the snow on the mountains has gone through several transformations. Plus the plan for peacock tails has changed every time I pulled it out.

 

This  was part of a 2010 challenge and had twelve VERY precise specifications it had to include.  The challenge was the brainchild of Cathy Kizarian.  I'd have to go back and check but among other things, it had to include: colors outside of our comfort zone, Asian theme, landscape, framing a silkie, curved seams, gold and glitz., layered seams, fans, paisleys, and birds etc.   Turquoise was not in my color palette at all so all this lovely turquoise fabric was sent to me by Nicki Lee.

 

After photographing it and putting in photoshop I have discovered three things that bothered me and with a good long look I could easily identify them... First and foremost is the bridge by the tree (middle left)... I put the bridge in first and added the tree and the tree looks like it is growing out of the bridge which doesn't even look like a bridge.... so with the magic of photoshop,  it 's gone and I like it better already.. Sometimes it is one thing  that paralyzes me and it takes me a while to recognize what it is...  this time it only took 7 years.  See how much better it is with it gone and maybe a bench later...or not...

 

The focal point is the maiden and the peacock..  The bridge interrupted  the flow around the block.  It will be so much better without it..and no bench

The second thing are the cherry blossoms..  Cherry blossom trees bloom profusely and mine is absolutely wimpy...  This will be an easy fix ... just time consuming but it's not like I've not done French knots before ad nauseum.

The third thing is the head of peacock by the silkie is lost against the turquoise..and again an easy French knot fix....
I want the flow of the water to echo the flow of the peacock tails...that's the plan anyway.  I have been saving jewels for the tail for years and it will be semi-steem punky...






Here it is all pinned on a board sans red bridge.

I actually joined a fan round robin with these fabrics and planned to use the fans to frame the block...


But getting rid of the lace bridge was the biggie...

We had 10" more of snow...