Five Shadows

I’m late, I’m late for a very important date!

Actually, I’m not THAT late  …   yet! I offered a Generosity Project on my blog back in June and I stated that I would make a gift before the end of the year! I never thought I would procrastinate on this! But here it is, just days (2!) before the end of the year and I have my projects ready to mail!

Here is a sneak peek:

and here:

I wonder what they are?! I’ll reveal as soon as I hear they have reached there destinations!

Hi Lenna! and Melissa!

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!

I sent this little 12″ square quiltie off in the mail yesterday to meet the deadline for Lenna’s Fabric Technique Swap. The idea behind the swap was to try out some new-to-you techniques. I had planned a go at needle felting, but then my last issue to Belle Armoire arrived in the mail. I used Roberta Morgan’s technique for using alcohol inks on fabric – pages 40-43. Great article and a fun, simple technique! I also did hand stamping, foil, beading, and free motion quilting.

Look at this oh-so-lovely Inner Child Doll I received by participating in Pat Winter‘s One World One Heart giveaway! She is so lovely! Do you see the tiny shoe charm and the tiny hand charms? Pat’s bead work is really something! I do not do such small work, so I’m just tickled to win this doll. And she is filled with Lavender and smells so nice. THANK YOU PAT!

Lisa’s One World-One Heart event begins January 19th! 2009 marks the third year for this event. OWOH is a world-wide blogging community event. Bloggers offer a piece of art or ephemera as a give-a-way on their blog. Lisa posts links to all those participating. The we have fun visiting the world-wide blogging community entering the give-a-ways (if you want to) and getting to know our world-wide neighbors. I plan on offering a piece of wool work as my give-a-way. If this sounds at all intriguing to you, go visit this post to read Lisa’s guidelines. You may have hundreds of bloggers visiting your site, and may even make some wonderful new friends!

Wishing you a wonderful New Year! I’ve been reading my favorite blogs and the topic of New Year’s resolutions are popping up all over. Not uncommon for this time of the year! I particularly like what Calamity Kim had to say about shutting the door on 2008 and getting on with 2009! I guess she has done just that (thank you Kim!) because 2009 did appear right on time, just like we hoped for! And I read Pokey’s blog (Clothe Paper Scissors & Quilting Arts editor – my two fav magazines!) and entered her giveaway. Her resolution is to “keep it simple.” My dear husband and I talked a bit about resolutions and he thought he’d go with the “lose 25 pounds” type. I suggested he change that to “go for walks several times a week with my wife” and he would not have the guilt of NOT losing weight, but would actually see a weight loss because we are out walking together. Both of us would benefit! My resolution is to “live guilt free” this year. I tend to let myself get involved in things because of the guilt factor. Things I don’t want to do, but do anyway, because of what I think people expect from me. THAT is a silly way to live one’s life! I want to create more and see where that leads. I ran across the Creative Everyday blog and thought that was such a good idea! It is a challenge to create something everyday but in a way that sounded like no pressure. Creating could include cooking, singing, doodling, etc. I got to thinking, by Leah’s definition, I do create every day. Bye-bye guilt for thinking it has to be some form of art or craft! I cook from scratch, I lite candles, I like simple center pieces, I often sing in the shower, and I do even make it to my sewing table to create. I enjoy a walk in our backyard garden and I occasionally will sketch something I see. I guess I do more creating than I thought! So “living guilt free” will be my 2009 catch phrase!

What about you? Do you have a word or phrase, or resolution to live by for 2009?

I wanted to show the quilties I received from the Shades of Forest Swap hosted by Lenna. But for some reason I can not figure out, I can not get them to load properly in my post. They are all so pretty! You can see all the quilties on Lenna’s blog – follow the above link. Lenna will be hosting new swaps in 2009! Do consider joining! And I’ll try figuring out how to post the pictures.

Back in October, I played along on Kelli Perkin’s blog and received some lovely goodies from her! Thank you Kelli!  I oohed and aahed over every thing! Seeing Kelli’s felt ATC’s in the bag of goodies was a personal favorite! Have you read her articles in Cloth Paper Scissors? I have played around a little with needle felting.  And must get back to that!

some of the goodies from Kelli

Oh such lovely pieces of Sunshine have arrived in the mail for me to enjoy! These are from the swap I participated in hosted by the ever Creative Lenna. We each made four 6″ quilties and received four different quilties back.

Pacific Sunset by Kiki Finlayson

By Beverley Teichrob

By Wil Opio Oguta

Sunflower Time by Vickie Jones

Today I will ship my Shades of Sunshine quilties to Lenna for the swap. Here is the second design I created. You can see the first design here. I made three of each design. Four will go to ladies participating in the swap, one is for Lenna and one is for little ol’ me. I hope everyone receiving them likes them. I think I’m putting too much pressure on myself by not getting them completed earlier and in the mail in a more timely manor!

Here are two little quilties and I did indeed use one of the photos my son took while in Sweden. But first, I want to explain that during supper tonight our conversation was about all the wonderful native plants we saw today on our walk at Arrowhead Marsh. A prairie/marsh area being restored in upper state Indiana by Little River Wetlands. This conversation with its twists and turns lead to the fact that the picture of the sunflower I used in the quilties was taken at the Carl LInnaeus garden in Uppsala, Sweden. Carl (1707-1778) is the father of modern taxonomy for both animals and plants and my son toured his gardens while in Sweden. How cool is that!? I just liked the picture! But now I know a little of the history behind it! – or how plants got their scientific names.