After School Enrichment

Well, for the last month, I have been teaching an arts and crafts class to 21  kindergartner, 1st and 2nd graders.  (all girls and one boy)

I had originally thought about teaching sewing, hand and machine sewing.  But the first class was a bit of a tactical disaster... no one could thread the needles, even with the easy threaders, they couldn't tie knots  etc.  I was met within minutes with a chorus of "I can't do this and I need help" and surrounded and eventually backed into a corner.  I got really good at quickly threading the needles and the kids were really patient with me.  The crocodile sewing kits were really adorable. 

Crocodile sewing kit

Open wide...

Instead of trying sewing again, I came up with several other ideas... decorating their initial with flowers, shells, feathers... making a god's eye with stick's and variegated yarn, and bookmarks.

For Mother's Day, the crafts were all about Mom.  Tissue Paper flowers: poppies, Irises, and daisies. (At least that's what I tried to have them make)   Simple Beaded necklaces and handprint flower cards.

The charm is a heart that says "Made with Love"

Serious workers!

This week, as I have a week break before the last class, I thought I'd have the kids decorate some fabric and make some simple stuffed items from it.  I gave the kids their choice of a horse (see my daughter's giraffe in a previous blog) bird, owl, initial or basic pillow.  By and large the kids did an excellent job decorating the fabric (and the desks, floor and themselves  - the paint is washable!)

I am excited to cut out the shapes and get them started.   Here's a few images of their designs.  And for the last class they will be sewing the pillow closed... and potentially sewing on some buttons and other beads.  Hopefully, I'll have some reinforcements!

And we are finally getting some warm weather here.  Really warm.  Which signals the official start of ice cream season... well, it's always ice cream season for me (you should see the store coupons we get every month because we purchase so much ice cream... seriously a potential problem.)

I like to challenge myself when we have friends to dinner... the dessert is always a constant, Graeters ice cream.  We've tried variations (ice cream sandwiches, truffles etc.) But this weekend I want to make my own drumsticks.  So I've been trying out some sugar cone recipes.  The first one I tried tastes delicious but really isn't what I think I want - for the drumsticks  - but it is mighty fine as a suger cone.  Once it cools it is really crunchy so if you don't work fast enough... you get cracks.

Only 4 ingredients!

Soft peaks

I first tried 7" circles which make huge cones... more like the waffle cones. 

This one cooled before I got the hang of rolling it... it was tasty!

We're making another batch tonight and a pound cake for the big birthday tomorrow.

I'll update the blog with photos of all my current projects!

Enjoy!

©salmonallley 2011

Triumph! - part 1

A few days ago, I tried to make sugar cones... with little success... Tonight, I have done it.  At least they seem to be turning out ok.  I still have to coat the insides with chocolate, freeze them add ice cream and chocolate coating... Stay tuned.  Though so far so good.

All lined up - ready for the chocolate coating.

Here's a link to this fantastic recipe: http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2009/01/tuile-madness-with-daring-bakers.html

4" circles...spread thin

Cooling on the rack...

I didn't add chocolate or food coloring, I was going for really simple on my first go around with a tuile recipe.  For so few ingredients it makes a lot! 

I don't have a silpat mat, I used parchment... over and over. It worked great.  I baked one at a time so I wouldn't let the circles cool too much.  That leads to cracking.  Also, the thinner you can spread out the batter the better but it is a fine balance of not too thin.  I need to figure out how to make the end stay really pointy.  For now, I think I'll just add a lot of chocolate to plug up the end. 

Baking on parchment square

Nifty tool helped to keep them rolled up.

A little pice broke off and it was crunchy and sweet... perfect for the homemade drumsticks.  I may never be able to eat a store bought cone again.  I wonder if I can find a recipe for the cake cones....

While I am waiting for the last of the batter to bake, here's some updated photos:

Birthday Pound Cake for my hubby!  his favorite.  I'm not much of a baker but he seemed to need the extra love.  Allie helped, good thing as she has the baking skills.  It's yummy.  I used the Classic Pound Cake recipe on Food Network.  I didn't measure to see if it called for a pound of all of the ingredients.  Maybe next time.

We have some really long, low loaf pans which made the cake fit the gorgeous french platter we received as a wedding gift.

I've got a quick project I want to complete before dinner tomorrow.  We're having company and our blue tablecloth has seen better days.  I am going to try my hand at fusing some colorful to it and create a design.  I've seen similar things at Anthropologie on pillows... I think I will work on the tablecloth.

I just need to select the fabrics....

Enjoy!

©salmonalley 2011

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, I've already broken a NY resolution... 

but I've been busy making things while I've been off-line. 

headbands, bags, quilts to name a few things.

Meanwhile, we are surrounded by babies on our street! 

Just this year, two new arrivals one boy and one girl.  

Both super cute and healthy.

To celebrate we are making some quilts.  

 We'll have a few tutorials and show the finished projects soon.

 

For Joey... a sweet baby, new this week!    He was born Monday.  I attended my monthly quilt guild meeting and we had a guest speaker, Kathy Loomis.  She has some AMAZING art quilts.  I came home inspired and when I found out Joey was born that evening I just had to get started on a quilt with Kathy's quilts as inspiration.  Here's the fabric we selected for the back...

 With the fabrics for the top.

 I cut a strips in various widths and sewed them together randomly.

 I am still tring to decide exactly how I want this to look.  But this is as far as I got Monday night.

 Also, Allie created an adorable giraffe... from start to nearly finished!  

Here's the initial muslin she sewed together using her pattern.  This looks a little more like a horse.  That's why you should always sew a muslin first, I explained to her!

 

I helped her expand her pattern to lengthen the neck using the same principles of lengthening any clothing pattern.  I am recreating it in this photo as I didn't stop to snap the photos while she was working.

And voila, a super cute, one-of-a kind giraffe stuffed animal.  She embellished this cutie with some vintage buttons for the spots and the eyes.  I think she was inspired by Robbie Porter, a fellow guild member and participant in Arts Alive a few weeks ago.  The giraffe isn't quite finished... but it's close.

 I love fabric flowers... I search on-line for ideas all of the time... love them.  I have tried my hand a few recently... here's a few of my attempts.

Muslin

ribbon and button

cut off from upcycled shirt 

home dec fabrics

 I just received a box of vintage buttons in the mail today.  Perfect for a gray, rainy day.  I have some sorting to do to put into the jars... Can wait to get started!

 

Enjoy!

copyright salmonalley 2011

Arts Alive

I just finished the most amazing week at my daughter's school.  Every two years they have a celebration of the arts.  (The alternate year is all about science.)  As I am an art consultant by day, I felt I could take on the challenge of finding artists for the week.

For some it is their first real introduction to art.

 Beautiful dancing by the Cincinnati Ballet... really beautiful!

Allie and the dancers... she had her pointe shoes with her and they gave her a signed pair! 

I hired dancers, musicians and singers as well as fine artists.  Everyday during the lunch, we had entertainment on the stage and artists in the lobby demonstrating their art. 

In addition, early in January, the art teachers had the students complete the Chuck Close project I envisioned.  The principal was a good sport to agree to be the subject of the painting.  A talented photographer on staff took the photo which I had enlarged to accommodate the 800 squares.  

We wanted the painted to be large enough for the Close impression.  I had calculated that 25 columns and 32 rows would maintain a nice proportion to the photo and allow for 800 individual squares.

Next how to make it happen:

After consulting with a co-worker, I decided to make this painting more like a quilt. 

- cut muslin into 4 1/2" squares and gesso-ed the center 3 1/2"

- enlarge photo to the full size and cut it into 3 12" squares

- label each square with a letter and number (row and column) to be able to reassemble

The teachers helped the kids paint their respective squares.  

Once I received all of the painted squares, 

I assembled the quilt one row at a time, 

similar to the way I taught my daughter to quilt.

The finished result is better than I had anticipated.  

The painting resembles the principle 

and is very impressive as a school project at nearly 10' tall. 

Enjoy!

salmonalley 2011

New Year's

It's a new year.  Time for reflections and resolutions.

2010 was great... I managed to publish posts several more times than 2009!  I finished quite a number of projects and participated in a craft show.  2011 will be even better.  

For starters, I've completely renovated my craft room.  New tables and storage -  I am ready to create lots of quilts, bags and other items.  I'll have photos later... I need to change the lighting first.

And, I finished a couple of lampshades for Christmas gifts.  They are really cute.  One in shades of purple fabrics for a little girl who loves purple and the other in the same fabrics as my shade.

Reflections of previous work...

A custom pillow for a friend who moved away.   A little trapunto on the bird and the nest & some applique on a beautiful russet linen fabric.

 And a pillow with a script T with vintage buttons for a friend's birthday. 

 

My goals for 2011...

Stay organized

Create something everyday - large or small

Finish uncompleted projects

Participate in craft show again

and share my creations more often on my blog.

I wish you a wonderful and Happy New Year.

© salmonalley  2011

First Craft Show - Success!

I have completed my first craft show!  It was an awesome experience.  I can say I have truly learned a lot about my products and what people will buy.    

What I sold: unique, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted totes and zipper pouches... and fleece Elf Hats.  Wearing the elf hat all day really made people smile and helped me begin to feel a little holiday spirit.  

Here we are at the very beginning... still setting up and getting things perfect.  Pictured with me are the namesakes for the blog, my kids Sam and Allie.  They were huge sports to get up so early to help out.  I very much appreciate all they did (set up, pricing, labeling, arranging, putting up with me!) - I am so lucky.

 Thank you to all of my family and friends for their support today.  It was awesome to have all of my sisters helping out... too bad I didn't think to get a photo. Next year?!

The biggest hit turned out to be my Lampshade sign - which was meant to be a banner.   But it was too tall, no where to hang it in the booth.   I cut it and pieced it horizontally and it fit perfectly on the lampshade... very cool!  This is a photo in the booth and another at home.  

I'm taking orders!   Great addition to a kids room, family room etc. 

The big bag!   It's a beautiful bag, sold!  I know it's going to a good home with someone who will love it. And I am designing a cosmetic bag to go with it! I'll put a photo of the new design on the blog soon. 

If you stopped by the booth, give me a shout, I'd love to hear from you.  If you purchased something from me, thank you! I hope it brings you joy.