For Want of a Pen...

Bought a calligraphy pen nearly a year ago. Why? Because I was going to make paper, and then use a calligraphy pen to write all fancy-schmantzy on it. I've made paper, it's true. But it wasn't exactly fancy-schmantzy paper. In fact, it turned out looking more like a wet paper bag. The antithesis of schmantzy. No where near FANCY. But, I had the pen...ready and waiting for my awesome beautiful paper when I finally got back around to making it.

Fast forward to now. The Hubby is done with students until the new year, and several stopped by his desk with little treats and gifts before they shut down their brains for the holidays. After hammering out the logistics, we decided to mail thank-yous on Christmas cards. Everyone likes getting mail that's not bills, right? And a THANK YOU? It's good to be loved and appreciated, isn't it? And look....we have this GREAT PEN to scribe the cards!

The ink is still brilliant and flowing, and the cards turned out lovely. I'm not sure if The Hubby has thanked students formally EACH year, but he did THIS year....down to the student that presented a simple candy cane and card, thanking him for caring so much about their success, and (surprise!) thanking *me* for helping with tie-dye. Awwww! It's the little things, isn't it?

Also, since I had fresh dye left over I spent yesterday dyeing fabric yardage. I bought a bolt of 50 yards perhaps 6 months ago, with the intent to dye some "for something, someday". Yesterday was the day. They turned out great. I'm happy. Only did about 10 yards, but that's 10 more yards that are "in circulation," ready to use.

Today: figured out how to add in-line pictures. This will be a lot more interesting with pictures.

Tie-Dye Marathon = DONE!

It was a long two days. So fun though!

Since it's been a year since dyeing anything (save for some yarn here and there) I was really excited to do it, but I may have outgrown tie dye in general. Like, for me. Every year there's a few shirts to take home and wash because a student is sick or a student "is sick" when it's time to rinse. I'm ok with that, things happen. Sometimes I even dye shirts for teachers that jump on the tie dye train, only to get cold feet when the time comes. While I was rinsing a handful of them at 6am, coffee cup perched on the edge of the sink, I didn't get that *WOW* feeling when I rinsed off the extra dye. More like a feeling of technical critique of the result. Bummer. They're all lovely, sound designs. Even pretty. But yeah....don't have the itch to do more, more, more. Wonder if that's what happens when you set out to do with "less". Everything is just satisfying, but not overly indulgent. Hmmm....food for thought.

Day One. I Missed It.

Somehow, I thought the first day was not today. Not that I fudged and cheated, justifying some OTHER day as the first day....I just forgot! We were hugely busy with the tie-dye thing today (went really well, btw.) and I was kinda shocked to find today was THE first day of no craft purchases. Did a LOT of crafting today though. Tie dye out the wazoo. And I've got bright red hands to prove it...the gloves. We get the gloves for a REASON.

More tomorrow. The second day is always easier, and today was fairly nice. Squirrel-ly middle school kids and all.

A Day of Pondering....

So, every year I volunteer my time (aaaahhh...what a sucker!) and help the hubby teach a science lab at school. Acids and Bases, covalent and ionic bonds, lab procedures. Heck, who am I kidding? We do ARTS AND CRAFTS!!! Then we make it legit by throwing some science in there.

I spent the entire day. Really...the ENTIRE day mixing dye. We're up to about 130 students I think, so it really took all day. They're going to be great. Then I thought...geez, when was the last time I mixed dye to dye up some fabric? It must have been last year at this time, for the same lab. How did I go a YEAR without dyeing? I don't know. So, I made sure to do a thorough job, both for good results and just because it had been so long.

Never noticed before, but the odor of dye powder kind of reminds me of raw bacon. Weird, but true.

Ah, and my hands are all splotchy and green and blue and black because I forgot to put gloves on. Some things never change.

Feeling pretty good about "shopping my stash" and using what I have. I should probably take "before" pictures so I can remember how plentiful the craft supplies are. Especially the fabric. Ohhh, the fabric!