Ms. Ellaneous crafts a life

Bags were made, bones were broken

My "To Make" list is finished!  I am having trouble finding the words to describe this last week.  90 miles an hour, constant motion, complications, these are a few that come to mind.  I know everyone with kids in school and sports experiences some form of "spring madness".  This year has been particularly crazy for us and now it's time for camp.  The kids last day of school was today and tomorrow morning we drive them to camp.  No time to relax this year. 

As I write this we are still laundering clothes, labeling and packing.  We are also tending to A4.  He broke both bones in his right arm this weekend and is having trouble adjusting to his status as patient.  He will be fine, just a complication, and a hard way to start the summer.

Because I am lacking the ability to put together any kind of coherent thought, I am just going to bombard you, dear readers, with images from the studio.

 

My mother's reversible napkin and place mat set, just in time for the Fourth.

 

Set of blank cards for SS's birthday.

 

This is a sign I made 8 years ago for Not that W.  She has a new name now and the sign needed to be cleaned and updated. Check!

 

 

The coffee sack totes for the girls, a little sewing, a little stamping, a little beading.  I hope they like them!

 

 

And just because I'm crazy, two more totes, another coffee sack tote for me, slightly shorter, I'm not carrying around a clipboard, and one for A4 to carry his books, journal and crayons, made from G's old pants and dress shirt.

Finally, two sets of stationery, the first set for A2(13 yr old boy), and the second for A3(11 yr old girl).  These were requested this morning and are hot off the presses.  I am hoping that having hand printed stationery will encourage them to write more often.  I'm not holding my breath.

 

Now, it's on to my next list, packing for our summer adventure.  Stay tuned!

The "TO MAKE" list

It's Monday, and on Mondays I tend to make lists.  This time of year there are lots of lists, the "what else do we need for camp list", the "what to label" list, the "what to pack for A4's trip" list and most significantly (to me anyway) the "To make" list.  This list is always long.  I usually put off a bunch of things, thinking I have tons of time after Lacrosse season is over and before camp.  This year it is exactly ten days.  That includes a weekend so full of end of the year picnics and such, I'm not sure we can physically make it to everything.  So, now it is one week.

I won't bore you with the list.  Suffice it to say, I need to get on it.  I did, by employing the little talked about secret of the crafty family...Child labor.  Thank goodness I put the time in with them when they were young.  It's beginning to pay off.  One item that is on the "TO MAKE" list is napkins/place-mats for my parents' house.  My mom picked out the material and I've had it for about four months, whatever.  What would please grandparents more than napkins made by their granddaughter?  Maybe the more pertinent question is, how better to save my time than employing the granddaughter to sew the napkins?  It's really a win/win.  Here she is slaving away at the sewing machine.

"Mommy, can I please have a break?"  "Not until the napkins are done darling!" (In a bright, cheery, but slightly menacing tone)

(Before anyone calls children's services, she just sewed for awhile, and she volunteered, I swear!)

I also managed to get some work done on a new banner.  Here's a sneak peek.

I'm not sure when I will figure out how to actually get it on the blog.  This blog seriously needs an update.  That's another list altogether.

I'm also going to work on some up-cycled tote bags for A1 and one of her friends from camp.  This is there last year as campers but they are given some more responsibility and a clip board.  When they found out about the clip boards there was a request for a cool tote to carry them in, made by me. How can a mother refuse that request?

Time warp

I'm not exactly sure what happened to the last week.  It's a blur of projects and Lacrosse.  That's actually what I dreamt of last week, half finished projects everywhere I looked and Lacrosse balls whizzing at my head.

I spent most of my week making things for the Craft Fair and Farm Open House at my dear friend Not that W's.  It was beautiful!  The farm was gorgeous, the people who came out were wonderful and the weather held until the very last moment.  This was our first try and things went really well.  We are planning another one in the fall, complete with pumpkins and fresh pressed apple cider!

I have a few pictures of some of the things I made but I am waiting for the amazing pictures L took. (no rush, I just want to wait for yours, so much better)

 

Here are the sheep.  I believe they are judging me for my lack of progress.

 

Linoleum block printed card sets.

 

Soaps, ready for wrapping.

 

More kool-aid dyed yarn, and my new absolute favorite...

 

flour sack dish towels and their cousin

flour sack apron.  (sorry about the light, my kitchen is dark)  I can see making drawer fulls of these.  I wore the apron through the whole craft fair and felt very stylish.  I'll post better pictures of the farm and the fair when I get L's. (no pressure, really)

Now I don't know what to do with myself...Oh yeah, the kids go to camp in two weeks.  I suppose I should order their camp clothes and pack them up.