Artistic Mother Poetry Tote Progress ~ New Things in Life

Recent advice:  Do something you never thought you could or would do.

Sources:  Kelly Rae Roberts, Flying Lessons e-course teacher/artist/author

Rachelle Gardner, literary agent

Why?  It is one of the things that will make you a better writer and/or artist.

So here I am, doing new things.

Things like:

Sewing.

South Beach Diet.

(that is a HUGE coming out of the closet for me ~ but it's working!)

Taking an online ecourse and networking with women all over the world!

Posting blogs 5 days a week and promoting them.

Resisting the temptation to compare myself to other:

moms, photographers, writers, artists, business women.

Exercises in being true to me.  Examining what is important to me.

Standing up and being me.

Continuing to embrace my own identity and uniqueness, rather than compare.

Remembering that my victory is in Jesus, my identity is secure in Him.

Small brave steps.  One at a time.

I could write an endless post about each one of these!

I have committed to doing all 12 projects in the Artistic Mother by Shona Cole.

I just watched the movie Julie & Julia.

Instead of French cooking, I am making art.

Shona Cole is my Julia Child.

This tote bag is like Julie's boning a duck.

I have been stalled at week 3, as many of you know.

Sewing a "Poetry Tote" for my "Poetry Journal".

Here is the story.  Instead of matching the fabric to my poetry journal, I shopped in the sale bin and found these lovely greens, which is perfect.  Olive greens were the main color in my grandmother's home decorating palette.  Everything revolved around olive green.    The photo is my Grandma Marj and me in 1974? 1975?  My Grandma Marj lived next door to us, and is the one who taught me about birds.  She is the reason that I know the names of the birds and get so excited to see a new bird. 

The tote. 

Thank you to my mom for giving me for a cutting mat and rotary cutter!

Stripes...hmmm.

I will have second thoughts about fabric with stripes.

Getting them square, in line, frustrating.

Fabric stretches, moves, curves.

Paper is what I usually work with.

It stays the same shape.

I like that.

I do love printing pictures on fabric.

That is fun and I look foward to playing with it.

I do not anticipate quilt making...

well, if I do, it will definitely be CRAZY quilts.

I am not into precise measurements.

So, squares are a challenge.

But . . . I am doing something new.

And I am having fun.

Now, I need to thread the bobbin with my

olive thread.

Good thing I have Sydney to help me!

Last 2 Photos and text copyright 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

First photo copyright Linda D'Orazio.