The "Eyes" have it!

Though the view outside my studio window is pretty and green, it is also in the 90's and VERY humid out there!

The next CPP word was published today. It is "eye" and I have so many eye-deas for it! I can hardly wait to get to my sketchbook and start in!

I've been struggling in the studio. I sense a theme with that this year. My practical side is fighting my logical side that is fighting my heart's desire side that is....well, you get the picture. My goal is to stop whining and to just create something and forget if the end result will be 'good enough'! I have been sketching a lot in the smaller sketchbook, each night. I put down ANY artsy idea that comes to me. I plan to go back and utilize some of those ideas too.

I have been pushing myself to keep working on the U is for Unicorn quilt. The three blocks I am working on right now are so intricate and tedious.
This blueish block was thrown in the trash for several days. I dug it back out last night, and am going to revive it. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined in my head. One thing it taught me was that I need to double the layer of tear-a-way stabilizer on the back. I have been having issues with puckering on these pieces that have a lot of satin stitching.

There is very little progress on actually assembling the quilt top.

To distract myself, I have started working on a cigar box:

I don't know what I am doing with it yet. I just needed to put a felt liner in it.

This free sample issue for Quilt Retailer magazine came in the mail yesterday. If you bother to look at a closeup of the address you will see below my name, "Fabric Artist/Quilter/Teacher":
I don't know why, but that made me smile. I am trying, perhaps too hard, to define myself these days! The magazine itself was interesting. I only glanced at it so far, but am looking forward to reading it more thoroughly. The old pangs of having my own business surfaced too. I just am not gutsy enough to invest thousands of dollars to open a shop.

I watched the first episode of the artist reality show on Bravo. Some folks are going to do the challenges right along with the show. The first challenge was to do a portrait in 13 hours. I hate portraits. I have given myself permission to do only those challenges that pique my interest! The biggest thing I got out of the show was how many of the artists used photography to start their creations. This has actually inspired me. I have lots of ideas floating around in my head now!

Next week we are going to an exhibit of Pharaohs in Little Rock. I have never been to anything like this. The closest I've come to visiting a museum is the local county museum in a little town in Minnesota! When I think of ALL the places I could have gone in San Jose and San Francisco, I feel sad! What a missed opportunity! I plan to make up for it here. Little Rock has a lot more to offer than you might think. I plan to take lots of photos and hope to be inspired to create something from those photographs.

On to the weekend now. I hope everyone does something fun this weekend! :)