Saturday, January 14, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
WIPocalypse
In an effort to find something to district me from the crumbling shambles of the life I thought I knew, I've decided to participate in Measi's WIPocalypse. I picked cross stitch back up over Thanksgiving after discovering the Disney Dreams Beauty & The Beast kit. I started cross stitching small things when I was 7 or 8, and while thankfully most of those projects eventually found their way to the dump, I have a few leftover items that either need to be turned into something useable or completed or kits that have sat there for 15-20 years. Guess I'll use this as a means to get those all taken care of and moved along.
I took pictures yesterday of the various projects, but will get them up some time this week. It's amazing that such a small thing is taking such effort for me right now, but I'm finding it really hard to accomplish much of anything at the moment. But I'll get there....
List in no particular order:
1. Disney Dreams: Beauty & the Beast Falling in Love - WIP
2. Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass Window - WIP
3. Tinkerbell Sketch - stitched, just needs finishing
4. My Tartan Clan Dancer - wanting to adjust this pattern to update the costume styling and reverse it so I can do two that will face each other, one in the tartan I danced in when I was younger, and one to match the tartan I wear now
5. Tartan Thistle Needlebook: stitched, just needs finishing
6. Thistle bookmark & 6 small highland dancers - all stitched, just need to finish them as ornaments or framed items or something
7. 5 mini-kits of Scottish elements - stitch and put into small frames or one lenticular frame with multiple slots
8. Lizzie Kate Halloween ABCs - this will arrive this week and I hope to start, finish and frame it before Halloween 2012
I really just want to clear out all of these old projects. Most of my craft stash is fabric and quilting related and I have several quilts in various stages that I need to complete this year as well. But I am hoping to move in September and would like to decrease the overall amount of stuff I have just sitting around.
I took pictures yesterday of the various projects, but will get them up some time this week. It's amazing that such a small thing is taking such effort for me right now, but I'm finding it really hard to accomplish much of anything at the moment. But I'll get there....
List in no particular order:
1. Disney Dreams: Beauty & the Beast Falling in Love - WIP
2. Frank Lloyd Wright Stained Glass Window - WIP
3. Tinkerbell Sketch - stitched, just needs finishing
4. My Tartan Clan Dancer - wanting to adjust this pattern to update the costume styling and reverse it so I can do two that will face each other, one in the tartan I danced in when I was younger, and one to match the tartan I wear now
5. Tartan Thistle Needlebook: stitched, just needs finishing
6. Thistle bookmark & 6 small highland dancers - all stitched, just need to finish them as ornaments or framed items or something
7. 5 mini-kits of Scottish elements - stitch and put into small frames or one lenticular frame with multiple slots
8. Lizzie Kate Halloween ABCs - this will arrive this week and I hope to start, finish and frame it before Halloween 2012
I really just want to clear out all of these old projects. Most of my craft stash is fabric and quilting related and I have several quilts in various stages that I need to complete this year as well. But I am hoping to move in September and would like to decrease the overall amount of stuff I have just sitting around.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Australian Wildfire Relief
Hey everyone
Stephanie ( http://www.loftcreations.blogspot.com ) has created a great list of people or places that you can go through to help out with the wildfire relief. There is a wonderful shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6902734 where artists are donating items for sale and all of the money will go to the Australian Red Cross - not just the profits. I picked up a gorgeous owl print (and also found an equally gorgeous peacock print at the artist's individual store as well) There is a wide variety of items there in a wide range of prices - definitely something for every taste and budget and it helps a great cause, so go check it out.
Australia is definitely in our thoughts and prayers.
-Abby
Stephanie ( http://www.loftcreations.blogspot.com ) has created a great list of people or places that you can go through to help out with the wildfire relief. There is a wonderful shop on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6902734 where artists are donating items for sale and all of the money will go to the Australian Red Cross - not just the profits. I picked up a gorgeous owl print (and also found an equally gorgeous peacock print at the artist's individual store as well) There is a wide variety of items there in a wide range of prices - definitely something for every taste and budget and it helps a great cause, so go check it out.
Australia is definitely in our thoughts and prayers.
-Abby
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Time for the monthly update ...
Maybe a once a month update works for me .... I really don't know how people do it! I just can't manage to blog more than that. If I really pushed it, I might be able to handle once a week, but seriously! I work full time, I have 2 90 minute dance classes + home practice and workouts, my quilting and Lord knows what else .... blogging really has fallen by the wayside!
Anyways, I have been working on a project, a quilted wall hanging for one of the dad's in my dance studio. He's a bagpiper and wanted a wall quilt with shirts from some of last year's highland games.
The middle row features 2 quilt blocks of my own design - I loosely replicated the tartan that the band wears for their kilts and the middle square is the band logo. It just needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound. Then I'll also put a hanging sleeve on as well.
Anyways, I have been working on a project, a quilted wall hanging for one of the dad's in my dance studio. He's a bagpiper and wanted a wall quilt with shirts from some of last year's highland games.
The middle row features 2 quilt blocks of my own design - I loosely replicated the tartan that the band wears for their kilts and the middle square is the band logo. It just needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound. Then I'll also put a hanging sleeve on as well.
After that, I have 3 baby quilts - friends of mine are expecting triplets. I have the fabric and have started cutting. I'm using the 5 funky monkeys line moda came out with a while ago - I was able to score a ton of it on eBay, so here's hoping those go together quickly. The babies will probably arrive in Mid-April.
I did break my resolution of not buying fabric without purchase. I wandered into a new quilt shop over the weekend and they just happened to be celebrating the Super Bowl weekend by offering 10% off EVERYTHING. A layer cake of Urban Couture by Basic Grey and a yard and a half of matching yardage (I got 20% off of it for finishing the bolt) came home with me.
Anyone know any good layer cake patterns? oops!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Happy New Year!
At least I hope it will be. 2008 won't really go down as my favorite year, though there definitely were some highlights. The biggest highlight for me was definitely my trip to China in March.
Craftiness-wise, I finished 3 quilts. I also bought a Cricut Expression on Black Friday - which is now getting some use as the Christmas sewing is done with.
2008 will also mark the year of my return to highland dancing. I will be returning to competing this spring after a 14 year "trial retirement", haha. By summer, I will probably start studying for my teacher's certification. It's nice to be back in something that was such a huge part of my life ... I guess you really CAN go 'home' again.
I wasn't particularly smart with my money in 2008, so my goals for 2009 will mostly be related to rectifying that! I have 2 student loans (one big, one little), a car loan and a credit card balance. I will be posting their as of 1/1/2009 balance on my fridge. This is a small way of keeping me honest, but I also want to be able to gauge my process through the year and have something to compare it to come December 31, 2009. I'm the type of person who needs to see progress :)
Sewing wise, I will be buying very little this year. First and foremost this is for money reasons - I don't need to spend an afternoon loitering in JoAnn Fabrics and buying fabric with no purpose or intention. I have a "stash" that fills a 3 drawer sterilite container and a couple photo storage boxes - in a small one bedroom apartment, that is PLENTY! I have enough supplies for projects to keep me busy for at least a year or two. I am not going cold turkey - if I am working on a project and need something to finish it, I'll buy. I am sewing 3 of my dance costumes and will need to make some purchases for those and am working on a comissioned t-shirt quilt that will also need some additional fabric. Beyond that, I am quite sure that I have a pretty wide variety of things to keep myself entertained. This school of thought is also going to apply to my scrapbooking items - I should really only need to buy adhesive this year. I have a lot of supplies on hand!
I'd like to get to the point where I don't really have a "stash." I know this goes against most crafters' instincts, but it has been bothering me lately to have this much STUFF just sitting around. Granted, I do think that it is in part due to being in a one bedroom apartment. My craft storage and work area is also my dining room alcove and kitchen counter. There isn't space for a whole lot, so the amount I have makes the situation even more cramped.
So we'll see how I do.
I am also resolving not to go to Target this year. I can't seem to get out of Target for less than $20. If you think about it, there really isn't a reason to go to Target specifically. Mine don't have grocery and all the other items are non-necessary. So no Target for me this year (hopefully) - and that should help with the money saving as well!
How about you all? Any major resolutions to share?
At least I hope it will be. 2008 won't really go down as my favorite year, though there definitely were some highlights. The biggest highlight for me was definitely my trip to China in March.
Craftiness-wise, I finished 3 quilts. I also bought a Cricut Expression on Black Friday - which is now getting some use as the Christmas sewing is done with.
2008 will also mark the year of my return to highland dancing. I will be returning to competing this spring after a 14 year "trial retirement", haha. By summer, I will probably start studying for my teacher's certification. It's nice to be back in something that was such a huge part of my life ... I guess you really CAN go 'home' again.
I wasn't particularly smart with my money in 2008, so my goals for 2009 will mostly be related to rectifying that! I have 2 student loans (one big, one little), a car loan and a credit card balance. I will be posting their as of 1/1/2009 balance on my fridge. This is a small way of keeping me honest, but I also want to be able to gauge my process through the year and have something to compare it to come December 31, 2009. I'm the type of person who needs to see progress :)
Sewing wise, I will be buying very little this year. First and foremost this is for money reasons - I don't need to spend an afternoon loitering in JoAnn Fabrics and buying fabric with no purpose or intention. I have a "stash" that fills a 3 drawer sterilite container and a couple photo storage boxes - in a small one bedroom apartment, that is PLENTY! I have enough supplies for projects to keep me busy for at least a year or two. I am not going cold turkey - if I am working on a project and need something to finish it, I'll buy. I am sewing 3 of my dance costumes and will need to make some purchases for those and am working on a comissioned t-shirt quilt that will also need some additional fabric. Beyond that, I am quite sure that I have a pretty wide variety of things to keep myself entertained. This school of thought is also going to apply to my scrapbooking items - I should really only need to buy adhesive this year. I have a lot of supplies on hand!
I'd like to get to the point where I don't really have a "stash." I know this goes against most crafters' instincts, but it has been bothering me lately to have this much STUFF just sitting around. Granted, I do think that it is in part due to being in a one bedroom apartment. My craft storage and work area is also my dining room alcove and kitchen counter. There isn't space for a whole lot, so the amount I have makes the situation even more cramped.
So we'll see how I do.
I am also resolving not to go to Target this year. I can't seem to get out of Target for less than $20. If you think about it, there really isn't a reason to go to Target specifically. Mine don't have grocery and all the other items are non-necessary. So no Target for me this year (hopefully) - and that should help with the money saving as well!
How about you all? Any major resolutions to share?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)