Been Thinking

Good Morning!  Also Happy Thanksgiving to everyone from the U.S.A.!  I am working on my contribution to my families meal.  Green Bean Casserole.  I am kinda the Green Bean Casserole person of the family.  I am  trying a new one out this year.  We will see how it goes it is a Southwest kind.

So anyway I have been thinking about what direction I am traveling with all my studies. (I call them studies because as far as I am concerned as long as your art is evolving you are studying it.) I have been "playing" with the media art for a while now but as most know Crazy Quilting is my true love.  I have used all types of fabric in my art.

Now with that being said I was recently on Facebook and saw a post that really bothered me.  A CQ artist had put up a picture of a recent block she had made and stated that she had stepped out of her comfort zone and used cotton fabrics.  She also stated that she had "gunked" it up enough.  I thought to myself "gunked"it up?  What the heck?  Why would you feel that you would need to "gunk" any of your art up?  Then when you get down to it why would anyone feel using cotton fabric is a challenge?

I have many times turned to cotton fabric to use in my CQ.  I personally LOVE the contrast of the materials that I use.  So I am looking at all the pictures that are being put up on Facebook and I am noticing that a good many ladies are using cotton fabrics.  Some of the blocks are very stunning.

I am also thinking that the reason so many CQ'ers are calling cotton fabric challenging is because they are putting together the wrong pieces of fabric.  They are instead of embracing the challenge of cotton fabric they are trying to put it in terms of the fancy fabrics that  they use or just not thinking of the pieces as they put together the block they are going to embellish.

So for the next few days I will be putting together a tutorial on cotton fabric blocks.  So see you in a few days.

TTFN
The Lion

An Ultra Fun Weekend

This past weekend was one of the best!  I had three of my grandsons for the weekend.  Uriah and his mom live with me. This was not an ordinary weekend it was The Vererans Day Car Show weekend.  I thought that the boys would enjoy themselves.  They did!  

Here are some pictures.

Here are Uriah and Shane.

Tyler, Shane and Cameron.

Here they are again.

I picked up Tyler, Shane and Cameron in Giddings on Saturday morning.  While I waited for them I decided to go to my favorite quilt shop, Gerlines.  I found out that she is closing her retail shop to do quilting. That upset my world!

All the fabric in the shop is half off.  I picked up a few pieces and plan to go back to get more.  Here is what I found.

Really cool right?

For all you Triditional Quilters you have to remember I am at heart a Crazy Quilter.  I can see all kinds of possibilities for these pieces.  If you are a Crazy Quilter......I bet your imagination is running wild now.

Now for the fun part of this post.  If you comment on this post I will put your name into a drawing for the pieces of fabric below.

Then you can let your imagination run wild.

TTFN

The Lion

Brain Storming

So yesterday I had a day off from work.  I did run in and purchase the Christmas items that I set back for my grandchildren.  If you have not been in to see what TJ Maxx has I fully suggest that you do.  We always get some of the best items.  Unique stocking stuffers.  In Europe it is TK Maxx and in Canada it is Weiners.  I was able to get all of my Grandkids Christmas Eve box items.  This year we got some really cool movies.

Anyway I was looking at the Christmas napkins while I was at the store and thought what could I use these for in my crafting.  It prints on the napkins are so cool!  Well this morning inspiration struck.  BAM!  You know sometimes that is how it happens.  What about the shoe boxes?  Yes, I am going to pick up a package or two tonight when I get into work and work on a shoebox and see if how it comes out.  My next day off is Tuesday so here is to a day of play!

 

TTFN

The Lion

A Thought

As some of you know I no longer work for ProLab.  I am now working for T J Maxx in Bastrop, Texas.  We do cardboard recycling there.  That means all of the boxes get crushed and hauled away.  We get shoes in and we do not use the shoe boxes.  They go into the crusher and get moved on.  So one day I was in the back room looking at the mound of shoe boxes.  It seemed a shame to let them all go to waste.  What can I do to upcycle them?  So I took a few home.

They sat for weeks on the kitchen table with me just looking at them.  The old man was starting to get upset because I had "that trash" on the table.  Then it just hit me.  BAM!  You know how inspiration works.

Here is what I came up with:

I have developed a really cool technique that works for me when adding the decoration to the shoe boxes.  They will make GREAT keepsake boxes while you can put a personal gift into them for your friends and family.

TTFN
The Lion

A Current Project

I had put together some blocks for a little six block project a few months back.  It has been slow going on this particular project since my attention has been spread between so many other things.  The key now is to just focus on finishing this project.

Here are pictures of the blocks without embellishment.

 



Here is the first finished block. 

 

I am working on the second block right now.  Pictures of it will soon be up.

Just wait until you see what else I have been doing for my attention to be turned from my CQ.

TTFN
The Lion

Good Morning

The past few years have been quite eventful.  My family has grown.  I have new grandchildren.  They are a constant joy in my life.

This is Uriah.

 This is Audrianna.

 This is Chloe.

 Here are my older Grandsons Brandon, Tyler, Shane and Cameron. That is my son and Chloe behind them.

 Here is the newest Grandson Jaxton.

I have been working on my craft also.  I have not been as productive but I do have some work done. I am working on bringing you some great ideas, eye candy and other great things.

TTFN
The Lion