Counting the days...

One more week until the kids go back to school. Don't get me wrong, we love our kids. We love summer vacation.

Personally, I am craving the routine that school brings. The rhythm of the school year is somehow comforting. There is something nice about being in a quiet house, no quibbling, no TV, no stopping to make kid lunches. Doing housework by myself. Getting back to my own creative work, too.

I love the coming of autumn. Cool mornings and crisp air are a refreshing change after the heat of the summer. The colors of fall are warm and comforting, the foods of fall are yummy...it's just around the corner.

...It's not like we are counting the days.

Blink

Don't look now, but it's July 14. Maybe next time you blink it will be September or December. I can't believe I haven't sat down to write since May. May?! Really?! Have I been that remiss?It's not that I have nothing to say. Everyone who knows me, knows I have plenty to say. Is it that I have no time? No energy? Too many other priorities? I am not sure.

But, I am here, now. So, I will write. Perhaps you, dear reader, will forgive my transgression, will read.

Recap-

Since the last time you heard from me, Kerry and I, and our respective families (separately or together) have been busy. We held a big sale at the studio, went to Art Night Out, took one trip to Mexico, and one to Hawaii, worked on one basement finish, built and planted two garden beds, celebrated 4th of July, took a mountain trip, went to the Renaissance Festival, hiking, Cave of the Winds, swimming, roller skating, two book club meetings, took the kids to the library, took an altered book class for us, library activities for the kids, is dog sitting, working on never-ending yard work, had a visit from the in-laws and numerous dinners with friends. Exhausted, yet?

We hope you're having a good summer, too.

Boat House and Festival Plaza

Ok, so this post is just a bit of unsolicited, free advertising for the City of Lafayette. I just wanted to keep you up to date about the happenings around town. If you are a local you can come to some of these events.
I have written several times about our boathouse and the fire that destroyed it; now, I want to let you know that the new one is ready to go!

Come to the Waneka Lake Boathouse Celebration

May 9
2:00pm – 4:00pm
Waneka Lake Park and Boathouse, 1600 Caria Drive / Lafayette

There will be activities for kids, refreshments, paddle boat rides and more!

Another new addition to Lafayette will be opened on May 9. Festival Plaza is a new area on Public Road, to be used for community events, local farmers markets, and as a fun public gathering spot. Later this spring several sculptures will be installed as part of Art on the Street, Lafayette's new sculpture walk.

Festival Plaza dedication

May 9

Activities and refreshments from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Corner of S. Public Road and Chester Street

A lot is happening around town! It's exciting to be part of such a great community! Maybe we will see you at one of these fun events.

Wash your hands! PSA

Just in case you forgot what your mother told you:

Just a friendly reminder...and if you want to read more, I had a lot to say about it last year, too.

Public Art at School

The city of Lafayette, with the support of City Council, local businesses, and community members, has made a concerted effort to bring art into our daily lives. We have several different committees and commissions that focus on art and public art. There are art nights on Public Road. There are public art installations all around town. While the art movement in Lafayette is relatively new, I think the whole town of Lafayette is getting into the spirit of public art. Last week as we were walking up to the elementary school, we saw this lovely sculpture garden in front of the building.

I talked with one of the wonderful art teachers later in the week. She explained that the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade classes had participated in creating this permanent sculpture garden in front of the school. The pieces were installed before the school's "Learning Fair," but are a permanent installation to enhance the school. Each piece is mounted to a steel pipe which is cemented into the ground. I asked how long the pieces would be there, and she said she has similar sculpture in her garden that are ten or fifteen years old. I hope these last at least that long. The project was made possible with the help of a grant from the Lafayette Cultural Arts Commission.

I think that using children's art as permanent public art is wonderful, especially at an elementary school. It is a lovely way to beautify our spaces, which students, teachers, parents and community memebers can enjoy. But it also serves as an historic marker, of sorts. Just think about the students who will pass by or return to their old school and can say, "I made that," in five, ten or fifteen years. What a gift that teacher has given those students, the school and our community.

Thank you.

Weekend Getaway

Kerry and I took four crazy girls to Grand Lake for a weekend get away.

After dinner we sent them outside to play hide and seek.
This is what they found.

Happy Birthday

Today we are celebrating a birthday. Our youngest turns 7. Yes, on September 11. Yes, she was born on THE day. 9/11/01.
Sadly, you may be having the reaction that most have when they say, to my daughter, "How old are you? When is your birthday?".....pause for cute child response...."Oh!" or worse, "Oh, no!" or they look at me and say, "So, you were in labor when it was happening?" or "That's sad," or worse yet, "That's too bad."
For many, that was a day where time seemed to stop. For others time was marching on. According the the census bureau, around 10,000 American families welcomed a child into the world on 9/11/01. Like me, 10,000 other moms were in labor. Like me, 10,000 moms and dads were riveted to the TV in between contractions. Like me, 10,000 families wondered what kind of world they were bringing their newborn baby into. Like me, at the end of the day, they were in love with a new life.
Having a child born on such a day of historic tragedy, of course, filled me with mixed emotions. I was sad, even devastated, for our country. But we were also overjoyed to welcome a happy little baby into our hearts and our home. How could we not be when we looked into those big blue eyes?
Perhaps this is similar to what a previous generation faced when they gave birth on June 6, 1944. D-Day. Perhaps there were babies born on that day who were pitied for their birth date, as well. I wonder how the moms of June 6, 1944 handled the negative responses. There aren't too many of those parents left to ask.
My hope for my daughter is that, by the time she is fully aware of the historic significance of her birth date, she does not regret the day. My hope is that she will embrace the day as her own. My hope is that, with appropriate respect and reverence for the tragedy that occurred and the lives that were lost, we can also acknowledge and celebrate the lives that were made that day.

Happy Birthday, Molly!

A blast to the past...

Yesterday's adventure took us to the cool air of

It was a step back in time, like an eerie Twilight Zone episode, complete with retro roller skate carpet and mushroom stools to put on those tan leather skates. Complete with the world's longest limbo line, filled with 6, 7, 8, and 9 year olds. Complete with changing, multi-colored globe lights on the ceiling and a really cool disco ball. Complete with two happy girls tossing dice for the dice game.And in the end, three happy, but tired, skaters.

Facebook

We discovered the wonderful world of Facebook yesterday. For me it all started when Kerry set up her account and I got the Facebook generated email that says, "Check out my Facebook Profile." From there I was stuck--Sucked into the black hole that is the Internet. I had to create my page, fill out my profile, search for friends, try to add more friends to my list...you know how it goes. By the end of the day, I still only had 7 Facebook friends, and 4 of them are immediate family. How lame is that?

On the creative front, little if anything, is being accomplished. The studio, with no air conditioning is a efficient little oven. There is only so long that Kerry and I can sit in there before it starts to feel like a sauna. Not to mention having all 4 girls home can be a hindrance to creative time for Kerry and Rachel. This works out some of the time, but the need for other playdates, swim time, lemonade stands, camps, and time apart dictates the rest of our studio time.

We are making efforts to keep the artistic ideas flowing, though. We each got an art journal. Really just a blank sketchbook to hold our ideas and plans and to do a bit of art journaling. I admire so much the art journaling done on Lia's blog, ArtJunk Girl. Who knows if I will have the nerve or inspiration to share any of my pages on this blog. We'll see.

No, the summer is not a artistically productive time for us. What a shame! So there you have it, my little rant for the day. Thanks for listening.

On a lighter, more creative note, Kerry and I have some grand plans for a little studio re-do and a great art sale in the fall. Say posted for all the details. It should be quite exciting! And, if you can't find us in the studio this summer, check on Facebook. We may be there.

Problem & Solution

Problem:

What do you do when an entire pack of Trident gum is washed and dried with a load of children's clothes? The clothes seem to have survived, the washer and dryer, however, had pieces of gum stuck to the interior and a sugary residue was left, streaking the interior of the dryer.

Solution:

First I scraped the visible chunks of gum off the surfaces. Then I used a sponge and spray cleaner to remove the sugary streaks. No matter how hard I rubbed and scrubbed, the streaks remained. Not knowing what else to try, I pulled out my Magic Eraser. I, myself, am a Magic Eraser novice. Oh, sure I have heard my friends talk about how the magic eraser gets lipstick drawings off the walls, and crayon off the hardwood. But, I only just recently bought and tried the famed Magic Eraser. I had my doubts, what could be that easy?


Now I am a true convert! I never knew how well it worked. It removed all the streaks and residue from my dryer. Do I sound like a commercial? I'm not. Just one happy customer.

Note to self: Always check pockets before running the wash.

Fairy Gardens

The four girls were off last Friday. They came to the studio to do a project.

Supplies: We bought four large plant saucers, potting soil, and bedding plants with tiny flowers. We also bought miniature birdhouses and birds, as well as some wooden shapes. Kerry and I got out lots of our studio supplies for them to use, too.

• pistachio shells
• silk flower petals
• glass pebbles
• rocks
• sea shells
• chunky potpourri
• buttons
• small wooden shapes
• paints
• glass and plastic beads
• hot glue to make permanent "ponds"
• colored sand
• moss

The girls were thoughtful in their planning. They collected more materials from the yard. They were very diligent in painting their fairy houses and creating interesting items to attract fairies to their new little homes.

• mailboxes
• sea shell and pod boats
• nut shell dishes
• "food" for the fairies
• twig fences and arches
• ponds and rivers
• twine nests
• houses with chimneys
• shingles
• shell treasure chests
• gardens
• stepping stones and pathways
• bark bridges
• benches and seats

The results of the day were fabulous! The girls (ranging in age from 6 to 10) worked steadily for 2 hours. They each came up with original ideas, their own magical vision of what a fairy house should look like with its own sparkly magic.

What fairy wouldn't choose one of these lovely homes?

last minute...

I am sure you have been there, if not for your kids, you did it for yourself.... scrambling at the last minute to finish that costume, diorama, book report or term project. This time, the story involves me, my two girls and two costumes for school presentations.

On Sunday we discovered that the Mermaid tail that my 9-year old wanted to borrow from a friend was no longer available. No problem, I can make one, right? So, off to the Internet to Google "easy mermaid costume." Jackpot! There are lots of links with photos and directions for easy to make costumes. She chose some lovely electric blue lamee material, (think Xanadu) and three watery shades of tulle (think bridesmaids of the 80's). We also had a lovely navy blue, crushed velvet dress to modify for a cover-up. So armed with yards of tulle, blue lamee, satin ribbon, and pinking shears, we set out to work. Thank goodness for pinking shears and for fabrics that don't unravel, we may even make it to our Thursday deadline! Happy with our progress on Monday night, she showed her sister the beginnings of a mermaid costume.
And then it happened, my 6 year-old looked at me and said, "Mom, will you make me a camel costume." By Thursday?!? I nearly fell over. Back to the computer. Unfortunately camels are not nearly as popular as mermaids, there aren't many entries when you Google "easy camel costumes." And they are not nearly as glamorous, either. At the fabric store I choose a camel colored felt. Thankfully pinking shears will work here, too. Hmmm, maybe I will throw in a little fabric glue and we might all make it to Thursday with our sanity.

Friday Freebie

(right click the image to save it to your computer)

Happy Easter

Friday Freebie

Not having any St. Patrick's post cards, here is an early Easter greeting. Perhaps you may be able to use it this week.

(This undated vintage Easter greeting was printed in Germany. Right click the image to save it for your use.)

Pet Peeve and PSA

So one of my pet peeves is about public restrooms. Have you ever seen the signs that say:

This is all well and good. Of course we want people to wash their hands before returning to work, especially our waiters and waitresses, our doctors and nurses, our teachers and anyone else who may come in contact with lots of people throughout their daily course of work.

But, what about the rest of us? Don't we all need to wash our hands before returning to our daily business. How many adult have you seen walk out of a stall and straight out the door of the restroom? Some studies show only 65% of women wash their hands and only 35% of men. Even my first grader is taught (at school) to be a "cootie catcher" and wash her hands after using the bathroom, blowing her nose or sneezing. She is also taught (at home) to wash her hands before eating and after playing on the playground.

With the rampant spread of viruses, like the flu. We all need to be more cognisant of what they are teaching school children and listen to the lesson: Wash Your Hands! If you look a little further (ie. read the daily news) you may have heard that this flu season is reaching almost epidemic proportions. Unfortunately the flu vaccine that was widely advertised and given last fall didn't include the strain of flu that is most prevalent this season.

The flu has reached many work places and schools across the country. According to the Center for Disease Control website, "The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza was above the epidemic threshold for the sixth consecutive week." Shockingly, the CDC doesn't track the number of school closures due to illness, however you may read about closures in your local papers. The CDC does, however, track flu fatalities. This year is among the worst in recent history. I won't cite the statistics here, but you may read about it on their website.

Even the flu has even hit the reality TV circuit. It was reported that the flu devastated the American Idol contestants before last week's show. I couldn't believe how many news articles were devoted to their illness.

I am not a pessimist by nature, nor am I a germaphob, and don't care to spread panic. I also know that hand washing won't stop all the spread of germs and viruses. But, if we all do our part we may be able to stop the spread of germs, even just a little bit. So, don't forget to:

You may even want to print this one out and hang it in your bathroom:

Webkinz Bags

It our continuing quest to use the fabric and supplies that we already own, I too have been doing more sewing. I finally finished the bias tape bag that I started last year. I was inspired by Rachel who made several to give as teacher gifts. The design came from the Martha Stewart website. They make great all around totes with lots of outside pockets for storage. It is also great for using leftover remnants and letting your creativity go, by using lots of crazy patterns together.

After my kids saw my bag, they requested their own so they could carry their webkinz stuffies. Any of you who have children old enough to use the
computer will know all about webkinz. You buy the stuffed animal and it comes with a special code that you put into the webkinz website. You then have a virtual avatar of the animal that can navigate webkinz world. The animals can play, games, buy things for their "homes" and socialize. My girls are obsessed, buying them with allowance money, birthday money and asking for them for any holiday. The amount they have is too embarrassing to mention.

So, I modified the bias tape bag a bit to accommodate the webkinz. These bags are wider and have three pockets in the lower level. Hopefully everyone fits in the bags because I don't think I can make them much bigger.

Quick and Easy Project

In our New Year's quest to finished unfinished projects and use already purchased supplies (# 13, #17, & #19), we have found the fastest sewing project yet! Kerry found this easy kid's tote bag on Martha Stewart's wonderful website. I decided to give it a try.

Because I can never follow directions completely, I made a few changes to her well-put directions. First, I felt that the bag might be a bit small for my kids, the model shown was about 4 or 5 years old. I added 1/2 inch to the width and 3 inches to the length. If you do this, don't forget to add several inches to the cording as well.

Her directions call for a water proof nylon to line the bag, not having any nylon in my sewing stash, I decided to use an inexpensive cotton for the lining as well as the out side of the bag. This is where you can use the fun and funky prints found on the discount racks of your local craft and fabric stores. I enjoyed mixing the prints and colors.

The cording I used was a very inepensive cotton cording found in the ribbon section of my Hobby Lobby. I found 2 of the fabrics I used on their clearance racks for $2 per yard. (Nevermind that I vowed not to buy more until I used what I have. I couldn't resist-- you won't tell, will you?) On the third bag, I used ribbon loops at the bottom of the bag to anchor the straps. This is another way to encorporate more detail and color in the design. On an adult bag of a similar style it would be easy to encorporate more mature fabric patterns and a colored cording for the straps.

From start to finish, I think that each bag took about 30 minutes or less. The time and money invested is not bad for a quick and easy project. And the kids love their new totes!

Putting yourself out there

Did you ever have the dream that you are giving a speech, naked? Have that anxiety before the first day of school? Have you put yourself "out there" only to worry about the consequences?
This seems to be the current theme of my life. Last week was the first week of school for my 1st and 3rd graders. Molly, my first grader, was (and still is) worried about making friends on the playground. "What if they run away when I ask them to play?" And sadly, that is what first graders do, when they don't know what to say. Mary, 3rd, was worried about getting the new teacher. I am sure the new teacher was just as worried about her class full of young eager faces.
My out on a limb experience came in the form of an art project. As you may have read in our springtime blogs, Kerry and I occasionally give each other assignments. It was my turn, and I chose wooden boxes as the controlling form. We decided to make it a multipurpose project and choose one of the the listed themes from Stampington, so that if we liked our project we could submit them for their Somerset Studio publication. The theme we choose was GREEN. My box was a study of Luck and Envy. Envy on the outside, luck on the inside, with depictions of what others may be envious of and what some may find with simple luck.
When it came time to send in our projects for the publication, we reached a block. First, we couldn't find the address. The next time we tried to ship, we didn't have the right boxes and packing material. Finally, we got it together and packed and shipped the projects. We have no idea if they will ever be used. But putting it out there to be judged was a bit scary.
I guess that's how it is with life. If you put yourself in a position to be judged and assessed, that can be a bit frightening. It might be as simple as cooking a meal for a new friend, reconnecting with an old friend, or throwing a party. There are always the lingering questions, have I done it right? It could be as life changing as applying for a new job or quitting an old one and the question is have I made the right decision?
In the end, I hope that I have done the best I could with what I have. And, I hope that others have done the same.

Under Construction

Our studio is currently under construction.... nothing too major. Kerry and I wanted to get organized. We also needed to clean! For the most part, we close the studio during the summer to be with the kids while they are out of school. While the studio is closed, it is hot. There is no air conditioning in the tiny building that was once used as a school for coal miners children. Imagine that... the little room filled with hot, sweaty, rambunctious children.

Instead, we had creepy, crawly bugs move in during our absence. Mostly harmless spiders and a few box elder bugs (which our children affectionately call Love Bugs). After lots of sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping, we feel much better. Our space is, once again, ship-shape!

As an added project we decided to install a new ceiling. And by "we" I mean that "we" asked my husband, Jeremy, to do it. The first photo shows the installation process. Jeremy said it looks a little like Denver International Airport. But the finished result is beautiful!

Now that school has started and fall is fast approaching we are back to work. We have been working hard to rev up for the Fall Launch Party in September, and our Fall Art Sale on October 19 and 20. The first peek for the "public" will be this Friday at our Coffee Hour from 9 - 11. Stop by for a cup of Joe!

Best Deal in Town

Today we were looking for something interesting to occupy our Sunday afternoon. We decided to check out the paddle boats at Waneka Lake (in Lafayette, Colorado). They have a beautiful fleet of brightly colored animal paddle boats. For $6-8 per boat, depending on the size, you can spend 30 minutes tooling around the lake. Believe me, 30 minutes is plenty of time peddling for a 5 and 8 year old. We chose the 4-person, white pelican boat (not pictured). All four of us had a great time peddling around the lake, and watching the fish jump. It was a nice Sunday afternoon.
You can find more information on the City of Lafayette website.