Blog entry
"Family Bearloom"
It's a tradition at the kids' school: all second graders make their own teddy bears. As the sewing coordinator for BJ's class, I've looked forward to the teddy bear project all year long. When it was finally time to start sewing them, I think it was hard to tell who was more excited -- me or the kids!
Sewing with Second Graders
I've been having fun finishing up the sewing projects with BJ's class. I helped the kids make fleece scarves, and they turned out well! Here's BJ with his completed cozy scarf.
It was a great chance for the kids to practice a basic straight stitch. Some of them were really quite good at sewing!
All this is preparation for the teddy bears project at the end of the year. Such fun!
My First Quilts On Exhibit
What a relief! Yesterday I finished up my second quilt for the Fiber Shots submission and dropped off both "blue * birds * happiness #3" and "blue * birds * happiness #4" at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Here are the two of them, side by side:
Not Blogging: Quilting
I've been spending lots of time in the studio instead of blogging lately. It's holiday prep time! And much of that time has been working on mini quilts in my Blue Birds Happiness series. I plan to offer these at various craft show venues that are coming up in November and December. And I'm also preparing two special ones to submit to the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles Fiber Shots exhibit. Submissions are due tomorrow, and I finished up the first one today!
Studio Sneak Peek
Today in the studio, I was playing around with a new design idea. I have all these great designer fabric scraps from my most recent FabMo visit. How best to use them? What about fabric bracelets?
After experimenting with various closures, I settled on decorative snaps. It's been fun to learn how to apply snaps -- always neat to figure out a new skill!
Quilting Again
For quite some time now, I've imagined a wall hanging quilt: Bluebirds -- Happiness. I finished it up this week!
It turned out pretty well. Reasonably close to the image in my mind, though I'd originally thought of it on a blue background. Turns out that the blue on blue wasn't enough contrast. So imagine an overcast day. It's a family portrait too, of course.
Back to School Crafts
I realized that I never got around to posting about my crafty back to school preparations!
Birthday Weekend
I turn 40 years old tomorrow. I'm not especially thrilled about this, I admit. Feels like I finally have to decide what I'm going to do and be when I grow up -- or something like that.
But I'm making the best of it. I'm making the opportunity today for an impromptu visit to FabMo, one of my favorite field trips, and I'm generally trying to take some time to be kind to myself.
Like Mama, Like Daughter
I love how crafty BB is these days. She is having a particularly good time with her sewing. She has her own craft supplies and will set up her own projects. Adorable!
Easter Bunny Meets Tooth Fairy?
Easter Eve was an interesting time in the Mama's Magic household, because our apartment was visited by not one but TWO childhood icons: both the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy!
