I do.

There’s going to be a wedding celebration!! Although I’m not the one saying I do, I sure am doing…and doing and doing! 

Many more pictures to follow! (When I can catch my breath!) 

 

How to Make Printed All-Purpose Totes!

After reading this, and this book I have been absolutely itching to get my hands on some printing projects.  It really didn’t matter what I printed.  Walls, cards, clothes, bags….I just wanted to print something!!!  I have several printing projects lined up and decided to start with some simple freezer paper stencil printing…except I used contact paper!  Contact paper was something I had on hand…it removes a step (ironing)…and had the same effect as freezer paper. 

I plan on doing several holiday projects using a few different printing methods with the kiddos (or at least one of the kiddos…the other will help by taking a nap…how do you print with a 1 year old that seems to have 5 hands and ridiculous speed?!)    but this project came out of the studio made just by Mama. All-purpose totes became a wonderful canvas for a very fun and satisfying introduction to printing.  Whether these are used (by whoever is getting them for Christmas!) for groceries, bits of nature, or inside storage they are just lovely.  Oh, I do love to make pretty things!!!

So here you have it:

How to Make All-Purpose Printed Totes

1.  From 45” wide fabric cut 2 2” strips and one large piece ~20” wide.  All pieces are cut against the grain. 

        

2.  Sew the 2” strips into a long tube to make the handles by folding them in half width wise…stitching using a 1/4” seam allowance…turn…press. 

3.   On each of the short sides of the large fabric piece fold and press a 2” hem.  Stitch close to the pressed edge. This will be the bags top edge.

4.   Sew the side seams of the bag using french seams:  With wrong sides together stitch the side seams with an 1/4” seam allowance.

Turn.  Press.  Now with right sides together sew the same side seams with a slightly larger seam allowance ~1/2”. 

Now the raw edges of the side seams are completely encased leaving very polished seams.  Turn.  Press.

5.   Press the bottom of the bag open so the bottom corner makes a triangle.  Make sure to line up the side seam and the middle of the bottom carefully.  Measure ~2 1/2” from the corner and stitch perpendicular to the side seam to make a triangle.

  *Note* In the image I measured 3 1/2” but decided that wasn’t the right proportion for the bag so started again with 2 1/2”. You’ll have to decide what measurement will give you the bag dimensions you’d like.  Repeat on the other side.  This will make a bottom for the bag.  Press.

6.   Stitch the triangle to the bottom of the bag. 

7.   Determine how long you would like the handles and trim off the excess.  Place them on the bag where desired and pin.  Stitch them in place securely. 

8.   Voila!!!  You now have a simple and very practical bag…and better yet…a canvas for printing.

9.   Draw or transfer the design that you would like to print onto the contact paper.  Remember that the sticky part is on the front…so pay attention to how you orient your design to assure it is going to face the right direction.  

10.   Cut out your design carefully with an exact-o knife or scissors.  Peel off the back and place it where desired on the bag.  Press it down carefully, especially at the edges to ensure no paint will find its way under the contact paper.

11.   Place several layers of newspaper inside the bag underneath the area that you will be printing.

12.   With your chosen acrylic paint or fabric paint, and with a stencil brush, begin to paint your design.  When applying paint make sure to use the dry brush technique and to apply many successive thin coats rather than one or two heavy coats of paint.

        *Dry brush technique:   Put a small amount of paint on your stencil brush.  Dab much of the paint off on a rag so brush seems “dry” and paint is applied very lightly. 

        * If paint is applied to thickly than it will saturate the fabric, soaking through to the back and make a bit of a mess, and not look very polished. 

13.   When your print is saturated with color carefully peel off the contact paper.  Stand back and admire…it looks great!!! 

14.   Recognizing that you have been bitten by the printing bug start planning more projects that use this and many other printing techniques.  Pish-posh N1H1…this is much more contagious and much more fun!!! 

Happy printing friends!

A Home for the Brushes

There is quite a lot of art making that happens around here.  Which I love.  I love to see the part of my child that can only be seen through her artwork.  I love to see her hands hold, use, and create with bits of color.  I love to see her ability to see and do and make take form.  It is important to me that her hands be very familiar with a wide variety of art materials.  This is so beneficial for children on so many levels.  The ability to take creative and individual thoughts and put them onto paper using their hands is the foundation for further critical thinking, writing, self expression, and creating. 

So now, as we are forming the foundations for further learning, we are also forming the absolute love of art making…in all its forms. 

This love affair with art making has created quite a stockpile of artwork…a stockpile that is constantly being added to.  Daddy’s workroom actually looks much more like an art gallery than an office as many pieces are (very specifically!!) designated to be hung there. 

In answer to the challenge of mountains of artwork…which is a joyful challenge I do say!…I will be sharing several Christmas card ideas using your child’s art in the coming weeks. 

But today…I bring you a new home for my little girl’s very first, very own paint brushes.  It was incredibly quick and easy to make.  Really…15 minutes top!  Oh…and don’t think for a minute that those 15 minutes were in one stretch.  That is a blissful (and rare) occurrence around here.  No…this was a several day, minute here, minute there project.  The fabric and ribbon were chosen by the artist herself…!  We left room for the addition of new brushes… “for new kinds of painting”…!  We’re both very big fans of the result! 

Harvesting…and How to Make Nut Ornaments

“It doesn’t have to be ordinary!”

This is an Osage Orange!  Isn’t it delightful!  It is anything but ordinary!!!  I love the color, texture, and shape of these bizarre little fruits!  We harvested a bounty of them today for use as decorations for an upcoming wedding.  I think a bowl or two will find their way onto a few tables in the house as well.  Nature is marvelous isn’t it?!?!

We did a bit of harvesting during a recent exploring adventures at Braddock Bay Park, and in nearby woods recently.  We looked a bit like squirrels I imagine as we hunted among the leaves for nuts. 

Already eaten nuts that is!  We filled (a very obliging) Daddy’s pockets to the brim with treasures and brought another bounty home to inspire.  And inspire it did!!!

We made Christmas ornaments by stringing the nuts (and some wooden beads) on twine.  The nuts already have a hole in them so you don’t need to drill!  We used a pipe cleaner for needles as some of the holes are a bit tricky for a straight needle, and because we were using twine as string. 

I do love to see those hands work! 

 Very simple…very easy.  Very natural…very beautiful!!!   Just my style!!

Happy harvesting friends!      

Bottoms up!

We are in full Christmas workshop mode around here and loving it.  We’re just a bunch of Christmas elves!!  Amidst the busy lists, top-secret projects, thread, and sawdust, there is still plenty (plenty) of good old elfish fun. 

This is how I found my littlest elf when I came to investigate a rather odd noise!  

    Happy holiday preparations friends!

It has begun…

 

The joy of fiber.  The joy of yarn in your fingers.  The joy of knitting.  It is soon to be her joy.  And that is my joy. 

(The wooden puzzles were made by my father for my siblings and I when we were young.) 

Giving

Last night I taught a lesson on wise (and creative) holiday giving for the women’s organization at my church.  I think it turned out well, and thought I would share it with you.   I’ve inserted some pictures of the gift display that I pulled together for it.  Enjoy!

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An Authentic Christmas

Many of you have likely heard the saying:

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

We tend to associate it with situations of dire financial need, the extreme, The Great Depression…times like that. In reality, this spirit of resourcefulness and responsibility is something that we need to be working towards at all times, no matter our current financial situation. Remembering that each of the blessings that we enjoy have been given to us by another, that we are responsible for how we use those blessings is essential. Our stewardship over the blessings we have been given needs to be handled in wisdom.

The lessons of wise stewardship are vividly taught in the parable of the ten talents. To be profitable servants, we must improve that which the Lord has entrusted to us. Stewards are managers, and sound management reduces waste and ensures an appropriate return on invested resources. How happy were those who, acting in wisdom with all their resources were met by the Lord and told:

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.”

 Now the goal is not necessarily to be the ruler over many things…but we do need to be faithful over the few things we have been given.

During the Holiday season it is especially urgent that we focus on being wise stewards over our blessings. It is so easy to get caught up in things and over extend our stewardship. Whether it is our time, energy, or financial resources, there is no glory in overextending our stewardship…and we will be held responsible…whether it’s the bank statement in January or the more crucial judgement of the Lord.

 

So how do we wisely oversee our stewardship this Christmas season?

Keep things in focus by asking these questions:

-WHO do you need to give to? – While there are many, many people in our lives that we love, interact with daily, and truly appreciate, it is not always necessary or prudent to exchange purchased gifts at Christmas time. Although it is sometimes very difficult we need to remember not to spread our circle too wide and overextend ourselves. As Relief Society sisters we rejoice in serving and giving to others…and that is something we should most definitely focus on during the Holidays. But keep it real. Decide what you can realistically do wisely utilizing your time, talents, and resources and draw the line!

-WHAT do your recipients need, want, and can realistically care for? Keep in mind that after the gift is received it is now the responsibility of the recipient. Be careful not to place undo burden with our gifts.

-WHY are you giving to that person? Why do we give at all? If it becomes a gift because you are expected, or required to give, rather than an opportunity to show another how much we love and appreciate them, than try to adjust the situation. Ask yourself if giving something, anything, simply because you are “supposed” to is worth it.

One Holiday season while I was in High School I found myself involved in 4 different Secret Santa exchanges. Seriously…four. Young Womens, Work, Spanish class, and a school club. It was too much. I was saving every penny for college and had a large family to give gifts too, and was overwhelmed by all of these extra gifts…not just the money…but the time and effort that it would take to come up with and make or purchase all of those little trinkets, for Secret Santa exchanges, that for me felt hollow. It was not the spirit that any of them wanted, and really took the fun out of it for me. I ended up just rotating the gifts I received from one to give to another. It was quite the juggling act!

-HOW to keep it real? Whether it means closing in your circle, learning how to make gifts, setting a strict budget and sticking to it, or any other adjustments that are necessary to keep it real. To make for ourselves and our loved ones a truly authentic Christmas.

I wanted to share a collection of gift ideas that can be simply, economically, and resourcefully put together. No matter your budget these gifts can be adapted and personalized to suit both giver and receiver. Included are several simple but lovely gifts to give those sisters that you visit this Holiday Season.

My hope is that you are inspired by some of these ideas and can go home and incorporate them into your own giving this season.

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We discussed how to package canned goods beautifully, things to gather to make wonderful gift baskets and themed gifts, ideas for edible gifts, and lots of holiday niceties.  Always nice to get those holiday juices flowing!!