Helloooo, Summer!

Happy, crafty Summer of 2011!  We are in the thick of making--and have been for more than 2 weeks.  We are having more fun than this mama has time to chronicle.

Projects completed:
Painted mini birdhouses (Tween & Mama)
Painted cactus pot (Tween)
White t-shirt yarn made (Mama)
Velvet ribbon necklaces and bracelet (Mama)
Daisy beaded bracelet (Tween)
Summer official scoobido bracelet (Tween)
American Girl Doll bag with matching coin wallet (Tween)
Garden goddess and other repurposed dish art (Mama)
Garden wire fence chandelier (Mama)
Chicken wire and ribbon swag light (Mama)
Garden decorated (Mama)
Food garden planted (Mama)
Shutters painted for a headboard project (Mama)

Projects in process:
Knit t-shirt-yarn rug (Mama)
Knit rag-yarn chair cushion cover (Mama)
"Subway art" tea sign  (Mama)
Painted canvas (Tween & pal)
More beaded flower bracelets (Tween)
Painted music cabinet to decopage (Mama)
Dollhouse plans! (Tween & Mama)
Headboard (Mama)

More to come...perhaps with photos.  And an occasional flashback to projects competed between last summer and now.

Time Flies = Having Fun!

Tween's creations

How do those pro bloggers post so regularly? We took a two-week vacay at the end of June, followed by house guests, and zippo! No word here from then til now! Hardly a real problem...except for wanting to chronicle our creative summer.

Crazily, Mama knit a lace mohair scarf in a day on Amtrak during the trip. Gave it as a gift to Best Pal on our visit--and never thought to snap a pic. (As if those pics may ever actually make it to this spot....)

Finished one knit pillow cover, the second is close to done.

Made 24 quarts of dill pickles.

Made 7 pints of blueberry jam....with the old, unhealthy pectin. Froze berries; dried berries; baked with berries multiple times. (Did I mention the family went berry picking?)

First sewing project

Learned to use the new sewing machine; a post in itself. 

Started a lace shawl with vacation yarn.

Our symbol of summer

Tween is always creating something: first little stuffed creatures, and now a blooming passion for lanyards (gimp/scoubydo). Mama proudly wears two bracelets in homage to our "summer camp."

Also invented some bracelets and rings from dried paint! The violin improves weekly, and singing is our life soundtrack; she is so proud to be in the city chorale come fall. A peach pit ring is in the works.



 Together we made beach glass pendants. Today, we painted frames for artwork.

Mama's beach glass creations.

And there has been swimming and sitting in the sun to read...until the skeeters drive us in.

Tween's hand-sewn and painted purses.

July was a lot of month!