Bibliosophy Handmade

Ending our Lenten week

 
We finished off our Lenten theme for last week with some pretzels, a traditional food for this time of year in the spirit of fasting.  The very simple recipe we used, as below, was mixed after naps, and ready in time for an afternoon snack:

Pretzels

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp. salt, 1 T. sugar

4 cups flour

Mix ingredients together.  Break off small pieces and roll into long logs; shape into pretzels.  Place on parchment covered baking sheet, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes. 

Our painting projects from earlier in the week became some "stained glass windows" for the family room.  Next time we will brush the back of our paper with vegetable oil to make it more transluscent!

 
This week our theme is St. Patrick!

 

This Moment

Joining Soulemama with a moment from our week...

 

Dyeing Playsilks

 
This was really fun.  I've been looking at playsilks for the kids for a while now, but at $16.00 a pop for 100% silk ones, they may only ever have had one to play with!  But, with a little DIY, we now have 10 lovely silkies to imagine with, each only about $2.50.  I loosely used the instructions found here, and experimented a little with timing and coloring.
After ordering my 22 x 22" silks from here, I unearthed my Wilton cake dyes from a previous yarn dyeing project and made my color choices.  With my very limited selection, I was going for a blue, purple, pink/red, orange, and green. 
Starting with "Kelly Green," I filled my soup pot about 1/2 full and heated to boiling.  Turned it down to med-low, and added my food coloring (about 1 1/2 tsp.) and white vinegar (about 3 Tbsp.).  Mix it all together, and add your scarves (which you have previously gotten wet, so they will take up the dye easier).  Stir them around, and "steep" for about 15-20 minutes.  Rinse in a colander in the sink with cool water, squeeze out, and hang to dry.  Easy.  Do it again for the other colors you want. 

One catch: the cake dye can be completely unpredictable, and colors *often* don't turn out the way you expect.  My Kelly Green scarves?  Where are they?
After steeping, the green color totally washed out in the rinse, and I was left with a pretty turquoise blue.  Lovely, but not what I was going for.  I tried it twice to make sure I hadn't goofed something, but for some reason the blue is all that stuck (hence the four blue scarves).  I plan to try to over-dye the lighter two blue scarves with another green at a later date.  My pinks were a little unpredictable too, with the "Creamy Peach" turning out just a shade lighter than the "Pink" dye I used.  The "Violet" was a rousing success though, and I've got two more undyed scarves to get my yellow/orange color on later.
Great fun overall, and the set as it stands now will be going to the little girl for a first birthday present!  I chose to make playsilks that are 22" square, because I thought the smaller size would be more suitable for my little ones.  They'll probably be mainly used for peekaboo, music and movement, and of course, general silliness.  Because anything you can put on your head is still supremely funny around here.

So, if you've done any dyeing, can you point me to some reliable greens and oranges?

Art with toddlers

 
I find doing art with my son somewhat scary, because of potential mess, but very worthwhile.  He enjoys the process, and I try to be hands-off and let him explore the way he wants.  Which in most cases, is not what I had envisioned.  We're slowly finding our way with new materials and techniques, and I'm learning some practical ways of containing mess, while allowing him the freedom to create.

 
He is learning too as we go, and has gained surprising control over glue.  That is really scary!  But he is only allowed to use his art materials under supervision, and, once done, they are quickly whisked away.  I would love to have a utility-type room devoted to this someday (probably we will end up in corner of the basement), but for now, everything is out in our family room, so that we have the best chance of squeezing some art in our day.

 
This is his art corner; just a short wall really, with an IKEA easel (really good buy, $14 I think, if you're looking), and a cube end table from the old house.  The height is perfect for little bodies, and he can easily stand to work.  I always set out an activity for him, with a very limited selection of materials.  He is easily distracted by organizing things, so the fewer tools available, the better.  I purchased two of these plastic bins to create projects in (from IKEA, $3/each), and they're great at containing mess, plus you can wash them out!  We don't use much paper yet; I've found my favorite support for him to work on are the cardboard backing pieces that come with Amazon book orders.  They're nicely trimmed cardboard perfect for holding lots of wet. 

 
All our other materials are kept in bins in our wooden cupboard in the family room, and the whole system is working pretty well. 

 
I'm looking forward to spring and summer when we can move things outside and really go to town.  The little girl will be probably be joining us by then; her art is limited to finger painting with her food these days!

An art area of his own

 

My goal for the weekend was to finally set Little Guy up with an art studio.  Art has been such an important influence and joy in my life, and I've been looking forward to sharing it with my children for a long time now.  Since the boy is now moving and exporing, I thought it was time to offer him the opportunity to start drawing.  Last summer, I read Susan Striker's book Young At Art, and am going to try her very gradual method of introducing art experinces to children, alongside other fast and fun activities.  She advises introducing colors and materials slowly, so right now he only has a black crayon and white paper.  Once he's fully explored the black on white, we'll move to white on black, then slowly add the primary colors.  Its a fascinating book and talks about the important part that scribbling plays in a child's development.  I found the part about the connections between scribbling/drawing and reading readiness fascinating, and am looking forward to observing Little Guy through his next few years of art explorations.

We found this little old child's desk at an antique mall for a nice price, and it is perfect.  The cast iron legs can be adjusted to different heights, so it suits his diminuitve frame now, and can be adjusted as he grows and starts our homeschooling in a few years.  There is no chair presently, because I want him to stand so he can more easily manipulate the crayon on the paper.  This corner of our kitchen is perfect, and the window frame provides the perfect place to stick these on a rotating basis.  I want him to appreciate art, not just make it.  And the little postcards in the basket are just objects to play with now, but eventually I hope to engage him in talking about the subject matter.  He's still at the age where there's a fair amount of trying to eat the materials, but I can't wait to introduce him to new mediums over time:)

And the last picture there, well, that is his first scribble.  I am very proud. 

inspired quilt-making

  Since taking up quilt-making last year, I've enjoyed playing with the gorgeous fabrics on the market and designing them based on things from my everyday.  My Spring at Siebenthaler's quilt was created this way, inspired by the local garden center's annuals greenhouse.  Each rectangular section represents a table with a variety of annuals, with the cream sashing the walkways between tables.

Jane Brocket takes a similar approach to quilt-making in her new book, and with an idea or scene from her life, she weaves a story about the quilt which helps her make fabric and color choices.  In an interview I read in Fat Quarterly with her about the book, she says she writes "from the point of view of an enthusiastic amateur, someone who isn't a designer and doesn't have advanced quilting skills...[she's] keen to emphasize that rules and ideals of perfection aren't as important as enjoying yourself with fabric."  Yes!  This is why I quilt: to play with fabric, and make something pretty that pleases me.

The book is quite nice, and she uses bright, colorful fabrics to great advantage.  I particularly like this Russian Shawl quilt:

And I think this Suits and Ties quilt would be a great gift for a man:

 

It's made from old woolen suits and ties, sewn together in patches.  (The only problem is how to wash it?  Any ideas?)

I'm paying more attention now to the things around me, and hope to be struck by inspiration for a new quilt soon!

a busy day

We did a lot of creating yesterday:

A surprise gift for a grandma....

Some new prints...

And more stitches on the Big Stitches Quilt; with a few more, we'll be done!

What have you been making lately?

pastel paintings

Hello!  We had a lovely weekend here with sunny skies and warm weather; hoping Spring is almost here!  And aren't these just the perfect Spring-y paintings?

The Garden Parasol, 1910

The Birdcage, 1910

Good Morning, 1913

Another new favorite artist, American Frederick Carl Frieseke.  Aren't they gorgeous?  These pretty colors are really delighting me right now!

I'm in crazy baby-waiting mode, and about to tackle some new projects.  Like these:

From, The Purl Bee

I need this baby out now: anyone have suggestions for naturally inducing labor?  Last time I tried the birth ball (didn't work).  I finally went into labor after eating Chipotle?  So that's where we're having dinner tonight, after lots of walking today!:)  Wish me luck!

skirt collage

Apron Skirt, by Dottie Angel

Isn't this wonderful?  It is inspiration for my spring and summer dressing.  Elastic waistbands will my friends, and skirts are just so much more comfortable in the heat than pants!

 

by Saidos da Concha on Flickr

From Green Wellies Flickr

I have a modest collection of vintage aprons, and am always sorry that I can't wear them out of the house.  So, I will be putting them to use on some "skirt collages," soon to be undertaken, as soon as I can get a realistic measurement of my presently non-existent waist!  (I may have to cheat in my eagerness and measure a skirt from last year post-baby!  It is an elastic waistband, after all.)

And a couple of goody piles for my inspiration....it's fun looking through the stash to find embellishments and odds and ends.

 

What styles are getting you excited for Spring dressing?

I'm off to a quilt show tomorrow; hope you too have something fun planned for the weekend!

at the drawing board

I feel vulnerable posting this, as I haven't shared any artwork with others in so long....but...

I've been relaxing with my colored pencils lately....I always forget just how quieting I find the simple exercise of drawing, especially with all my favorite colors.

For years now I've struggled with subject matter, and deciding just what to draw.  Depicting my favorite things seemed natural, but just what were those things?  Color and pattern was always important, and what I am attracted to in other art, but how to recreate that in my work?

This little still life was a great first step on the path to discovering my drawing niche, I think.  Simple tools I use everyday that I have a fondness for, on a bright, patterned background to add some clashing color and interest.

I'm pretty pleased with this little piece and look forward to trying more!  I'm hoping to have a new crochet pattern finished by tomorrow to share, we'll see!