Shades of Inspiration...

Something in the creativity book that I took to read while camping must have sunk in because I'm just bursting with things I want to try! First, I have to finish hand binding a full-sized quilt. Then, I'm getting to work on my tote, made from that bright thrift store fabric in the previous post. I told my mom that I wanted to use a drawstring closure but now I'm thinking of making it with those wooden dowel rods that go all the way across the top and serve as handles. That seems like a very simple method but I haven't looked online for directions.

We took the kids fishing to Lake Gladewater last night after Bevo's new owners claimed him. We were out there for about 3 hours, part of the time in the dark. Now when I look at the computer screen it feels like I'm rocking in that durn boat and I'm SO seasick. Also, I swear(and I don't like to swear) that I saw a baby alligator. It was going between two groups of cattails about 20 feet from our boat and was about a foot long. I saw its nose, head, back and tail in the water, then it just submerged in one move, straight down like a submarine. Our fishing was not productive, Mark is the only one who caught anything and that was two tiny perch. We'll not go back to that lake even though its close.

Later last night, while waiting for the boys to unhitch the boat, I made a bold move and issued a challenge to my quilters who homeschool email group. We did these a few years ago where someone would come up with a theme and we all did our interpretations of it(supposed to just be a block but I did wall hangings). This is how I got my "Horse of a Different Color" wall hanging(look in my finished objects links on the left), from a Wizard of Oz challenge. Anyway, this new challenge was inspired by Sister's Choice participation in a Two-Color Challenge.

The challenge I issued is currently just for our yahoogroup but if anyone wants, maybe we can do one in September for the fall quarter(or you can play along here, I can create a flickr group. If anyone is interested just let me know). The rules for my group's challenge are that you must make a top(any size from candle mat to king) out of just two colors. You can use as many shades and varieties of the colors as you want or just stick to two fabrics period. Pattern doesn't matter either, you can do whatever you want. Progress will be secret, we're only going to post our fabrics. Then we'll post our results on September 1st. So far I have 4 maybe players but hopefully they'll commit for reals soon.

Last but not least, I found this wonderful flickr group over at Blackberry Creek and decided to play along. I, like several others, missed out on the "seeing red" part, but have picked up with the green week. You can click on the link to your left to visit the flickr group for this fun play-along. Meanwhile, here are my reds(good thing I didn't get in on "seeing red" because this is all I got! And some green photos for you to enjoy.


(my parents barn, my brother lives in the loft, where the itty bitty window is-and that is him walking away from the barn, just noticed that)


(one of my first crocheted purses, I really need to line this and start using it because I LOVE it!)


(my brother's childhood quilt made by my grandmother, I love this too)


(Amy's Sea Dragon)


(one of two quilts I made for a neighbor, remade from the nursery set she'd made for her girls 10 years ago, plus denim from a thrifted dress-this was in progress, not finished)


(the kids at Roaring Falls, a hiking area near my parents' home in North Carolina)