Monday, January 4, 2010

New Year, Blank Canvas

Here is a mini-quilt - my first free-motion project that I actually broke my sewing machine on. No worries, it was very old and it provided me with the excuse to buy a new one. The image is printed on cotton treated with Bubble-Jet Set and is of my mother circa 1946 (on the left, the only gal with slacks).

I am always excited to begin a fresh new year yet nervous as well. It is just like starting a new painting and I spend hours making lists, planning and dreaming. The Resolution List by this time has become totally unmanageable and outrageous, so I have torn it up and decided to just go with the flow and live by this motto:

If it is not fun, don' t do it,
If it is not broke, don't try to fix it,
Love well, myself first, and finally,
Live by the Golden Rule.


My dining-room-turned-studio was definitely broken and disorganized so I have spent the past 3 days re-arranging, sorting tools and gaining a tiny bit more space and a clearer head to work with. I am fresh now to work on some journals, ATC's and quilt projects I had started earlier. The most impressive task I completed was getting my 25 year old image files back in the proper order (like, I can find them now) which really set off my Muse. Some of the images were from old calendars that I had written notes and appointments on. What a hoot to see how far I have come yet how some things never change!
I am experimenting with Never-Dull, dryer sheets and lint, painted fuse-able, dying and painting fabrics, the new Golden Digital Grounds (signed up for a class for this one) and machine free-motion and felting. Whew. Maybe I need to make another list and shorten it!






6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love your motto. It is a good one, so I think I will adopt it. And I will come back often throughout the year to remind myself of it!

Diane said...

What a lovely piece. Congratulations on your new blog!

Diane said...

Welcome to blogland!! I just became a blogger at the end of November, and I love it. I'll be looking forward to seeing your art. Diane

Jill said...

Congratulations on starting your blog. I love blogging! I think your project is great!

Suzie said...

Wow! It is truly amazing what you are able to accomplish. The quilt with Grandma's photo on it is SO special... really it is. When I saw it in the photo, I "felt" you, Grandma, and Grandma Julie in that piece.
Awesome, awesome, awesome!

Unknown said...

As usual my momma rocks!