Old/New Quilts

I am fortunate to know a good amount of creative people. Becky is one of the most creative. Right now she is directing her talents toward music, with her band, the Mollies. But, way back in the day, back in college, she was cranking out these amazing quilts. Such a genius idea. Pretty soon we were all making them and I'm pretty sure most of my roommates ended up with one.

Go to a thrift store and head to the sheets section. You will see a bunch of old 60s/70s sheets that people are discarding. You can find the greatest prints.Take a really cool top sheet and wash it a million times to get out the old lady smell. Then use it as a top to a new quilt. (If you buy new batting, and a new bottom sheet, you can get away with it being a 'new' quilt). I still have several awesome sheets I've collected, just waiting to be made up into quilts.

Extended family picture. If you are in Utah, Jeni Boston Photography is our favorite. I absolutely love this traditional shot, but I'll have to admit I can't wait to schedule her for some non-traditional shots as well (see her site to see what I mean).

**and do any of you, like me, see your chubby cheeked children and want to bite them?
***and no, I am not one of the leggy, dark-haired, fancy babes. I am the one in the wrinkled gray skirt. Which you could probably find spilled food on if you look close enough.

Superman and the Vampire Witch

I cannot sew anything for Milli now without a drawing of instructions from her. Which is fine, I love to see what she comes up with. This year, a vampire witch - this is the dress. She also requested a "sparkly cape", but did not draw me a picture of that.

Liam is a stickler for details and instead of drawings, brings me his Superman action figure and says, "Make me a costume like this. And I'll need a black wig with an S curl." (*note, I failed on the wig. Totally failed. He had to go as a blond Superman.) In other failures related to Liam, he really wanted superman boots, but I was totally unwilling to spend $30 on them and insisted on red Crocs.

And Greta had to be a pumpkin because every baby has to take a turn as the pumpkin.

Crafts from the past

I will readily admit to the things that I struggle with in being a mother. One of the more glaring weaknesses is letting them go. I try very hard to be "normal" and to not give into my every impulse to keep them home! home school! more time with mom!

Last year I did not send Milli to preschool because I just really wanted to soak in every second with her before she went to Kindergarten. And I had similar plans for Liam - keeping him with me as long as possible. Last year was just so dreamy, waking up with no schedule, doing whatever we wanted, doing my own preschool with them that mostly involved making cookies and art lessons.

A nagging feeling came in August that I should put him in preschool, a feeling that I kept at bay as long as possible. For me, it would mean some kind of personal failure. (*note to all mothers - I didn't say that putting your kids in preschool means you don't love them, don't want to be with them, or that if you do, you are a failure - I speak for my own unique situation.) Failure because I really wanted to spend time with him. But there finally came a time when I admitted to myself that he needed it. He needed less glued-to-mom's hip time. And with the ever growing demands of motherhood, I could use the few hours to clean.

So to preschool he went. I didn't cry when Milli went to Kindergarten, but the entire first week that Liam was in preschool, I just went home and cried. (While I hurriedly scrubbed toilets, of course). And two months into it, I am still having a hard time.

But I will somewhat unwillingly admit that it's been a great decision. He is in heaven at preschool. And with those few hours to clean, when the kids get home, I can actually spend time with them that is all fun and no "..just let me run and unload the dishwasher...and wipe off the counters."

So of course the instant Liam entered preschool I began hounding his teachers about when I could come and do projects with his class. Today was the first day. We made a craft that my kindergarten teacher made with me. The one and only craft I remember from elementary school. The craft my mom saved and put out every halloween until I was 19 and the poor thing got lost in a move.
A dowel stuck in some plaster of paris, construction paper clothes. The kids made the pumpkin heads, added patches and hay coming out of the arms and legs. I'll admit that I look at it and think of my own childhood and my mother who never wanted to hurt her kids feelings, so she hung onto it. Way past the point of a safe throw away. And I think of my son who was beyond thrilled to have his mom with him in school. Who whispered at me all day "I love you mom," and caught kisses that I blew at him when he was supposed to be listening. And showed everyone in class how his cape could fly out.


**and on a lighter note, I'm glad to see other people have to ask him a million times to do something - "listen" "be quiet" "no pushing". Made me feel better about my decision!

Fall

I wouldn't say that I've ever loved a specific season, but now that I have children, there are many reasons to love fall and the fall/winter transition. Not applesauce, soup, pumpkin patches or sweaters (all good things though). I love it purely because of the crafting-with-my-kids opportunities. They ask me every day for "projects Mom!" And with holidays back to back, I suddenly have plenty of good reasons to answer their requests.

1. paper mice scurrying along the staircase
2. gauze ghosts (hung out of Greta's reach)
3. the mouse house pumpkin
4.reindeer moss/spider wreath
5. big scary spider egg thingy

Most of these ideas have come from Martha Stewart magazines, and if I were really nice I'd link them all up for you, but I really need to climb in bed.

As for my children, they will be really annoyed at me when they wake up tomorrow and I don't have a halloween craft ready. Or maybe I'll dream one up, who knows. Perhaps this memory of last nights annual Halloween party will still be lingering.

I wish my lack of posting lately was evidence of a life slowing down. I've actually got more "projects" than ever going on, they are just taking longer to complete than usual because of Love Chop here. Love Chop is called Love Chop because at nearly 18 months old, she still crawls, a fact that is, I am sure, contributing to her starting to resemble a dumpling.

And for only knowing 15 or so words, 2 of which are "Bug Bug" (we play a lot of slug bug in the car), she gets her way more than a late talker should. Communicating in a series of grunts, whines, hand gestures, and liberal use of the word "no", she is the most stubborn member of the family.
And at every opportunity, she escapes into the art room, where her activity of choice is dipping a paintbrush in water, and then tasting it.
So if I can get my newly bossy baby under control, I just may post my newest project this week. One I've been dreaming of doing for months.

Transparency Installation

In honor of my first turning 6, an installation of sorts was in order. I had a real 'thing' for transparencies in college, and renewed my love for them this week.

I picked 25 pictures of Milli, some from each of the six years of her life. Turned them all into B&W, and had them printed onto transparencies. (75 cents each at kinkos). Punched a few holes into the top, and tied thread through the holes. Hung from the ceiling with tape at different heights.

Reliving the memories is so fun.

Hung in the living room to catch the first light of day.

Off to Italy...

Milli has had a pen pal in Italy (Michela) for about a year now. It has been so wonderful to see how excited Milli gets to both send and receive packages and letters. I want it to be a cultural experience and so far it has been beyond wonderful.

In writing our last letter to Michela I got thinking that smores are so everyday for us. We have them up the canyon, all summer long. I asked Bryan about the camping/smore tradition in Italy, and he wasn't sure if it was big there. So for our next package, we are sending Michela her own smore ingredients, and recipe. Complete with a picture of Milli enjoying a smore.

I'm sending her instructions for the oven, since I'm not sure how convenient it is to build a fire where she lives.

Lobsters.

We are back to celebrating the birthdays of the dead. My kids love birthday parties, and I love artists, dead and alive, so teaching about artists via birthday party is perfect for our family. Today, French couturiere Elsa Schiaparelli. Read about her, she is amazing, described as "that Italian artist who makes clothes". She collaborated with Dali on this amazing dress (below). A big lobster on an elegant evening gown. She was a fashion pioneer, yet she shows up amongst artists I study. Fashion merging with art - I adore.

Naturally we needed a sugary food to go with the theme.

And our own sewing craft involving bright red lobsters. A dress seemed logical, but not justifiable: we have too many. However, we are short on cozy winter hats. Lobster added via freezer paper stencil method.

A hat that you can turn into a neck warmer/scarf thingy. Elsa would have loved it.

The transformation into neck warmer.

And now a small side story very much related. A month ago I bought this shirt online from this store. I loved it. A lobster on a t-shirt. Strange, and that's why I liked it. When I actually got it, there were a few details that I had not noticed in the picture online. It says "Lobsta" and the lobster has on some bling.

Totally changes the appeal of the shirt for me. Why? Why do that to a shirt? I'm a mother of three... I don't quite cross over into "lobsta" territory. I am still trying to reconcile with this shirt.

Milli's designs: part 2

On these last two designs of Milli's (see first post and second post), I took a few unauthorized liberties, and she let me know it. I really should have known better. I made them work, and she loves them, but there are a few things she wishes I would have stuck with.

For one: on the drawing on the right you will see a jagged, almost pirate-y skirt. I just implied the jagged edge with appliqued triangles. And the skirt fabric really is striped, it's just a little hard to tell in the picture.

She loves this and is completely happy with it, but really had hoped it was backless, as she specified to me several times. I just couldn't see sending my 5 year old to school in a backless dress.

So the school clothes come to a close. Truly, one of the best creative experiences a mother and her child could have.

Summer Art Show

Our Art Fridays have officially come to a close. Really, the highlight of my summer. Tonight we gathered at my parent's house and taped the kids' artwork on every available surface. Each child stood by their artwork, ready to ask questions and yes, even to negotiate sales.

My gift to the artists: Mondrian t-shirts with their names on them. (And a few primary colors squares.)

Signing the work.

Discussing the mood of a painting.

Coming to an agreement on price.

My first.

Milli's first day being educated by someone other than me, or her aunt Barbara. Teensy amount of sadness on my part. Teaching this little girl how to read, paint, sew, and what happens if you forget to add eggs to your cookies, has been one of the greatest experiences in my life. It has taught me to be far more creative than I ever was in art school. But she is ready. More than ready to wave goodbye to me each day. And, because I am who I am, I have already hatched plenty of plans for french, more sewing, science projects, and of course, more art lessons, when she gets home. More of that to come now that we are a little more settled.

Fall collection in progress

Sewing up Milli's own designs has been such a great experience. Mainly watching her eyes grow bigger and bigger when she sees her drawings come to life. We have used fabric from Bryan's mom and grandma's stashes. (As well as using their vintage patterns!) Making this all in all a free sewing experience.

The pieces that look more professional were sewn by Bryan's mom. She is an expert and offered her help. Thanks Grandma for the help, the fabric, and the patterns.










With a few more pieces to sew up....I'd better get sewing.

An overwhelming amount of art...

Every week or so, I have to go all throughout the house and take down all the artwork that has been taped up so that we can make room for the next week's creations. I take art down from my bedroom door, the fridge, the kids' closet doors. The actual art room itself is totally wallpapered. I go through and keep what is their best effort. I know it sounds harsh that I chuck a portion of their artwork away, but seriously.... there is no way we could begin to store it. So I keep the best. And when I have accumulated enough, I just zig zag them together.

Cover, from the carnival, by Bryan.