Kleas

Rhythm

   

One of my favorite lecture topics from last weeks training was rhythm.  How to create a certain patterned movement to every day life.  We learned how this is so helpful to our children for establishing a routine in their lives.  We lived a very rhythmic life the two weeks we were together in Milwaukee.  Each day was mapped out for us and moved with ease and grace to get us through the program.  Song, lecture, Eurythmy, coffee break, lecture, song, lunch, outdoor walk, lecture, music, coffe break and finally handwork.  Handwork.  Probably my favorite part of the day.  We talked about the importance of children seeing us doing handwork.  Love that.  We first made knitting needles out of chop sticks with colorful fimo knobs at the ends.  We were to then knit (or crochet) a cat.  I've been knitting for twenty years yet have been wanting to learn how to crochet, so I took this opportunity to finally learn how.

We used hand-dyed wool to make the rectangles, which we then stitched and stuffed into cats.  A simple pattern with basic instructions, but really adorable results.  Here is the mother and two kittens I made...

...and some of the others made by fellow classmates.

Our second week of handwork we were told we would be making aprons.  I was so excited.  Finally!! (I thought) I'd learn how to use a sewing machine.  Wrong.  We were to stitch them by hand.  The idea of handwork is not to sew something quickly, but to have something in your lap to work on while you are with your children.  I learned some basics, like how to cut out a pattern and how seam binding works.  I haven't quite finished my apron yet, but here it is in it's WIP stage.

 

     As for rhythm...well, it seems I have a lot of work to do there.  It's all a juggling act since I leave town so often for work.  It's just been a few days since I've been home, but Peanut and I going to find a way to make it happen.

 

New chapter

Just checking in after a long break from the computer.  I have been in Milwaukee this past week where I have started my one year training for this amazing program.  It's a pretty intensive two week study and I am loving every minute of it...it is everything and more than I had expected.  I feel quite blessed that I have already made some dear friends here.  I'm sure I'll miss them all when we go home on Friday.  We have been working on some fun and interesting projects that I'll be sure to share when I get home next week.  See you all then!! 

For all of you celebrating Father's Day today...blessings on the dads.

Newport

Work sent me to the East Coast last week.  I got to spend the past six days in Newport, Rhode Island.

Here are some photos I took from our tour of Astors Mansion.

Lovely detail of a hand stitched bed spread.

View from the yard.

    

    

 

Even while working, it was a good week and I was so happy to be with some of my friends.  One of whom bought me this hillarious deck of cards.  Here's a sample of some of them.

My last day there I was thrilled to get together once again (first meeting here) with this dear friend, who made the drive to Newport with her sweet husband.  We had a lovely lunch by the harbor where Mimi gave me this gorgeous pack of beautifully felted wool in all shades of delicious blue.

We walked and talked and took photos.

We spotted this bag Mimi is pointing to in the window of a shop and I thought it funny I last posted about the same fabric which had inspired me to make this ATC.

Thanks to you both for the visit!  And for all the blogging help...I may be able to one day post all my favorite links in the side bar after all.

Finally, leaving Newport (in a bit of a rush to catch my flight).

Just playing around

I first saw a mood board at Veronica's site and had visions of organizing myself in this way.  It still hasn't happened.  I have the tendancy to tear out pages from magazines of images that grab my attention and inspire me.  They end up in a huge binder and every once in a while I get the urge to browse through them.  Many of them come from House and Garden magazine.  I love this publication for the beautiful photographs, cheap subscription price and the wonderful monthly letter from the editor, Dominique Browning.  There used to be a regular section called Fabric Obsession, which featured a wide variety of gorgeous textiles every month.  It seems to have disappeared from the publication which I'm really bummed about.  Anyway, I selected a few of these pages from my binder that were inspiring me at the moment.

The colors of these textiles were the first thing to catch my eye.  Using felt and embroidery floss, I made these ATCs.

This one I made for Raya for Vallen's ATC swap she hosted last month.  I got a little carried away with chain stitch filling in all the space to make this flower.  There must be a name for this type of stitching, but I have no idea what it is.  I stretched the felt out quite a bit so stuffed the petals of the flowers a little and was really happy with the result.

Maybe one day I'll get the hang of a mood board, but for now I'll just have to sort through the piles of pages looking for inspiration.