The pictures I promised, several posts back!

Front of Altered Book (closed):

Altered Book (open):

Several of the pages inside Altered book:

Pieced top for wallhanging:

I can't post pictures :(

Well - I intended to post pictures with my last post, but Blogger has other ideas and isn't letting me post anything - weird.

Anyway - I'll try to post pictures at another time!! :-)

Altered book - fabric cover and the beginnings of a wall hanging

So - I have been wanting to do an altered book for a while - finally, within the last few months, I started one (still isn't finished, but it is started). I thought of collaging the outside cover, but decided - instead - to do a fabric cover. This book has no particular rhyme or reason (i.e. there is no theme) - just a hodge podge of things that I wanted to include. It is so fun to do these altered books - much more so that scrapbooking (which I also enjoy). I thought that I'd blog a few pictures of my not yet finished altered book. The cover was done with hand dyed fabrics and one print fabric. I didn't dye the multi colored fabric, but I did dye the black fabric. The pictures, unfortunately, are not that great - but, I think that you'll get the idea of the book anyway. I've taken pictures of the outside with the book open and closed, as well as a few shots of some of the altering inside the book.

Now, the wallhanging - you may remember from my last blog that I mentioned that I was working on a wall hanging. This is that wallhanging - notice any similarities between this wall hanging and the fabric book cover? lol Obviously, I'm loving these fabrics and the combinations of these fabrics. So far, for the wall hanging, all I've done is piece it (and I'm not certain if I'm done with that or if I want to add an additional border... thoughts? comments? suggestions? lol). As I have mentioned before, I'm a horrible quilter (pure lack of experience), so I'm always looking at the pieced top (or whatever - not sure if you'd call it a top when it is a small wall hanging - would you? I guess you would - anyway, I digress.....) for a LONG while before I do any quilting - I'm always worried that I'm going to screw it up!

Well - aside from any 'crafty' endeavors, I may be changing jobs. I like my current job okay - but, I don't feel like I'm 'going' anywhere there - know what I mean? Sadly, I feel 'trapped' in my current position because I do a great job in that position (so, it makes business sense to keep me there). I have the opportunity to go to work for the woman who has been such a mentor to me over my professional life. She was the first person that hired me out of college and the happiest days of my professional life were spent working for her. I'm looking at a pay increase, regaining years of service with this company, flexibility within my job, professional growth - and most importantly - working with the woman that I admire most in my chosen field. I can't imagine WHY I won't go. I'm still thinking about it all ..... but, my heart (as if you should use your heart to make a decision such as this) is telling me to that I should totally change jobs. It's just so hard to think of leaving my friends and co-workers at my current job. Ahhhh, the things to think about! I took today off from work just to have some 'me' time that I could devote to doing some projects and THINKING! I'm sure that I'll make the right decision - It's just difficult!

It's a mad, mad world (at least in my world).

I've been away for so long that I'm sure you've all forgotten about me..... lol. I swear, summers are wonderful - but, oh so busy! Between maintaining a normal full time job, carting kids to and fro, planning summer vacations, etc. - I think that I'll be recovering until Christmas.

We had a glorious summer, however - so I will commence the complaining. I have no right to complain. It's been a very nice summer. In some ways, I'm sad that it is over - but, in other ways, I am ready for the fall.

Due to the busy summer - I've had very little time to do any real creating. I hope that I'll pick back up with some of it soon, though. :(

Actually, I've been working on a wall hanging tonight - just piecing the top, really. But, at least it is SOMETHING! I'm looking forward to working on it more - I think that it will be a few days before I have time to devote to it.

In addition to the wall hanging that I've been working on, I've also been working on an altered book - I love doing it. I've been meaning to work on one for a while, but had not taken the plunge (aside from picking up some books at the thrift store... lol). I've really been enjoying it. I've also made a pseudo-plaque to display a favorite picture of me and my oldest daughter. This is what it looks like. I think that it turned out pretty cute. I made it from foam core, which I decorated (painted and stamped). I then cut glass to the size of the picture, wrapped it in copper tape (picture and glass) an attached it to the 'tile.' I think it turned out cute.

Well, that is all I have for now - but, for anyone who might still be looking at my blog (probably no one... lol), I wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and well (if not well rested.....).

Later!