Saturday, January 30, 2016

Summing didn't add up!

The unplanner is working as expected.  Sheesh I'm a rebellious kind of gal.  I won't even do what I want/plan.  But the good news is that in order to justify not doing it I tackle some other complicated diversion.

Like stash organizing.

I had to do the grand kiddies ephemera and paper which pretty much included my stuff as well.  They were driving me crazy wanting to put 'everything' on their pages.  For them and for me , limiting creative options works best for releasing our inner artist.

While rearranging my fabric I let go of some old stuff and got excited when I found some great stuff hidden away under layers of stuff.  I did some preplanning for various rooms. While I liked this it didn't fit in the overall scheme of things so I got focused on what will make me happy in the end.  Low contrast flow makes me happy.

The bathroom should be ready for painting next season and I saw a great idea for a shower curtain.  I have yards of toile which I probably won't all use.  A toile shower curtain would be perfect!   I probably don't have enough black but this has made me look at some of my backing fabric in a new way. Heck, after a few showers I could still use it for backing and it won't be taking up shelf realestate!  lol

Then with the help of an old photo album I gathered all my old projects in order of oldest to newest.  I printed out a visual reminder.  I had an Ah Ha! moment when I realized I'd be adding new ones as the new deco plan swings into operation.  So this is really a never ending story.  There will always be a UFO list;  it never gets done.  I just need to come up with an acceptable limit.  I have 29 projects so I wonder if 30 might be my 'magic' number.  The grand kiddies mother has sent some orphan blocks but that is definitely Eliana's to-do list.  NOT mine.  :( 


Joshua's pirate pages will be for next week as he is staying over and will be my right hand man while the Rooster is at work.   I'd hoped to focus on fabric for February but I might need one more week to catch up on my own mixed media. 

Friday, January 29, 2016

A Necessary Room



First time I heard this term it made me smile!  :)  Yes, very necessary.

But it might not be so readily apparent why it is necessary to have a bathroom post it in my home decor project.   If I count all my various areas in the home I have enough posts for the season.  I also use them as to-do lists.  This week the Rooster is working on the trim that has been leaning in the corner far too long.  I also need to organize the shelves and declutter.  I won't show that but it is good to have those things done.

It also buys me a bit of time while I rip wall paper off the hallway, prep some art canvases and organize my sewing projects!  lol  And that is definitely a necessity!

Thursday, January 28, 2016

art 101 revision

The grand kiddies and I were off for an artist date and some sketching.  But the car was making its own sketches on some pretty icy roads so I found a good spot to turn around when things didn't appear to be improving.  eek!

In an attempt to help the kids be creative, I needed to simplify.  KISS  I was giving them too many choices in an attempt to let them do their own thing.  I found limiting choices for myself helpful so I am going to do the same thing for them.  I sorted everything into a few general groups and then come art day I'll chose a few things for them to chose.  That'll also help me because I won't have to look in five spots for one thing.  :O

After I did the art stuff I lifted the cover on the fabric stash and got that back to a neater condition.  It also revealed UFO's (unidentifiable fibre objects), some groupings of whims (works hidden in my mind) and some genuine wips (works in progress).  I needed to make a list of the keepers for Vicki's UFO Busting.  Today was the day!  I would be farther ahead but updating the Projects 2016 page had some operator error occur and I lost the first try.  No automatic save on that draft!  :(  I have ten so far and should pick up speed as I have been trying to do oldest to newest.

I also had a fun time organizing some new fabric groupings for possible decor options.  :)  I'm feeling the sewing mojo motor purring!  But I won't be adding anything new until I get some ufo's crossed off so I hope I can keep all my wheels firmly connected to the blacktop!  well, here is hoping!  ;^)

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

A path for the Wanderlust

Well, I lost sight of the path to Wanderlust when I was putting away all the paper and stencils in preparation for playing with mixed media this morning.   Mind you, we are experiencing a big white snowfall so paths really are disappearing.  lol

I pulled the white curtain back that hides the fabric stash before putting my new rolling cart back into that corner.  Eek!  I decided to tackle the fabric shelves because in the original reshuffle I'd just jammed things in.  One thing led to another and I got into shopping mode because good ideas were happening and I could see a good and general long range pathway.

The good news is that I shopped the stash as I reshuffled some old projects.  I doubt I will even need to do much actual shopping. ha!  But it also helped with this week's goal to identify which old UFO's I don't have any interest in finishing.  It also will save me time in the long run as I revive the patiently waiting sewing and fibre art list. :)

I found some fabric I'd bought for a winter fibre art jacket.  This totally changed my thoughts for the hallway wall hanging.  This will be better.  And totally saved me from going down a rabbit hole.  I am a visual person and when I lay things out and walk from room to room and view the groupings I can see what works and what doesn't.  I'd lost my focus and KISS motto!

Hallways are kinda important to get somewhat right because the other rooms lead off of them.  So aqua is the base for the hallway's various seasons but not the base colour for the other rooms.   Nothing like making things complicated!  lol  This isn't fixed in stone but hopefully I won't cut up something that is essential to 'The Plan'.  ;^)

Keeping true to KISS means that not every room and every flat surface needs a quilt however small.  kiss!!!   :{  But the sitting room does need lap quilts and sets the tone for pillows in the nearby front room.

And while the basket quilt in toile fabrics that I have had on my to-do list forever made the cut,  I will be sure to update some of the fabrics.

  I want to remember to save enough of this Bali for a pillow though!  I expect my pink transferware will always stay in the china cabinet in the front room so pink will figure in somehow.

My hall area rug is the colour theme for upstairs.  I bought it with my first earnings and I've not been sorry.
The up hall will have a wallhanging and a pillow but again, it has four doorways off it.  It also has a bit of a different feel than the more public rooms downstairs.   This plan needs more thinking but the snow has stopped so I need to shovel all this back into place, label the shoe boxes, and clear the art room for the rest of the week.  Its been fun though! 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A Doll's treasure

I got a sample of fabrics- Moda, I believe.  I was also into my doll making period. So I coordinated a red headed doll with a trip around the world mini quilt.

I didn't think this type of quilt would keep me motivated to finish it so I kept it small.

I also used the smaller quilts to practice my machine quilting on.  Makes a world of difference when you practice!  ;^)

Monday, January 25, 2016

Making way for the week

I got lots of things planned for this week and this is just some of them.  Charge...

Sunday, January 24, 2016

sum details to finish the week

Joggles journal is up to date and I'm going for simple rather than complicated.

I need a heavy duty bookmark so I used some leftover board that has remember embossed all over it.  I shall paint it up later but the unplanner is starting to have a cohesiveness to it.  :)

Tuesday treasures involved a bit of ironing but I did make the deadline!

I didn't get the grand kiddies art supplies reorganized.  I am giving them too much choice so I am going to simplify that.   I will have to do that before I get involved in next week's mixed media projects.

Thursday was a busy day but we got everything done.   Their books are up to date.  :)

A quick trip to the city for an appointment and then we rushed back so they could join me for a Friday finish at Zoomba.  They quite liked it and were invited back.  lol

I did hunt for a larger glass plate to fix that second from the top shelf.  I shall be looking for a better option but it works for now.   Now a few chapters in my book and some sweet dreams for January's finish.

Friday, January 22, 2016

Aqua Time

Butter yellow and old aqua vie for my favourite colour.   As I work with them in my house decor I realize that there are nuances to colour and I am continually having to define my likes.  Well, what makes me happy!  Clear and bright make my smile move up a notch  but those chalky colours just make me settle down and sigh deeply.  I would not put the brown glaze over my yellow walls if I had to do it over again.  But anything verdigris  I gravitate to.

The sitting room
So in the spirit of KISS, I am gathering all a lot of the aqua glass and turquoise accessories in one place.   The large print with the nature scene that the Rooster received when he left work suggested  the idea.

 I'm sure as I find more 'stuff', and I will,  I cab indulge in another favourite pastime- tweaking!  ;^

The sitting room, which is the old dining room with the new sliding door,  is most connected to nature.  We luv sitting here to relax.  In my mind this has always needed to somewhat neutral.   I have a few ideas for lap quilts but this room makes me happy.

One more tweak and it still doesn't seem quite right.  :{  Hmm maybe a glass plate behind the birdie!  I have a few somewhere...

But time to tackle the next room on the  'make me happy' list!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

family art 101

Putting a long shelf board across the two cupboards has been a perfect solution to working on my journals and the grand kiddies smash books.  I am so pleased with my new art room.

And after a long day everyone came home with me including their mother as we have an early appointment in the city tomorrow.  A good opportunity for a family art photo and we were so busy I forgot!   oops!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Making haste, slowly!

DS#3 has arrived for a week and much as it is nice to have  him I do catch myself glancing now and then at The Plan.  lol

This is as close as I got to the big class.   And I'd hoped to focus on it this week.  :(

I am almost caught up on the once a week journal.  I like Barb's style but I don't exactly want her on every page.  lol So I'm thinking about that last page spread.

I also need to think about some art work for the coop!  I have a vague idea and slapped on something to start.  If I don't over-think, I do better.  And of course seeing it up on the blog helps me fix and move forward.

So far, so good.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Treasures for Tuesday



It is pretty cold outside.  Even the dolls are wanting their extra covers!  These are representative of the Thirties.

 This little quiltlet has genuine feed sack fabric from the Thirties.

An applique project- Windy Wendy. 

And here she is in a rendering of Redwork.  This was all done on my sewing machine.

Now to find a bigger quilt to snuggle under because the weatherman hasn't mentioned thirty degree weather in at least a week.  BRRRRR!