Nowadays …

So, after reading a whole heap of seriously emotive venting of individual preferences over the last few days, via a gazillion comments on this post and several others I forgot to save the links to … I have decided that it’s time for a change here on my blog …


…  a new mission statement, if you will:  


I’m going to keep all of the people happy all of the time


Now, let me see if I’ve got this right ... 



future posts would feature NONE of the following:

wonky seams
perfect seams
wonky blocks
writing without pictures
pictures without writing
talking about my offline life - glass overbrimming
talking about my offline life - glass half full
talking about my offline life - glass grubby, empty and overturned
Gee’s Bend inspiration
pics of what I’m wearing
pics of what I’d like to be wearing
trending fabrics/designers/patterns
fabric porn pics of designer fabrics
interviews with fabric designers
reporting on quilt shows we can’t go to
batik
unquilted/hand quilted/machine quilted quilt tops
machine/hand sewn binding
applique
scrappy quilting
talk of FMQ
Sponsors
pics of Sunday stashes
links to etsy or folksy shops
memes
bloghops
giveaways
tutorials
quiltalongs
swaps [in case anyone gets something they don’t like]
bees [see above]
and … comments

Doesn’t take long, does it? 

To end up with absolutely nothing.  

Aled Lewis via

So, let’s just look at this modern/contemporary/classic/traditional labelling & dumbing down kerfuffle from another angle.

It’s all down to semantics … and I know about semantics … it’s my special subject. I wrote an entire dissertation about linguistic & conceptual changes during the French Revolution.

Trust me.  I’m a linguist

Think about this for a couple of seconds, or till you get dizzy …

Just how much has the combination of the internet, advances in technology, digital photography and crazy mad sewing bloggers transformed the world of sewing over the last 5 years?

Quite a lot right? 

As human beings we have a need to categorise things in order to be able to describe them.  When, despite vigorous attempts, something square and peg-like doesn’t fit in to one of our round hole-y concepts, we eventually invent a new word for the new concept.

Trouble is, categorisation is a painfully subjective business.  It’s one of the reasons why English is such a vocabulary-rich language!  It’s like butterfly from chrysallis - starts out pretty ugly, ends up it's own discrete beautiful thing.


I’m with what Crazy Old Ladies says here and Katy @ I’m a Ginger Monkey says here. 

And if I must be categorised, I’m taking my lead from Katy.  


I’m a ‘Nowadays’ Quilter  


…  and, as far as mission statements go: 


I can only ever hope to please some of the people
some of the time …
 

So, I will stitch, photograph, paint and write whatever takes my fancy, while retaining a healthy respect for all the other buggers bloggers (and their fancies) out there. 

I think we’ll have a giveaway to celebrate (just to annoy people)  
… tune in on Monday … LOL

Farewell Blogtoberfest – it’s Been a Blast! {Blogtoberfest #31}

So, 31 days of frantic blank page paranoia later, eh? 

I think I missed about 3 posts, but then Blogtoberfest crash-landed into the first few weeks of a very busy term, so I think I managed quite well. Yada Yada Yada

I have had such an amazing time that I thought I’d pick 10 (random and in no particular order!)  blogs that I first visited this month to share:

(if I missed you out this time round, please don't fret - I'm going to do this regularly)

(Don’t forget you can enter my final Blogtoberfest giveaway here until 7th Nov!)

Chantal Vincent Art	http://chantalvincentart.blogspot.com/ I love Chantal's funky prints and her avatar!  I collect ceramic cicadas and have one by my front door, so I feel we bonded without even knowing!
Chunky Chooky	http://www.chunkychooky.blogspot.com/ Cath has a great blog, balancing life, craft, kids and humour – we secretly bonded over one of her favourite books – The Art of Looking Sideways – one of mine too!  I loved the meme she did as we all started to run out of steam!
The Lost Crafter	http://thelostcrafter.blogspot.com/ Sarah has some really gorgeous vintage style there – both thrifted and handmade – fab – especially the vintage knitting – we also share a love of beetroot, so I’m very squeaky about the beetroot hummus recipe
Gertie’s Blog for Better Sewing	http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/ Sarah’s blog led me to Gertie’s – her first inspiration was to sew all 14 vintage styles from Vogue’s New Book for Better sewing – but there’s much much more – including some really fine tutorials
Owlet Designs	http://owlet-designs.blogspot.com/ What a lovely blog!  Great craftyness, super kids clothes, and a real feeling for family life.  Hard to pick a favourite post but I’m plumping for the rhubarb and lemon cake for the combination of lovely photography and stonkingly good recipe!
One Flew Over	http://www.oneflewover-oneflewover.com/ What this lady can do with solid colours and beautiful quilting just amazes me – every piece is so tranquil and I want them all!  But her use of pattern is fantastic too – just look at Gerald!
Bellgirl	http://bellgirl.com.au/ Annabel grows veg, sews, has kids and does all with a real zest for life.  I love her blog and we bonded over sewing nerdy platonic solids!    Check out her dodecahedron bowling ball with these cute owls!
Create for Life	http://larageach.blogspot.com/ Larissa celebrates nature and sewing with such intelligence and wit – I was lucky enough to win her giveaway for one of her spirit dolls too!
I speak Melsh	http://ispeakmelsh.blogspot.com/ I love Mel’s blog for her photography, her crafting and her sense of humour – take a look at the interview and the interview!
It’s All About the Fabric	http://itsallaboutthefabric.blogspot.com/ Emma’s blog is choc full of fantastic fabric addict drooling, great crafting and a fab vibe. She had such a fun giveaway (even though I didn’t win!) but the guessing was hysterical!

Not all these bloggers were necessarily part of Blogtoberfest, but if not, they left comments on those that were.  I visited about 200 Blogtoberfest blogs this month but maybe just as many again from comments …

I love the serendipity of comments sections – do you? How do you find new people to visit?  Do you feel that your Reader is out of control?! – tell all!

and in case you had amnesia while scrolling  … you can enter my final Pay it Forward Blogtoberfest giveaway here!

Let’s have some Meme Fun {Blogtoberfest #22}

 

… sorry this is a late post, fellow Blogtoberfestians, but my internet connection is a bit like this and I just gave up last night --->

Cath @ ChunkyChooky is having some fun with this so I thought I would too  … If you want to join in, go add your link once you’ve mused …

4 things that I always carry

• Pens & notebook (I’m a stationery fiend)
• Fuschia Lipstick (I can’t concentrate without it)
• iPod (though I never remember I’ve got it until the battery’s flat!)
• Guilt from eating that bit of cake

4 things that are in my bedroom:

• Peace
• Notebook for writing down weird dreams/3 am thoughts of extreme creative genius
• A tottering tower of unread books (I love The Art of Looking Sideways, too, Cath)
• Tribble-like odd sock collection

4 things that I would like to do but haven't done yet:

• Fly a WWII Spitfire
• Cut in a straight line
• Go to Egypt on a Nile cruise and a potter round the pyramids
• Find buried treasure

4 things that you don't know about me:

• I have synaesthesia, which means that I hear colour in music, words and numbers
• I can’t ride a bicycle & I’ve never taken my driving test
• I once made coffee for Bishop Desmond Tutu (he was wearing beautiful purple socks)
• Back in the 1980s I used to dress up as Frank N Furter from the Rocky Horror Picture Show and go throw rice at the screen – sheesh that was 30 years ago!

4 things I often wonder:

• how did 20 years go like *that* when just 1 hour in a Monday morning class can seem like a decade?
• where did I put my new front teeth?
• why am I so clumsy?
• what did I come in here for?

I'm thinking ...

... what are you thinking?