...Inspiration...

Fabric Book

...Page 4...

 

I'm a morning person.  In my jammies, I get my coffee and settle into a comfy chair for a while catching up with my flickr and blog contacts and friends...before joining the land of the living.

 

 

Little birdies are just a happy creature aren't they?

 

I decided to title this little fabric book "Inspiration" because I'm so inspired by many flickr users and bloggers in a variety of arts.  There's lots of things I want to try to get down on fabric without creating a larger work such as a wall hanging or quilt.  I want just a little bit of something to enjoy looking at.  Thus, whola!... a small book of inspired works.

 

I thank you all in this virtual world wide Internet for sharing your creativity.  Off I go to see what inspires me for another page.

 

Annie



Round Robin Quilt

The

Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin

quilts have returned to their beginnings.

 

My starter block went out last March like this...

 

 

...and has returned to me like this.

 

 

This is the first time I've ever participated in a round robin.  It was quite fun to get someone's quilt in the mail each month and see how it was progressing and a mystery to what the next person would add to it. 

 

When I had possession of a few of these little quilts for my border addition, I must admit that I wanted to keep them!  It was awesome to see a few inspiring borders up close and personal. 

 

The sheet I sent with my block for participants to sign along the way did not make it back with my quilt, so I've no clue who added which borders (except for the first and last borders).  So, please let me know which border you added if you were in my group.  Thank you!

 

Sadly, the quilt I had last has not yet arrived back to Samm.  It's been traveling now for 3-1/2 weeks!...yet cannot seem to find it's way.  This is very disappointing to me, as it must also be for her.  I've never had mail go lost before and she tells me she's never not had mail arrive.  We don't want to break these perfect records, so we're staying hopeful!

 

Thanks, Michele (at quiltsfrommycrayonbox  ) for all your diligent work and tracking for this round robin.  You've done a fabulous job!

 

Annie

 

 

*** BIRDS ***

--------------- they're everywhere! ---------------

or at least, they will be

 

My favorite magazine in the world arrived with a cute birdie on the cover...

...but the instructions to make them were way too much trouble for me.  So I re-invented a process that suited my lazy style

Instead of carving a linoleum and printing it on some kind of
 fancy paper I have no clue about, I used printed scrapbook papers (a cardstock weight) and did a little greeting card recycling as well for my papers of choice.   

I don't make for a happy hand stitcher so I used a machine blanket stitch to hold them together.

They of course started out like those in the magazine...

...but soon I decided they needed tail feathers.

They also soon lost their button eyes for sequin and glass bead eyes...ahh...shiny!



...shake your tail feathers!...

 

I'm trying to get their wings to stick out a bit by gently curling them without creasing the paper.

 

These stuffed paper birdies have been awfully fun for me to make.  I'm not sure yet whether you'll find them hanging all over the house or hanging all together on a cord.  Or both! 

 

I started thinking I needed some Christmas birdies for the holidays, but they might not happen.

Take creative flight!
Annie


--- A Fabric Book ---

of a sort

 

 

 

 

I've wanted, for such a long time, to create a fabric book ... of a sort.  I've been inspired by so many that I've seen.  So I finally set my mind to come up with a style of book that appeals to me.  Most I've seen are a soft, somewhat flimsy style.  While I love them made by others, I am not inspired to make one myself.  I finally looked to my love of scrapbooking for inspiration and, by george, I think I've come up with a style that will keep me inspired to continue adding pages when the inspiration strikes.

 

I went to Hobby Lobby in search of a "book" to start with.  I decided on this one. 

I did not save the paper sleeve it came with, so, sadly I cannot report the make and model of this book.

 

 

 

I "thought" originally I'd be able to stitch the fabric pages right to the paper pages without taking the book apart.  Nope, that didn't work.  So, apart the book had to come.  It has lined craft pages, photo pages and pocket pages.

 

 

I'm working with the lined craft pages and discarding the photo and pocket pages. 

I'm not really discarding them, just not planning on using them.

 

 

 

I haven't decided how I want the cover to look, so I'll wait for inspiration on that.  In the meantime, I've started on the pages.  Page 1 it seemed appropriate to dedicate my first book to the two people in my life who most influenced my love of stitching and crafting.

 

 

 

From there, my fabric pages will just be whatever I'm inspired to create.  Sometimes the page will have a special memory or meaning to me, and other times it will just be something I like to look at.

 

 

The child image is from Lisa's Altered Art but this little darlin'  triggers memories for me.  I have continually attempted to add her to a postcard, but then I want to keep the postcard...and I already have too many postcards.  Now that she's in my fabric book I'm completely satisfied.

 

 

 

This is a card I found that I very much enjoy looking at.  I printed it to fabric, added the words at the top and quilted it. 

 

 

And so, this is how my fabric book will progress.  At least I hope it will continue to progress.  It kind of feels like scrapbooking without the  pressure of keeping up with the time frame of life.  Now THAT, I like!

And... now that "Little Darlin" is in my fabric book, I was, without hesitation, finally able to add her to a postcard.  She's tired of me and yearns to go on a  postal journey.  Does her sweetness and innocence appeal to you?

 

 

Page 4 is calling to me....off I go.

Annie