grape juice and blue juice

Today while Casper was napping, the big kids sewed these little gnomes and named them "Grape Juice" and "Blue Juice".

joint venture

I'm heading out of town this weekend to attend a business-y conference. I'm excited to learn new things and network and all of that, but I'm also excessively proud of the business cards Todd designed and letterpressed for me, and the goody bags (also letterpress printed) we made. Aren't they cool?

edible valentines

Heart shaped pretzels! Easy kid-friendly activity with a delicious sugar-free payoff.

Learn from my mistakes: don't under-bake them and go easy on the salt.

first haircuts

Thinking that it can't be that hard to give a decent haircut, I bought a how-to book and since then, I've been giving quite a few trims -- Linus, Gwennie (which was a collaboration with Todd), Casper (who's cut needs some work since he isn't very good at sitting still) and tonight, Todd (my best haircut yet -- he's very good at sitting still). The cuts aren't perfect, they took longer than expected, and Gwennie's is shorter that we'd planned, but I think everyone looks pretty good. I've got plenty of years of practice ahead of me.

epiphany

We've been celebrating Epiphany for the past two days. Last night for FHE we read about and discussed the Three Kings and then had a Three Kings cake for dessert (I just made a low-sugar chocolate cake with two uncooked black beans hidden inside -- the finders get to be kings). We've done quite a bit of Three Kings reading and discussing in our homeschooling the past couple of days (and the kids love that one of the Kings is named "Caspar". Hilarious.). Today we made crowns. I really wanted to sew some felt crowns, but it was more than I could handle today (subtext: Linus), so we made and decorated paper crowns instead. Still, fun was had.
(And yes, my child is dressed entirely in play silks.)

a different kind of house to play with

Perhaps just a little late in the season, but we all enjoyed the sugar-fest that was the creation of our gingerbread house. Happy New Year!

nice ass

Today Todd went to the city to give a lecture on wood engraving (and also go out for Thai food, and later sushi). Pictured is a sneak peek of one of Todd's current projects.

"straw paper chain necklace"

Gwennie models one of her creations -- a necklace she made using bits of straw she cut up and then hooked together. If she's not creating and crafting, she's got her nose in a book. Sound familiar?

tea time

Gwendolyn’s birthday party (which I’ve been stressed out about, even though pleasing a bunch of 5 and 6 year olds isn’t that hard) was a huge success. There were six little girls including Gwennie, and all were decked out in their tea party finest. Auntie Tiffany was here and Granny and Grandad arrived just as the festivities were getting under way.

I had a couple of children’s tables set up in the living room and as the girls arrived, they each made an “Autumn Fairy.” This was a fairly simple craft and the little dolls turned out quite well. I bought old-style wooden clothespins which Todd drilled a small hole in, right through the side where the arms would be. The girls inserted a 3 ½-inch piece of pipe cleaner for arms. Then a felt dress which I’d cut was pulled over the doll’s head, and the girls used needle and thread to sew the dress’ sleeves around the arms and the dress around the clothespin body. We used craft glue to attach little wooden beads to the ends of the pipe cleaner to make hands, and added a bit of wool roving to the doll’s head for hair. Of course, no Autumn Fairy would be complete without a little acorn cap to use as a hat (which we’d had to hunt down from last year’s acorns, looking through the humus under some oak trees in our neighborhood park to find the few caps which had been spared by the squirrels and composting).As soon as the fairies were complete, we went into the kitchen for the tea party proper. We had finger sandwiches, mini muffins, crackers and fruit. I had all sorts of plans for “tea,” but ran out of time, so the teapot contained apple juice. Todd also made a foamy pink “fairy brew,” which was a hit: pineapple juice mixed with ginger ale and sherbet.When lunch was through, we went out back to beat at the piñata. It was a cheap piñata (which wasn’t even paper mache – it was cardboard connected with masking tape; where are Stephen and Shawna when you need them?) and didn’t take long to crack, which Gwendolyn did with a massive blow, just after everyone had taken a turn.With bags of candy in tow, we went into the kitchen to sing happy birthday and enjoy the cupcakes Auntie Tiffany had made. As the girls were finishing up, they noticed little bits of paper stuck to the bottom of their plates – puzzle pieces which turned out to be the first clue in a series which led them on an elaborate treasure hunt. The treasure? The goody bags: Little purses I had sewn which contained flower seeds to plant, some stickers, handmade hairclips, bouncy balls (Linus’s contribution), and a ringpop.

The party ended right on time and I think everyone had a great time – I know the birthday girl was very pleased. Afterward, we opened presents (we had specified “no gifts, please” on the party invitations, so most of her friends brought lovely handmade cards). Gwendolyn got lots of new clothes, hair bands and clips, a new ensemble for ballet class, a jump rope, dress up jewelry, a tutu and her favorite gift – a rock tumbler. We all had a great time celebrating this sweet little girl.

party ready

We spent the day putting final touches on all the items needed for the big party. More details tomorrow.

sixth birthday crafts: letterpress cards

We're preparing for another birthday celebration this weekend and wanted to document the handmade side of the festivities before we document the actual festivities.

Gwendolyn has been busy hand-coloring her birthday tea party invitations: letterpress printed cards featuring an original linocut of teapots by Todd.

peachy

peach halves, peach jam, peach syrup

Fifteen pounds of peaches + three hours in a hot kitchen = 5 quarts of peach halves, 4 pints of jam, 4 pints of syrup.

25 pounds :: 7 quarts, 3 pints

craft countdown: crocheted beanie

*****

Today we travel to Idaho for the big reunion, the whole reason for all this crafting. Apparently, it's cold enough there that we are actually going to need to wear beanies.

craft countdown: I-Spy bags

*****

Linus, when a Destroyer song begins to play: "Is this the song that Winnie the Pooh sometimes sings?"

craft countdown: beanbag for the goodie bag

When Gwendolyn first heard about the family auction of handmade items, she immediately went to work on a "goodie bag". She concocted a bag out of paper and decorative tape and filled it with her own idea of treasures: scraps of fleece, a bird feather with yarn tied around it, clothespins colored with marker and an old paintbrush wound in colorful yarn. With my help and encouragement, she has added candy, stickers and a hand-sewn beanbag.

*****

Gwendolyn: I’m a special kind of superhero. I’m the special-est.
Todd: You’re a superhero specialist? Specialist at what?
Gwendolyn: At carrying trucks . . . and having fights! And you’re a supervillain – I mean, superbadguy. My best friend (that’s Linus) is a supermonkey, and his name is Soupnut. And my name is Madette.

I guess she does know what she’s talking about – sounds pretty superhero to me.

craft countdown: felt dress-up crowns

craft countdown: bandana pants

Pictured is the pair I made for Linus, and it is damn near impossible to get the boy to wear any other pants.

*****

Apparently, Gwendolyn believes in reincarnation.
Todd: "One day you'll grow up."
Gwennie: "And then I'll die, Daddy, and then I'll get to be a baby again."

Today I was sustained as Education Counselor in the Relief Society presidency. I have mixed emotions.

craft countdown: letterpress printed cards

The children helped Todd print today. The results will be tipped into their paste paper to make cards.

*****

A few days ago, Gwendolyn set up a petting zoo in the playroom with a number of stuffed animals and finger puppets and separated the animals according to species. Admission was 4 cents. Today, she told everyone they could pet her plastic turtle for 10 cents, if they would give her a "dip". (tip)

Todd finds Casper crying in the living room and after comforting him, I question the most likely suspect.
Mama: Linus, why was Casper crying?
Linus: A big brother just poked him in the mouth.
Mama: Well, listen to me big brother, you never put things in babies’ mouths.
Linus: Actually, I’m not a big brother, I’m a MAN.

craft countdown: handmade stencils with fabric paint

Note the t-shirts, made from Gwennie's drawings:

"Robot Feeding the Birds" and "Roach"