It never FAILS... I always 

FAIL !!!

 

I have had to face the fact that I cannot challenge myself to a challenge.  I don't think I've ever completed a personal or public challenge to date!

 

My most recent personal challenge that I made public was my pillow a month challenge...to make one pillow for each month of the year.  I really thought that was a simple enough challenge to succeed with.  WRONG!  I managed all of 7 pillows.

 

 



 

I didn't even like all of them.

And then there was the one I did not like as a pillow...



...but love it flat as a wall hanging.

 

And there are two others started but not finished.  I can at least say I gave it a good go. 

Within a span of 48 hours I decided on a new challenge for myself for 2013 and soon enough, faced the facts that I really won't get through it.  I really want to do these things, but I guess I'm just not cut out to stick with the same old same old day after day or month after month. 

Now finally I have "challenged" myself to figure out why this is.  My conclusion is that I challenge myself to accomplish something over a years time at a time when I have nothing particular in the works.  Then as time is moving along, inspiration begins to strike that leads me off into another direction.  And that keeps happening over and over throughout the year.

Now I'll just face the truth of it and go with the here and now and follow 2013 where it leads me.

 

I'm pretty excited about 2013 for the silly reason that I like the number 13.  This makes me wonder what this coming new year has in store for me and for all of us.  Naturally I hope for good things...like we all hope for.  We could sure use a good break couldn't we.

 

Happy New Year

to all!

Annie

 

Sunday Postcard Art - Blue/Silver

View From the Stars
this week the theme for the

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge is

Blue and Silver

Since Christmas wrap is still surrounding me in my studio space, I thought it might be fun to see how some of this silver star wire garland would play out on a postcard.  The card is also top stitched with silver metallic thread.  The rubber stamp is by Hampton Art.

I have two postcards now needing homes.  This one, (which would need to travel inside an envelope for I fear there'd be no stars upon it's naked arrival), and these

Desert Flowers ...

 

...that see all with their googlie eye centers.  (I might suggest an envelope for this one as well.  Googlie eyes are pretty tough, but maybe not as tough as our postal workers).

 

This postcard, # Man

 

arrived at his destination naked with no flower for his new owner and no shoes as well a couple of joints missing.  This was my very first sad experience with mailing a naked postcard.

 

 

Holiday Joy, 

Annie

It's all there's been time for...

because...

____________________

 

It's Christmas Time!

____________________

 

 

So, we'll just skip right over all the woas Me's because it's just plain that time of year.  I find that it all comes together best with the right frame of mind...a festive and patient frame of mind.

 

But I do so miss sewing time.  All I've managed since my last post is two more bottle/can wraps.

 

This special MEGA wrap for my sweet friend,  Carol (mamacjt) .  If you have a peek at her flickr, you'll see that it certainly doesn't look so mega on her MEGA go-cup!  That wrap is made to wrap a 10"! container!

 

I enjoyed the design enough that I wanted to try it with lime fabrics.  I really like the impact the narrow black strips have on the base colors.

 

 

I must get back to my wrapping, packaging, shipping and all other Christmas festivities now.  I love being able to sew leisurely during the last few days before Christmas.  As well as enjoying the lights and decorations and food and family and friends. 

 

a Merry Christmas to all,

Annie

 

 

 



Bottle/Can Wraps

 

 

I actually made these more as a drink owner's identity wrap.  Being functional is a bonus.

 

 

Is this your water?  Is this my drink?  How many times does that question arise?  Is this yours, is this mine?

 

I made these candy jar wraps a couple of years ago or so based on a mug wrap from the book "I Believe" by Nancy Halverson.

 

I re-sized Nancy's pattern instructions to fit the candy jars and again now to fit the water bottles and a 12oz. drink can.  I considered posting a tutorial for these wraps, but since it's based on Nancy's pattern, I'm thinking I might be illegal if I did that...don't want to be illegal.


These are going to be little Christmas gifts.  I just needed to know the recipients favorite color.  After that I was having the time of my life.  These are really fun to make...and easy peasy too!  Lots of the strips came from my scrap bins.

(work in progress photo)

I found a roll of non-slip shelf liner in the kitchen section of Walmart.  I cut and stitched a strip of that on the backs of these.  They grip the plastic bottle and the aluminum can so the wraps stay put when they are picked up.  It works great!

My recipients are getting "one".  But me.....I need one here by my blog, one in the car, one in the other car, one by my sewing machine.....

Mom and I both need a Christmas one...

...and I have visions of Halloween...and there are so many color schemes and fabric collections.....


I do know that they'd be really cute with something appliqued on this strip pieced design too.  But I like them just strip pieced...at least for now.

Drink up!

Annie