And They Call It The Stash Game

A 'stash' is defined as a secret store of something. You can also refer to it as a cache, hoard, stockpile, accumulation, collection, or reserve. These terms can be applied to just about anything that you can amass in quantity. Including fabric. Although, as someone who does, in fact, have a rather substantial stash, I prefer to think of it differently. When referring to my personal stash, I like to use the following quote:

'THE STASH is your 'home base, your security, your legacy.'
(Some poor souls think it's a nagging reminder of what you haven't done yet...)
WE, on the other hand, prefer to regard your PRECIOUS STASH as your Potential for Creativity!'
~Lindy, The Silver Needle Newlsetter, 5.12.09

Perfect description. :D My stash is indeed a glorious thing to behold.

About a week ago, I posted my Anti-Journal and in that post I talked a tiny bit about the Stash Game. Twice a year, the women (there have been a couple of men, but mostly it is women) of SewingMamas participate in what we call 'The Stash Game'. It is completely voluntary and we all work on the honor system and what we call 'Sew N Show' to report our stuff for the game part of it. We collect points based on the yardage we sew and things that we use (elastic, buttons, etc - these are commonly called notions). We can also accrue points for fabric that we sell or give away/donate. Although, I'm not sure that anyone banks a whole lot of points for giving away fabric, most of us are pretty dang attached to our stashes. LOL And, there are prizes to be won as well.

I find it to be a good time to make things like pajamas and clothes for the next coming season and things like that. And, with two nearly grown children, it goes thru a fair amount of my stocked up fabric stash as well. Which banks me some point. :D This is the first stash game in my nearly 7 years on the site that I have actually participated for more than a week (hello! Not exactly a commitment minded individual here.) I have participated a couple of days here and there in the past, but always started. Never finished. We just submitted our week #1 totals to the 'StashGoddess' and haven't found out where we are in the rankings yet. But for the first week, I logged some serious sewing time and that added up to a grand total of 218 points, which translates to 22.5 yards of fabric sewn, equaling 3 tops, a nightgown, a dress, and a scarf for the youngest, 6 pairs of pajama shorts for the oldest, and 5 pairs of pajama leggings for me.

Now that I have those basics out of the way, it has been going to bit slower as far as the sewing goes. But, I'm excited to see what I end up with at the end of it all. So far, I am well on my way to completing my goal of sewing thru 200 yards of fabric by the end of this year. And that is exciting to me. :D Trust me. 200 yards will barely make a dent. But I will have accomplished something I set out to do and that is well worth it to me.

I will update here as soon as I know how week #1 pans out - where I stand in the rankings, etc. And I will continue to post updates as the game goes on.

Anti-Journal Week 3

((I typed out an entire blog post and this stupid f'n site DELETED the entire thing. GRRRR!))

It was difficult for me to decide what to post tonight because I have about 4 blog posts that I need to type out and get on here. I decided to start with what is relatively the beginning and get that out of the way. LOL (And, yes, I am just as bad at journaling with pen and paper as I am at this. I can just type way faster than I can write so this is actually easier.)

First of all, Kids Clothes Week was an EPIC fail for me. I was not feeling well for most of the week, so I managed to get a grand total of 1 thing finished. I am, however, currently participating in the Stash Game over at Sewing Mamas and am working my way toward my goal of 200 yards of fabric GONE by the end of this year. But more on that later. :D

Week 3's Anti-Journal was difficult for me. Sarah, the Wonderous Wonderstrumpet of Wonderstrange, posted a Master List of prompts for us to choose from and anyone that really knows me knows that A) I am not super great at choosing for myself and 2) I do not respond to change well. However, in the spirit of this year of Adventures, I decided to embrace it and just go for it. Sarah's Chronicles journal spread for Week 3 is awesome. And she posted a video about making journals that's worth a watch. ;)

Week 3's Anti-Journal


I really like creating these multiple page journal spreads. It lets me to include more that what the normal 2 facing pages would allow for.


Inside that envelope is ephemera from the trip to Tennessee that the girls and I took last year on Spring Break.


Two more drawings from the 100 Things to Draw When You're Bored 2014 list. #15 Ninja Banana and #61 A Shark Ate My Homework. And a cute little smiley moon guy :D


For my artwork this week, I chose to create some Found Poetry. I used to do this kind of thing all the time. In fact, it's probably my favorite thing that I create. It's always dark, usually twisted, and soul cleansing.
The poem reads:

They call him Candyman murdering eater of souls
unwavering dead eyes and black gloved hand
slab of onyx on porcelain

white angel screaming
dancing through veins like a real ballerina
breathing with a hatchet blade stuck in the throat

tender white neck
lightly kissed on the forehead
agonizing sighs but I love you would shatter his skull

up all night
hearing bones crack screams peeling wallpaper
cry cry cry gushing tears bloodred on the carpet

Don't make me go back there
sit right here in the dark
spinning my broken shame in the moonlight



And I tried to take a picture of this cute Jane Austen card that I put in here, but it turned out all blurry. LOL

So, that's my week 3, and I'm really pretty pleased with it. As usual, following thru and just going with things in the spirit of adventure has taught me a lot this week. About myself and what I can accomplish when I follow thru. :D

((The first f'n post was better. I HATE this thing right now.))