Ceramics Flashback

This jewelry box was from my eighth grade art class. (I re-found it recently packed away in a box.) Once upon a time it had a square lid with a handle that fit it approximately. The lid seems to be a casualty of time, but the box itself is in one piece. It still is engraved with my last name and class period on the bottom (from before it went in to kiln) as well as my full name, year, and what appears to be y teacher's grade penciled on the bottom of it. (Pretty sure it was an A.)

 It may not have been perfect but for a kid it was my way from the shape to the heart on one side to the rough rainbow on the other and the green and brown glaze.

I have a lot of great memories from that lass... it seems some that even have something to do with art. It was the last art class I took in school choosing to spent my high school arts in music.

Beaded Jewelry Collection

What can you get from an inexpensive bead ring kit that severely lacks directions? With a little creativity, imagination, and a desire to try some new things... a whole collection of beaded jewelry. One kit for $1 (at local Dollar Store) + a few things I already had on hand (equaling only an added few pennies here and there) = a new collection of beaded jewelry. (9 Pieces to be more exact.)


 Three beaded rings. (A Flower, a peace sign, & a cloud burst.)

+

One 'Marie Antoinette *after* the guillotine' inspired choker.

 

+

Two Beaded Slave Bracelets. (Water and Fire inspired.)

+

Bottled Amulet on Beaded Necklace

+

Beaded Rainbow Bracelet

 +

Beaded Twist Ring

+

And with the wire all used up there are still beads to spare.

=

So, to recap - nine pieces of jewelry (with beads leftover) from one box of wire and seeds beads.

Keep your eyes open, you never know what you might find. (Guess what kids, I still have another box that I haven't opened yet.)

Beaded Bracelet

With the last bit of wire and beads, I made this rainbow themed wire bracelet. A little color is good for the soul.

Needlepoint Bookmarks

Need something to hold your place in that book? Or mark your favorite poem? (Especially helpful since April is National Poetry Month.)

You could use a piece of scrap paper (we all have them and we've all done it), or bend down the edge of the page (the shame!), but I made these bookmarks using cross stitch techniques and colored embroidery floss to use in my large collection of books. (I love books... the way they look, feel, smell, and the stories they hold. It's a love story, a seduction, an addiction. Old or young, they are beautiful and magical.)

The hot air balloon pattern was approximately from a pattern in a book of bookmark designs (with some adjustments for my personal preferences). It's a good pattern to play with colors and combinations.

The second bookmark is my own psychadellic pattern using a swirling rainbow of colors and bits of leftover threads from other projects that there isn't enough for other other things. (Anyone who does a fair amount of needlepoint probably has a collection built up.)

Even the edging on these was hand done.

Teaching Colors

A few years ago I spent my summer not at camp, but taking care of a three-year-old on a daily basis and traveled with the family as their nanny. Everyday we tried to do projects that would help her explore her world and learn new things.

She knew her colors, but in exploring how to mix colors we did tie dye. (Because tie dye is awesome.) Using dye in the three primary colors (red, yellow, & blue for those who weren't sure,) and various shirts her mother had pulled (it was a great way to being new life to those light colored shirts with stains that every kid's parent has stuffed away), she learned all about how to mix the three primary colors to create the secondary colors (purple, green, & orange). We used bottles to make make things more usable for a little girl and created a rainbow of creations.

St. Patty's Table and Dinner

Cheers! Another St. Patty's Day passed. Check out the table settings all put together and the menu served on it. (The boys were a little late for dinner, but everything held and it ended up just as yummy and just as nice as they devoured the feast in their typical record time.)

The Table Settings

Menu
An Irish Inspired Stew
Peas (we have to make the separate since not all of my brothers like them)
Pot of Gold (or Cheddar Beer Soup) (with some alterations since I am vegetarian and have no interest in a meaty stew, including using vegetable broth instead of chicken)
Deep Fried Battered Pickle Chips (not b/c they are Irish, but I like them & they are green)
Traditional Soda Bread
Apple Cider
Beer
Shamrock Cut Out Cookies (from a favorite local bakery)
Rainbow Cupcakes
Brownies

Rainbow Cupcakes

It's been a  busy day of baking and cooking to getting ready for tonight's St. Patty's dinner. For a special treat, I made rainbow cupcakes. (They're going to double as part of the center piece.) I started with mixing a white cake mix batter (in this cake I just used a boxed cake mix that was already in the cupboard) according to the directions.Then divided it into six bowls and colored with the colors of the rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

 I layered each color in paper lined cupcake pans. The large cupcakes have a bit of every color, the small cupcakes have at least three colors or more each. I like mixing the regular sized cupcakes with the small bit-size ones. Then into the oven to cake (according to the recipe/directions) until done. (Usually sticking a toothpick in and coming out clean is the best way.)

Let cool. Ice and decorate. (I used a white cream cheese frosting with some green sugar sprinkles. I looked for shamrocks, but had trouble finding them.)

I don't need to a rainbow for luck... I made my own. Sweet, yummy, and might lead to a treasure all it's own.