It's like Cupid on Crack.

Valentine's Day is once again upon us and I,once again, achieve to over-achieve.  Elvis, the first grader, of course, is first on the list because let's face it.... 5th grade boys have no interest in creating valentines because "it might send the wrong message."  And in 8th grade, you are either making out or you aren't, and thank my lucky stars Ladycakes aren't!

So Elvis is just slightly, mildly.....okay, overly obsessed with a video game (I swore I would never introduce them or guns as toys, I failed on one.)  Skylanders.  If you have a 6 to 11 year old boy, you probably know what I'm talking about.  In my effort to spin all things positive, I decided to take Skylanders to the level of valentines.

Let me just clarify, if you have tried since Christmas to find, touch, look at or even come in the vicinity of, much less throw down cold hard cash for one of these Skylanders you are out of your mind.  They are 2011's Tickle Me Elmo gone amok..... why, why do I fall for this stuff?  So it would make sense to push them forward to the next holiday, am I right?

Holy Shit, you can get Pokemon, Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Phineas and Ferb, Justin Beiber or Dr. Dre Valentines but not Skylanders?  Well, probably not Dr. Dre.....

Each Skylander character comes with a "trading card" so I put my color printer to work and got started on some super cheesy sayings (this is where an 8th grader really comes in handy) and we were like Cupid on Crack.

The resulting valentines are not only handmade ( I love this kind of stuff ) but also something Elvis will be excited about handing out and totally unique.

Next stop a 5th grade party!  As Room Parent, how do I come up with something different for kids that have been decorating cookies for years?  I'll fill you in next time.....


This is my way of forcing myself to post more than once a month!  See you soon!

No question there is a diagnosis for this affliction. But I probably can't afford the meds.

I so often boast about my craftiness. Okay, boasting is the wrong word.  I "suggest," "flirt with the idea of,"  "insinuate" my craftiness.  I have a label for my posts "Crafty Ms. Jen, very crafty."  Yet I rarely show it to you.  Being crafty/creative and then documenting it are two very different things.  I get caught up in the creative process and rarely stop to grab my camera mid-steps to show where I am and where I am headed.

Halloween costumes are one of my most favorite creative outlets.  I love to conceive the ideas, figure out how to make them work and then construct them.  This year we had some doozies.  A gypsy with a full on corset (made by me.)  A voodoo doll with pins and all (made by me.)  A mad scientist with a custom lab coat (made by me.)  Plus, a voodoo priest and priestess (made by me.)  And, this year, I documented it, took pictures of the thrifted skirts I used to upcycle into a gypsy skirt.  Pictures of the drinking straws and styrofoam balls being spray painted by the 10 year who would be wearing them in his voodoo doll costume.  I did it.  Then, my camera died.  All of the pictures stuck on my memory card.  Mocking me.

So today, while creating a birthday present for my friend, I decided to try again.  This time with my phone.  A before and an after.  A peek into the lunacy that is me.  A hint at how I can't leave well enough alone.  A notion of how I think, "I can make this even more interesting."

Ladies and Gentleman,  my attempt at a craft blog.

Today is LeeAnne's birthday.  She has an amazing collection of crosses that she has artfully displayed in her home.  LeeAnne has incredible taste and creates a beautiful, ever-evolving home.  I went to a local store, The Paisley Pomegranate, that I know she likes and began the hunt.  Something perfect for a friend (and in my price range.)  I found this wonderful metal cross and knew right away this was what I needed.  But it needed more.  See, can't leave well enough alone.


I purchased, pondered and puttered.  Went to my local craft store, Michael's  and searched the jewelry making section.  This is not a section I normally hang out in, however I like ALL sections of a craft store.  Just cuz it says "jewelry" doesn't mean you gotta make jewelry!  Wire clippers, glue and a little imagination later and I am thrilled with the result.

It's bedazzled beyond belief.  Not really.  It is embellished in a beautiful way. (I am creative, however not a photographer.)  It really is striking and I am very proud and pleased to give it to LeeAnne.  She appreciates my creativity, that's why I love making things for her.


Okay, maybe not quite a craft blog yet.  But I think I like the documenting.  Now if I can slow myself down long enough to take a pic, I could be onto something.


happy gluing.

Could you maybe make an announcement during the party and let everyone know I would have brought a gift but I was too busy thinking I was really cool and couldn't get it done in time but I swear if I had gotten it done in time everyone would have been super impressed. Okay, thanks.

Today I had a revelation.  Nothing religious, just a sudden thought that I understand myself a little better.  I am not one to have a lot of self-realization.  I kind of cruise through not paying much attention to myself.  Don't get me wrong, I tend to be self-critical.  But, self-searching and self-improvement are not high on my list.  Perhaps I'm lazy or dumb.

But today, today was different.  Today, I became aware of my Craft Confidence.  I am a terribly, almost foolishly, confident crafter.  I would prefer to refer to myself as an "artist" but that's when that self-critical monster rears her ugly head.

"How, Jen, did this amazing moment come to you?"  you ask.  Well thanks for asking.

Here's how it all went down.  I was invited to a baby shower.  I was told that the mother to be really only wanted diapers because she has everything she needs.  Diapers?  Really.  So boring.  I could construct a diaper cake, I could monogram diapers but I certainly can't give "just diapers."  Well, the hostess of said party knows I love to bust out the glue gun and fabric and glitter whenever possible.  She also secretly knew of my craft confidence and didn't tell me (perhaps she is my muse?)

So hostess says,  "You should totally make something for her."  :snicker, snicker, snicker:

It kicked in.  That warm, fuzzy, "you know you are RIGHT, I SHOULD make something for her" feeling.  And it started, my brain thinking "if I visualize it, it will come."

A MOBILE, that's it.  That can't be that hard.  I will construct a one of a kind mobile for this mother to be.  It will knock her socks off and she will be so glad that I didn't bring silly ol' diapers.

Fast forward to the day of the shower.  The mobile sat in my studio, totally not working.  Mobiles are really hard to make and I was sure I could get one done in a day.  Counterbalance, physics blah, blah, blah.

So I went to the shower empty handed.  This confident crafter ain't givin' in.  No way, no how.  I would give her NOTHING before I showed up there with an 84 pack of Pampers Swaddlers.

So today is a new day.  I know I'm a confident crafter, cuz I did it.  I made the mobile and I can't wait to hand it over to her.  And yell, "IN YOUR FACE!  I KNEW I COULD DO IT."




Wait, I will not say that to her.....

Birds on Branches 

Birds Hanging Straight on their Branches!

Crazy little birds......made by a crazy, I mean,  confident crafter.

Teacher's Gifts. A highly debated topic.

I do Teacher Gifts.  I feel that these people spend a good portion of their day with my children.  I think they deserve a gift.  So many parents pitch into the "community pot"  and then the Room Parent buys a gift card of some kind.  This isn't really my style.

*Disclaimer:  I did collect money for the Kindergarten teacher this year.  He's a great guy and will really dig a Home Depot gift card.


My style is to make a gift for the teachers.  I am that parent they dread.  "Oh, here she comes again with her handmade gift.  Doesn't she know I want a gift card to Home Depot!" Making a gift requires that I really think about the recipient. I ponder about the great work they have done, I think about how much I appreciate them.

 This year's gift......

Clay plaques with peace doves and the word "peace" embossed on them attached to vintage glass bottles.  The branches are really little sticks with felt leaves and felt berries attached to them.  I love them.  I am really pleased with how they turned out and they truly are a one of a kind gift.

Now, some of my friends forego the gift all together.  What are your thoughts?  Gift, no gift, cash?

So Mom, I woke up with a great idea....

uh, ya yu did.  She (Ladycakes) signed up to make a gingerbread house for a local charity.  The Children's Justice Center helps kids who have been abused or witnessed abuse.  They are questioned, comforted and appropriately placed. Last year she made fabulous fleece blankets for kids that come to the Center.  This year, she chose to participate in their gingerbread house auction.

She woke up the other morning with a brilliant idea.  "Mom, I'm making Snoopy on his dog house!"  All I could think is "damn, this girl is good, she's kicking my garden gnome ass."  It turned out better than better.  Ladycakes will be the best pastry chef in the nation in what 15 years.   I need to start saving so I can fund  Ladycakes and Company.  I love this girl, she's brilliant and she's all mine.

Great job Ladycakes!
Love,
Mom
(tomorrow I'll show you mine.  It looks silly compared to this one!)

Creative Happenings Here at the Hive

I have been working on being creative here at the hive.  It's not easy to fit it into the schedule but boy do I love to find the time.  It's refreshing for me and good for the soul.

These are my alpaca felt bird ornaments.  I love how they turned out.  They are very sweet and are delectably soft.  Peace doves and other birds.  The felt comes off the felt machine using my mom's alpaca fiber.  It is really fun to play with it.

Painted bottles.  I have been working on these for a while.  I love them.  They are really fun to create and the results are fantastic. I will be working up 150 of these bad boys as wedding party favors for a wedding in Colorado.  They will make an incredible statement.  I can't wait to get started.


What do you like?  What could I improve on?  Is this stuff lame?  Is it likable?  Talk to me people.  Talk to me!

Last Day of School! But wait, I'm not ready!

So.... sorry for my absence.  I have been busy with musical performances, totally lame preschool graduations, last minute assignments, a Renaissance Faire, a new job, allergies, felt making, "what the hell are we having for dinner"ing.  And, a random orthodontist appointment.  So nothing really.  Just kidding!

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Happily, we do not have any snow in the forecast.  You laugh.  I cry.  It's been a long "sprinter"  and no, that's not a mis-spelling.  It's been Spring and Winter here.  It's LAME!

I love teachers.  They amaze me.  I was a teacher.  But, I didn't understand the power, the influence.  I knew it but didn't appreciate it from a parent's perspective.  NOW, I understand.  You people are amazing.

I am that parent that makes shit.  I make a present.  I like to make presents for people.  I think about them the entire time I am making their gift.  I also like to receive handmade gifts.  Okay, I'm a weirdo?  NO!

Hopefully, next year, the teachers aren't saying "Do you have that Q kid and his brother Elvis, cuz their mom is a handmade gift giver!  Sorry for you.  No Starbucks gift certificate.  No $10.00 Visa card.  It's all handmade.  Oh good luck with that!."

Here's this year's.  I like them.   I am proud of them.  I hope the teachers agree and appreciate how much time and love I understand that they put into every day.  I get them.

The bottles are an entire different post.  It, unfortunately, dives heavy into my psyche. We'll do that later. 

I have painted them  Added a tag.  Will then add flowers.  I love these people, they deserve paint, flowers and felt. 

Here are some more photos....

Close up of gold heart.

A message to each teacher.   With flowers. Such cute flowers.

Thank you teachers. Thank you moms.  Thank you dads.   Thank you for incredible public education.  Thank you Spring.  We are ready.

Hold on to your seats, it's SUMMER!

If the Three Stooges were into pottery, their names would be Pinch, Roll and Slab.

A few weeks ago, on a Saturday, Ladycakes and I met two other Mother/Daughter Teams at the Kimball Arts Center to take a little hand-built ceramics class.  Ladycakes and I were giddy.  Together we would construct a birdhouse from clay.

The woman who taught the class makes amazing birdhouses that she sells at a local gallery.  We had seen them before and were thrilled to be learning something new.

The girls listened intently, the instructions seemed to go on forever.  All we really wanted to do is get our hands on some clay.  And once that happened........

We got serious!  It was fun to just let the clay do it's thing, which was the instructor's advice.  As she said, "Listen to the clay."  Here is our creation once glazed and pre-fire.

The proud artist, who was less than pleased that we couldn't take it home immediately.  Pottery is a nice lesson in patience.

These are our wonderful friends.  Turtles took up residence on their birdhouse.  It was adorable.

Karen and her daughter made this beauty.  I love the poppies on the sides and the perch they added.

So today, I picked up the finished product.   Ta Da!  

It turned out so cool.  Nothing broke off in the firing.  The glaze looks great, it's tough to tell when you are painting it on.

Taking a class with your child is enlightening.  We both learned something new, we worked together and it was a blast.  I highly recommend it.  Now we are turned on to pottery and Ladycakes wants to trying a throwing class.  I say bring it on!

A GIVEAWAY that all the cool kids are signing up for!

Remember how yesterday I mentioned my "stacking" attempt.  It was fun, I'm doing it again today.

Allison is having a GIVEAWAY!  over at her blog www.stacksofstyle.blogspot.com.

In order to get started on your own stacking, you should head over and comment.  Let her know I sent you!

And if you WIN ,  you have to let me know.   CHECK HERE!

Go. Go. Go now.  I mean it!

Showered, mascara-ed and totally stacked. Oh yea I am.

So today I decided to bust out some style.  I try.  It doesn't happen everyday.  It's my goal to make it happen more often.  I have a style mentor.  Do you?  Her name is Allison Dayton.  She's a jewelry designer and screams "style."  It comes naturally.  It looks effortless.  I have known Allison a LOOOOONG time.  We went to college together and made our mark on Greek Row (we both hail from the Kappa Kappa Gamma house.)  Oh shit, now you know too much.


Allison makes beautiful jewelry.  She gave me a piece as a gift.  Mr. Handsome bought me several pieces for Christmas.  I bought a few more at an open house she had....I would have bought more but I am working on gluttony.  One must know when to restrain themselves.  You can't have it all right away, Jen!  Mellow.

Okay, sorry.  Back to this.  I have always admired Allison's style.  She stacks jewelry like it just jumps onto her wrist or neck without even thinking about it.  I have always loved wearing a lot of bracelets.  When I was in college I had lots of crazy, inexpensive silver bracelets from Mexico.  I wore them ALL, ALL of the time. You could hear me coming from a mile away.  It was my style.

Please go visit her.  You are going to love what she does.  What sucks even more?!  She has a beautiful house, a charming husband, lovely children and get this....she's NICE!  Oh yea, I said it.

There she goes again with the "felt" and now she's talking about rainbow trees? This woman's a loon.

In my own obsessive compulsive way, I find myself heavy in the thoughts of felt.  Felt this, felt that...felt, felt, felt, felt!

Awhile back I ordered some felt online to play with.  Just to get a feel for what sewing with it would be like.  That crazy Martha Stewart had a pattern for a "shopper" type bag that was a free download so I thought that might be a quick, easy way to start.  I am all about the instant gratification.  It's terrible.

Some other breaking news,  I love color.  I obsess about color.  I color coordinate the books on my shelves.  And since the felt I purchased was just plain ol' green I decided it needed some jazzing up.

So I sketched out a tree and started cutting out some leaves.  Traced those little fellers onto the felt with a fabric pencil (I've secretly always wanted to use my fabric pencil but never seemed to find a reason.)

Cut the trunk out of some brown cotton, leaving an allowance so I could fold the edges.

With an Exacto knife, I carefully cut out each of the leaves.  Felt cuts beautifully with an Exacto knife, especially if it's a new blade.  Now I have a bunch of little leaf pieces that I can use for another project.  Lord knows I DON'T THROW ANYTHING AWAY!

Pinned the tree onto the bag and sewed it.  Added some free sewing details to the trunk to give it some character.  Then got busy sewing the leaves.  I placed each piece of fabric from my color spectrum behind the cut outs and sewed them on top.  I'm a pretty good multi-tasker but once I started sewing I stopped photographing.  I struggle with doing both!

TA DA!  The finished product.  It's a rainbow tree.  It turned out great.  Coulda just made a plain green shopper but NO.....had to take it up a notch.  It will be a great book bag for the library books or  a reusable grocery bag.    It will definitely get used.


And btw, Happy Earth Day!

Gaston College + The Felt Loom + Alpaca Batts = 2 Giddy Gals

I have returned.  Back from an amazing trip to Charlotte, North Carolina.  The trip began with an oversold flight which resulted in First class seats to Atlanta and a travel voucher.  So yes, you could say it started out great.

The whole purpose of our trip (my mom and myself) was to learn more about the Felt Loom.  This an amazing machine that does needle felting.  We have one on order and it is due to arrive in May.  This class allowed us to use the machine for several different applications and get a feel for how it works.  It was taught by the Felt Loom creators Lanette Frietag and her charming husband, Don.  We transcended onto  Gaston College and spent the day "playing."

It was so much fun!  At one point I found myself jumping up and down like a little kid, I was so excited.

We started with a wet felting project and used the Felt Loom to pre-felt.  By doing this we could cut down the time it takes to wet felt.  The results were marvelous and took a fraction of the time it normally takes.  We were using alpaca batts and roving to make the examples shown below.  You would not believe how soft they are!

The second project involved needle felting onto silk.  This is where I got silly excited.  Again, fantastic results and so many possibilities.  It makes an already restless mind go wild.  Below you can see the loom.  Lanette and Don invited the darling woman who coordinated our afternoon to join us in making a silk scarf.

Here Lanette is holding up my silk scarf with alpaca felted designs. We thought it could make a very interesting window treatment.

Our final project was to make a felt vest but unfortunately we just ran out of time.  We had so many questions throughout the day that we spent a lot of time chatting.  We did not leave disappointed and cannot wait to get our machine.

Once our website is up and running I will be sure to link you all on over to it.  We are very excited about this new venture in alpaca felt.  Like I said, the possibilities are endless.  Glad you are along for the ride.

It's weird, like I am totally forgetting something. Should I be worried?

Hi kids.  Sorry I've been "post-lacking" or "pslacking" as they are calling it.  Just kidding, I made that up!  And, I have registered it.  Totally mine now.  Right.  So anyhoo.....

I have a ton to do because I am heading off on a little adventure with my Mother tomorrow.  Heading to North Carolina for a felt-making class.  This is where we will be introduced to the felt loom that will be arriving in Utah in May.  SO EXCITED.

On my list today, make a card for the daughter of a friend who has been diagnosed with an extremely rare auto-immune disease (Behcet's disease)  She's young and sweet and should not have to deal with this and a card is nothing but it's what I can do for her.  She's lovely and I hope my little card will make her smile.

Oh yea, fairy and umbrella and little bird.  It's quite cute and totally for her and I hope she knows that we are thinking about her.   But weird, there's something hanging over me.  It's heavy and on my mind.

I should be doing real chores, not spending WAY too much time on handmade cards.   But I love making things for people I care about and really, what matters more? Not ironing, God Lord, not ironing.  It's so low on my list it's ridiculous.  However, there is something.  Nagging.  Itchy-like.  Ugh, what could it be?

I've decided what I am taking wardrobe-wise to N. Carolina.  It's hot there, I've got to dig out my "hot" clothes and I am not talking my little black dress.  Work clothes and work shoes.  But in the meantime, I had to fry (sorry cute organic friends who follow an awesome diet that some day I might join in on) some eggrolls for Ladycake's World Language Class.  They are studying Mandarin Chinese ( uh huh!) and this is her joint project.   But still, that crazy feeling that there is a deadline.  A looming deadline, that I may have missed.

But in the meantime, I am wasting tons of time blogging about all of it.  As if you care.  But I know you can help me.  


What am I missing?  Honestly, it's driving me nuts!  It's there, I feel it right there in the background.  It's teasing me.  What the hell, should I have done something today?   I just can't get my head around it!


Hope today wasn't too taxing for any of you.  I'm off to North Carolina.  I'm gonna learn how to make some felt ladies and gentleman.  Watch out, here I come!

An alpaca steps into a mill, goes through the picker and comes out a batt.

So a few days back I mentioned something cool was coming.....and then life took over and 3 days went by and I was all "oh no, I left them hanging and again, I have failed. I've let THEM down!"  Now I know you are a forgiving group and actually weren't hanging on the edge of you seat, or maybe you were?  I tend to hold people to stuff and am easily disappointed, so now I'm just projecting.  But back to the cool stuff.  Ready?


Last week, my Mother and I ventured out on a little field trip.  Off to the edges of a county I rarely explore.  We were off to see a mill.  A what?  A mill.  A what?  Okay, let me explain.  A mill is a place where raw fiber (in this case, alpaca) is processed.  This mill processes the raw fiber into yarn.  Lovely yarn.  We are not here for the yarn.

This was the first machine we met, it spins the processed fiber into strands that are then woven with another strand to make yarn.  It is one of the last steps in the process however it was an interesting place to start.

The operator of this mill was making a "chunky and funky" yarn on this pass and you can see it here.  Not particularly even and quite lovely.

Here we are seeing one of the first processes, once the fiber has been washed.  This is "The Picker."  I know what you are all saying, "Oh there's a kid in my kid's preschool that is called The Picker."  This takes this gnarly mess of fiber and removes dirt, vegetation, you name it that didn't come out in the wash.       

It is shocking how the fiber comes out.

Can you believe how fluffy it's become?!  Now through the comb.  This prepares the fiber to head to the carder.

Meet the carder.  This one is is awesome and big. 

Here you are seeing "a web."  This web is rolled onto itself to make a batt.  The batt is what we came to see.  We are here for batts.

Here are the finished product batts.  They are soft and fluffy and scrumptious.  These are alpaca batts.  They will become alpaca felt.  What?  Alpaca felt.  Did you say alpaca felt?  Oh yes I did.  

Stay tuned for more info.  I told you it was exciting.  Told ya.  Told ya!