An Unfolding Story - Finished

When Meg of MegJournals started Catalysts and Curiosities , I was intrigued.  

And when she started sharing her creative commonplace journal approach I was hooked.

I've posted before about this altered Nancy Drew book, but for now I'm calling it finished so it's time for a recap post.

This is the inside cover/first page.   I'll add some dates and notes on the faux library card and keep it and the book's original title page in the library pocket.

Because of this project, I have mostly overcome my reluctance to actually w-r-i-t-e in my journals.  I'm learning that if I make too big a mistake or just don't like the outcome, I can simply paste something else over the top and begin again or change direction entirely.  

For those who aren't familiar with commonplace books, they can be very academic or themed to a particular subject.  I'm linking the Wikipedia explanation if you're curious to know more.

What I liked about Meg's approach was the blending of gathered words, ideas, thoughts, images, and ephemera; combining the idea of a serious commonplace book with the visuals of a curated junque journal.

Magazine images, scraps of paper just large enough to add a tiny quote, art stickers, and a multi-color mix of pens/ink - they all have a home in this book.

The blue footed booby sticker simply HAD to be included.  

(reminder - if you want to more easily read the handwriting, all photos should enlarge when clicked)

One of Young Man's dragon stickers was included as well.

So many things now live within these pages - there's no really good way to share all of them unless the reader is holds the book in their hands while exploring the pages.

The book still has a few unembellished pages so I can add additional thoughts/quotes over time.  

I do need to add a slightly heftier set of ribbons for tying the covers closed since left on its own, the journal definitely has "gator mouth." It is very definitely a chunky altered book.

There will be another of these at some point after I find just the right book and have gathered more thoughts, quotes, and ideas to include.

* * *

Elsewhere - This is a photo of the blooming waxed amaryllis bulb in my design studio.  Notice the additional bud stem at the base which means more beauty yet to come.

And this is the third bulb that lives in my sewing studio.  Four blooms and what looks to be another bud stem on the way.

I'll close with this photo of Young Man taken at the recent Beale Street Christmas Parade.  

Quiltdivajulie

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"It's the small habits.  How you spend your mornings.  How you talk to yourself.  What you read.  What you watch.  Who you share your energy with.  Who has access to you. That will change your life."

Michael Tonge

No Sew November Journal - Finished

My No Sew November accordion journal is done.  The month of prompts was hosted by Meg of Meg Journals (posts on Substack and videos/playlist on You Tube).

This year she didn't go with the one-prompt-per-day-means-one-page-per-day-approach.

Instead the early prompts focused on creating base layers throughout the entire journal and then progressed from there.

I found this to be a much less stressful approach and one that didn't fill me with the urge to shop for "just the right item" for any given prompt.

Instead I found myself happily searching through my stash and actually USING items I've been saving (who knows why I had skipped over them before).

I added three flip pages (this one created with a heavy weight post card to which I added vintage photos, quotes, and some marks).

Finally I found the perfect use for my stash of textured papers - you can see them in the background of every page.

Security envelope scraps, a bit of velvet ribbon, scraps of painted paper, and a map scrap turned into this handsome page.

The adjacent page shifted in color palette but mirrors the overall feel of the journal.

Another combination that pleases me.

T is for tea (and textures).

A selvage edge scrap, a word cut from the cover of a magazine, a washi ticket stub, a map scrap, and more texture paper plus a tag and a sticker - soothing but with so much to visually explore.

There are many other pages I could have included in this post, but these are enough to give you a real sense of this journal's vibe and contents. 

I'm beyond delighted with the end result.

* * *

There's a"not quite finished" journal post for An Unfolding Story pending as well as what will be a finish-reveal post for Trouvaille (next week).  Progress is happening simultaneously on many fronts.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing."

Marc Chagall

Full Deck Challenge 3 Video Flip Through

CLICK HERE  to watch a 5-minute flip through of my finished ring of  altered shipping tags.

[edit added later - on the tag with the bits of what I called crochet by my grandmother - her work is actually tatting (thanks to the readers who gently pointed that out to me)]

Thank you for sharing this year-long collage-centric journey with me.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing.  Making your unknown known is the important thing."

Georgia O'Keefe

Shirts and Such - the Quilt

Shirts and Such was started in August 2024 and now the finished quilt measures 53" x 71" 

I have no idea how many different fabrics from the stash were used in the quilt top, but there are strips cut from two of DH's no-longer-needed light blue striped dress shirts in the mix.

Here's a photo of the back - I used leftover strips to create the long insert panel.

Front flipped over to the back . . . 

And back flipped over to the front.

Backing by Studio e, Pattern No. 5483 - Midnight Hydrangea by Laura Stone.

Binding by Windham - Impressions by Melissa Marie Collins, Pattern No. 53015D.

Glide thread in Graphite was used for the free motion nested spiral fans.

And an indoor crumpled quilt photo to simulate how the quilt will look when in use in the recliner.

* * *

Wishing all of you a safe and satisfying Thanksgiving weekend.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day."

Shira Tamir

Wallaroo - the Quilt

Wallaroo, quilt number 6 in my Macnas series, is finished.

51" x 71"

Here's a detail photo to enjoy.

Quilted with my all over nested spiral fans (unmarked free motion) and Glide thread in Biscotti on top and a mix of Biscotti and Mocha as the bobbin threads.

I used the same fabric for both backing and binding - Urban Essence Designs for Blank Quilting Pattern No. 2325 “Alternative Age” purchased 12/2022.

Why did I name this quilt Wallaroo?  

I wanted a name that acknowledged the aboriginal fabrics - wallaroo is used as common name for species of Australian macropods intermediate in size between kangaroos and wallabies.  

And my year-end finishing marathon continues . . . 

Quiltdivajulie

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"It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world."

Mary Oliver

Since My Last Post

Let's start with the weekend first - Young Man was here for an overnight so little else was done beyond enjoying him.  

That said, while he was busy playing video games on DeeDah's computer I was able to take some better outdoor photos of Kefi:

I really do love this happy, scrappy quilt!

Late last week I was able to get the backing sewn together for Shirts and Such which is next up for quilting.

And as soon as Shirts and Such is quilted, Trouvaille will be ready for its turn with Max.  

The Kaffe yardage on the left will be the backing.  The bias stripe will become binding.

I hope to get both of these quilted and finished by early December.  

Time will tell!

Quiltdivajulie

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"A stash should not be a museum with everything behind glass forever - but a restaurant with revolving door and changing menu."

Amanda Leins

KEFI - the Quilt

Kefi was born during the summer of 2022 in Lynne's New Hampshire quilt studio.  

Kefi is a Greek noun meaning "the spirit of joy, enthusiasm, high spirits in which good times and passion [for life] are expressed with an abundance of excitement, happiness, and fun."

My first blog post for Kefi with the back story of its beginnings is HERE.

Two of the update blog posts with photos and more fabric stories are HERE and HERE.  

(you can find others using the KEFI label at the end of this post)

Kefi's quilt top blog "reveal" post is HERE.

I really don't know why Kefi then moved into my 'waiting to be quilted' closet aside from the fact that I only had 3 yards of the floral backing I planned to use and I wasn't keen on piecing the scrappy panels to border it. 

Based on that decision, in early 2023 I purchased an additional 3 yards of the same backing fabric; but still Kefi continued to wait.

In October 2025, I realized that the leftover piano key border pieces/segments from Young Man's Dragon Fyre quilt would make an excellent insert strip for Kefi's still-unsewn backing.

I guess that was the reason why Kefi hadn't been finished - the back was stalling, waiting for me to figure it out.  (hint - always listen to your quilts!)

And now, Kefi is finished.  This group of crumpled photos was taken at my sewing machine as I added the binding.  I couldn't resist when the morning sun made the scrappiness practically sparkle with joy.

I finally put on my coat and took the quilt outdoors . . . 

[Inspired by Lynne's series of Scrap Slab Triangle quilts.  Quilted with Glide thread in Pink Rose using my free motion unmarked nested spiral fans.  The tossed teacups/flowers border and binding fabric is by Loralei Designs.]

It was 29 degrees (before wind chill) and windy so I didn't spend a lot of time fussing to get the "ideal" shot (I'll try again later in the week when it is warmer and less windy).

Sadly the wind was sucking the lower part of the quilt tight against the fence so it looks bowed.  In reality it lays wonderfully flat.

This is absolutely another quilt I will use and enjoy, revisiting all sorts of memories via its many, many fabrics.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced."

Leo Tolstoy