projects to do

I've been finding some really fun projects that I want to make with the girls soon. Thought I'd share them here (mainly so I don't forget):

• life-size collage people {4 crazy kings}
• superhero masks {shakespear's stage}
• shiny syrup paint {not just cute}
• gnome leprechauns {wee folk art}
• self portraits {andiland}

travis's project

When Trav said he wanted to build a climbing wall in the studio, I was a little hesitant. I know the climbing holds are extremely pricey, and I couldn't see how we would be able to afford enough for a whole wall.

Trav had a plan, though. He called up a local shop that creates climbing holds. He asked if they would be willing to trade - he could create some molds and they would pay him in product.

The manager was thrilled to have an artist helping. He asked Trav to carve the foam shapes for an ABC mold set. Trav delivered a few at a time so they could start the process. Once the first few molds were created, he got an email raving about what a great job he did.

So here he is, creating the last of the pieces (with moral support from Kapria):

It was a lot of hours of carving, but every time Trav climbs he gets to enjoy the benefits of it. It's pretty awesome. (Once we're sent the complete ABC set, I'll post some photos.)

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Nicole is so incredibly talented. I love the things she makes. This one is no exception:

She named them Henry and Tula. And now I must have one. Good thing we have a baby to enjoy it. But I fear I would have had to get one whether we had a baby or not.

done: 2010 project 2

At the same time I was working on the office magnet board, I was working on this one for our kitchen. It took a lot longer because I'm so picky about paper and how things look together. I couldn't decide on the colors. Currently the kitchen has some red (the color we picked when we got married, so we have red towels and a red carpet). But really, I want our kitchen to maybe be some other color. I finally decided since we have a lot of black in the kitchen that black & white would be best. I found this awesome paper at Roberts, and with a little inspiration from Jess's house, I knew what I wanted this to look like.

Trav helped me again on finishing this one up. Then I made the magnets:

I also found these perfectly matching items that I could not pass up:

So now the kitchen will stay black and white. I'm hoping to get some new dish towels and a rug to match. We'll see if it can happen after I do the budget.

done: 2010 project 1

I spent several evenings this week working on some projects. As soon as the girls were in bed, Trav and I would head out to the studio. He would paint and I would work on this:



It's a magnet board for our home office. I have two more projects to finish for the wall before you get to see it all hung together. I'm pretty excited for what it will look like.

I bought a used copy of one of my favorite books and tore the pages out. At first I felt like I was ruining something precious. But the more pages I tore, the more fun I had. Tearing something apart is really therapeutic. I can see why kids like doing it.

First, I put gesso on the whole board. Then I cut out passages I liked from the book. Next I glued the pages down using mod podge. I was taking a really long time to finish one night, because I'm so particular about what goes where. So Trav started helping me. He finished the top while I cut strips for the inner border. I had decided I wanted text on the inside line. I'm really glad I added that - I love how it looks like the page goes around the corner. (I had to cut them seperately because the pages of this book weren't wide enough to go around the edge.)



Once the board was done, I mod-podged over the whole thing to seal it. Then I made the magnets. I liked the look of the chapter starts, so I created the large magnets using those. Then I created small magnets using character names.



I love how it turned out. And just wait 'til you see it on the wall with the other projects - hopefully in a week I'll have it all done.

So, have you figured out which book I used yet?

picky, picky

I love fabric. I love finding beautiful, fun, interesting fabric, or better yet, matching the perfect fabrics together. Sometimes I even buy the fabrics I love simply because I like them so much. And yet...I usually have no idea what I'll make out it, I only know how to do basic sewing, I don't have a sewing machine, and I never sew.

Which means I have a few drawers of fabric for projects that I've never begun.

Gratefully, my mom and sister are amazing. They sew the most awesome things. My mom makes quilts upon quilts, wall hangings, table cloths, handbags, or anything she finds that would be fun. She always makes a quilt for each grandchild. Well, each grandchild except Kapria. That is because it has taken me nearly two years to finish choosing fabric for Kapria's quilt. Ridiculous of me, I know. But true, nonetheless. Last year I finally found a pattern I loved, and I wandered the local fabric shops choosing just the right fabrics.

Then, when Mom was here a few weeks ago, we sat down to start cutting it out. "Finally!" Mom said. But wait...as I perused my beautiful fabrics I realized that some of my choices were not good ones. "What, why did I pick these?" I asked. "They don't match at all! In fact, they're kind of ugly."

"Well," Mom said, "It's a good thing I didn't start sewing it already. You are so picky!"

And she's so right. I am too picky about my fabric.

But, a week later, I went to a fabric store with my sister in law Kjerstin and I found the perfect fabric that ties in all the other pieces for Kapria's quilt. Seriously, it is perfectly perfect. I love it.

Here's the piece that ties it all together:

And I told Mom I'd send her a picture so she can see what the final fabric set is.

Here you go, Mom:

Thanks for being patient with my fabric pickiness. I know you'll make something awesome out of this!