May 19, 2018

Samples for classes

I own and operate a studio that teaches kids to sew, weave, knit and crochet.  I also teach two classes at the local arts center.  Lately, I have been having fun outside of teaching by making samples for my current classes and for summer camps.

I made a sample sundress for girls and a sunglasses case sample for both kids and adults.

For the preschool class, I made these little looms (they had so much fun with them!!) and people from used toilet paper tubes.

For my tween class at the art center (no sewing machines), I made samples of bean bags, woven monster bookmarks, key chains, and fun little stuffies that the kids could either make as bean bags or as cat toys.  Fun, Fun, Fun!!  All of this is leaving me little time to work on my own personal projects, but it’s all good.  I will hopefully be able to schedule my time a little bit better once summer comes so that I can start working on personal things!

January 22, 2018

A Party!

Something I don’t regularly share on this blog is that I also teach sewing, weaving, knitting, crochet and jewelry making.  I host birthday parties and Girl Scout events and they are so much fun!  Yesterday I hosted a birthday party for 10 girls and their projects came out fantastic.

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The birthday girl and her sister.

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Our studio setup with everyone working hard and having fun!

This is the birthday girl and her older sister.  The birthday girl picked the project (a panda), but she wanted each invitee to be able to customize parts of their panda.  I cute extra pieces in colorful fabric and let them choose and create to their heart’s content!

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With earbuds!

This picture doesn’t really do this panda justice.  Notice the little buttons added to the ears?  Those are earbuds and the strings are the wires going to a (to be made of cardboard at home) cellphone.  I thought that was super creative!img_2132-1

Blue eye patches!img_2128-1

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The party goers take a break about half way through for a snack and to sing “Happy Birthday” to the birthday girl.  They also had another song, “Hoppy Birdie” complete with hand and body movements that was so very cute!!

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Picking eye patch and nose colors.

Each bear was able to be personalized with embellishments of different colors.

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A panda bear made by a student who has never sewn before!

The party was a huge success and every girl completed her bear!

January 21, 2018

SAL Update

Just a little bit done in the last two months.  But better a little than none!  Crawling along with this one.

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21 Jan 2018 update.

This is where I am today…

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11/19 update – closeup

This is where I was at the November update.  I am so grateful for this SAL that I am part of because I can see if I wasn’t held accountable, I would just let this go back in the pile.  Things have been a little busy and I forget that I LOVE stitching so much!

Please take a look at the other wonderful stitching artists taking part in this SAL:

January 20, 2018

Honeybee

Honeybee desperately wants to be outside…

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Honeybee

I found this photo on my camera.  I’m not sure when I took it, but it really represents how Honeybee feels.  He desperately would like to be outside.  He used to be an inside/outside cat, but he is now totally blind in one eye and partially blind in the other.  Since our street is a raceway right now for the newly minted drivers living down the street at the bend, I feel it is not safe for him to be outside – he is a wanderer and sometimes used to wander far.  Soooo…he is not allowed outside anymore.  He spends much of his time looking out this door and the patio door and meowing piteously.  I feel so badly for him, but don’t want him to get run over by any of the cars on the street so inside he stays.  Hopefully he will get used to his new boundaries soon.

January 9, 2018

Chicken Hand Pies

We make these every so often.  The 12 yo boy loves them and today he wanted to help make them.IMG_1715

This time we used pre-made crescent roll dough.  We put the shredded chicken and frozen veges on one crescent and covered it up with another one.  We had so much fun making them together. (Ha!  You can see another batch of chicken stock cooking up in the backround!)IMG_1717

Everyone loved them and we had made enough for leftovers for myself and my husband the next day for lunch.  Win!

December 22, 2017

Blueberry Brioche

Well…the Tasty app has hit again!  I was looking at it while waiting for one of the kids at the orthodontist and this recipe popped up.  I watched the little video and then emailed it to myself.  It was pretty easy.IMG_1702

I was a little worried because the first rise did not rise very well.  The second rise was fine and the resulting bread looked great.IMG_1706

I think the blueberries were a little too big, the holes were pretty large.  Everyone liked it so I think I’ll make it again, but next time I’ll use dried blueberries and see how that turns out.

December 20, 2017

Tux and Honeybee

Our two cats are getting up there in age and don’t really play around like they used to.  They really prefer to…

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Lazy Cats

Sleep on my daughter’s bed.

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Tux

This one is so sweet.  We also refer to her as dogcat because she acts like a dog.  She follows me everywhere I go.  When I sit to work on the computer, or stitch, or sew, she either sits on my lap or on the chair right next to me.  She is always talking to me and when I get home, she greets me at the door.

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Honeybee

This guy is also sweet but more stately and fluffy.  He just moves from bed to bed making sure to share himself with each person in the family every night.  During the day he stays on my daughter’s pillow.  Both cats are so sweet!