Industrious!

I've had lots of art time in the last couple weeks and I want to be sure to show you what I've made! In preparation for my trip to Europe in July, I made 5 quilt tops, to eventually be turned into quilts for some of the babies I'll get to meet! I don't want to spoil the surprise, so here's a glimpse, Crazy Mom Quilts style:


I have to admit that straight-up quilting doesn't really do it for me anymore. My heart just isn't in it, and there is always an aspect of self-imposed obligation to it when I create one. I mean, who wouldn't love to receive a quilt, especially for their child? For that reason, I've loved to give them. But I don't love making them. After thinking more about it, I decided that for another baby I'll be meeting, I would just do something different, and I am SO pleased with what became of that challenge.


I found this awesome shadow-box frame at Goodwill for 5 bucks. It had some awful thing in it that easily came out. My mini-quilt, about 12 x 12, is a huge improvement! If you click on the photo you can see an up-close view of all the stuff that's in it, and below are some other perspectives.

Finally, I made some excellent fabric greeting cards, a start to the type of cards I plan to start selling in my online shop (to begin with). That shop should be created by the end of 2009 at the latest. I'll be sure to announce its grand opening when the time comes. These cards are made in the style of Denyse Schmidt, whose book Quilts, has provided unending inspiration for me for many projects.

"Should" vs. "Dream"

During a phone conversation with Amb over the weekend, I was saying how I felt compelled to make things for other people, that there were things I "should" make. I said I was struggling with wanting to fulfill my dream of making art for myself or things I could sell, but that I was feeling obligated in another direction! Amb said, "Well between 'dream' and 'should,' I'd go with number one!" Put so simply, it made it seem silly to have had any sort of indecisiveness regarding how I should spend my time.

This afternoon, I read a great quote by Henry David Thoreau: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." So tonight while in the shower, I had a design inspiration for an apron. I promptly sat down in my room and created a prototype. It's close to what I had imagined, but not quite, so I'll definitely try making another one. Introducing, the craft apron. Something to hold cleaning supplies or screws, wipe your gluey fingers on, stand on a ladder and hammer something in. Made of durable but cute fabric, you can be stylish while truly working.

Front view:


Back and side views:

Two things I learned: that I want the black to not be plain cotton, which is all I had to make this one tonight, but rather that durable fabric similar to one the colorful circles are printed on. And that there is such a thing as an apron that's too long! After thinking I was complete with this, I had to cut three inches off the bottom and re-sew it. Much better! Also, I tweaked the actual shape of this apron so that when it's not being worn, it looks more trapezoidal in shape than rectangular. That makes it fall straight on the side.

While in Cali the first time last month, my cousin handed me a stack of old photos and when I was looking through them again this weekend, this one caught my eye. This was my first Christmas and that's me and my mom. And so, a love of aprons was born!


It is time to live the life I've imagined, I think!