Have a good time...........

Yes, it’s Super Bowl time……again. Finally my Sundays and Mondays will no longer be dominated by the sound of crashing helmets, chicken wings and that infamous Monday Night Football music. Every year when the Super Bowl rolls around it reminds me of my wonderful Grandpa. He passed away just about four years ago on the eve of Super Bowl Sunday. I remember that Super Bowl Sunday was one of his favourite days of the year. I can recall watching it with him several times in the heyday of the 49ers.

I miss him so very much. He was like a father to me. I remember driving around in the car with him listening to KGO Radio (Sports) and A’s or Giants Baseball. He always had sunflower seeds and a handkerchief close at hand. He was a true gentleman and I’m proud that Max carries his name. I wish that Max could have known him better, I can’t imagine that Max remembers him. More than anything, I am happy knowing that my Grandpa was able to meet Max and that we have pictures of them together. After four long years I don’t think that I’ve truly mourned his passing. The best that I can do right now is to remember him with a smile and watch the game that he loved. :)

On a lighter note, I’m nearly finished with my five mushrooms for the mushroom swap. I’ve got one left to go and then I’ll post some pics. Because they’re ‘gifts’ I tried to make them a little more detailed than usual. I tried the new shape that I had found online and they just did not work out well so I went back to my own shape. I don’t use a pattern, I just eyeball it, they all turn out different. Love the mushrooms so I’m excited to see how other people make them. I am wrapping up my handmade swap item and will be sending it out in the next couple of days. I'll keep my fingers crossed. x

Yippee! It's almost the weekend!

Max's stack 'o rocks

More to do's

I finished my Handmade Swap item last night. For my first try, I am quite pleased. Not sure when I am supposed to send it off........... I'll email my partner. This swap was organized through birdandlittlebird.typepad.com. My swap partner did a great 100 list on her blog weepereas.blogspot.com, very funny, sad, introspective, made me smile. I'm sure that if we all did one we'd have much more in common than we thought.

Mushrooms, I need to make mushrooms. That will be my next project. I think I'll stick with wool felt but may change the shape of my mushrooms. This will be a good opportunity for me to switch it up and try something new, again.

Another to do. Now that I have started a blog I need to figure out html and how to add links, just make the blog more diverse. I'll do that after I finish the dishes, sew up a mushroom, fold the laundry.........yada, yada, yada.

Once upon a time we lived 2 minutes from the Pacific Ocean,

I really miss this.....

Lots to do

A new week begins. Max had the day off yesterday. For his friend's 8th Birthday a group of us went ice skating in San Francisco. I held the side most of the time, I am not an ice, roller or in-line skater. I can ski, other than that please do not attach things to my feet that roll or slide. It was Max's first time, he did really well and eventually let go of the wall. Although he had several bum numbing falls he wants to go again, it's great to have a new activity that he enjoys.

There were a lot of falls...............

But there were many more smiles!

So, I just signed up for another swap, this one through knitsonya.com. It is a mushroom swap, which is great since I love mushrooms. I have to make 5 so I'll start on that soon. I have almost finished my Buy Handmade swap item. I don't want to post pics of it until I send it off to my swap partner, I want it to be a surprise. This was my first time sewing this particular item so I hope that she likes it. There's that age old nervousness of is it good enough? will she like it? For me , I'm excited to receive a surprise in the mail. Here is a hint of what I am working on.

Just like most of the public (even private) schools all over the country our school is cringing at the current lack of funds, especially looking at future budgets. What to do? My hope is that we can band together as a school, as a community, as a county, as a state and as a country and make a great education available to our kids. We are very blessed in our community. Our one school offers 4 different programs, Open Classroom, Waldorf-Inspired (using CA State Credentialed and fully trained Waldorf Teachers), Montessori and Middle School. Does it get better than this? In these crazy times, thank goodness for my crafts - they keep me sane and give me an outlet to relax.

HOPE, is my word of the year and my new mantra.

Ta Da!

We tried our hand at using natural dyes last evening and it went great. For our first try we were very pleased with our end product! I used Turmeric, Paprika and Cinnamon all with excellent results. Sorry the pics are a bit funky, when I used the flash on my camera the colours were not accurate at all.

So here are the four skeins that we have dyed so far. I need to brush up on my yarn gathering skills, yes they do look a bit messy.

The skein on the left was dyed using Paprika. Once fully rinsed it came out a very nice muted pink/peach colour. On the right is the Turmeric. This skein was dyed in the second Turmeric dye bath so it came out a light yellow.

On the left I used Cinnamon. This was my favorite.It turned out a light brown that almost has a purplish tint to it. The right was the first dye bath of Turmeric. Because this was the first one the yellow came out more gold and was a lot more bold than the second.

We have two more skeins left to dye. I think we will try using artichokes and berries. The problem with using natural dyes it that you love the colours so much that rather than use them, you just want to sit and admire them.

So, I have joined my first swap. It is a Save Handmade Swap and was organized through the blog birdandlittlebird@typepad.com. I already have my partner and am very excited to get started. Tomorrow Max has the day off and we're going ice skating at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. This is his first time and I have the weakest ankles on earth, I think I'll bring some Charmin and Ibuprofen!

An Experiment..............

After a meeting at school the other day Max's wonderful handwork teacher unveiled the skeins of wool that she and the children had dyed. The range of colours was amazing. This has inspired Max and I to try our hand at dyeing wool using all natural dyes. I went by the local Indian food store and bought a 7 oz packet of Turmeric (only $1.99, what a steal) and then we went by Dharma Trading Co. and picked up a large 50% Merino 50% Wool skein. I looked up instructions on the net and the pot is almost ready for the wool. I'll let you know how it goes!

Here are some pics of Max and his classmates.

Max's little guys.......

Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin

I made this little felt monkey for Max. I found the pattern in "The Cute Book" by Aranzi Aronzo.

Valentine's Bunnies

So, yesterday I mentioned the wool felt bunnies that I have been making. I found the pattern at MissyBallance.typepad.com. She has some great patterns that are really fun and cute. Here are some pics of the bunnies that I have made so far.

I tend to craft during meetings at my son's school (it keeps me balanced). My friend who was sitting next to me loved the one that I was working on (the yellow heart bunny). Anyhow, she wants one for her friend who is having a baby. It makes me happy when people appreciate the work that I do, all of the items that I make, I love. I have another meeting after school today, what shall I make?

This past weekend my sister tried to teach me how to knit. For some reason I just have not caught on. My 8 year old son is a whizz at knitting so I though that it would be no problem. Was I wrong or what?! We were just sitting quietly on Sunday night, Max was clicking away knitting goodness knows what, and there I was quietly cursing and restarting over and over again. I suppose practice makes perfect. I think that I will go to Dharma Trading Co. this weekend. They do a free class/circle for all levels and I really need the help. If I can master basic knitting that would be great. For now, I'll just keep listening to Max tell me how easy knitting is :)

Sending Max to a Waldorf Program has been great not just for Max but also for our family. But I'll save that for another post.................