Tuesday 9 August 2011

The Mother Of Invention!!

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. Well ... I'd have to agree this week! :0) And to help explain what I mean, I thought I'd share a little peek into my design process with you. I'm sure people have different mental pictures of how craft designers actually DESIGN. Some may see designers as stitching wizards spinning their web of thread and fabric magic in a crystal sewing cave, brewing up ideas in a giant creative cauldron ...


Some may imagine designers work only with the purpose-designed quilting tools and gadgets while sitting at ruthlessly tidy desks where everything has a place and they work logically through the steps of design ...


And some people may picture a tornado of pins, fabric, pencils and creative chaos ... A bit like the Disney Tassie Devil ... but with stitching stuff! :0)




I confess to being more like that LAST version of a designer! Tee! Hee! Hee! What you probably DON'T envisage is something like this ...

A Dodgy-Brothers-&-Co. lightbox on an ironing board drawing board! :0) You see ... I don't usually use a lightbox to trace stitchery designs ... I can either see through the fabric well enough to trace, or if the background fabric is a little darker, I'll tape everything to the window and  let the light shine in. However ... with my latest Secret Squirrel project, I was struggling to see the stitchery design through the pretty-but-busy toile fabric and the border strips were too long to stick to the window. Despite some REALLY heavy hints to my Beloved Geek Boy/Handyman, a lightbox was not forthcoming (I've been putting off buying one for quite some time because GB keeps promising to make me one!!) ... so I had to think a little outside the box ... or should I say INSIDE the box! Tee! Hee! Hee! We all know these clear plastic tubs have 101 uses around the home ... well now I've discovered use number 102! :0) Lay a box on its side, manipulate a bendy desk lamp, set the ironing board to a comfy height and  ET VOILA!! A work station and lightbox good enough to get the job done ... for now! I might add that GB has been asked to please bump making me a lightbox a little higher up HIS "To Do" list ... but I'm not holding my breath! :0)

Now ... as I've said, I'm still working on my Secret Squirrel French quilt, so I can't show it to you, but I'll give you a couple of sneaky peekies at what I needed to trace ...


Bonjour!! Hello is always a good way to start a conversation. :0)


Je T'aime! You can never tell your loved ones too often that "I Love You!" :0)

So there you go ... now you've had a little peek in the back door of a designer's workshop ... sorry to all who are now completely disillusioned! Tee! Hee! Hee! Hope you're all having a lovely start to the week ... may the rest of your days be filled with FRIENDS, FABRIC and FUN! :0) Til next time ...


BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS



7 comments:

Linda Lilly Cottage said...

Hi darling Kris, yes indeed I did imagine you as the third designer ( I know you too well) and I think Kerryanne is a number 2 designer....back to you though I am thinking that that box does not pass design health and safety standards no matter how inventive it is...and it is inventive. Tell your darling one that despite the fact it is his birthday on Thursday you are the one that needs a present...oh I suppose he could have one as well...a light box that is..hehe
Kiss Noises Linda

Anonymous said...

Oh Kris you are so funny and i was like linda i had imagined you as the third flying around like a whirl wind,lol.
Have a great week Kris

Maria said...

LOL !!! Well done Kris.The plastic box and bendy light seems to have done the job for you.
My DH made my lightbox out of an old draw and a small flouro. A must for leadlighting.
Enjoy the rest of the week.

Bearly Sane said...

I'm afraid I was very spoilt by my dear dad...he made me the most wonderful light table when we had our printing business and of course it has certainly come in handy for many other things over the years.

After seeing this post, I do consider you a designer with great ingenuity! Well done Kris.

Warmest hugs,
Sandi

Heather said...

Hi Kris, I have just discovered your blog. Your lightbox is very creative - don't think I could manage without my lightbox. Love those Pom Pom de Paris fabrics too.

Bec said...

A very creative lightbox! I too, had been waiting a long time for DH to make something that he said I should not purchase. However a very generous friend gave me her mothers no longer wnated light box; and this one was homemade so even better! It's fantastic, I love it; and best of all it was free!
I remember Fiona of Dragon Fly Crafts blogging a few years ago about using her lamp, a box and a piece of glass - might be a post worth chasing up.

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

[giggle] Me thinks there could be some serious OH&S issues here, but hey, if it works and no one sees it - all is good.
Please GB.... will you make Kris a lightbox before she sets the crafting room alight.
See you soon.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne

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