How creative are you?

You Are 66% Creative

You are beyond creative. You are a true artist - even if it's not in the conventional sense of the word.You love creating for its own sake, and you find yourself quite inspired at times.

http://www.blogthings.com/howcreativeareyouquiz
How Creative Are You?

Happy New Year!!!

Well, I didn't quite get my organizing done by midnight last night but I refused to go to bed until I had it completed as far as possible, thanks to Michaels closing early. I needed a few more drawers and jars to finish up but didn't have time to look for them, as I arrived as they were closing, oh well, I got it done enough to be happy with it until later in the week when I can find the time to go again. I was up until 6AM working on getting things done so that I could take pics and so I can feel more creative this year (it won't take much) and that is the only challenge I have for myself this year. Not a resolution but challenge!?!? probably one and the same but resolution just sounds too difficult to accomplish LOL!! A couple of months ago I decided to move my sewing/crafting area into the dining room and the boxes that were stored there into my sewing room (we are still redoing damage from the 2 hurricanes that hit us 3 weeks apart in 2004 and have lots of our stuff in storage boxes). Unfortunately, everyone uses my tables to put stuff on (DH's work bag, mail, etc) so it has stayed a mess since the move. I couldn't stand the boxes when you first walk in the front door and thought I would enjoy seeing my sewing stuff there more and maybe accomplish more. Below are some pictures of what I accomplished the last few days.

The first two pictures are a shelf and a set of drawers that is to the left of the front door as soon as you come in. I have my dyeing notebooks (and swap stuff I need to put into them), notebooks of info I have printed off the internet (patterns, etc), some quilt projects, CQ supplies, flowers for this coming falls cemetery arrangements-there are sunflowers in there and they are one of my fav flowers so I don't mind them there for now, scrapbooking stuff. I'm sure there is some other stuff on there but you get the idea. The third picture is the Embellishment Center I got from Michaels that holds my buttons and beads-I need more of these jars so I can finish. On the top shelf you see a Tasters Choice jar which holds my Nanny's buttons (she taught me how to sew and was about my most favorite person in the world-wish she was still here) and the metal can holds my mom's buttons. The bottom two shelves are suppose to hold dowels for spools of ribbon, not sure if I will use them for that or not.

These two pictures show the view if you turn to the right when you come in the front door (standing in the foyer, the door is to my bedroom), My Bernina 1130 is sitting on my Nanny's sewing machine cabinet and the table with the iron on it will soon hold a 72x30 ironing surface (Lowes was closing when I got there last night too-right next door to Michaels). I need a piece of 1/2" plywood, already have the batting and teflon fabric to cover it with.

The picture on the right is my main work surface. It holds my 40x72 cutting board and the drawer holds my rotary cutters and scissors, some of my paints, post-its, postage scale, pens, labels, my to-do board (shows the swaps I have due for each month) with some creative things I have received from some of my dyeing and surfacing friends, etc. The wall hanging was made for me with some of my hand-dyed fabrics when I participated in the Twisted Mystery on about.com this past year. I will put a picture of the one I made for Kate at the bottom of this LONG post).

To the right of my cutting table is a pegboard with my rulers, paintsticks, some of my surfacing paints (Lumiere, Dynaflow, etc) stencils, patterns, screen for printing, ribbon, etc. The beautiful fish printed piece you see on the right is my temporary design wall-it is a vinyl. flannel backed tablecloth that I pull over the pegboard when designing things. To the left is a table that holds some of my organizational drawers, my sewing tools, threads, TV to watch videos while sewing, books, fan, serger, some of my dyed fabric that needs folded and put in the drawers under the table.

Hope I haven't bored you too much but if you've read this far, congratulations!! I'll try not to be so long winded next time. If any of you have suggestions for better organization, please let me know. Below is the picture of the wallhanging I did for Kate I mentioned earlier in my post, the picture on the left is the fabric she sent me that I used along with Kona black and some blue I dyed that matched perfectly.

Christmas Eve

Well, I'm trying to wind down so I can get up early enough to get everything finished in time to go to our Candlelight Service tonight but I wanted to post a recipe and the picture I am hoping to use as my inspiration for the Winter theme challenge quilt. It is a picture of my sister and I by the wisteria with icicles on it. In Florida we don't get snow so this is the closest thing to winter, or what I think most think of being winter. When we were growing up my dad would turn on the sprinkler to keep things from freezing and this was the result that morning. I can still see what we were wearing and it was 1965. My sister hated those blue coats and she got my hand-me-downs so had to wear one of them for a LONG time!! I tried to crop the white part out of the bottom of the picture but it distorted it too much but I hope you can get the idea.

The recipe below is for Spinach Lasagna - I made it for me and the boys tonight and made a pan for DH to take to work along with a layered salad and garlic bread. He and everyone at the power plant where he works is having to work the holidays-he is currently working nights, 11 hrs/7 days a week and has been working similiar hours since October.

Spinach Lasagna

Lasagna noodles (I use the no boil kind)
2 pkgs frozen chopped spinach
2 lbs cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 TBS parsley
1/2 stick butter
salt, pepper and garlic powder
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 lb Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook spinach according to directions and drain.
Mix cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Grease pan
Layer lasagna, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, spinach and Parmesan.
Repeat layers.

OPTIONAL: I usually put chicken-boiled and cut into bite size pieces on half of this with the spinach layer.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

My first blog entry

Well, I have finally bit the bullet and joined the blogging world in hopes that it will encourage me to be a bit more creative, besides in my head!! I have committed to several challenges this coming year and thought this would be a great way to keep up with my progress. I had planned to start a weekly or monthly journal quilt project for this year but with the loss of my niece in Oct 2006, my creativity has been pretty much non-existent. My resolution for 2008 is to change that-I know she wouldn't want me to stop doing what she knew I loved.

Here it is 3 days before Christmas and all the shopping is done except for groceries which I will do tomorrow or Sunday. Still need to wrap the presents and probably consider taking some back as I didn't know when to stop. I didn't end up making any gifts this year, hopefully next year!!

One of my challenges for 2008 is the Challenge Quilts blog group and our first challenge is with the theme 'Winter'. I am thinking of basing my piece on a picture from my childhood where my dad had put out the sprinkler and there are icicles on the Wisteria. Hey, living in FL that is the best it gets, otherwise it would probably have to be a beach scene.

On one of my dyeing groups we are doing a Nesting Robin where each month we do a different color harmony and technique for the border or row (I'm kinda in charge of this). January and February we are to dye the amount of fabric we think we will need in 3 values and at least one wheel using black, brown or grey as an additive and then make our center.

On another group we are doing a quilt for the year where we will be doing a different surface technique each month. Other things for the year on my groups are dyeing, dyeing, dyeing - gradations, runs, color wheels, shibori, spirals, block swap, etc

Well, I guess this is enough for my first post and it may be the last one until after Christmas so if you happen to read this - I wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!!