Overexcitability

I have to tell you I am suffering at the moment, reeeeaaaaaallly suffering. Yes, I have been struck down with a most severe case of Overexcitability and it is so bad that I am quite beside myself. I can't sleep properly, I am all over the place with the giddy-jitters and my mind is bursting with so much inspiration and so many creative possibilities presenting themselves to me at the moment.

Of course, this is not a new experience for me, no-no-no, it's all too familiar. I often suffer from this affliction, and it just today occurred to me that it could possibly be seasonal (see this post from this time last year? See how remarkably close the dates are?? Uncanny or what??)

So let us chat a little about the Root Cause of my current Overexcitable condition shall we? Well it's been brewing for a while you understand, but finally came to a head yesterday when I left the house at 9.30am, and drove myself across the hills to Harrogate to visit the Knitting and Stitching Show. It was quite a spontaneous and last minute decision to go, but I am so glad I made the effort. It was sooooo exciting! I only took one photograph at the show (the above amazing stitched vase of flowers), cos I was quite honestly too busy rushing around hither and thither working myself up into an Overexcited frenzy.

After a medicinal cappuccino and a danish pastry had been consumed, my first stop was my favourite button stand to replenish my stock of deliciously coloured plastic buttons.

I spent a lovely time here selecting from the colour themed pick-and-mix tubs, filling my little bags with same-size buttons, chatting to the other customers as we took turns making our selections, swapping places when necessary, admiring each others choices. It was a lot of fun, and I love-love-love my buttons.

Second stop was to be fabric. Now then....I had it in the back of my mind that I might possibly be able to buy some rather nice fabric at the show, but had not really entirely planned it you understand. The whole business of buying fabric and Building a Stash scares me a little, it always seems so frivolous and extravagant, and there is often a lot of associated Guilt involved.

But you see, I've had it in me to make a Patchwork Quilt for the Longest Time now, I really, really, really have desperately wanted to do it for years. You may remember me chatting to you about it earlier in the year, and showing you my modest stash back then. You may also remember my patchwork chair seat cover, and how I managed to end up with a whole stack of extra fabric squares now waiting patiently to be assembled into Quilt Formation.

 

So yesterday, with this quilt idea in the back of my mind, I ended up going a little bit crazy and went off on a bit of a spontaneous fabric-buying splurge. I visited four different fabric sellers and in a frenzy of Overexcitable buying I ended up with the above fat quarters. Sixteen in total, a mixture of Kaffe Fasset, Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Anna-Maria Horner.

What do you think?? Aren't they LUSH????

Oh I have been fondling and smooching these little stacks of fabricky gorgeousness like you wouldn't believe, I am very much smitten.....

.....and once they were added to my other fabrics, I realised with complete joy that after many years I have now assembled the Perfect Stash to make a quilt with. And I am so excited.

SO VERY EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But deary-deary me folks, that is not all. That is not the end of my Overexcitability I'm afraid. No, there was one other thing that Got me yesterday :: my third stop at the show was the amazing "Decopatch" stand. I wish that I'd had the thought to take some photographs at this stand, it was completely brilliant, and hugely inspiring, I just could not resist it's colourful charms. Already buzzing from my button and fabric purchases, I kind of just went with the flow here and indulged my creative Overexcitability to the max.

So what is Decopatch?? Well it's basically a form of decoupage, where one uses specially dyed thin tissue papers with a special glossy glue, and proceeds to cover all manner of household objects.

The blurb describes it as the "exciting new 'paint without paint' papercraft technique. It's a funky addictive papercraft that's amazingly simple to use, a modern twist on the traditional decoupage.  All you need is the paper, the object that you're going to cover and the special glue varnish.  Simply cut or tear your paper into small pieces - we've found postage stamp or a bit bigger works well - paint a coat of the glue-varnish onto your object, stick the paper on and pop anopther coat on the top and hey presto, you're a decopatcher! And you'll find projects everywhere, you can cover practically anything: old furniture, glass, wood, stone, cardboard, the possibilities are endless!"

Ahhhhhh just LOOK at the papers I bought!!! Aren't they amazing?!

 

Can you just imagine me in a complete state of Overexcitement here, gathering these pretty papers together, jigging from foot to foot, almost hyperventilating with pleasure :o). Well yes, you know me well by now, I'm sure you can imagine it very well indeed.

 

So now I am about to become not only a Patchwork Quilter, but also a Decopatcher too. I bought these wooden LOVE letters as my starting project and plan on doing that tomorrow. I am hugely excited by it I have to tell you.

By the way, I've discovered today that there's lots of stuff on the www to do with this amazing craft...a couple of good sites/stockists I've found are here and here, should you find yourself as Overexcitable as me and be tempted to give it a go.

Well, after all that dizzy show-n-tell I really need to go have a cup of tea and try to calm myself down a bit now. Deep breaths, reeeeelax.

Have yourselves a lovely, creative, fun, inspiring, happy day my lovelies.....

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Jen]

Oooh... Lucy, here I am still working my way from the beginning of your blog and now I discover that you too got bitten by the décopatch bug! I discovered it at a craft show too and now our house sports décopatched wall gecko, heart-shaped candle holders, secret book storage thingy, bathroom cabinet and self-made-at-a-different-craft-fair clay pot! It's so soothing and satisfying. Not quite as good as crochet, but still pretty good.

Really enjoying my journey through your blog still...my library book was abandoned on the bedroom floor quite a while ago... It may end up overdue at this rate!

Jen

[Laura]

Gee Lucy. I had never heard of decopatch before but now i'm smitten. Hubby wanted Christmas present ideas...hmmm :-)

Am getting RSI from so much crochet so something else arty is called for I think.

And I too have always wanted to make a patchwork quilt....

[Julie, in upstate New York, U.S.]

Oh, Lucy, you're such a bad influence on me. ;-p

[Mildawg]

The photos of buttons and fabrics brightened my evening!

[Robyn]

Wow you have got me excited now. The color has me in a frenzy, I am from Australia and I am so hoping we can get decopatch stuff here. Google here I come.
Enjoy your treasures can't wait to see your results.

Love Robyn

[vicky greenwood]

Hi Lucy, wanted to say thanks for your lovely blog :-) I love to crochet and it's good to know that there are others out there. I love the colours that you use - so bright and beautiful. I went to the Knit and Stitch exhib while it was in London (i'm in Dorset)it was *i-n-s-p-i-r-i-n-g* Keep up the lovely blog, it cheers me up after gloomy nightshifts. Vicky. x

[Angela Morgan]

Hi Lucy, just logged on to your blog via my friend Martina's blog. What a creative inspiration you are! I love all those coloured fabrics, absolutely fantastic & fancy doing something for my teenage daughter's bedroom with the decopatch material you talk about. Have just purchased a beach hut so looking to give it a little bit of my interior TLC - could you tell me what design & where you got your vinyl flooring for your bathroom, as think it would be great on the floor when the kids come in for a hot chocolate dripping wet from the sea and covered in sand!

[Chris]

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love reading your posts! Your excitement over all things colorful is fabulous and contagious. I share your love for color, and wish my house were as lush and colorful as yours. Your quilt will be just perfect - the fabrics totally suit your style.

[Vicky]

The decopatch is absolutely fabulous! I've been meaning to decopage a rather dull white wooden vintage bedside table, but never got round to it - now you've made me more determined to actually complete it!

I've been reading your blog for some time now, and this is my first comment - but I've linked you from my blog anyway! Whenever I'm having a dull day, I always log on to see what you've been up to - your colourful posts and positive writing style is immensely pleasurable to read, and they cheer me up instantly!

[Assin]

Your posts should be labelled as 'read with retail caution' as I have just mentally spent lots of dosh on the decopatch site!! great stuff!

[Trina]

Fabulous post Lucy, thank you! It is seriously good for you to be gathering a stash of all sorts of stimulating and lovely things - no matter when you do the creative bit! I would love to send you a bit of loveliness towards your quilt - any chance of creating a lucy PO box?
Take care dear Lucy and remember the wonders of lavender oil for relaxation!

[michelle]

Luce...
what fabulous colours...
Love the paper technique...
I have a old dresser that would look gorgeous done up...
love all your bright pics...too exciting!!!

[The Curious Cat]

Exciting creative times ahead! I'm like you - been harbouring a desire to make a patch work quilt for years - YEARS! Just need to master that sewing machine. It will happen! One day.... xxx

[Debs@makedoandmendquilts]

So excited for you to be jumping into quiltland! Welcome, but handle with care, it is dangerously addictive! You are truely lost now, oh and i predict you're going to need a bigger basket than the one in the shot!!!te he

[pj]

I'm suffering from fabric-envy here :) Love, love, love those colours. Looking forward to seeing your quilt, best wishes Pj x

[Mihaela]

You don't know how lucky you are to have such occasions to see and buy directly such a beautiful fabrics!You can touch them, see their real colors,combine them...The ideas just explode and of course you became overexcited!Who wouldn't?
Lucky of you!
I can't wait to see what you will make!
Love,Mihaela

[vildkatten]

I have order some fabric and am waiting for it to arrive any day and I'm so excited! I really hope that whole deal goes fine (I've been terribly burned by internet affairs...) so I get my fabric, I know exactly that feeling you're talking about. I'm planning many quilts and I really hope that I will make some of them at least, and I so want to make one for my lovely Lucifer! :-) I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with, especially since your progress is going waaaay faster than mine.

[Gabbie]

OMG you are so funny, l'm sitting here giggling imagining you racing round in over-excitement, l feel very much the same way whenever l go to a craft/quilt show. lt doesn't matter that l don't really quilt or knit or do needlework, l am always simply overawed by all the amazing colours and fabrics and threads and wool and buttons etc and have to buy them all.
Have lots of fun admiring them all, and l can't wait to see what you make!

[Frou]

Lucy, as an avid quilter, but relatively newbie to crochet, I think you're love of colour is going to serve you well as you make your quilt.

As usual, a lovely post... love the fabrics and especially the yummy buttons

[lulu]

how fun and exciting..I am happy for you and cant wait to see pics of your finished work..

[Shelley in SC]

Ooh, just loving all the intense, saturated colors . . . in buttons, paper, fabric. What delights! I'm feeling quite excitable myself!!

[annri]

looking at the fabrics all together gives me goosebumps! whee!

i suffer from seasonal overexcitability too; thank you for helping me diagnose... ;)

[Helen]

Ooh ... buttons! It's exciting just reading about it all. You're going to be extreeeeemly busy. What fun!

[Beth]

Oh, dear. After seeing all those buttons and fabrics and colors, now I'm overexcited, too! Beth

[Moonie]

Dear extemely exhited creative lovely and beautiful Lucy,
It's like every cell in your body is in love with creating, from your baby to your ideas, plans and accomplishments. I'm yoga breathing for you..... In through the nose, 2,3,4,5. Hold 2,3,4,5, Out through the mouth 2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Repeat 10 times, stetch and relax. Sigh. I can run in circles with the best, but I think you have me beat, but I get what's going on with you. :D I can see potential in the decopatching, but I'd have to have a theme. So, I'm going to think about this for awhile and get back to you. I'm sure you'll have it mastered immediately. Do what you love. Love what you do and just be happy, sweet Luce.
Big hugs,
Moonie