122: Journals, books, fabric design?

122: Journals, books, fabric design?

I thought I would share some of my journaling practices with you today…these photos are take with our old rinky dink pointandshoot camera….Our NEW Canon D40 is in the mail to us as I write…we are so excited…and broke now, but I am hoping the new images will just wow you!  I have to admit, I am very, very jealous (in a very loving way of course) of those designers out there who have the most wonderful pictures in their blogs, no names mentioned, AH….oops, did I link that?? That Anna, she is good, isn’t she?  And she has a new book out soon too, I think I want it not so much for the actual projects, but the inspiration.  Speaking of books, I just discovered this one coming out that I think I really need too…..Did you see NEED there….for research you know….I am planning a book of my own…did I ever mention that?  Well, I am, but we are in itsy bitsy stages now, so there is not a lot to tell you yet…

Anyway, back to the books I am making these days!  Actually Linda has been making many of the covers from me, but I have been filling them with ideas.  Here are just a few.

This is an assortment of theme…the ones with cool covers….Linda made those!  

These are some little ones that developed from one piece of paper at work…I made them so that I wouldn’t lose ideas, they (ideas) come flowing so fast through my head sometimes, I honestly can’t keep up.  I often finish these little books at home later,    and you know what?  I really like them a lot…could it be it is because I feel some success at actually “finishing” something? Probably. 

This is a page I did in my cut-n-paste journal    In this one, I just play with things that I cut out of mags or collected through out my day.  This page is a bunch of hearts made from letters, receipts, labels, calendars–generally stuff I think that is part of my life, garbage from my life (clean garbage, not chicken guts or something).  I was doing what Linda calls playing….I don’t do it often enough, but I think it is a very good thing to do..

   This picture shows my working graph book (on the left)  that is my absolutely most-used journal.  It is a quad-ruled composition book, the kind they use in schools these days.   The sketch shown here is for this quilt (click on the picture once you take the link) that I made for an invitational show I was asked to send a quilt to.   I am not always sure what the quilt will look like…usually it is pretty close though.   The page on the right is from a different book in which I started gluing in scraps from all the fabrics I have been using.  I started that one a while back, and then…well, it got buried in my half of our studio.   I really like that little journal, it is like getting together with old friends, seeing fabrics that I loved, and some that have disappeared in the heaps..  I have enough scraps saved, I could probably fill it up and make a book out of it all on its own…maybe somday it will.  

One of the reasons that I have posted these journals here is to share with you some exciting news (well, exciting to me at least) In an upcoming magazine article by a friend of mine, some photos of my journals will be included along with some of my comments on journaling etc.   I am not even sure what pictures were taken, or what was exactly written, so I am excited to read it when it comes out.  I will make sure you all know when it comes out.   The reason I am so excited about it is, that it feels very encouraging to be in such as an article as it is about “designers” and I am in it!! By default, I am now considered a “designer”  I am so far behind in my actual sewing up of my ideas, and I feel behind an imaginary deadline already….but that must be what the “world” of the designer is like.  
 

I am also looking forward to my first order from Spoonflower.com   I signed up to be a “beta” tester with them, and I finally got “invited” to join.  I am getting some 8″ square swatches of my own “designed” fabric…mostly just my logo that I had a friend help me with, but I am working on some more actual designs to print up if I like the look and feel of what I get back soon.   This stuff is pricey for “fabric” but it is one of a kind, and if I like it, I may be printing up some unique stuff and selling it on our Etsy site, until the “big” companies get hold of my monsterous talent (I hope and pray!)

Thanks for all the comments on my blog for the giveaway!  I am actually quite delighted when someone also comments on a different post as well, as I would love to have people come for more than a giveaway, thought I am not at all bothered by those that do.  All are welcome at the Blue Nickel…gotta close…the kids are going to bed, and Linda and I are about to watch The Happening by M. Night Shyamalan…I will tell you how scared I get next time…..

 

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