I took the handmade pledge and am taking a stand against mass production. Join me: www.ipledgehandmade.com #pledgehandmade

I took the handmade pledge and am taking a stand against mass production. Join me: www.ipledgehandmade.com #pledgehandmade

Expanding into Zibbet

What is Zibbet?  A new site to sell handmade! You have to love any site that gives the love to handmade artists, just in time for the holidays I will be able to get my Indigo dye love out there. I am excited and I hope you are too.

Come on over and visit. I am having a SALE to celebrate expanding. Wahoo!

http://www.zibbet.com/BurntToastRanch

Family Games and summer learning

My oldest is 9 and my youngest is 5, these are some of our favorite games. The oldest gets to teach--as does the middle child.

• Sum Swamp
• No Stress Chess
• Old Maid
• Mermaid Cards
• Pizza Fraction Fun Game
• Math Dice

I also purchase workbooks off of amazon for the summer months. Each child has to do 3 pages when they wake up in the morning.  These are some of my favorites--

• Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills
• Sylvan Fun on the Run Series
• Sylvan Workbooks

I also do science in the afternoons, last year we focused on geology and did lots of "field trips" to local areas.  This year I have signed up the girls for a weekly earth science program a wonderful woman I know is running. They only have 3 sessions and then we are onto Monterey.

We go to the library weekly for books and are working on handwriting styles. They are really liking the last.

ATC-changes

 

My first ATC trade. I had no idea what to expect and followed the guidelines online 2.5x3.5. I did the theme change. After arriving and learning more, a group usually has a theme picked out for each month.

Mine curled and were crazy. I love them

It was a nice change to do something so far out of my comfort zone. I don't work with paper at all. Gelatin Monoprint with images from the internet.

Dye Day with a friend

Inspiration hits..sometimes friends help.

I had a friend over to dye with today. Sometimes dyeing with others is not ideal but this woman just brings out the creativity inside of me.
So chilly and it rained off and on. Normally a horrible day for dyeing and one I would have avoided. Thank goodness she was here because I wouldn't have dyed otherwise.

Art Group Exercise on Anasazi Art Work

We worked on detail, using a piece of white cotton adhered to freezer paper. Why? So permanent and fabric pens wouldn't mush the fabric. The paper stiffens the fabric.
What you need;
1 White Fat Quarter
1 piece of Freezer paper
Permanent pens---they tend to run so act with caution but     they are good for bold lines.
Fabric Markers with different tips
If you want to fill in the white or are making a scene and want to color it Dyna flo and Lumiere paints work really well. Just remember to use a textile extender with the Lumiere paints.
Iron on the freezer paper (wax side to the fabric) to the fabric med. heat no steam.

Picture of ears of corn. The presenter had an example of  corn of the time.

A piece of pottery.

I like this one for a quilting design.

Once you start drawing you realize the absolute symmetry these artisans had.

Memorial Day

Every year for the last 4 years in Colorado Springs we have held a BBQ, today is no different. The only difference is we are having cancellations from families at the last minute. What to do? Tons of food and prep work....already done in anticipation of a large crowd.  What am I doing about it? Vodka. Vodka in my Arnold Palmer's.
I am stressed out and cant cope.
Tomorrow. I have a teeth cleaning scheduled and a maybe root canal. Friday she wasn't sure if it was a root canal procedure or a filling that needed to be done. Looks close to the nerve she said as she showed me the x-ray. To me it did not. But alas I am not the Doc. They couldn't schedule for the maybe root canal until the 4th of June, however they could do a cleaning on the 28th. after much bitching they said maybe they could do the root canal/filling after the cleaning. Did I mention this is a new Dentist. Did I mention we are an Active Duty military family that is scheduled to PCS in a month. That my husband just received his orders last Tuesday? That they were messed up as usual. That Monterey housing is blique at best with some of the worst schools in the nation?  $2900 a month for 1800 sq.ft.? First, last month + deposit. The Air Force does not pay for move in amounts...and our taxes are not back yet. $9000 to just move in to a place, when we find one. I am cleaning and getting rid of stuff--been doing this for awhile. The moving survey team should be here today or tomorrow.
I am however thankful for friends who are going to be taking care of the girls this week. The ones who are catching my every misstep. I suck at good-byes, I cry alot. 12 years and numerous moves later it has not gotten any easier....I will keep going and try not to worry about all the household items that will be broken,lost or stolen by our excellent movers and which we will be paid 40% on the dollar to replace.  I will not worry about our current landlord giving us our deposit back in a timely manner. I will not worry that one of our cars may or may not make it to CA. I will breathe. I will just keep saying that as I enjoy my drink of the day.