Any Road Will Get You There

I have decided that the reason I am astonished by Sharon's challenge each month is that my mind does not operate on the same plane as hers.  I remember years ago, I saw a comedy routine in which Jonathan Winters was handed a wire coat hanger and asked to turn it into a prop.  My mind immediately thought, "Well, hang up clothes, silly."  Mr. Winters on the other hand proceeded to think of at least 7 things he could use the hanger into for.  That is the difference between linear thinkers and the more creative types.  However, over the years, I have learned that you can nurture and develop creativity, even if others seem to be born with it and consequently have to work less hard at it.

So, Sharon says, "Half way there,"  and I think, "WHAT?!?!?"  After giving myself an afternoon to calm down, and instead of immediately going to the color palette challenge for July to do more of the same, I spent several hours thinking about what it means to be half way there.

First thought:  I'm not half way anywhere.  When I joined the challenge, I wanted to have fun, use up stash, and just see if I could persist in meeting a monthly challenge in the event that I wanted to enroll in an on-line course.  Practice, so to speak, for a future day.   So, if there's no destination in mind as far as projects or techniques are concerned, you can't be half-way there.

Then, I got a bit perturbed.  Is everyone else in the challenge half way there?  Am I the only one wandering aimlessly through this challenge?  

Anyway, the more I thought about it, the more the following saying kept springing to mind:  "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."  So, I decided to use a map theme this month and do a page for my growing fabric book.  I know that this project is not the most original idea, but it does seem to fit the challenge.  And although I did not set out in January to make a fabric book, it does seem like I am on that road.  So if the journey is the important thing, then I guess I'll stick to that road until a signpost points me elsewhere.

I went to the store to look for fabric that had maps printed on it.  I thought this would be easy - Not.  I managed to find some quilting cotton with a backpacking or hiking theme.  I first thought I'd embellish the fabric with embroidery, but then decided to fussy cut the maps and the compasses and make my own design for the page.  I selected coordinating fabrics for the back of the page (the plaid) and the border (blue flowers).    I really like this better than just using a map background.  The compasses imply direction and the maps, destination.  Wow!  Fate or what?

Next week, I'll try to find time to lay out a design.   Oh, by the way, the colors in the photo are true.