These are mosaics for my favorites that I have accumulated of OTHER people's wonderful creations! They inspire me, they make me smile, they... make me happy. :DDo you notice anything? A pattern perhaps?
I did!
Apparently I am very drawn to crisp color, squares, and circles, and WHITE. LOL And a sense of naivete in design.
I discovered something about myself this last month or two. Something that surprised me.
That my die hard LOVE of primitives is not challenged because I also love the whimsical. This is something that I have struggled with for YEARS in my rug hooking. My love of folkart, and color, and whimsy, battling with my love of true primitive. Each rug I make, there is an internal battle as to which direction to take that rug! More color, less color? Brighter or duller. And here's the catch - you cannot do both and have it turn out looking old and loved, or folky! They are opposites!! Well usually my love of prim old drab wins out. But in sneak the muted reds and muted golds, hints of purple, and drab greens. LOL And brown. We can't forget brown! lol allll values and hues of browns. (hush Dan!!)
Now... enter quilting. LOL
I have always loved primitive old world type quilts. Always.
So, in the last two or three years... why is that when i would see a bright, vibrant, crisp quilt with multitudes of colors that aren't normally even an option... why does my heart do a little pitter patter ? And why do i immediately go OOHH!! Lookky that!! :D LOL
(by the way, i definitely do that with prims too lol)
But they didnt have "a place" in my home.
Having 2 little girls has changed me. I am more open to the fun of pink! Whouda thunk? But get this.... NOT IN ANYTHING BUT MODERN QUILTS!! (and little girl's clothes lol)
So when the old barn quilt along started, i was nervous believe it or not. This was a part of me that I had kept smashed down within me for a very long time, and not allowed out! lol So buying those pink and green fun fabrics, I nearly hyperventilating in fear!! LOL!
But by the time I was walking out to the car, i was getting excited!! Pulling them out, and cutting them, sewing them, i was absolutely GIDDY. :<0>
And this last weekend, I made some primitive log cabin blocks, with all my beloved homespuns and prim fabrics and was just as delighted. So... you see... what i am saying... is that there is no right or wrong in the art world. An artist CAN swing on both ends of the pendulum! (i dont think that's spelled correctly!) Something i have known in my head for a long time, but not truly experienced personally, until now! And it just opens up such a world of possibilities, that I had closed off to myself before!
I am VERY excited to be participating in the new doll quilt swap. I dont know that my limited knowledge of quilting will help me... lol... but my experience in sooo many other types of sewing, will. As I really dont separate thoughts, techniques and inspiration into art compartments. They're all free game! So I think this will be so much fun! It will make me stretch, and grow, it will make me try things I wouldnt normally, and last but not least... the action of creating, which has been rather dry lately, brings such immense joy!!
Now when i look at quilts, I'm MORE happy with the crisp happy designer fabrics of amy butler, A. Henry, M. Miller, S. Henderson, J. Dewberry, and H. Bailey! Add in white, and it's gonna be a winner no matter what you do with it! LOL! Add in circles or wonky squares and and i'm doing a silly little happy dance like one of my girls! LOL Silly? Yah probably. True transparent view? Yes, definitely. Am I smiling more in the last month than I have in a long time?? Most Definitely!! Do I still love prim? Oh yah, fer sure! But when it comes to quilts... my heart has been stolen by the modern! Where am I going to put them?? Dunno. Dont have a clue. LOL They'll find their place, or carve out their place. And somehow... I believe it will be a harmonious union! God didn't make me one or two dimensional. He made me more like a prism with many many different ways to reflect light! :D
7 comments:
Great post! You should add those mosaics to the Doll Quilt Mosaic Group for all to see!
Bren,
I love that you are embracing your inner pink!!!
THAT makes me SMILE!
Brennikins, life is so fun when you let the inner whimiscal you come out to play. Now you need to try a whimsical rug or two... Jo
What beautiful pictures and what a wonderful post! I'm a true pink lover too! Something that's hard to do with a prim hooking group! But I must be who I am! GO PINK!
Very well said! When I first saw the "new, modern" styles of quilts I was not a fan, but now the style has grabbed hold of me and won't let go! I think the initial shock has worn off :)
I'm new to the swaps like DQS and I'm loving the energy and enthusiasm and friendliness of everyone.
It is great that we can respect traditions while moving forward.
Cheers!
that is funny because i have always loved primitive, but push that side of me down because i am a shabby chic kind of girl, so i totally understand what you mean!!its great to step outside of our comfort zone once in awhile, especially when you are making something for someone else, you dont have to worry about it not "fitting" in to your home. um, whats with the sheep?
you're killing me Brenis! i just have to keep telling myself to FOCUS.
you make me want to collect quilts and sew them :)
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