Recycled and Revamped: The Scarf

Craftzine and Singer hold contests fairly often and the winner wins a sewing machine or in this case a serger. Not that I need another machine but I'm going to be teaching some fashion and sewing classes again soon and the kids have nothing! I collected a few old machines from friends but I have to tell you, "old" just does not work. So this is my second attempt at entering , "for the kids".

This was a Me, My Scarf and I contest.

The scarf was done with an old pair of levi's.

An old sweater that became a felt wad in the dryer (accidentally) and an old model.

Part of the rules were to photograph it on YOURSELF!

Everything was going well until I read this part. After the first photo shoot, I quickly realized "cute" was no longer an adjective I could embrace. I then remembered my mother telling me to, "photograph yourself laying down....all the wrinkle fall back into your hairline".

Well, that didn't work either.

It's a bit difficult photographing hanging upside down on your bed with a bow. The bow seems to get in the way and unless you do it all quickly, your eyes bug out and your face turns red.

Therefore, cropping was used on the third try!

Fabric Flowers

My women's bible study group came over on Monday evening for a Tea and Posies party.

We made fabric flower corsages while sipping tea and eating these cute little pumpkin cupcakes that Janet baked. I had tables set up, all my "stuff" pulled out, and candles. We ate, laughed, and created.

This project is so satisfying. Everyone had a successful finished pin... no mistakes. And I am happy to say no one burned my house down either. After having 5 kids and 4 pets, I usually stay far away from candles!

If you want to host your own Tea and Posies party. Here are some great directions that Calamity Kim wrote out. If you go to her blog you can see more of her great work too!

Happy Thanksgiving

Children's Art Classes

Another successful art class.

This project worked for both kindergarten and fourth graders.

With Napa Valley California in full color right now, it was easy to pull inspiration from the vines.

I drew out large leaf shapes onto 8 1/2" x 11" white craft paper.

The collage materials were bins of colored "stuff" , mostly toss aways, that I divided into warm color and cool colors.

With glue sticks in hand the kids collaged their individual leaves.

I brought them home and applied a coat of watered down Elmers glue to help adhere and seal them. I individually cut each of them into the leaf shapes. This would have been difficult for the age of students I had. The canvases were painted with black acrylic for the four grade triptych, 18" x 36" and cream for the kindergartners 18" x 24" and 24" x 36".

I glued down the leaves and applied Liquitex Acrylic medium gloss to seal the art. I love how the kids choice of colors popped against the backgrounds.

These are now off to an art fund raiser for the school.

On the record

I would like to go on record that as of today, November 21, 2009.

I officially have more followers on my blog than Thomas Kinkade.

But hey, who's counting?

This wonderful piece of art titled, Millicent rehearses for her water ballet performance was done by hubbie, Dave the famous artist.

Children's Art Classes

More wonderful children's art.

These were done by kids in my kindergarten and fourth grade art class.

Can you tell the differences in age?

I can't.

The younger they are the more unabashed their creative confidence.

I find it interesting how naturally creative and comfortable kids are.

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This is a dragonfly.

The little guy who drew this is going to be a brain surgeon. He took the entire class time to create it. In actual size it is as big as a postage stamp, about 1" x 1".

Christmas staging

Last night my BFF Maire Ferrini called and asked if I'd like to work with her on staging a Bed and Breakfast for a photo shoot today.

These are the before photos of the McClelland Priest Bed & Breakfast in the Napa Valley, California.

Furniture was edited. Chochkies eliminated.

Paintings rehung. Curtains re-draped. Place setting arranged.

Greenery cut. Silver polished. Tinsel tossed and ribbons added.

We then packed up our plastic bins and headed home.

You see Marie and I share bins of stuff.

Actually that should be our business name,

"Bins of Stuff".

I buy and share with her goofy stuff and she buys and shares with me. Therefore, we own lots of "stuff". For some reason knowing she has "stuff" too gives me some kind of satisfaction knowing I'm not the only one with this obsession.
Come to think of it, part of my addiction to blogging is the fact that most everyone of my blogland friends has this compulsive hobby also!

Art Class: Kindergarten

Zentangles "kinder" style.

Hubbie and I are teaching art in elementary school classes for a grant based nonprofit called, On The Move. For the next ten classes, I have kindergartners!

This is a first for me with this age group. They are like a bunch of puppies, cute and wiggley.

This weeks project, named "Dizzy Doodles" went over well.

Each student had a spectrum of fine point colored markers. We talked about "warm colors" vs. "cool colors". With a large piece of white paper and markers, we began.

I called out, "choose a warm color marker and somewhere on your page begin drawing lollipops". I then demonstrated how to draw the shape. These were imagined names I came up with for patterned elements.

After they drew for a bit, we changed to a "cool color" marker and I demonstrated the next shape, kittie ears. They then drew that pattern for awhile. We drew our way alternating between warm and cool color choices and different pattern elements.

They had to make composition choices, color choices and recognize the difference between the warm and cool colors. They learned patterns, followed directions, practiced fine motor skills, stayed in there seats and only wiggled while changing markers. At the end of class one little guy had written ABABABAB (his initials) all across the back of his paper and informed me he had just created an AB pattern!

This goes into my "success" folder of ideas.

Ladybugs

Artwork by: Kelly at The Poppy Tree

Ladybugs like butterflies are just too darn cute.

Felt art by: Feltinlands


Flickr photo by: Robert Seber

The fact that they are red, round and have polka dots help.

Jewelry by: Tztudio at etsy

So it got me thinking...

If I drove a car like this.

Flickr photo by: Miss Pasta

Wore a corset like this,

Corset by: Electradedesigns at etsy

and a skirt like this.

Etsy: Tiarastutus

And I finished off my outfit with a purse like this.

Purse by: Giseles Originals at etsy

Would I look hot like this?

Illustration by: Rennaissance Brighton

Or would I look like this?

Flickr photo by: Just taken pics
Round, red, polka dot and cute.