I just discovered a fabulous new crafts and fiber arts store. And guess what? It’s right in my own house! So convenient. No parking problems, no crowds.
I discovered it when I decided to move the guest bed out of our spare bedroom and into our downstairs storage area. (Which I did because my husband and I finally got around to cleaning out the storage area—another story.)
Of course, the empty space in the guest room just begged to be filled up. My sewing machine was already on a little desk in the room. But when we moved the bed, we uncovered all the boxes underneath, which were filled with my fabric stash. I already knew about those, of course, although I hadn’t been using them because they were so hard to get at.
“I wonder what else I’ve got?” I asked myself. I began searching my house, rounding up the fabric snippets and the arts-and-crafts supplies I’ve been collecting for years. I flushed out the usual suspects—scrapbooking papers, glitter, an embossing tool, ribbon, tissue paper, old buttons, lace, gold-leafing pens, scissors with decorative edges, feathers, antique fabrics—and more. All remnants of past crazes—the Period Doll Costumes and Millinery Phase, the Amish Quilts Phase, the Scrapbook Phase, the Watercolor Painting, Rubber Stamping, and Stenciling Phases—as well as materials for projects that never got made (lots!). When I got it all together in one room, it looked like quite a haul.
Now I was faced with a problem. Except for making quilts, I didn’t really want to do those things anymore. What I had was a treasure trove of goodies in search of a project.
That’s when I had my Aha! moment.
In my job as a Developmental Editor at C&T, I’m working on the final stages of Rebekah Meier’s glorious book, Fabric Art Collage: 40+ Mixed Media Techniques. I’ve been working my way carefully through it, page by page, trying not to drool on the images of art quilts and ATCs (Artists Trading Cards) layered with delicately painted and stamped tissue and fabric scraps, tea-dyed lace, altered ribbon, and myriad embellishments.
From Rebekah Meier's book, Fabric Art Collage
And, well—duhhhh! Suddenly, I saw my stuff in a brand new way. Those scraps of antique lace, that gold embossing powder—not to mention the bits of wrapping paper and that marvelous spiral-design rubber stamp, came together into visions of mini-collages crowded into my head.
I can’t wait to get started. Just as soon as I clear a path through all the boxes and baskets to my new work table . . .
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3 Comments
A huge thank you to Cynthia for this wonderful idea! I’ve just spent such a happy afternoon re-discovering all the snippets and crafty things I’ve been hoarding, and had forgotten about. Cynthia, you really made me smile and now I don’t feel at all guilty about all this stuff! What fun – you’ve given me a real Christmas present!
Thank you Cynthia for all your kind thoughts about my book. I am so glad you found new inspiration for your supplies. One of the goals for the book was to get people thinking about new ways to use their craft and quilting supplies. You made my day!
Rebekah
Cynthia, please let us see what you’ve made with your treasure trove! You have inspired me to re-visit all those boxes under my bed. Thanks!