Fantsy Sunset Reflection, Oceanside

This has been another fun challenge! Here is how my architecture piece evolved.... after many, many sketches of ideas I settled on this as my starting point.....

While spending time on the west coast in July I was mesmerized by the gorgeous sunsets over the ocean so gravitated to bright yellows, oranges, reds and ocean blues so I started creating a background of wavy blues...you may have seen this posted earlier as my 'false start'....

.. but realized that wouldn't work so set those aside and stitched a couple blues together in strips as if boards on a house. 

Then I experimented with how I would represent the sunset reflecting in the windows ..... I sampled water colour pencils on water colour paper and stitched to fabric which remained an option. Then I tried water colour pencils on fabric but that was not bright enough for me.

I may return to that idea of water colour paper stitched to fabric for another project but I decided on a crazy mosaic-like patchwork. I cut and laid tiny bits to fusible web. I wondered if I would regret not having put the fusible web onto each of the fabrics and cut those, thus creating less ravelly edges and less need to stitch like crazy to hold the edges down but I'm happy with my choice as it gives a more rustic feel to the piece. I started with more yellow in the center which would become the center of the sunset and also the reflection on the door window.

I drew a pattern so I could cut out the pieces to fit our designated 16 by 16" size.

I pieced the door with two different browns. Later I cut out the window and laid the reflection under the door to create the window.

Suddenly dozens of options appeared as I started laying out the windows and beams. Perhaps I should have one long window on one side, should it come to the ground or should there be blue at the bottom, should the top beam be horizontal or should it slope, etc, etc. I took dozens of photos of different layouts. Below are just a few.

Decisions finally made so I started sewing. I used clear thread to stitch like mad the little bits down on the windows, satin stitched the window pane lines and around the windows, created little wooden beams to go around the door window and opted for a machine stitched handle. (no wood carving or hand embroidery B and J!)

When the blue had seemed too bright I was thinking I would add some paint at the end to scruff up the house but I decided that I liked the bright look as after all I had begun to think of this as my "Fantasy Sunset Reflection, Oceanside". I did add a little touch of gold and red sparkle paint to bits of the windows.

So completed my architecture challenge piece! Now I'm thinking should I hang it from some driftwood? Perhaps a piece at the top and another at the bottom? What do you think? 

Thanks so much Nicolette for a great challenge! Just seeing all those incredible inspiration photos was fun and then letting those inspire a piece was great!