Tuesday Toots!

The Altered book tutorials are about finished and before I begin my on-line colour class I need to work on the whole house plan for our renewal project here at home.  It has been some time since the house has been painted and the temporary fix in the kitchen has exceeded it expiry date.  The Rooster and I intend to stay here so while he is working we need to get ready for the inevitable retirement and the beginning of our golden years which will be all about pursuing our various hobbies rather than fixing the nest.

I have serious procrastination issues which I think stem from too many choices that paralyze me and then I am seduced by a different idea for a different project so I start all over again and again.  The Rooster has known this and I have come to admit that he is right. Hark!  Do I hear crowing???  lol

So he has agreed to oversee the project and figure the time line.  First I need to define what it is I want to do.  I think I know.  I just need to isolate it and articulate it.

Creativity is about creating.  And home decor is at the heart of my creativity.  I would like what I create to be evidenced in my home.

First lesson:

I follow a couple of decorating blogs and The Decorologist had a post a few weeks ago that really spoke to me. First I liked the colour palette and then I agreed that if you buy what you like then you will have the where with all to create a desirable environment. She had 3 Secrets for Styling Your Space With What You Already Have.  I have already spent the last year editing all my stuff.  I want to include where I am right now and what I like now.  All my folk art stuff is gone to the thrift store except for one or two things that I still luv.

Maria Killam is a great resource for getting things right.  I learned a lot about undertones.

I am stuck right now narrowing down paint selections.  I keep changing my mind. That old habit is still with me but I think my colours are right here in the house and I just have to identify them and pick the best rooms to showcase them.

So according to my fabric stash, my accessories for decorating vignettes, my favourite colours are yellow and aqua.  I just hadn't really seen them as 'grown up' decorating colours.  And to be fair as my decorating sense has evolved,  the past revolved mostly around hand me downs and sales!  lol

 First I bought a fan deck.  It has been worth the $30 just because it has saved many trips to study wee paint ships and therefore my sanity.  I find an option or two or three and then I go get several of each and cut and paste them onto white paper which I put up on the wall where I can see them over a few days.  Amazing how helpful that is.

This is how it works.  I 'always' wanted a red  room.  I have figured out it is the blue reds that I like.  I picked the best and put it up on the wall.  I had warm fuzzies for a week and then I began to really think about it.  ???  I tend to gravitate to low contrast.  Hmmm!  My collection of decorator pages usually show red as an accent and often with yellow.  ???   I have now learned that I need to have red as a secondary colour and not as wall paint.

Many decorators recommend a theme fabric or some special object.  Then you pick the 3 main colours and carry them throughout the house.  Most of my favourites have too many colours.  They do include yellow, cream, rose, aqua and a fresh green plus white.  :(

With a certain amount of angst, I have arrived at this for downstairs.

And this for upstairs.  It hasn't the real aqua but it does have a lovely chartreuse.

The public areas are more traditional and the private bedrooms are more funky. I figure blue/green changing to a yellower green up the hallways will make the transition smooth.  And besides, dragging this rug all around downstairs gets tiring quickly although I do think I need to do it at least once!  lol

Limiting my palette to 3 colours, yellow, blue/green, rose plus the neutral creams and white,  and then remembering that I favour low contrast except for seasonal pops of colour should simplify my choices.

Now to find the right white for all the woodwork!  :(  Older houses don't do so well with IKEA white but the new vinyl windows aren't exactly antique ivory!  sheesh

mmm busy

Another sunshiny day and a great weekend.  Mama duck is still inside the chicken enclosure and her offspring comes and goes.  I'm not sure that mama approves.

I have spent the morning moving more stuff around and mostly out!  The youngest has left home (again) and I am taking everything that isn't mine and the Rooster's out to the barn for its last call before...  dum dee dumm dump!  At least I'm really hoping that will be the case.

I was kinda tired on Sunday so I never changed from my good clothes as I didn't feel too energetic. I was knee deep in gelli plate prints before I looked at what I was wearing.  :(  Not quite the method I had in mind for sorting my closet contents!  lol

But I have made good progress on my calendar journal for November.  I wanted red for a poppy and to use some of my grunge stuff.

The October set were rather more red than orange so I'm just carrying on.

I was on my way to grey and a grunge look but ...

Now if I could find the actual calendar page with my last week's notations for October.  :(  

I did find an old sewing project that could hold me till I get some more oranges for the designated quilt project for this month.  This is a runner and a table topper that is ready for layering and quilting.
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I will also be looking for some fresh green paint chips for the downstairs hallway.

I do have a busy week ahead of me with a trip to the city for sewing club  which will end up being a major errand day and then I have company arriving for an overnight stay on Friday.

Time to get motivated!

Forging ahead!

We had the strangest path in the snow.  It took a bit to figure it out but it is the mama duck who wades through the snow, forging a path that leaves behind a trough that is the imprint of her belly.  Her offspring, who has wild mallard in its genes has  low level flying skills.  lol  Anyway, mama is now contained and I'm sure her little duck feet are warmer.  :)

The weather has warmed quite a bit but the snow men shall remain!

I must be finally growing up.  I have come to terms with 'you can't have it all' and it will be what it is and not what I 'desperately want' it to be. :O  The decorating plan is coming together realistically and close to my dream.  I am actually checking my check list of criteria to stay focused!

I know what I want downstairs but actually have no theme fabric and the closest I come is this Mary Englebreit calender page.  It reminded me that the red I want is an accent and not a main colour.  I had gotten way too dark.  So recognizing and  working with the percentage or proportion of the colours and the values helps keep me true to the original idea.  I absolutely have to have the samples up for a while to study things, just like I do with my design wall for my fibre art.  It helps me see where I want my focal point and what my colour options are to make that happen.  It also gives the Rooster a chance to calm down and come around!  oh, OKAY!  Sometimes he is right! lol

I did stick to the general plan this week.  At least enough to get me headed in the right direction.

Altered Book is done.  I incorporated the tags into Tutorial Tuesday and even into my Creativity 101 class with my gal.  I will have catch up calender pages for Monday.

The sewing plan is decided and I really need a few more fabrics before I start the scrappy blocks and I'll get them on my errand day next week.

 But I also need to reduce the piles of stuff all over the upstairs and I'm happy to report I got one whole laundry basket of miscellaneous memorabilia done and mostly put away.  There is a bit more to do!  vbsigh All my ideas have been saved in those two drawers.  Once I had four drawers. Then two and now I'm not sure what to save and where to put it.  :(

The fun reward was trying something new.  :)  This is a daylight photo.

 It also showed me I need to sort my supplies a bit more efficiently.  I started by throwing away the packages.  gnash, gnash  What if I need to read instructions???  I could google, right?  lol    Full disclosure.  I have issues- look at those file drawers.  But the problem is that I don't understand my own filing system.  sheesh  It makes sense when I file it!  okay, something to tackle next week.

But I'm definitely forging ahead!

Thursday is my time 2 try!

On Thursday I want to try new techniques.  These are NOT originals. ha!  This is learning by copying and not always successfully.  Karen  at The Art House Studio has a Friday night video and this so appealed.  It is not done but I started it as a reward for actually eliminating one big basket of clutter.  Hopefully I'll get some more reward time soon!

Wow, I'm back quilting

I need a quick and fun project to get me back in the quilting groove again.  I could pick up with any of the dozen wips (works in progress) I have or I can start a whimm (work hidden in my mind). There are even more of them!  Guess what I chose?  

I made two strip quilts and coordinating backings for the small bunk beds in the Sunshine room.  It is looking like this small room may become a bathroom so these  beds and the colour scheme will be moving into the guest room.  I need a coordinating quilt for the single bed that will also be there.  Three grand kiddies.  This'll work!  I do know I have used up most of these fabrics.  Gee, I'll have to go shopping!  lol

I have been seeing some quilts from Cheryl and Amanda's book, Sunday Morning Quilts.  The one on the bed  is the one I'm liking.  I'd luv to do it in a lighter look but this will get me started.

Lots of great quilts out there to get anyone inspired and for some inspiration, I'm linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

tag!

I decorated tags to fill the pockets in my Altered Book and I think they also make good bookmarks.  Notice the beribboned paper clip!  It can be a book mark also.

Tags come in all shapes and sizes.  The stationary stores carry them and of course the hobby stores.  You can make your own from a punch or just by cutting pieces from various card stock or scrap book paper.  If there is no hole a paper punch does the trick and they are easily reinforced with plain or coloured reinforcing stickers.

The heavier manila ones hold up well to all kinds of wet techniques.
 

I rubbed on some distress ink with my foam tool and then I drew the stamp pad around the edges for an aged look.

I sprayed some Pearl Mist onto my Teflon sheet and tried to use the plastic grid.  It wasn't that successful but I don't think there is a right or wrong just serendipity's.  lol  

 

I sopped up the remainder with the back.  There happened to be some stray glitter that got incorporated.  

A stamp,some words, some doodled x's and some ribbon.  The grand kiddies will be impressed.

I have been thinking about the benefit of working in a series and this little tag illustrates a good reason for doing so.  The tags at the beginning were pretty much done in an afternoon of fiddling.  No pressure and whatever happens is good.  To do one tag as an example in a tutorial creates pressure and the lack of spontaneity  shows.  I think there is something to, 'the more the merrier'.

Now Tag!  Your turn to make bookmarks!

Let's start with white

The weather warnings had us anticipating a major storm but it was more like winter weather with the ice making things not so pleasant.  But winter is here.

The first expenditure will be a snow blower.  I knew if the Rooster had to shovel the walk it would move to the top of the list!  ;^)

But we also need to get easily out to the chickens and plunging through snow drifts doesn't have the attraction it once had!  lol

It is time to put away the pumpkins and ...

 bring out the snowmen!

It is time to rev up Nina and get some quilting done.

It is time to dream and plan and get the whole house renovation started.

So a little time for sipping and planning and then ...

Monday will be motivating.

Still Fiddling

This beading of edges is rather addicting.  I decided to add some to represent fall and winter.

I didn't have any coloured glass leaves but I didn't let that stop me.  I am even more convinced about the need to have stuff on hand!  lol

I finished off the bottom with some winter effects, even some clear leaves.  I also added some snow sequins to the page.  White and tone on tone white.  I luv it!

I had a small piece of lace doily that fit nicely on the warm inside page but relates to the barren and leafless but snowy outdoor page.

I have a back page to tweak and a painted page for the inside back cover.  Then by golly, she'll be done.

Speaking of snow, the weather people are all gloom and doom about an approaching storm.  I'm say, "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!".  Just wish I had more supplies so I could fiddle! LOL

a little of this...

I made a bunch of leaf inspired bookmarks for the inside pocket of my Altered Book. I also need to figure out how to jazz up my polymer leaves and glue them down.  

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 I also made one bookmark that I'd never seen before.   I found this by googling.   This is slow going as I do a bit in the book and then have to let it dry.  I am recognizing that I need to go back and spend more time focusing on some of these techniques as I'm feeling a bit like Jack.  Jack of all trades and master of none.  I could be dangerous.  lol

Talking on Tuesday- not!

I am definitely not talking.  I'm hardly taking a coffee break.  No tutorial but I have been setting up the last recap of my altered book and between that and getting calendar journal pages caught up I almost forgot to do the chickens which have been turned back to my tender care as the Rooster leaves in the dark and returns in the dark.  It is a red letter day for motivation!  The time change has me up early and there is no stopping the creative flow! yippee!     good grief.  I think I have a galloping  sentence, never mind a run on!  lol

Motivated!

I'm not sure where I got this particular photo from but it adequately portrays my attempt to get moving in spite of the time change and the absence of the grand kiddies.

So lets get that Monday Motivation bouncing. lol

My calendar journal was buried and needed resurrecting.

My start and I think I'm going to loose the scrap book stuff.  It is quick but doesn't play so nice so I will be tweaking the date.

Again a nice scrap book paper but I'm having a challenge to get the rest of the spread to play nice.

But I did get moving and the playroom is ready and motivated.  I think I can make some lemonade from the lemon!

Not finished but done for the weekend

I was done when the grand kiddies arrived Thursday morning.  They were impressed with my altered book.

In an attempt to keep them distracted from my 'stuff' and from totally redecorating my house I whisked them off to MacDonald's Friday morning but they are redoing the playroom so I hit the dollar store for plastic guitars instead. Yes, against my better judgement but then they are cute.  The grand kiddies, not the guitars!

So it has been noisy and my diversionary tactics haven't worked. LOL

I do believe their own home, which is in the throws of renovation is to the place where they no longer need to be kept safe here.  Winter is also approaching and travel is less pleasant.  Monday I will be back to restore and move forward with my own home renovation.  ;^)

Happy weekend.  Oh, and my it be musical!