Unredeemed Dreams

Having just been told by AT&T that there ARE NO MORE unlimited data plans for the Ipad, and that the City of Austin will give us NO MORE free parking on the weekends downtown, I've been thinking about space lately. Humans don't like limits - especially this human. Even if I don't use my whole data plan, I want to know I'll never hit a wall and miss that next kitten video. We are most creative and happy when we are free.

I went to hear the Soup Peddler speak at RISE a few weeks ago, and his session was in the incredibly beautiful Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. I was running late, as a result of trying to find one of those expensive parking spots downtown, but on the way in, I was arrested by these stunning quotes about Texas, chiseled into the walls of the rotunda.
My fellow Texans will feel this one in their hearts. We love our wide open spaces, and big sky. No limits.

I think one of the reasons I love this little papercrafting hobby is that it IS wide and deep, with no end of color and invention. Someone is always creating something around us that we can't wait to try. Each and every day - usually many, many times - I'm completely amazed by something new. Here's a tutorial I fell in love with this week, and here's another that about made me cry, it's so artistic and beautiful and blue.

None of us fear some artistic authority coming in and putting a stop to it all, or charging us extra just to access the talent of the people around us.

Since I'm lucky enough to get to say hi to the people who are new to Splitcoast every day, I meet all sorts of interesting people from all over the world. Some are new to stamping, and some are already incredible artists.

Sometimes I envy the newbies, because I think - oh, how your crafty future is filled with unredeemed dreams...

Sometimes I feel like a newbie though. Like when I get crafty live on my Ustream channel with my friends. I make all the mistakes live on camera that my blog never reveals. I can't find things, and have to search for them in real time like last night, when my friend Leslie basically made me get out every punch I owned to find the one I finally used on the project. It's so fun, and I love sharing the real deal. We're messy, unorganized and easily entertained. We teach each other things. We can laugh at ourselves and each other. We make each other's art better. We give each other the crafty wantmonster in the worst way.

Try to think of yourselves not as imperfect little artists. Think of yourselves as the co-creators of unredeemed artistic dreams.

Thanks to my collaborators last night: Donna, Leslie, Christy and Mary Dawn, I created this little bag.
It was totally a group effort.

I adhered some Sweet Stitches fabric to a Multi-purpose Adhesive sheet and ran it through the Big Shot with the Fancy Favor die. I did the same with a piece of Crumb Cake. Why did I not stick the fabric to the cardstock before cutting them? Because that, my friends, is one of those unredeemed dreams! Now you know better! :)

I actually stamped the Pattern Pieces stamp on Whisper White and then colored it with direct-to-paper with Pixie Pink and Daffodil Delight for those accent pieces I punched. Then I stamped the dress form from Sew Suite, glittered it and stuck it on with a Sweet Stitches button. The fabric really makes it feel nice - way nicer than cardstock. I glued on the pom pom trim with Tombo Multi.

So thanks to my friends who helped me with this little bag and made me laugh! You are the source of many unredeemed crafty dreams!

TGIF.

Loveyameanitbye.