Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! & Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a creative and productive year filled with Love and Joy!

Jamie & Audrey

Practicing Sketches of Characters

Adding movement is the next step in Tascha's drawing class.  Not that I've master the front facing, but variety is nice.  I think I can honestly say I probably do more erasing than drawing, but I bought a pack of three big erasers, so I am good to go.  I've only just began so hopefully I will be diligent about practicing and I look forward to seeing what or who shows up on my little pieces of paper.  And I look forward to advancing to bigger pieces of scrap paper in the near future.  When Tascha draws these gals leaning in, they don't look like they have a premature curvature of the spine, they look shy and cute, just saying.

Sewing up a Storm

My husband took the girls to see his folks for the weekend.  I have been having fun sewing up some projects that have been on the back burner for some time now.

The first thing I sewed up was Geta Grama's Twice as nice - Double pouch. here  A nice big pouch for just about anything especially when traveling.

Measures 7" tall, 11" wide at top 3-1/2" deep.

Geta's 19 pages of colorful directions were wonderful

I used fabric I had on hand.  I love the Michael Miller fabric.  It looks folk artsy.  I ripped out the zipper on the big pouch because I didn't think it would open in the same direction as the smaller pouch, but I guess I had it on correctly the first time because both zippers do not open in the same direction.  Oh well, live and learn.  For some reason my machine didn't want to move when sewing the zipper and I really had to pull and/or take out the nest and start over.  I did tell my machine if it didn't behave I would trade it in.  Apparently, my machine cannot be bullied into behaving, fancy that!

Saturday after getting my hair done and getting some Sees chocolates, I started on Noodlehead's 241 Tote.

Saturday evening I had to take a break because I went to see a show with friends and was pleasantly entertained.  It is good to see live performers.

Sunday I finished the tote bag.  I picked the colors I thought would look nice next to mother's face, which is hard to see under fluorescent lighting.  Very cloudy today.

I think I would put fusible fleece in the handle next time.  It is a great bag if you just want something smaller than a big tote bag but enough to hold the necessary items for a day out and about.

It feels great  expressing my creativity through sewing.  I think I have enough time to start laying out the pattern and template for the next project.  I have in mind a small doll.  Stay tuned.

Online Drawing Class with Tascha Parkinson

It was my intention to join the Life Book 2014 starting in January, but after considerable pondering I felt I could give more of myself to the "process" when my girls were in school full time and that would be in 2015.  In preparation for Life Book 2014 I have been practicing drawing faces.

Then I decided to take an online drawing class with Tascha Parkinson, who actually is one of the teachers of Life Book 2014. (check out her flikr, it is amazing and always inspires me here )  I have been having fun drawing her cute little girls with different dimensions.

It is fun to see what shows up on my scrap paper.

I have a long way to go but drawing is so relaxing.  There is a part of me that is feeding off this creative outlet, like a starving man who stumbles upon a Thanksgiving feast.

Crocheting Hats and more Hats

Lately I have had big plans on sewing bags and purses.  But there seems to be some block in my brain (fear of failure?) that is keeping me from sewing them up. So I decided to do some crocheting.  I started a cute Amigarumi called Kangaroo Kira.  There are a lot of parts so I wanted to get started.  Then my  relative who lives in Hawaii and is actually delivering or has delivered a baby girl wanted a boob beanie.  So I made her three.  Not sure of the size head her baby will have so I made several different sizes.  And I made another beanie (not a boob beanie) for my coworker whose daughter is going through chemo.  I hope the beanie I made fits her.  I'm not a beanie fan because they are so tight, and I have a flat head, but it might make her feel better to wear something pretty when the chemo makes her hair fall out.  I feel so bad for my coworker and her daughter. So, so scary.  All these hat patterns I got free off of You Tube.

For my coworker's daughter

St. Croix River at Taylors Falls

I thought this picture was fun and wanted to share it.  We had a cool, crisp Sunday and found ourselves at the St. Croix River.

My Second Art Quilt

I finished making an Art Quilt using the second face I drew for Lauren Vlcek's class.  I originally was going to use the word Dream and to use a sailboat.  I just went with the flow and my little art quilt morphed to Gems and with little kids. (Awww)  The quilting was terrible and I'm glad it doesn't show on the quilt.  I put glitter glue on the words.  

Harvest Moon

This Moment

 

And So It Begins...Kindergarten

My girls do not impart information about their day easily.  I am so eager to know all that went on during the day but they seem to have forgotten most of it when I ask.  I get little bits and pieces at odd intervals.  When memories of the day pass through their mind and they want to tell me about this or that and I eagerly soak it up with interest.  They can earn Bear Pride certificates if the teacher thinks they have shown good examples of being polite, responsible, independent, determined and ethical.  So far Jamie has brought home two and yes it is only the second day.  Audrey brought home one. It says on the bottom of hers Great Job in Math.  Audrey is confused because she didn't do any math.  Well, that does seem strange.  They are both in the same class, but the teacher said she is going to have them at different tables.  It was interesting they both drew rainbows on the first day pictures.

Audrey & Jamie wearing plates that say Picked up.

Jamie is going to start ballet this Saturday.  Swim and art lessons too.  A very expensive month it will be $$$$-ouch!

I love all the beautiful skin tones I see.

Audrey's picture.

Jamie's picture.  She had a yellow before she changed to pink.

Audrey swinging after school.

Little critters bring delight.

This Moment

Fun!

My Little Face Quilt

My little face quilt, a class taught by Lauren Vlcek, is completed.  I went with my inspiration even though I knew my quilting skills would be challenged.  It just feel good to have a projected that is completed.

At the Butterfly House at the State Fair

This year Mother Nature played an unpleasant trick on us Minnesotans by pumping up the temperature just in time for the great get together - the State Fair.  With temps in the high 90's and the heat index even higher it was challenging to roam the fair grounds without feeling like one could faint from exhaustion.  And to rub a little salt in the wound the weather prior was the most perfect.  Bright and sunny with no humidity and with a slight cool breeze.  I had planned ahead and took the day off when kid rides were discounted.  It just happened to be the hottest of all days, 99 degrees with heat index of 110.  Somehow we managed to be at the fair for 10 hours.  My legs were sore for days.

My girls love going to the Butterfly House and I thought I would share a few of many pictures I took there.

I like Jamie's profile.

She looks like she is in a trance with the butterflies.

It takes some getting used to having the butterflies crawl on the face. Audrey doesn't mind.

I had several different pictures of Audrey with a butterfly on her nose.  This was my coworkers' favorite.

This one is my favorite

Happy Friday!

I'm Learning to Draw Faces

I think back in March I saw on Facebook that The Quilt Show was letting people watch past episodes for free.  It was a good marketing tactic because I was hooked and decided to become a star member.  I love the amazing guests and think Alex and Ricky are great hosts.  They have many classroom techniques available to star members and I decided to learn how to draw faces on fabric with Lauren Vlcek.  Her dolls are amazing.

I'm having challenges making my eyes symmetric, but I plan on practicing some more.

These drawings are with training wheels meaning I copied the outline and used them to practice coloring them in.  Lauren suggested to do this first, then it's all free hand, which is a little intimidating for me, for example I free handed the neck on the face on the right.  I think she is a body builder with the thick neck that I gave her (ha, ha).   I'm having a blast!  This will become a mini quilt.

The weekend is almost over.  Boo Hoo!  Hope you have a great week!

Fairy Pictures

I finally got around to putting the antennae on my fairy and made her a flower to sit on.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.

I had fun posing my fairy.  Although the busyness of the flower fabric did get me thinking, what was I thinking?!  Oh well, it feels liberating going against the shoulds sometimes (two busy fabrics clash).

Saying Goodbye to our Tree

On August 6th a powerful storm passed through our city.  60 mph straight line winds blew hail into our siding, windows and anything else in its path.

Unfortunately, our tree in the front yard lost a big branch and almost knocked down a power line.

I think I heard it scream as it limb snapped off.

Before

After

 Goodbye nice tree who would shade my car when I came home for lunch.

To end on a positive note, a few pictures of my girls.