Take it Further challenge February
Friday, February 1, 2008 at 7:09AM | Sharon B | 337 Comments | in Challenges, Take it Further challenge Since it is the first of the month it is challenge day! So without further fuss here it is. This month the Take it Further challenge concept is a question. What are old enough to remember?
How did I come up with the idea. As regular readers know I am hand stitching a charm quilt and the small fabric scraps have been triggering memories. As I stitch I am constantly aware of how the world has changed in my lifetime and I am not that old! (I turn 52 this month)
It occurred to me that some of these scraps are older than the invention of rotary cutters. As I write I realise that I learnt on to type a typewriter. Now I have WiFi and a laptop. I can remember when a portable transistor radio was a big thing. I was given one with its leather case for my 14th birthday and I took it to the beach every day. Of course I remeber vinyl records too. Now I walk, garden and do the housework plugged into an ipod! We used to write letters home but now it is email.
I can remember when 'equal pay for equal work' came in for women. My wage packet increased a third! I can remember the big things like man walking on the moon, John Lennon being shot, the fall of the Berlin wall but what about all the little things that changed our life so much? I can remember bread, vegetables and milk all being delivered to the door. I can remember the bottle man buying our bottles and scrap metal merchants buying metal. Who said recycling is a new idea!
Who else knows how to pack the wood on a wood stove that so that it will burn evenly long enough for a cake a rise? That's right as a country girl I was taught to cook on a wood stove. Now I have a gas stove and a micro wave oven. In winter the warmest room in the house was the kitchen and we had hot water bottles to take bed now we have electric blankets, which to be honest I never turn on because I don't like them - much to my husbands dismay.
I remember washing that involved a copper and hand wringers then in my teens I had a really modern invention - a twin tub washer! Automatic washing machines were the height of luxury. I also remember out door toilets and how in winter had to grab an umbrella to dash down the path to visit it.
So this month stop and think what are you old enough to remember. You do not have to declare your age - but simply what you are old enough to remember.
Here is this months palette should you choose to use it
I came up with it by using ColourLovers as I used the image below as an inspiration source. This is where the idea originally came from.
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.
If you need to record the web address of this page click on the title and it will take you to this page as a seperate page on the blog and it has its own URL. For the new bloggers this is called a perma link. When blogs are published they produce entries in a few different places. Here while it is current and their own individual page, in the monthly archive which is in the sidebar, and under what category and tag I allocate. It also produces an RSS version for those who use readers. All this is run from a database.
The main thing for readers however is that when this entry is no longer current and slips to the bottom of the page and then eventually off it you can still find it because it has its own web address. Click the title and see what I mean. You will see the page and any comments left. The latest comment is at the bottom.
So when you have done something that relates to the challenge swing back to this page and leave a comment with your 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 a webring for the challenge and another TIF blog. I am not running this ring or blog so if you have enquiries please contact Debra about it.
Reader Comments (337)
Hi Sharon - Thanks for your info on the other blogs. I'm sorry but this month I am not going to do the concept challenge - I really don't want to think of the past as it only brings up memories I don't want to remember. So this time round again it will be the colour!! You sure do make these challenges tough!! THANKS - I love it!
my mind is in a whirl... things I remember... love the colours too...
Gosh - that's a good one. Strangely enough I was showing some pictures of Word War II rations to some 9 year olds today and they couldn't identify the milk bottle, it was so far from their reality. I'm not quite(!) old enough to remember the war but this is certainly going to be interesting.
WooHoo... I like this one!!! Love the colors and the theme is great... I can build a fire in a wood stove, too!!! ;0) I've been waiting all day for this!
Interesting question for this month. I've been looking through the January pieces, and the range/variety of work starting from that single challenge is fascinating.
This one requires a lot of thought, you always get those brain cells working :)
http://travelfibreandthread.blogspot.com/
What a pleasant surprise to realize that it's already February there! I like this topic, and the colors too.
Nice idea
I like this colors
Hi dear Sharon
Thanks by your informations about the others
blogs.
Still I'm finish the piece by january, but soon publish my III part before the end.
After end this, only send a new coment, in your january post? or here?
For this new mounth I love the color!! Really I enjoy your idea.
Thanks you very much Sharon.
Wasn't going to look until the weekend but couldn't resist. Still finishing off the end bits of my Jan concept and colour challenge but I have been posting my progress here:http://happyjacqui.wordpress.com/
Whee! I'm all over it!
Well I'm a bit - quite a bit - older than you are, Sharon! I was a tiny little kid during WWII, so lots to remember. I remember watching the clothes whirling around behind the glass door on the new automatic washing machine - we had no TV back then. Great challenge - it's not Feb.1 yet here, but I had to check just in case. wooo hoooo!!!
Hi Sharon and all of the other TIF'ers...
This is going to be another interesting month! The colors are nothing that I am familiar working with so right there it gets difficult. I am trying to work both the color and theme through out this whole challenge so this is a doozy! Jane
PS I too have so much enjoyed everyones collaborations for Jan!
I'm old enuf to remember when Hector was a pup.....*L*
I'll have a really hard time choosing from all the ones swirling around in my mind right now. Another great challenge.
Love the colors. Love the challenge.
Hi Sharon,
Yes I made it, finished by the skin of my teeth. Love the challenge, I'm ready to start on February. My blog link is:http://msliz.wordpress.com/ if you would like to see my results.
Blessings Sharon. Ms Liz
I've posted my best guess for DMC colors on my blog if anyone's interested
http://blog.orangerugyarn.com///index.php/musings/2008/01/31/take_it_further_challenge_february_poste
Sharon - thanks for introducing me to the Colour Lovers website. I have registered, and can log in and 'play', but I can't seem to find any sort of help page that explains exactly how it works. I have created a palette, but can't figure out how to import it into my blog, the way you do - any tips???
thanks
Hilary
I'm older than dirt, so I'll opt for the color palette which is infinitely more interesting and gorgeous to boot.
what fun - I feel a month of nostalgia coming on. We still have our milk delivered to the door in glass bottles!
thank you,,now i must to think....the past is a lilte sad (my childhood and early young age,was under the goverment of Pinochet.)so..maybe this month i work with the colors
last month I was a lurker now I want to join, I love the idea of remembering and thought immediately of dishes and my granny's kitchen and her cooking,including the stories of her childhood and the one of my mum and mine and how my kids are now brought up and how things changed but not gold old china, the color palette you chose is really perfect for my february quilt.
Hi
Thanks Sharon for this new concept. Colors are great once again ! First idea on my blog...
Paule - Reunion Island
http://patchworkbroderieetcetera.blogspot.com/2008/02/take-it-further-challenge.html
I'm still working on January, but have also posted my color "ideas" for February
Maryjo
http://fibersandtravel.blogspot.com/
Excellent challenge!! I've been chomping-at-the-bit waiting for today! Now I can begin thinking about the concept you have developed for us. I can't wait to start blogging on this, creating the bones of my own February TIF.
Thank you so much for creating this year-long challenge, Sharon. There are so many talented people in this group. I already marvel at the creations made and we're only one month into the year!
Very interesting challenge, and the color palette is lovely. Maybe it's time to expand my use of color. Lucky that this is a leap year, right?--24 more hours to play around with!
pdc
Hi Sharon, This is very interesting topic!I was only recently thinking how the things we(i.e.my generation)used to do here(in India)would notbe done by the next generation for want of time/inclination.I am going to write about that -hope that is OK.Should I use all the colours or just a few colours?
I can add to your list. Oleo with a yellow dot in a heavy plastic bag that had to be squeezed and manipulated to make it butter color.
Ration stamps.
Ice boxes instead of refrigerators.
Taking baths in a wash tub.
this one should be a hoot. i am on a blog break, but i will be stitching.
Hi Sharon,
What a great concept for this month! Thanks! I love the color palette too and will be working with both as has been my intention since the beginning.
I decided to go with the first image that popped into my head this morning as I was reading your post. That can be found in my blog post for today along with the matching DMC Floss colors for the palette.
Thank you again Sharon for this challenge. I can't wait until next week when I have time to sew up my block and start stitching on it!
Pam
Pam Kellogg
Kitty & Me Designs
http://www.kittyandme.com/
Something to think about. I can remember more about what I was doing 50 years ago than 5 minutes ago so I could be on to a winner with this one.
I remember a lot of these things, too. I'm only 40, but I did grow up in Oklahoma, and spent plenty of time with my grandparents on the farm.
I cried the day John Lennon was shot, and received Double Fantasy that year for Christmas.
I love the TIF challenge. Do you think I could sign up next time?
With my work I don't have to much time , for that reason I will be working with the color pallete.
Great theme for this month!
wohooo,love this one! gives me a chance to use selective memory:)
great colorway-my clors
neki desu
well,the first step is ready...i need work in the color and materials
http://blog-doris.blogspot.com/
Sharon, this is a wonderful challenge. There are so many things I remember! I'll post my thoughts on my blog. I may use the Challenge colors this time. I'll see. Can't wait to see everyone's ideas.
I too am older than dirt - WWII vintage, even. BUT it has now been decided (by me) that I will do the 40 years of "evolutions" of my own needlepoint design, as I have been going back to the beginnings anyway with the added enhancement of the art crazy quilts. I can remember waaaaaay back when it was primitive, in that all we had to stitch with was Persian wool or cotton floss, and did little more than basketweave.
My kids *think* I'm older than dirt ~ I'm tempted to do something that features dinosaurs! This will be interesting, that's for sure :- )
Here is a photo of my January TIF piece http://flickr.com/photos/helenad/2234878812/. I have also put it up on the group flickr
I have illustrated the processes I went through to make this piece and also some photos of bits and pieces which I thought I might use.
http://flickr.com/photos/helenad/sets/72157603779714908/ . I have found it quite a challenge to stop working on the piece knowing when to stop is quite an art. I really enjoyed the discipline of keeping myself on one track and even if time escaped me a little this month. I have already learnt new stuff. ( Using camera, tracking the making processes, understanding colour a bit more) Really enjoyed seeing the range of work going on.
Both Jan and Feb colour schemes make me think of landscapes ( mauve and green= Scottish moorland ,stone and blue and sand=cornish coast) but perhaps I see landscapes in all sorts of things.
It's been fun thinking about the Feb. challenge and have some ideas on my blog.
I am using your challenge to give myself a nudge design-wise, thanks. I also enjoyed the reminiscing.
http://threadingthoughts.blogspot.com/2008/02/i-remember.html
hmm these colours are a challenge because they look different on the computer and printer, the first one looks greeny blue on the computer and pale blue when I print it, so what I came up with on dmc was 964 793, 945, 792 and 783. Does it matter if we are a bit out with these? I may have to revue 793.
Hi Sharon I was tagged to tell 7 things about myself, and now Im tagging you! you'll have the whole weekend to think of something! rules on my blog. cheers Paula
I just found your blog, would really like to be a part of this, even if just by following along. I plan to do the blocks, hope this okay. I love this idea as just a few nights ago was thinking over this very thing when it came to light that my youngest daughter had no idea what an eight track is and asked if records were what we had in the box in storage. I am certain she would think I am crazy if I told her we use to smash up a tablet and mix it with the margarine to give it a butter color. I am not that old, just had old parents.
At first I thought, how on earth am I going to do this one? Too many possibilities. But then I quickly was able to narrow down to a focus. I'll write some on my blog tomorrow about my ideas.
I do like the dinosaur idea, though.
Deb
http://justenoughtime.wordpress.com
I got my January TIF challenge block done.
http://thelmassewnthings.blogspot.com
I am looking forward to this months color scheme. I have enjoyed looking at what everyone has done great job everyone!
I'm not quite finished with January but I can finish it while I think what to do for February. My grandkids have school assignments where they call and ask us what we had that they don't now. Hmmm....what to do.
Find me at: http://www.freebirdsings.blogspot.com/
Well this looks interesting. I'm older than
dirt also and can look back to all kinds of
changes, in fact my husband and I were talking about that just recently, how many, many,
new things in our lifetime. I believe more
advances have been made in this century than
any other before. on the other hand not all of
them good.However I think I'll come up with
something this time not just color.
I find that rather an unusual palette ,
challenging anyway.
Preliminary thoughts on February's challenge... http://dakinidreams.blogspot.com/2008/02/take-it-further-challenge-february.html
Hi Sharon,
Happy Birthday for this month. The thing I'm old enough to remember that REALLY sticks in my mind is trying to put the stylus needle of the record player on the third song of a vinyl album - the only way to skip or fast forward to your favourite song. One slip and you scratched the record and that was the end of it. I've sketched out a rough idea but I won't blog anything to Wednesday when I've had a bit of a chance to play.
Susan
http://susaneta.wordpress.com