By Stephie, on Thursday 10th December, 2009 at 02:18 am
There’s a lot been going on in my creative space this week, hence the chaos of my workspace! It’s all been about making gifts for Christmas, which I love, love, love doing! But why do I always seem to leave it ’til the last minute, or invent more complicated things to do in the last few weeks? Do you ever do the same? I bet you’re all super organised and not like me at all! I look forward to popping over to your creative space to find out! And don’t forget you can see plenty more over at Kirsty’s place Kootoyoo!
 Organised chaos? Nope. Just chaos, plain and simple! And yes, that IS my kitchen work-top.  If the cat sits there long enough she's likely to be sewn into something!  The relative order of the ironing board, aka another makeshift work-surface! I’d like to show you some of the finished products, but that might give the game away for the intended recipients! I’ll certainly give you a glimpse though, and once the big day is over I promise to show you what all my self-imposed stress has been about!
Thanks for stopping by, look forward to seeing you again soon!
By Stephie, on Thursday 26th November, 2009 at 23:41 pm
I’m so happy! Finally, I’m getting back on track – after what, four months off the beaten path?! I do apologise if you’ve missed the odd peep into my creative workspace for a while. I’m hopeless and simply couldn’t get it together on a regular basis when I wasn’t feeling so good. But today’s different. It’s Thursday and this was my creative space today!
 Someone likes the quilt anyway! I was all set up with the quilt on my lap, stitching away and feeling pretty pleased with my progress this afternoon (quilted around 11 stars now, woohoo!). But, someone decided she wasn’t getting enough attention. She wormed herself onto my lap 3 times before I gave in and let her stay – I could tell I wasn’t going to win this one, when Lily’s made up her mind she wants attention, she’ll make sure she gets it come hell or high water. I guess she knows that there’s nothing much nicer than a cat and a quilt on your lap on a wet Thursday afternoon in November!
Hmmm, just thinking that I’m sure Lily’s featured in My Creative Space in the past… I’m certain this isn’t the fist time she’s tried to sabotage my sewing. Maybe she’s trying to tell me she wants her own quilt?
BTW, check out at least 99 other creative spaces over at Kootoyoo’s blog!
By Stephie, on Friday 20th November, 2009 at 00:33 am
I’m a wee bit annoyed. Nothing major, just gone up the wrong alley as it were. I started a new quilt project. I hate it. It’s hideous. Nothing like I want it to be. So, from tomorrow I’m going to start again. Here’s a bit of what I’ve done so far – the bit that’s about to go in the bin.
 Inspiration  Assembling fabrics in my sketchbook (bad picture - especially the colours).  Enlarged design - the colours are really awful in this picture! (That green is actually blue...) I started making the top and I suddenly realised that really, it’s not what I want. It’s too literal an interpretation of the original image. It’s too complicated (design wise). It looks like it could be a rug. It’s ugly. Meh. No, what I need to do is to pare it right down, just look at the colours and maybe ONE simple shape. But, this is what creativity is about isn’t it? Trying things out, making decisions, changing your mind, working and reworking until you’re satisfied. I love the process. And the one thing I know I want this quilt to have is a gorgeous hum of colour. The above is nowhere near the mark. Nowhere near.
By Stephie, on Wednesday 14th October, 2009 at 01:03 am
I had a wonderful lunch in Falmouth today, enjoying my own company (for a change!), a frothy coffee and an inspiring book with enough colour to rival Vanessa’s blog! It was a grey misty day when I happened upon Kaffe Fasset’s Quilt Romance, and I just couldn’t help myself. I needed that injection of colour like a dog needs a bone. So I took it with me to Falmouth today, thinking it would cheer me up as I sat and drank my coffee in town. But what cheered me up even more was being able to sit outside in glorious sunshine, soaking up the views as I idly turned from page to page. I can safely say it’s the best half hour I’ve had this week, so far. But I don’t think I’ll have a better one for a while.
 Just look at all that quilty inspiration, coupled with a delicious cup of coffee, mmmmm  Did I mention the views?  Imagine sitting here, watching the boats and the clouds - lucky aren't I?!
By Stephie, on Wednesday 7th October, 2009 at 13:52 pm
 12 blocks down (only nine showing obviously!) and an undetermined number to go! It’s raining, it’s pouring and I’m trying to not to do snoring! I’m sitting on the sofa looking out of the window and through the pouring rain I can just see the startling red berries on the holly bush in the hedgerow, just across the lane. It’s wonderful when you can find something glorious amongst all the grey; just like the red stars above. What’s it like in your neck of the woods today, wet and wild, bathed in sunshine (I don’t really want to know about that!)? Have you seen anything glorious today? Do tell!
Despite a poor start to the day, mood wise, I’m feeling rather cheerful now. I’ve forgiven myself for not keeping up with the one a day self-portraits (just a slight glitch, they’ll be back on track soon) and I’ve realised that it’s rather exciting to have more than one project on the go at the same time; if I don’t fancy one thing, there’s always something else to be getting on with. I don’t feel overwhelmed by all the semi-finished stuff that’s accumulating around me at an alarming rate, I feel inspired by it all. I’ve realised I like doing so many different things and that that’s okay – life’s to be enjoyed right, so why stick to the one thing when there are all those other things that need exploring too?
So here’s a couple of things I’ve been enjoying to the full lately:
- My starry quilt (above), a gift for my son – so don’t tell him, ‘cos he knows nothing about it. Our secret ok?
- My hearty nine-patch, another gift…
- A bit of autumnal knitting – yet another gift…
- Some drawing in conte
- Making a series of 28 art postcards. I kept that secret well, didn’t I? I’ll tell you more about that soon, I promise; when I know the recipients have received them!
- Receiving lots of postcards from artists around the world (later, later, I promise)
- Practicing sewing circles
- Reading about Rita’s sewing ‘circles’
- The fantastic overload of colour at Vanessa’s place – so uplifting on such a wet and miserably grey day.
Actually, that was more than a couple wasn’t it? Things must be looking up!
By Stephie, on Friday 26th June, 2009 at 00:52 am
Wooohooo! My creative space has a very welcome addition this week. See if you can guess what it is…
 Oh, go on, it's not difficult! Yes, after endless months with no sewing machine, I decided it was time to enforce a fabric buying embargo until I could afford to get my trusty old machine all fixed up. And sixty pounds later, here it is!
 My sewing machine! Of course I had to give it a test and I’m pleased to report it hasn’t sounded so good for years and years. In fact I’m beginning to feel a great deal of affection for this old machine, so much so that I’m thinking of giving it a personal pronoun and a name. She will be female, of course, but any suggestions of a name will be most welcome.
Her stitching is perfect: no more fiddling with the tension every 5 seconds; no more getting a tangled up bobbin; no more screams of rage and frustration at yet another broken needle. All she needed was a little tlc. I got out my stash of soft furnishing oddments and decided I’d give her a proper work-out. Since Kim’s daddy got custody of the picnic blanket when we parted company, I thought it would be the perfect project to get going on. Just think, summer in the garden or on the beach on your own custom made ‘blanket’; no more ubiquitous tartan! I had just the fabric for the job.
 Here it is part way through and being tested for size. Trouble is, I had a bit of a brain wave and decided to try it on the garden table as well. And boy do I like it on the table! Which means I’ll have to make another picnic blanket. Oh and some matching seat cushions. Of course.
 Strawberries and cream anyone? Come back during the week to see how I get on with finishing the cloth! And don’t forget to check out Kootoyoo for more creative spaces this week.
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I'm running a 28 mile marathon in memory of Josie this February. Come and find out why.
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