Artsy Challenges

It only took a week and I'm probably a day late - but I finished my rock challenge from last week's Awfully Big Art Adventure.
I actually made two, but didn't really like the first one too much. Altho, it has grown on me!!
So here is the result of my 2nd attempt. It's now on my Etsy site!! LOL







I also FINALLY listed all my new items on Etsy- lots of neat pincushions and more- http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6150604

Challenges

There are always challenges in life. I prefer the ones of the artistic variety- and love finding the challenge of the week on different blogs. The big challenge for me is finding the time to finish all these little things I start!!! Being of distracted mind, I flit from one thing to another, leaving a trail of incompletes in my path!

The BIG challenge for the past 2 weeks, for me, has been getting over bronchitis! I dread the end of winter, because just when I think I have escaped the cold or the flu- my husband comes home with something!!! For me, it always is bronchitis, and I have to make sure it doesn't turn into pneumonia.

So, having spent the better part of last week sitting on the couch, sewing, reading and watching mindless tv, I managed to finish a few projects, and dig up ones long forgotten!!!
I am working on a painted rock - a challenge from Awfully Big Art Adventure. I have been participating in The Altered Page's Disintegration Project. I really need to go out and take pix of it's progress - Seth is posting pix on his blog. There are over 75 participants worldwide in the Disintegration!! How cool!!!It is always interesting to see others' interpretations!

My computer has been suffering from' satellite outage' problems the past few days- keeping me from posting pictures- or doing much of anything online.
For this brief moment in time - it appears the clouds have cleared and I am connected to the satellite- so I will post a picture or two of what I've been working on, then zoom over to Etsy and see if I can put up the listings before the computer dies again!!





This above is a quilt I started years ago, after reading an article about an artist in NY who was creating these from old kimonos. They are just handstitched together, and I don't think his even had backs. I have to hunt for the article! This one is old silks and kimono pieces with some modern repros of kimono prints.

Below are a group of 'make-do' pin cushions I am making. They will be in my Etsy shoppe as soon as the computer allows!!! They range from felted wool applique, to vintage crochet, feedsacks, and more. Some are on top of vintage jars, footed bowls, and molds. Each one different and one of a kind!! I love making them - I never know how they are going to turn out- it's always a surprise!

This 'n' That.......

Before I forget - a blog I just discovered is having a 100th post giveaway. You have to go there and enter - she's offering such cute stuff as a prize!!! http://cottagegardens-theresa-smith.blogspot.com/
I am definitely going to add her blog to my 'blogs I follow "list!!

This morning's post was prompted by something I read on Peggy's blog, http://passionsofanoddchick.blogspot.com/. If you haven't checked out her blog, you must - she is a wonderful artist and writer, and has a great little shop with some of the best teas and body lotions!!!

Do you find that having a blog, forces you to be a little braver in putting your work out there?
I find it is easier to show my work (and words) to an invisible public, thru a blog. I try not to peel back too many layers, but a blog seems therapeutic in a way, and keeps me creating, instead of procrastinating!

Now that I have a blog (or 2!), I have an obligation of sorts, to keep it active, and hopefully, interesting!!!

This reminds me of an article I read in the Washington Post last year- Does the Web have a role in promoting social isolation- or does it hold out a hand and invite the socially isolated back into the world?

What do you think? Does having a blog keep your creativity moving, is it easier to present your art to the world thru the internet?

That said, time to step away from the computer and go finish a couple of projects so I have something to show in the next post!!

Spreading Myself Thin.....

......is what it feels like when I am trying to manage 2 blogs, a Facebook page, Myspace, an Etsy shoppe, and actual shop, and an occasional eBay listing!!!! Yikes, what have I gotten myself into!!

But , I couldn't live if I couldn't get my words on 'paper', so I'll do my best to keep up!

My household is fighting bronchitis - I have an appointment later today to get some meds before I end up with walking pneumonia! Yesterday, I took it easy and managed to get a little sewing in- I have some cute little pincushions that will be in the Etsy store in the next day or so.
In my stash, I have a bunch of neat old flour /feed sack fabrics, that really needed to be recreated. They go perfectly with these old zinc canning jar lids.
It was too cold in the studio to sit at the sewing machine (w/o the woodstove lit- brrr!), so I plopped in front of the tv and handstitched them all. More would have been done, if I had used the machine, but oh, well!

The other picture is one of my fabulous thrift store finds- a 1930's-40's Dresden Plate quilt top. All the vintage fabrics, some feedsack, are pieced into Dresden Plates and then were appliqued on a whole piece of fabric. I'm looking for the perfect backing, then will send this quilt top out to be machine quilted. Can't wait!!!

Just What I Need........

.......another blog!!!!!

This blog was created to be an avenue to display some of my art-full creations! It was getting too confusing to have my creative endeavors showing up on my blog about my life in the country.

My main blog, Ooglebloops' World, just celebrated its 1 year blogiversary!!!!! Woohoo!!!! You still have time to enter the random giveaway- leave a comment and the winner will be chosen on Valentine's Day!!!

Valentine's Day is also my mother's 80th birthday - so we are going to let her be the 'random number' picker!!!!

So, if you want to hear about my life as a 'country girl wannabe who got to be',
and ENTER the RANDOM GIVEAWAY - bookmark

http://www.ooglebloops.wordpress.com

and visit often!!!

And from time to time, if you are interested in what I'm working on in the studio, or what my friends have created, drop in here!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!