Change

So when you are faced with change, do you embrace it or run away as fast as possible yelling at the top of your lungs? 

I have actually done both, but today I am embracing the latest of the changes that keep rolling into my world. Remember this picture?

Well it is now part of my rolling office! There has been a change and you are looking at the new fabric rep for Blank Quilting Corp. So now you know why this blog has been stagnate!

I keep changing my mind on packing these totes. 

(Actually, there was a change in ownership at Blank Quilting Corp too.) I think everyone may still in the transitional learning curve but thanks to the worker bee's at Blank (CG and RB, specifically) with the leadership of Scott Fortunoff, that curve is more of a straight path everyday. 

Another change is on the brown truck! The new line of fabric should be at my door today, so I will get to change my packed bags once again. (Weekend project with coffee....can't wait to see what's in the box.) A preview e-mail from Scott listed the 11 new lines. The last on the list was Western Album by Western Denim & Dirt, designed by native Texan TANA MEULLER!! Now how cool is that? Native Texan Tana is going to be selling a design by Tana.  Wonder how many people I can confuse with that one. ~Good thing I sign my work tdoss, otherwise I might be the first to be confused~

Alright, on that thought, I need to go make some change!!

Happy coloring, 
Tana

Looking for a Project?

What an honor and how fun to be a part of the book reviews on the See How We Sew blog. Fabric Jewelry was my contribution, but the patchwork projects look so very tempting. Must get our tax return finished so I can go play!

Have a great weekend! The temperature will be in the 70's so it should be yard work for me ~~
Happy coloring,
Tana

One Thing Leads to Another (and Another)

So, the painting and decorating that has been happening in the living half of our home sometimes goes by "the remodel", but there isn't anything structural being done, so that really isn't accurate. Then sometimes I will say, "Updating," but since I am not necessarily young and fresh and I like what I like...updating is a relative term. Face-lift....I think that is the description I have been searching for and as I suspect, when you get a face-lift, you then need to color your hair, then you need new clothes, and then you need....well, then one thing leads to another and then another.

Needing another thing is where this large expanse of freshly painted light gray family room wall has found itself.

All the nick knacks and wall hangings have circled round and round, into the entry hall and into the dining room and when the music stopped, this wall remained empty. And this is when I broke my main New Year's resolution.  (Finish the 2013 projects before starting anything new in 2014) 

Enter the new project to hang on the empty wall. The thing that sent me off to sew, was 

being able to finally use some of the hand dyed fabrics in a project for me.

My hubby estimated the wall quilt to be up in about 2 days. (He was seriously being generous on the time frame.) I am ready to trim the blocks and the borders are cut.....it has taken, just shy of 40 hours to get to this point. I am doing raw edge applique on the sewing machine, I would never finish if I was doing hand applique!

It was so hard to make the first cut into my batiks, but so glad I found a fun project where they look really happy.  Wish I were ready to do the quilting...

Happy coloring,

Tana

Doing for Others

Well, this is not a post on my being a benevolent humanitarian,(insert snicker) but rather the crazy idea that I can create items from another person's vision.  It started this morning when I checked my etsy shop and had a request for a custom art pillow.

This is the pillow that she liked...BUT....could I do the same muted tones with a frog/toad theme. (If you must know...I'm not very fond of frog/toads.) I decided to make a little sketch of an idea and look through some fabric to see if there was a vision.

I think this toad would be very "hoppy" if the pillow back was cut from a piece of hand dyed fabric. Waiting now to see if our ideas are mutual. He may get a little color pencil anyway just for fun...

Happy Coloring, 
Tana

Shoes on Before Nine Equals Great Rewards

Years of working from home have indulged my preference to go barefoot, especially in the early morning hours when the coffee is hot and the house is quiet. However, this past Thursday and Friday I received rich and colorful rewards for being pressed and dressed before the 9 o'clock hour.

Karen K. Stone (yes, the picture is borrowed~I was too saturated with information to remember pictures) delivered a talk to the Quilter's Guild of East Texas and taught a class on Friday.

karenkstone.com

 O(!)M(!)G(!) !!! 

Her approach to color and her method of harmonious relationships between fabrics is fabulous. Highly recommend anyone seizing the opportunity to hear her speak and a class is better yet! (She has a book too ~ just sayin')

I had to listen carefully to Karen with my eyes (eyes-not a typo!) and was very happy with the resulting quilt block. This is from Karen's quilt "Wild Women Don't Get the Blues". My one block will be made into a wall hanging as a reminder that it is "ok to go wild".

The place of honor is already reserved on the craft room wall!

Happy coloring,
Tana