My First Ever Quilt Block!

My First Ever Quilt Block!
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

I did it! I'm so freakin' proud of myself! Last night's class went so smooth. Of course I ripped a few seams, but I think everyone there did that. I was the least experienced one in the class, but managed to follow along just fine. I'm loving how it came out! Eleven more blocks like this to make and then time for the border! That part sort of scares me, but I'm sure I'll do just fine. I sure hope my Mom is going to love this quilt! The quilt is called Buckeye Beauty. It will have a dogtooth border when I'm done with it too. The fabric is the Laura Gunn Poppy Collection from Micheal Miller Fabrics. I just picked some of the fabrics from the line and went with it because my Mom loves green. Some of the patterns don't translate very well, but I like the final outcome anyway. I feel so accomplished!

Dirty Toes!

Dirty Toes!
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

So this is the reason I don't have as much time to craft as I'd like. I sort of feel my dirty toes show just what my life is like this time of year. Hectic, dirty, exhausting, some days annoying, but yet still rewarding. Each day I play in the dirt and watch things grow. Veggies, herbs, flowers of all sorts, makes me realize how much happiness the things I do brings to others. So I haven't shared a crafty project in a bit, because I've been to busy getting dirty toes! My quilt class starts tomorrow night! I'm so excited, but nervous at the same time. I may be an experienced sewer, but I've never made a real pieced quilt. I finished my pre class cutting and got my sewing supplies ready to go! Maybe I'll have a quilt block to share on Tuesday!

Naughty Alphabet Inchies

Naughty Alphabet Inchies
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

I'm done! My naughty alphabet is complete and set away to my inchie swap partners! It was fun, but daunting to think of something naughty for each letter! I hope my partner's like my sense of humor!
A-Ape Shit B-Boner C-Camel Toe D-Douche Bag E-Elongate F-Fuck G-Gonad H-Horny I-Ice J-Jerk K-Kinky L-Lick M-Muff N-Nipples O-ooo P-Pasties Q-Quickie R-Rat's Ass S-Stockings T-Thong U-Undies V-Vibe W-Wet Dream X-XXX Y-Yellow Snow Z-Zesty!

What an alphabet!

Sally Jean The Zetti Queen

Sally Jean The Zetti Queen
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Last night after relaxing from a long day at work I decided to make another ATC. My crafting time is coming in spurts because of work. Each little thing I do is a precious time for me. I used the gesso on an image technique for this card. When I saw the image on flickr I just knew she was born to be zetti! I used gel pen, chalk pastel, and acrylic paint to color her along with a couple of collage elements including the crown and the pointy side border. She is a bit creepy so I added the funky hair. Off to work! Happy Secretary's Day too!

More Naughty Inchies!

Two more sets of inchies! I still have one set to make and send outs are tomorrow! I sadly had to let my partner's know I would be sending a day late. I plan on finishing up the last 4 before work tomorrow and sending on Thursday.

On to the naughtiness!

C-Camel Toe

I-Ice this one has clear embossing powder to make it shine. I know ice isn't that naughty, but I was drawing a blank!

O-oooooo Magazine image collage.

U-Undies! I cut out those undies from paper!

The next set:

D-Douchbag
J-Jerk
P-Pasties another gessoed magazine pic with sequins.
V-Vibe a rabbit holding a rabbit! (get it get it LOL)

Bride and Groom Birdies

Bride and Groom Birdies
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

The other thing I made for Alexz in our wonderful personal swap was a set of Racky birds (so named for the creator of the idea Rackycoo on Craftster). Alexz asked for them for her wedding display! Her colors are dark orange and deep purple so I used deep purple satin for the hand made roses on the bride and orange for the bow tie and hat band on the groom! They were so much fun to make! If you'd like to see close ups of the individual birds fly on over to flickr!

Meat Loaf

Meatloaf
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Finally I can share the doll I've been working on! It is the wonderful singer Meat Loaf! Alexz requested him and I was more than happy to take on the challenge. I'm a sucker for details and I knew I could pack lots into this doll. She showed me several reference pics and I choose one and went from there. Meat's shirt has the wee ruffles, pearl buttons, and pearl button cuffs. There is velcro behind the buttons down the front and snaps behind them on his cuffs. I can't do button holes that tiny! He also has suspenders that are stitched to his pants in the back and snap to the inside of his pants in the front. I even made them cross in the back! The vest was tough, but I love the way it came out. Only took two tries to get the back right. Meat wears tux pants so I had to put the black satin stripe down each side, just like real tux pants. He also has black leather boots. Alexz mentioned that he must have his red scarf so I whipped that up too. His arms and fingers are all wired to pose and his eyes are inset. I also did a slightly sculpted mouth. He was so much fun to make and he lives in a wonderful home now with Alexz! She loves him just as much as I loved making him! If you 'd like to see more pics and some close ups you can visit my flickr.

Goodies from Alexz

Goodies from Alexz
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Alexz and I both got our swap packages yesterday! How fun is that! I didn't get to open mine properly because I had to rush off to a meeting at the art center, but when I came home I had proper time to look at everything. In fact, my new little Yetti newborn Wallace cuddled with me on the couch while I watched some TV! My dog is totally jealous and wasn't sure what the "new white furry thing" was. I already have a place in the kitchen for the Nessie message board! I have to find time to get to the store to get some fun colored push pins. I wish Halloween was closer! I'm going to leave the Pumpkin Queen and the cupboard out for a bit and then put them in a safe box to store with the Halloween decor.
This was such a fun swap! Tomorrow I'll share what I sent to Alexz!

Little Frida

Little Frida
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

So after a bit of a crafting slump I felt inspired to make an ATC tonight. I had this funny picture of my little sister. She was wearing a felt mustache I made for her like it was a unibrow! I snapped the pic and then told her I was going to make her into Frida! I used the gessoed pic technique and did just that. The flowers in her hair are some wonderfully textured paper aged with distress ink and a bead center. Real vintage lace for the collar. I don't think I'll be trading this one! I'm putting it up in my collection!

RIP Buddy

Buddy
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Last night my Auntie's dog, Buddy, passed away. Buddy was 16 years old. He was a big part of my life as well as Auntie's. I lived with Auntie while I was in collage so he became my dog as well. I had my own dog at the time and they were the best of friends. I had to have my dog, Gizzmo, put to sleep a few years ago and loosing Buddy was like loosing my dog all over again. I know that Gizzy and Bud are fighting over food and racing around somewhere together. This picture was from last summer. Buddy loved camping. Even though he was pretty arthritic by this time he made it down the bank to step in the water. I'm so glad he got to have a great summer of camping last year. Thanks for being such a good dog Bud! We love you!

Flight

I made a new ATC for a trade. The theme was red hearts and I had so much fun coming up with something! Collaged heart and wings with white gel pen accents and distress ink. Embossed word with pastel highlighting and many other ink details. My picture sort of washes out the richness of this card. It is much more dimensional in real life.


"Flight"

I also made another Red Queen for the same trade. Now to just finish up these naughty inchies!

Oh, I am also taking a class to learn how to make a quilt at the local art center! I just ordered the fabric from etsy and I can't wait! It will be for my Mom for Mother's Day and her Birthday.

Naughty Inchies 3

Naughty Inchies 3
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

More naughty inchies!
B for Boner. H for Horny. Hand drawn little devil in watercolor pencils and gel pens. N for Nipples. I tried the gessoed magazine technique with this and really liked it. Now to try it in ATC size!
T for Thong. I used water color pencils to draw/paint the backside and a small piece of ribbon and embroidery floss for the thong. Z for Zesty. A sort of zetti style with gel pen and stampers.
Two more sets to go!

Off With Her Head!

It has been ages since I've had time to make any ATC's! This morning I made two very special cards for a certain someone who shall remain nameless as they are part of a swap gift!

This specific person happens to be an Alice in Wonderland fan so I made the cards in that theme.

"Queen Of Hearts"

I used an old playing card as my base for this one and it was so much fun! I sanded the card to get rid of the shiny finish and added distress inks for some wonderful wear. The red triangles are cut from a paint sample! I got the image from a sheet of vintage paper dolls on flickr and added gel pen and ink details.

"Alice"
I used a paint sample card for the base and little tab accents! I sanded it and added distress inks, but in this pic you can't tell all that much. The image is again from a free collage sheet group on flickr. Ink and gel pen details. Lots of fun to make and I can't wait to add them to a completed package!

Sisters!

Sisters
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Nothing new crafty wise to share as the things I'm making are all swap gifts so I don't want to spoil any surprises!
I thought I'd take some time and let people know a little more about me.
I have a 9 year old sister who I love to pieces! There may be 18 and a half years between us, but we still act like normal sisters. It's fun to have a little sister. When I was a kid and an only child I never thought I'd like having a sister or brother, but it is actually one of my favorite things in life. Our time together is so precious. We laugh and do lots of art type stuff. She is getting to be a wonderful writer! Her stories are full of fun and she loves to illustrate them as well. I started getting her interested in ATC's too. She made a few and had so much fun! She even traded with a good friend of mine! I hope to get her into some kids ATC groups when I have my off season from work. She is also a little actress! You can often hear several different accents in a conversation and she loves to sing!
So there you have it, I'm proud to be a big sister!

Eggs!

Eggs!
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Happy Easter!

Crooked Little Houses

Crooked Little Houses
Originally uploaded by AlwaysInspired

Another embroidery piece that has been in the works for a while. It is a block for TwentyEighthStreet over on flickr. I'm slowly finishing up the hoop up and send swap. One more block to go! This is an Urban Threads pattern that I removed some detail from. The pattern was more suited to machine embroidery, but after some alterations it was perfect for what I wanted to do for this block.