ABC's

We went to the park the other day, against Superman's better judgement. The weatherman said it was 40 degrees out. My freezing face and hands told me it was 5 degrees. Oh, when? When will you be here spring? We weep for you! We pushed Pumpkin on the swings and tried to slide down the wet, cold slides. And then we gave up and used Superman's camera to take some quick snaps of letters we could find in the playground around us. Here are a few we found:








Superman has a good eye! We had a great time (really quickly because it was so blasted cold), took these pics home, and with the help of photoshop (which I LOVE...It's my fav software EVER) came up with this:





They look pretty cool. (Except that I guess they spell "gisk" which I don't think is a word, but you can see the potential!) And now the creativity begins...stay tuned for more ABC fun...

I've been painting

Here is a watercolor I recently finished. I don't think I can express how much I enjoy watercolor. I know I have mentioned that before but every time I sit down to paint I am reminded once again...it's definitely my bliss. (Or one of them.) I seem to have a hard time, however, relaying that passion to my students. There are not many of them who really understand or like the medium. It saddens me. I've thought about that a lot, especially over the course of this school year, and have tried to think of some other way to introduce them to watercolor only to come up short...I've got nothing. Yet. I'm sure it will come to me in time. Hmmmmm....maybe if I keep painting....

Celestial Bodies, 2011

A thousand words..."Go Big or Go Home"

I've missed a couple weeks on the link party over here at Bugaboo. It's fun. It's my sis. She gives you a prompt to guide your photo snapping for the week. This week's prompt was "Go Big or Go Home". I like it. Here's what I've got:




So what are these you ask? Well, they're Crayola markers it's true...but not just any markers... They are large scale cardboard sculptures created by students in the 3D class at the high school where I work. And they are pretty awesome. I love the things our kids come up with.They are incredibly creative. Every day is a new adventure!









Stop over and take a look! Link up! Have some fun!

My new favorite T

Just wanted to share something else quick before I pack it in and ready myself for work tomorrow...I made myself a tshirt over the break that I really like. I based my top on a post I saw here:

http://sewingin-nomansland.blogspot.com/2011/03/instant-gratification-top.html

The thing I really love about Kelly's top is the amazing and feminine ruffle around the neckline. I modified my T a bit. I put sleeves on mine. I wanted to be able to wear it without a cardi and I don't wear tanks without a cardi. I also didn't extend the ruffle all the way around the neckline. I finished all seams and edges, including the neckline and the ruffle. (Next time maybe I'll go with a more carefree look and feel and leave the edges raw.) And I extended the length.

I started mine the same way she started hers. I used one of my favorite tshirts as a guide. I folded it, layed it out on my jersey knit fabric, and traced. I did the same for the back. I did the same for the sleeves, which was a bit more difficult, but I did it! The ruffle is, well, basically a really long knit casing. I used a loose running stitch up the middle, gathered the fabric, pinned it in place and sewed it to the shirt. I like it a whole bunch. And I'm going to try it again. I really like the extended length.

Pay no attention to my gross hair and no makeup. I didn't go ANYWHERE today.

Spring break is AWESOME

I've been looking forward to spring break since Christmas break. No, now that's not true, but our winter here seems to drag on and on and on and on...and you just start feeling so blah. You know what I'm saying...I know you know what I'm talking about. Even if you don't live in a place where warmth disappears altogether for six months out of every year, yes that's right, half the year is crappy, I know you can still at least sympathize. Anyway, Superman and I don't have the same spring breaks...so I had a week, one whole, unadulterated, mostly blissful week with Pumpkin. We played a lot. We went to the park despite the snow covered ground and she loved it. We went to McD's. Barf. But she loved it. We read a zillion books a zillion times. We danced. We painted. We watched movies (and Dora the Explorer, and Diego, and Phineas and Ferb). We visited family. I turned a year older. We made these pinkalicious, bluealicious, and greenalicious cupcakes.

And of course we kicked back and got our lazy on...as much as possible.

My Fat Quarter Addiction Part VI: Project Organize

It seems, if I'm being completely honest, that I have stuff. Lots of stuff. And the open surfaces of counters, dressers, shelves, etc. seem to be places for me to put lots of baskets, and trays, and storage containers in which to organize and store my stuff. It's come to my attention that Superman has stuff too. And he needs places to put his stuff. So I made him trays. One for on top of the refrigerator, and one for on top of the dresser. Not much space for his stuff I know, but it's a start. This is what they looked like straight from the dollar bin at Target:

You can see I've already started applying several coats of black paint. Although one of Superman's favorite shirts is, in fact, pink, he wouldn't take too kindly to putting his manly stuff in a pink, polka dotted tray. I used black acrylic craft paint, because it's too cold to spray paint today.

Here's what they looked like all painted up. pretty nice. But, they needed a little punch, so I got the fat quarters out. One in a yellow print, and one in red that will coordinate with our kitchen. I also got the trusty Mod Podge. Ahhh, good ole' Mod Podge. I traced the tray and cut the fabric inside my lines. I painted Mod Podge all over the inside bottom of the trays and smoothed the fabric down. Then I added another coat of Mod Podge on top of the fabric. (I also painted Mod Podge on the sides of the tray on the inside, to seal the black acrylic. If he's going to throw stuff in there I want it to hold up and not chip after his keys hit the tray the first time.)

Here they are completed...They are pretty little things. And all for a couple bucks. You gotta love that.