Craft Lust and Lists

I'm sure I'm seriously late on the uptake here, but Kaffe Fassett is my new quilting hero (if I had a quilting hero before, that is). I ran into his book, Passionate Patchwork, at Golden State Sewing & Quilting Center and was somewhat frustrated because my hands were already full of fat quarters and I had Keats in a front carrier. I felt like my niece who never puts down her toy rabbits. I managed to flip through it and was dumbfounded by the beauty within. He has an absolutely flawless sense for color, texture, and placement. He makes me want to go out and buy all the schmanciest quilting equipment out there and turn Keats' nursery into an all-out quilting den. Of course, I won't, but the desire is there and has implanted a very serious need to add this to the list of must-haves if Birch and I ever get to build our own house: a quilting section in my crafting room. For now, I'll settle for his books Passionate Patchwork and Quilt Road. I've got to get my hands on some of his fabrics, too.

Next, I can't decide between an outdoor playhouse made of fabric or plastic bottles. Yep, you heard me, plastic bottles. There's this awesome group, Eco-Tec, that has been building different buildings around the world out of plastic bottles and mud (basically). I would love to build our eventual house (or at least a section of it) using this same method, but for now, this is a small-scale-friendly use of it. I may have to incorporate both into the final product. Of course, there may be idiotic zoning restrictions that make building this impossible. Either way, I want to make fake garden plants that velcro to the walls, much like Imaginative Play Toys' Sunshine Cottage. (I also love her Clothesline Tent).

I have a massive To-Do List in my head and I must write it down so I don't forget all the little things buzzing around in there...

PROJECT LIST 2010:

Create garden party bits and pieces (research ideas, too)

Build rabbit hutch

Sew outdoor bunting

Build and paint picket fence for dog area 

Take out the ivy in front and back yards 

Rocking chair cushions

Living room and bedroom curtains

Finish painting bathroom

Put up Santa Cruz Antique Fair mirror in bathroom

Paint birch trees on bedroom accent wall (poppies on the opposite wall?)

Make stuffies, etc. for nieces and nephews birthdays

Finish at least two panels of carnival tent

Brainstorm for and create transatlantic crafting blog with Suzie

Figure out a better composting system

Take down all closet doors and replace with curtains (those doors are hideous)

project list 2011:

sew pieces for playhouse

put together playhouse

build outdoor daybed

build storage bench for garden tools

any leftover projects from 2010...

IN GENERAL: 

TAKE PICTURES OF IT ALL