Quilter, Blogger, Photographer? It’s all Inspired!

Last year, inspired by the beautiful Basic Grey Blush fabric I discovered in a local fabric shop, I made my very first quilt.

Actually, to tell the honest truth, my first ever quilt would be the one I had to make for textiles class in high school – the one that, to my Mum’s dismay (considering that she quite possibly spent a fortune on the fabric for it), I never completely finished.

The quilt I made last year was not only the first quilt I finished, but the first quilt I truly loved from the beginning to the end. And still do! I’m not sure if I love it a little bit more or a little bit less than my daughter, who received the quilt for her 11th birthday, just hours after I finished hand-sewing the binding.

Having thought many times that I may never have the patience to deal with all the fiddly pieces required to put a quilt together, I surprised myself by doing just that. Admittedly with plenty of encouragement and advice from the girls in the Thursday afternoon Craft Group my quilt-in-progress and I attended (thanks so much Deb, Karen, Lizzie et al. You girls are awesome!)

But while I started this year with the best of intentions to create two more quilts, one for each of my boys, it seems that “Inspiration” has different ideas for where it might take me.

Who am I to argue with Inspiration when it comes?

Despite my slow start here, I’m so pleased I didn’t do that when it came to creating this blog!

So when I came across this gorgeous website, Paint the Moon, featuring the work of photographer Annie Manning, I couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like to be able to take beautiful photographs. Or even to be able to take average photographs and to transform them into something stunning using actions like those that Annie has available on her website.

In Barbara Sher’s book, “I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was” there’s an exercise in which Barbara encourages readers to write a list of what you would do with each of your lives if you were ten people. (If that’s not something you’ve ever thought of, it’s definitely an exercise worth doing.)

Needless to say, in one of my lives, I’d be a photographer! Which, considering that I’m not even a halfway decent point-and-shoot photographer, would require something of a steep learning curve.

I’m up for the challenge.

Actually, much more than that, I’m INSPIRED!

Like I said before, who am I to argue with Inspiration when it comes?

I have a feeling that Inspiration always comes at just the right time. Whether we know it at the time or not.

So this week, I’ll be searching through the pages of Amazon and ebay to find the perfect Digital SLR camera for me.

I’ll be checking out Darren Rowse’s incredibly popular website, Digital Photography School for ideas on where to start.

I’m determined to start listing some of the pile of books currently beside my bed on ebay, because it seems like the perfect way to pay for my new camera and the photography course I’m intending to do!

And don’t worry about my boys. They will get their quilts! And unlike their sister, they may even get to see some great photos of the quilt-making process as well.

I’m looking forward to sharing with you my progress and the tips and tricks I learn as I set out on this photographic adventure!

Brigid

What about you? When was the last time Inspiration took you by surprise? Did you follow it, or let it slip by? What are a couple of things you might choose to do with your own ten lives? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.