My mother sewed clothing and made "quilts"; she knitted, she embroidered, she crocheted. Along with my father, she raised 6 kids on a dairy farm with a huge orchard, veggie garden, lawns, and flower beds everywhere. Obviously, she was rarely idle. She was not a nurturing mother ... I'm not whining or complaining ... she was what she was! The clothing and quilts she made were serviceable, but not "eye candy". One of my goals when I made clothes for me and my family was to NOT follow my mother's example. Ditto when it comes to making quilts. Her exceptions were cute appliqued children's quilts and cute stuffed toys. We expressed gratitude and none of us criticized her "gifts" of clothing or quilts. Like her, they were what they were!
I thought (when I was growing up) that I might be an artist someday because I could draw quite well and had an eye for color. However, I never had the discipline nor made the time to become an artist. My ability to draw pictures is pretty much "in the toilet" now, but I still have an eye for color and that comes very much into play in my love of making quilts. The first one I ever saw that I adored was displayed on a wall (museum, I think), close enough to study it, but not close enough to touch. It was 3-D. For example, the little girls had braided wool pigtails with tiny ribbons; there were aprons and bonnets, etc. sewn onto the women/girls and little curly tails on the pigs (you get the idea). There were many attachments. I've never seen anything since that I've liked nearly as well. Obviously, somebody put a lot of love and work into it.
I haven't gotten that ambitious, nor ever will, but with every new quilt I make, I try to make something a little more special or complicated.