Five Shadows

Melissa has received her gift and is pleased with it! I can’t wait another second to show off the gifts because I’m so excited about them!  So hopefully Lenna has received hers as well!  I really like them and will be making more as gifts. In fact I made one yesterday to be my One World One Heart gift. Here is what I made for Melissa:

And this one is for Lenna – she just moved to Florida so I went with the palm tree theme:

These are 12″ x 12″ totes, with a fabric  collage of my own design as the cover, and then on the inside are plastic baggies to hold your art/sewing supplies. I suggest NOT storing scissors in the baggies! There is ribbon to tie the tote closed. No matter what your art/craft, I think these are good for traveling. I have kept my hand quilting supplies in one for years. I just grab it to travel on trips and to take classes. Mine was a gift from a quilting friend years and years ago. If a baggie blows out, just cut it out. If they all get worn out, cut them out and add more in by sewing another center strip of fabric in place.

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!

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!

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!