Firstly

I had really hoped to be ahead of the plan as I headed into this new year.  My Rooster had an injury and some slow days at work. I have gotten very used to having my days to myself and as a result I didn't get very much accomplished 'blog wise'!   We do have the extra chickens packed away in the freezer and some nice sausage stored up though!  We also have reviewed last year's list and fine tuned what we want to accomplish in 2013.  I did spend time on some personal goals.

Blogging is a great motivational tool for me as well as being just plain creative fun.  So I need to use it to full advantage.

My word for the year is PERFECT.  This is not the adjective but the verb.  per FECT.  I want to take all my scattered bits of ideas, tools, techniques and improve them. It is meant to be because when I opened my dictionary for the definition it opened right up on pages 884 and 885 and there it is right between perennial and perfidy!!!  lasting through...,  and breach of faith, treachery  Sounds just about right. lol  It is a fine line I walk between routine and tangents! :O  I'm not one to look back and tally up the score.  I'm not even sure I will be looking for a new word for next year as Focus, Find, Fine tune, Finish and perFect should keep me busy for quite some time!  ;^)

I am Focusing on creativity.  I have signed up for 2 classes, one on colour with Joanne Sharpe, and the other on basic techniques with Julie Balzer.  I'm also hoping to Find my style.  These classes will require samples which I hope will help me find as well as Fine tune my preferred method of working.  I hope to Finish these courses and then I want to perFect them! oye!!!  My inbox has just delivered a first post from Nathalie Kalbach at JumpStart, a free one that I forgot all about!  But I don't forget my blogging friends who also continue to inspire me and beckon me to come up higher in my aspirations.  Thank you!

I have some hopes that I can get some projects finished that I have been working towards already.

I am committed to working through each room of the house and getting them to a place where they are completed and easy to maintain; hence more play time.  The Rooster and I have a plan!  whoo hoo!  This was not without a few compromises, a couple of knock down, drag 'em out sessions,and a few kleenex moments but it is looking to be very workable.  First I'm doing an initial purge and then we'll go back and do any fixing, painting or remodeling.  A contractor has been contacted and a budget blue lined!

I am wanting to get back to more sewing.  Quilting, fibre art, home decor stuff and possibly some clothes and accessories.  The trick is to not start anything majorly new and use up some of my old stash so I can get some of this appealing new stuff. lol  Oakshotts!  hmmmm

I am at the half way point in the daily calender journalling and would like to bump that up a bit to include working in my sketchbook once a day with more purpose and regularly.

My workroom in the barn is high on my priority list as well as The Rooster's.  His understanding of how our time is best spent throughout the months of the year will better make this happen as he won't help me when I have the 'urge' and he 'has' to be doing something else that is a priority  So he has control of the timeline.

Not an exactly photo laden post, but lots of plans.  I need to get a new calendar. I want to get up to speed with all the digital stuff and that will involve simplifying my photos and files. I need to keep my Photo Shop Elements book right here beside the mouse and keyboard.  I also need to clean up the blog a bit.  This will be a transition week and then next week I get some out of town company that will challenge my plans of keeping up!

I need to make sure I double knot my running shoes as I sprint off into the new year but I also need to pace myself as this a four season, twelve month, 365 day run.  Foremost, I plan on enjoying the journey!!!

Wow, what's my style

I have not had a lot of time in the playroom this week.  I have had a few isolated moments to skim through my new book, The Artist Unique- inspiration and ttechniques to discover your creative signature.

A few have expressed curiosity in it.

Most of us began the creative journey by following patterns and kits or making class samples.  The author Carmen Torbus points out that was is missing is 'me'.    

This book helps identify the 'me' that is buried under all the stuff that is submerged under all our prepackaged project replicas, our excuses and our fears. 

The first section in the book is The Artist's Toolbox.  It follows that an electrician's tool box is different from a plumber's. There would also be differences in an electrician who specializes in wiring houses and one who  wires cars or even computers. 

I have been introduced to the words, mark making, during these last few weeks.  I find the term very liberating. Anyone can make marks!  Albeit some make better marks than others,  it is a good place to start.  The author starts with mark making tools and the ones we like to use help identify our signature.  The aha was that there are further variations.  Acrylic paint can be thick and precise.  But it can also be watery and sloppy.  More variations would be how the medium is applied and to what art surface. 

There is a worksheet that asks, what's on your palette? 

A visit to your local garden centre will help identify what flower shapes and colours appeal. 

I was very blessed to take a workshop with Jane Sassaman and I luv her style.  We stylized our favorite flower and made a wall hanging.  Mine was a day lily. 

 The two teal spikes were Jane's contribution.  I need to get over my own fear of wrecking this and finish it. 

A visit to the paint section can reveal what you reach out for.  Unfortunately I have collected every colour and combo available.  I never met a colour I didn't like.  So my challenge was to go a bit deeper and settle on a particular colour scheme. 

I have discovered I prefer low contrast so analogous colours, even monochromatic,  would be my preferred style.

An at home scavenger hunt reveals a lot about colours that repeat in ones life.  I try to stay out of the kitchen so I looked in my closet.  I've simplified my wardrobe to aqua's and chartreuse with a dark neutral.

Then the seeker is encouraged to visualize their favorite spot.

I think it would be the actual beach rather than the water.  Strolling down a beach seems to make me sigh.

What colours make me happiest, comfortable, safe, daring, alive?  What colours scream ME?

Mellow yellow, aqua, and white with bits of purple.   I have saved this calender for years and many of the pages are stuck up on various bulletin boards.  I think it is my style! (giggle)

The bulk of the book is devoted to Discovering Technique.  Fifteen contributing artists, each with their unique style, shares a favourite technique, insights and advice about coming into your own as an artist. 
I'll be trying them sometime soon.  I do have a vague idea of how I want to portray my work but it is good to keep ones options open!

If I were creating art for myself, and surely that is the best reason to do it, I suspect mellow yellow would translate to aged book pages.  Aqua would be a colour wash background sepia photos with  hand written notes in India ink, pearlized buttons stitched unto hand dyed fabric showcasing thread patterns.  This would  just might make me sigh, happily.

So I've begun to identify that I like to work on combinations of fabric, paper, and even canvas.  I like paint or dyes translucent, spread  thinly, loosely, with a big brush.  I'd have outlines and details with a thin black marker.  I would make use of stamps, stencils and some creative paraphernalia.  I prefer analogous colour schemes, in a simple representational style. I'm 2/3 of the way there.

The last section is Defining Your Style.  There is another worksheet with a checklist for skill inventory.  Lots of things we do are not necessarily art related but art isn't created in a sterile vacuum.  Skills we use daily can reveal our unique creative style.

This section also addresses the fears, the routines, the stalls, etc. that stop our creativity.  I am held speechless by the first paragraph as it so identifies me.  I leap in where angels fear to tread and then at the peak of creativity I stall- a victim of my inner critic.

The good news is that I have my hand on that guy's heel and I want to get a better look at him. I'm going to demand to see his credentials with the intent to kick him to the curb!  Besides, I'd like to make Jane proud and finish my day lily piece.  ;^)

Triple F for 2012

Apparently resolutions don't work and have inherent failures built in to them.  But to draw on the resolve that is within oneself  is another matter entirely.

My first word was FOCUS and I learned a lot, mostly about how hard it was for me to stick with one thing.

Next came FIND and I again learned that the scattered approach, as in multitasking, doesn't enable me to fiddle with a new technique, or even an old one if I really want to make it mine.

This year should be FINISH. I'm not sure I am ready to let go of the first two so...

This is a Triple F Year.

                                      

                                     

I resolve to Focus on specific books.

I resolve to give the time to Find out all about it and then Fiddle to get really comfortable with the fiddling.

I resolve to use what I've found and fiddled with to Finish.          


I'm encouraged.   I did get stuff done last year and also managed to not start too very many new things.

I'm dismayed  that there is lots yet to learn and do while I do still have a few unfinished projects that are in dire need of finishing.

But I'm really excited about the book studies.  I had originally thought I was going to commit to 12 books and go back to cluttering up the side bar with things that make me cast my eyes down as I scurry by. lol Honestly I did get some of those done.  I just never up dated the side bar.  It boggles my mind that some who will remain nameless, (pssst. think of he who crows and his first chick) absolutely dent the list paper in eradicating any sign of the item!  :O Now I luv making lists.  It makes me feel virtuous. But I NEVER look at them after I make them!

I'm firm and focused on the books but I'm fiddling with the particulars as I find pertinent titles for later in the year.   But perhaps I'll list them as I Find/Fiddle and Finish them.

Fair enough?

WOW new tools

One work surface has been cleaned off, decluttered and is almost ready for being crossed off as done.

I watched carefully as my DH raised the board on the back wall to hold tools. After 'conquering' the BIG sander I figure a drill should be easy. So I did some 'tweaking' this morning.

I mounted an IKEA bar to hold things. I thought of painting it white but I have a few things that are black. I do need serene but not sleepy. The splash of black adds some GO to my white, aqua, lime green palette.

I was thinking I'd not have time for some more of the zentangle look but I really wanted to see how the white thread would stitch out on black. The lint is a problem but I think this will work. I used Mettler silk finish 50 wt. top and bottom just because it was readily at hand.

I did try some Pearl Crown Rayon through the #39 Brenina foot.

I have run out of bobbin thread and my 'real' work table is hidden under lots of stuff so it is time to get back to cleaning. One thing I am noticing is that not working at my usual rushed and "I'm late, I'm LATE..." pace certainly has some benefits as I contemplate where I want to go and how to find the best way to get there. That is an important work in itself!

Finding a FINE Finish for Friday

My little word theme for Fridays has been such a motivator. Who knew!

I learned some technique things but I think I've learned even more about myself. 8^)

I really don't need 52+ page sized little quiltlets. That doesn't include the ones from last year. sheesh. So I've just been trying to finish something to end the week with. I'm getting stuff done. I'm also "putting off short term pleasure, for long term gain" to quote my rooster's favorite 'you need to grow up' speech.

So today I said 'no' to what I wanted to do and did what I had said I wanted to do.


I made my small runner inspired by light barked trees against a sky.


Not quite what I envisioned but a great try; I learned a thing or three, and I really do like it. :)

That's why it isn't quite finished because I want to hand stitch the binding.

Perhaps I'll have a better picture when I sum up the week tomorrow.

And this is what I really wanted to work on:

look what I found!

I was away for the weekend and hopefully rested and refreshed because I have a lot to finish up for the quilt show. I was tempted to just put down quilt show five times on my list but the devil is in the details they say so I will detail the new week in the side bar and in my day book.

I was also very excited to FIND out something about my style. My word for the year is find and I do need to identify what my particular style is. I'm all over the place but not really settled on one thing. I know I can't 'do it all' so I'd like to fine tune my options. I was MQing the straight lines on the convergence and admiring the way it has layers, depth! As I read about mixed media techniques I am very drawn to the layering and how that creates such richness to pieces. I thought about my favorite quilt! My style is going to involve layers of depth, of interest! I'm quite delighted to be discovering these things.

This Trellis quilt is a pattern that I tweaked many, many years ago. The lattice has 2 white tone on tone fabrics that hardly show any dimension. That was a bit disappointing but value is something I knew I needed to work on. I do like white lattices and I surely didn't want a bold lattice.
I did not have enough of the Hoffman floral fabric so I added a very close fabric that I'm almost sure has some polyester in it. But it really works well and the bit of brightness adds some depth to the florals peeking thru the trellis.

I really like the border fabric, the subtle pattern and washes of colour. I also felt very much in the 'zone' with the free motion quilting. I hate marking and I found the path for easy outlining of the trellis. Then I did leaves and flowers in the open areas. I just think 'leaf' and draw it and I must admit I can do a better drawing with the sewing machine needle than I can with a pencil. Same with the flowers which are pretty much fantasy. I like a subtle variegated thread. I used the even feed foot for a spine in the border and then just filled in with flower shapes.

But it is really the layers that I like so much in this quilt. I want to leave bought patterns behind but this one so appealed and I was pleased with how it all turned out and now I find that I understand why. Layers are the way for me to go! 8^)

Finished! No Fooling

There are lots of things not finished. Winter is sending fat flakes to say she isn't quite done. The worst cold ever has snuck back up on me and asked for another spoonful of the kind of medicine that is helped by Mary Poppins addition of sugar! All this is making me grumpy.

So this^

Became this ^ with a lot of muttering, vows, and some muscle.

The first quarter of the year is over. FIND is my word for the year and I'm not finding my groove and I don't really mean rut! So I need to find a better way to make things happen for the rest of the year.

I am slightly addicted to saving scribbles, notes, articles. Heck, whole magazines or parts there of. I don't file right away and the 2 file drawers, though reduced from 4, still bulge and the piles drive me crazy. I have learned to get rid of empty flat places where it is easy to dump piles. I was grumpy enough that even without my glasses I pitched Paper. :O

What if I was finished saving paper?

I edited my library of books a few years ago. I still have LOTS, mostly technique books. I have 2 dozen lined up and ready for action. I like to start new things. I have a dozen ideas on any given day. I have opportunities. I belong to a sewing club with monthly challenges, a quilt group with monthly and a yearly challenge. I belong to several on line groups with challenges. I'm beginning to feel slightly challenge stressed because of the extras- the socializing, the time for tutorials, the scheduling, the rush for the deadline, and the choosing of the commitment over the 'just because'.

What if I turned from the call of the challenge to the first technique book on my line up and turned to chapter one and worked in a series?

Friday's are for finishes and I think I'm done going around in circles. It makes for a dizzy chick!

The Five Step Program

I'd like to take some time to answer a question about my five step program.

Five is an easy number to remember. I just look at my hand and mentally go thru Peter Pointer, Ruby Ring, etc. I need a trick, a catchy tune, whatever, to keep me focused.

So in January I thought of five areas that embrace the whole concept of health, wealth and doing things wisely. I listed 5 major things I want to see accomplished in 2011. Then I broke that into seasons because some things are better done at certain times of the year. If I have a plan for the summer months then I can track it by breaking it down to manageable bites. I am very bad for underestimating what can realistically be done in a given time. A bigger project will take a season but I write down the job for the month then roughly plan the week with each morning being more specific. Sounds complicated but it is more about reminding myself what needs doing and often the five things in a day is a full day.

And it is 5 days because my weekends are not figured. I call them leftovers but often my hubby plans what Saturday will entail from my month or weekly to do list and he insists we do them together. You know, the family that works together, stays together thing! :D He has his own hobbies and we are cool to be on our own as well.

For example; we needed to renovate the bathroom. It involves flooring, paint, trim, fan, lighting, etc. One week all I had was Buy Flooring! But it got done and I could put down the next thing. Now I'm already to start writing down things for the kitchen but my dearie is holding me to the plan. We put trim in but it is too skimpy and we were back to get wider so this weekend is more trim. Not a problem, I'm still focused and I will be ever so glad to close the door on a completely finished bathroom.

Health, house and garden, hobby; I find it works for big things and small things.

High Five anyone?

Marching on

I had a wonderful four days away that nourishes the best part of me, my spiritual self. Regardless of the weather the Son shines warmly.

Time away helps redefine priorities. I've been pleased with my progress so far as I find better ways to get things done and even identify what exactly needs doing. I need to watch my on line time but it has been improving as I find what wastes time and what motivates.

I think the best indication is the playroom itself. I'm keeping it in better order. I have one major pile that avalanches every once in a while and I'll be dealing with it soon. But it doesn't take two full days to start anything new.

The whole idea of Fives is serving me well. Five per year, 5 per month, five per week and 5 per day. I'm especially doing the daily and need to keep the others up front so I have a good reminder.

I'm happy to be marching to the beat of a 5 step drummer and I'm keeping an eye on the icy patches.

2010 Re: Focus

Time to Reflect on my word for 2010- FOCUS.

I think I learned lots about focusing but mostly about how hard it is for me to focus. I am a zealous follower of new and exciting tangents. Particularly this last quarter, I've been looking myself in the eye and saying "You, rascal!" But nothing is lost if you are teachable. Hopefully I'm not to old a dog and I can learn new tricks!

Focus is the first part of my motto, Triple F- Focus, Fiddle, and Finish.

The word for 2011 should be fiddle but somehow that doesn't portray moving ahead by great leaps and bounds. So I have chosen FIND.

Find: come upon, meet with, discover, obtain by search or study. It also has the original sense of to go, pass, path, bridge. It can be by chance or by enquiry, thought, examination, scrutiny, and observation. One can find out by practice and experience. Now I need to get from focusing to finish and finding what makes me tick, what I like and how to accomplish it, to my way of thinking, is the bridge.

I shall be dragging Focus along again this year as I fiddle, I mean FIND, a way to get a finished product that speaks my name.

Typically I've already begun to fiddle. Instead of striding ahead to meet 2011 with gusto, I decided to reorganize the playroom. Lack of motivation just might have to do with the lack of daylight hours so I'll be finding a way to overcome that small difficulty as well.

The good news is that every time I organize things I get that much closer to perfection. I edit, I simplify my work paths and I find stuff. The above photo is after I had organized my new working stations but after I began to tackle my projects bookcase.

Because I start new projects at the sound of a starting gun I decided to at least have some fabric groupings prepared for those spontaneous moments that actually relate to my need, want, and desires for my home deco wish list. I am encouraged that as I regroup them from the various fabric hunts that bring them into disarray, I notice that about 90% actually stay intact, still vibrant, and as desirable as ever. Maybe I really am learning to focus. :)

I had bought some plastic shoe boxes on sale last year thinking I could use them instead of baggies for fabric dyeing. I got 15 and I wish I'd got more as they stay shut and are MOST useful. This bookcase represents 4 seasons and the major rooms in the house. The bottom shelf is old UFO's that have survived all the simplifying and the shelf directly above is the small art/journal quilts for this and last year.

Journal could be the word for 2011 as well. I'm definitely going to be journalling. I'm committed to several venues. I hope not too many but finding is a journey and as I use this journal format I expect to learn all kinds of enlightening things about myself, my abilities and my art.

I have learned that I have no need for a lot of external stimulation so I continue to simplify my surroundings. My fabric is behind curtains and my books are down behind closed doors.

So the Before (first photo) had me shuffling my sewing cabinet and cutting table around because I like working waist high. Then I changed the various plastic storage unit drawers.

The After (above) shows that I put the deep drawers into the closet and the shallow drawers in the craft area so I spend less time looking for what I need.

That window curtain needs to go even if it was free. 8p I really like a plain and straight valence.

I did move ahead in 2010 and I'm hoping to do even more MOVING AHEAD in 2011.

Happy New Year!