Beginnings of First Journal Quilt

I have the beginnings of my January quilt. This sea/sky background was something I pieced together when I first started quilting. I was interested in doing landscape quilts, and found a piece of sea/sky looking fabric, but I wanted to do something different with it, so I cut it into squares and sewed it back together. It was bigger, but I cut it down to the size for the journal quilts. I have been mulling over ideas of what to do with it. Birds...boats...hot air balloons...airplanes...alien spaceships? Something "normal" or something weird? I keep looking at it, but haven't had a big AHA yet. I'm leaning towards seagulls or pelicans. Not sure how I want to make them. Something I haven't done before...

Journal Quilts

I signed up for a "Journal Quilt" challenge on the About.com quilting forum. For this challenge, I am supposed to make up to 12 small quilts measuring 8 1/2" x 11" during the year 2006. I have decided that with each quilt I will attempt to stretch my creativity by using some technique that I have never used before. On this page, I will attempt to "journal" about my journal quilts. Sometimes the subject of the quilt may have personal meaning to me. Other times, the design may simply be an avenue for trying a specific technique.
I am hoping this experience will help me break out of the patterns with which I am comfortable. I tend to stick to things that are "safe" and look good on the first attempt. I do not consider myself a terribly artistic person, although I do think that I am creative, and I think I have a "good eye" for layout and design. I often have trouble coming up with really original ideas, and when I do, I have trouble getting them out of my head and onto paper, or fabric, or whatever.
Here's to an interesting year!