Creative Tuesday: Blog Icon/Button (#63)

This weeks Creative Tuesday challenge was to create a blog button.  *cricket, cricket*

I admit this is something I've tried a bunch of times and I don't feel like I'm very good at it.  But, in the spirit of the challenge I decided to give this another chance. 

You see, I can't work small.  I've tried.  Even in my quilting I've tried.  So, to help me through that, I started with very small paper.  I created hand doodles in pencil, and then traced over the designs in pen and marker.

I'm not sure where I originally got the idea that happiness is a mushroom, but there is something very whimsical and mysterious about mushrooms and so it's stuck.  I also decided that the mushroom spots, should be paw prints to represent my pups.  Happy stuff and dogs.  That about sums up what I ramble about these days.

Once the line drawing was complete.  I scanned it in and loaded into GIMP to crop, add color, and scale the drawings.

This is a picture of the computer screen showing the first round of coloring I tried. 

 

Here is an idea of how the button looked.  Something was off with it, right?  The letters were too muddy and the top of the mushroom popped in the wrong way.  But, this is why I like using a digital editor so much.  It's a few clicks to change the color around. 

As you can see I went through a few iterations until I realized that my blog name just wasn't big enough to be legible once I shrunk the icon down to actual size.  Nothing a quick re-draw couldn't fix.  I also highlighted the paw spots in a yellow to bring them out better.

And after much playing here is the button I decided on.  I still see little things that I would or could change, but we'll call it done for now.  This was a really fun experiment in visual branding and I also welcomed the GIMP practice!

You can find out about the next weekly challenge and see what the other artists put together at the co-op blog.  I can't wait to see what Mr. T has in store for his own button re-do!

Wishing you puppy licks and sunshine!

Creative Space Sneaky-peak

Here are a few things going on in my creative space.

I got a new set of fabric paints to play with.  I'm really excited to try painting and then thread painting that hawk in my mind.

I started making hand sewn mushrooms.  I need a lot of practice!  I need to work on more even stitching, hiding the thread, and that mushroom on the right doesn't seem to have the right proportions.

Sammy is constantly surfing around the room looking for fabric and shoes to steal.  And look how tall she is getting.  She can almost put her head on my desk.  That's sure to be a whole new world of trouble coming!

The baby apple tree is thriving in the window.  I'm still surprised to see all those leaves and how tall it's getting.  And yes, I talk to it!  Maybe we should name it?

Here's proof that there was sunshine flooding my desk again this morning. 

I also have a whole stack of cut triangles waiting to be arranged and assembled for the Patchwork Prism quilt... you know the one that's due next Thursday.  As in one week from today.  As it panic is setting in and I'm going back and forth as to whether I should push hard and go for the deadline or not.  I think I may dedicate tomorrow to it and see how far I get.. then take it from there. 

I've had this jacket pattern on my desk for nearly a month now.  Must make cute jacket!  Of course every time I go to make it... I get stuck on what fabric to use.  Silly, I know.

And I thought you'd like to see one of the art works that decorates my wall.  The colors, movement, and texture of this work are always inspiring me! 

And that's a sneak peak of what's going on in my creative space.  Are you feeling creative lately?

Ten Things Tuesday {& Mail Call}

The weather has been totally amazing and I have to admit that the whole Happy family has been finding every excuse to get outside and soak it all in.

There's always a lot of work to be done outside, but my goodness the amount of wood we have to split and move and stack and organize!  This effort is the result of the big heavy oak trees that came down in our October snow storm.  It's getting done little by little.  I am mostly in charge of the moving and stacking part. 

Sammy, who is still learning her off leash manners, found a very comfortable napping spot among the logs.  Those big heavy pieces also provided a great tie off spot for her lead!

Katie has been no slouch taking in the sunshine.  In fact, I know that I could even learn a thing or two about how she has mastered living in the moment. 

Fully.  Completely.  Like no one's watching.  Or she doesn't have a care!

Doesn't she just have the best smile!

One of Sammy's favorite things is ice cubes.  With the recent warm weather I got to introduce her to the floating ice cube game.  Take one dog bowl filled with water.  Dump in a handful of ice cubes.  And then prepare to laugh your stomach into knots as the dogs go bobbing for ice. 

Katie still snorkels with her nose in the water with this game.  Cracks me up every time!

I also got a package all the way from Australia!!  And I couldn't feel luckier to be able to give a home to these lovely treats!!  This was all a part of a fun pincushion and surprise swap I did with Megan from Silver Threads of Happiness.  Megan, thank you so very much!

I will be hanging this awesome crocheted mushroom in my sewing area and I just love the colors she picked... and look at how adorable the grass is!!  I also got those cute little glass mushroom beads.  Can you tell I have a thing for mushrooms?  I can't wait to dream up the perfect project for them!

The little tin is so very adorable (it had the glass beads tucked away in there)... I think I will be re-using the tin to hold my sewing bobbins.  Seems like the perfect size!  And coffee!!  I start my day with a nice big cup and I can't wait to try this one!

And then there are the pincushions.  In fact, I think these are what started the whole swapping thing.  I think I left Megan a comment saying how darn cute they were... and she offered to make me one... and I was very excited and wanted to make her something.  Next thing you know... we're swapping!!

I hope you can see how fantastic that forest and mushroom fabric is.  And yes, I got two pincushions!!  Pinch me!  They both have the same fabric on the back... and then one is decorated with the ric-rack while the other has a beautiful lace on the front.  They are so pretty.. how am I ever going to stick them full of pins?  

I feel so lucky for the friends I am meeting through this little blog of mine.  Amazing to know that real connections are still very present and even more fun when I find someone who understands my love of all things forests and mushrooms!!  *hugs, Megan*

Well, and that about does it.  Is spring springing where you are?  Spring things that are waking up here, like the tree in our back yard.  Did you spot Katie in this one? 

You know, this tree has bloomed each spring for the two years we have been in our house... and I kept saying that I wanted to get a picture of it.  It goes quick.  And now I can finally say I have one! 

Aren't these blooms amazing?

10 Snaps from a Lazy Blogger

I could say I've been really busy the' last few days or I could say I've just been plain 'ole lazy.  Both are true. 

And as I'm sitting at my desk with the sun shining in all I want to do is turn on a movie and rev my sewing machine into action.  So, here are quick ten snaps from the last few days!!

 

 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!!

Organized My Fabric Scraps

Like the title implies... I have finally taken back control of my sewing room (mostly, just don't look at my desk right now) and organized my tiny fabric scraps... by color.  Squeee!!

 Just lovely. 

A guaranteed smile every time I walk in the room and I just can't wait for every excuse to pull down a jar and start digging though it!!

Pink and Red in Jar #1
Orange and Yellow in Jar #2
All shades of Green in Jar #3

Jar #3 again
Blues in Jar #4
Purple and Mixed Colors in Jar #5

And my Neutrals... white, beige, browns in this awesome mushroom!

How do you organize your teeny tiny fabric scraps?  --also sharing at Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story!

Hands in the Dirt: Calm Before the Storm

Yes, come on Irene.  Get here and leave already.  We are all prepared for the hurricane a comin' and now we are just waiting.  Took advantage of the calm and got the dogs out on a pre-storm hike and walk through the garden.

Hope you are dry and safe where you are. 

I think I will go whip up a batch of hurricane cookies (walnut chocolate chip) since those will make a power outage much happier.  And cheers to lots sewing time!