Red Fish ATC-Heads

Red Fish ATC-Heads
Originally uploaded by FarStarr

My first try at blogging from Flickr doubleposted. Let's see if I can get just one post on with this picture..

I started the red ATC's by simply fishing (hee hee) through the scraps and pulling out all fabrics that read as red. Then I remembered that I had printed out the fish from Dover on fabric ( miracle of miracles, I was able to find it)...a marriage made in heaven.

I love this one and really don't want to give it away, but it was for a swap-bot swap. I hope teh recipient loves it as much as I do!

Red Fish ATC-Tails

Red Fish ATC-Tails
Originally uploaded by FarStarr

Busy day today. I was able to get some art done. I love sitting in front of the sewing machine with my buckets of little bits. A little of this, a little of that, voila! ART. Unfortunately I make a HUGE mess when I'm doing it..hee hee

Only 21 more days until Thanksgiving...Hmmmm..

Progress!!.. and only 32 more days until Thanksgiving!

This was the ugly little guest room before we started fixing it up. Well actually this was after Andy removed it's contents. The room really is tiny at only 8 1/2 by 11 1/2, but we haven't had an actual guest room for guests in forever. The first step was wallpaper and disgusting carpet removal. We had installed that wallpaper 16 years ago and I never got around to adding the chair rail border that I had planned. Did I mention that I am the queen of procrastination and half-finshed projects? Since Andy is the king of almost finished projects it's a wonder that this one has gotten done.

Look! New white paint! It looks better already. After the paint, Andy put hardwood floor in the hallway and closet to match the real hallway upstairs.

Yeah! Carpet! and the first of five, yes five! tall bookshelves. Hmm..did we just buy the same carpet color as before? Some things never change.

The picture below shows some of Andy's decorating. We have more advertising tins than shelves these days and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use up some wall space.

Next, the brass bed that I used as a kid got a brand new mattress (the last one went up in flames...long story). You really can't see it well, but the end table is an antique metal refrigerator complete with ice holder in the top. Like the ugly lamp?? That did not go back in the room but I am keeping it for assemblage...of course.

We have slowly been trucking all the books up from the dining room floor to the new shelves. I haven't filled them yet, but then again the dining room isn't clear yet either! Only 32 more days until my family will expect to eat turkey (and smoked duck) at the table.

The bureau was out in the garage in our Brimfield stuff that hasn't been looked at in 7 years. I guess if we're not going to sell it, we should be using it. It's actually kindof nice.

We went to two different HomeGoods stores this weekend for the boxes up on top. They still don't have anything in them, but they are pretty. We also got 2 underbed storage boxes for my rusty bits. Those are a little heavy to store in cardboard boxes over my head!

Christmas Tree Shops had these empty glass lamps. I realized that I do not like lamps at all, but these are okay. We thought for sure that it was going to explode as Andy added the marbles, but it was okay. Can you believe that I had almost enough scrabble prices to fill the other one?

So there it is-a little bit of organization. I probably should put the new sheets and comforter on the bed, huh? That will really make it look finished.

This time I will do it!

Step one is admitting you have a problem...Yeah, okay, I have a problem. These first three pictures show my workspace where I create fabulous collages, postcards, ATC's and other fun stuff. It is also where my family is going to want to sit and eat turkey on Thanksgiving. There's the dilemma...even if I could clear off enough chairs, nobody will appreciate having to sit with the turkey on their laps because there is no table space. I am a packrat extraordinaire. The current supply of choice is books. Ever since I got in to the whole altered book, altered art, collage world (about three years ago) I have bought bag after bag of books at the thrift store. Someday I will go through all those books and magazines, cut out the images I want, and organize the all..HA HA HA I almost said that with a straight face!!
These next two pictures are the sewing room. The fabric obsession has been with me much longer than the paper obsession. When we put the addition on the house 7 years ago it was to help house the fabric. Well it did, for about a week. You didn't expect me to STOP buying more, did you??? Because of these obvious character flaws,(ok not flaws, how about foibles?) I keep getting stuck in a creative rut. I have so many ideas, but no space to work in. I also can almost never find what I want when I want it.
Andy started the process last night. Well actually he started a couple of weeks ago when he added the shelving to the sewing room. I filled up those shelves and it didn't even make a foot square space of carpet. Last night he emptied the guest room. The joke has always been that he was never going to redo the guest room so Mom could not come visit. Either he wants Mom to come and visit or he is sick of my stuff cluttering up the downstairs...HMMMMmmm which could it be??

Now that I have admitted to my problem and exposed myself to the world, I am actually going to go in to that sewing room and create something...promise! Although I could go for a nap.....

Waterfall, Pond, Fish, and Frogs

I did manage to get out to the pond a get a couple of decent fish pictures yesterday. Since we had sooo much rain (almost 5 inches) the pond was really full and the fish were hanging out near the top nibbling on lettuce. Starting on the left you can see Armour first. He's the biggest. Then Sashimi and Halo are deeper in the water and Steve is on the right in the water lettuce. Steve has an awesome blue spot on top. Someday I'll get a better picture of him.

This is Armour up close. They have all gotten much bigger in just the past couple of months. I can't believe that it is almost time to start thinking about putting them to bed for the winter.
We now have four frogs and we're thinking that they might be terratorial as they all stay in certain spots in the pond. This one is the waterfall frog and he is the biggest.
We have the screens all out of the windows in anticipation of the painter coming so I took the opportunity to take a couple of aerial views from the bedroom window. We still need lots of plants to fill in the spaces.
Andy and I are starting to work on THE BIG CHALLENGE. My art things are currently all over the house. I have a huge sewing room and have still overtaken the dining room with my stuff. Watch for some before pictures as we try and get my stuff under control so we can host Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Today is my birthday and I have already been at the sewing machine playing! I just whipped up this postcard for a swap-bot swap. It is Snippets of my life cut into Scalloped Squares then Sewn with a Spiral. Now maybe I can get dressed..hee hee..maybe not!

More later....

Possible Quilt Ideas

Steph took these pictures from the airplane. She always gets the window and I always get the middle..ugh. When I saw the pictures I immediately thought they would make neat quilts.

Just another thing to add to my endless list of ideas that don't get executed.. :)

I'm actually trying to get together a couple more things for my Etsy shop. I have 2 journals made from old books and recycled papers that are almost complete. Marie at The Stamp Act in Marshfield had asked for a couple of items for the art gallery in the store. I would like to have something to put there before the store has their anniversary sale in October. www.thestampactstore.com Check out the store. It's great!

I just sent my first item out for swap-bot since I went back. It was 3 marine themed ATC's for sewcrazy. Coming up with marine themed ATC's was definitely not a problem! www.swap-bot.com

I will put up pictures of my yellow postcards once they go in the mail.