For the Love of Creativity: Creative Baggage

Some might call this the most romantic week of the year, as we countdown the last 7 days until Valentine's Day. This year I thought I would spend this week talking about creative people whom I love!

Creative people often find themselves surrounded by other crafting people, its our nature to find people with like minds and interests, and lets face it for many of us crafty people, we want friends who tell us its o.k. to buy stuff while we still have 600 half-finished projects, even if our husbands are telling us to finish something before we start another. {Raises hand and nods head in admittance of guilt.}  

First I want to tell you about the person who is as best craft friend a girl can have considering we've never met. You may know her at Quiltsmart Mandy, but before that, she was (and still is) Mandy at Creative Baggage.

As "Quiltsmart Mandy" you may have seen or talked to her at Quiltsmart's blog, social media accounts and even followed along as she walks your through creative Quiltsmart projects throughout the year.

At her blog, Creative Baggage, she takes her readers through a variety of other creative interests as well. Much like me, she is a creative butterfly, floating through a variety of creative worlds such as cooking, quilting, sewing, and kids crafts. Lately she has been taking us on a wild adventure in the kitchen with projects that will make your mouth water, your tummy grumble and inspire you to tie on an apron. 

The only thing she doesn't do it tell you how to get the magically housecleaning fairies to wash your dishes. {sigh} I don't think she's figured that one out yet, either!

My favorite part is that Mandy is very aware of promoting creative kids. Whether her little helpers are crafting alongside of her or she is creating projects for you to share with your little ones, she definitely believes that childhood should be sprinkled with creativity!

Mandy and I collaborate on a lot of things and talk almost weekly unless one of the kids is sick and needs attention and love only a Mommy can give. We brainstorm about projects, talk about fabrics, think up new themes and generally focus on how to help you, our visitors, learn more ways to be creative in efficient and unique ways! Between the 2 of us we have a variety of social media and blogs so it is something that is always on our minds.

I think our husbands may have conspired to keep up apart in real life for fear we'd never come out of whatever creative cave we conjure up. It's probably a good idea, we could go on for days with only chocolate and lattes to fuel us.

If you have some time to check out her blog, definitely pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea {and some cookies} and dive in because you are in for a creative treat!

Until our next cup of tea ...

#CreativelyInspired

At the start if 2015 I knew I wanted to focus on being creatively inspired. It's not that I haven't been inspired in the past, I just decided that I would live each day open to the chance to be creatively inspired. Whether its the color of the flowers in front of my son's school, the design on the shirt of a random stranger in the grocery store or taking something and using it in a new and different way.

Living life more creatively helps keep the boredom caused by the repetition of daily life at bay. Earlier today I was watching an episode of Heros on Netflix and one of the characters was in the kitchen with a grey, yellow and white dish towel and for some reason the pattern caught my eye and I made a quick note of it in my quilting notebook. I may use it in a quilt one day, I may not, but it caught my attention.

Yesterday, recieved a package from Quiltsmart with some panels I needed for projects in progress. Inside they had included some extra panels from various Quiltsmart patterns or ZigZapps and I spent about an hour this morning sorting through and trying to decide on some quick projects to do.

Inside the scrap pack, was a partial panel of Mary's Flower Garden. It looked like they needed one flower from it for a project or something so I had 5 flowers to work with.

I've really been going through a "French Colonial" phase, or shabby chic, depending on my level of relaxation. When I got home after work, I dug through my fabric and found this beautiful yellow floral by Robyn Pandolph that I had been saving for a "special" project because there wasn't a lot of it.

After getting the Lil Monkey settled into a Lego project and doing some cleaning in the ktichen, I sat down at my sewing machine and whipped up a proejct in no time. Within two hours I had 4 flowers and all the fabric cut that I needed to make a summer-inspired table topper.  I just need to sew it all together. Hopefully, I can get some time one day this week to finish it up. Life has been a little busy lately. 

I love that it is so easy to try different backgrounds. This green was really pretty as well, but I just love the floral fabric.

Well, I'm off to clean up my work space ... a maybe find a little bit of inspiration in that pile of fabric. I hope every day you too look for ways to stay #creativelyinspired.

Until our next cup of tea ...

The Heart of the Kitchen

OMG! We are only a few weeks away from Valentine's Day!! It's actually an exciting time for me because we recieved an early Valentine's Day present 5 years ago. Our Lil Monkey was born on Feb. 9, and then of course next week is my birthday so it's actually a bit of a whirlwind couple of months for us.

So of course, I'm getting an early start on pink projects!! 

On Saturday, I told you about an accidental project that I stumbled upon while making a mistake on this project. While I said I'd show the finished one of that one with this, I don't quite have it ready. Sorry, but hopefully, this makes up for it.

I wanted to make some quick projects and Quiltsmart ZigZapps! are the easiest way to do that, so I dug around in my stash and found some pink fabric and Sweetheart ZigZapps! A little stitching and flipping and I whipped up this kitchen towel!

A few friends have asked me if the Quiltsmart ZigZapps! are really as easy as I say. So let me walk you through how I do them.

First, I cut around the border of the ZigZapp! Then pin it to the right side of the fabric with the textured fusible side towards the fabric.

Then I stitch on the solid line.

I cut out the stitched piece on the dotted line, then carefully cut out the inset ZigZapp! if there is one. If there is a dotted line in the center, like the small heart, I cut on that line before sewing.

Then carefully flip the fabric so the rightside is facing out and the printed interfacing is on the back with the textured fusible side facing out.

I lay the turned piece on an Applique Pressing Sheet or Grip-n-Press by Bear Thread Designs with the interfacing on the craft sheet and iron it flat. This will prevent the fusible from transferring to my work surface.

Next I lay it on the background fabric and iron it down. The fusible will tack it down to the fabric, but depending on the fabric, like this textured towel I sometimes need to pin it.

Then stitch it stitch it down. Now, usually I stitch it to the background fabric with clear thread using a zigzag stitch, however this one I wanted to have a white stitched line show. The you finish your project as planned.

See, easy peasy! It took me less than an hour to make this, with 4 "life crisis" interruptions from a 4-year-old and taking pictures of each step. Now, it's your turn! Let me know when you try a project, I'd love to see it!

Until our next cup of tea ...

Happiness is Hexagons!!

This past weekend, I was able to spend a little time working on a project that I am using Quiltsmart Hexagon ZigZapps! to make it. While I won't be posting this project for a while, I have to say these Hexagon ZigZapps! are super easy and very fun!

They come in 3 sizes, 2-inch, 1.5-inch and 1-inch and i am overflowing with ideas as I sew these quick little hexes. I can assure you, I have looked at hexagon quilts for years and loved them. For years I have stressed about how hard triangles looked, so I didn't even want to think about these little six-sided bundles of potiental tears. 

The technique that Mattie at Quiltsmart has designed is simple, you place your printed interfacing on the right side of the fabric, sew around the sewing line, trim on the cutting line and then flip inside out (you cut a slit in center of interfacing - I do it before sewing so I don't cut my fabric.) It's literally as easy as turning my kid's socks right side out, and less smelly! Most of the Quiltsmart ZigZapps! use this technique or a version of it and I am addicted!  

I had a lot of fun and in no time, I had a pile of each of these sizes sitting there waiting to find their place in the project. (The pink is actually the above color, my phone flashed on the photos below.) I can honestly say, I will not do hexagons any other way! (Sits on hands to show my resolve and commitment!)

If you've wanted to try hexes but were too scared, or if you've given up after other techniques, take a deep breath and try these. You'll be happy you did!

Until our next cup of tea ...

An Accidental "Sweetheart" Project

Houston we've had a problem here ... Well, yes, but maybe it can be a good thing. Well, I'm sure that's not how the conversations went with the crew of Apollo 13 when they reported a technical problem back to their Houston base, but as a Houstonian, let's just go with it for the sake of the post. (A little histocial fact, they are often misquoted as saying "Houston, we have a problem" because of the Apollo 13 movie.)

Anyway, back to the post ... Last night I was working on some wreaths with a friend, Erin (more on that later.) After hubby came home and we have dinner, he offered to do dishes so I headed to the sewing room for a little relaxation and stress-relief after a hard day at work (production time at the magazine.)

After working on some pink wreaths, I was ready to get a jumpstart on some Valentine's Day projects, so I pulled out my trusty bin of Quiltsmart interfacing panels and dug around looking for some Sweetheart ZigZapps! I found a panel and a half as well as some pink fabric and a project was born within minutes.

I tuned into Netflix on my iPad (I'm currently binge-watching Heroes), while I pinned and sewed the fabric heart. It must have been a cliffhanger kind of moment because I had it all sewn and cut out before realizing I'd pinned it to the wrong side of the fabric. Oh, no!! Considering that usually I do a good amount of fusible applique, I'm surprised this is the first time I've done that.

I sat there looking at this perfectly cute heart, flipping it over back and forth (like that would fix it), bummed that turning the interfacing would leave it inside out and the back on this fabric didn't have anything showing through on the other side. 

I was thought, "If I leave it like this, it will be raw-edge ... what can I do with that?" The back didn't have a slit yet in the back since I was just going to cut the smaller heart off to reuse, so I thought maybe I could put it on an craft apron as a spoon pocket and only sew up the sides, leaving the top and bottom open for a pair of scissors. Then I thought, I could just sew up the "V" portion and put it as a little pocket on a back. While I liked both of those ideas, it required me starting a larger project and I had to put The Lil Monkey to bed in an hour. I needed something fast ... LIGHT BULB! A banner!!

I dug around and found my Quiltsmart banner panels and grabbed one with some white fabric and within minutes, I had made this adorable banner. Today, I have to run errands and added to my list to get some fabric for letters. I'll lad the work LOVE in between the hearts and add a ribbon across the top. I'll post a finished photo when I post the orginal project I had set out to make.

All in all the lesson here is, you never know where your mistakes will take you. If you just roll with the punches, sometimes falling down gives you a better view! 

Until our next cup of tea ... 

Operation Organization: Keeping Up with Quilting and More

As a military family, organization is important. As a crafter, organization is important. As a mom, organization is important. Basically, organization is important. 

When the Army brought my son and I home, while my husband spent a year overseas, I had to chance to unpack and organize at my leisure. That included my creative area and office.  

In Miami, I'd started to get organized and had a variety of boxes that I'd purchased as I organized my craft room there. It was so easy to sort my creative supplies and tools into these easy to stack boxes. I loved them especially, because I could open them through the snap fronts. That was quite helpful once we moved here and they found a home at the top of the closet.  

Once we moved, I had more space and I started to get more and more supplies, mostly from friends who pass stuff along to me. When my husband returned after a year overseas, he started law school and I had moved to a job that allowed me to work from home. Since there was less travel and Iwas able to keep up with housework that when I was juggling a job where I traveled, worked odd hours and kept up with a toddler.

I was exploring a sale at The Container Store after a lunch meeting one day and found these sturdy, deep boxes and being pink certainly was a bonus! The blue boxes were perfect for organizing The Lil Monkey's art that comes home from school. (I have plans for that later.) 

When I started the "A Year of Quiltsmart" Project, I knew I needed to find a way to organize my rotating projects (really, who does one at a time?) and my Quiltsmart interfacing and panels. By this time I'd visited The Container Store a few times, and had discovered their clear plastic shoe boxes in varying sizes. Once a month I had a lunch meeting nearby and would head over to grab a few, and before I knew it, I had all my projects organized, each in their own container. 

The boxes were also the perfect size for extra unpackaged interfacing. Whenever I want to work on a project, I can grab a box, which has all the fabric, interfacing and pattern or notes. I can get started with a project within minutes. I also found these small scrapbook boxes that I use for smaller projects. I have been using the larger ones for scrapbook, but have only found the small ones recently.

Keeping myself organized has definitely made my limited craft time more efficient. Living a businy life doesn't mean that I can't have a little down time, I'd just rather spent it doing a project than trying to find all the parts to one. When I started the "A Year of Quiltsmart" project in August I knew that I needed an organized method because inspiration can hit at any moment and who wants to waste timedigging  for stuff you think you might have, when you can reach for it and be started in minutes. 

   

Until our next cup of tea ...

A Friend's Request

Military life comes with a certain degree of separation and a large portion of goodbyes. As a military family you learn to treasure friends when you find them because in a short time you're introductions turn to farewells. If you're lucky you'll stay in touch via social media and if you hit the lottery you may be stationed at the same location again with a good timeframe of overlapping between another move.

Sometimes you have the rare treasure of having a military friend who has family in the same location as you and the friendship can grow into one that will last weel into your golden years. George and I are that lucky. 

He and his friend, Michael, grew up in the same neighborhood and after highschool Mike headed to the Navy and George headed to college where he joined the Army. Eventually wives and children joined the mix and "coming home to visit" gave us more "family" to visit. Now that we are living back in the old neighborhood we've become part of the family their coordinate into those busy trips home.

Erin and I have a friendship that was born because of our husbands' history and grew fast because of the shared understanding of military life. It's hard to explain to those who don't live the daily life of a military family, but there are small daily things that you don't get if you don't live it. Today for example we talked about how even when you are unpacking from a new move you are taking notes on what to do differently when packing the next time, and how even putting away holiday decorations is extreme because you don't know if you will recieve orders to move before you open them again, so you have to pack with that knowledge.

That's not to say that we can't find comfort and support from those family and friends who are not military, but it's sort of an unspoken understanding.

During this visit, we've had a bit of time to get together with what has come to be known as "The Four Families", a group that includes two other friends from George's childhood in this neighborhood. With Mike and Erin staying down the street, we've also had some one-on-one time to visit and relax. Today was one of those days.

The Lil Monkey spent the day with my parents and I called Erin to see if she wanted to come over to sew. When their oldest was younger he recieved a lot of handmade gifts from family members, such as blankets, quilts, afghans, etc. In the 10 years between their oldest and youngest, many of those family members have passed away and Erin was sad that their second child wouldn't have some of the same heirlooms later. I offered to make a quilt and other little things earlier this year and she was excited but also expressed how she'd love to learn to sew as well. 

We were finally able to have a good amount of child-free time for both of us today, so she came over to help layout the quilt (I wanted her to have as much participation as possible) and to learn the sewing basics. After getting her comfortable with my sewing machine and showing her to basics, I pulled out the easiest projects to learn to sew on ... Quiltsmart ZigZapps and Wine Shades. She felt comfortable starting with the Wine Shades because of the straight lines. 

I sorted through my recently consolidated fabric stash pulled out some pink polka dot fabric that matched the quilt we'd been working on for her daughter's soon-to-be big girl room. She was a little hesitant at first, but when I explained that the wine shades were very forgiving as far as staying on the sitching lines and such, she started to feel a little more confident. 

She slowly stitched along, talking herself through the steps and buttons, while I organized my box of ZigZapps looking for some more Wine Shades. I'd recently given my roll of panels to my Mom who was short for a class she was teaching and was now regretting not keeping some. I soon got lucky, finding a few pre-cut wine shades interfacing panels as her confidence grew and she began chatting about making set for each holiday. I dug around in my fabric a little more and found fabric for her to use to make wine shades for 4th of July/Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving/Fall, and Halloween.  

A few hours after starting she had a stack of completed wine shades, the remaining panels I could find and a list of fabric to get at the store this week. I'm not sure of I should be proud like a Mama Bird whose chick learned to fly, or if I should worry that I have created a tornado that cannot be contained! But I guess I'll worry about that later because now I have to show her the ZiggZapp flowers, leaves and petals, stars and more!!!

It was truly an amazing day to be able to take a break from the realities of military life and the looming seperation and just get creative. Quiltsmart made it easy to get have fun while learning, and who knows what crafty craziness we try next!!

Until our next cup of tea ...

Inspiration is Everywhere

I'm having a bit of quilting withdrawals, though it partially for a good reason. Last week our little family joined my brother and his family, and my mom and stepfather for a 5-days cruise, so that's why the blog has been a little quiet. Our dear neighbors collected our mail and packages while we were away and brother them over when we got home. I went to tuck the "Santa" gifts and other things away in the craft room and the light blew when we went in there. So while the packages are safely tucked away, I cannot do any sewing until Hubby can fix the light (I am too short to reach even on a ladder because it is recessed lighting.)

I was even proactive, but cutting and sorting projects at the beginning of the month because our families are really big on making homemade gift baskets and I needed the cutting table to put them together. {sigh} I guess I'll just be happy I can work on some stitching projects.

Earlier today I was chatting with Quiltsmart Mattie via text about some inspiration that I saw on a quilt blog that would look great with the Quiltsmart Dahlia. It got to me thinking about the random photos I take because I think it would be a unique quilt pattern, or color combination or just because I was inspired in that moment. 

Take these tiles at Lowe's. I am coordinating my son's class's annual Art Auction project this year and I saw these and thought it would be fun to try a similar project using Quiltsmart's Hexagons.

I saw this pink rose when my husband and I snuck away for lunch one day and thought the pinks would be amazing in a Quiltsmart Lonestar. (Can you tell that this A Year of Quiltsmart project is not just a part of my creative time? I'm a little obsessed!) 

When we were on the cruise, my husband and I took my son to the Dr. Seuss "Green Eggs and Ham" Breakfast. I thought maybe I'd push myself out of my comfort zone one day and try a red and aqua/teal combo. That would be WAY outside my comfort zone, color-wise.

I hope that I never stop seeing creative "inspirations" in everyday life. Even if I never get to see all the ideas created, it still makes life "colorful" to imagine all the possiblities. 

Until our next cup of tea ...

Mommy Humor: When the Crib is Outgrown

Every mommy knows there are a few guarantees in raising children, one of those being that kids will grow. Now there are lots of reasons for keeping stuff beyond its usefulness ...

1. Save it for future children

2. It's still in good condition and throwing it away would be a waste.

3. Hadn't gotten around to taking it to a donation site or give to someone with a child younger.

4. (My weakness) "It was my baby's and I can't part with it!"

Well, last night, something I hadn't gotten around to getting rid of came to good use - in an unconventional way. 

My mom came over to pick up some stuff and help me with my (Quiltsmart) Lone Robin border for the next meeting for the Round Robin group. 

In my creative area of our office space, I have Lil Monkey's crib mattress leaning against the wall. I've offered it to 3 soon-to-be moms, who didn't need it for one reason or another. 

So last night, while trying to decide what fabric to use for a border, we tried laying it out with different fabrics and borders I'd been working on to see what combos would work best. While looking for a place to lay it out, my mom saw the mattress and said, "Can we pin it to that?" Laughing, I agreed. 

So, just like that, I suddenly had a display work surface. I'm really going to miss it when we finally get around to getting rid of it.

(** Note: this was not the border chosen for the next meeting. This border is the Diamond Border, part of the Smart-ease series. I absolutely love it!!! I'll post a photo after I reveal at the meeting on Sunday.)

Until our next cup of tea ...

Mommy Humor: Carpool Crafts

Yesterday, I posted about being able to get some projects done despite a full weekend and last week I shared a conversation with Quiltsmart Mandy about life with small children and quilting. Some days are easy and some days are a losing battle. 

The reality is that as a mom of a 4-year-old who walks the fine line of independence and not being able to get  out of bed without Mommy's help, I never know if my creative to-do list will pass his approval. While I struggle to figure out a balance with one child, I stand in awe of moms who dod it while being completely outnumbered by a collection of compact carbon copies who can turn a quiet afternoon into a whirlwind with flurries that rival Mother Nature's best efforts.

But the one thing that most moms learn from that first week they are tasked with caring for these tiny human being who will one day run the world is multi-tasking. Well, that and how to sleep standing up.

Those early years where your child sleeps so little you think you'll never be able to use those new sheets are just building up your tolerance to sleep deprivation because you have to wait until after the little ones are asleep and the husband has settled into the recliner with the remote control. 

"Night Life" takes on a whole new meaning when it comes finding time to finish a quilt in that magical 3-hours window of midnight to 3 a.m. There's something just so magical about ripping stitches in the moonlight.

As a mom, whether you have one or 10 kids, you learn to treasure those free moments of crafting almost as much as those peanut butter and jelly kisses. 

This year my on started school for the first time and I am learning that getting to carpool a little early not only allows me to pick up my son before the older kids carrying large instruments and big backpacks are released and start to slow down the line, but I have a little bit of free time to work on one (or more) projects that I always have in my bag. That bag may look professional with Media Kits and magazine samples, but along side those lay a bag of sewn Quiltsmart projects that need to be cut and flipped, a needlepoint project that just might be finished for Halloween 2015 or bells that need to be strung on ribbon for a Christmas ornament.

So, I have become that mom in the long carpool line, dancing to cranked up country music with a variety of crafting supplies spread out on the passenger seat while she make Christmas ornaments, teachers' gifts, or cross stitching a kitchen towel or baby gift for a new baby.  I'm that mom that has somehow spilled a bag of beads or managed to get glitter all over the steering wheel because she was dancing AND crafting while waiting for the littlest love of her life to come bounding out of school with stories of his latest adventures.

If I see you in the car in front of me trying desperately to untangle a skein of yarn or chasing a loose spool of ribbon across the car, I'll be sure to offer a knowing smile and nod because let's face it, this may be the quietest crafting time  you have the the rest of the day!

Until our next cup of tea ...

Life and Crafts: A Balancing Act

What a busy weekend we had! It's been a few days since my last post because we really ran around a lot this weekend. Lunch with my parents, trip to a quilt shop where Grammie got to show off the No. 1 Grandchild to her friends, a trip to the store to start our first ever holiday village, with A LOT of input and advice from the littlest among us. Who knew he was such an expert!?!

I was able to get some work started on a variety of projects this weekend, including some work on the next border row for my Lone Robin which is Quiltsmart inspired this year. I can't show you what I am doing, but I can tell you that I am excited about the technique that I am using for this border.

I actually spent a little time throughout the past few days conversing with Mattie and Quiltsmart Mandy about project notes and ideas. So inspirational when you find friends who share the same interests and passions.

There was so much going on event through yesterday and this morning that I am only now getting to sit down and write it all down. In fact, I am sitting here with a fireside seat at La Madeleine, ready to write a book, but I only have time for a blog post or two. Mmm, this tomoato soup is amazing ... Oh, right. I'm on a time limit!!

I also made some Christmas ornaments this weekend and will post as soon as I take photos.

This time of year is filled with so much inspiration everywhere! The past few weeks I have been out delivering the Winter Issue of TEAinTEXAS and I have visited about 5-7 antique shops a week. Just this morning, I visited an antique shop and found a lost treasure that will eventually find a home at my mom's house, but I'll tell you all about it before then.

My list of Quiltsmart projects is growing, but still manageable. There are some quick projects that I will be showing finished soon, and some that will take a little bit more time as my calendar fills with holiday activities. 

Until our next cup of tea ...