Five Shadows

Here is the progress on several of the canvas round robin bags that have passed through my hands. For the Flower Garden theme bag, I made Prairie Points using two fabrics (notice the yellow center of the prairie points) and then added some silk flowers and buttons. They are actually sewn on a vertical seam of the bag but I rotated the picture to post …

Next I played with Dimensional Applique, (see The Quilting Arts Book by Patricia Bolton, page 76) making several leaves as described by Heidi Lund. These are so fun to make! Here are three of them added to the Autumn theme bag. I also added the hand died variegated ruffle on the top edge of the bag.  I cut the ruffle from a piece of fabric I  won from a drawing held on  Kelli Perkins blog. (Thank you Kelli! Do you recognize it?!)

Then  I played more with the dimensional applique, making bird feathers for the Bird theme bag. And I also played with painting on fabric with using Setacolor paints and salt to create the letters ‘B’ ‘I’ ‘R’ ‘D’  which I sewed on the side of the bag and then attached the fabric feathers and a real feather.

I am trying to experiment with new to me techniques as I work on the bags. So far the dimensional applique and fabric painting has been the most rewarding!

So friends! How about signing up for the Generosity Project as I described here? Just leave a comment here and you may receive a gift from me, made by my own hands – hmmm, how about some dimensional applique or needle felting!

This week I have had a blast and lots of laughs as I have visited blogs of other fellow journeyers  on the Wreck This Journal book club. I personally have decorated the title page, added my fav number to “start numbering here page”, I’ve added sticky stuff, tea stains, fruit labels, punched holes and received advice from my daughter! The best part is laughing at what others have done with their journals. If you have no idea what I’m talking about – go check out the link!

Fruit label page. I added the Ale 8 label because we just took a quick trip to KY and bought the Ale 8. I read the label and they say they are a unique mix of ginger and fruit!

This is my sticky page that I will add more too as time goes on.

"Help" is my one word for this week! My husband's job ended May 31st. We really thought an offer was coming this week for a job he was very interested in. But alas, when the phone call came it was not with a job offer. Totally bummed. "Help" was the word I was internally screaming. Wrecking is a good thing to be doing right now!

I have more pages to share but need to run on to the next activity of the day. I look forward to continuing this trip with my fellow  brave  wreckers!

In today’s mail I received this lovely fiber art piece from none other than Creative Lenna as part of her  participating in the Tapping into Generosity Project 2009. Lenna made the home theme for me because she knows of the 99% possibility that my family will be moving out-of-state due to my husband’s job search. She said in her note to me, “I know you don’t want to move … hard for everyone, but I think you will find a new “home” for you and your family.”

I know Lenna is right, we will find a new home. We will all adjust and life will continue with smiles on our faces. Thank you Lenna for the encouragement and the lovely fiber art!

Now, about the Generosity Project. I have linked to Lenna’s page which explains it, but I do not know who originated the idea. I followed several links, but it seems to go on and on! (If you know the origin, please let me know so I can give credit! Thxs!)   Here is how it goes: since I added my name to the draw on Lenna’s blog, I am now to offer a generosity meme on my blog. It is about making something with my own hand, from the generosity of my own little heart, and then giving that something to five people who comment about the project on this blog. The hope is that if you sign up for the drawing on my blog, or anyone else’s, you will continue the generosity meme by holding a give-a-way on your blog. Sounds fun! I I love the gift I received from Lenna so I hope I have lots of responses on my blog! I will randomly draw 5 winners next Monday, June 15th.

I have copied the following from Lenna’s page and it applies to my generosity meme :

“This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully…
I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. No refunds… and no exchanges!!!! What I create will be just for you, and handmade with love from me. It will be created sometime in this calendar year (2009) and sent to you, and when you receive it, you will need to let me know it has arrived.

I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world that I’ll decorate and send to you through the US postal system. It will not be something cyber. It will be handmade, it could be any size, and it will be created from my heart in any medium I choose. I may take my time or I may make it quickly. I reserve the right to do whatever comes to mind when I create something for you!

The original meme requires you to post this text (or similar) into a note/blog post of your own and then make 5 things for 5 people who respond to it. I’m not going to require that of you. If you would like to do this generosity meme too, that would be great. I encourage you to participate and generously create, but it is not a requirement in order to enter and win.” This meme does not have to be an art or craft – we are all creative in our own ways. I do hope you will join me in this! Leave a comment and I will get back with you on June 15th. You will have to leave a way for me to contact you and a mailing address if you win.

I have no idea what I will create – a quiltie?  – some felted piece?  – or applique? But I am looking forward to this project! Hope you join me!

One of the things my hubby and I like to do is hang out at Barnes and Noble. I usually head to the Arts and Crafts section and then go to the magazines. Hubby heads for the photography section and then checks out the bargain books. Many times, but not always, we share our finds with each other, explaining why we think it is such a good book and then deciding if it should be placed on our ever growing wish list.

Several months ago, while at B & N, Hubby came up to me while I was flipping through Keri Smith’s book Wreck This Journal. I had read about the book and now I was giggling as I flipped through it. I told DH that I would one day buy this book. That day came yesterday! I happened upon Jamie Ridler’s blog and saw that she is hosting a book club using Wreck this Journal. So I high-tailed it over to B & N and bought the book.

When I got home, I paged through it and thought this will be a lot of fun and a bit intimidating. Will I be able to take it in the shower with me or drag it around the neighborhood? My gracious! But I jumped right in and “cracked the spine!” thinking that would be a good place to start and documented the purchase of the book.  Then I picked a blossom off my Christmas Cactus that has decided to bloom in June and pressed them on the appropriate page. And yes! it did bloom around Christmas too! What is it doing – over active plant. And I so do NOT have a green thumb.

So here is the beginning of what I think will be a crazy wacky summer of wrecking a book intentionally! I look forward to stopping by and visiting my fellow journeyers.  And Jamie explains on her blog that it is never to late to join in. So check out her blog if you think you might be interested! (see link above)

Sorry I have been so long in posting. I have lots to share and will start with this picture of these pretty ladies on their way to “Moonlit Morocco” Prom 2009.

Charis and Anna