Miniature Books...

OMG, I just got my packet of the mini books from the swap...  I'm blown away.

I took all sorts of pictures of opening it up, but I can't post them, because I don't want to ruin anyone else's surprise.

*wriggle*

I am afraid to open some of them - they're so tiny and amazing and special.  I feel silly about mine, now; it's larger than the others, and looks rough next to the pretty little booklets. 

I'll be opening them up slowly, I think; I want to savor the whole experience.

Thank you to everyone in the group, and to Julie for all her work.  The packaging is gorgeous!!

SongBird

Ooooh! Maybe I'll do this instead!

So, I'm thinking that maybe I'm going to do some polymer clay work.  I've been working with polyclay for ... years and years (um, 20?) but I haven't done much with it for the past couple of years.  I miss it - I really enjoy the flexibilities and opportunities polymer clay gives.  It's a medium that's different from all the others, for me.

 

I made this almost 3 years ago, now.

Anyway, check this out:  Christi Friesen.  Her gallery is full of inspiration for all sorts of artists.

I like these as well, for inspiration and help.  Tutorials on Google

SongBird

Catching Up

I finished the Dollar Coin quilt.  I chose to use bright colors for the quilting lines; red, yellow, and blue.  I also made the binding from two greeny-brown fabrics.  I used a tutorial I found here, on Stop Staring and Start Sewing, a great blog, filled with funny and inspiring things.

Anyway, on to the pictures!

 

See my Kitty Helper there, in the back, inspecting?

  

The irregularities and mistakes are clear here, but I'm happy to have finished it.  I've already used it several mornings in a row.  I get up early to make tea for my Geordie as he leaves for work, then I nap on the couch until it's time for my daughter to leave.  I spread the quilt down on the couch, then wrap up in a thick, plush polyester blanket we got as a Christmas gift.  I'm sure we'll use it lots over the years.

 

And this is an accurate image of what my sewing surface looks like.  Sewing, colors, computer and coffee.

***

I also sewed a garland I've wanted for a long time - the Scalloped Fabric Garland.  The tutorial is here.  I have it wrapped around the banister - I'll take a picture tomorrow and try to post it then as well.  *facepalm*

Anyway, I think I want to work on making miniature books tomorrow.  I have lots of patterns and books about it - I really like making them.  I made two quick ones for my family for Valentine's Day (I should take pictures of those as well, huh?), but I'd like to go back to making more complicated book forms.

I worked on a skirt today, then had to pull it all apart.  It ended up too tight at the hem where I added the ruffle.  I don't mind so much that it was snug around my bottom, but if I can't walk, I can't wear the skirt, so it's all to pieces again on my sewing table.  Argh.

Anyway, it's late and I think it's time to make lunch for Geordie for tomorrow.

Bye!

SongBird

Art for myself

So, I've mentioned struggling to make things for myself rather than getting work done on Projects For Other People.  

Before I talk about this more, I want to show you a little photo album I'm making about our recent trip to the snow.  I've lived most of my life in California, so driving through heavy snow (and playing in it) was pretty cool.

Another thing I realized, last Thursday, is that I'm putting off being creative on other days in the week because "I'm going to be doing crafty stuff on Thursday, so I shouldn't do it now." ... in other words, I've been not letting myself be creative during the week because I'm doing Artful Thursdays.

*facepalm*

That's not the point of this.  I'm surprised (and a bit appalled) at how quickly I stop letting myself be creative.  It's like I feel as if I "don't have permission" to be creative, regardless of the reality of my life - which allows for days and days of creative time.  My honey Geordie wouldn't mind at all if he came home and the house was still cluttered, but I'd spent the day making interesting things.  So... why do I keep thinking I "have to get work done"?

(Not that I wouldn't like a cleaner, less cluttered house...)

Anyway - I have pictures of the little sewing I got done on Thursday. 

 I wasn't being too careful about things; I was more interested in doing the quilting than making things perfect, so there are wrinkles and oddities all over.  I'm not sure I care, right now.  It felt good to get some sewing done, and the quilt is for us at home, so if it's not perfect, we won't care.  It'll keep us warm and brighten up our living room.

Eventually, I had to stop sewing.  The quilt kept getting stuck.

 I can't imagine what was getting in the way.

*grin*

I finished the quilting and almost got the binding done today, so I'll post pictures tomorrow!

Okay.  Time for bed!

SongBird

Artful Thursday

I feel really bad about not posting, but I've been working on school things, and, well, haven't been making things much.  In the end, not being creative makes me irritable, so I'm back at the sewing machine today.  I'm going to finish the quilt I showed in my last post.  I'd also like to make some miniature books or maybe some pretty odds and ends from polymer clay. 

Part of what I'm struggling with on these Thursdays is making something fun for myself; I'm very used to looking at my list of what to make and choosing a project that's been languishing that's for someone else, or something that I've let sit because I'm not interested in it right now, so the Artful thing becomes Work again.  I have to almost force myself to do something less Work and more Fun.

Why is this so hard?

SongBird