the story of: working together

Each month this year, I'm featuring a story here, and each month I ask my sponsors a question that relates to that story. Well this time around, I really liked how, in the Bremen Town Musicians, a group of individuals came together to create, and the results were far better than any one of them could have achieved.

I've said it before, and you'll hear me say it again (read it again?), but I have found such joy in collaborating with others. This is different from working with a client where you are doing what they ask. This is working together to create something great.

In his recent song, Impossible Soul, Sufjan Stevens sings "we can do much more together. It's not so impossible." I love it. So with this in mind, I asked my sponsors:

If you could work on a project with a group of other bloggers/crafters, what kind of project would it be, and who would you choose to work on it with you?

Here's what I heard from them:
I would love to work on a web design project with Srsly Liz, Pugly Pixel (Powered by Pastries), and LA & The Freckled Nest Team
-Cristina, Craftee


If I could work on a project with any blogger/crafters, it would be with Maya of Maya Made and Blair from Wise Craft and Yasmine from Cat vs. Human bc she just gets it! I'd want to make a big homey cat shelter/studio space -- with Maya's superior eco-craftness she showed with her mom's converted barn studio and Blair's flair for style and Yasmine's cat knowledge, I think we would make the most perfect artist's studio/cat ranch. ;) Too bad we are all in way different cities!
-Amina, Of Cats and Crafts

I would love to work an online craft-a-long (craft night) where people could be crafting at someone's craft store or home, and we could live stream it. Then other people at home could join in, chat, and even add their own photos and videos! A state/national craft night! I would have do something like this with talented ladies like Pip from Meet Me At Mikes, Holly from Two Cheese Please, and Amanda from Calico & Co!
-Talia, Life's Visual Journal

Had to sit and think about this awhile, but the more I pondered, the more wonderful this little get-together sounded. For the collaboration, we would most definitely need(italics) to get-together in person, preferably somewhere by the sea, of course...to plan and host a Party! What is this party for, you ask? Well, I answer, do you really need a reason for a crafty party? I didn't think so. ;) This lovely party would be co-hosted by Natalie Chanin who would help us all sew our own gorgeous dresses by hand; Anna Maria Horner who would bring vibrant color and patterns to contrast Natalie's muted and classic style (and not just in the dresses but the whole shebang); and Jessica Fediw with her fabulous and thrifty decorating/hosting skills to tie the whole thing together. So, who's in?

Making stuff together with friends is not just about the end result. It's about the hang-time, the laughter and the sharing of stories. If I could work on a project with three creative ladies (I have to pick only three!?!) I would just deee-light in getting together to design patterns, make clothing and and create fabric designs with these three women: Julie from Joy's Hope. She is creative, has an awesome sense of color and an ability to encourage people. Her story and her life are an inspiration. Heck, I'd just love to hang out with Julie. Rae from Made by Rae. She is a gifted sewer and an all-around creative woman. I love her tutorials for baby clothes! Chelsea from Pink Fig. I love the way she combines fabric colors & designs in clothing. It's a bit like quilting meets scrapbooking, the way she mixes and matches colors & patterns. Hang time and crafty goodness all rolled into one with these creative ladies, I think we'd have a party!
-Andee, Bearing Fruit

If I could choose a project to do with anyone, I think I would choose Casey from Elegant Musings, and Gertie from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, and I would want to put together a diy vintage 1930's dress kit.
-Nichole, I Was Only Stitching

I would love to work on some sort of charity event that would benefit a children's hospital. I would very much like to work with Tara from Sew Tara because I like how creative she is (as well as her sense of humor), Lindsay from the Cottage Home, because I love her designs, and how well made they are, and the artist behind How Stinking Cute because her items are, simply put, just stinking cute!
Isabela, Ooh Leela!

I'm working on a blog makeover with Freckled Nest and can't wait to see how that turns out. It was great fun creating a PDF pattern with Mollie last year and I'd love to attempt that with someone again, probably involving fabric scraps since I'm on a missing to make use of all those odds and ends this year. I'd also like to connect in person with some of the local crafty ladies I've learned to love during the course of my blog like Cristina from Craftee (we email each other regularly) and Thursday from MyGirlThursday. I love her vintage style, how she manages it all with a little one at home and I had no idea she was so close!

Thank you ladies! I can see some amazing creative possibilities here! Now, how about you? If you could work on something with a group of bloggers, who would it be and what would you work on?