Sunday, May 11, 2008

Sunday evening, as usual.

Time for my usual check-in.

Schoolbag is packed, clothes are ready for the week, laundry is almost caught up, grocery shopping is done: time for a new week and I'm ready!

I didn't do any actual crafting this weekend but I spent a bit of time studying. One of the weird things about my many crafting interests is that I spend as much time reading and researching as I do actual crafting. I have always done this. When I got really interested in cross-stitch I spent unknown hours studying the history of stitching, learning about all the current designers, studying the different types of needlework, etc. I learned about hardanger and crewel and blackwork, and the differences between pulled and drawn thread work. I think I took at least one class in almost every technique there is. I tried stumpwork, and did minature embroidery on 40 count silk over one. Then there was tatting and bobbin lace. I have a library about both of those also, and all the supplies I could ever want.

This weekend I printed out a master sheet for all my Prismacolors, and spent time making color swatches for each pencil that I own. I did the same last week for all my Twinkling H2Os. I also watched a video from Art Impressions on their watercolor technique. I definitely want more stamps from them- I tried the technique just once so far- see the beach scene in a post from a few days ago- and absolutely LOVE it. The video turned out to be very interesting and I learned a lot.
I also spent a couple of hours renewing my studies of Hawaiian quilting. I have virtually all the books written on that topic and spent time today going back to various online sites about it. I have 3 Hawaiian mini-quilts projects going on in differeing stages and I am determined to finish at least one of them this summer.

I guess I'm just a life-long learner. I am always looking to learn something new, try something new, master something new. I have to be reading or doing something educational or creative all the time.

Well, tomorrow my creativity will be aimed at teaching, so I'd better get to bed- it is WAY late for me to be up. Blame Frank Sinatra- TCM is having a Sinatra festival and there was a musical with Peter Lawford and Kathryn Grayson on that I had never seen. It was fun and now I'm tired, so off to bed I go!

I hope all the Moms had a great Mother's Day!

PS- I finally got to use some stamps of Belinda Landtroop's from Clear Artistic Stamps. Belinda is a doll and her stamps are very unique- they are done from her hand-drawn art. Here's the card I made:

2 comments:

Lee said...

Isn't learning fun??! I agree that life long learning is so satisfying!! Please post pictures of one of your Hawaiian quilts sometime.......they sound really intriguing!! This card is so pretty...I got my first set also from Clear Artistic stamps and haven't used them yet!! Have a good week!!!

Cathrine StClair said...

Cute! Love the ladybug.

I really like that AI technique too - I need to get more of their atamps. Its just so fun!