Let's Go Out and Play!!!

About 6 inches of pure fun!
And with temperatures only in the high 20's - looks like it's gonna stick around for  while. 

For today:  Lots of playing outside with the corgis - as they are the only beings that live in the house who want to go outside with me.  Everyone else is STILL in their flannel pajamas complaining that it's too cold to go outside.

C'mon Gizmo and Tobie let's go...
I can't wait any longer!

Later today:  painting linen and muslin for two Etsy special ordered journals for Anne.  One Garden themed journal and one Bird journal - great projects for a cold a snowy evening.

I Go to Pieces.....

I bought some gorgeous Kaffe Fassett 1/2 yards at my local haunt, Wish Upon a Quilt.  I've decided I'm finally going to make myself a quilt.  I love these colors and I think I'm going to do some kind of sampler quilt using Kaffe's blues and a nice crips white on white tonal. I'm still picking out patterns for this.  It will be in the planning stage for a while I suspect.

For now - I'm taking myself back to basics.  I've decided to get out my books and teach myself to "piece."  I've always admired well-done, accurate piecing - the beauty of how all of those tiny pieces fit together, intersecting so perfectly and the skill of the quilter who is capable of accomplishing that.  I've tried a few times - piecing (if that's what you could call it!) - but not with much success.  I've decided that I want to learn to do it and do it well.  Like everything else - accurate piecing takes practice.  

I've picked out a country wall hanging that I'm going to make as a present for my husband's sister that is not especially difficult - just a few pieced blocks and some applique' (which I also don't know how to do especially well) and I'm going to give it a go.  This is  of the pattern I got out of Quiltmaker Magazine.   I've started making some of the blocks - using fabrics from the Moda Portobella Market Collection, which I think will go nicely with her country decor.    So far so good.  Not perfect, but not too bad.   

I'm now working on the butterfly/flower block which I've trashed twice.  Hopefully this time I'll be happy with it.  I've saved the hardes block (the bunny/flower) block for last.  I hope my bunny doesn't end up looking like a corgi! 

What are YOU working on?? A new technique? A new pattern? A beading project? Mixed Media?  Do tell....

Doodling....

I've been experimenting with black and white doodle stitching and white canvas.  I made these little art squares - cute to use in mixed media projects.

I was going to leave them black and white, but decided to paint a little color around them with Neocolor crayons - to which I added a bit of water.  I like them.

Sabrina immediately tried to claim them. I may make her a few pins from them.  I played around with putting these on black and white polka dot fabric.  Kinda cute. 

I stitched up about an 8x10 piece of canvas and cut it up into squares.   I can see a journal cover made like this - white cotton canvas with just black stitching and some color painted around the edges.  A girl can never have too many journals!

The Mid Atlantic Quilt Show is Coming!!!!

The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show is being held February 25-28th at Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, VA.  I just made my hotel reservations. Can you say...... ROAD TRIP? (Quilt Pictured is the 2009 Viewer's Choice Award Winning Quilt, "My Buddy & Me," by Barbara McKie.)

I'm quite excited.  We didn't go last year and I was really disappointed. And while Sabrina came with me the prior two years, this  year she's busy so I will be going alone. I'll certainly miss her company (we always have  such a great girl's weekend) I'm still really excited.

Here's a link if you're thinking of going and need more information.   I had to do a bit of research to find a good hotel close by as   Embassy Suites has been booked for months - but there's still rooms within one mile of the Convention Center. 

So who's going?? Mary? Vicki?

Painting, Stitching & Dyeing..... Duck

Not that kind of duck. Cotton duck, silly.

I love cotton duck - I use it for a bunch of stuff. It's got good body,  a nice weave (lots of texture), it frays well and it's great to paint on because media doesn't "run" or "bleed" through - it just sits nicely on top. I can paint on it, crayon (Neocolors) on it, and my newest discovery - stamp on it (with dye based ink blocks.)

 The other day I cut a bunch of different sized pieces of white duck cloth  and scribbled some hearts on it with Neocolors. I then added some water with a paintbrush.  After they dryed I added some free motion and outline stitching.  Nice.

After looking at that a few days I decided to add some additional stitching with some hand dyed cotton floss for even more texture.   I'm still playing around with this little 4x6 piece.

This is a swatch I picked out of my sample stitching pages from my Sunday's Stitches series. I like the way the hearts float on top.  I learned this technique from observing Nellie's crinkle quilt style - which I absolutely love.

This  last sample is a burnout I did using a 4x6 piece of duck cloth I colored on which I  layered with slivers of silver llame, silk dupioni and organza.  Click on this and check out  that amazing texture. Love it. 

You know what all these colors remind me of...

Conversation Hearts...

Yummm!

Your Vision Will Become Clear....

only when you look into your heart.
She who looks outside - dreams.
She looks inside - awakens.
             - Carl Jung

I do my fair share of both.

2010 is going to be a year of dreaming and awakening for me.  These are the plans I have outlined for myself for the next year:

My plans for myself while they appear short and sweet - are multi-tiered; for each of my four goals brings along with it many layers of planning, determination, perserverance and reward. Last year I lost 20+pounds (5 of which I gained back over the holidays as I stopped exercising for over a month)  but I am back on track and am ready to make myself ACCOUNTABLE once again - for the quality of my mind, spirit and body. 

In 2010 I resolve to.....

1. Run a 5k in May and a 10k in October;
2. Consistently maintain my two journals (food and exercise journal & visual journal)
3. Re-evaluate the "things" in my life for their  usefulness, value (not monetary) and  purpose - and handle them accordingly; in anticipation of a huge life change;
4. Read the Bible Carol gave me - cover to cover in one year.

While these four goals appear short and succinct - the result of my adherence to them will be far reaching as within them exists many layers of learning and growing. 

Now that I have gone to a three column blog - I am thinking I will dedicate that extra column to my health and fitness (spiritual, emotional and physical) journey.  I like recording my progress as it makes me accountabe to myself on a more serious level.  I found that while I was recording my P90X progress every day - it really made a difference in my level of dedication.

Every time I make New Year's Resolutions, it brings to mind a saying my mom used to tell me when I'd say, "mom, I'll do it later...."  she would say, "The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry..."

Here's the actual poem that sentiment was taken from....

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
And lea'e us nought but grief an' pain
For promised joy!

   - Scottsman, Robert Burns

Accountability to MYSELF - is what keeps me going.   For the best laid plans most often DO go awry.
My plans - they're NOT going anywhere. 

Now Let's Get This Party Started!

TOMORROW: Texture, texture and more texture.  I've been playing with all kinds of texture during the last week.  I'll post my pictures tomorrow.

A WEEK'S WORTH OF WISHES...Giveaway! Books, Fabric, Supplies and More!

This week is re-organization week.  I will be going through my library (magazines and books), my stash (fabric, fibers,etc.)  Sabrina's stash (papers, embellishments, paints, etc.) and to show you how much I've appreciated and enjoyed this past year of learning, laughing and creating with YOU -- I would love to SHARE with you!  So here's what I'm going to do.

THE CONTEST/DRAWING RULES:

Every day this week (for at least 5 days - Monday through Friday) I will post a picture in my new LEFT SIDEBAR of something I am giving away - a book, a collection of fabrics, fibers, papers, embellishments, etc. If you think you can use it - put your name  in the comments section of this post - indicating the item you wish for.  For example, if Monday's  prize is a book and you would like that book, post a comment below with your name and the name of the BOOK item you would like to wish for.  If Wednesday's prize is fabric and you would like to wish for that also , enter another comment with your name, and the word "Fabric."  Each entry has to be separate.

 Next weekend - I will draw names for each item and post a list of the winners of each item.   At that time, you can e-mail me your address. 

There are only TWO stipulations - you can only win one item AND only sign up to win a prize that you will really truly use!

So be sure to visit every day this week - Monday through Friday and help me clean out my stash!!!

Good Luck!