New Holiday: Backtack Day!

I received my backtack goodies today. I'm sad that I don't have time to give them the full credit that they deserve. Here's a fairly awful photo of them, but I'm busy preparing for several days away from home and work.

My partner, SUE!! of Giant Dwarf really spoiled me. I saw the postman walking to my door and I immediately started salivating. Didn't know if it would be a birthday gift (nov. 1) - or my backtack stuff, and yet... it couldn't have been a better surprise! I had meant...(really, I had such good intention)...to photograph everything so beautifully packaged. But I was overcome by all the delicious curiosity that I forgot. My husband watched over me and says "This is better than Christmas for you, isn't it??"

I couldn't be more thrilled. Everything is just yummy. The fabrics are right up my alley..and the ideas she built for me are already churning. I'm actually disappointed that I'll be leaving on vacation tomorrow as I want to immediately start playing! The bag is so "me" - and lovely. And buttons...the buttons! Buttons are an addiction of mine. I get way too excited about buttons. And, all the wrapping details with little typed tags. AMAZING.

She created a "kit" that will lend itself well to many creations. There's fabric and cards to embellish as I choose. And, she sent dye and printer transfer stuff so that I can really jazz up some fabric. SO Exciting!

I have a confession to make. I love surprises, and yet, am quite the detective with very little patience for the "waiting." (with apparently too much time on my hands, as you'll note in my previous post). I happened on Sue's blog and have been neurotically checking it - as I had a thought that "she" might be "her." She left no room for confirmation of that until things actually arrived - but, in my introductory e-card, she said "yeah for handmade! yeah for back-tack II !!!" and then I saw that exact statement in a blog post. The wheels started churning with that connection...and I've been sitting on pins and needles wondering if I was right. And, darn it...if she never blew her cover on her blog. She kept me wondering until today. SO fun!

Anyway, here's thanking Sue so BIG! I hope a fellow backtacker treats her just as well!! I'm VERY pleased....

Hi, I'm Stacy...and I'm a blog-aholic.....

Generally, I do something creative in the evenings after Kenzie goes to bed ~ but lately I couldn’t face the fabric bomb that I seemingly detonate throughout my house whenever I get crafty. Fabric, pins, machines, scissor, beads, & more fabric everywhere!!! Instead, I have been mindlessly wandering the internet. Oh. My. Gawd. There is a wealth of eye candy handmade goods, witty people, (and even senseless trash) out there! It’s like a spider web of possibility...I’m trapped, wandering each web connection, and (sigh) I -don’t think- I want to escape!

I used to limit myself to a daily blog route of 10 favorites on my Explorer Link Bar. I’d conduct my tour looking for new posts over a morning coffee, while on a mind-numbing phone call, or maybe while cooking dinner. This week, I discovered Bloglines.com – where you can subscribe to your favorite blog feeds. No longer must I ..wander.. to each site to see if there is a new post. Bloglines indicates when there is new material on the sites I’ve subscribed to. And, since they’ve made it so easy – this here Junkie proceeded right on out for more “fixes.”

Since my high school girlfriend, Cindy, is probably not afraid of being a skapegoat, I’m pinning the blame on her. She clued me in to dooce.com, which I still read. My gosh, that Heather is a fascinating ball o’ fire!! I’d tripped on a few other artists sites/diaries before that, and from the exhausting link list on the left – one might assume that I’m fairly experienced at wasting time online. I thought I had safeguards in place to keep that under control (i.e. the 10 blog rule) – but bloglines just enabled the addict. Bloglines has Pushed. Me. Over. The. Edge. I mean, I have a Master’s in Counseling for cripes sakes. I can realize impulse control issues where they exist. Chuckle, chuckle.

One of these days I shall most definitely do a little house-keeping in my link column and give some credit to these girls. Amazing women who do what I love to do – often times, so much better than me. I glean inspiration from some, like the parenting views of others, and I’m happy calling the rest – my imaginary friends. I’ve swapped handmade items and comments with few, and by golly, some have even ogled my creations and/or darling toddler!

Fascinating finds...
Bird in the Hand
A girl who creates
Angry Chicken
Bella Dia
Bella Blue
Chunky Monkey
Craftlog
Epinion
Flutterby
Hop Skip Jump
Littlest Flower
Mollychicken
Nikki-Shell
Rock-Paper-Scissors
Run girl. Run.
SouleMama
tag sale tales
Rubber-Sol
and..there's...more...

Also, some folks (thanks MollyChicken and Chunky Monkey) have informed me that my comments section was unfriendly to non-bloggers. I have opened up comment capabilities to anyone. So, feed my addiction with more inspirational sites....say hi....or just admit you’re lurking here. (yes, I know there are readers...or perhaps just one avid follower who visits 62 times a day?? he..he..)

If that’s the case, I guess we both need to be referred straight to a good blog-aholics group.....

The gift of stars..

The gift of stars..
Originally uploaded by mama's doodles.

A 12" x 5" piece done on a manipulated paper bag. Machine sewn with metallic threads.

Just playing around with Christmas card ideas... I'm gonna keep playing, as I'm not in love with this.

Night Owl

Night Owl
Originally uploaded by mama's doodles.

My Friday Night fun!

10" x 7". Assorted fabrics on burlap with gold stitch.
This piece is perfectly rectangular, although the wonky scan would imply otherwise.

As do most artistic souls - I have a journal, which I have doodled throughout the years. Lately, I've been interpreting the sketches within these little textile pieces.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THESE TEXTILE PIECES?
They would lend themselves well to embellishing Pillows, Journal Covers, Cards, Prints, and totes/bags... Does anyone else have any ideas?? I've built quite the stack of them recently - and my wise husband says "they are great - but what are you going to do with them?" Hmnnn.... Good question!!

****Update: Kenzie loved this so much, I made her a softie. I call this Owlie.

Chimney smoke

Chimney smoke
Originally uploaded by mama's doodles.

A swatch made solely from sparse fabric remnants. I'll make a card out of it.

lightening buggies

lightening buggies
Originally uploaded by mama's doodles.

I have a journal of silly drawings and project ideas. Lately, I've been pulling from those for nightly projects -- using my scrap fabric piles.

This one is NOT my favorite. :( I had a gut feeling when starting that it should be a more dimensional piece. I threw the caution to the side and proceeded anyway. Ah well....

Lightening buggies is a 10.5 x8 inch piece. On burlap. Gold stitching, origami paper, and button embellishments.

& one flew the cuckoo's nest..

& one flew the cuckoo's nest..
Originally uploaded by mama's doodles.

A 7" x 7" textile piece, machine sewed with gold thread, and bead embellished eyes. On colored burlap.

The idea is based on a project I saw long ago on someone's blog. I've rendered my own version. Wish I could find who to give credit to - for the original idea. I will do that if I bump into it again. Obviously, it was a darling idea that I bookmarked in my head for future use.

New Vision...

This is a new approach to textile art that I'm trying out in effort to create a banner for my blog. We'll see how all this works out... (just thinking about the blog banner html makes me head hurt).

Back Tack II Reveal!

...in a few days... I'll post pictures, after I'm sure that the surprise has been appreciated.

I posted my parcel to my backtack partner today. Have to say -- The project was supposed to be a $40 commitment. Uh, well, I blew nearly that on postage to Brazil. Wow. That was a spendy little package. I had a $35 USPS choice, or something with tracking for $127. DUH. I went with the cheap send, but won't be able to track it in the event it gets lost. The stupid girl entering in the address kept spelling words wrong (Ever heard of Ria de Jeneria?). Gawd, I hope it gets there!!

Half-hearted New Bags

A meow kitty bag for Kenzie (This was supposed to be a raffle prize at my agency picnic, but was awarded to Kenzie when I didn't get it lined/finished, as planned). The details in gold thread don't show up well in photos.



And a diaper pouch for myself. I'm tired of wadded, crunched up diapers hanging about in my purse. Kenzie loves "Sna's" (snails). Again, the snail antennae and shell spirals are done in gold thread - and don't show up well in the photos.

These could have been really great creations, but I didn't have the energy to put the extra "oomph" into them. Maybe next time...