Art Attack

Have you ever experienced an Art Attack? It’s like a panic attack, but in the creative sense. Oh. My. Goodness, I sure have! Especially after our Road Trip to the different Quilt Shops around North Texas. Then, spending even the least amount of time on Pinterest really gets my juices flowing! Do you realize how blessed we are to have people share so many fabulous creative ideas?! It can be a bit overwhelming! I want to do and learn so many different things…. my “storage” stash reflects it all!

Okay… slow down, Lanetta…

I’m making a list – what I consider priorities. I’ve learned, however, to be flexible!

Actually, I’ve made several lists…

Then life gets in the way…

Or, a friend contacts me and asks me to do a huge special project for her! How can I say no?

Priorities change…

What joy it can bring to slow down, focus on one thing! While working on the special project (don’t worry, I’ll share later!) has been the best thing that could have happened to me!

The other things I want to do and learn, will come in due time!

My Own Flare

I rarely have original ideas of what to make. Sometimes I do, but not often. Why reinvent the wheel?

What I do is add my own flare to something I’ve seen others create. Thanks to the lifelong lessons I’ve learned from my mother, I can look at something and figure out how to make it. Even when I create something from purchased patterns, I typically end up putting my own flare on it. I confess. It’s usually because I haven’t followed the directions to the letter so I have to readjust rather than rip out!

For example, take the Action Quilts [Fidget Quilts]. It was not my idea. However, I am thrilled someone had the idea and shared it! I now design and create them, with no pattern involved, no instructions to follow. Keeping mindful of a few basic, common sense guidelines ~ that I’ll share later ~ I’ve found creating Action Quilts to be the most stress-free, rewarding project I’ve ever done!

I highly recommend Sew Mama Sew’s website for finding tutorials, inspiration, ideas on just about anything/everything sewing related and more! I just read her “Joyful Sewing – 12 Tips for Enjoying a Stress-Free Hobby” and I HIGHLY recommend reading it in full. Her #3 is something I learned a long time ago:

Give yourself permission to do things your own way.

Be creative! Add your own flare to projects! Sew for the Charity of it!

Monday begins a 9 part series, a tutorial, on how I create Action Quilts! I hope you'll join me!

Friday Fun - Not!

Well, it's oops time around here! I've neglected to maintain accounting records on a daily or weekly or monthly basis for 2011! That side of the brain only works once a year! And, it's that "once a year" time over the course of the next SEVERAL HOURS! Poor me, I must stop being creative and do what's required!

(Photo by David Reber's Hammer Photography)

At least, my receipts are organized. I just need to record them in their proper place for the in-house tax man waiting not-so-patiently!

I'll be back at the sewing machine or on the laptop writing before too long...that's the game plan anyway!

Hope everyone has a fabulously fun-filled Friday, not an OOPS Friday!