Learning New Things

I am working on my project for the "Modern Mini Challenge" over at Ellison Lane Quilts.  Jennifer has been doing a blog series on Mini's so we can find our inspiration - there are some wonderfully talented folks out there in blog-land!

This is my first "quilt".  However, as you may be aware, I am a free spirit when it comes to design, so I have to admit that my mini will be functional.  Not as in "it hangs on the wall and looks pretty" kind of functional, but as in a "hey, that's way cool - what do you mean it hangs on the wall?!!" kind of functional.  Confused yet?

OK, I'll reveal a little bit about my project on this post, but I want to wait until it's done to reveal the whole shebang (mainly because it's not finished yet!).  Prior to being sidetracked into this challenge, I was working on a "Quiet Book" for my children.  So every page had "something to do".  That bled over into this quilt a little bit.  

These adorable aliens can go INTO the house and space ship.  Yep, those bits are not just for looks, they are actually pockets!  Yay for keeping kids busy!!!  

(Speaking of keeping kids busy, has anyone seen my third alien?  I think someone toddled off with it....)

I admit I am no professional.  I am probably going to be crazy enough to try to make another one of the space ships.  I learned a bunch while doing this one.  First off, I learned how to make buttonholes with my new (to me) sewing machine!

Not excellent, but it'll do for the kiddos.  (Thread snapped in the middle of sewing.  grrrr.)

I had some fun trying to figure out exactly how to make the space ship.  I added the ric rac with itty bitty French knots to add a bit of color.  I like how it turned out!

I also got to "play" with Peltex.  It's really neat stuff (of course - it's made by Pellon!).  It is a thick stabilizer with heat-activated adhesive on both sides.  It makes the aliens (and space ship) sort of stiff but flexible - like spongy cardboard!

Typically, after I put something together I look at it and think of all the embroidered bits I can add.  I was not sure about the Peltex, because it is so thick.  However, it was surprisingly simple to sew through - even by hand!  

Here are some of my house windows.  My original design has a porch, too, but I'm working on that.  I love that I can sit and do a bunch of hand-embroidered details on this project.  Makes it relaxing, fun, and doesn't feel alien to me (ha!).

I only have until March 5th to finish it up, but I'd better get cracking - especially if I want to re-do the space ship with all of my new found knowledge!

Modern Mini Challenge

I'm entering the The Modern Mini Challenge over at Ellison Lane Quilts.

In Jennifer's own words: "The Modern Mini Challenge is a 5 week series that kicks off with some seriously inspiring work from some super talented bloggers. Spark your creativity with ideas and inspiration from some amazing mini quilts and mug rugs."  Want to join me?  Check it out at Ellison Lane Quilts.


Yep.  I'm going to do it.  I'm working on a mini right now.  And I'm going to finish it.  And I'm going to enter it.  And I just might win (stranger things HAVE happened).  I love a challenge!  And I'm doing this to prove to myself that I can.  And I will.  


I'm going to do it. 


I'm putting it in writing - you all will hold me to my word, won't you?  

Thanks - you're the best!!!!
 :) Caren  

Aliens on the Brain

I'll admit it.  I'm a little boy-crazy.  In a crafty sort of way.  Yep, I love my boys to pieces, and I love "making stuff" for them.  My 5 year old Spunky is such a creative little guy.  I bounce ideas off him continually.  He's got great input into my creations.  He named this one (below) "Salien" (because he's got what looks like a sun on his face).

We were discussing aliens a couple nights ago and he had "a great idea!", so he drew me an alien.  It was so stinkin' cute!  He described every part of it, from the shape, to the eyes, "then there's a mouth, and another mouth, and stripes like a zebra, and this one squiggly stripe goes all the way up to his second mouth!!!".  And yes, I do know that he was stalling because he didn't want to go to bed, but those are the moments I cherish...

So, yeah, I've had aliens on the brain.  Here's how I created 3D aliens from the pictures: two scraps of quilting cotton (Spunky picked the fabrics), and an old t-shirt.

I am no good at free-hand copying, so I used an iron-on embroidery pen and some freezer paper to make a transfer, and after I transferred it, I copied over the lines with my fabric pen.  It was my first time using this method and it worked beautifully!

Sprout saw me taking pictures of the aliens and made a bee-line over to investigate.

He started TALKING (ok, babbling, but who's to say the aliens can't understand?  Never know, maybe he was speaking their language?!!).

He was so excited he even gave me the nose-crinkle that I adore!

Spunky got home from school and was thrilled.  Now if I could only figure out how to make antennae that are kid-friendly, I'd be a super-hero momma!

Blessings,
:) Caren

Homemade Valentine Cards

This is Spunky's first year in school.  He's my eldest, so I'm learning a lot of new things.  Like, for instance, did you know that there is a "100 day celebration"?  That's this week for us.  I had never heard of such a thing.  Apparently they want to celebrate 100 days of learning, so everyone in my son's kindergarten class is to bring in 100 of something.  It's a big deal to be able to count to 100.  (We're doing fruity O's cereal, left over from our fruit loop garland at Christmas).

Valentines Day is February 14th.  So I just found out that my son has to bring Valentines cards for EVERYONE in his class.  Yep, all 27 of them.  We'll say it is "to celebrate all of our new friends".  I'm not sure why Valentines is such a big deal, but it is.

Source

So I have been scouring the web looking for free printables (there are some great ones out there), but then I thought - hey, I'm creative - these don't need to be complex - just make some!  So I did just that.  (Most of the ones pictured here were free downloads I found on Skip to My Lou and Bunnycakes).

I've got issues with traditional Valentines.  First of all, my son does not "get" puns.  He doesn't "get" jokes, either, for that matter.  He's just not there yet.  Second, this is marked as the holiday of "love".  Love is not exactly politically correct in the schools - I mean, we are to love one another, but we can't actually say that because it comes straight from the Bible.  Third, what's up with "conversation hearts"?  Some of these poor kids can't even speak English, they're just learning to read the correct way, and then this holiday comes along and throws them cryptic and incorrect spelling?  Talk about confusing!

So what's a mom to do?  I don't want to go overboard on the "crafty" end (a kindergartener making 27 cards by hand?  yeah, right - guess who would be finishing THAT project!!!)  So lets just keep it simple!  Here's what I came up with.

A simple picture (mine were Tombots - a free font), with "Happy Valentines Day".  We'll probably throw a sticker or two on them.  Perhaps some glitter (if I decide I'd like to go completely insane).

"these MINE!"

Oh, and I have decided that I'm going to type out the kids names.  See, my son's class is extremely diverse in culture.  So there are about 20 kids with names I had never heard of.  The teacher actually "practices" saying some of them with the class so they can pronounce them...

source

I love that Spunky's  class is multi-cultural.  Seriously, I have absolutely nothing against people from other nations.  I'm just a momma thinking about practicality.  Can you imagine how long it would take my five year old (who hates writing) to spell out "Abdoulamohamman"?!!! We'd be working on that one all night.

And just so you are not confused, yes, this is my daughter.  I know this post is about my son and his class, but he was at school while I was planning this post (and getting the Valentines ready), so Sunshine and I decided to "play".

Have a very happy Friday!
:) Caren

Quiet Book UFO (Part 2)

In Part 1 of my Quiet Book posts I mentioned that most of my pages were someone else's idea.  Most of the gumball machine pages I've found teach colors, but since I already have a colors page (see Ice Cream page, below), this gumball machine teaches patterns!  Stripes, swirls, checks, plaids, polka dots, and spots, oh my!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar counting pages (I want to add more "texture" to these pages, though they are quite busy...).  I love that I can use up some scraps that were gifted to me.  Makes it more precious to me!

Ice Cream Scoops (teaches colors)

Like I said, the pages are not finished.  This page is a maze, with a car and two "parks".  Sunshine is trying to get the car into the pocket, and the page is too flimsy at the moment for her to have much success.  Hopefully it will be much easier when the pages are finished.

Picking Veggies from the Garden

And here is the rocket in space page.  Spunky, my sweet creative 5 year old asked if I could make the moon into a pocket.  (Great idea, Spunky, but you'll notice that the moon is smaller than the rocket.)  He asked if we could make a comet, but since I didn't know what a comet should look like, he drew me one:

He picked out the fabrics and the trims, too.  Creative little thing, isn't he?  I love working with my Spunky!

So now the rocket has a comet to explore!

Which leads me to an observation.  I am not sure about anyone else's experience with Quiet Books, but Spunky was NOISY when playing with this page.  Anyone else out there have that kind of a kid?  He is a chatterbox!  I love him to pieces, noisy or not, but the irony was not lost on me.  Come to think of it, Sunshine had all of her 2 year old self in the middle of the floor saying "BUCKLE UP!" in her loudest voice.  Makes me want to re-think the "Quiet Book" title....

Can you imagine THAT at the doctors office, church, or (yikes!) at a funeral?!!!

Blessings to you!

:) Caren

Quiet Book UFO (Part 1)

When I was about 7 months pregnant with my youngest child, I started "nesting".  Most pregnant ladies nest by decorating or cleaning up for a nursery (or so I've heard).  Not me.  I started sewing.  Or at least, I started dreaming of ideas for "after the baby comes".  Ha.

Sprout

Here's my "baby".  He just turned one year old this month.  And this week he started walking (for real), and drinking regular milk!  And this week I have finally started my Quiet Book (it is not anywhere near being finished, hence UFO, or UnFinished Object).

So here, my friends, is a sampling of my un-finished pages (so far):

Matching Shapes

Yep, I let the kiddos play with the pages - raw edges and everything.  I love that I can see Sunshine's binky in this picture.  It will remind us of how "long ago" this book was made (assuming it ever gets finished, of course!)

Picking Apples (unsnap & put them in the basket)

Ohio State Tic Tac Toe page teaches a little Ohio history, too!)  I love the ladybugs vs. buckeyes instead of X's and O's - they turned out exactly as I had envisioned them.  That little flag was a LOT of work, but on the bright side, I learned how to make French knots!  Added the state motto: With God all things are possible, and our state bird (cardinal).  That's a lot of learning on one page :)

Generic "Build-a-Burger" page

Most of my pages were made from someone else's idea.  I can't give credit because there are so many different variations floating around the world wide web, but I'm grateful for the start in the right direction!

Lace & Tie the Football page has the scarlet and gray (scraps from my Buckeye Princess dress) for the Ohio State Buckeyes, a subtle hint of what college team our family is affiliated with.  Now if I could only find those shoelaces I stashed away for this project a year ago....

Have any of you, dear readers, made a quiet book?  Do tell!

:) Caren

My Buckeye Princess

I was invited to be a pattern tester.  And for some insane reason I said yes.  I mean, my work with clothing is limited for a reason, folks!  I see a pattern and I get a headache by the time I get to the measurements and cutting list (yep, same reason I don't quilt).

So anyway, after a couple weeks(!) of thinking over the possibilities for fabrics, I decided to make my little princess dress for a Buckeye - an Ohio State Buckeye, that is.  Yep, we live in Ohio.  And Sunshine's daddy (aka - my husband) is a Buckeye fan.  So I went for the best scarlet and gray I could find.  (Pretty sweet scarlet & gray, though, right?!!!)

So back to the whole pattern testing thing.  I figured out a lot of things through this adventure:

1.  I like to embroider, but only if I know it is actually going to be used/seen (i.e. - on a dress that won't ever fit - why waste the time?).  ps - my embroidery was not complete along the lacing in these pictures).

2.  I get nervous trying to figure out colors/fabrics.  I really can not seem to "picture" fabrics in other contexts.  Funny, huh?  I'm not a "visionary" with regards to fabrics and colors.  I guess that's got an "up" side, too - I get surprised with the end result!

3.  I get REALLY nervous cutting into "good" fabric.  You know, the kind with a designer label.  The kind you can't find at the thrift store or the remnant bin at JoAnns.  (If you're wondering, my fabric is a combination of Rendezvous and Nature Elements that I got from Julie at The Intrepid Thread.) 

4.  My designs typically come from a random idea, story, need, or even a fabric.  Not a pattern.  I am NOT a by-the-book creator.  I'm messy.  I color outside the lines.  I don't measure unless I have to.  I use "whatever" seam allowances.

5.  I get REALLY REALLY nervous about using someone else's pattern.  Especially if I know they're counting on me to follow it faithfully.  My insecurities abound, because I want to do things right.  I know the person who wrote this pattern is wanting my honest input, and I want to give it (and not screw up something she has worked hard on!)

6.  And though I knew this one before: I am only marginally better than  I used to be at sewing in a straight line!

So I struggled a bit with this pattern testing thing.  It is a sweet pattern - and it really did turn out beautiful.  And in the end, it was a good (growing) experience for me.  It gave me confidence not to shrink away from future projects that might involve patterns, exact measurements, and/or cutting into really GOOD fabric!  

Who knows? Maybe I'll try tackling a quilt one of these days...

                                                      

                                       ... but not today ;)

Here's a smile from my Buckeye Princess to you!

:) Caren