A Different Craft - Quilt Preview

As you know - and probably a lot of you can relate - I like having my hands in more than one craft at a time. While most of my time might be about belt buckles, that doesn't mean I shouldn't fit in drawing, cards, jewelry, quilting, random crafts, and anything else that sounds intriguing and uses some creativity. In my temporary Seattle digs, I so far have a place for buckles (of course), sewing, and jewelry. I did just get a book on candle making, but I'm fairly certain that wax on someone's floors is not a good way to say "thanks for the accommodations!".

So, in a quick break from Belts & Buckles 101, here's a preview of my current quilting project.

Next, I'll chop off the ends of the rows and straighten things up. Then, I'm trying to decide whether to add a plain batik border before putting it all together. What do you think?

Sunsets: Nature-made and Handmade

After sharing the stunningly beautiful morning we had last week, I can't help but share the orange/pink/salmon/corral/yellow/red evening that we had just a couple of days ago, too. This photo is totally unedited - exactly how it came out of my camera. Nature makes the most amazing art!

Sure is hard to match. But, since I like all things handmade too, I thought I should add the best competition I've sound so far...this "wowza, amazing!" quilt by quilt artist Grace Errea (of course, the image is from her website, too - please go visit).

 

I think this one really speaks for itself, or at least it better because it just makes my mouth drop open in awe.

How's that for inspiration?!

Believe me, when I can put that sunset in a buckle, you all will be the first to know!

Crafting: Finding ideas for inspiration!

Some days I could spend hours making buckles and never stop to take a breath, but other days I just sit and stare at the piles on my desk. What's the difference? Inspiration! 

Here are some of my favorite ways to get inspired and things that I find inspiring...

- I'm a frugal person (that's the nice way to say it  :)  ), so I always keep old greetings cards and fun scraps of paper around - you just never know when they'll be perfect for a project.  So take a look through your piles of saved scraps.

- When my husband and I want to think about adventure, the first thing we do is pull out maps. We have piles of them. So why not create fun items from the maps I love to look at. What do you love to browse through? How can you use that item in a project?
The beginning of a new buckle...

- Around town I keep my eyes open for things I like and that are eye-catching. All the beautiful colors at the paint store - put them to use!

- Borrow from one craft to give to another! Besides making buckles I also love to sew. Turns out there are a million fun fabrics with great designs. Why not borrow from my sewing stash for my other favorite craft? Blanket or buckle...

And, finally, there's always inspiration to be found online...

• Browse the amazing crafts and great photos at craftgawker.com
• Look at the beautiful treasuries on etsy.com
• Find a few blogs that have a great aesthetic. My choice today is elle.mnop - a pleasingly simple website with beautiful photos, fun ideas, and a mishmash that's fun to explore.

What items inspire you?

New buckles for the New Year

Happy New Year!!

We better start the year out right...
Here's some of the buckles from the newest batch.  I know you'll love them!