Tissu Tessuto

An "A-HA" Moment!

Maybe many of you will not relate to this dilemma, but being a Townsend (and those of you reading this know who you are) has certain how should I describe? - mmm well let's say disorganized areas of our lives.    Laundry? Only gets done when there are no more socks.  Cleaning?  All I have to say is I was really born to be a princess and obviously was switched at birth because cleaning is a "bad" word.  Where to put mail and other papers?  Well obviously wherever I am and it must be a random pile!

I have soooo many projects in my crafty area -- things I want to do, things I must do (oh - and that pair of pants I bought back in September are still hanging over the chair at my sewing table to be hemmed), photos of ideas and magazine articles on how-tos, fat quarters that if it were possible would be hung from the ceiling to see them.  It truly is a claustrophobics nightmare.  But I am so afraid of putting things away because if I do, I might forget!  And that would be tragic. 

So for the last 37+ years I have been just figuring I am some mal-functioning person incapable of being neat and my poor Jason is just a tolerant, tolerant man for putting up with me.  But the AHA! came this morning as I read a blog from "The Inspired Home Office".  She described the "Townsend Syndrome" to a "T"  (hee hee that was really quite clever :) )  Piles of stuff everywhere, frustration with lack of organization even though one owns every single book ever written on organization, "fabric creep" passing through the "creep" phase to full on sliding and general malaise because it is all so OVERWHELMING.

This wonderful Inspired Home Office woman says - "YOU ARE NOT BROKEN!  YOU ARE CREATIVE!"  Oh what a divine sentence!  What a fabulous notion to embrace!  I AM NOT BROKEN!  I must read on and continue this blog at a later date.  Just wanted to share this nugget of gold which has lifted a major weight off my soldiers!

Who Ever Said Patience Was a Virtue?????

So approximately 4 weeks ago, with the gentle nudge and encouragement of my mother I decided to take Bella Senna Designs, LLC to the next level and begin buying fabric wholesale to then turn around and sell retail on Etsy and eventually quilt shows.

Once that decision was made, I had a list of things to do -- some fun, some not-so-fun.  First step was obtaining a "resale tax license" from the GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA.  This is a surprisingly simple process to start.  Not so simple to see to fruition. On June 13th I submitted my application and upon receiving my confirmation of submission, the site said in BLACK-AND-WHITE -- this will take 3 business days to complete at which time you may retrieve your license number online and we will mail you your Resale License in the mail.   After dutifully waiting the three days, I checked back to retrieve my number - "We apologize, but the application has not yet been processed".  Fine, well - this went on for another week.    Their customer service line was open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day.  So I called around 5p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon.  After being transferred to any number of different people, do you know that a RECORDED message at precisely 5p.m. came on the line saying "there is an emergency in the building and no one is available to take your call.  Please hang up and try again later."   Aaaaahhh - I Heart Florida.  

It took approximately two weeks for me to finally receive that crazy resale license number.  Finally I have been able to purchase five bolts of fabric wholesale.  This is very exciting.  Three bolts have arrived and two are on back-order. 

My lessons in the last month?  The rate of speed with which others move is inversely proportional to the level of excitement I feel.  Oh - that and the State of Florida has recorded messages about emergencies in the building.  Hmmmmm......

Max & Whiskers Dog (or cat) Bed

Just wanted to share another puppy bed made from Moda pre-cuts.  This one was made using a charm pack (a stack of 42 - 5'' square) pieces.  Of course I didn't use all of the pieces in the doggie bed, some of them went to making catnip toys which the boys have been enjoying.  Come to think of it, they are enjoying the bed too.  Doesn't seem to matter that it was intended for a dog.
 
 
Isn't he the cutest??

Scrapbooking and Why Shannon Shouldn't be Allowed to Use Glue

 

I have been shockingly neglectful of my poor little blog this last month.  Truly I just haven't felt words wanting to flow through my fingertips onto the keyboard.  I have been taking an on-line class called Soul Restoration through BraveGirls.  They are really into journal-ling and scrapbook-paper art.  This has been really fun crafty work and I have had the best time looking through the paper/ephemera at Michael's Crafts and Joanns.  I even ventured to a Scrapbook Shop near the Florida Mall that had more trinkets, doo-dads and accoutrements one would never even have imagined you could put on paper.  So FUN!  However, scrapbooking requires the use of glue. My last glue-experience ended up with the bottle of glue exploding all over me, the bed (because that is where scrapbooking stuff needs to take place for some reason), the papers, photos and I believe a little wound up on a kitty tail.  So I had been on a self-imposed "glue-ban" for some time.  But part of the class is putting your responses down in a crafty way and requires the use of glue.  So I purchased Fabri-tac which is good for paper AND fabric -- really good stuff.  However, it does the strangest thing about half-way through the bottle.  One squeezes the bottle ever-so-slightly and the glue starts literally bubbling out the top and down the side like a volcano.  Weird AND messy.  Then I tried using glue-sticks.  These are much easier in controlling, however one's fingers always seem to be tacky and stick to everything.  I am beginning to wonder if it's just me.  Somehow, I feel like I am back in Kindergarten with my little bottle of Elmer's glue and trying to figure out how it got in my hair.  Don't even get me started on the use of a glue-gun.  This is a truly dangerous item that I simply cannot own due to my inability to wield it properly. 

Love, love the artistic journal being created in this class.  So pretty, although getting bulkywith all ribbon and the cool chip-board diddies one can add to the paper for more decoration.  Oh, and some ribbons like glue more than others.  The sheerer ribbons aren't really fond of glue.  The glue seeps through and sticks to everything around it including me (obviously). 

People, when crafting with glue here are the rules (mind you I still won't follow them):  #1) sit at a table.  #2) Make sure your animals are no where nearby.  #3) Put paper towels or towels under your work so as not to inadvertently get your adhesive attached to the dresser (yes I did this).   Happy crafting!

Charm Packs and Jelly Rolls

I have recently become enamored with pre-cut fabrics that include an entire collection of fabric either cut into 5'' squares or 2-1/2'' strips (others are available).  These delectable little bundles allow one access to all the fabrics in the collection without having to purchase yardage or fat quarters.  Such a brilliant idea.  Anyway, there was the most adorable grouping of fabric called "Lily and Will" in pinks and browns.  Probably specifically for a nursery, but in strips just looks sort of shabby-chic.  A friend and former pet-sitting client recently adopted a new girl doggie and was looking for a "princess-y" bed.  I thought, "hmmmm....What if we use these pink and brown strips?  How would that look?"  Well, it was adorable.  Perfectly royal for Miss Gracie, the pup.  And probably cuter than any other doggie bed I ever made.  Check it out!

So now I am planning other great doggie beds from other "jelly rolls" and charm packs.  It is SO FUN!  Jason lovingly calls it bric-a-brac.  I call it shabby chic.  Either way, I am having a blast!

Sewing Expo Cleveland, Ohio

This weekend I am in Cleveland visiting my mother.  Unfortunately the warmth of Florida did not follow me to Ohio.  It is unreasonably (not just unseasonably) cold for this time of year -- even for Bay Village.  I have actually seen snow flurries which I thought quite rude for spring.

Anyway, we went to visit the big Sewing Expo at the I-X center here in Cleveland which was one GREAT BIG fabric/sewing adventure.  I feel like I purchased pounds of fabric and yet did not even buy a tenth of what I wanted.  What fabulous finds and beautiful quilts on display.  Whenever one gets too smug with one's own work -- just visit a quilt show to be set back in one's place.  The detail with the quilting!  The applique of such tiny little pieces!  I am always amazed, and feel that my blocks (with right angles) are so kindergarten in comparison.

We saw a beautiful batik quilt on display that I decided to sketch in my mind (as they get VERY ticky with customers if you begin sketching in front of them) to try at home.  It is a harlequin pattern.  So we went home to my mom's house where we found all her templates and began cutting diamonds for this quilt.  It is a tricky business because they need to be absolutely precise (not my area of expertise) and ironing after each seam (also not my favorite thing to do).  So it is a slow process, but turning out lovely once all the seams have matched up and I have perfect diamonds in rows.

I probably brought five or six projects with me to work on and then of course the harlequin quilt completely took all my interest from finishing that darn baby quilt or making another bag.  So, we are keeping ourselves busy with our beautiful batiks in the sewing room with the pink carpet, the furnace blasting and kitties in front of the heating vents.  Superb crafting times!

What To DO????

What does one do when confronted by a serious lack of motivation???  Obviously I haven't even posted a blog for what, like a month?  Zero motivation.  I now have one friend with a new baby and a cousin with a new baby and they do not have their new baby quilts.  I have a list one-mile long of items I would like to make, and not one single iota of interest.  What is going on?  Don't get me wrong - a fabric shop or quilt show always perks my interest, and I feel such energy and drive while I am there.  But something happens en route to the home and all that enthusiasm drains out.

This last week Jason was at an event for five days and I had SUCH great plans for the time - hanging pictures and finally getting the one baby quilt finished.  The only thing that was accomplished was one seriously long nap on Saturday and I cleaned the bathroom. 

Anyway, any suggestions for when you are unmotivated?  Please help!

Wait! What? I'm HOW Old?

Crazy, stunning e-mail received last night.  I received an invitation/announcement for my 20th high school reunion.  Now, I know my age, but I didn't KNOW, you know?  I mean, twenty YEARS out of high school.  That is simply not possible since in my mind I am only 21.  And I REMEMBER my mom's 20th high school reunion and that was for not YOUNG people (okay I was only nine, but still...) (Sorry Momma) So, this has come as a bit of a shock to me from which a long-night sleep has not taken care of the "ouchiness". 

What does this have to do with fabric?  Not a darn thing.  But a blog is for thoughts and this is top-most in my mind.  Where has this time gone?  It certainly seems that more could have been done or accomplished or realized in those twenty years.  So perhaps, this is a good thing -- a wake-up call if you will.  What can I do with my life so that the next twenty years to not pass by in a fuzz with no realizations at the end?  Must ponder on this. 

And, Melanie, don't feel so SMUG because this means that you will be out of high school 15 years this year.  And fifteen years is a large number too :)

Saturdays

 

Saturdays are more than just a name of a day in the week.  When the word Saturday is spoken, to me it is filled with limitless possibilities.  Uninterrupted time at Starbucks.  Going on mouse hunts with my boys.  Fabric coordinating sessions.  Book-store exploring with no time constraints.  Maybe even a little cleaning or laundry (but let's not get carried away). 

This particular Saturday I am enjoying the usual morning festivities at Starbucks with my iced peppermint mocha, my computer, my journal and some colored pencils.  I have made my list of to-dos (some cleaning included although not at the priority level) and it is only 7:44AM.  Ahhhh - sheer heaven.  Truly my idea of heaven is a constantly changing fabric shop of only the most magnificent pinks and greens, dark pink walls, a computer with fabulously interesting sites to read and explore, my sewing machine, where the bobbin of any color is ALWAYS full and iced peppermint mochas flow out of the fountain that babbles outside the window -- always at the correct drinking temperature.  Kitties would be contentedly napping in a comfy kitty bed next to me, the kitty litter would always be pristinely clean to Louie's specifications and there would always be a new, engrossing book to be read. 

As it is my life is fairly close to that.  There are a few items that will have to wait for heaven, but otherwise this is my life anyway.  But I truly only see that on Saturdays which is unfortunate.  So for the next week my pursuit is to see the "Saturday" in every day.

Progress

Apparently it IS true that things must get worse before they can get better.  WHAT A MESS!  Jason is cleaning out his $50/month storage unit since we now have the space to store the stuff at home.  This is a great thing except that everything I threw into the closets to get them out of the way upon moving are now back out into the living room so we can properly organize and put AWAY things.  Now my rather eclectic and out-of-control collections of paintings and photos are back out in the living room stacked along the wall.  Hanging pictures is a PROCESS and if "it doesn't flow, it doesn't go".  So right now as no particular groupings are flowing in my mind in this living room, they are not up on the walls. 

The good news is that upon cleaning out his storage unit Jason brought back over my old crafting/sewing table so now I have TWO tables!  One for my sewing machine and the other for cutting/planning etc.  YEAH!  This is fabulously exciting.  It almost looks like a serious sewing-person lives here.  Also, among the numerous items on my to-do list was finding the remaining chambray-blue batik that is needed to finish a baby quilt.  And it was found in one of the many bags by the sewing table.  So I feel like if nothing else was accomplished, I found the fabric I needed AND I have my sewing table with sewing machine set up.  I FEEL BETTER ALREADY!  Next step -- find batting  (I am pretty sure I still have some hiding in a box by the kitchen bar.  Hmmm.  Maybe not.

Anyway, here are some photos of progress in the STUDIO de BELLA SENNA.  Oooohh!  That sounds exotic, n'est pas?

 

 

And a Finnegan tail for good measure:

 

Liquid Fabric

Today's post is inspired by my sister Melanie.  Right around the time of our move we were talking (really "facebooking" between France and the U.S.) about how amazing it was that all the mounds of fabric that had been squashed into every nook and cranny at the old place seemed have expanded and become the size of the bigger new place.  Melanie coined this "liquid fabric".   Kind of like the property of water:  Water conforms to the shape and size of its container.  Well, this is how the fabric situation is.  Somehow the same fabric that fit in the shoe-box size containers now fits in a 90 sq. ft. studio with the help of some borrowed shelves in the closet of the "man-room".  This is a new physics law discovered by my sister Melanie Gloerfelt.    Melanie, dah-lingg, you are now bestowed with the Tissu Tessuto Award for brilliant discoveries in the laws of physics and fabric.  Award shall be forthcoming.