camping?

The quilt top, backing and binding are all complete for my camping "explosion". This is one of the silliest things I have made in a very long time, and I must say... I really had fun making it! I used a lot, A LOT, of different fabrics... maybe too many, but don't really care. It is what I wanted a bit kitch with some nostalgia, and all the things that are related to camping without the realistic aspect of what it actually is like. 

I finished the top the other day and I had to step back and look away for a minute because I was afraid I had gone off the deep end for a minute, with so much going on and no order... very unlike me... and then I was flipping through a magazine and saw the advertisement below for Target Threshold collection for fall... 

Notice the colors... similar to my quilt. and the patterns.... lots of them.... and then I realized I was just starting the fall trend with this thing. (sense the sarcasm) And I didn't care anymore if it was "too much" because sometimes "too much" can be just right. 

This one is getting sent off to the long arm quilter to be finished, hopefully with a "plaid" type look. Better photographs after it is finished!

september inspiration

It is the beginning of my favorite time of the year, fall. I love the crisp air, the warm sun, and the colors everywhere. Growing up summer was my favorite, it meant freedom to spend my days doing whatever I wanted. However now fall is the best! Here in Richmond there are a lot of festivals and events this time of year which is also nice, and not melting from being outside is a really nice feeling! 

A few things inspiring me at the moment:

The last of the tomato harvest, the colors are the best they have been all summer. 

British, Country Living the covers of their magazine is always beautiful. Every month I am pleased with their aesthetics, and the magazine itself is visually delightful and interesting. (Still love country living U.S. version too.)

I wait from spring until September for these to bloom. Love the combo in the garden and in the house! 

I cleared some space on my metal shelves in the studio by adding these to the wall for my little collections of inspiration. I have really done a lot as far as making my space the most workable for me. It feels a little bit lighter and less crowded which is great. 

yes, off topic...

OFF TOPIC, I CAN'T RESIST. 

I have followed Dexter since the very first episode. Watching season after season... I rarely watch television where I am actually sitting and watching, normally I am working on something else at the same time, but this show, I did actually sit and watch. The writers, got me and so many viewers into the show rooting for a serial killer, against all odds, we thought of him as the good guy. And then.... there was the last episode..... spoilers coming....
WHAT the hell was that!?!
Kill off one of the main characters and turn Dexter himself into a lumberjack.... It did not sit well with me and I would have been happier just leaving the series ending with all of the serial killers at Dr. Vogel's for dinner.
Alright back to sewing, I just had to get that out of my system.

thoughts

Loving the late summer blooms in the garden. Noticing that this time of the year is filled with pinks, purples, green of all shades, red, brown, and white. Taking advantage of picking my own flowers and the last bit of vegetables from the garden before fall really kicks in and there is little left. 

Thinking a lot about collections lately, what they mean, why collect at all, how some people are facisnated by one thing and no one else gets it. Making arrangements out of the small collections I have around the house, moving some things around, replacing some, purging others... always seem to be purging something around here, realizing that I have hung onto some things far too long. 

Thinking a lot about drawing, not realistic, refined drawing but that of a child. Uninhibited. Watching a child draw recently I was reminded of how they don't overthink where a color, line, shape, image is going, they just do. With that I want to explore drawing more, at least play in my sketchbook more.

Thinking about images in general. I have been looking and pin-ing on pintrest a lot lately. my pintrest looking at images of everything, from drawings, quilts, artwork, home decor, couture, inspiring people... it really is the visual library I always wanted... 

At that place in a project where I want to put it away and not look at it for a while, but knowing that if I do that I will not ever finish it... Taking a break to sketch and doodle in my sketchbook... Hoping that from that I will have the will-power needed to finish this task. Still enjoying the mixing of many fabrics at once. All the colors, shapes, patterns... 

downton strikes again...

This morning I caught up on my usual Sunday reading, and a preview for season 4 of Downton Abbey came up. I think I watched it at least five times, alas we must wait until January to watch it here in the states... Well one thing lead to another and after some googling I found out that Andover fabrics is coming out with a Downton fabric collection in November! I have always loved the fabrics on the show that are used for the clothing, and the colors throughout the set, and have always been inspired by it, since my addiction began. I was a bit surprised that Liberty of London did not come out with this, however I am somewhat excited that it will be a quilting weight of fabric. Some of the collection looks very Art Noveau, can't wait to get my hands on it, and make something, lots of somethings with it!!!