artsy-crafty babe

want-y

Sorry, no crafty post today, just a bunch of navel gazing.  I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, not about anything specific, just life in general.  Getting back in the groove with school and all the activities involved has made me re-evaluate.  All this hustle and bustle from here to there, is it worth it?  I feel like I'm missing out.

As much as I dislike all the running around, I've realized that I have a hard time not doing something.  Seriously, I can't even sit down to watch a movie without having some kind of project in my hands.  I don't think that's a good thing (though it does lead to lots of knitting). 

All this thinking has made me want-y.  Not for things, but for a better quality of life.  For instance, I want...

• more meaningful time in the day
• to slow down
• to just be
• to let my guard down
• to get out of my comfort zone
• to not be afraid
• a change

That sure is a lot of personal wants.  It's kind of scary putting that out there, but I feel like I need to.  I believe that all of those wants are within my reach, if I reallywant them.  Hmm, I need to let that soak in - I can have my wants if I really want them.  Now I only need to figure out how...

front pockets are good

I can never find my keys in my bag.  It doesn't matter if I have multiple interior pockets or none at all, I still can't find the darned things.  So, to solve this little problem I thought an outside pocket would do the trick, and it did.  I started with this bag, which worked fine, but like most of my designs, the first version needed some tweaking.  It was a bit too boxy and the pieces were too fussy to put together.  I had no desire to reproduce it, so I simplified things with this version, which is the bag I'm carrying right now.  The fabrics totally make it, but the design it good too.  When I first made it I had a little trouble with the pocket, but I've since figured out the problem and moved on to the next version.

I've worked on these over the last few weeks.  I think this is it.  My pattern still needs some slight tweaking, but that's minor.  With these I was experimenting with different interfacings.  I like a stiff, sturdy bag.  The next one will be a slouchier version.  I know it's been done before, but I think I'll do a post in the near future about interfacings.  After trying a bunch of different combinations, I have my preference and wouldn't mind sharing.  Would you be interested in that, or bored to tears?

I clearly had fall on the brain when I was picking out these fabrics.  I tend to do that.  Right now, bright pinks and yellows don't feel right.  Browns, grays, and plums have been speaking to me.  Maybe the next version will have all those colors - that could be fun (or hideous).  Anyway, these will make their way to my shop eventually, along with a few more bags that I have hanging around. 

Oh, one last thing - should I make this one into a pattern?  I'm on the fence....

it was fun

Well, our Corks-n-Canvas night was a success.  It was really fun.  After stuffing ourselves with Mexican food, my friend Carmen made our way to the painting studio.  When we arrived, there was a place with our names and we each received a canvas with the image already sketched out in pencil.  That part surprised me, I don't know why, I guess I expected that we'd get a blank canvas.  The sketch did make things much easier.

There was an instructor at the front of the class who walked us through each step.  And we drank wine.  There was a party group near us who I *think* had been partaking in the wine part before they arrived at the class.  That made it interesting, for sure.

I have to say, I'm not so sure about that wine part.  We certainly giggled more with each glass, and probably made more mistakes.  The last step of our painting was the hardest - making the bricks and outlining everything with the skinny brush in black - right when our hands were probably the shakiest!  I think that only made us laugh more.

Carmen and I pretty much stuck to the instructions, but it was interesting to see how some people in the class did their own thing.  Maybe next time I'll try that.  Some women weren't too happy with their painting and made comments about throwing them in the trash.  Really?  They looked fine to me.  Oh well, their loss.

I'm quite proud of mine.  I went into it with plans of hanging my painting on my patio, but I liked it so much that I hung it in my living room - right above that piece of furniture I still need to paint, which holds another little piece of art I made a few years ago.

We ended up going to our friend's house after wards for drinks.  It was nice seeing Thad after so many years.  I wish I had remember to snap a few pictures while I was there because his house was really cute.  Can you believe that I stayed out past midnight??  I can't tell you that last time that happened.  I thought I was going to turn into a pumpkin!  It was a really great night, I can't wait to do it again.

mission accomplished

I wanted a quilt sandwich by the end of the week, and that's exactly what I got.  Breaking it down into small chunks made it much more do-able.

Night before last I played with my backing fabrics and decided just how I wanted them.  Last night after the kids went to bed I pieced them together.

Tonight, while the kids were running rampant I pin basted.  Normally, I would have waited to do this after they went to bed, but I was in a rather pissy mood and needed to do it them.  I threatened them to STAY AWAY FROM THE QUILT.  It worked.  They left me alone and my quilt got basted into a sandwich.   Now it's all ready for some quilting.  (they weren't wild the entire time, Matt did manage to wrangle them with bedtime story)

I'd like to spend some time this weekend quilting, but I already have my Saturday night planned.  My friend and I are having a girls night out including dinner, some painting at Corks-n-Canvas, and maybe some drinks afterward at another friend's house, who I haven't seen in ages.  I'm so excited!   It should be a fun evening, indeed.  I'll have my camera with me, but I can't guarantee that I'll use it.  It seems like when I'm having lots of fun, the camera never makes it out of my purse!  Don't worry, photos or not, I'll give you a full report next week.  Have a great weekend, friends!

the nesting continues...

I still owe you a reveal of my living room, but I'm not quite finished yet.  I'm almost there, so close I can taste it.  I still need to paint behind the TV and paint a piece of furinture, but that's it.  With that mostly complete, my thoughts have turned to the girls room. 

Remember the aqua bed?  Well, I've since fallen in love with a fabric, which doesn't go so well with that aqua.   My original plan was to paint the dresser (an old buffet purchased at the same time as the bed)to match, thank goodness I never got around to that!  This weekend I got the dresser painted a nice neutral, but I'm not done yet.  I still need to paint the hardware and do a little dressing up, maybe decoupage a pretty paper to the top and door fronts.  It needs a little something, but I'm in no hurry.

For now, my plan is to paint the walls latte (goodbye pepto!!) and make full length curtains from that beautiful fabric.  Who knows, maybe away from the glow of the pepto, the aqua bed might not look so bad, but I think a pale lavender bed would be just as lovely :-)

I'd also like to make the dust ruffle from this old matelasse coverlet.  I was hoping that it would be the right length just draped over the box springs, but it looks like I'll need to do a little sewing surgery.  That's no biggie. 

Oh, and the curtain fabric for my bedroom arrived yesterday, but I'll save that for a post of its own.  Things are moving right along!!

finishing what I started

I think all my uncompleted projects is giving me crafter's block.  No, that isn't entirely true.  I can come up with numerous things I'd like to create, but I'm blocked at starting them.  My guilty crafter's conscience keeps piping up "finish what you started!". 

Okay, yeah, that sounds like a plan.  When I wrote about making a quilt for soccer games the other day, I quickly realized how silly that was considering the quilt tops-in-waiting I already have.  Remember these?  Either one would be perfectly suitable for the kids to lay on.  They're both on the small size, more like lap quilts, made from scraps, which is what I was going to use. 

I even have the backing fabrics for them, but I when I pulled them out, I had a hard time remembering which went with which.  I think I have it figured out.  My goal for the rest of the week is to have one of these quilt tops ready for quilting this weekend.  That will only require piecing a back and pin basting.  I think I can do that.  I think I'll start with the darker one, much better for hiding grass stains.  Who knows, I may get on a roll and have a quilt ready for the next game! I think my guilty crafter's conscience is feeling better already.

sleeves

I am sooo tempted to cast on a new knitting project.  I've had the itch for a while, but I decided to finish a few of what I've already started before I move on.  And then this shows up in my inbox.  Oh my.  I love Lilly and I love tunics.  It is taking all my strength to not cast on.  Did you notice the price tag?  If I want my own tunic sweater, I will be knitting it myself.  I even have some yarn in my stash, but I won't go there. 

Right now 3 of my unfinished sweaters need sleeves (that 4th one in the bowl is sleeveless, so I'm okay there).  Only sleeves.  Really, only 5 sleeves need to be knit because I knit one Saturday night while watching a movie.  I don't know what my problem is - sleeves aren't hard or anything, I just don't like to knit them.  I think the problem may be that by the time I get to the sleeves, I'm kind of sick of working on the sweater.  Yeah, I think that's it.  Maybe now that I have that tunic on my mind, the sleeves will come a little easier, or maybe not.  Those unfinished sweaters may just sit there like my clean laundry...

Have you seen Lisa's new series, Morning Coffee?  I've followed Lisa's blog for a while, so I was thrilled when she asked to have morning coffee with yours truly.  If you're not sick of me yet, pop on over and check it out.  Thanks, Lisa :)

weekend + winners

Lucky me, this stack of yummies arrived just in time for the weekend.  I kept it out in the kitchen to gaze at it.  I still haven't gotten a chance to play with it, but it isn't bedtime yet.  I have a mountain of laundry to fold, but that may have to wait.  I don't have a problem with digging clean clothes out the laundry basket, not at all.  I accomplished a whole bunch of other house things, so I don't feel a bit guilty about that one neglected task.  As soon as I get off this computer I plan to have a little time with my fabric :)  No plans, just play time.  It occurred to me today at Alex's soccer game that we really do need a small quilt for the games.  Yeah, we do, right?

Okay, now for what you really want to know - the winners of the Klutz drawing!  The three lucky winners are comment #'s 65, 60, and 14, which are rac, Tonia, Nicki C K.  Congrats!  If you didn't receive my email, please send me your mailing address so those books can get to you pronto.  Thanks for playing.   Have a great week!

what's going on

Oh boy, we're in the swing of things now!  Good, but busy.  I am now at the point in my life where I understand those "mom's taxi" bumper stickers.  Our weekday afternoons are jam packed.  At the moment, both girls are in dance - on different nights, Lily has religion one night a week, and both Lily and Alex are in soccer.  How did all this happen?  My kids are still little!!   There's also Matt's football games one night a week.  We don't have to go to those (thank goodness), but the kids like it.  We'll try to make a few, but I'm not making any promises.  Do you think it looks bad for the coach's wife to be knitting during a football game? (i do, and I also take photos of my kids lounging on a quilt and eating nachos)

I have a confession...I am terribly, terribly behind on my quilting bee blocks.  I'm pretty sure I'll be disowned from the pieced together group.  That last batch of blocks I caught up on last month never got mailed.  Crazy, huh?  I didn't realize that I hadn't mailed them until I pulled out the envelopes for the ones I need to make.  October is my month, so it is my goal to get all blocks made and mailed out when I mail my fabric. 

As much as I want to jump back in on my scrap quiltand finish up another bag I started, I can't.  The guilt over those blocks is too much!  I'll use those other sewing projects as a reward for finishing the blocks.  That sounds good.  Hmm, now I've got to start thinking about what fabrics I want to mail out.

In case you were wondering, my 4th child, Ruby-dooby, is doing well (*sung to the tune of scooby doo, ruby-dooby-do, where are you??).  I think she'd doubled in size since we got her.  She's a funny little character.  House breaking hasn't gone as smoothly as I had hoped, but we're still making progress.  She'll get it one day, I hope.  It's a good thing she's cute and likes to snuggle!

Yep, my life right now is very full, but good :)  Have a great weekend, friends.

fantasy paper fashions + a giveaway

A few weeks ago I received the Fantasy Paper Fashions by the editors of Klutz.  Ever since it arrived, Lily and I have been planning to sit down to check it out.  We finally got the chance this weekend, but it was more of a craft-as-you-go due to a clingy sick 3 yr old.  We left all the supplies out on the table and cut or glued something together when we got the chance.

Oh boy, this is fun!  Lily played with it the most, but I managed to make a few fashions.  The book is aimed at ages 8 and up, which I think is perfect.  Lily is 8 and had no problem handling this on her own.  The book comes with 3 pages of stencils, glitter glue, sparklies, beads, ribbon, a generous pack of patterned papers along with some itty bitty hangers, which we managed to lose - I blame the boy child for that one.

The pages of the book are glossy and pretty and filled with creative ideas on how to assemble outfits.  There are also tips on the best way to cut out your pieces and how to combine the different elements to come up with different styles.  I think this will be my go-to birthday gift next time Lily is invited to a birthday party.  Shoot, I think it would be fun to have a paper fashion themed birthday party, don't you think?  We only used what came with the book, but you could add so many more things that you probably have in your craft supplies to come up with even more interesting fashions.

The book shows these used to embellish cards and gift bags, but as we were making these, we decided that these would be cute framed as wall art.  I picked up a cheap brushed nickel frame and used a piece of scrapbook paper as a mat to try it out.  What do you think?  We're planning on framing about a bunch of these for the girls' room, when finally we get around to pulling all that together.

If you'd like a copy of Fantasy Paper Fashions for yourself or a little girl in your life, leave a comment on this post by Friday Sept. 18 and I'll do a drawing.  I have 3 copies to give away, so your chances are pretty good!  Good luck!!