Happy Tears

Happy tears, sort of a weird thing. Today was the first day I didn't teach, but because I had the day off of work, I helped at school (to give the new teacher all my records and get her up to date with the class and what they are studying), except I left for a few minutes to take my sick daughter to her aunt's house. It was a hard day, to say the least. I cried both happy and sad tears today. Sad because I wanted to be teaching the students and be in the room with them during their class time, but that wouldn't be fair to the new teacher. My oldest daughter's class is across the hall from the two classes that had my students (I guess ex-students, now). So when school let out and the children came out, all my students saw me waiting for my daughter. Can I just say how great 2nd Graders are? They all said they missed me and wished I would come back and teach them and gave me hugs and told me they loved me (they thought I didn't want to teach them any more). I explained if I could I would, and I would still be their sub if possible. I also explained that they should be kind to their new teacher and be good for her. They said they would but that they liked me better as a teacher; very sweet of them, but at that point I fell apart crying. I have done that way too much lately (including now). I told them whenever they see me in the halls they are welcome to say hi and give hugs. Even if I am not their teacher in class, they are still dear children to me.

The second to last day I taught, the students asked if they could see some drawings I did when I was young. These images I took from ads in the early 80's when I was between 14-15 (ok, so I was young and the pictures look like it, but I think they are good for the age I was). One was, I think, a Chicago ballet ad and the other two are Christian Dior ads. They are not original ideas, but they are modified from the originals as the originals (the Dior ads) are photos of models and mine are stipple drawings. The ballet ad was water colors, where mine is prisma color pencils.

39 photos have been on explore

39 photos have been on explore, originally uploaded by sunshine's creations.

1. Handmade lace box, 2. Romanian lace cord tutorial video, 3. Sils rug in progress, 4. Pin on apron, 5. New skirt, 6. The start of three dresses? or just shirts, 7. Christmas garland, 8. On tree,

9. Side by side, 10. Hung on tree, 11. Front without buttons but after star, 12. Knitting machines, 13. Kid airplane ornament, 14. Poinsettia / The journey, 15. Toile apron made by Aunt George, 16. More blooms,

17. Butterfly pillow, 18. Suzyhomemakers mini quilt is done, 19. This block is made by clare, 20. 1st finished butterfly for curtain, 21. 3rd butterfly on curtain, 22. lt and dk pink tatting, 23. Hex granny squares, 24. More antique tatting,

25. Antique tatting, 26. Front, 27. Redwork butterfly signature block, 28. Style d, 29. Layette set, 30. Crazy daisies, 31. Flower tutorial, 32. English Paper piecing tutorial,

33. Bubble gum pink quilt #1, 34. SRE = silk ribbon embroidery, 35. Lazy daisy week 3, 36. Temari, 37. Back side dove, 38. Felt ornament dove, 39. Felt snow man done, style: Christmas colors

Long story short

It didn't happen for me; someone else gets to teach the children. At least I had fun with it for a month. Yes, it hurts, but it is nothing that will not pass; it did last time as long as I don't talk about it much.

Thanks for thinking of me.
Take Care
Sunshine

Value studies

I was teaching Value studies today in art. So I brought in some things I did as a teenager as both good and bad examples of a value study. It was interesting asking students at a religious school what are values (mind you, these are 4th Graders). I did preface the question with the statement that it had nothing to do with morals, but they did not understand the question. After about ten students, a person got the answer correct. Then as we discussed pencil hardnesses and such and how to draw and what was a highlight in a graphite drawing and such, I could see the children light up as they figured it out. It was a very fun day teaching. I will find out probably tomorrow if I get to be their permanent teacher, or if this was just a fun event in my life. I do hope I get to be the children's teacher; I so do love teaching them, and they are such great students. Pray for me because it will be real hard to not get this a second time. I cried for a few days the first go round; it will be harder this time after having actually taught the children.

All the drawings and lithography below are my work, mostly from when I was a teenager, that I used as examples today. These are some of the drawings and such I posted today in class; some never got completed when I was young.

Good example of a value study

Hand value studies



Face value studies, first one not as good as the second


Pencil and chalk drawing

Example of incomplete work and a good example of a bad example of values (nose disappears).

Another good example of a bad example; see the face disappears into the background, also an incomplete work.

High contrast value study

Seeing in reverse value study (there was a mirror used for 1/3 of the image)

Good example of a value study

Good example of a value study

Good example of a value study

Good example of a value study (lithograph image Title "Tree of Life," did this as an adult at BYU)

My classroom

Meet Angelina....

You would think with having little girls we wouldn't end up with pets like this.

This is definitely a girl; she had a mate (that the girls also caught and put in the cage). She hugged him according to my children (mated) then she ate him and laid an egg. Yep, definitely a girl. This is not the same praying-mantis as the other day; that was another one they wanted to keep. I wouldn't let them have that many. Plus this one is bigger and would just end up eating another one.

First day of Fall

Today is the first day of fall, and it was gray this morning and raining. I guess nature wanted to make sure we all knew it was fall in Utah.

The photo is from last fall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

The my Picot links seem to work again

I tried the links again this morning, and they are working again. I don't know why their site went down over the weekend, but it is back now. So go to the previous post and check out some cool crochet.

Gorgeous patterns and free too

I discovered a site, My picot, I have not seen before; I am only going to post a few links from it. Please go check out the site; do a lot of searching, it has some amazing free crochet patterns. On her blog if you look through all the posts you will find some other nice clothing patterns: hat, shirt, shirts and so on. She also has conversion charts and tutorials , specialty patterns, just an all around great site.

• Collars and edges
• Open work and lace
• Simple textures
  
• Multi colors
• Medallions
  
• Flowers and bugs good items for modern Irish crochet pieces
• Filet motifs edgings and other items

On a neat side note:
Have you checked out Martha Stewart's blog? She has a contest for bloggers to enter.

Because....

My camera battery was lost so I didn't get to take photos of these arrangements until after they had been placed in the front cooler. It has strange lighting for photos, so not the best, plus I tried to mask other arrangements around the ones I made.

Cool vase

Very expensive and nice vase

I made the one in front, Shay made the one in back.

SARAH LONDON's Afghans and a quilt

If you have never been to Sarah London's blog please check it out; such lovely colors every where. I especially like her several posts on wool eater afghans with patterns and tutorials. Here are some links for you below. I will not post any of her pictures -- I want it to be a nice surprise when you see the afghans.

Her hawaiian flowers afghan:

1. Hawaiian flowers
   
2. Hawaiian flowers tutorial with pictures
   
3. Joining flowers
   

Her loop loop afghan:

1. Loopy lou afghan starter
   
2. Edging and joining
   

Her square in the corner afghan:

1. Visual of granny square easy enough to make from photo if you know how to make grannies, but it has a twist. l

Crochet conversion from UK/ Australia to American

1. Conversion chart
   

Wool eater afghan

1. Wool eater pattern
   
2. Her flickr group on this blanket
   

Her hex granny, loop loop and weave afghans:

1. Hip to hook
   

Selvedge star (string quilt):

1. Part 1
2. Part 2
   
3. Part 3
   

Have fun looking at the eye candy, maybe even start a few to get rid of your yarn and fabric scraps.

Handmade lace box

I have 4 boxes of lace in my house. This is the only one that is only handmade laces, there are a few knitted, a tiny bit of bobbin-lace, some tatted, and a lot of crochet. The other boxes are all machine made laces. I purposely put my hand in the box so you can see the size of some of these laces; some are large, some are small. This is the stash I am adding to with the commuter lace.

You might notice this last photo (above) has an orange and black lace that the other two photos did not. I forgot that one was in my purse; it is hair pin lace that I made. I plan on using it for a Halloween apron.

One floral. I would have had more but could not find my camera battery all week; my daughter found it tonight.

So where am I...

Well I am still here; it is just that I somehow have lost my camera battery and can't take photos at the moment. I have been busy working at the flower shop and at the school. I am having so much fun teaching you can't believe it.

You know it is funny the things kids say. Three of the second graders kept starring at me the other day, so I asked them why. One thought I looked like Nanny McPhee (here came the scary part) I had to ask. "At the beginning of the movie (see picture to right) or the end during the wedding (how she normally looks see left)!?!" "Yes," she said, "the end of the movie." That was a relief. (These two photos have links as to where they came from -- they are not my work.)

So the second little girl kept starring at me, and after a while it made me nervous; you know that feeling like you have spinach in your teeth. I asked her if something was wrong, her response was " No, but did you know you are pretty!"

The last little girl kept it up the longest, so of course I asked her if something was wrong or if she had a question about the assignment. She said " No, but I didn't know princesses could be teachers!" I asked her why she thought I was a princess. She explained it had to do with the head bands I like to wear (see image to left). I don't think I look anything like Emma Thompson. I look like plain ol' me, not pretty or ugly just normal and I am happy that way. (Photo of me to the right.)

Who could have a bad day with little children like that!

Soon as I find my camera battery I will be back to posting; it has to be here somewhere.

Patriot Day

Old friend

Got an email from an old friend. Please check out his art work; if you like it, please leave him a nice comment and say sunshine sent you. After all, this is the person who gave me that nickname when I was 14 years old!

Just a few

Photo below: I was trying to mask some arrangements that where next to this one that had a real bad contrast to it. I know it looks weird (the edges in the photo) but, oh well.





Bad photo, sorry!