Recycling Fabric

At work we had a mom come in and drop off a box load of fabric remnants. Looks like they are samples for furniture or draperies. Her employer was going to throw them away, so she thought maybe at our childcare program we could use them for an art project or just give them away to whoever wanted them. Here is a partial photo of my stash.


Well, there are too many to use for a simple projects, but the children are having fun playing "fabric store" with them. I get such a kick out of watching them while I do paper work and clean up before I take them to Kindergarten. I tell them "I'll be at the shop in a few minutes and to do some shopping"! Right now it's a novelty and they are loving it. They have the little cash register out and bags to put your purchases in. Of course, there alot of workers and I'm the only customer! Too funny! Anyway, I've been bringing samples home and have plans to make something - pillows and totebags are all I can think of right now. I was playing around with them and made this bag, I think it would be good for shopping or books. It's pretty sturdy. Book or journal covers is another idea.

Late, again!

Well, better late than not posting at all. Posting daily is already a bit of a challenge for me and I barely started! Anyway I spent part of the afternoon wondering what the heck am I going to make for my Mom for Mother's Day and will I get it done in time? I have to pack and ship it, I think it will barely make it if I send it Priority. Therefore I went shopping . . . . and what do you get someone that has just about everything? She doesn't need any more knick-knacks. So I went to World Market and bought her some food items and two very cute tea towels, my daughter will pick her up a pound of coffee from Starbucks and I'll put everything together in a basket tomorrow and ship it off, pronto!

As promised, here's my version of the Black Apple doll from the pattern created by Emily Martin (Inside a Black Apple) that was featured on Martha Stewart show. I think she turned out pretty cute, even though one arm went a little wayward.

Have a great evening and I'll see you tomorrow.

It's late!

Well, late for me and I almost forgot to post today. I really want to stay on track here, but today I don't have much to write about and no photos. I have my doll that I finished and want to show off - the Black Apple Doll I posted about earlier, she is so sweet! I didn't get a chance to take a picture. Today was busy, even though I just work mornings, time does get away from me. Plus my cable was out this afternoon when I'm usually online. I couldn't go online, my tv was out and no phone calls either (that was a good thing!). So instead I glanced through the latest issue of Home Companion Magazine, ironed my husband's shirts while I watched "Enchanted" again. I love that movie! I'm wierd, but I like to iron. It was sort of a peaceful afternoon. Then of course I ended up running errands and then had to start dinner. I've been up since 4:00am and I really should be in bed soon, I need to be up by 5am! Yikes, so it's off to bed and I will have more to write about tomorrow. Good nite.

Good Morning!

Well, I do have a little bit to share this morning, a photo of my finished embroidery on a simple white apron. I used one of the Sublime Stitching patterns, but I couldn't find the cupcake pattern, I'm sure we have it in our stash of patterns, but now gone missing. So I found a cupcake pattern at The Floss Box. Thank you, Emily! It was a bear to stitch on the pocket, though. I had a small hoop that fit inside the pockets, but still fidgety. It looks like one pocket, but there is stitching down the middle that makes two pockets. I wasn't about to remove the pocket! Eeeek!

I'm so excited and bummed at the same time. I purchased Cotton Time magazine from an etsy seller. And I was lucky enough to find an online source to purchase Marie Claire's Idees (thanks for the hook up, Doe) . I've heard so many good things about these two magazines that I was looking forward to receiving them. Unfortunately, Marie Claire Idees is sold out, but they say they will try to get more copies. So I guess I'll have to wait ....

There you have it another post in May for me. I hope you're having a super weekend!

A Post a Day in May

Yes, I'm going to give it a go and join Jenny's challenge at allsorts and start posting every day this month or at least try to. This will be a challenge for me to find interesting and crafty things to write about and be able to stay on task. I'm not much of a writer, but I love reading blogs, so this is good experience for me! She has a great blog, lots of fun stuff! So hop on over when you get the chance and join the challenge!

Pillow finally finished!

I know, it only took me about 4 months!

Saturday

The cold and flu has been going around, not only at work, but at home too. So I'm not feeling to well, hopefully, I'll be blogging in a few days with something to talk about.

Thumbprint artwork

Here's a better photo of the artwork we did last week at school. Very cute and fun with just ink pads, paper, markers and your thumb!

And another work in progress, simple white apron with some embroidery on the front.

A typical day at work

In case you didn't know, I work with children for the school district at a before and after school program. Actually, my title is "School-age Child Care Activity Assistant"! I work part-time, just the mornings from 6:30 to 10:15, sometimes I stay a little later to clean up or take care of paperwork, but the children are all off to school by then. In the mornings we usually have an art project for the children to do. Some choose not to do art, so they are either doing home work, playing board games, cards, toys, coloring, drawing, you get the idea. We have roughly around 35 children (and the afternoons are twice as many!). It's a crazy morning schedule, because some go to tutoring at different times, some have guitar lessons, then there is my bunch that I walk to the cafeteria for breakfast, then the Kg through 5th graders are sent to school at 8:15, and of course I have the later kindergarteners who I walk to school at 9:30. So it can be a hectic morning. Our building is on the school grounds, but they stuck us way on the other side of the parking lot. We also have themes every week, this week it's "Bugs, Bees, and Butterflies". This morning we made thumbprint bugs and insects. Take a look .....

Not such great photos, I used my cell phone, but I still wanted to share. This turned out to be a fun and creative project that I wasn't crazy about at first when I looked at the schedule this morning. It's based on Ed Emberly's book on fingerprint drawing.

Sorry, these are pretty blurry. I'm going to take my real camera to work and retake these pictures.

Later in the day I subbed at another school for their afterschool program. It's something I don't normally do, but in certain situations, when asked it's always hard for me to say no. I've been subbing the afternoons for the last two weeks and I'm pooped! I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks where I'll just work my contracted hours and have my afternoons free! Whew!

In a nutshell, this is sort of what my work day is like.

Fondue, Cupcakes and Wine

Yesterday my daughter celebrated her 23rd birthday with her friends at the house. Well, it was supposed to be a pool party and bbq. Forget the "pool" part, it was cold and overcast and I know the water is too cold for swimming. We don't heat the pool, except for the spa, since the gas and electric bill has almost doubled with having a pool. Anyway, her friend suggested she have a fondue as one of the appetizers. I have never made fondue but always wanted to try it. It was easy, fun and very tasty. Yumm, I'm definately making it again!. Friday I spent the evening making 4 dozen chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and it was well worth it. The cupcakes were a hit, especially the vanilla! I wish I had taken a picture they looked so cute and a real eye-pleaser on the food table when the guests walked through the kitchen to the patio. The recipe is on the Martha Stewart website, which is from Billy's Bakery in NYC. They are delicious, and if you want a good cupcake recipe this one you have to try.

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

And here's a funny, I was talking to my mom yesterday and telling her how I came home from work after stopping at the store and buying last minute things for the party and I was sort of frazzled-out from a week of working "fulltime" which I'm not use to doing and knew I had to get going on those cupcakes. She laughed when I told her "forget it, I'm baking but I'm also having a glass of wine or two while I bake!" Thank goodness, I didn't screw up the recipe.

Happy Birthday, Ange!

Today is my daughter's 23rd birthday. (yeah, I'm old) Just a shout out, I don't think she knows I blog, but I couldn't let this day go by without saying "happy birthday". She's planning a pool and bbq party for this Saturday and has invited around 30 people. Okay, ..... yikes!

Today I won an ebay auction of these cute Mexican Motifs for kitchen and breakfast nook. I've wanted for a long time and now I can't wait until I receive them. Hopefully it won't take me forever to embroider them like everything else in my life!