Instagram-y Goodness

I'm crushing pretty hard on my newly found love, Instagram.  Look me up, I'm cwiltex.  It seems like the perfect way to recognize a little (or big) happening in my day that makes me smile.  And it even gives me a way to capture it for sharing and reflecting! 

So, for those of you who don't partake, or even if you do, I thought it might be fun to see all the little happy snips together.

::  Illustration Friday doodle and reminder to myself to remain strong and present.
::  Proof that I finally picked the Sammy painting project back up.
::  Two adorable noses looking back at me and I get all gushy when they love on each other like that.
::  A huge pile of green beans, green and purple, freshly picked from the veggie garden.

::  Katie, upside down, smiling, with her leg up to get a belly scratch.  Can life get any better?  I think not.
::  Working through a multimedia paradise island for Creative Tuesdays.
::  Trying (and liking) a new flavor of hard cider.  Sour cherry is good!
::  A snap from the dogs playing in the baby pool.  Sammy is doing her best 'you don't see me' here.

::  Paradise island is born of fabric, paper, and string!  It's got some great textures.
::  The dogs help with the house work by pre-rinsing the dishing in the dishwasher.
::  Ate the last of the party cake ice cream straight from the container.  Great cool-me-down on a hot day.
::  The first tetris block all pieced and pressed and looking scrumptious!

So much fun!  What do you instagram?

Illustration Friday: Space

I recently found Illustration Friday and decided to jump right in. 

This week's topic is Space.  For me Space = Universe and I couldn't resist the temptation to play with related words in this multimedia piece.

The light pink words at the bottom read, "Just need to believe that what should will be.  That it will all work out.  That I can find passion in what I am to do."

A topic comes out each Friday and you can see what other artists have created here.

Happy Three Years to Us!!

Three years ago today I married my best friend.  A part of me can't believe it's already been three years -- where has time gone; and the other part of me can't believe it's only been three years -- what an amazing adventure we are on together! 

I decided to doodle up the 'Old Apache Blessing' that we used in our ceremony.  The words are still so meaningful today!  {Feel free to download it or print it if it's your kind of thing.}

I Love you Mr. Happy.  More! (yup, more!)

Previous anniversary thoughts and more wedding details can be found here and here.

Looking for Guinevere

I have gotten so used to looking things up on my blog now that I nearly have two years of content.  I love how easy it is to find old projects, see progress on things, and find archived Katie photos.  So, when I went to look for my pink and orange girly quilt and didn't find it I was puzzled. 

I think it was a timing issue.  I started this blog in February 2009 and finished the quilt in March 2009 -- so I can see how it was maybe left off.

Why am I on this tangent?  I am planning a new quilting project and was looking back on my previous projects for inspiration.  That's when it hit me that I hadn't properly shown you this quilt yet. 

Let's fix this... introducing "Looking for Guinevere." 

The name is inspiration from my dog Katie who's original name was to be Guinevere.  You see the breeder gave all their pups royal names -- funny right?  And making this quilt was like the adventure we took for Katie to join our family... bits of this, a little bit random and lucky, not quite perfect, but we couldn't be happier to have her with us!  And the same goes for this quilt!

Here are a few of the blocks in progress.  So fun to see them come to life in the colors and fabrics I picked out.

I remember when I was working on this quilt.  It was cold.  And I enjoyed just dedicating myself to running into my command center (office) every night and working on this until my eyelids were too droopy to stay open. 

I just couldn't get enough.  So, when I saw the top sewn together for the first time I knew I was in love.  This is my first quilt.  My first large fabric piece.  The spark that ignited the intense love of all things soft and fabric!

At the time the largest space I had to work on was a small card table that I set up in my office.  I'm not sure I remember what was under the quilt at the time to cause that bulge, but I am guessing it was heaps of fabric, scissors, and books.

I originally did a quilting pattern only on the outer two most rows.  At the time it was all I could fit in before an art show that I entered this piece into.

Now, nearly 1.5 years later I have this hanging on my wall in my first house... and I realize just how much I love it! 


Here are some fresh outdoor pictures taken in the cold November air. 

And there it is.  My first fabric love. 

I have since started a queen-king size quilt for our bed and am ready to pick that project up again.  I am also working on a lap size quilt this week for a special person in my life who could stand to be a little bit warmer... a little bit more cuddled.

Quilting certainly sparked and re-sparked my love affair with fabrics and the comforting hum of the sewing machine!

Creative Tuesday: Curtains

Tuesday = time to put on your creative hat for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment!

This week's theme we all explored "Curtains."  tada!  ya, I felt a little bit flat after reading the new theme, but it hasn't deterred me from jumping in and seeing what I could do with this.

[Aside: True story about curtains... I am not a fan of them.  I have the bare minimum amount of curtains in the house and would much rather plant a large tree outside my window than have window treatments.]

That said, I still gave this my all and tried to put together something I would still enjoy creating.  And I am so happy I did!!

I started with hippie bead curtains and then decided there would be a private and peaceful room within.

I think I surprised myself with the amount of detail that I included  -- that's the result of freshly sharpened pencil! 

Also, a scene like this... bare of animals, characters, and humor is a stretch for me.  But that's the point right?  Stretch that creative muscle and produce something that you didn't see coming.

As I began to fill in the colors I felt more connected to the place and could even see myself going to this restaurant or home of sorts to enjoy a quiet conversation and cup of green tea!

I also choose to work with and blend all the purples in my color pencil box -- I was stunned how many shades of purple I had.

And here is the final result: a combination of Hippie and Japanese with royal purple tones.  Would this design style be Hipanese?

A closer look at the table setting.  I tried to create a soft feel with the color pencils.  A stray from my normal bold color choices.

The bonsai tree and strange big daisy type flower.

The cushions, tea pot, and chop sticks!

Yup, I can see myself sinking right into this room and letting the day melt away.

I sure had fun with this assignment again.  Hope you will go check out my fellow artists here and see their interpretation of Curtains -- bet you didn't think they could be so fun!

La chaise est finie!!

Translation?  It's done! 

All of my wacky ideas and thoughts for what this chair could become have been brought to life!  A more detailed view and story to follow.  But, incase you were wondering... it's done, it's done, it's done!! 

Finishing a piece or project you are working on = happiness!

Welcome Daydream

"Everything starts as somebody's daydream." L. Niven

So, I told you about the cool chair I am breathing new life into (for a charity auction).  Well, here is the first peek at what I have done with it so far.

Removed the original seat and sanded down the base. 

Then I began to splash color on it.  BRIGHT color!  At this point I started to scare myself, but I tossed that to the wind quickly and just kept layering.

Concern?  What concern?

Another view down the ladder rungs.

The more color that came out, the more I smiled ear to ear!

Mr. Happy got me one of his work lights, so I could continue well past sunset.  (Which... have you noticed... has gotten so darn early.  I really need to invest in a sun lamp!)

Here is Daydream looking all wild and crazy.  Just the way I like her!

Just look at that layering!

Loving how the lighting really helps change the personality of the chair.  She really goes from day to night look with ease!

And that's it.

That's all you get for now.

I still have the seat to finish reupholstering with an original quilt design.
I still have a ton of detail that I want to add on top of the color splashes.
I still have to remember to breath.  Inhale, exhale!
I have to stop thinking about whether or not someone will actually bid on this chair in the auction.
I have to finalize my artist bio.  I know!  It's getting crazy around here.  I have drafted my first artist bio!

Oh, and did I mention the head shot?  Faint!


More to follow.  Can't have you miss out on this one!

Chair Re-Do

There once was a chair...

... near a dog named Katie.

The chair had a seat....

... that smelled pretty neat.

The chair stood pretty tall...

... and that's not all...

... it was also going to get a fantastic makeover!

I have signed up to re-create a chair for a charity auction with Furniture Sharehouse.

I'm nervous.
I'm excited.
I'm energized.

I have unleashed that on the chair... and I have more pictures to share with you tomorrow, so you can see the progress!

Wish me luck!  Oh, and I tell you when my artist bio is posted too!

Life Hath No Limits

When Mr. Toast gave out the latest Creative Tuesday assignment of "Limits" I cringed.

My brain flung from speed limits to social limits to family limits to physical limits....  you can see how dreadful this was going.  It felt like a mini-battle in my head.

I scratched the topic on my "to do" list for several days and everytime I referenced it I immediately thought of life and how you are only as limited in your life or your life choices as you choose to make yourself. 

What I mean is that You create the majority of those limits on yourself. 

Wouldn't it be interesting if you could free yourself from those self imposed limits?  --Wouldn't things be grand!

Well, that is what I was trying to interpret here in my art piece.  What if I could create a piece of art where I even took the art limits off myself? 

• Roads don't have to be black with yellow lines and go straight.
• The sky doesn't have to be a certain color. 
• A pack of bikes can roam free without riders. 
• A pyramid can wear high heels. 
• Mountains can have holes with big ladders leading up to them. 
• You can color outside the lines.  After all, lines are self imposed restrictions or limits... you follow?

Here is my sketch:

 

The more I look at this.. I think I am the little rabbit trying to navigate the life with no limits.

 

 

Here is how the piece finished out in color.  I'm excited and relieved and happy with the results!

 

I felt free afterwards.  Like I'm no longer trying to hold myself back. 

 

 

A closer look at the riderless bike pack.

 

 

Holey mountains.  Rope bridges from hole to hole.  Unplugged lights that shine.  Walking pyramids with ruby red high heels on.  Just click them together three times and wish you were home!

 

 

Kites with no kite masters.  Sigh, it's a beautiful thing!  Strange and yet so wonderful!

 

 

How will you try to remove some of your own limitations? 

Whose to say that you can't switch careers mid life and pursue your passion.  Whose to say that you can't do something like play the piano even if you haven't got two hands. 

Whose to say? 

Sometimes our biggest fights are with ourselves.

Let yourself be free!

Limits? What Limits?

I'm playing with the limits theme (from Mr. Toasts Creative Tuesdays) and am so happy with the results!!!

Sneak peak now with more details and getting into what was going on in my brain (never an easy task) tomorrow.

Yes, looking at the little orange car will have to do for now....

Happy Roundup

I have spent a lot of time this week reading and taking happy things in.  I feel like I am looking for a new perpective or for life's next clue to help me find my way.  Gentle reminder to self: life doesn't always work that way.

I wanted to share some of the things I found.  They touched me in someway or even just made me a smidge happier -- even if just for a moment.

"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering." ~Pooh's Little Instruction Book 
[found at Ruffles and Stuff my go to place for all things sewing inspiration]

[Eddie the golden retriever is from the dailypuppy.com.]

This really really really reminded me of my little Katie-girl and how lucky I am to have such a cute pup in my care.    

Plus how can you resist that I'm so tired I feel asleep in my food bowl look.  I'm smiling ear to ear looking at this!


 The Happiness Photo Assignment over at The Pioneer Woman.  (if haven't ever heard of the Pioneer Woman than I suggest you head over there pronto to meet Mrs. Ree and look at every single one of the happiness photos in this flickr group here.  Yes, I'll wait for you to get back.) 

On a whim I entered this snap of Katie.

Then I started looking at the other entries and couldn't tear myself away from trying to click through each and everyone of them.  It's an intstant booster shot of happiness for your day! 

Here are a couple: (really so hard to even just pick a few...)

 
 By Jenny Modesitt

 By My Way 2009

By Lizcave















By Asparks7

By gbd04213


The story of When Your Hut's On Fire, which I found over at Christine's Blog.  That still makes me giggle everytime too, because I am a Christine too!
It starts off like this:
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.



Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. ..... YES read the rest here!
 
A magical Woodland Fairy Birthday Party which I found at Kate Landers Events.
At one point, my friends joked around that I would make a great party planner.  And actually, I probably would make a pretty decent party planner.  I adore getting people together for fun, laughter, and merriment!  I love attending to every detail and I love doing unexpected things.  (some what a la Monica from Friends, but I promise I would never ask that you tightly recap your markers -- honest!) 
 
Along those lines I always find myself snooping for ideas even when I have nothing to plan which is why I find myself glued to Kate's site!  Just check out the cute details and how this woodland fairy theme is carried out to the max (pictures from Kate Landers Events blog)!

Everything looks so magical. 

I am digging the toad stools on the table and as chairs!

The names for the food are so darn creative!  The served things like fairy dust (cotton candy), toad stool cupcakes, dandelion milk, chocolate dew drops, snail sandwiches... oh my goodness!

These are cupcakes with upside down white chocolate chips shoved in as toad stool spots!

The party was complete with fairy outfits and fairy dust take aways.  Sigh.  I only wish I had the need to plan a woodland fairy party.  Mr. Happy's birthday is coming up in June, but I can't say he would be the least thrilled with this theme.  Another one to tuck into my memory for later.

Lastly, I found an artist at Etsy that has me cracking up.  Found at NayArts.
Think abstract backgrounds paired with original cleaver sayings and you get this: (it'sr really hard to try and pick just one or two that I like -- I like them all!)

link here.

Ok, I give, this is probably my favorite.
Link here.

Hilarious, no?
link here.



















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I'm not 100% sure that I have figured out what my next move is, but at least I am laughing along the way!