Thursday, April 24, 2014

A Penguin Inspired Project

Now I know you are wondering how in the world do some sweet little Penguins inspire a project?  Sometimes as you might well know it doesn't take much to inspire a project of art or love.   It just hits ya over the head with a giant, but soft, hammer and says loudly it's little message.  Be it a Muse or just your inner self and you better pay attention because if not you will just be spinning your wheels and anything you attempt will turn out not the best work you have done.

We have a group at Roses on my Table called Kindred Spirits.   Like the Emperor Penguin we huddle around in a circle for a dear one to keep it warm and give it lots of love.  Isn't that a great idea to send love and warmth to someone who needs a little tender love and care?  I was in charge of this one we just finished.  Zinnia and I  gave out a call for anyone who in Roses would like send some love.   So 13 wonderful and talented ladies sent me a 4x5 card decorated front and back with encouraging words.  I made not one but two fabric books for the cards and off it went by semi snail mail.  Now I say semi snail mail because it had to go over the waters to Australia but still snail mail.     The cards were decorated with lots of texture and that is why we need two books.  

Now I thank Pat Winter for the instructions a year or two ago  that she had posted on her blog Crazy Quilt Gathering.  I took it and had a blast with it and Suzy at Suzy's Threadworks was also an inspiration but my books pale to hers but if you get a chance go over there and look at them.   Beautiful textures and fabrics and laces.

I tried not to out do the cards and for the lace books to say look at me but to also enjoy the beautiful cards.

 
The outsides of the books different but alike.  
 
 
The spine of one of the books with an angel I had "forced" myself to buy at an estate sale.  I didn't have a clue what I was going to do with it but it now has a home.

 
The side view of one of the books, fat little thing isn't it.  Lots of lace besides the cards.

 
One of the table of content pages.
 





 
 
I am not going to show all of  the inside of the book and it's cards, but did want to show the outside and what a wonderful idea to send love and hugs from afar.  So thank you Emperor Penguins.
 
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 
 
XOXOXO
Annette

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Quirky

Hello, now isn't that an odd little word?  Quirky?   I think this year's weather could fit under that category 100%.   Now here it is nearly and almost  Easter and still snowing in parts of the U.S.   Of course we know not to ever never ever plant anything like flowers and pretties like that until after Easter.  The mesquite trees have not put out yet around here so we know that NOPE  it is still winter.  They haven't been fooled since I have been alive.   Now we were a tad south yesterday and they had started putting out their bright little green buds but not many of them.  

You know we have seen it snow on Easter so nope no planting of anything YET !!!!!  Well I guess we could but don't like the thought of black curled up leaves on plants it is just not becoming to them.   So we will hold our hands and wait until MONDAY !!!! Then will go see what we have to have, need or want in the line of plants and force ourselves to purchase some of them.   Love doing that seeing all the pretty colors of Mother Nature and seeing what might survive the triple digit weather we have.   A tricky little dance we do isn't it?   The weather and Mother Nature and the sun or lack of it?

BUT there are other little things that can be quirky and quite cute and whimsical to see.  No really it is true.   I am not pulling your leg.   

I have just finished week 15 inspiration lesson on Life Book and Tammy's cute little animals are Quirky.  Or Quirkie as I think sometimes I write it.  Pretty cute little things and I did a couple of cards for Easter for the Grands, different than this one I did for my book.   I think the next ones I do will be even Quirkier?   I don't  know about y'all but sometimes the next or several next exercises in art I do get maybe not better but deeper in depth.   Make sense?  

So here are my Quirky/ie animals.  Hope you enjoy them. 

 
Of course I had to have a fairy in there.   Of course.
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my Quirky world today.
 
xoxoxoxo
Annette





Friday, April 4, 2014

The Faerie Juanita


Hello and happy Spring.  Well I hope it is spring where you are and some of you it is Fall.   Now some of my faeries have not gotten to be created in CQ yet and I do have ciggies printed of them all.   So I thought OK I will make this some sort of a project for myself and even can use it in my CQJP2014 that Kathy Shaw hosts.   I should have done Mother Nature first maybe she would calm down some but she is next. her flaming red hair and all.  I don't know why she came out red headed but she did and looks a little older than the other gals.   Hummm maybe that is why she is playing havoc with the weather?  Surely not. 
 
This little gal is Juanita.   Which after watching Romancing the Stone, Juanita is Spanish for Joan.  Which was my mothers name.  The lady in the movie was Joan Wilder a author and was in South America for an adventure.  Really can't remember why but she and Michael Douglas had a fling of sorts.    Loved those movies but anyway back to Juanita.  
 
I printed this one on silk which made her colors softer and not having any really soft colors of supplies she got to be brighter if she wanted it or not.  I guess I should have some soft colors on hand just in case of a faerie emergency shouldn't I? 
 
So I thought what am I going to do?  Not a world changing  project or dilemma to lose sleep over but still a faerie dilemma.  You know those little magical sweeties, no telling what mischief they might do.  
 
I had some silk with some orangish flowers and thought OK the background was light light very light purple and I will just push it a little and see what happens.    So here you go what Juanita did and how she came out.
 
 
 
 
 
A close up of the flowers I had on hand and did some silk work and of course had a faerie charm, of course. 

 
Another close up of some SRE and of course beads



 
 
Here is a close up of her, with the sweet little birdie listening and peeking in to see what she was doing in the faerie garden. 

 
The finished block, hope you like it.   Now when I pieced this one I did 3 others, it is baseball season you know and I need something to do while watching it on TV and besides we might get a wild hair and go somewhere.  I think we are over almost 100% the CRUD, so time to start moving and shaking I do believe. 
 
There you go, Juanita the purple faerie.   Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
 
OXXOOX