Here is where my daughter and I find inspiration in our snow-filled New Hampshire world.  This is looking from the deck down the driveway after one of the many snow storms that we experience in winter.

This is one of Beth’s photos, but we both take them for memories, fabric art inspiration and for cards and note paper.  When you look at these photos, expecially in summer, you forget about the snowblowing and shoveling.

How would this inspire your quilting or fabric art?

*A white background with green splashed across it as trees or simply slashes of cloth. 

*Perhaps you put green fabric under a piece of white, then cut out stencil tree shapes from the white so the green shows through.  Quilt around it and add texture to the trees.

*Maybe the deck railing will reveal itself as strips of brown or gray woven in and out across the bottom.

*Simply use the colors in the photo or suggested by it and create your own fabric art or quilt blocks.

There are so many possibilities in the form of fabric postcards, wall hangings and even quilt blocks.

How does this photo inspire you?

(Photo from Beth’s Meandering Threads blog)

(c) 2008 Mary Emma Allen

Post from: Blisstree

Finding Quilting Inspiration in a Snow-Filled World

 ”Life happens,”

I’ve frequently noticed that Anna at Widow’s Quest hosts a Carnival of Positive Thinking with links to numerous posts that may help you.

The way we turn our lives around is to inspire ourselves to look to the future – never forgetting the past but learning to cope with the pain. Enjoy these articles, Anna says.

There should be something here that will help you dream, think about happier times, “get yourself up, brush yourself off…and start all over again!”

Post from: Blisstree

Quilters, Too, Have “Down” Times

However, generally we “get ourselves up, brush ourselves off, and start all over again!”  No matter what the struggle.

Celine, at Pimp Your Work, has 5 great tips for facing a loss or disappointment.  She focuses on working with a team.  However, individuals can take her suggestions, too,  and use them for dealing with others or simply yourself.

One comment of Celine’s that I particularly like is, “With each loss is a lesson.”   How true!  Learn from disappointments and losses and apply that knowledge to the next challenge.

Do you have any tips for overcoming, getting up and starting out again?                                                 

Post from: Blisstree

Overcoming Disappointments in Your Quilting World

This got me thinking of the ways quilters and fabric artists enjoy fabrics and create lovely works of art from them.  Quilters can’t resist buying fabrics.  They collect colorful stashes, and find many ways to use them.

*Fabrics brighten our lives…like a ray of sunshine peeping through clouds.

*They bring back memories…like the feed sack fabrics reminiscent of those my grandmother used in quilts she made for her grandchildren.

*We share them and exchange them with quilting friends.

*Creating wearable art is another direction we can go with our fabrics.

*Various fabrics give us ideas for completely new types of art.

*They also help us brighten our homes in items other than quilts…curtains, chair coverings, placemats, tablecloths, potholders, pillows and more.

Yes, truly, fabrics are a source of inspiration to quilters, fabric artists, dressmakers, interior designers, and painters.

How does fabric inspire you?

Post from: Blisstree

Fabrics – a Source of Inspiration for Quilters

My thoughts turned to quilters.  Do they “have to quilt like they have to breathe?” 

Quilting is something that gets into your life and becomes a way of life.  You become involved in your projects, learn about new types of fabric art, attend shows, enter your work into contests and become consumed by this life giving activity.  Quilting becomes like a lifeline that relieves stress, buoys your spirits, and enables you to create something beautiful to share and inspire others.

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting & Breathing

I enjoy receiving newsletters from online quilt and fabric shops, as well as from quilters and quilting bloggers.  They always have something new I can learn and to inspire me.

To check out the How to Quilt newsletter and site, visit: http://www.how-to-quilt.com .

There’s also a How to Quilt blog at http://howtoquilt.blogspot.com .

Post from: Blisstree

Halloween Quilting Patterns at No Cost

Within its pages, you’ll find many things of interest for the quilter including:

*How to’s

*Glossary of terms

*Quilt Blocks with free patterns

*Mystery Quilts

*Beginning Guide to Quilting

Browse around and you’ll find a treasure trove of quilting information.

Post from: Blisstree

Discovering the World Wide Quilting Page

I visited her blog last night (http://meanderingthreads.blogspot.com ) and was enthralled with some recent photos, “Fields and a Shed,” she’d taken of an old barn and our vivid New Hampshire autumn scenery.  I was away on a business trip when she snapped them so hadn’t seen these photos before.

They might not be the type of photos you use for inspiration….or they might be.  But they may give you ideas on what you might do with photography to glean ideas for your work.  Study the scenery around you, the buildings, the views, leaves, tree bark, stonewalls, animals and people.

I also think Beth’s photos would be lovely for both paper and fabric post cards, as well as note paper.   The artist in me sees ideas for oil or acryllic paintings.  They also would make a great contribution for a scrapbook page.

Post from: Blisstree

Where Do Quilters Get Inspiration?