Cheatham Country Creations-The Blog

 As I have said before, I've been in a creative slump lately.  I'm finally feeling the fog beginning to clear...and I've found some great sources of inspiration.  If you're a quilter (or want to be) check these out!

Quilting Board-The Quilter's Message Board---Fun, friendly and supportive online quilting community.  Look for posts by BRenea...that's me!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/

Electric Quilt Company---Software and products to make quilting easy, fun and personal.  I am an avid Electric Quilt 7 user!

www.electricquilt.com/default.asp

 

For those of you who have visited before, please notice that all "comment spam" has been (and will continue to be) removed.  I pay to have this blog and my website (coming back soon!) hosted and I do not appreciate unscrupulous businesses promoting themselves on my sites!  That being said, if you have a genuine and post-related comment, please feel free to add it, I love hearing from you!

 

 

Okay, I'll admit it...I've been in a creative slump lately.  It happens occasionally, and it doesn't usually last for long.  Some people like to work through it, to make inspiration come to them, but I can't force it.  I prefer to just let it run its course, because sooner or later something will inspire me.  I recently attended a local quilt show and began to feel those creative juices flow...we'll see what happens next.

Yes, I know it's been a while since my last post.  The month of June flew quickly by, as did half of July!  Early summer is a busy time for us because all of our crops are coming in.  My husband and I also took some vacation time at the beginning of July to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary.  Now the garden is all but gone (just a few okra plants remain), the hay is in and the cane has been cut down in anticipation of making homemade molasses.  I hope to once again post regularly, so check back soon!

For over a decade, we have been raising purebred Limousin cattle at our farm.  Two bulls and many cows and calves later, we're ready for a change.  We recently sold Jett, our beautiful black bull of nearly seven years, and I would be lying if I said it didn't break my heart a little bit...such is the nature of change.  We have kept only a few of our very best young cows, two of which were "bottle babies" raised by us.  We look forward to buying some cattle of a different breed to mix into our herd, but what that breed (or breeds) will be is as of yet undecided.  A new and exciting chapter begins for our farm!

I consider myself lucky.  My mom was the first to encourage my love of crafting.  An excellent seamstress, she nurtured my love of sewing and was eager to provide supplies as we ventured into other crafts.  We crocheted, embroidered, made dolls and stuffed animals, painted...you name it, we probably tried it at some point.  I had a great and creative childhood. When I got married, my mother-in-law and I bonded over a great (but yet unfulfilled) passion.  We were both quilters at heart!  She purchased the very first book in what would become my expansive quilting collection.  We learned how to quilt together, through trial and error, learning the basics while developing our own techniques.  Some fifteen years later the rest, as they say, is history! To both my "moms": for all the encouragement through the years, and for all the love...thanks more than I can ever say!

For those of you that have visited before, you may notice some subtle changes to the blog.  I'll be the first to admit it, I'm a perfectionist.  Don't get me wrong, I myself am far from perfect, I just like to do everything to the best of my ability.  I will work and re-work anything in order to make it better.  While this might sound like a good thing in theory, it has a definite downside.  I rip out quilt block seams, undo rows of crochet, touch up this, redo that...you get the point. Perfectionism at its best challenges us to do better.  Perfectionism at its worst slashes our productivity and makes us doubt ourselves.  I've been trying to find the balance, and just enjoy.  I've also been getting more done, and sometimes done is perfect!

I spent several hours today helping my mother-in-law learn to crochet.  No, I do not think she is a dog nor is she that old, the phrase just seemed to fit!  She even said it herself!  She is proficient in quilting, sewing and plastic canvas needlework, but my crochet projects fascinate her.  So I went over the basics and left her with a how-to book and one of my crochet hooks.  Maybe she'll do some crafty "homework" tonight!  Anyway, I'm glad she wants to learn, and I'll keep you posted on her progress.

In honor of Earth Day, I've been working on some of my reuse/recycle projects.  I have some panels cut from old jeans that I'm sewing into skirts.  I have a skirt with embroidery and crystals that I bought a few years back (and I really love), so I'm hoping to emulate it.  It's amazing what a little machine embroidery and some heat-set crystals will do for old denim!  For the past couple of years I've made a conscious effort to pare down, waste less and use what I have (that includes my enormous stock of crafting supplies).  Every once in a while I dig through said supplies and just make something, it gives me a sense of accomplishment and ever-so-slowly whittles down the pile!  If you have unused crafty loot around, think about using it!  Make something for yourself, as a gift, or just pass on the supplies to someone who will enjoy them.