we wilsons

Happy (4th day of the) New Year!

2012-01-03T18:18:00.000-06:00

I used to dream of big New Year's eve parties with confetti and gowns - very Harry Met Sally. I'm slowly beginning to understand that just isn't where my life is now. Now, we tuck the kids into bed, and quietly eat our party foods and talk about what we hope to do better next year. I realized today that's such a good thing. I'm not really in need of a big romantic finish - but I am in need of new beginnings.

I had hoped to start a new family tradition this year, but unfortunately New Year's Eve was spent driving and driving, and New Year's day was left to unpacking and succumbing to the virus that always stows away on a roadtrip. Blech.

Whatever. January 4th is as good a day for a fresh start as any, right?

The girls and I baked a New Year's Cake yesterday, and we hid a coin inside (okay, two). Our recipe was pretty simple, sort of like a pound cake. I saw a couple other recipes I'd like to give a shot. Whoever gets the slice with the coin is supposed to have a very blessed year. The cake turned out super pretty, although stuck in my bundt pan. And yummy, although none of us felt much like eating since we're all still a little stuffy. We ate more of the cake after breakfast today, and we still haven't found the slices with the money! I even poked around and cheated a bit.

But that's okay. Now I know for sure there are blessings ahead this year.

Last night, John and I snuck out to watch the meteor shower, with baby monitor in hand. It was beautiful and surreal to think of how big the world is. I feel full of hope and expectation. I hope you do too. Happy New Year!

I'll be taking a little time off here, to finish up my book and hang with my family. I'm still available by email if you have any blog/pattern questions {wilsonlauralynn [at] gmail [dot] com} I'll see you in the spring!

Tiny Dogs #nightsewing

2011-12-20T22:25:00.003-06:00

Louise has been asking if she's going to get a tiny red dog like Clifford (when he was a puppy) for Christmas. So of course, I had to make another dog for her, and one more for June.

So, I shrunk the pattern. Really I just opened the image on my computer and zoomed out then I traced it until the whole pattern fit on half a sheet of paper. It's like having a light box. They sewed up really quickly, although the head gusset was tricky because the fleece is so thick and the corners are so tiny. Still, I'm really growing to appreciate how forgiving fleece is. Why didn't I see this before?

These little ones have stuffing in the heads, but the rest of the body is all poly-beads which I'm also totally into now. Sorry for the yellow-y pictures - had to take them while the kids were sleeping, you know.

So, I'm totally loving these, and I think that I probably should have been making all of my patterns tiny like this. And not just because of the storage space. So, yes. It's possible that I will be making tiny giraffes, turtles, and dinosaurs next year

(the year of sewing what I want).

Paper Stars

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

I think this is the beginning of what will surely be a trend of books and crafts. Last week we were reading Patricia Polacco's Uncle Vova's Tree, in which the children make paper stars to decorate the tree. Louise immediately said, I want to make those! And so we did.

We hadn't actually put up our tree yet, so they stayed in a vase for a few days - which I think looked quite lovely. But Louise carried one to our local Christmas parade to wave at the floats as they passed.

Two Patterns: Dog and Stegosaurus

2011-12-11T21:00:00.000-06:00

You were warned about the Dog, but the Stegosaurus is here too!

My girls love dogs. And dinosaurs. Did you know there are 13 Land Before Time movies?

13!

And yes, we've seen them all. Although, I may have slept through a couple.

I fully expect June to open this Stegosaurus at Christmas and immediately say, "Now I need a Long Neck, a Cera, a Ducky, and a Flier!" And Louise will ask for several more dogs in a variety of shapes and colors. Yes, I'm prepared.

But for now, one pattern at a time. Or, ahem, two.

I don't expect these to replace Pink Dog, but I'm hoping they'll join the pack.

A few notes about these patterns:
My goal was to make the cuddly, so you may notice a few differences. They're made of fleece and furry blankets, and they're half filled with poly beads to make them more flexible - so they don't stand up perfectly for photos. I made the dogs in two sizes, just enlarge the pattern a bit more because - of course - we need a mommy dog and a baby dog. Also the dogs have a million variations - button/embroidery eyes, various ears, tail up or down, spots - ooh, and an easy, no sew collar.

Here's a qick giveaway: Today until the 16th - click the links below to grab these patterns and make some last minute Christmas gifts! I've changed file hosts, so I'm hoping not to have bandwidth issues. (fingers crossed) (Updated: Dec. 17th - the giveaway has now ended. Thanks for all your enthusiasm!) After the 16th, you can still find the patterns in shop.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

2011-12-06T05:41:00.000-06:00

This is the first year we've celebrated St. Nicholas Day, so we're having fun learning and making new traditions. In a little bit, the girls will wake up and find their shoes filled with a few small treats, including St. Nicholas staff (candy cane) and gold coins (chocolate) to remind them of how he gave to the three girls in the story.

Yesterday, we made cookies, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite pre-Christmas traditions. This was the first time I made shaped cookies with the kids, and they thought it was so cool (just like play dough!).

And later, we'll spend the day making gifts for family and friends (Martha has a great list of gifts kids can make). We decided to make gift making on St. Nicholas day part of our family tradition partly because we want our children to be people who see the needs of others, like St. Nicholas did. It is all too easy to be self-involved (believe me, I know), but compassion begins with looking at the people around you, instead of yourself. And I want to be compassionate. Our gifts won't be world changing for anyone this year, but hopefully they will help my girls and I look outward. Perhaps it will grow into something more significant.

Ultimately, I want this day to become a day of compassion for our family. Which is hard sometimes during the holidays as you recount your life, your goals, your wish lists. I want to teach my kids compassion, but I think I'm hungering for it, too.

How do you teach your kids about giving at Christmas?

St. Nicholas and the Dowries

--------

And be sure to check out the St. Nicholas Center! You could easily lose an afternoon there. Which I did. So here are a few of my favorite links to help you out:

the story of St. Nicholas and the Dowries - explains the custom of the shoes
How St. Nicholas became Santa Claus
ideas on How to Celebrate.
several online picture books for kids
traditional recipes from various countries
and, of course, St. Nicholas craft projects

Pink Dog: revisited

2011-12-04T20:59:00.003-06:00

Recently, Louise had taken Pink Dog out in public and was introducing her to some lucky passerby.

I mentioned before my slight embarrassment and jealousy of the cheesy store bought dog that my daughter prizes*, and how I was learning to love it because she does.

But then, I heard Louise say, "This is Pink Dog. Mommy made it for my birthday."

This dog was given to her on a regular day by one of John's sweet co-workers - so it had nothing to do with me or her birthday. But, perhaps in the same way I love her dog because I love her, she thinks I made it because she loves me. Maybe it's silly, but man, that made me happy.

Anyway - I explained that Ms. Sherry gave that to her, and that it was from a store, which she seemed to take in stride. But the game is on now - I'm embracing the totally excessive number of dogs we have to make a few more for Christmas. Look for the pattern later this week...

*To be totally fair, there is some talk that Gray Dog is edging out Pink Dog these days. Only time will tell.

Family Portrait

2011-11-30T20:39:00.001-06:00

We Wilsons

I don't think we've ever had an official family portrait made - something I really meant to do this summer... But here's the one Louise made for John's birthday. I had to remember to get a picture of it when I was at the library where it hangs in his office. Its always fun to stop and look at something like this again and see all the choices she made.

So a bit about how we made it. I've been really encouraged by the way Brooke at Inchmark gives her kids a simple starting point with their art projects. It provides a structure to keep their freedom from turning into chaos. So I drew the oval head shapes and simple diagonal lines for shoulders, then she drew the eyes nose and mouth in pencil, and painted in the rest. I think it turned out so amazing - those noses just make me so happy.

Dinosaurs

The only structure I provide for the two year old is rinsing out her brush occasionally. She isn't too interested in painting yet, which gives me all kinds of unnecessary anxiety. She's just got to like painting, right? But looking back at this and seeing the different colors she chose and all the different marks she made calms me. This is it. It's happening.

Advent Chain

2011-11-29T11:30:00.000-06:00

Some day I'll get around to making some neat advent calender that we can reuse every year. But not this year. Still, preschoolers really benefit from counting time visually, so I decided to make an advent paper chain.

I've seen them around where you tear off a loop every day, so you can see how close you're getting, but I wanted Louise to be able to see how far we've come as well. So we made a regular paper chain to hang on the wall (we use a glue stick to secure the ends), and then attached a little star to a paper clip to move along each day. It works as a great way to mark the time.

We're trying to do some bible readings or coloring pages every day. Plus, we've gotten out our little vintage nativity set and some Christmas books that we'll enjoy throughout the season. Check out these great resources:
The St. Nicholas Center - an entire website about the real Santa Claus
Advent Calendar ideas - from the crafty crow, most of them easy to do last minute!

Fat Quarter Tea Towels

2011-11-28T13:53:00.001-06:00

Have you see all the exciting new stuff going on at Spoonflower? Since they opened it up as a market place, there have been lots of little adjustments, making it more user friendly and fun to browse and shop. Plus, when people buy your fabric designs, you earn money - which you will undoubtedly spend on Spoonflower fabrics. It feels a bit like a big idea swap.

I haven't had much time to play with designs lately (add that to my list of things to do next year...), but I wanted to take advantage of the fat quarter sale they have right now. A linen-cotton fat quarter measures 27x18" which makes a lovely tea towel when hemmed. I drew this little bear illustration after our recent study of Ursa Major.

I'm trying it in three shades of blue. I'll let you know how they turn out. The fat quarter sale lasts through Friday, I think - so there's still plenty of time to put together a few designs of your own, or browse tea towel designs already for sale.

December Sale

2011-11-28T08:27:00.001-06:00

I'm a little late on the holiday shopping madness, but I'm having a little sale in my shop, too. No need to push or shove. It's a nice, calm sale - which is about all that I can handle these days. For the whole month of December:

Free Shipping on all of my Plush Toys and Zipper Mouth Pillows. I made a whole bunch of the crocodiles, and I have more Crocodiles and Bears cut and ready to assemble - but then I realized I don't really have the space to store them! Oops.

Check out the SALE section for discounts when you buy two or more patterns or coloring books.

And because I love you guys so much, and I'm so genuinely grateful for your support and feedback on my designs - I've added an extra 20% off code for anything in the shop. Plug in "WETHANKYOU" during checkout to get the discount.

Truffles

2011-11-25T09:36:00.000-06:00

The girls and I made truffles this week to take to family on Thanksgiving. I meant to share the recipe sooner, but I got distracted. I was surprised by how easy these are, but also how crazy messy little girls can get with a little melted chocolate.

Here's our recipe, based on this one. We divided the recipe into four parts to make four different flavors, which is obviously the fun part. You could easily vary these - I tried to keep my additions between 1-2 TBSPs per quarter of the batter. The recipe calls for nut butter (and I used peanut) but you can't taste it much, so it doesn't affect the final flavor.

I tried to roll each in something different so that I could tell them apart, although, if I wasn't worried about the kids I probably would have tried more combinations. I think we'll be doing this again for Christmas with some new flavors. I'd like to try an orange marmalade, and maybe a mint? They're so easy (especially without the help of toddlers), so I can definitely see this becoming a regular feature.

Sweet, Spicy, Espresso, and Panko Truffles

16 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup almond milk
flavorings: vanilla, sugar, red pepper, cinammon, espresso, panko
finishing: powdered sugar, crushed walnuts, cinnammon, panko

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Beat in peanut butter. Add almond milk.

Divide the chocolate mixture in half then in half again, putting each quarter in a bowl.

Bowl 1: Sweet vanilla
Add 1/2 TBSP vanilla and 1/2 TBSP sugar

Bowl 2: Spicy
Add 1/2 TBSP of ground red pepper and 1/2 TBSP cinammon

Bowl 3: Espresso
Add 1 1/2 TBSP espresso (or strong coffee)

Bowl 4: Panko
Add 2 TBSP panko

Mix each bowl well, then cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. When firm, roll each bowl into balls (about 7 balls per 1/4 cup), then roll each ball in finishing coat:

Bowl 1: Sweet Vanilla - roll in powdered sugar or Panko
Bowl 2: Spicy - roll in crushed walnuts
Bowl 3: Espresso - roll in cocoa powder
Bowl 4: Panko - roll in Panko

Serve!

working mom

2011-11-08T09:01:00.000-06:00

working on a family portrait for John's birthday

I realized the other day that writing a book while working a part time job is kind of like having a full time job, but without the salary. Add to that homeschooling, blogging, painting, and sleep deprivation, and I think I bit of more than I can chew this year. I keep reminding myself of all the reasons its worth it.

I have definitely gained a new respect for working mothers.

Still, we're getting through it. I know I'll be glad for all the hard work later, and when the book is done, and I'm no longer working nights, I'll have some much extra energy and free time to work on whatever I want. I'm already making a list:

sew a pair of jeans, tailored for me
okay, make pieces for a whole wardrobe (tops, skirts, pants)
paint, paint, paint
illustrate a new coloring book for grown ups (any ideas?)
make a coloring book of heroic princesses

In the meantime, I'm thinking of taking another blog break. Not until after Christmas, because there are just too many good Christmas-y things to share. Plus, I'm sort-of-half-way-if-I-have-time planning to work up a new dinosaur pattern (Stegosaurus or Apatosaurus?) for June and maybe a dog for Louise. She's asked for a Dalmation, a hound dog, and a dog like Lassie - so who knows what I'll end up with.

But anyway, you can expect a little hibernation until spring coming up. I promise to be full of energy and projects when I come back. :)

Thanksgiving

2011-11-02T22:02:00.001-05:00

Perhaps you know I have a special love of house plants, and hope to someday have my grandmothers' green thumbs. I enjoy tending to them and watching them so much more than I do my vegetable garden (unfortunately for my vegetables). I think its because they're impractical and needy, but also delicate and beautiful.

I bought this "Christmas" Cactus last year thinking it would be nice to have blooms in the winter. I learned that my cactus is actually a Thanksgiving cactus, however; and the name changing is just a bit of tricky marketing. Nevertheless, I brought it indoors when the temperatures dropped, and I was delighted to find it covered in white buds a few days later.

There is certainly something hopeful about a flower that blooms in the low cold months. It is a reminder of the joy of spring and what will be. But it is also the presence of the joy that is.

Yesterday, a few buds opened revealing their breathtaking flowers. These lovely blooms will last through Christmas, a blessing for which I am very thankful.

With a Flower

I hide myself within my flower,
That wearing on your breast,
You, unsuspecting, wear me too --
And angels know the rest.

I hide myself within my flower,
That, fading from your vase,
You, unsuspecting, feel for me
Almost a loneliness.
- Emily Dickinson

What's your favorite winter houseplant?

Shoe Covers

2011-10-30T20:16:00.001-05:00

Another last minute detail for my kid's last minute costumes: shoe covers! If you've got fleece and elastic in your stash this is way better than buying fancy shoes. I looked at the tutorials here and here, and then added details for my kids shoes.

These are supposed to be cowboy boots, although I never quite got the shape right. You can't tell here, but I the tops are angled like boots with a little fleece tab sewn over the outside edge. You know what I mean? And then I top stitched a little embroidery design. They're a little funny looking though.

These were a little more straightforward. Pink shoe covers that I top stitched some fleece dinosaur toenails onto. These were easier, plus a much bigger hit. I think short shoe covers work better.

Last minute Treat Bags

2011-10-30T20:07:00.001-05:00

All right, last minute tutorial. I've got a fast version (20 minutes), and a faster version (10 minutes). If you need one faster than that, grab a pillow case. ;)

FAST VERSION:
1. print template and cut out. You may want to enlarge it if you've got bigger (or greedier) kids. You don't have to print my template, either - just eyeball it if you want. The template is only a quarter of the bag, so either print two and tape together then place on a fold; or fold your fabric in half, then in half again, lining up both of the straight sides on a fold. Or, like I said, eyeball it, and just fold once. Did that make sense?

2. Cut out two bags from the template - an inner and an outer.

3. Open up the pieces and stack with right sides facing. Sew the handles together, then clip slits in the curves.

4. Turn right side out. You may need to iron, unless you're in a hurry. Now your handles are sewn up all nice and neat.

5. Fold the bag in half again the with the outside in. sew all four layers of the outer edge together and trim with pinking shears (or cut slits in the seam allowance). Turn it right side out, and you're finished.

FASTER VERSION
1. cut out one layer of fleece, felt or other non-fraying fabric, fold in half and sew around the bottom edge of the bag. Turn right side out.

Two bags! I made mine in fabrics to match the costume, but the shape would make a lovely jack-o-lantern with a felt appliqued face... If you have more time. :)

Pumpkin Seeds

2011-10-28T07:47:00.000-05:00

If you haven't carved your pumpkin yet, be sure to save the seeds!

We carved two pumpkins and got a cup of seeds from each. Here's my recipe:

Cover the seeds in a pot of water with I TBSP of salt per cup of seeds. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and spread the seeds out on a tea towel to dry overnight.

Later put the seeds in a greased baking dish. Mix seasoning (this is for 1 cup of seeds - double if you have more): 1 TBSP melted butter, 1 TSP Worcestershire's sauce, and 1/4 tsp garlic salt. Pour over seeds, then bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour stirring every 10 minutes.

I was completely prepared for the kids to think these looked yucky, and refused to try them. Instead, I was surprised by how quickly they gobbled them up - and they even shared, too. I've got the picture to prove it!

Day and Time

2011-10-25T12:43:00.000-05:00

The sun going up and down (relatively speaking) is one of those things you forget you have to explain to a child. You assume she already knows it, and she does, sort of. But its neat to talk about how the sun and sky change in (almost) the same way every day and that we humans organize our lives around those changes. This is when we wake up, this is when we do school, this is lunchtime, and here June wakes up from her nap...

Plus, it was cool to talk about the way the colors change around the sun. Then actually mixing and painting them together, and watching them change throughout the day. Which reminds me of this Color of the Sky Watch that I just remembered and suddenly feel I must have.

We painted the sky colors, then pasted the suns and moon on. Whenever we paint something for school, I tell her she has to follow the rules for the first painting, but then she gets to paint whatever/however she wants for the second painting. I think she enjoys both.

I never really like science as a kid - I'm loving it now.

Where does chocolate come from?

2011-10-13T11:08:00.022-05:00

Louise's Hot Cocoa

As part of our plant study, I thought it would be fun to learn about chocolate. I found some great videos to watch with the kids about food production and specifically how chocolate is made. We talked about Growers, Processors, Packaging, and Distributors - and made a little picture about each. Louise enjoyed acting out the "distributors" picture, in which we go to the store to buy chocolate.

I was surprised to learn that the Spanish, who were the first to sweeten chocolate, loved it so much that they kept it a secret for 100 years! So we decided to make their special chocolate drink. We used the recipe on the side of the cocoa box, you can find it on the hershey's website. My favorite part was seeing Louise taste the cocoa powder (bitter!) then the sugar (sweet!) and then taste how they combined into hot cocoa.

Of course, as a chocolate lover, this was exciting for me, too - so later, sans children, I made a version of Aztec Hot Chocolate. I based my recipe on this one, but I started with cocoa powder and made a few other adjustments. Here's my recipe:

Simmer 2 cups water with 1 cinnamon stick and 1 tsp of chili paste for 2 minutes. Then add 1 TBSP cocoa and 1TBSP sugar, stirring until dissolved. Finally, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extra, and remove from heat. The result is a spicy hot drink, not sweet.

Costume Round-Up

2011-10-12T11:05:00.001-05:00

Halloween is approaching and I'm too busy to dream up fancy costumes this year. My mom and I hit the goodwill and found a few fun pieces, and I'll just accessorize. More about those later.

I wanted to give you a quick round up of my dress up tutorials:

Dress Up Crowns (A variety of easy to sew shapes for princesses, superheroes, fairy queens, and greek gods - you get the idea)
Cat Ears (Use the pattern to make ears for any kind of animal as long as you can draw the ears: dog, bunny, elephant, perhaps?)
Tree Costume (Includes a basic tunic shape that could be lots of things with the right details: an indian dress, a flower stem... Kind of like how a sweat suit can turn into almost any costume.)

And here are some of my favorite ideas from around the web (before I went to goodwill):

This little Zilla Costume from Momincdaily looks time consuming - but it includes a fire-y sippy cup cozy to make the little dragon look like he's breathing fire when he drinks - aah! June loves dragons and dinosaurs (and her sippy cup), so I'd love to make her a little girly version.

photo from momincdaily

A Daisy Costume from the ever lovely to look at Purl Bee - this was Louise's favorite idea, before I wimped out on sewing.

photo from Purl Bee

Maybe next year?

Technical Problems

2011-10-12T06:15:00.010-05:00

If you purchased a pattern from me in the past, you may have recently received an email with an updated pattern. I've also updated several (though not all) of the free patterns here on the blog. As I am writing the book, I'm learning so much about the language I use to explain things. I have a tendency to be wordy. Sorry about that. I'm also learning new techniques to make assembly easier and stronger. I look back on some of my old patterns, and I'm really stunned at how much I've learned.

And thank you for being patient when my bandwidth is exceeded. Again. Sigh. I'm shuffling things around, and trying a new file host to try to fix that problem - so I hope you'll come back and try again tomorrow.

So, thanks to all of you, loyal readers, for being my pattern testers. And for enduring my wordiness. I really do love you.

Seeds, Squash and Bread

2011-10-11T13:46:00.001-05:00

We've spent the last few weeks studying plants and how they become food - I'm trying not to post too much about our school stuff, so I'm just going to hit the highlights. We started by sprouting lentil seeds, planted and watered them - and of course, we made a little chart to learn about the process. Then we went to the West Tennessee Research and Agriculture Center to hear a presentation about pumpkins and other plants. I worried at first that it would be a bit over their heads, and it was - Louise was rolling on the ground completely oblivious to the presentation.

UNTIL - we began to walk around and collect flowers and acorns and climb in trees. My kids love to gather acorns and stuff. And we got lots of stuff. It was pretty much the best nature walk ever.

top left clockwise: buckeyes, hardy oranges, a variety of small pumpkins, wheat celosia, acorns

Hardy Oranges were used for citric acid on old farmsteads.

beautiful wheat celosia plant full of tiny black seeds

I learned (while the kids were rolling on the ground) that butternut squash can be cooked in pies and breads similarly to pumpkin bread. I'm a new fan of butternut squash, and an old lover of pumpkin bread, so I decided to bring it together. Louise and I cut up a butternut squash together, baked it, and then used it in our regular pumpkin bread recipe (from Betty Crocker - I omit the cloves, and used 2 cups of squash in place of the can of pumpkin). Louise adores baking with me, and I love starting a study with seeds and ending with bread - kind of a full circle.

The one where I teach a preschooler to sew

2011-10-07T08:16:00.000-05:00

I don't think I've ever read a Lois Ehlert book I didn't like. But when I noticed Hands on the shelf at the library, I just thought it was too perfect for our family. When we got to the part where the mother is teaching the child to sew mouse toys, Louise was too excited. So, a mouse toy we made.

She's four, so I kept it as simple as possible.

1. Cut felt: a heart for the body, and two circles for ears.
2. Fold the heart in half and sew from the nose almost to the back.
A preschooler can do a few stitches with help.
3. Stuff a bit of poly-fil in the hole. Poke, poke.
4. Stick a piece of ric rac in the hole and finish stitching it closed.
Make sure you sew through the ric rac.
5. Pinch the circles and secure to either side of the head with a few stitches.
6. Sew on button eyes. Two hole buttons are easier than four.
Louise did this really well - with some help, of course.

The whole thing took less than 10 minutes. I did most of the work, but she helped with every step, and we talked about every detail: tying a knot at the end of the thread, how to make a stitch, what shape each piece was. When it was time to poke the stuffing in, she ran to get a pencil because she's seen me use on so many times. I had no idea she was paying so much attention.

She told me that evening, "Someday, when I'm bigger, I'm going to be a mommy. And I'm going to work at night." It's amazing how much that kind of thing means to me, and how much it makes me want to be better.

Popcorn! (and the 5 senses)

2011-10-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

I found the idea for a Popcorn Investigation from this preschool science ebook from Scholastic. I made a quick little zine for Louise to record her findings, and we set to work on the kitchen floor. You can use my little book if you want to try it yourself.

We made popcorn the old fashion way - on the stove in a pot - and paused during each step to use each of our five senses and record what we found. I can't think of a better project that uses all 5 senses in such a fun way. In hindsight, this would have been good way to start of our science studies. It was a blast looking at our blue popcorn, sticking our fingers in the oil, listening to the popping, smelling the butter, and of course, eating the popcorn.

Foody Placemats

2011-10-04T22:11:00.001-05:00

My need for a quick project sort of exploded the other day when I had an idea and had to DO IT RIGHT NOW. I'm always looking for ideas to encourage my picky and distracted eaters to eat at dinner. I thought place mats that look like their favorite foods might do the trick? The girls picked popcorn and apple slices.

These, are really simply put together with one layer of batting and some topstitching and applique for details. In retrospect, it wasn't the most ingenious motivator ever, but they're pretty cute anyway, eh?

Slow Week

2011-09-27T15:04:00.000-05:00

We've had some fun preschool projects I plan to share, and I'm getting a bit of sewing done. But mostly, I'm having a case of the falls: overwhelmed a little by the fall schedule and all the projects going on, enjoying cooler temperatures and visiting with friends, admiring how much the kids are growing. June's curly hair finally got long enough for a ponytail, and I'm just dying at the cuteness of it.

My list of big projects is growing ever longer. Still, I wish I had some small stress-free projects to do - which probably makes me a little nuts. I'm browsing pumpkin ideas on Pinterest. Of course, my favorite is from Martha Stewart.

Chickpea Burgers

2011-09-21T06:44:00.002-05:00

I haven't had much luck with bean burgers over the years. Until I tried chickpeas! It was one of those days when you google the ingredients you have in your pantry to try to find an idea for dinner (come on, that's not just me, right?), and several variations of this gem appeared. Goodbye, black beans! Here's my version.

Puree
1 can chickpeas
1 small can of green chiles
1/4 cup diced onions
salt and pepper

Then add oatmeal until the texture is doughy instead of mushy (a little less than a cup) and form into patties. Heat oil in a pan, then pan fry the patties about 4 minutes per side. Really moist and tasty. Since the beans don't have a super strong flavor, you could try a number of other seasonings.

Animalia

2011-09-19T14:30:00.001-05:00

We went to the Safari Park with our home school co-op last week. To prepare we talked about some of the animals we would see there and did some paintings. I love to see my kids paint, but its one of those messy things, so I have to really psych myself up for it. It's always worth it. I let them use my good watercolors this time, which worked out just fine.

I drew the shapes of some animals very simply, and also a scale version of Louise next to the animal. I puled up images of the animals on google, and we talked about their colors and markings to help her paint. She didn't feel the need to be super literal, and I was okay with that. :) It was nice to be able to talk about our paintings when we saw the animals at the park.

First, the emu - which was my favorite. :) They had a lovely blue shimmer on their necks, which doesn't really show up in this picture. There were tons of them at the Safari Park, often poking their heads in our window.

Louise liked the Giraffe, and it was pretty fun to watch her paint him. It was fun to see the scale of him in real life, and his purple tongue was pretty exotic.

June painted with us, too. She's working on her colors now, and this turned out to be a fun way to talk about them. She was very opposed to having her picture made for some reason.

And I just can't say enough about the Safari Park experience. It was crazy fun watching the girls react to each animal. At the end of our visit, we drove through the park in our own car, and the girls sat in the front with the window down. All three of us squealed when a longhorn bull stuck his head in our window, and we gt to touch the noses of a dozen other animals. It was just amazing to be so close to all of these beautiful beasts. It's the kind of experience that needs to be repeated.

Tangrams

2011-09-15T12:48:00.002-05:00

I saw this sweet tangram tutorial at Elsie Marley last year and have had it nagging me ever since. She made hers from balsa wood, but I made mind from a 1X6. I just can't resist a chance to get out my chop saw. I love that smell.

I haven't given these to the kids yet, because I know the pieces will be lost and scribbled on. So for now, I'm going to learn how to make a bunch of shapes, then in a few years I'll wow them with my repertoire. If you haven't seen them before, it's a puzzle made of 7 blocks that you can rearrange in various ways to create an infinite number of animals, people, letters and things. You have to use all 7 and they can't overlap, but other than that its pretty open ended. No time limits or point systems, just free fidgety play. I love it! I've added a few sets to the shop.

Butterflies

2011-09-13T07:35:00.000-05:00

My eagerness to do more home school was tempered by reality a bit this week. I've started working a few nights a week, which makes mornings a little rougher. Plus, just life and general busy-ness happens and - anyway, we're three weeks in and finding a nice pace, I think.

It took us two weeks to get through our butterfly projects. Louise is still loving it. Here are a few of our projects:

Again with the cutting and gluing and learning names of things. Still one of my favorite things.

I loved this project inspired by this tutorial. We spent some time looking at our Butterflies and Moths Golden Guide (we have an older version, and the illustrations in the golden guides are excellent). Louise picked our favorites, then I helped her draw their markings, and she colored them. That was exciting enough for her, but I especially loved the collection-style display.

We also made a butterfly feeder using this tutorial, but I didn't really have a good place to put it, and we never saw any butterflies come to it. Our hummingbird feeders, on the other hand, are pretty well established and we caught sight of several butterflies there. Louise helped me make the butterfly food (which is sugar water, just like hummingbird food, but diluted a bit more), and we drank a little in teacups. Talking about nectar was a nice segue from our flower study, and she thought drinking the nectar was way cool, even if it was almost too sweet.

We both really enjoyed looking up the butterflies in our books (besides the Golden Guides, we also love our Audubon Society Field Guide). Maybe me more. I'm not sure that she remembers many of the butterflies' names, but she remembers that we identify them by their markings and the plants they like, which is exciting to see.

Poppytalk

2011-09-12T09:53:00.001-05:00

I'm really excited to be part of Poppytalk's Mix Tape Market! Come by and see my table, and have a look around. There are so many talented designers included this month.

I'm trying to keep my shop stocked with Smile Crocodile and Grinnin' Bear Pillows. I've also added some more inchworms and tangram puzzles. Have a look or spread the word - you guys are so good at that. :)

Horses and Unicorns

2011-09-02T06:08:00.002-05:00

I haven't had a chance to share the horses I made this summer. June, my littlest, loves horses - almost as much as the big one loves dogs. I love to see them love something - it reminds you how different we all are. Anyway, I wanted to make June a horse for her birthday.

I made the brown one for June, but it was made of old stretched out fleece that didn't hold its shape well, so I also made her a white one. It is made from new flannel and held up super nice. And the hair - whew, that was also a bit of learning experience. Let me just say, after having a hot sweaty toddler nap on it the first day, the wool yarn hair looked a bit more like dread locks. Okay, let's do more than say, let's show - crazy haired horse below. Funny, that same yarn is what made the squirrel tails so awesome. The white horse has cotton yarn hair, which hangs nicely.

But you know how my kids are. She loves the brown one despite the crazy hair. She loves the white one, too. They're friends. I love her cute face as we opened the package.

I had a bit of fun making them, too. At some point, I decided my kids really needed to learn about unicorns, so I added a horn to a few horses. And then of course, I couldn't resist playing and nuzzling them - ouch! #NightSewing is the best. It's like grown up play time (occasionally with tweeting). You can find the pattern in the shop.

Funny Food

2011-08-29T08:39:00.001-05:00

I love the idea of bento boxes, but I think my kids are still too picky. Still, I've been trying to arrange their food in cute ways, to cut down on all the pre-eating fussing. I only use foods that they will actually eat, and I'm still careful about which things touch. And, Louise is quite delighted. (June doesn't need motivation to eat.) Here are some of our recent hits:

PB house, with broccoli tree, and a little dressing pond.

Egg Clock with sliced hard boiled eggs and cheese hands.

Sugar snap pea smile with PB hearts

(from cookie cutters - my lunch plate was less pretty with all of the scraps)

scrambled egg squares

Pureed bean chili (so there are no chunks),

with corn chips, cheese, and spoon.

They actually ate the chili, so this was a win.

PB butterfly, with cheese stick and sunflower seeds for eyes.

I should have realized this would require a side dish of sunflower seeds.

Rice balls! I said they were bird eggs,

and the one who eats lettuce also got a nest.

These are filled with peas and carrots,

and I honestly can't believe how well the kids eat them.

regular food, just arranged decoratively. Louise wasn't happy

with it just being pretty, she wanted it to BE something.

She rearranged hers into a flower.

Flowers

2011-08-26T15:03:00.004-05:00

On our first day of school, we started a nature journal with pictures and pressed flowers that we had been collecting all summer in our yard. Louise loved seeing the flowers again and remembering when we got them. She really loved the glue. She loved making a book to show John. She loved finding the flowers in our golden guide. Overall, Louise is kind of crazy about school, and insists on calling me teacher.

BUT - I realized on our second day of school that I don't have enough activities planned. She wants every day to be as project-filled as the first, and most days I don't have that much planned. So I'm trying to find more activities and resources, while still keeping it very simple for my over-scheduled fall. So far, I've realized that keeping it simple works just fine, and we're having a blast. We're still usually finished by 10am So here are a couple things I added this week:

1. Paper Flowers Louise can't get enough of gluing right now. So, using our pictures in our journal, I started cutting out the shapes of flowers and all their parts from construction paper (and tissue, wrapping and art paper I had lying around). Then she glued them on to the paper. We talked about the different shapes, colors and textures of all the parts as we put them together. Once they were all glued, I had her write the names of each part on the paper. (To clarify: she can't actually read all of these words, but she knows the letters and we sound them out as we write.)

I felt like she learned so many things in this simple activity that we made up on the spot. Gluing and writing, identify parts, noticing what is different, and learning about specific flowers. We had so much fun making them and they turned out so pretty! This was definitely my favorite part of the week.

2. Math Readiness - I was wondering if I should try to do more with math - since I have no background in education I'm often clueless. A quick stop at the library did the trick. I absolutely love Creative Math/Art Activities which was written in the 80's and geared towards teachers. The opening chapter introduces math readiness - becoming aware of opposites and measurements - and how they help students when they begin more formal math. That makes sense! The chapters are divided by grades, and they are so many cool projects and fun illustrations - I may actually need to buy this book.

So, we did a project from the book. First a nature walk, collecting bits of grass, leaves, and flowers. Then we glued (score!) the long ones on the left, and the short ones on the right. It was fun to talk and compare each item. She already seems to have a handle on long and short, but it was good to talk it out and make a game of it. I think it will be easy to come up with an activity like this that goes with our theme each week.

I'll try not to go on about our preschool too much - although I always appreciate the ideas and resources you have to share (see those comments below, nudge, nudge). I tend to focus in one thing at the expense of others sometime - and this week I've neglected my sewing. Here's to the weekend!

Pink Dog: a toymaker's confession

2011-08-24T08:35:00.003-05:00

Of all my daugther's toys, many handmade and specially designed for her, made from my favorite fabrics and cute little trims - this is her favorite toy.

Pink Dog

She loves all the animals and dolls I've made her, in all seriousness. But this is the one she carries around, takes to the grocery store, and snuggles with at night. This pink and white dog, given by a kind co-worker and promptly named Pink Dog. Sigh. I can admit it.

I'm jealous.

I wish she loved one of my toys the best. Yet, it isn't just Pink Dog, Louise has somehow developed a bit of a dog collection. It started with John's hand-me-down Bernard. But it really began when we saw some dog movies: Milo and Otis, Mist, and, well, okay, Hotel for Dogs, and she was given Pink Dog. Later, when I was sick John got them each a sheep dog from the drug store (each named for the movie: Mist). Then another co-worker gave them dogs. And there were yard sales, bribery, and grandparents involved. Now her dog collection looks like this:

Top Row: Coffee Mug, Black and White Dog, Bernard, Pink Dog, Mist, Baby Blue Dog;
Bottom Row: Teacup, Clifford, Grey and White Dog, Hound Dog, Coffee, Biscuit)

At one point, I thought I would just have to design the perfect dog to trump all other dogs. But now I realize there are too many kinds of dogs, and she's too invested in the community of dogs, and Pink Dog in particular. We've had dog birthday parties, and made Dog Hotels. There was the official Dog Meeting, and many dog bedtime stories. They each have names (some cute, some unconventionally descriptive) and special memories. I don't love the idea of her collecting every cute factory-made dog in the world, or collecting anything at this age. But here we are. It's too late. She loves them.

And now I do, too.

Because every day I see how fiercely she remembers and cares for them. You may have to teach children how to talk kindly, share toys, and ask nicely. But you don't have to teach them how to love. It will need some guiding and expanding over the years, I'm sure. But the urge is already there, and that's a beautiful thing.

NOW. Let me introduce you to June's favorite toy. She calls her Pink Dog.

June's Pink Dog

Figuring out Homeschooling

2011-08-22T09:21:00.003-05:00

We're starting back to school today, and I wanted to follow up on my last preschool post to clarify where I am with homeschooling.

First, I'm not 100% committed to it, yet. We're sort of playing preschool, so that I can get a feel for lesson planning, time management, and teaching. Next year, Lou will be kindergarten age, and we'll have to make some more serious decisions then. Even still, one mom said she takes it one year at a time, each year evaluating what education format works best for her family, and being willing to make changes next year. I'm going to adopt this thinking, because it means never being trapped, and always being open to whatever works best for our family.

Now, if you're in my shoes (i.e. you have no experience with homeschooling, but want to give it a try), you've probably already talked to home schoolers, which means you've heard about million different methods, curricula, and the daunting proclamation, "It can be whatever you want!" People with experience love to say this, but it isn't much help to those of us who have no idea how to get started. And if you feel like you need structure, its a little frightening.

So if you need a place to start, here's what I recommend:

1. Read a book/article about Charlotte Mason. I read this one by Catherine Levison because our library had it, but there are tons. This will help you understand who Charlotte Mason is (an early classical educator) and how to apply her methods at home. Most families I know use Mason's methods or Mason combined with something else (like Montessori or Waldorf). You don't have to use her, of course, but if you need a picture of what homeschooling looks like, this is a great place to start.

2. Read Charlotte Mason or somebody. You don't have to read all of her books at once, but start reading some. You can find a set at the library, or find it online here. Or if you're interested in a different method start reading about those.

3. Join a homeschooling group, whether a yahoo group, or a local co-op, or both! Getting plugged into a group is great for several reasons. You can see others in actions, hear there thoughts about various curricula, age groups, and other challenges. You can figure out which style you like best. Email groups are great, because you can start observe before your kids are old enough to participate. I'm excited and nervous about joining a co-op this year - we'll see how it goes.

4. Start collecting information. When you hear someone rave about a math book they love, or if you have an idea for health class years from now, write it down. You'll collect tons of information like this, and you won't be ready to use most of it. Just start a list (mine is by age group, with subcategories for subjects) and the information will be there when you need it. Keep it in a paper file, a spread sheet, or whatever works.

One mother recommended starting a google site (keep it private) where you can archive your lesson plans, links, and other resources. What a great idea! I started one last week (oh, distractions) with the two units I've planned. No html required, it's all formatted for you, and you customize and add each page as you want. In a couple of years, when June is ready to do what Louise has already done, it will be there all laid out. And as the kids get older, they can learn to navigate the site to check on homework assignments and calendars, or whatever. I'm already digging it.

There are so many free resources online, for lesson planning, reviewing curricula, buying it, forums for asking questions. It's too much information, sometimes. Just start file things away, with clear labels so you can find it when you need it.

5. Just start. I really don't know how my preschool plans compare to other peoples. I'll probably start comparing too much eventually, so I'll just save that for later. Right now just starting, just doing something at home with my kids helps me gauge what I can do, what they enjoy, how it works. And once you get started you begin to understand how flexible and full of potential homeschooling is, and how it can really be whatever you want.

Good luck!

Garden Stock

2011-08-19T08:24:00.000-05:00

I have grand visions of growing tons of food each summer and canning it for the winter. The reality is that my seedlings all dried up, and I'm still forgetting to water the tomatoes. Nevertheless, I usually manage to learn a little every year. This year, my great triumph was garlic. My bulbs grew beautifully, I probably harvested them a little early, but I figured better safe than sorry. Next year, I want to try my new love squash. :)

Using stuff from my garden, a friend's CSA and our regular grocery veggies, I did make a pretty nice stock this summer. This is a good guide. Canning was more than I was prepared for this year, so I froze mine in ice cubes.

Arts in the Alley

2011-08-16T07:44:00.000-05:00

If you're local, there's another Arts in the Alley this Thursday in the alley next to Besso's. I'm having a bit of clearance sale on my plush toys. Whose idea was it to make a bunch of large crocodiles in my tiny studio, anyway?

Doughnuts, gob style

2011-08-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

I've been experimenting with the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes A Day book all summer. The texture of the bread, and the rise all work out so beautifully. I still seem to be struggling a bit with getting the same yeasty flavor, but I'm persevering because this method is so so practical.

I was reading my old Beard on Bread the other day looking for a doughnut recipe because my kids are really into doughnuts right now. I noticed the recipe for Dough Gobs, which is essentially fried bread dough. He says traditionally mothers would take a bit of the dough they had left to rise over night, fry it and serve it with maple syrup for breakfast. I love the old-timey practicality of this and though it would work nicely with the 5 Minutes dough made from their master recipe that I already had in the refrigerator.

These are half wheat and rolled in powdered sugar. I fried mine in coconut oil, partially because I love the sweet flavor of it, and partially to make myself not feel so bad about serving my kids fried bread for breakfast. I thought they turned out excellent, and went nicely with strawberries. I see lots of serving variations in my future (cinnammon, chocolate, raspberry sauce?) Plus, I like that I can serve them to my vegan friends, too, because they're nice to have around.

Hmm, I think I'm going to go make some now...

Science-y Preschool Stuff (spoiler alert)

2011-08-11T09:44:00.002-05:00

We finished our letter-a-week series this summer. Louise really enjoyed school time, but my enthusiasm kind of petered out in the summer. We took some time off for summer, but since this fall is going to be so busy, I really want to make school time with my kids a priority. I'm eager to get back into a little morning home school routine. (Who knew I needed routine so much?)

I'm going to take advantage of some of the great ideas by others in the craft community. We'll focus on natural science and art activities, but I'm also excited to start working on reading using Bob Books. With the heat, we've stayed indoors this summer, so I plan to do plenty of outside projects in the fall.

Below is a loose plan of what we're doing this fall (I may not get to all of it). Most of the crafty links come via Crafty Crow, projects in red are from Preschool Art, and I'll be using my Nature Walk coloring pages as they relate to what we're doing. I've also been using a lot of constructive play ideas from The Creative Family. I have enough ideas to do 1 or 2 projects each week, with daily reading, coloring, and constructive play time. I have no idea if this is an ambitious or lazy plan, so we'll see how it goes. And this is a total spoiler for blog posts in the months ahead. :)

August/September: Bugs and Plants

Identify and frame the pressed flowers we collected this year
Set up a permanent Nature Shelf
Butterfly life cycle coloring page
Observe at our Butterfly Feeder,
then create a Paper Butterfly collection
Make Rock Bugs
Plant small plants for gifts
Make Leaf Pictures
Nature Walk coloring pages of bugs and plants

October: Light and Time

Make Sunbonnets, p. 193
Make a Sunflower Sun Dial to show how the sun relates to time
This awesome Hour glass project to talk about measuring time
Draw Shadows, p. 235
Make Sand Candles to light at dinner
Make Tin Can Lanterns to enjoy all fall
Stargazing with Constellation Cards
Negative Space Drawings, p. 100

November: Water and Wind

Solids, Liquids, and Gases coloring page and game, by me
Brick Making and Building, p. 244 - 245
Peanut Butter Play Dough, p. 46
Paper Boats from Whip up Action pack
Baths and Washing Harry the Dirty Dog
A found object Wind Chime
Making wind visible with Giant Bubbles
Paper Bag Kite, p. 251

December: Colors and the holidays

Reading with Scrappy Collage Letters
Mostly for me, because I love Thaumatropes
Probably dangerous, but Homemade finger paint
Weave with yarn and fabric scraps, p. 88
Make gifts and thank you cards
Give away some of our excess toys

What do you do with your preschoolers at home?

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

2011-08-08T20:41:00.071-05:00

I always think I'll have more time in the summer than usual, but somehow the time still fills up with lots of stuff. We did a fair amount of summery things, of course. Like:

bird watching

looking up bugs in our Golden Guides

adopting yet another kitten

baking bread

and finishing the alphabet.

I wanted to devote plenty of time to sewing for my book, which I was able to do. But also, I wanted to just be with my family and spend a little time reflecting on the whirlwind year we've had with some very big ups and downs. Its always nice to slow down sometimes and clear a little space in your head.

But NOW, I'm excited about the fall and a regular schedule again. We Wilsons have a lot going on this fall: I may be working part time, approaching some deadlines for my book, and if all works out as planned, we'll be building our house and moving in the fall! Doesn't this look like a lovely house spot at the end of a long driveway? I think so. :)

So now I'm battling the distraction of all the lovely design websites and imagining the way I'll set up the furniture in my new studio. My theme this fall: time management! What are you looking forward to this fall?

Glazed Acorn Squash with Onions

2011-08-03T08:34:00.000-05:00

Hello, friends!

This summer my newest love is Squash. Yes, who knew? You did, I guess, but not me. We picked up a friends CSA for a week, and necessity being the mother of invention and all... Here's my new favorite recipe - it's so yummy.

The recipe calls for acorn squash, but I started with patty pans, and I think it would work with many kinds* of squash. Cut them in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake 35 minutes at 350º cut side down.

Meanwhile mix:
1/2 cup almonds or walnuts
1/2 cup onions
2 TBSPs margarine or butter
2 TBSP maple syrup
Dash of salt and cinammon

After 35 minutes, turn the squash over, fill with filling, and bake 25 minutes more. That's it! It bakes a while, but it is pretty easy to put together, and the result is a veggie dish that definitely works as a main dish rather than a side. And did I say, it's yummy?

I also found some exciting things to do with Butternut Squash - like these pasties. Give it a go, you won't regret it.

*okay, you got me. The big one is a cucumber. That was a surprise. :)

Kids' Crafternoon winners!

2011-08-02T08:49:00.000-05:00

I was sketching out a new large pattern on a roll of wrapping paper this morning. Which, of course, the girls found irresistible, and long story short - there is now wads of pink wrapping paper all over my living room. I decided to go with it, and write the names of all the commenters on scraps of this lovely paper. The girls each drew a name out of the hat.

festive picture from the archives,

i.e. not what my living room looks like today

Louise drew Jennifer, and June drew Polly! I'll be emailing the winners directly to get the Sewing and Papercraft books in the mail!

InchWorm Pattern and Give Away

2011-08-01T00:47:00.020-05:00

Happy Summer! I'm officially back, and what a way to come back! A give-away below, and still one day left to enter the drawing for the Kid's Crafternoon books (enter here).

I've been sewing all kinds of new designs this year, but I just can't tell you about them yet (I say through gritted teeth). I wish I could, it's much more fun. So, when I had an idea that wasn't a good fit for the book, I was quite excited to put it together for you guys, here and now. So here it is!

This little inchworm is quickly becoming one of my favorite toys. He's pretty easy to sew and darn cute - but the way he moves?! Be still my heart. I can't get enough of perfecting my inching abilities.

I've been wanting to make an inchworm for so long, but couldn't figure out how to make him move. As usual, the solution was pretty simple - it's all about the filling. And the best part is seeing how the different fabrics move in slightly different ways. Am I going on too much about this? Have a look for yourself.

So, here you go, limited time give-away - ~~he's available for download right here until Thursday morning whenever I roll out of bed.~~ (Updated: the give away is now over!) Please, please, make some inchworms and show them to me! After the give away, you can find the pattern in the shop along with a few of the inchworms themselves.

On Princesses, and other things

2011-07-30T12:03:00.006-05:00

With little girls, I find myself in unfamiliar territory, surrounded by princess language and costumes. Thankfully, my girls aren't too heavy on pink and glitter, but they do love to wear tutus, dresses, and crowns and be Princesses. I guess it's unavoidable.

I've spent hours looking for girl heroes - not girls who are rescued or kissed, but girls who do heroic things. I finally realized that I wasn't finding what I was looking for, because I was looking for girls filling the role of boy heroes - acting aggressively and violently. Of course, girls can do those things, too, but in most traditional stories they don't. So, I finally realized I needed to redefine for myself what a girl hero is.

You already know I love the legend of George and the Dragon. Here's one version:

A town was held captive by a dragon. The people tried to appease the dragon with sheep, but one day they ran out of livestock. With no other options, the princess Elizabeth went out to the dragon as a sacrifice for her people. Before the dragon could take her, however, St. George appeared and wounded the dragon. Then, George took Elizabeth's sash and tied it around the dragon's neck, now a tame beast. Elizabeth took the leash and lead him back into the city, where the people cared for their former enemy.

St. George is the hero of the story. It's true. But, I'm finding I love the role the princess plays too. She is brave and self-sacrificing. She didn't have the strength or swordsmanship to rid her people of the dragon. But she gave what she had - herself. And that is a heroic act.

I also love, in this version, that George doesn't kill the dragon. He wounds and tames it. I could write a whole post about how beautiful and redemptive the transformation of the dragon is - but there's more about the princess. George ties her sash around his neck, and she leads him home where the people care for him. Nurturing is a thankless task at times, but when someone depends upon it, like a wounded dragon, that's heroic, too.

I made Louise a little Princess (and a whole series of George and Dragon brooches, too). As she watched me sew the other night, I told her this story. Later, I heard her retelling it to John. That was priceless.

I recently stumbled across this beautifully illustrated children's book about the version of George and the Dragon that I love so much. In this post, the author Jim Forest beautifully explains how true stories turn into legends and myths, even within Christianity. I love the way people have always used stories to talk about beautiful and true things. Isn't that just what art is? What a beautiful thing to give to our children. It looks like you can pre-order the book here.

I'd love to hear about your favorite female heroes. My sister has talked about princesses some, too. ~~I'll link to it if I can find it.~~..Here it is! She's excellent.

Kids' Crafternoon: Paper Curtains and Free Books!

2011-07-29T00:01:00.002-05:00

I'm thrilled to be participating in the Kid's Crafternoon blog party! By now you already know, Kathreen put together the Crafternoon series, and the first two books Kids' Crafternoon Sewing and Kids' Crafternoon Papercraft are just out! Each book is full of craft projects that kids can do mostly unassisted in an afternoon, hence Kid's Crafternoon! I contributed a little Pencil Pouch project to the Sewing book, and I adore how they styled in in the book. Isn't this cool?

The sewing book is full of such clever ideas, perfect for kids in the 7-12 range. My girls are a bit younger, but I knew they'd enjoy making one of the projects from the Papercraft book with me. We decided to try the Paper Raindrops Curtain by the lovely Khali Whatley. My girls love to hang out the window to wave goodbye and hello to anyone coming or going, so I knew they'd really dig this.

I love the sweetly illustrated instructions, and printed templates are always excellent, but they are especially good for kid's projects. It was super easy to jump right into the project. I did all the cutting, but the girls picked out the colors and helped me glue them together. We were all tickled with how cool it turned out, and even the little one pronounced it "beautiful!" The girls eagerly waited for Daddy to come home so that they could wave at them through the clouds!

Hardie Grant was kind enough to give me a copy of each book to give away to one of you! To enter the give-away, tell me in the comments which book you'd most like, and who you'd like to spend a crafternoon with! Two winners will each get one book. Be sure to comment with an account where I can contact you. Winners will be announced on August 2.

Also, if you get the chance, follow along with the rest of the blog party to see more projects from these excellent books, and more chances to win a book:

July22, Poppytalk - July23, Picklebums - July 24, Little Eco Footprints - July 25, Beaspoke quilts - July 26, Maya Made - July 27, Checkout girl - July 28, The red thread - July 29, We Wilsons - July 30, Maggie Makes - July 31, Mmm Crafts - August 1, Domesticali - August 2, Floating Ink - August 3, Elizabeth Abernathy - August 4, Mommy Coddle - August 5, The Long Thread - August 6, Hannah Fletcher - August 7, Between the lines - August 8, Go Make Me

Coming soon...

2011-07-12T09:01:00.000-05:00

Just popping in to tell you about the new Kid's Crafternoon series edited by Kathreen, just released this month and available on Amazon now. I contributed this Pencil Pouch project to the sewing book.

I just got my copy of both the Sewing and the Papercraft book - and let me just say, they're pretty cool! I'll be participating in a blog tour at the end of the month - which may involve a give away (wink, wink). So be sure to check it out.

I'll be resuming regular blogging in August, and I'm going to try to squeeze as much summer fun into the rest of the month as I can! Hope you can do the same.

little birthdays and uncaptured lives

2011-05-28T21:06:00.002-05:00

The night before Louise's birthday, as I was realizing that the rainy weather was going to mess up my plans for our outdoor activities - my cupcakes bombed. The younger one started to get a fever and a friend wasn't sure he'd make it to the party.

I was frustrated and getting grumpy.

But thankfully, I had a moment of clarity. Celebrations are happy, and little people are happy. And Lou won't care if I use a cake mix.

So, I ran to town to get a cake mix from the store and a dog shaped cake pan from the public library (how cool is that?). While the cake was baking, I cut up a flannel pillowcase and some felt and made a quick felt-board type Pin the Tail on the Dog. Seriously - this is a quick in a pinch. Cut, topstitch and tape to the wall - the felt tails will stick on their own if you pat a little. John and I put up some decorations (a felt bunting, and several yards of ball fringe trim, a white table cloth and fresh flowers) and I laid out her crown and a pink dress. I love for her to wake up to a decorated table - it just seems to make the whole day exciting.

And then, as I finished icing the cake and applied some chocolate chip spots, I vowed to finish up tonight. To celebrate tomorrow. To give her the one thing she wants (and I struggle to give) the most: my attention.

The next morning, as I was trying to get a nice picture of my pretty table setting, I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to just enjoy this, and not try to document it?" I thought how lucky people without blogs are. So I started over. I decided to celebrate, and give Louise (and sick June) my attention.

And we had such a beautiful day.

There are days, when I want to completely disconnect from all of my online platforms, to just walk away from all of it. I'm not quite ready yet, but I think one day I will. For now, I think I'll take the summer off. With John taking time off, the weather being (sometimes) beautiful, and me sewing top-secret book projects - now just seems like a good time.

I hope your summer is full of celebration, and I'll see you in the fall.

Come As You Are

2011-05-25T14:29:00.002-05:00

Being at home all day, in a tiny (cozy), messy (full), old (beautiful) house makes you keenly aware of the disconnect between a practical home and homes in those design-y photos. You know the ones: the house always has a clear design scheme, a perfect color set, and one pair of crisp clean Chuck Taylor's haphazardly laying on the rule of thirds. I love these. They're beautiful. They make me feel bad about myself.

I've noticed a blog trend lately to post about what your house really looks like. Leave it to women to pull together and say, "hey, don't miss what's beautiful about my messy house." And we moms may not be winning awards, making history, or, at times, coming up with anything interesting to say in adult conversation - but we are saturated in little pure and joyful lives every day. Let's hope it rubs off.

She can tend to 6 babies, a fire engine, and a wolf in the village all at once.

No fancy dinner parties, but we're 75% of the way through the alphabet.

Resting after thoughtfully arranging the crayons into families.

A large playroom is only fun when someone is there to play with you.

Flour on the counter top means bread in the oven.

Usually organized studio, sometimes tidy, rarely pretty, always busy.

Working

2011-05-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

because I hate a post without pictures

I am working, and working and working. My back is killing me from the hours I spend hunched over sewing or drafting at the computer - I've got to stop doing that! I wish I could write more about the new designs I'm working on, but I know it will be fun to share them all later. I should say that I love working on the book: I'm learning like crazy, and I have so much work left to do, but it is thrilling.

I do want to tell you that I've made some exciting improvements to the flip dolls! A few simple adjustments to the construction make them much easier to put together, and a bit neater too. You can see these changes on the flip doll patterns that are in the shop now, and if you've previously purchased the Owl and Pussycat pattern or George and the Dragon, you can get the updated version (check your Etsy convo's or send me an email). I've also worked out a new type of flip doll, that is even simpler while still super fun - but you'll have to wait for the book to see that. ;)

I spent some birthday money on Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts which is both lovely and excellent and prompting more ideas that I have time to work on now. If you like having reference-type books in your studio, this is top-notch, of-course. I'd also recommend the Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing (the link is to the 80's version I have, but I think there are newer ones, too).

30

2011-05-10T11:57:00.000-05:00

celebrating with the girls with Pac-Man and Frogger

For my 30th birthday, John took me on a weekend trip to Memphis, which was kind of a big deal. It was our first get away since we became parents, so it was a big step for both of us. We go to Memphis every now and then, so we didn't feel pressured to sight see - we were just able to enjoy the city without kids in tow.

Illustrated guide to the weekend for the girls

I loved getting to slow down and look at paintings, eat a lot of great food, have a little fun on Beale Street, sleep as late as I wanted, and pray without interruption.

I also loved coming home to my girls on Mother's Day (who, by the way, also had a thrilling weekend with grandparents). Now, I am relishing each little moment of the girls dancing or talking in high pitched little pretend voices. I'm making ginger sage hot tea and playing in the garden with the girls.

I am thrilled about where I am right now: 30, working really hard on a book, being changed every day by motherhood. Growing.

Happy Crowns

2011-05-04T07:40:00.005-05:00

I'm off to put the last of the crowns in the mail this morning, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for participating in my little project. We gave away 130 crowns and met some amazing kids. Have a look at the crowns, and be sure to scroll down and down and down. It's like a happy little rainbow - it always makes me smile. The crowns are in the order that they were given, so you can see how my color and style choices changed, as well as my photog skills. (And maybe you can spot the donated chunk in the middle, thanks Mom!)

Assorted reflections:

When you do something nice for others, you just can't help but be blessed by it yourself. I feel a bit selfish because I think I got more out of this than anyone. I really can't say thank you enough.

Everyone needs compassion. True, not everyone's needs are equal, but sometimes little things feel just as dire, especially for children.

A charitable project probably runs more smoothly when you have a clear recipient in mind. I ended up hunting down kids to give crowns to. :)

I can find much more time to sew than I ever thought I could. Sometimes a challenge is all you need.

"Joy comes, grief goes, we know not how." - James Russell Lowell

Maybe I'll have some reflections on turning 30 later. This seems like enough for one day. I'd love to hear yours.

Community

2011-04-28T20:35:00.004-05:00

A long time ago, this was a blog about our family, to share pictures with our long distance relatives. A few years ago, it shifted into a sewing blog and sort of changed my world. I don't really have an anniversary since it was a gradual shift, but here's a reflection on 5-ish years of craft blogging.

I often feel insecure about being a self-taught seamstress. Am I using the right words? Am I missing something obvious. But, I bet most of us weren't taught sewing (and other domestic crafts) formally. My mother taught me to sew when I was young. First some cross stitching, and she'd let me turn her projects right side out while she continued to sew. When I was older she taught me to use her machine. But, the first time I tried to use an actual pattern, I had a hard time with all of the rules she wanted me to follow. The direction of the grain, the type of fabric, all the little steps and pins. You see, she was formally trained, and understood the value of craftsmanship. I had to learn that the hard way.

I quickly gave up on following patterns, but luckily my mom sat down one day, and showed me the basic steps to make a shoulder bag. A simple bag, with box corners and a long strap, no lining. That introduction to basic construction was intriguing to me. I tried different shapes. I learned how to add a lining, a flap, a button. I took the long way around, but eventually I was hooked on the challenge of how to make 3-dimensional forms from fabric.

Still, I had no classes, and read only a few books. While I was studying art in college, I would call my mom for help on adjusting tension, and asking how to make something as simple as a quilt binding. She'd explain it, and I'd forge ahead. I made a lot of silly frumpy clothes, a goofy art quilt, and every sort of household linen. I figured things out and gained confidence.

When I was pregnant with my first daughter I wanted to use cloth diapers, but they were so expensive. So I decided to make my own. I used a pattern. At 25 years old I used a pattern for the first time. It was amazing. It was perfect (okay, close to perfect). I learned so many little details that I would have left out if I'd being making it up. What's more, I made something practical, economical, and beautiful. I was so proud. This was the point when I began to really understand that good sewing wasn't about being "crafty." It was about being a "craftsman." I had rediscovered what it meant to make my own "things of life," and my sewing would never be the same.

In case you can't tell, I love the oft-quoted Faith Gillespie:

"There is clearly another imperative at work now in our exercise of the old crafts. It has to do with reclamation, with reparation. The world seems not to need us any more to make “the things of life.” Machines make more and cheap. The system needs us to do the maintenance jobs and to run the machines that produce the so-called “goods”, to be machines in the consumer societies, which consume and consume and are empty. Our turning to craftwork is a refusal. We may not all see ourselves this way, but we are working from a position of dissent. And that is a political position.”

It took me awhile to realize, I'm not really self-taught. I'm community taught. My mother helped me along the way, and so did my grandmothers. My friend Peggy gave me the Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing. And my sister-in-law Kate pointed me to craft blogs. To you guys. I learned to make pants, sew zippers, block quilts from craft blogs. I found good books, inspiration, motivation, tutorials and definitions from craft blogs. Somewhere along the way, I found my voice and joined yours.

This is what we are reclaiming: our community of domestic artisans and pride in our intimate connection with the stuff of life.

Thanks to all of you.

Land scouts

2011-04-28T11:29:00.001-05:00

I'm so looking forward to summer so I can start my garden. John is busy with the house this summer, so I'm taking charge of the garden - and I feel more than a little nervous about it to tell the truth. I usually flake out. You'll have to remind me to go take care of it.

The local wisdom around here says not to plant your garden until after Easter. Unfortunately, the tornado weather has kept me from getting my seedlings out. Maybe this weekend?

I've also been looking forward to summer because I want to earn Land Scout badges! Urban Land Scouts was started by Katie Ries and teaches and encourages people to be good stewards to the land where they live, especially barren or wasted land. I love this idea, even though I definitely live in a rural area. So I was thrilled to receive my first two badges, after I posted about our seed bombing! (one for the seed bombs, and one for blogging about it) There's loads of information to get started on the website. Check it out, and become a land scout!

Now any ideas where to put my badges? I'm thinking, another messenger bag?

Messenger Bag of Awesome

2011-04-25T10:59:00.000-05:00

I was in a bit of a funk last week. After a frustrating few days without my sewing machine, I picked it up from the place only to find out something else was wrong with it. Follow that news with a sleepless night due to babies who won't sleep through a storm, and a late morning chasing a mouse out of the house (which may have involved some shrieking).

The next day I was still grumpy, and I decided its time to make this grump go away.

So I decided a little extra curricular sewing was in order. Something just for me. In a blur of morning and scissors, I combined ideas from two lovely tutorials (basic messenger bag and puffy pouch) to make a bag that met my current needs/whims. I love messenger style bags and haven't had one in so long. Combine that with these peekaboo pleats and some of my favorite vintage prints, and voila. Grumpy begone!

It really made me think about how much I really enjoy sewing and making something. And that I don't sew for fun enough. Ha, well, maybe next year. 2012 - the year of sewing what I want?

Craft Hope: Bracelets for Orphans

2011-04-21T08:54:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered Craft Hope. What a beautiful project!

I think Craft Hope is everything I hoped my crown project would be, and much much more. It combines craft with compassion, and the people at Craft Hope are truly helping people in need. Please take a moment to check it out and get involved! They just finished sending Delivery Kits to Haiti, and for the latest project they are sending handmade bracelets to orphaned children in Russia. This is such an easy project to join in!

This statistic really hit me:
* Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…
* Every year 14,050,000 children still grow up as orphans and AGE OUT of the system.

These older children who leave the system without families often lead very difficult lives. They really need families, but we can also send them a little hope now.

I had hoped to have mine finished to show you before I blogged, but my sewing machine is in the shop again, which has lead to all kinds of ugh. Nevertheless, here's a round-up of other lovely bracelet tutorials that would be great for this project. I might try some of each! Be sure to think of the boys, too!

Beaded Fabric Scrap Bracelets
Wrist Cuff
Felt Bracelet
Summer Braided Bracelet
Scrappy Button Bracelet
Elastic Flower Bracelet
Reversible Cuff Bracelets
Ribbon and Bead Bracelet
Friendship Bracelets
Wave Friendship Bracelet

Seed Bombs

2011-04-20T16:22:00.000-05:00

This week the girls and I made seed bombs from Whip Up's latest Action Pack. The mini-mag is full of crafts to do with kids based around a theme. April focused on seeds, which was perfect for us. Many of the projects are more suited to kids older than mine, but they're so neatly organized and thematic, I think they'll be easy to file away for later. We all enjoyed this one though. What preschooler doesn't love tearing, throwing, and goopy mush? I liked talking to my girls about seeds and flowers, especially since we've been collecting and identifying wildflowers lately.

My friend Kat made seed bombs recently as a part of an Urban Land Scouts workshop, and had some beautiful thoughts on it. When things slow down around here, I definitely want to become a land scout, too!

Good Gifts

2011-04-14T11:46:00.000-05:00

I saw this great tutorial for a simple toddler back pack at Indietutes, and decided this would be great for the little birthdays we have coming up. The pattern is quick and simple, and I imagine these will be very functional. I used a grey corduroy I had in my stash and added a little color with some fun trims and pockets.

I'm way ahead for birthday planning, but since our money is a little tight this year I've been trying to think of some inexpensive things I can make or buy. That made me think about what makes a really good gift. A good gift is more than just a cool object, it's something that promotes the kind of life you want to live. With that in mind here's a list of what makes a good children's gift (with some clues about what we're doing this year):

a few precious items instead of a bunch of junk
things that encourage imagination
something they have to take care of
a fun outing
something you'll both love

What makes a good gift for your kids?

Printable Coloring Cards

2011-04-11T15:28:00.000-05:00

"Hello" says the bull frog.
"Psst" whispers the squirrel, eager to tell his secret.
The bashful skunk beams with love.
A plucky duck shouts you "Hi!"

Four sweet animal cards for you to download and print, then fold the card in half, and color. Write notes on the inside and they are ready to be mailed to your grandma, teacher, uncle, and best friend. I made these a long time ago, and I'm only just now getting around to sharing them. I wanted to get the kids involved in sending thank you's and other letters. Maybe I'll get around to do that soon, too. :)

Weather Bag Tutorial

2011-04-08T15:56:00.001-05:00

a little rain and a rainbow

Okay, the title is a bit misleading since there isn't very much tutelage in this post. But I think just the pictures are enough for you to copy the idea. It happened in a flash of inspiration and an hour playing on the floor with Ouise. It wouldn't have taken so long, but I was working on a separate project at the same time. If you already have a felt stash and some glue you can put it together in no time.

a rainy day

I wanted to make something for her to recreate the weather she sees outside. We tried this with the little weather coloring zine, but it's kind of a one shot deal. This can be reused over and over. I didn't draw anything first, I just cut out shapes. The sun, clouds, lighting bolt, and moon are just felt. The rainbow is made of a large red strip of felt, with small blue and yellow strips glued on top. The rain drops are little beads, and the snow is a bit of poly-fil. At first I cut out tiny bits of felt for the rain and snow, and then I imagined them sticking to every surface in my house and I threw them out.

The bag is dark on one side and light on the other (that was Ouise's good idea), and it's made of fleece, so I didn't hem it. Just sewed two 5 inch-ish squares together leaving one end open, and turned it right side out. You can keep all the pieces in the bag and then use it as the sky when you get the pieces out. A sticky closure would be a good idea so all the little pieces don't fall out. Maybe the stick on kind so you don't see a bunch of stitching in your sky? I'll have to look and see if I have any...

snowy day

I asked Louise to make me a rainy day, and a stormy day, and then she'd suggest a snowy day. We just kept mixing it up. It's so neat to see how her brain works. She dropped the rain from high above like it was raining. Also, she thought the storm should have a dark sky even though it wasn't night.

a dark and stormy night

a cloudy day

Also, it got covered in cat hair within minutes of playing on the floor with it. I'm just going to pretend you can't see that in the pictures. This was too quick and fun to make complicated. :)

Updated to Add: I decided to go ahead and make a zipper pouch (here's a good tutorial). The beads kept falling out, and otherwise Louise was going to make me tie a bow around it. And while we were at it, we threw in a few extra squares in different blues and creams for different sky colors. I'm surprised how much play this little thing has already gotten. I'm going to keep it on our school bookshelf, and we'll get it out a couple times a week, especially when we have some unusual weather.

There are 7 Days, There are 7 Days...

2011-04-06T14:00:00.000-05:00

..There are 7 days in a week.

Sunday, Monday,

Tuesday, Wednesday,

Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

I've been meaning to make something like this for awhile, but just kept putting it off. Yesterday, when Ouise was talking about Twosday and Foursday, I thought it was time. So we're using this chart and learning the little 7 days a week song (to the tune of "Oh, My Darling") in hopes of also learning that her birthday was not, in fact, yesterday.

I don't have much experience with flannel boards, aside from Sunday school many years ago, so this was all figure it out as you go. I only found flannel boards when I googled, but I made this felt quilt-y thing that just hangs on the wall. It seems to work fine, and I was able to put it together with stuff I already have (always a win).

I made little pieces to represent things we do during the week: a book for storytime, a grocery bag for shopping day, a little church for church, a bath tub for bath time... you get the picture. I'll probably make more pieces as new things come up, or multiples if necessary. Like fun numbers for upcoming birthdays, holiday symbols, maybe something for the zoo trip we're planning this summer. The car is supposed to represent the days Daddy goes to work - I'm not sure that's making sense to Louise though.

I used felt for both the board and the pieces, and I just cut everything out free hand - which is why all the columns are different sizes and all the shapes are wonky. I'm cool with that.

I sewed the little pieces together by hand, although you could use fabric glue (I didn't have any) or the sewing machine (I was watching a movie). The letters are stitched onto the board, but all of the other pieces just stick on, and can be moved around. I did iron fusible interfacing to the back, which seems to make them stick much better. You can see the back of the car here. Because some of the pieces are bulky, it helped to iron each piece individually.

There's a little pocket on the back for pieces we aren't using. Louise wanted to use all the pieces, and did not like the pocket, but I'm hoping that's just because it's new. She doesn't get the concept of the days of the week yet, but I think this will give her a way to put together all the information we're giving her. Seems like just a few days of moving the circle will make a big impression. We'll see. :)

Crowns

2011-04-04T08:52:00.001-05:00

There is one month left for the crown project (and subsequently, until my 30th birthday). I've been busy with my other projects, so I've gotten a bit behind on sewing crowns. I'm spending today catching up, so if you've requested one recently, it's coming! I promise. :)

If you haven't seen the gallery lately, go check it out. How fun are all those crowns together? And if you'd still like to request one, please do!

Rarr - the Creative Process (and another give away!)

2011-04-01T11:26:00.002-05:00

Whew, two new patterns within a week? Crazy right?

I've been giving myself a number of projects to do for my book each month, and when I finish, then I can do any other sewing for the rest of the month. It's a great motivator, and I'm getting so much more done than I ever realized I could. So below, I want to share two things: a bit about my creative process, and a giveaway (~~300~~ 400 downloads - first come, first serve) of my new Dino pattern.

Creative Process

1. Sketch out pattern. Think, "this is perfect. I'll go ahead and cut out enough to make 4 dinosaurs in crazy cute fabrics!" Assemble two and realize there are all kinds of flaws (won't stand, skinny arms, puckering). Oops.

2. Adjust pattern. Cut out just one, but optimistically use the cute fabric again. It's better, but still needs work (still skinny arms, still puckering, still won't stand up). Give this prototype to the kids: they love misfits.

3. Draft version 3. Send it to husband to print at work. In the meantime, browse Abby's Elements of Soft Toy Design series at While She Naps. (If you want to try drafting your own patterns, you should definitely check this out!)

4. Slap head. See great idea on While She Naps, and decide to try something different. Forget version 3, enter Dinosaur 4.1. Huge improvement, very excited, but needs a little more work (stands up! nice arms, no puckering - whoa those legs are huge). Give Dino 4.1 to the kids.

5. Dinosaur 4.2 complete (with eyes). Put Dinos and pattern in the shop, smile a lot, and begin give away: ~~click here to download!~~
UPDATE:thanks everyone! We gave away 421 patterns. Enjoy, and be sure to let me know how it works for you!

Weasels! (a give away)

2011-03-28T13:00:00.007-05:00

Sometimes we call Louise "Weasel." I know, it's a goofy nickname. But there it is.

I wanted to make a plush weasel for her birthday, and I got excited about it, so I'm way early. This is a pretty simple pattern. I used some old blankets so they're really soft and cuddly. (And who doesn't want to cuddle with a weasel?)

I used the last of my wool stuffing in three of the weasels, and I used polyfil with the rest. I've decided to stop using wool, but I was disappointed a bit with the poly-fil. It isn't as firm and doesn't hold the shape as well, although it is nice and squishy. You can see the difference in these two weasels. The white one's face is pointy, and his legs are firm; the brown one's face is puffier, and his lays splay out a bit. I've ordered some cotton, and I'm eager to work with it, but I was too eager to finish these to wait for the cotton to arrive.

~~The pattern is free to download here until Thursday at noon.~~ The give away has ended, you can now find the pattern in my shop. Please remember to send me feedback for the pattern!

Also, I'm adding 6 weasels to the shop right now, and don't forget about the EARTHLINGS coupon code (40% off!) available through Friday, April 1st. Go watch the movie!

Comfort Food

2011-03-25T09:35:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking about the food I eat pretty intensely since I watched the documentary Earthlings (available to watch free online). I realize that living in modern America I have the luxury of eating food as it pleases me, for my own comfort, rather than viewing food as a source of nutrition and survival as people of other places and time have had to.

The thing that really frustrates me is that my primary reason for killing animals is comfort. Somehow, we have separated the acts of killing and eating, but that doesn't make them any less connected. Certainly, I shouldn't gain comfort from killing, right?

I don't claim to have anything figured out. Seriously. But I want to move in the direction of compassion and awareness.

So to do my tiny little part today, I'm sharing with you two things. First, the recipe for my new comfort food- it's healthy, yummy, and plant based. And for a limited time, a 40% discount in my shop when you use the code EARTHLINGS. Most of my patterns are animals, and I think if we're going to teach our children to love animals, we should mean it all the way, right? Ideally, I'd love for you to go watch the movie before you use the code, but I'll leave that up to you. Or if you've already gone vegan, take it as my hat tip to you. :)

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites, or women for men." - Alice Walker

Fried Rice
To make fried rice it's best to use leftover rice. I make a large pot of rice at the beginning of the week, and use portions throughout the week. I don't have exact measurements for the rice, or any of it, come to think of it. Making the rice ahead of time, makes this a healthy, plant based meal that comes together in under 10 minutes. Here's what I do:

Heat a TBSP or so of oil in a skillet and sautee minced garlic, minced ginger, and chopped onions. Add any of the following veggies: sugar snap peas, diced carrots, frozen peas, sliced red or orange peppers, mushrooms, bean sprouts, broccoli, or whatever else you like. (When cooking with the kids, I often omit the onions and only use kid-friendly veggies like peas and carrots.)

When the veggies are cooked to your liking (not over cooked), add the cold cooked rice to the hot pan along with some soy sauce. Stir, and then let it sit still a minute so it gets crispy on the bottom. Then stir some more and repeat.

Presto! Serve it to toddlers with a spoon for less rice on the floor. :)

Work at Home Mom

2011-03-22T07:45:00.002-05:00

This winter, my littlest one discovered my sewing machine and all of its fancy knobs. She pulled off two, and at first I thought it was just annoyingly cosmetic, but eventually I realized it had affected the stitch length function and it was getting worse. Ack, another expensive tune up.

Enter the sewing machine cover, whipped up after reading the lovely tutorial at Art Nest. I have a crush on anything patchwork, so this functional and patchy project was calling my name. Although, it has occurred to me that this may actually attract the children... I guess I should have made it ugly?

This little adventure reminded me of my efforts to find balance in motherhood and working at home not long after June was born. Since then, sewing and designing have turned into part time employment which is exciting, fulfilling, and helps me maintain my sanity as a new mother. I don't have it all figured out, but I feel much more confident than I did back in 2009. So I thought I'd share a few things I've learned about being a work at home mom. The first three are organizational, and the last one is more of a change in philosophy.

Routine. The children and I are both more pleasant, have more fun, and get more accomplished when we have a somewhat structured day. Routine does not come naturally to me, so I've had to work at this, but it's worth it. I'm especially able to enjoy play time more and focus during chore time, when I know I have work time slotted in later.
Efficiency. I work in small increments throughout the day: during naptime, movie time, daddy time, and bed time. I work in batches, doing a bunch of cutting at once, machine sewing, and hand sewing. I save hand sewing for long car rides or tv time. When someone wakes up, gets hungry, or needs to pee, I'm prepared to walk away.
Space. I have a dedicated work space - it's not pretty, but it's organized and my work table is out of the children's reach (ahem, unlike the sewing machine). I keep works in progress neatly laid out on the table, and organizational notes on a marker board above it. My scanner and pattern files are stored under the table, and my fabrics, scissors, and trims are all in reach. This is essential to making my short bursts of work really productive.
I let my children see me work. During movie time, daddy time or quiet time - when they are awake but occupied, I get out my stuff and work. I cut fabric on the floor near them while they play with John, I hand sew on the couch during their movie, and sometimes Louise plays on the floor in my studio while I work on the machine. Sometimes they ignore me, sometimes they get involved, and sometimes they steal my fabric. Either way, I feel this is valuable for them because being creative and productive is a regular part of their day. Handiwork skills are easily accessible to them, whenever they are ready to learn. Not to mention they get a chance to see me being both domestic and professional.

I've begun to realize that when I can keep the first three in order (and that's the hard part) the fourth point proves to be beneficial for me and my children. But, of course, the most helpful thing has been to find what works for me, and go with it confidently. We all get there eventually, I guess. :)

What works for you?

Weather Coloring Zine

2011-03-20T21:21:00.000-05:00

Ever since I made Louise a little book last fall to learn the Lord's Prayer, I wanted to make more on all kinds of subjects. They are so quick and fun to make, and she gets such a kick out of having her own little book. I made a list of at least 10 books I want to make, things I want her to learn. They emphasize coloring and letter recognition, but also each will teach her about a new subject and how to recognize it every day.

This little one is about the weather, with cheesy little smiley faces. She colored each page and we talked about how the weather changes. This isn't really a new subject, but I wanted her to start paying attention to what the weather is like each day so she'll understand when it's too cold to go out, or why we need to wear rain boots, etc. The last page has a blank sky and tree so they can draw what they see right now.

I try not to be too pushy about her color choices, which is hard for me sometimes. Nevertheless, I thought it was funny that she colored the snow green. These are so easy to make, I made her a couple of copies, plus one for June (who isn't much into coloring) and another for me.

I'll be adding these as I make them, and you can find them all by searching the "printables" tag. You can download this one here. It's just one black and white page and you can read instructions on how to fold the paper here.

Giving it Away

2011-03-18T13:35:00.000-05:00

We had an excellent time at Arts in the Alley last night. I'm thrilled that my little town is full of creative people who developed an Arts Commission that is so active. It's fun to find new crafts people and musicians in your own town. And, can I just say, that giving away stuff at a craft fair is exponentially better than selling. The little word "FREE" on my table let me interact with so many more people and immediately made people smile. Which speaks to me on a level beyond simple consumerism.

And a shout out to my mom - who sent me a package of 30 crowns that she and a friend made. I had about 20 of my own, making a slew of crowns, as mom would say. We gave away 31 last night (so I've got some ready to mail if you want one!). It was a blast seeing all the kids running around wearing crowns, for me and Louise both.

No matter how much love you give, you never have less. In fact you discover you have more — one ruble becomes two, two becomes ten. - Mother Maria Skobtsova

All of the diverse facets of my life, including the crown project, seem to be criss-crossing in surprising ways, causing me to decompartmentalize. That feels good. It is helping me give up some of the unhelpful ways I define myself. Specifically, I realize I am not defined by what my friends believe and do, rather who I am a friend to. That also feels really good. And it is a lesson I needed to learn.

Apparently, I also need to learn to iron my tablecloth. :)

Love in Stereo, Whip Up and, Arts in the Alley

2011-03-10T11:34:00.000-06:00

I'm so late in telling you about my guest blog post at Whip Up last week. I interviewed my college friend Brad Montague about Love In Stereo: a movement of artists, fans and friends united together to make a global impact. I've been so moved/impressed/amazed/excited by all that I've seen Brad and his friends accomplish this year through Love In Stereo, so I'm thrilled to get to help spread the word about this great organization.

I was especially eager to interview Brad because I've been wondering "what can I do?" I don't have any superhuman skills or a vast fund raising network, but I'd like to help impact people for good, too. And I knew Brad would point me in the right direction. Since I've been working on my Nicholas Crown Project, I've begun to understand the truth of what Brad said:

It’s about addressing a need and building a community around that need.

Real impact happens when artists do more than giving and raising money for an immediate need. It's about building a community that will continue to support that need over time.

I reached out to all of you, my online crafty friends, first because you are the community I interact with most as a Work at Home Parent. I treasure the connection (sanity) and inspiration (motivation) I get from all of you. But, I realize that I need to push myself to be more a part of my real world community, too. My compassion for children shouldn't be limited to the abstract and distant, but also for my own children, my friends' children, and the children in our community. Especially in such small acts of compassion, like reminding a child that they're special.

As the number requests for crowns have been declining (you can still request one for a child you know!) I've been looking for more children to reach out to, and I realized perhaps I should start at home, you know? Next Thursday, March 17, is Arts in the Alley, hosted by the Henderson Arts Commission, and I'll be there with a basketful of crowns to give away. If you're in town, come by and pick up crowns for your kids, or take one to give to a child you know.

Compasio

2011-02-24T18:30:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the updated crown gallery? Maybe you noticed a pair of pictures of crowns that are headed to an orphanage in Thailand. Watch this video to learn about Compasio, an organization that's reaching out to the women and children who are living on the streets in Thailand. Be sure to check out ways you can get involved.

"Seeing a need, feeling compassion and acting with practical love on behalf of those who are poor, needy and at risk -- this is the heart of Compasio."

A Few Items

2011-02-20T07:58:00.001-06:00

1. I updated the crown gallery to show all 49 of the crowns I've put in the mail. It's a fun scroll, so check it out! The last crown I made came from my orange curtain fabric, and paired with blue bobble trim - it just made me so happy on many levels.

2. I'm anxiously awaiting Whip Up's new mini-mag, which I think could be a great homeschooling resource. It's loaded with crafts, cooking, and outdoor activities for kids, with busy parents in mind. It sounds lovely, and it will be available to download on March 1. Don't forget to get yours.

3. I've added one more little thing to my crown project: A coloring page for the kids! If you're making crowns (to send to me or give away on your own) - get your kids involved! I was having Louise color each child a whole picture, but after awhile she lost interest (49! you can imagine). So remembering the wild success of Inchmark's valentines, I created a similar template of a head and crown that she can doodle a face and hair and other goofy details onto (like a goldfish). There's also a note and a space for her to write her name (plus space to add a more personal note from the adults). I'm adding the link to the main Nicholas Crown page, but you can also download it here.

4. And I made a new twitter account to separate my craft tweets from my local tweets. So if you do twitter, join me @wewilsons.

Call for Compassionate Crafters

2011-02-15T21:47:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking about what I can do to make my Nicholas Crown Project more impactful. The connections I've made have been such blessings, and I want you to share in that experience. I've come up with three ways to make this better. I need you to join me!

1. Spread the word. I caught myself hesitating to share my link, worrying that I might get too many requests. But this is the opposite of what I'm hoping to learn. Compassion is a muscle that gets better with use. I want to share as much joy as possible: Help me spread the word! Feel free to use any of the pictures in the gallery, and link to the Nicholas Crown Project.

2. Learn about children's ministries. I also want to share some of the good works I've learned about through those of you who have contacted me. Several people who have submitted names have introduced me to organizations serving children in very big ways. Their stories are so moving, and I want to share them with you. I'd also love to find ways to work together with these organizations. I'll be posting about some of these groups in the next few weeks.

3. Join me! For me, the most amazing part is the way that people are letting me be a part of their lives, their struggles, and their healing. I want to share that opportunity with you! I promised some friends and family that if I got overwhelmed, I'd send out a call for help. But now I realize that with more people we can reach more children, and more of you get to exercise your compassion muscles.

So you want to help make crowns? Here's what you can do:

make crowns.
email me at wilsonlauralynn {at} gmail {dot} com for my mailing address.
send me crowns.

I'll photograph your crowns and add them to the gallery. And as I receive requests, I'll send the crowns. I'll also create a linky list of compassionate crafters as my way of thanks. You don't have to use my tutorial, the only thing I ask is that you make each crown unique as a way to remember each child is unique.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or ideas. This is a work in progress - so help me progress!

Postal

2011-02-15T11:45:00.000-06:00

John took some packages to the post office in town for me today. They told us the postage we'd been putting on our domestic Nicholas Crown packages (the amount our local country post office said we needed) wasn't sufficient, and the recipients might be charged when they received the packages. I'm so frustrated and heartbroken about this. It shouldn't be more than 70 cents, but still.

We're correcting the postage immediately, and international and larger packages shouldn't have been affected. But if you received a package and had to pay for it, I'm so sorry!

Handmade Olympics

2011-02-14T15:25:00.000-06:00

I love the handmade olympics! Partly because it give me a chance to be an olympiad. But also because it's a fun way to learn about all the creative awesomeness happening in the handmade world. Voting is open now! Click on the badge to go vote in all 8 events - but especially be sure to vote in events 5 & 7 where you'll find my Nicholas Crown project and punny bookmarks. ;)

And while you're at it - help me out with the Nicholas Crown Project!

Vegan Valentines

2011-02-13T13:49:00.001-06:00

I've been trying out a some vegan fudge recipes like this incredible one, meaning to give them as gifts this year. Unfortunately, they all turned out too soft for giving away (or is that fortunate since I get to eat them?), so I ended up making this Peanut Buttercup Caramel Popcorn at the last minute. I think I used all the pots in my kitchen twice today, and I was very grateful for my candy thermometer. But I ended up with a nice valentine basket.

eta: I had to update to add a picture of my fudge that did eventually set after 24 hours. It turned out great, maybe a little gritty from the raw sugar. I've never made fudge before, so I think it will only get better from here.

I also printed these adorable Valentines to make with Louise. I wasn't sure how into it she'd be, but she loved it. And I love it. I recreated the idea with a red crayon for the little tags on my popcorn bags. They're designed by Brooke Reynolds at Inchmark. I just love all of her simple and beautiful designs. Her Valentines for this year are even more wonderful, and I'm just giddy with love for it. Go, love her, too.

Nicholas Crowns

2011-02-03T09:01:00.066-06:00

Give a crown, share some joy.

Whenever I sew, Louise always asks, "What are you making for me?" It always makes me smile, because this is how a three year old thinks. So this weekend, when I was sewing some dress-up crowns, I told her, "I'm making crowns like yours. But these are for some other kids. Other kids who don't have crowns."

"They don't have crowns!?"
"Nope."

And then I realized maybe this was a chance to teach her about something bigger than sharing. Maybe it was a chance to teach her compassion.

Louise likes to dress up in her crown (and tutu and mittens) and pretend she is a princess, because it makes her feel special. I wondered if there were other kids who might need to be reminded that they are special too. So I asked you guys if you knew any kids who might need a crown.

By the end of the day, you introduced me to three beautiful families with children who might like a crown. Two children who are very sick, and one little boy whose mommy is very sick. It reminded me that life hits us hard sometimes, and it doesn't show favoritism. Children suffer and grieve like the rest of us, and this is harder to bear.

As we packaged our crowns to put in the mail, I was telling Louise about the children. She asked about one girl, "why is she sick?"
I told her, "I don't know."
"But this crown will make her feel better."
My heart sank. Will this crown really make any difference for that very sick little girl?

I don't know. But I am learning that compassion is the beginning of love, and without love we are nothing. Will it make a difference? Let's find out together.

~~For the next three months, you can submit the name of a child who has an extra need to feel special, and I will send them a crown.~~ (Now closed, thank you everyone!) That's it. A silly, simple, dress-up crown, that they can put on and become a Princess or King, Victor or Olympiad, Superhero or Fairy, or whatever special person they imagine.

_______________________________

About the Nicholas Crown project:

1. What is the goal of the Nicholas Crown project?

(a) With your help, to give away as many crowns as I can to special children, (b) spreading a little bit of joy to those who most need it; and in the process, (c) to learn about compassion together with my children.

2. How can I participate?

I need your help! Here's what you can do: the project has now ended. Thanks so much to everyone who participated. You can still make crowns yourself to spread a little joy. The free tutorial is here.

3. Who can receive a crown?

~~No one will be turned down.~~

4. What information do you need?
All I must have is the child's name and a mailing address. However, if you are uncomfortable providing it, you can give me the parent's email address and I will contact them for permission, or your own address and you can deliver it.

5. Who has received a crown already?

Because these are children, I'll be keeping the recipients anonymous. However, I've assembled a gallery of crowns with first names. This way, we can all enjoy the cheerful crowns, and remember that each represents a special child.

6. How long will it take to get the crown?

I will try to mail the crowns within a week. We'll see how it goes.

7. Why is the deadline on May 4?

May 4th is my 30th birthday! Help me celebrate by spreading joy and compassion.

8. Who is Nicholas?

I learned this year about the Kindness Project. The idea is to perform acts of kindness in the name of a loved one who was lost too soon. In this way you create a legacy for them. This is for Nicholas.

Home Preschool

2011-02-01T09:41:00.001-06:00

We're doing a little preschool at home, and I thought I'd share what we're doing. I'm a complete novice at homeschooling, so maybe you guys can help me figure it out as I go.

We have our formal school time in the morning right after breakfast because the girls are both willingly sitting at the table, and we're all still in good moods. It's a great way to start the day, and always puts me in a productive mood. It usually lasts 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how much fun they're having. Each week we focus on a letter and most of our projects relate to the letter. Every day, I hang their coloring projects on the wall next to the table, so we can talk about them at dinner when John gets home. I also try to make sure I work in other activities during the day, which I guess is more like unschooling. But it helps me to remember to do them if I make it part of our pre-school goal.

Some of our resources and activities:

my Phonics Coloring Book, and the full size sheets
listen to a weekly bible reading and a corresponding Bible coloring page
Letter Virtue coloring pages (sweet drawings by another homeschooling mom)
free coloring pages from here or here
painting letters on large scale, and just paint for fun. This is how I taught Louise to write her name, she's really into black.
read together for about 30 minutes
constructive play (legos, play dough, or playing outside)
pickup toys and put away plates at meal times

I also love the ideas I've read in The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Soule. Since reading this lovely book, we've found more ways to incorporate the arts and learning into our home. I especially enjoy our ever growing dress up basket and our art center. Plus, it made me realize the immense value of the time we spend playing outside.

A Request and Other Things

2011-01-31T13:17:00.000-06:00

1. When I was making crowns last weekend, Louise asked, "are those for me?" I told her "No, they are for other kids who don't already have a crown." She's reminded me of this several times. The bugger thing is that it sounds so charitable. They're for my shop. Not charitable.

But then I thought maybe there really are some kids out there who have a extra special need for a crown. Maybe a kid who really needs to feel special. Do you know a child like this? I get that this is a weird request. But if you know someone, Louise and I would love to share a crown with them. Send me an email and we'll work out a way to get it to them.

2. I usually do some kind of handmade valentine for John, but I haven't got any ideas yet this year. I'm loving this from fabric card with change-able button on messages from Sew Mama Sew.

3. I've added an "About" page to the sidebar, with some faq's for the blog. It's pretty standard.

Dress-Up Crown Tutorial

2011-01-29T17:10:00.004-06:00

I made birthday crowns for my girls last year. I had intended for them to be a special birthday thing, that we got out only once a year, so they would be extra special. But, as these things go, the girls loved them, and they found a permanent home in our dress up basket. I had no idea how much the kids would love them. They are a regular feature around here.

I decided to make a bunch for an art fair coming up, and put together this tutorial while I was at it. I have to add, there are a million great tutorials out there for crowns. My version, as usual, just keeps it simple (I've left the elastic exposed), made use of what I keep on hand (sorry, not felt), and allows for fun use of trimmings. And the trimmings are the best part, right? I love dumping out my fabric and ribbons and sifting through to find just the right match for that funky ribbon, or finding a surprisingly lovely combination of fabrics. Ah, that's what sewing is all about.

I digress. The directions are below, but you can also download the templates I used. I tried to make a couple that were boyish, too - they're angular and not pink. My crowns have about a 17" circumference that will stretch quite a bit, so they're one size fits most - just use a bit more elastic if you have a big head. :)

Update: Be sure to check out the Nicholas Crown Project that this tutorial inspired! I'm giving away dress-up crowns! Come help me out!

Instructions:
1. Draw or print template, cut out. If you draw your own, the width should be about 9 inches.
2. Pin pattern to fabric and cut out fabric adding a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around. Cut 2 (I like to used different fabrics for the front and back).
3. Cut out interfacing and iron to the wrong side of your back fabric. Alternately, you can just cut a third layer of heavy weight fabric and put it in the middle of your sandwich - both work well.
4. Topstitch trimmings onto your front fabric. I used ribbon, bias tape, buttons, lace, and a handmade crocheted rose. The possibilities are endless.
5. Cut a 9" piece of 1/4"-1/2" elastic.
6. With right sides facing, sew around the edge of your crown. Leave openings on the bottom inch of both sides. You'll turn right side out through one of these holes, and later insert the elastic in each side.
7. Clip slits in seam allowance, especially in the corners. Turn right side out, poking out all the little points and curves with a chopstick/pencil thing. Iron sound that all the points are neat, and the openings have their edges neatly tucked in. Don't skip the ironing - it really helps.
8. Starting just after the opening on one side, top stitch around the crown. When you reach the opening on the opposite side, insert on end of the elastic (about 1/2"-1" from the base of the crown) and back stitch over it a few times. Continue topstitching around the crown, and repeat the elastic insertion with the other end. Be sure not to twist the elastic.
Feel free to sell items made from this pattern; however, if you do, please give credit to me as the designer.

Olive Fougasse

2011-01-24T20:11:00.000-06:00

I got Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day for Christmas, and I'm on my fourth or fifth batch now. It took a little adjusting to the idea of wet dough, but once I got the consistency right, everything has turned out excellent. I love baking bread, but I can appreciate the time saving factor anyway, because it makes it so easy to make something every day. The only drawback is that it makes me want to buy a bunch of stuff: a larger container so I don't have to keep making new batches, a pizza peel and baking stone (which I should probably have anyway), new flour canisters, cut bread serving platters... Okay, maybe that's just me.

I made the Olive Fougasse from the olive oil dough. It is excellent and beautiful, and even easier to make than some of the other breads. It is basically focaccia bread with olives mixed it. I took it to a gathering, and felt like a heel every time I said, "fougasse," but everyone liked it anyway.

Phonics Coloring Book

2011-01-20T14:59:00.000-06:00

I've been working on a Phonics Coloring Book to help Louise learn her letters. We're doing a little home pre-schooling, and I thought this would be fun. Louise loves all the school activities, as long as it's a little laid back. She's only 3 after all.

The printable version of the coloring book is now in the shop. It includes a small book that you can print on regular letter paper with an opening for each letter of the alphabet. Each letter has a picture to color and space for little ones to practice writing their letters. In addition to the book, it also includes instructions for printing and assembling the book, and a full size coloring page for each letter, assembled as 2 easily printed pdfs. I drew pictures of animals and objects that my 3 year old would easily know to help her recognize the sounds and associate them with the letter. Also, I was careful to make the letters in fonts that actually look like the way you write letters, without all the extra flourishes, which can be confusing.

I'm giving away coloring pages for the letters L-O-V-E and a composite page, which would make a cute valentine coloring page. Download here or buy the entire printable book here. Share the love!

Coming of Age

2011-01-15T13:32:00.000-06:00

So, I promised to update you on my new opportunity.

Celebrating my contract with marmalade

I'm working with Lark Crafts to write a sewing pattern book full of plush toys with clever, interactive designs - including, among others, my Smile Crocodile, Peekaboo Turtle, several Flip Doll patterns, and loaded with new patterns. You won't see the book until 2013, but this year I'll be knee deep in new designs and pretty fabrics.

This is a big year for me. I'm writing a book, John's building our house, and I'm turning 30! I feel nervous about aging sometimes, but this year feels like my coming-of-age adventure. I know it will be a challenge to balance my designing with being a mother, as it always is. And there are so many other things I'd like to be doing (...helping John with the house, traveling, returning to school, painting - sigh), but I'm also feeling more peace about the time that life takes. I'm grateful that I have many adventures waiting to follow this one.

So, what did you do to celebrate turning 30? I'd like to do something special this year - like a trip or an event. But I'm not sure what. Something coming-of-age-y. Any ideas?

2011 Calendar

2011-01-14T16:07:00.000-06:00

I plum forgot about this day to day calendar! I have three tutorials included among the 100 sewing projects in this calendar. I haven't gotten mine yet because I've been so out of it - but it's only January, so I figure it's not too late. I'll tell you all about it when it arrives!

New Year Organizing

2011-01-14T11:14:00.001-06:00

I try to fold my fabric, like, once a year. It lasts a little while and makes me feel good. Plus, it reminds me what I have, and I'm able to fit it into the space I have better. I always consider organizing by size or type of fabric, but in the end, it's always by color. The upright crate is filled with scraps, and this is where most of my favorite vintage bits are. I enjoy dumping it out and rifling through it whenever I need a little special piece.

My studio has never been pretty. I get really jealous of beautiful studios, and hope to have my own eventually. But for now, I have a multi-functional space at the end of my galley kitchen. What it lacks in prettiness, it makes up in organization though.

John built me an odd sized counter to fit in between the pantry and the wall. The top is my work space, complete with marker board, and neatly labeled piles. Underneath, I have a shelf for my scanner which is essential since I use it so much. My crates of fabric hide the vertical storage for my paintings and canvases. The crate under the scanner is my filing cabinet, with manila folders for pattern pieces and all my old sketch books. The neat picnic basket to the right sits between my counter and sewing table and is full of bags of projects in progress. Each is labeled, and contains all the fabric and bits that I've set aside for that project, so I don't accidentally use them elsewhere.

I may be slightly addicted to rearranging all of my small spaces. But I really do think it helps get me excited about the new year and all the new projects ahead. How about you?

Dolls and their Clothes: Super Easy Patterns

2011-01-08T10:04:00.004-06:00

My girls love their new dolls. I love their new dolls. In fact, I secretly wish the red headed one was mine. Well, not so secretly. I'm impressed with how easily you can clean the skin, and I love that the wigs can be styled in lots of ways. It always bummed me out that the girl Cabbage Patch Kids had those huge bald spots when you took out their pig tails - but these dolls can have up or down do's. I braided them now, but look forward to trying some other hairstyles as the girls get a little older.

I loved the Weir kit I used. I know it would be satisfying to make one of these from scratch, but if you don't want to hunt down all the materials, and if you're looking to skip a few steps to save time, these kits are really great.

I wasn't sure if I'd get around to making clothes before Christmas. The Weir kit comes with clothing patterns that aren't too complicated, and the panties are so cleverly simple. But, they were still more work than I really had time (read: motivation) for. So, I fell back on this super easy pattern that I got from my Granny via an old bunny she made when I was a kid. This is the same pattern I used for Louise's baby dolls a couple of years ago. I also put together a quick pants pattern, that is pretty much the same as every pajama/baby/doll pant I've ever seen.

The shirt pattern has several things going for it: It's super easy and fast, which is great when you want to whip up a bunch to mix and match. Another nice thing, is that it's easy for children to learn to put on themselves - which Mommies are always grateful for. The elastic in the neck and the roominess of the blouse allows you to just slip it over the dolls head. Plus, the basic shape is easy to adapt to fit most any shape or size doll. I drafted mine for the 14" doll, but you can make it fit whatever you need.

So, when Louise told me she needed more pants, it gave me the motivation to get sewing again after such a long break. Yesterday, I put together two more pairs of pants, two shirts, two dresses (the shirt only longer), and one nightgown (the dress in flannel). The girls are really into dress up, so I'm anticipating lots of dolly dress up today.

I've put the pattern together for you, and it should work with most common 14" dolls (this includes Waldorf, American Girl dolls, and even Cabbage Patch Kids). It's a 2 page pdf, and all the instructions are inside the patterns so when you cut them out, you won't have to keep a separate page for instructions. Isn't that tidy? I've included basic instructions and guidelines for adapting the pattern to different size dolls. These are adapted from old doll clothes, so they aren't original to me - please, use them however you like. Download it here.

A few tips:
1. Pull the elastic in the neck tight so that it isn't too big. Also, the waldorf dolls are pretty skinny, so the elastic in the pants should be smaller than you expect.
2. To save time, cut out your pants with the bottom of the leg along the selvedge so that you don't have to hem the pants.
3. Use knit, quilting cotton, or fleece. This pattern seems to work with most anything.
4. To add a little shape to the dress, tie a ribbon around the waist.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T16:46:00.005-06:00

The Wilsons are greeting the New Year with gratitude and hopefulness. I'm especially grateful our friends (and landlords) turned our garage into a second bedroom, so we Wilsons now live in a beautiful two bedroom house, giving us much needed space and privacy. New opportunities promise to challenge and inspire us (more on that soon...). And this is the year we will begin actual construction on our house - which is scary and thrilling all at once.

Our Christmas break has been filled with family and play. It's always nice to just be together without too many obligations. Among our favorite gifts this year were the Waldorf dolls and the beautiful ring John gave me to remember all my beautiful babies. The stacking ring was made by LaurenMeredith who is great for custom orders. In the picture, the girls are sitting in our new room beneath the windows that only a male Wilson would have taught them to open. About 10 minutes after I took this photo, I had to fetch one of the dolls from outside.

I hope your new year is full of wild new ideas that you can make with your hands. I hope you find inspiration and insight in every day and every task. May your stitches be neat, your paintings feel just right, your words be plentiful, and your house be beautiful!

(heart) Breaking

2010-12-08T21:14:00.000-06:00

I will be extending my blogging break perhaps until the New Year. I'll be sure to post pictures of the Waldorf dolls when they are finished, and maybe I can get back into a good crafting rhythm in 2011. I'm putting together some super easy doll clothes patterns to share. (Maybe the girls' dolls won't be naked after all?) And I have a preschool phonics coloring book in the works, if I can just come up with something for the letter "I" - John thought an Insect on Ice Cream was too yucky.

Hope you all have a blessed Christmas.

Waldorf Dolls

2010-11-30T11:51:00.002-06:00

I gave up several plans for homemade gifts this year, but I still wanted to make something special for the girls. I'm decided to make them each a 16" Waldorf doll - assuming I get it done in time. I'm not into fairies and lots of Celtic stuff, but I really appreciate the Waldorf philosophy of keeping things simple to encourage children to use their imagination more. I fell in love with these dolls after seeing a couple that my friend Julie made. They are so much more beautiful in person than on the computer. I could see myself loving one of these dolls, so I'm hoping the girls will, too.

I bought the kits from Weir Crafts, and I'm pretty pleased with it. I saw this great photo set on Flickr with step by step pictures here that helped me see the whole process. There are a lot of steps, but overall it doesn't seem to difficult.

Weir offers pre-made heads, bodies, or wigs with their kits, and makes it super easy to put together the colors you want. I opted for the pre-made wigs since I was worried about running out of time. I just started these heads today, so we'll see how I do with time. But I'm feeling confident. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Any tips for making these lovely dolls? Anybody know if Cabbage Patch Kid clothes fit them?

A Couple of Secrets

2010-11-18T10:20:00.001-06:00

I'm returning from an unplanned hiatus. I've been sick for the last 8 weeks with hyperemesis. However, now I'm finding myself on the other side, and it's the holiday season! I guess if you have to lose a few weeks, it's nice to wake up to Thanksgiving and Christmas plans.

Since I haven't been posting, I wanted to offer my secret little link to make up for so much absence. Okay, if you can google, you can find it yourself, but this is the pouch sling pattern that I have used for years. It was the pattern that I used when I first opened my etsy shop, and when I first started having little ones, and perhaps I'll need a new one soon. Back in the old days, I worried that if people new how easy they were to make, they wouldn't buy one from me. So now you know.

Tree Costume Tutorial

2010-09-29T12:37:00.003-05:00

You can download the one page tutorial here, which is almost unnecessary. I probably should have just typed it into the blog post, but I think I'm addicted to Adobe Illustrator now. This tree body was super easy. I sat down and sewed both in about thirty minutes. The leaves were a bit more time consuming. I cut them out and sewed them on the hat by hand (the sleeves by machine) while watching a movie after the girls went to bed. It took awhile, but it wasn't hard. You could probably do it all on machine much faster if you were motivated.

I made both costumes from a fleece throw blanket and a pair of green sweatpants from Goodwill, under $5, you can't be that. These fabrics are great since they don't unravel, so I didn't finish any edges. Which I think is the way it should be for a Halloween costume.

Oh yes, I also used some scrap green knit for Louise's hat and a head band for June. I couldn't keep the head band on her, so maybe a hat that I can tie on is still in the works. We'll see. At the last minute I decided to add a little pocket to each tree trunk so we could put little woodland creatures in the trees. Louise is sporting a squirrel.

Louise is a very happy tree, June is running off to join her fellow saplings in the woods.

Firewood Tote Tutorial on Whip Up

2010-09-20T19:57:00.000-05:00

I'm guest blogging on Whip Up today - well, okay, that was yesterday actually. Go check out my little manly tutorial and read about why John and I are building a cordwood home. And while you're there, see all the other neat guest posts going on while Kathreen is on vacation.

Succulents

2010-09-16T08:20:00.002-05:00

I love my plants. I really do. I've been playing with succulents lately. I love propagating and repotting my plants - it gives me a bunch of warm motherly feelings. So, like any mother, I'm sharing some pictures with you.

First, my little collection outside my window. We just bought the Aloe plant, and this time I will remember to bring it in before the frost. You can see a couple of my little antique watering spikes. Have I mentioned these before? John bought me the bluebird first, and we've been hooked on them ever since. The purple vine is a Wandering Jew that my sister gave me maybe eight years ago. I've almost killed it a dozen times, but it always comes back.

I planted these spiky Hens and Chicks in my hedgehog planter, and feel pretty clever and satisfied for it. Don't touch, June!

By my other window is my large Jade plant. It was my grandmother's so I'm trying really hard to take care of it. In fact, it was the reason I started learning about succulents. The poor little Fitonia next to it used to be one of my favorites, but I just about killed it from over propagating it. Oops. I'm hoping to bring it back.

These are some new cuttings I just purchased from The Succulent Garden on Etsy. They feel like tiny little babies that I get to raise. Which is what they are, but, you know, I mean it anthropomorphically. Don't you just love that vase? He looks very regal. We got it at an antique place, but we don't really know what it is. Do you?

And here are some little cuttings I'm propagating into some old tea cups to sell at a craft fair later this fall. I hope to sell them all because I definitely don't have enough window space for all of these plants this winter!

Dressing Up

2010-09-16T08:01:00.001-05:00

We're all costumes around here. Last time I rearranged the living room (it's a small house, so I'm always rearranging to meet our changing needs), I put a basket of dress up things in the kids corner. There are tutus, aprons, bandannas, hats, cat ears, and crocheted pinafores. Having them accessible has made us dig in and put them on almost daily. Today, I'm adding a few new things.

First, Spoonflower is having another themed fabric contest for Halloween masks (go vote for me!). I couldn't resist, so I joined the fun. My fat quarter has four masks: bunny, cat, dog and owl. Louise has been begging me to make the cat and dog, so I finally did today. They were pretty easy to whip together. I put an elastic around the head, but the girls felt a little trapped like that - so I think for the next two, I'm going to leave out the elastic and just sew on some strings so it can be tied on or just held in place.

And Second, I had a good idea for a Halloween costume, and Louise is pretty excited about it, so we made a trip to Goodwill and got started. Yes, my little girls are going to be trees. It's taking everything I have to wait until I finish the costume to tell you all about it, but there will be a full tutorial when I'm done. Which is good, because I need a good excuse for making their costumes a month early. This is Louise holding her branches up sans leaves.

Louise may be a little confused by all the costumes. She told me she's going to be a tree for Halloween and she's going to wear cat ears and say meow.

comments

2010-09-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

I'm getting a crazy lot of spam in the comments right now. Stupid, I know. So I'm turning comment moderation on, which is lame - but there it is.

Tip for spammers: people look for enhancement drugs go to the store, not the comments on my blog. I think.

Cat Ears Tutorial

2010-09-03T22:42:00.002-05:00

I'm planning a mother daughter night soon. Louise and I will be going to see the middle school play The Aristocats. I'm too excited. I want it to be an over the top girls night, three year old style. I made these cat ears for Louise and I to wear to the play, and perhaps to the gelato place afterwards. June isn't quite ready to sit through a play, but she'll get to wear the ears, too. Any recommendations for making the night more fun?

I sort of figured out the ears as I went, and it turned out pretty easy. I think the trick is that the ear fabric needs to be thick so that it will stand up. I bought our headbands at the dollar store, and they have a fabric cover over them, which also might help hold the ears in place. I meant to get some that were hair colored, but Louise liked these bright colored ones and they did seem comfier. I think they turned out well. I didn't sketch out a pattern, so you'll have to draw your own ear shape, which I'm sure you can handle. I think bunny ears would be great, too.

Materials:

thick fabric, lightweight fabric

head band, matching embroidery floss

1. Cut 4 ears from a thick fabric like fleece, flannel, or - like mine - an old baby sleeper.

2. cut 2 smaller ears for the inner ear. Fold the raw edges toward the back and iron flat. Top stitch or hand sew to on of the fleece ears.

3. With RSF, sew front and back fleece ears together. Turn RSO and tuck bottom edges in.

4. Place one ear over headband where you'd like it. Starting on one side from the back, stitch through the bottom edge of the ear, around the headband, and back in the bottom edge. Repeat along the entire bottom edge. Repeat with second ear.

Hope that's clear enough! Let me know if you need better pictures.

Mr. Fox

2010-08-23T13:47:00.002-05:00

The dapper and cuddly Mr. Fox is now drafted into a pattern and available below. The pattern has a bunch of pieces, but is still fairly simple. It includes instructions for making your own little tie, too. I'm packing mine up in a box to send off to a sweet little boy and his new little sister tomorrow. Why is Christmas so far away anyway?

~~Download the pattern here until Friday at noon (I decided to extend it a bit).~~ Updated: The giveaway is over, you can find it in the shop. Enjoy! And please share your foxes in the wewilsons flickr pool!

Sidetracked

2010-08-16T22:32:00.000-05:00

My sister asked if I would make a fox for my nephew for Christmas. He's been watching a fox in their backyard and calling him Mr. Fox. Even though Christmas is over 4 months away, I decided to start on the fox right away - I get excited about new projects.

Anyway, I love how he turned out. I usually make my little animals small and compact, but I wanted this guy to be really huggable. So he's long and floppy, and made of oh-so soft linen, stuffed with wool. I made him a simple little tie to make him more of a Mister.

I decided he'd make a great pattern, so I made a second one just to get all the details right. Consider this your pattern-giveaway head's up. I'm hoping to have it finished in the next few days.

Little Coloring Book Lessons

2010-08-15T14:16:00.002-05:00

I made this little coloring book for Louise to help her learn the Lord's Prayer as part of our home/pre-school. I saw the idea somewhere else, but thought the graphics were little cheesy, so I just made my own. I also used all capital letters, because she doesn't recognize lower case letters yet. She loved it, and is really proud of her little book. I may have to do this with all of our bible lessons! I'm getting excited imagining a whole library of tiny little coloring books made by Louise.

It's a single page that you color, then fold and cut into a little book. Download the page here. You can find directions for folding this kind of zine on ehow.

The Santa Project

2010-08-13T16:58:00.002-05:00

I know it seems counter-intuitive, but I believe that limitations can produce an extremely creative environment. This is why I love rule based projects. You may remember my Orange Curtain Project from a couple of years ago. I've been wanting to do another, but I didn't have any really great ideas. Until, now.

Without further ado, may I introduce The Santa Project.

I've never really been into pre-made doll heads, I'd rather just make my own. But, I recently came across a bunch of Santa doll heads. My first thought was, who wants a Santa doll? My second thought was, who else could you make with those heads? So that's the challenge. I have 6 little Santa heads, and a brain full of ideas.

This project is a just-for-fun, stress-free zone. So, no time limit. Just a bunch of old, mustached, white man dolls. I have a ton of other things I should be doing, so I'm not sure when I'll get the first one done.

In the meantime, does anyone have any tips for working with these things? How to attach them to the body? How you might attach a beard? What kind of paint you could use on the face? I clearly have no idea what I'm doing.

Arts in the Alley

2010-07-30T17:19:00.000-05:00

I had a little table at Arts in the Alley this Thursday. It was a lot of fun to actually interact with people looking at my toys and show them how they work. I had a blast, the music and the company was wonderful, and the girls got tattooed and danced a bit, too. If I can make a bunch more stuff by October, I'll do the Chickasaw Craft Fair.

I spent a good chunk of today listing all the left-over toys in the shop. Head over to see - a couple of Owl and Pussycat flip dolls, some sharks and crocodiles, turtles and pigs!

Mark My Words

2010-07-26T13:52:00.000-05:00

I have commitment issues when it comes to reading long books. Perhaps its because I get distracted by the need to draw several punny bookmarks? No, that can't be it. Whatever it is, having a good bookmark is essential for reading a good long book - so why not have a clever one?

Nose Stuck in a Book

Dog Ear

I drew mine on cardstock and cut them out. I've put all three on a single page, so you can just print and cut them out. I think you could laminate them and they'd make great stocking stuffers or favors for your next book club? Download the bookmarks here.

Okay, back to reading.