Doodling with a dull pencil

Lately I’ve been making a point of having a sketch pad with me wherever I go.  The ideas are flowing fast and furious around me lately so having a place to jot them, sketch them, doodle them out has been helpful to the creative process.
I’ve been thinking a lot about embellishing fabric using paint, embroidery, and applique techniques….even sharpies on fabric.  There is so many ways to make fabric stand out and I’ve been having fun with the experimentation.

Which at some point will make it to this blog.

For now, here’s a doodle…done with a dull pencil while waiting for kids to finish their class this morning:

I started thinking that a swirly bird would be fun in the corner of a small bag…and that’s what I came up with.

I may have to start sketching in pen…or travel with a pencil sharper!

Polka Dots on the Wall

What does this lead to?

 

It leads to this on the walls in my linen closet:

Those are blue tape circles on a freshly (OK, a few days dry) painted wall.  Here's a closer look:

I cut out multiple multi sized circles out of cardboard, covered the cardboard with blue tape and taped them to the walls.

Then I brought out the red:

Notice the lack of door?  This paint job was done 4 years ago when we re-modeled the house.  (it now has a door--an unpainted door, but still a door!)  I wasn't sure how the circles would turn out, so I "tested" it in the linen closet--and loved the result!  It still makes me happy to go in there and see this wall (it helps when I have to put away the sheets and towels--a job I hate!)

I had planned to use the same concept in my playroom:  a circle for each child with their hand print and date in it. 

That didn't happen.

Go back to that first photo.  I'm sure some of that also lead to this:

Yup, right after I painted those polka dots we found out we were preggers with Missy T.  All other painting got shoved onto Mr. G's every growing list of projects...lots of solid colored walls in this house now....

That's going to change.  The painting bug has bit me again.  I'm looking at bold bright colors, fun & happy designs...and I want to knock out the kitchen walls...

Today Mr. G got on board with the plan.  Can't wait to see how it all turns out! 



Lost Cow....

I've been browsing thought a copy of 1,000 More Greetings: Creative Correspondence for All Occasions (1000 Series) and have fallen in love with Inky Lips Press.

Why? 

Because of a lost cow:

from their web site:  http://www.inkylipspress.com/index.html

I know,  I'm a bit weird.  Still, I'd totally hire a company with this kind of imagination--and no, I have no affiliation with them at all.  I just enjoy the humor.

If you haven't seen this series of books you need to check them out!  Some really wonderful ideas and inspirations to be found there!

Writlets Done!

Missy D graduated from preschool today!!  Only one more child to go through pre-school and I can call that phase

DONE!

The wristlets turned out lovely!  I got over my fear of zippers and by the time wristlet #4 rolled out I was a pro!

Six little bags later:

All wrapped up and ready to be handed out!

I'm really happy with the way these turned out!  Hope the teaches like them!





Social Media???

I’ve been encouraged and convinced to give Facebook a try and I can honestly say I’m really not good at the social media stuff.

I think I finally set up a page for this blog….I think that it works….I think the “like” button will take you to where I want.

Notice all the “I thinks”?

The truth is I’m finding my mind no longer wants to understand the technical aspects of the electronic/computer/cloud world.  Once upon a time I could learn code and apply it, now a mass of mush sits in that area of my brain.

I think my four kids sucked the good parts of my mind out of me.

Case in point:  the oldest is teaching child #2 math—math I once came close to majoring in.

Child #2 is teaching child # 3 to read—wait?  Didn’t I do that for the older kids?

And Child #3 is teaching child #4 the alphabet….another part of my brain no longer in use.

Child #4 is the artist in the family...now I know where my drawing skills went to!

And all 4 kids know more about social media than I do!

I’ll go back to maintaining that they all sucked the knowledge out of me so I would be dependent on them for every computer issue that arises when Mr. G isn’t at home.

CRAP—I’ve become my parents!  When did that happen????

OK.  I’m a bit slow with social media…but I can sew up a pretty wristlet, without screwing up the zipper and add a little rosette just because. 

Now I can only hope the preschool teachers like these little bags as much as I do! (better pictures coming up in tomorrow’s post)

Pre-school end of year totes

Let me start by saying, I really like our preschool teachers!  We've been with most of them through three kids now, and one more will start next year...I tend to agonize over what to give them at the end of every year.

That being said, when my oldest went through preschool she picked out this fabric for me to make something for her teachers...I thought: tote bags! 

That was 6 years ago.

Somehow it wound up in my stash, only to be found a few weeks ago.  It didn't inspire me.  I no longer liked it.  But current pre-schooler loved it and wanted bags from it for her teachers...

Six simple tote bags later:



I made these with a large square bottom...lots of cargo room in them!

While I do like the shape and design of the bag I'm still not happy with the fabric...so I'm trying my hand at making some wristlets out of printed denim.  I need six by Friday.  And it's sunny in Seattle.

Never thought I'd be wishing for rain..but I am.  Back to the sewing machine I go!

Linking up here!