Just when you think you've seen it all...

I have grown up on the artsy side. I have used many mediums. I began my art "career" with oils when I was in the 5th grade. I graduated to acrylics, then pen and ink, then clay, fabric, etc. I thought I had just about done and seen it all... that is, until today.
Have you ever considered Duct Tape? Well... consider it. It seems it's the next up and coming prom trend. Yes, I said PROM.. as in tuxedos and swanky dresses. Check out this website and be amazed at what these kids have done with duct tape and a little financial incentive!


P.S. My Tupperware lady asks that you vote for her nephew. He's #3977. I found it hard to narrow it down to one vote. The winners receive a $3000 scholarship! By the way, how do you suppose they... well, never mind!

Quilts, Embroidery, Deadlines and Vomit Oh my!

Whew! What a week! Actually what a couple of weeks. I thought once the kids got out of school things would come to a dramatic halt. No more alarm clocks, no more 30 minute drives in traffic to school, then 30 minutes back, only to turn around and get them at 2:30... it twas all a pipe dream.

The first weekend after school, in sleepy bliss, Job comes in with the dreaded words "Dad, I just threw up" Thus the beginning of a very long evening (ahem) morning.
Three days later, of course Jeff is in Canada, I step out of the shower to hear Job say some more dreaded words... "Mom, Gabriella says she's not feeling well." Then I heard it. The sound no one wants to hear, especially right before breakfast.

All I can say at this point is... Thank God for carpet cleaners!

Of course, nothing happens in this house unless A. Jeff is out of town, or B. I have a magazine deadline. This week hit both nails right on the head. Of course my last deadline with DESIGNS in Machine Embroidery Magazine was delayed due to my kidney stone. I promised I wouldn't ask for another extension, and this past week I was determined to get these done without the dreaded extension.

So, in between carpet cleaning sessions and diaper changing sessions (yes, we're still in those too) I worked on my 2 articles for DESIGNS.

So what are they you ask with great anticipation???? (hehe)

One is called a Sweet Treat Pouch. It's a cute little Christmas treat pouch made out of felt. You embroider the entire project in the hoop... one hooping! I was originally going to make this one of those projects you embroider then either put together outside of the hoop, or put together in the hoop then turn inside out... but that was too easy. No I had to make my life difficult by off-setting the little gingerbread man so you couldn't turn it inside out. So, I did the next best thing. You embroider all of the components on the main heart, then put the back of the pouch underneath the hoop, and finish it off. Clever. (and oh so humble at that).

These are really cute and quick projects that one can make as goodie bags for a party, or for an everyday treat. I will be making some variations of this design for additional holidays, like Valentines Day.

This project is not yet available on my website. It will be available within the month, and i will post a link once it gets posted. In the meantime, watch for it in the Sept/October edition for DESIGNS in Machine Embroidery magazine.

The second project that will be in the same edition is a North Woods Style Wreath. This posed one problem for me... firm and long-lasting. How do you create an embroidery design that's firm? Especially an appliqué? Well, you don't use batting. Instead, you use puffy foam. It's soft and flexible, yet stays firm on the wreath!

With this project, you place the backing fabric right side down on your stabilizer, then add a layer of Puffy Foam (or crafting foam). The needle will literally cut the foam in the shape you need, so after it's done, just lift off the foam, and the shape will remain. It worked like a charm!

For more details on how to create this wreath, check out the Sept/Oct. Edition of DESIGNS in Machine Embroidery Magazine.

Now off to the 2 quilts that were due sometime in may. Hopefully I can finish those up before the girls graduate college in 4 years!

Until then, Happy Embroidering!

Tick, Tick, Ticking...

I have hesitated in commenting on this, but I feel pressed to add my comments on the Virginia Tech shootings. First, may express my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of VT and their victims. This was a senseless crime. As much as we want to investigate and analyze, I don't thing we will ever really know what makes someone do what this Cho guy did.

When I first realized the magnitude of the shooting, I couldn't help but be reminded of an old Elton John song entitled "Ticking". I don't believe it was a very popular song, but it's been one of my overall favorites (musically, not subject-wise). If you must know, my all time favorite EJ song is Skyline Pigeon, in which he sang publicaly many years after it's popularity for Ryan [White] at his funeral.

Anyway, here are the lyrics to Ticking written by Bernie Taupin:

(Available on the album Caribou)

"An extremely quiet child" they called you in your school report
"He's always taken interest in the subjects that he's taught"
So what was it that brought the squad car screaming up your drive
To notify your parents of the manner in which you died

At St. Patricks every Sunday, Father Fletcher heard your sins
"Oh, he's unconcerned with competition he never cares to win"
But blood stained a young hand that never held a gun
And his parents never thought of him as their troubled son

"Now you'll never get to Heaven" Mama said
Remember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Grow up straight and true blue
Run along to bed"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking

They had you holed up in a downtown bar screaming for a priest
Some gook said "His brain's just snapped" then someone called the police
You'd knifed a Negro waiter who had tried to calm you down
Oh you'd pulled a gun and told them all to lay still on the ground

Promising to hurt no one, providing they were still
A young man tried to make a break, with tear-filled eyes you killed
That gun butt felt so smooth and warm cradled in your palm
Oh your childhood cried out in your head "they mean to do you harm"

"Don't ever ride on the devil's knee" Mama said
Remember mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Pay your penance well, my child
Fear where angels tread"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking

Within an hour the news had reached the media machine
A male caucasian with a gun had gone berserk in Queens
The area had been sealed off, the kids sent home from school
Fourteen people lying dead in a bar they called the Kicking Mule

Oh they pleaded to your sanity for the sake of those inside
"Throw out your gun, walk out slow just keep your hands held high"
But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door
Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law

"You've slept too long in silence" Mama said
Remember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
"Crazy boy, you'll only wind up with strange notions in your head"
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking

So the social worker in me is intrigued by what Cho did and how he did it. What makes a mind snap as his did? When did it snap? Did it snap weeks ago when he planned this event, or did he plan the event in anticipation of the snap?

Was his childhood ticking inside of him? Did the bomb finally get triggered Monday?

This has opened up the whole discussion about safety and our schools. Was it Colombine... all over again, just on a larger scale?

Which leads to the question I have and perhaps some of you can answer...

When I hear descriptions of Cho, or Eric Harris, or Dylan Klebold... someone I know comes to mind. In fact, when ever I hear of a school on lock-down or a shooting, I listen wondering if it's this person. What do you do if you know a Dylan Klebold, or a Eric Harris???

I don't think we can make sense of what happened. I don't think evil has sense. All we can do from this point on is try to learn how to make this never happen again, and pray for healing.

We are so saddened by your loss, our hearts and prayers go out to you who have suffered in this terrible tragedy. Be strong and know that HE is God.

Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. Ecclesiastes 8:12