Fan Blade Recycle

I-Needa is a painting madwoman. I'm a little afraid to visit her now as she tends to paint anything standing still and in sight. It makes me fear, as don't want to wake up in the morning with pumpkins or sunflowers painted down my arms. Surely she isn't that bad yet! At some point, she may need an intervention.

I-Needa is obsessive compulsive... sorta. So am I. She comes by it honestly. We don't wade into new territory. No, we plunge in headfirst and go at things with reckless abandon. When that wears off, we are on to new frontiers.

Actually, I'm green with envy on this new endeavor. I've always wanted to get into this painting stuff. I-Needa is fortunate to have Mrs. Paints Beautifully two doors away. Some of the neighbors are getting together frequently to paint. I believe it all started with painting flower pots. For I-Needa, it has grown into a full time passion. (I can't wait to see what I get for Christmas! I'll bet it's a painted something.)

I do think this fan blade is cute. She put it by her front door, and it certainly welcomes in the fall season. It is just a happy little thing, and I know I-Needa is proud of her newest work of art.

The Craft Fairy Visit

This isn't the first time I've mentioned I-Needa's new passion. She is into craft painting... bigtime. Today she sent me an email with pictures of what happened when the Craft Fairy visited. Please note that this stash of fairy loot is spread all over 'my' guestroom bed. I guess I won't be visiting for awhile.

Also note the wonderful spiny thing and guess what it will be holding soon. Alas... I-Needa will have something to organize her paint bottles into. Of course, that will be in 'my' closet. The guestroom closet was taken over for crafts from the very beginning. It assures that no guest can bring many clothes. Just kidding.

I will add that I-Needa has always been a giving person. She really does love sharing things, and I think it is wonderful to see how others share with her as well. One Man's Trash truly is Another Man's Treasure.

In this case the saying should be: One crafters attempt to clean the closet is another crafters delight to receive. Oops.. I forgot this was about the Craft Fairy. To be quite honest here, the generous soul is a friend of Mrs. Paints Beautifully.

In the meantime, I-Needa has blessed me with using her CM shape makers as she is busy painting. We just trade our stuff around . It works for both of us at times.

More Painting

I-Needa is still in full tilt experimenting with painting. She has worked and worked on this and says it still needs something. She thinks she has figured out what she wants to do to 'fix' it, but I think she is doing really well for just starting... or even for just doing.

I think I might be safe in getting her a Christmas gift certificate to Hobby Lobby again this year. I'm sure paint, canvas, and frames are going to be in her future for awhile.

I'Needa's Painting

I'Needa has been up to her nose in paint during her free time. She recently took up learning to paint, and this is her recent piece. She had a good time doing it, and decided to put it in a frame on her wall.

Her neighbor, Mrs. Paints Beautifully, is really having fun with her new artist. It's wonderful to have someone to teach you the shortcuts when you are just getting your feet wet learning a new thing.

I'm certain that I'Needa is going to enjoy working with acrylics and hope she sticks with it and develops her talent. I'm rather envious of the fact that she has a teacher and can do this. They have Saturday get-togethers to paint, and I-Needa is certainly having a great time. I think Mrs. Paints Beautifully is enjoying sharing her talent and helping to pass on her art.

I-Needa Is Painting

Daughter I-Needa has been to Mrs. Paints Beautifully's house to have another painting lesson. She is trying to learn to float paint. Just in case you are wondering.... I know you aren't, but just in case... these are lovely little fluffy sheep and some harvest pumpkins. I-Needa has been having such fun and I have to admit that I'm a tad envious.

I've always wanted to paint. I had a few lessons several years ago, but the instructor was from out of town and ended up not being able to continue classes do to a health problem. I was sad at the time that the lessons were over, and two or three lessons just wasn't enough to really master anything. I'm really happy that I-Needa has someone who can teach her technique, etc.

I'm going to visit I-Needa shortly and have some nice things to haul to her in the way of supplies. I'm sure I'll find a few things to bring home as well. We trade. Lovely, really.

Neck Tie Quilt

Daughter I-Needa decided to send me this picture of the full quilt. This is the quilt Mother made a number of years ago. She searched every garage sale and gathered a sack or two of men's neckties. Then she made all these little squares and sewed them together for a quilt. She said it was really hard as all the ties are cut on the bias and you have to work with that when sewing them together.


She also made shams for the pillows, and sawtooth edging in white. It is a happy looking quilt.

You can click on the photo and get an even closer look at the quilt. Of course, you knew that.

Tea Towel Time

I-Needa was at Mrs. Paints Beautifully's house the other day as they were painting on tea towels. My! This brings back memories.

I'm afraid my towels are now purchased complete with decorations, but I do remember the time when fussing up plain white cloths to use around the kitchen was the 'in thing' to do. You may... or may not... remember all the towels embroidered with names of the days of the week. There were pictures of washing for Monday, ironing for Tuesday, etc. I have no idea where they have gone.

I-Needa said that there is more she is going to paint on her towel, she just didn't have time.

For you quilters, this quilt used as a bedspread was one my mother made years ago. It is all from men's neckties. She said it was a dickens to make as ties are all cut on the bias, which made working with them lots of fun... in a challenge sort of way. The fabrics give a rich look to the quilt, and she received many complements on it as it sat on her antique walnut bed. I-Needa was blessed with it a few years ago.

Just in case you wonder what I'm doing, I'll confess that I'm doing a little of this and that. I have been working with scanning photos, and I'm also trying to clean the guest bedroom closet. I don't think the two are related.

Gift For I-Needa

I wish I could paint like this!!!

I-Needa has a neighbor who has quite an artistic talent. I had the privilege of getting a tour of her home with all the nifty things she has created.

Mrs. Paints Beautifully has taken several of the neighbors under her wings and is helping them learn to paint. I'm sure something like this takes a bit of practice!
School is about to start, and Mrs. Paints Beautifully surprised I-Needa with this lovely little writing desk box all decked out in back to school art.

The top picture is the outside lid of the box. The inside is shown in the bottom picture. I-Needa was thrilled at the lovely surprise, and she will certainly enjoy this painted box.

If you are a quilt person looking at this picture, you might enjoy knowing that the quilt is one my mother made several years ago. It is a very happy quilt.

Think

I-Needa sent me a picture of the letters she painted yesterday which will hang in her elementary classroom. The inspiration came from her high school years seeing a sign with black lettering hanging above the board in her algebra teacher's room. I-Needa reported that the whole class hated that sign.

Now, as a teacher, I-Needa has more of an appreciation for the reasoning behind that sign. She decided the other day to use it in her classroom.

She purchased the letters on 'big time' sale at Michael's and painted them with acrylic paint. The letters are lightweight wood. They are a good size, but not large. Placed on this white place mat, you can have an idea of size. I-Needa used a stylus to place the dots on the letters. I think they are really happy looking and hope her kids will appreciate them and the meaning behind them.

Stamping Brenda

I went to visit daughter I-Needa. I-Needa often has a group over to work on album making (aka scrapbooking). I've gone to several of these events and love meeting I-Needa's friends. One wonderful friend is Stamping Brenda. I-Needa has always tried to help identify who she is talking about on the phone by putting a helpful adjective in front of their name. I catch on faster that way. Well, Brenda loves to make cards and also memory albums. She has been at it for years and years, and she is very good at it. So I-Needa would refer to her as 'Stamping Brenda.' I've just kept the name and think it is a good one.

I arrived for a visit with I-Needa and an album making event. Stamping Brenda was there. She is always such fun and full of enthusiasm for her crafting. I-Needa and Stamping Brenda had been talking about my new interest in card making. Both being generous souls, they had each collected a few items to help insure I had supplies. That was sweet!

I had a good time with both of them. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and I was pushed closer to the edge of addiction. Mind you, I'm not complaining. I went willingly.

I have to brag on Stamping Brenda a bit here. She has hand crafted many cards these past few years which she 'sells' and donates all proceeds to her city's Cancer Walk. I'm impressed with the idea of combing fun with generosity toward a greater good. Go, Stamping Brenda!

A Closet Peek

Before tattling on Crafting Ida (as promised below), I must let you take a peek at I-Needa's closet. Her guest bedroom (MY room) has a nice walk in closet. It HAD good hanging and storage space. The hanging space has been almost obliterated by crafting supplies. The guest (Me) has a small space in back to hang a few items. When I first saw this closet, I thought I-Needa had really gone over the edge. Since then, I've been to Crafting Ida's home. It was some place. Stamping Brenda's craft room also sent my crafting expectations to a whole new level. I'm going to send I-Needa on a picture taking expedition to Stamping Brenda's home and hope to have future pictures which will blow you away.


This closet contains most of my crafting supplies. You see, I'm a newbie. I have a long way to go before I have anything on I-Needa, Crafting Ida, or Stamping Brenda. That's a good thing. I'm not competitive in the collecting stuff department. I'm trying to do this slowly.

I've seen some pictures of other craft rooms on the Internet, and I know that I'm at humble beginning stage. I will strive to change that and earn my spot in the Addicted Crafters' Association. Humm.... I wonder if they have an association.

I will work on my next post to introduce you properly to Crafting Ida. She is the one who pushed me over the edge into the world of stamping. I promise that soon I will begin, in earnest, to share some real crafting items. But first, you need to meet the cast of characters.

Peer Pressure Jump Starting

I will begin this new site with a tale of involvement. It is a tale of others, and peer pressure, and being weak. I suppose I could look on the positive side and say I was reaching out to achieve my full potential. Of course..... I'm having FUN!

It began with a tale of daughter I-Needa. That is only a pet name I use. I began noticing that she often begins sentences with the term 'I need a...." It was when I began noticing this about her, that I also began noticing she had coined that phrase from me... her mother. Yes, it's true. I began hearing that same phrase coming out of my own mouth at an alarming rate. Yes, I-Needa had become her mother.

I-Needa became an addicted crafter some years ago. She started with crocheting. The needles fly and she can finish an afghan in nothing flat. Seriously. After making several afghans, I finally decided to ask her to show me. I wasn't a complete novice to this type of needle work. I'd knitted years earlier, which is probably how I-Needa had come to learn a few words which would best be left out of anyone's vocabulary. However, I wondered if I would have to unlearn some knitting habits to change to crocheting. Actually, I did.

I-Needa next became engrossed in the world of scrapbooks. She soon became a consultant for Creative Memories. While she loved doing that, her job as a teacher in the public schools took most of her time. She soon found it was too demanding to try to do consultant work, so she gave that part up. However, she continues to make scrapbooks and loves it. Of course, I followed right along and now love to make scrapbooks.

I-Needa's next adventure took her into card making with Stampin Up. She also added jewelry making. I benefited greatly from jewelry making and received lots of earrings for special occasions. No complaints there!!

It looked for awhile as if I were safe from her latest crafting crazes, but that was not to be. I was destined to become my daughter.

It was at this point that another crazed crafter entered the scene.... Crafting Ida!

... to be continued.