I need a kick in the pants - any volunteers??

I think that I need someone to 'motivate' me to create something. I've not stepped foot in my sewing room, aside from the occasional mending of our clothes, in months. I have the desire to do something - I can't seem to stop flipping through Quilting Arts (and the like) magazine. I just can't make myself go in there.... It's the craziest thing...

So - this is my idea - Maybe if I can get someone to agree to an ATC swap with me, I'll be moving in the right (and, creative) direction! So - who will volunteer? Please! Pretty Please?!? Pretty Please with an new ATC on top??!!??!! ;)

The one thing that I think that I am going to make tonight is a quilted coffee cup 'cuff' that was featured in the Winter '06 issue of Quilting Arts magazine. The coffee shop that I go to every morning doesn't always give me a 'cuff' for my coffee - plus, this is way more cute, no?

Another project that looks pretty interesting from that same issue is this mini pop-up card case. It looks pretty interesting, quick and useful, as well. My sister in law has a birthday on Saturday - maybe I will make one of these for her. I have some great fabric that my oldest daughter painted some time back that would be really nice for this little wallet. Hopefully, I'll get it done (seriously, it shouldn't take long - I can commit to this, right??) and she'll like it.

Well - while I have some direction and inspiration - I think that I'll get in that sewing room. And, seriously - if someone would like to swap an ATC with me - let me know! I'd love to!!! :)

Bermuda Bags

I have been thinking a lot lately about these cute little bags that my Great Grandmother made for me as a child. Of course, there were the store bought Lily Pulitzer - but, mine were hand made (with much love, I'm sure) by my Great Grandmother. I so loved those little bags.

Now, of course, I want to make some for my girls - but, can I find such a pattern??? Of course not!!! It's starting to annoy me. So, if any of you nice ladies know where I might find such a pattern/instructions, please let me know!

I know that I've been away for a LOOOONNNNNGGGG!! time, but I hope that I'm going to be back on mor regularly. I've been going through a lot of stuff personally, that has just kept me from being very creative - but, I hope that my hiatus is over.

I've missed you all!!!

Saw the Fall tour of Rent Last night!

And, it was so good. If you're not familiar with the musical Rent, you might want to check out this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent_(musical).

I had not planned to go, but got a call from friends at the last minute with and extra ticket - How could I pass that up?

Declan Bennett, who played Roger, was AMAZING. He is an awesome singer/actor. I swear there were moments during the show where I literally forgot where I was - as I was so immersed in the performances. Another stand out, in my opinion, was Krystal Brown who played Mimi. They were both amazing, as was Tracy McDowell as Maureen. The entire cast was great, but those 3 were probably my favorites.

Well, it's back to work (oh, the joy) tomorrow. So, I guess, I should get to bed and get some rest tonight! :-)

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!