Week 17, 18, 19

So, here are a few of the projects that have gone out in the mail recently. (Mom...stop reading and looking now.) I know she won't. We are both terrible at keeping presents a secret. Here goes...

Pin
This pin was made with different scraps of fabric. I found the tutorial here. I love this woman and her blog! The colors she uses in her quilts and throughout her house. Ahhhh...love it! Back to the pin. I did another after this one in more pinks, but this one turned out far better. I think it was because of the ruffle technique.
Apron
This apron I have made many times. I made them for my friends for Christmas. This one is going to Mom. Super easy and I love mixing up the fabric patterns. Tutorial here.

Family Rules
When I taught in the UK, my partner in Art, had this awesome mantra that the kids said when entering the room. It is genius. I use it now. It seemed like we should have Family Rules. So, saw this idea and made one of our own. Doesn't have the ring like Clyde's Art Farm rules, but I do love it. Hangs in a prominent place in our house to refer to. I did not add one important rule though....no ball playing in the house. Use your imagination. Yeah. And Mark was the ringleader!
Aaannnddd...this was made with Modge Podge. I bought some scrapbook paper that I liked, cut it to fit the printer, and printed the sayings on the paper. (I had to fiddle with the font size and type.) Then I cut the paper into strips, applied Modge Podge on a canvas (already with gesso), then put the strips down and another coat of Modge Podge. I think this could easily be done on a piece of plywood or board, too.

Week 16

I saw this flower pin and loved it! I made another after this purple one in a thicker felt and it was just too much. This one is regular ol' felt. I love the punch it gives to anything!

Week 15

I am so behind! I have yet to add pictures of the knitting bag and swirl scarf. Here is the latest project. I wanted to make a wrap around skirt. Ideally, reversible. Since this was my first time at trying a skirt at all, reversible would have to wait.

I visited a friend down in Bavaria a couple of weekends ago. She has the fabulous fabric store near her house. Like in biking distance. Seriously, I would be broke if I lived anywhere near there. It isn't a Joann's but it is great! I got a few 'necessities', and this fabric. I bought the yellow bias tape there as well. This skirt started as just a 6 paneled skirt with the idea of it being a pull on using fold over elastic. I tried it on and 6 panels was just waaay to full for me. I thought about adding a zipper, but I was too fearful; I have never, ever sewn one. So, I took out a seam and make it into a wrap around. I think 1 more panel would have been better, as it would have given more coverage, but it's ok the way it is. I just added the grosgrain ribbon on each side with a belt loop in the back to prevent the ribbon from riding up, and a button hole in the band to slip it through.

Overall, I am pleased the way it turned out. For a first try, not too bad.

Came, Saw, Conquered

Kelley is here! What a fabulous time with her!! She wanted to go to Italy, so....we did. She arrived early Sunday morning and by 10pm that night, we were on our way to the Eternal City! After a long lie in (she was so jet lagged), we headed to the major sights. Along the way, we met our friend Marco for a fabulous dinner and night out (ouch!), had awesome weather and laughed til our sides hurt. Everything that hanging out with your bestie should be! I will so miss her when she leaves tomorrow bright and early. So, so much!!! Give your best friend a hug and tell her how much you value her friendship and love her. I know I will be doing that with lots of tears tomorrow at the airport.

...at the top of the cupola on St. Peter's

Potential Throw Down With the Chicken Lady

Sometimes I love living in our host country. Yesterday I did not. I think that our host nationals are rude. (Who says Parisians are rude? You have never been here!) Now, my disclaimer is that not all are rude...I have made some wonderful German friends. The chicken lady is not one of them.

I was dropping a book off at a friend's house and the layout of the road was such that I could make a giant loop---her house, around the block, back to my house. So, I drop off said book, and make my way up and around toward my house. I turn on to a somewhat small-ish street and in front of me is the chicken lady. It is actually a green and gold colored van that sells eggs out of it. (At one point in time, chickens were sold too. I have no idea why they are no longer available.) The chicken lady stops. Barely pulls over and this is a narrow street, my friends. She is in front of a driveway, which is illegal for any one other than a German national. I give a friendly beep, in hopes she will scoot a little to the right, so I can pass. She does not acknowledge me. Another beep. Nothing. I feel my blood boiling. Beep. The back van doors swing open in a flourish and I am told (rather nastily) to back up and go around. I am not attempting to turn around. I ask her to move over a bit. No, and the doors slam shut. Oh, she didn't, did she?! Beep. Long pause. Beep. Long pause. Beep. Long pause. Beep. (My children's ears are burning with what I spewing from my mouth right about now.) The lady that lives in the house across the street comes out for her eggs. (Really, she could have used the quarter mile walk to the corner store.) She throws her hands up and gives me a look. Oh, that is so the last time I chit chat with her when I see her! I am starting now to practice my stink eye. Eventually, a worker who had buckets of stucco in road moves them and I proceed to go around, with no joke, mere inches next to the chicken van. If I didn't have places to go, I would have pulled in front of that chicken lady, put my car in park and waited. But, I was too chicken.

Remember Spring Break?

Spring Break seems so long ago! I realized today that I failed to update about our great vacation. I will make it short and sweet....
We cruised with our great friends to the Black Sea. Mark and I have cruised on this line before and weren't to impressed with it. We had low expectations....as long as we got from point A to point B, everything in between was a bonus; the ports were the lure.

We started out in Genoa, Italy and after spending a night in Milan with friends we boarded. The ship was small. And clientele, very geriatric. Needless to say, our group's 4 kids were the majority of the Kid's Club. So from Genoa, we sailed to Rome. How I love that city!!

O eating gelato in Piazza Navona

Then on to Athens. Every time we go there, I think it's our last, and inevitably, we go back.

Plaka in Athens

Then, on to Istanbul, Turkey. Mark had been here before, but the rest of us were new. We hired a private tour guide and I didn't regret it. What an amazing city! And the Grand Bazaar...I think that I could spend days there. Although, I started to see the same thing over an over. Then on to the Ukraine; Yalta first, then Odessa. It was a really beautiful country! I really liked Odessa- it reminded me of St. Petersburg. (Odessa was Catherine the Great's summer getaway or something like that.) Big, colorful buildings and it helped that the weather was nice!

Church in Yalta


Boys in Odessa

Then finishing up in Sorrento...

and then to Taormina. I remember when I studied in Italy, 2 friends went to Taormina for their mid-term trip and talked about how much they loved it. I understand why. Back to Genoa then, and a long drive home.

Sweet mother of pearl, I can not find a way to upload Turkey pictures!

Week 14

First, Happy Mother's Day to all those Moms out there. I wish I was on the same continent as my Mom to give her a big hug, take her out shopping, and have lunch together. Perhaps next year. This year, I called her and I will go upstairs to a secret box (which isn't so secret anymore) filled with old silk scarves she gave me. I have not used any of them. I kept them in that same box, because when I open it, it smells like my Mom. I love it and her. Awwwwww, gosh I miss her!

I remember at my Grandparents house, a wonderful picture that my Grandfather made. When he passed, my parents asked me if there was anything special that I wanted. I loved the picture Grandpa Ernie did. It was silhouettes of my Grandma, Grandpa and their 2 boys (my Dad and Uncle Bob). The silhouettes were made out of metal. It is great. My Mom had already taken it off the wall and put it aside for safe keeping at that time. Now, it hangs in their house. I figured it was time to do these of my boys. Of course, with paper, not metal!

So, I took profile pictures of each of the boys. The pictures are nice because the shadow really let me know what the silhouettes would look like. I didn't plan the shadow....it just worked that way.

I bought some acid free black and white paper. I printed the pictures and glued them on to the black paper with a glue stick (very little). Then I cut out both the photo and black paper at once. I then glued the silhouette onto the white paper and framed them in cheapie frames. I love the way they turned out. O's is very much him. H's is him, but not as obvious as O's. Maybe we need a family one?