I have a couple of projects “on the table” so to speak, but a very special lady, Ruth-Joy, is celebrating her 89th birthday this week and that calls for a very special greeting card!
I cleared off a space on my worktable and got to work.
The background is a chunk of improv, raw-edge patchwork that I made years ago, hated, but couldn’t bear to throw away.
Add a little raw-edge applique, a little free motion stitching, a little postcard on the back for a note – and voila! Cuteness!
Yeah, right.
Do you think I can waltz into my sewing room throw a couple of fabrics together, a little fusible web and **poof** a cute little card magically appears?
Ha!
The saga begins with what I thought was a fabulous idea. I wanted to make a little black and white birdy that I KNEW deep in my soul would be oh-so adorable.
Little did I know that she was doomed from the start.
I sketched, re-sketched, then settled on a general shape. Picked out the background, picked out the scraps for the body – and all it did was go downward from there.
I tried, really tried – to make her as cute as I imagined her. But the more I tried to execute that dream, the more sickly and overwrought she looked (Change the wings! Different head! Add more feathers to the tail! Sitting in a nest! No, standing on a branch! More leaves! Change the wings again!!)
An hour and a half later, I laid her to rest. Really, there was nothing left of her to save.
Yes, for a 4×6 card, I spent an hour and a half before admitting defeat and starting over.
I think that is noteworthy.
The pink coneflower was my second attempt. I had to focus on being a little less emotionally invested in MY TERRIFIC IDEA and the subsequent craziness (and I was pushing well in to hour #2 and to the point where DH is checking to see if I’m “still OK down there.”)
In retrospect, I had the same emotional investment in my Whimsical Leaves project. I admit that I made and remade that project 6 times at least. THAT’s devotion. And all those attempts are sitting in a drawer in my closet. Boat anchors (if an unfinished quiltlet can be a boat anchor.) **sigh**
I hope your day is full of easy finishes of your TERRIFIC IDEAS!
All the best -
Chris
Sounds like you are struggling with expectations…
the cone-flower is sweet.
You’re absolutely right, Sherri. I am my own worst enemy sometimes. Although I can’t stop it when it’s happening, it’s helpful (and sobering) to go back to it after the storm and figure out where the learning is. Thanks so much for stopping by -