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: