I my chaotic and hectic life I often admire people who are able to maintain balance in their lives. What is balance to you? Do you maintain a balanced life? How do you balance aspects of your life? That is the challenge this month – balance.
This time around the colours have been taken from my latest thread purchase that I wrote about the other week
For those who want to work with a colour scheme challenge the colours can only be a suggestion as computer screens display colours differently. The aim is to be as close as possible to the colours on your screen. From ColourLovers you can download swatches to use is Photoshop, Illustrator, or in a CSS file.
As usual when you have worked the idea swing back to this page and leave a comment with blog or flickr address so that people can take a look at what you have been working on or done. There is a flickr group for the Take it Further Design Challenge and Debra Spincic has set up another TIF blog. Please remember if you use Debra’s TIF blog to swing by here too!
If you have not yet checked out the stitching fingers community please do, as all sorts of challenges, swaps are going on. There is a even a Take it Further group formed there too! So take some time to visit it poke around and you are welcome to join in
I’ve been playing catchup and finally finished my August TIF. For the theme of balance, I wanted to try to capture the essence of the praying mantis that hid in our marigolds during the summer. It was a cream colored praying mantis so it was difficult to spot. However, every time I watered, it would come out and balance itself among the leaves. It was really fascinating to watch it – it balanced itself among the flowers so gracefully. And sometimes I wondered who was watching whom!
Photo is posted on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/celeste_embroidery/
celeste
August is done … used the colours again, this month we decided to use “bridges” as our design, which sort of fits into the ‘balance’ theme … posted to flickr
I finally finished the August challenge. You can see a picture at http://paintedquilt.blog-city.com/take_it_further_challenge__august_finish.htm
Without apology because it’s September, my August quilt is finished. I really loved this topic, Sharon.
It’s terrible, I can’t get to finishing my TIF August. Look what a mess I made of it. Too ugly to look at. But I hope you will read my thoughts about my ugly TIF. Sharon should know what she did to me with this theme, hahaha. Luckyly I managed to finish september nicely, if I may say so…
http://miekenoor.web-log.nl/mijn_weblog/2008/09/tif-august-not.html
My entry for this month can be seen here http://red2white.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/take-it-further-challenge-august/
and also here http://red2white.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/colour/
Still enjoying the challenge (it is more and more challenging to persevere 🙂
Well, I finally posted my “Kinda” August TIF. I took up the challenge of balance and decided that I needed to balance my life as I was feeing overwhelmed and I was starting to put off doing the projects that I needed to do. I did not do any challenges in August and I made three gifts that I needed to get done. I’ve posted the results of what I did for my balance challenge. Take a look at my blog to see what I completed.
http://megabqfabricchallenge.blogspot.com/
I already have ideas on what to do for the September challenge and will start to work on it tomorrow.
The August TIF challenge is completed – late again, but completed. You can see a picture of what I did on my blog http://www.dianem.wordpress.com
I had finished it in time, but did not get around to posting until today. BAD, BAD Balancing act. Apparently I need to work on the balancing a bit more.
Bonita
http://www.sisters38.blogspot.com
I finished up my August TIF. It represents my balancing act of trying to keep everything going, work, family, my projects and swaps I am involved in.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/karrinscq/2844868797/in/photostream/
I finally finished and posted my TIF for August but just remembered to drop a note here.
Maureen
http://flickr.com/photos/crazyqstitcher/
I haven’t finished my august TIF yet, you can read about it on my blog http://www.tyquilts.com/blog
Hi
Posted a picture of my take on balance. Have a little look at susaneta.wordpress.com
Susan
I tried to post yesterday, but it didn’t let me. Anyway, I posted my “off-balance funky house” on my blog for this month’s challenge. http://www.enchanted-art.blogspot.com
I finished on August 26th, but forgot to note it here for the other participants. There is a subsequent entry on the September challenge, so just scroll down to the second most recent entry to see August’s results.
Cheers,
Bernadette
I just managed to finish my project with an hour to spare! It has been a rather fallow time for me recently, but I hope doing this will get me going again.
I made my postcard quilt for August’s challenge yesterday and now have it posted on my blog: http://www.sewingmagpie.blogspot.com
I finished my project with little time to spare! Now I need to clear the decks for September’s challenge!
I posted on the TIF website and my own blog.
My work in progress for the August TIF is now on my blog. I will be balancing through September too! lol
Last day of the month, didn’t make it to finish it entirely, but I posted a picture on my blog, because it’s nearly finished, my TIF August. I’ve seen lots of your finished TIFs and again they’re wonderful and inspiring. Thank you! Come and see mine, post your thoughts!
My take on the ‘balance’ theme is on my blog, based on my recent experience of inner ear infection and vertigo!
Margaret
My August offering is on my blog. Am enjoying seeing everyones examples. Made me think about balance in my own life, probably have more than I realized.
Hi Sharon
I have finished my block for August–I have struggled a bit this month mainly because I have been sick for 2 weeks with the flu that seems to be sweeping Canberra.
Thanks again for the tip that you gave me about using a straw needle it has been great.
LOL Teddi definitely needs this activity! August is finished (almost) and I have learned to watch for balance in different aspects of my life – in work, as well as in other areas. Even in laying out the design elements for a needlepoint crazy quilt!
Teddi just join in and leave a comment on the appropriate post on my blog – that points to your blog post so people can follow the link to visit you and see what you have done.
I finally finished something and posted it on my blog: http://tangomusings.blogspot.com
I discovered your site from a member of my challenge group which is sadly disbanding/disbanded.
I would like to request that I be placed on the waiting list to join please.
Your site looks very interesting and helpful to my growth as an artist.
The August challenge has me thinking….I just completed my first two weeks of my new school year and next week will be the mother of the Groom! 😉
Talk about balance…… ;-)lol ….
Thanks for considering me.
I’ve just posted my work on the August TIF on my blog http://www.millionlittlestitches.blogspot
I have finally finished my TIF for August, almost on the last day. Such a busy month but I am pleased with what I have done.
On my blog
http://backvalleyseasons.blogspot.com
I’ve posted where I’m up to with the August (and July) challenge on my blog
http://www.lovefibre.com/category/tif-challenge/
More later – and thanks for all the challenges over the summer – they’ve been very thought-provoking
Fiona
I just finished TIF August, it is a small contribution this time. I am trying to keep up although my scedule is really busy
http://jacquelinedejongarts.blogspot.com
I’ve just finished (or almost) my quilt for July. I know I’m way late, but – hurrah – it’s done. I loved the challenge theme. Connie
I’ve finished August. As you will see, I’m not feeling very balanced right now. Pictures on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marjorie-il/ More on my blog soon: http://moonsilk-stitches.blogspot.com/ Marjorie
I’ve posted the finished piece on my blog http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com
Sharon,
I’ve posted about the August TIF on my personal blog, a very relevant topic for me just now.
Many thanks as usual, looking forward to September
Christine
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/
Hi Sharon,
What a great topic. Sorry I’ve been awol for a few months. Now settled down in Brisbane so I’m going to make an effort to get back to the lastest TIF. Still got my April one to finish off!
Cheers, Susan
My challenge piece for August is finished and ‘up’ on my blog if anyone is interested in seeing it!
Cheers
Mary Anne
http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com
Hi, I have the August challenge on my blog now. The colors were very nice to work with 🙂
I’ve blogged about my August TIF here http://bilsblog.blogspot.com . What I didn’t mention is that I used my studio journal (Blatant plug for Sharon’s excellent Joggles course)to explore different interpretations before coming up with this design. Nor did I say that I carried on playing with ideas and came up with a much more satisfactory design … another time perhaps. But at least I have a record that I can find again!
Hi all,
photo finish again, but it’s done.
See this months TIF at http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com
wanted to work with the colors, but such is life. sigh.
neki desu
Sharon I was on the original sign up list and got behind with life. Am I too late to jump in with August? I am still on the blog list. Susan
I finished my tif.
http://laurencepatch.blogspot.com/
My August challenge is done and it’s not even the end of the month!
http://skybellarts.blogspot.com/2008/08/aug-tifc-day-two-done.html
Sharon – I can’t believe that there are are four more months. This has been a wonderful challenge. Are you considering a 2009 challenge?
August challenge, I did a few different things, that are signs I am balencing out my zipping brain, LOL http://reneorgeron.wordpress.com/
Sharon – I have blogged my August challenge. I wasn’t sure I would make it but have done so with a week to spare. I look forward to what you think up for September. This challenge has certainly ensured that I have done some embroidery each month – thankyou again.
marg
My choice this month: the colors for a project, a mystery quilt.
My August piece “Balanced” is complete and there is a photo and details on my blog. I left the address of my last comment.
Sue McB
http://paddysdaughter.blogspot.com
My August piece “Balanced” is complete and there is a photo and details on my blog. Sue McB
http://paddysdaughter.blogspot.com
My August piece “Balanced” is complete and there is a photo and details on my blog. Sue McB
I finished the first piece.
http://laurencepatch.blogspot.com/
Hi, finished August piece now on my blog
http://travelfibreandthread.blogspot.com/
My inital thoughts and design for the August challenge are posted at http://paintedquilt.blog-city.com/balance.htm
Hi Sharon, August TIF done for now and pix on…
http://fibrefan.blogspot.com/
First textile step on my blog
http://patchworkbroderieetcetera.blogspot.com/2008/08/tif-challenge-august.html
I’m posting my challenge start on my blog right now. Thanks for all the work involved in this.
http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com
I’d given up on the challenge but suddenly realised that this piece actually fits the theme! See it on my blog http://faffingabout.blogspot.com/2008/08/take-it-further-august.html
Hi Everyone, I’ve progressed a little bit more with my August TIF. Waiting for the shisha mirrors to arrive, hopefully before next weekend. See my progress on my blog.
http://barbs-spiritsong.blogspot.com/
I haven’t started the CQ purse yet in the colors, but found yet another of my favorites in color and subject matter – a canvas by Inge Wooley that she gave me. Iznik ceramics! I really need to find balance in my stitching time – much is work, and I forget to do it for enjoyment!
I finished my August challenge piece. If you’d like to take a peek it’s on my blog.
http://ruthsfiberphotos.blogspot.com
Hi Sharon, my comment was discarded too. I posted my July piece on my blog
http://patchworkadosbandas.blogspot.com/2008/08/recovecos.html
Sharon I am not sure why but my comment was discarded on the July TIF page. Anyway here is the comment I tried to put there –
While I liked the colours I have had to make do with the theme and my interpretation is not all that imaginative but it is definitely a half way mark!
Drop by http://maggies-textiles.blogspot.com
Hi,
First thoughts are here, however I don’t feel too inspired about my work for August so far.
http://travelfibreandthread.blogspot.com/
Hi Sharon
I went back from holiday last week end and I’m trying to catch up with July and August challenges. They’re both inspiring and the colors are great as usual.
Some actual stitching progress made. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see it. I didn’t remember counted cross stitch as being so hard! Must be the fact that my eyes are 20 years older than when I used to do it regularly.
http://www.tyquilts.com/blog
I’ve finished August, it’s on my blog.
http://www.linda-stokes.blogspot.com
Well, I had to give this a lot of thought, but I think I’ve got it. Balance, difficult to get, but the effort to get some balance is good… see my blog for my TIF August start.
Hi Sharon Ive done July http://paulahewitt.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/take-it-further-challenge-july-halfway-to/
and August http://paulahewitt.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/tif-challenge-august-balance/
pretty much at the same time!
Further thoughts on this months challenge, and my progress are up on my blog
http://www.tyquilts.com/blog
Hi Sharon and everyone
I’ve been getting a little behind. I just finished June and have decided to skip July just for the moment. I have started on August and have a photo and my initial thoughts on my blog.
http://www.barbs-spiritsong.blogspot.com
Barb
Hi there,
after a long absence it feels I been able to come back and join in 😀
To try and catch up I’ve put June and July’s challenge toghether in some wet felted pieces – on my blog
http://hebartjournal.blogspot.com/2008/08/oo-and-i-felt-like-new-woman.html
Now to august 😀
Hi Sharon,
Thanks so much for another interesting topic and color combination. I’ve created a color shading chart for everyone again this month and look forward to this month’s challenge. The chart is on my blog – http://www.dianem.wordpress.com
Hugs, Diane
What wonderful colors and what a great theme! I hope I can make time to work on this one in the next couple of weeks. I haven’t been able to touch the challenges since May due to problems with (can you believe it?) balance in my life. I’ll babble more about that on my blog later this morning.
Virginia
Life is a circus with two acts! Balance and Juggling. We need them both in equal parts. (plus lots of pretty colors and needlework)
My first thoughts on the August challenge, and a preliminary sketch are now up on my blog. http://www.tyquilts.com/blog
I finally started the initial thinking process for August and posted it on my blog: http://tangomusings.blogspot.com
Hi all, I’ve put up two posts about this month’s challenge on my blog… http://fibrefan.blogspot.com/
I’m running behind, but I have just posted my finished June TIF challenge piece called “Endless Possibilities”.
http://barbs-spiritsong.blogspot.com
Barb
Hi Sharon,
I have just finished my TIF August.
Regards
Waltraud
http://www.farbtupfer.blogspot.com
I just put up my July Tif. Make sure you enlarge the second and third images on the right so they show up square as intended to be seen. Typepad showed them as square on the preview.
I love the colors for the August Tif and the topic is very thought provoking. Terry
Hi Sharon
I have posted my CQ block on my blog–I had a few problems making a block that I liked but after making 2 I like this one best….the colours haven’t photographed true but you will get the idea.
Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
I’ve just posted my initial thoughts on the theme of balance on my blog. It will be interesting to see what comes of this!
http://sewingmagpie.blogspot.com
I’ve gotten a little behind. I retired Friday, so I should have more time to stitch. I’ve finished my block for May
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcih/2732497562/
June is almost done – I had a good day of stitching yesterday.
Being someone who works with symbols a lot in my work it’s got to be Yin and Yang for me.
Although I do hope I can have a different take on this. It’s about priorities. What do I make a priority in my life? Good question. It should be to organise, as my life has always been chaotic, but it isn’t, it should be to get enough sleep and exercise, but it isn’t. Well, how to portray this in a piece of work, possibly using a symbolic interpretation such as Yin and Yang, well now there’s a challenge for me. Not sure if I will pull this one off, but I’ll have a go. Good one Sharon, now you have me examining my life, not so sure that I want to, lol. Thanks for the challenge though. Cheers Tricia
Jacqueline
Your comment never appeared at my end of the system. All I can think of is that there was a database hic up on the servers at wordpress.
Sorry I have no control over it.
You are the only person who has sad they have had this problem so lets hope it is a temporary glitch and wont happen again
Hi Sharon, I wanted to publisch my comment on TIF july, but I got discarded and I don’t know why?
Balance – interesting concept for someone who has hearing problems. After all the sense of balance is based in the ears. Also the balance between doing things correctly and doing things in a new way. I will have a long hard think about that. The colours really appeal to me, very rich looking, not my usual colour palette so a real challenge. Grace
I have a brief initial thoughts posting on my blog today.
http://justenoughtime.wordpress.com
Almost scary when I read the challenge and know immediately what I want to do with it. LOL This is a topic I give a lot of thought to, working at achieving that balance in my life. Now off to stitch, an area of my life that might be just a teensy bit out of balance. Do you think?
will have to think on this one – cool theme and I think I have most of those colors already so that is a good thing.
http://www.goatgoddess.wordpress.com
thank you Sharon
Balance..its more a rhythm!
Ups and downs.
Judy’s idea, above, sounds wonderful!! My initial thought is to make something that will fit my blog http://justenoughtime.wordpress.com, because that’s really what the blog is about: finding the balance in my life with just enough time for all the things I find important. Not sure how that will come out visually or what medium I’ll use, but I’ll be thinking about it today.
Thank you Sharon for this new challenge.
The July challenge is on my blog.
Love the photo of your threads, these are so lush and rich.
Balance – something I wish I could attain as I always seem to have too much to do and too little time for everything I am trying to do. I would say that I am in a constant state of movement if I stop I fall off or drop things, I have to keep moving from one thing to another so that I get something done on each thing, wether it’s housework, projects etc, and hope that i eventually fiish soemthing by it’s deadline.
I would say I am balancing very precariosly on a tightrope whilst juggling many different things and hoping I don’t drop anything or fall off.
hmmm juggling/tightrope/balance – think I have a design idea … off to work in my journal 😉
Ronelle
I love those jewel tones! I am definately going to do the color challenge this month.
Beautiful colors – one of my favorite schemes, and reminds me of the Japanese Imari porcelains I started my needlepoint designing with so many years ago. I will apply the same colors to what I’m doing now with crazy quilt in needlepoint. As for “balance” – will have to think on that one. (According to my children, I am a bit UNbalanced.)