Hannah C Beattie

Edie Beattie!

2011-02-14T21:33:00.003-05:00

So in love with our new little pooch. Decided she had enough of the outdoor life and demanded to be carried. She may have a difficult adjustment when she gets bigger. Busy life here. Happy life here. Deciding whether to pick up updating my blog or sending everyone to my Beattie Chicks blog that is getting updated. Hmmm...what to do.

Family Time

2010-09-20T13:29:00.002-04:00

It seems that summer came and went so quickly. Weren't we just making our plans for summer adventures? Sleeping in and having late nights? These Monday morning routines are getting the best of me....early bed times, packing our bags and making lunches. Sometimes I just want it to be summer again. I love the pace of summer. Back to chore charts and point systems....away with the tearful mornings. Maybe I need to check out List Planit for a good list on getting back into the school routine.

Ellie the Elephant!

2010-09-15T20:37:00.001-04:00

I found the photo of the little girl and her much loved elephant. I hope she is enjoying her new softie just as much.

Little Friends!

2010-08-26T08:27:00.004-04:00

Just a pic of two little friends that found homes at the Cumberland fair. I am busy filling an order for my new favorite store - Seaside Creations, right here in Harpswell. She started selling my softies the middle of July and has sold almost 30 of them. I am amazed! Love it! She has asked for 12 more and between sewing them and completing an order for one of my favorite little Junior Girl Timers - I have been busy. Little nervous about the fair on the 4th of September. I am also a little happy....it feels so great that people like what I create. Anyone that is heading out my way should head to Bailey Island and visit Seaside Creations. She is open Thurs. - Sunday and has the greatest mix of arts and crafts to sell.

While I am sharing some of my happy feelings ....another great thing that happened to me at the Cumberland fair was meeting a family that does not live locally, but came to the fair in hopes to buy another of my softies. The Grammy had bought her Granddaughter one of my elephants and she loved it so much that she wanted another. She came with her mom and Grammy and had her elephant "Ellie" that she loved so much. I was so happy to see that she loved her Ellie - and that Ellie still looked so good. I took a photo...but I can't seem to find my iPhone - anyone seen it?

Display!

2010-08-16T19:54:00.003-04:00

Thinking about our display for craft fairs and wanting to try something new. Leslie and I just participated in the Cumberland Craft Fair and it was amazing. I have never been apart of something so big and with so many vendors or shoppers. We had a wonderful time. We met so many amazing people. From Todd, our neighbor, to Lisa from down the way, we were blessed with many new friendships, advice and an amazing sense of something greater then we had known before. Selling so much product, translated into three sleepless nights. Worth it....but oh so sleepy still. We got a lot of ideas about our display, but am not sure when they will happen.

Thanks friends for stopping in.

The Harpswell Festival

2010-07-30T10:53:00.005-04:00

The Girls (Super 6 and the Beattie Chicks) were asked to be in the Harpswell Festival, so we had to make a float. During the festival, Ella and Nina sang the Harpswell Song on the stage and then jumped on the float for the parade. I put off making the float until the last minute, but thanks to my girls and Grammy Sue we pulled it off and had a great time.

Best Day Yet!

2010-07-27T14:39:00.002-04:00

We finished our week of Jr. Girl Time with such laughter. The girls amazed me with the creations that they made. Their shadowboxes were fabulous. We gave them prompts and together they wrote a poem about girl time and the sea for the inside. They even came up with the idea of signing each others box. A great sense of togetherness was felt by all.

Our castings with Plaster of Paris did not turn out as well as we would have liked. About half of them were successful. Everyone was great about this - and luckily we had many projects in the works that were loved by all. Looking forward to Sr. Girl Time in August. Definitely will change it up a bit, but will keep some of the same projects.

Enjoyed a great show this past weekend at the Harpswell Festival. Saw so many people we knew and met many others. I just kept pinching myself to make sure it was real. I love where I live. I love what I do. And adore the people that are in my life. Oh, Happy Day!

Day 3

2010-07-25T20:44:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the delay in this post. Things got pretty busy with camp ending and participating in the Harpswell Festival this weekend. This photo is of one of the many amazing creations that came out of camp today. This lovely piece of driftwood became a parrot to this young lady. Can't you see it.

We did a lot of walking today on this secret beach location. Didn't find what we thought we would, but found great things just as well. No false teeth were found, but the snail shells were abundant. Though we tried to get a better look at the snails inside the shells that were occupied, we had to use our imagination to create our own. The shells did well when they were baked - thank goodness.

Day 2

2010-07-20T21:51:00.003-04:00

Purple sea glass, driftwood, shards of potter and false teeth? Yes - leave it to our Girl Time girls to find false teeth amongst the treasures at the beach. And no, they were not pretend or a full set. Somehow they made it home to one of our girls homes, thankfully not mine. A fun time was had by all as we explored a different beach and found a different set of goodies. Opinions were mixed as to which location was more desirable. Driftwood signs were made when we returned. The girls each created a sign from their treasure and were excited to take them home to hang.

Girl Time Camp July 2010

2010-07-19T16:03:00.003-04:00

We started our week off on a good note. The girls were terrific. We had nine today and tomorrow we will have ten. Everyone was so kind and worked well together. We prepared our boards in the morning before we left and then went to our first secret location. The girls found such great treasures and were eager to return to make art with what they found. We made butterflies out of shell pairs and mounted them on scrap wood.

Tomorrow we are off to another fun spot. Hope for no rain and good temperatures.

Good news - The Beattie Chicks will have it's first art show at the Town office in Harpswell for the month of August. We will be showing only a few of mine and Leslie's art and will bring the girls and some adults work to share. There is an open house on the 9th from 6 to 7:30.

Close Up!

2010-07-15T22:33:00.004-04:00

Here is a closer look at a few of the birds from our June Camp. If only one of my great photographer friends was here to take pics of all the great work. Next week - Junior Girl Time Camp!

Planning in process

2010-07-14T21:07:00.002-04:00

Leslie and I are getting excited about our fall schedule. We enjoyed dinner at Gritty's and worked on our newsletter and schedule. We hope to have the new one out by next week. We are thrilled with the response we have been getting from other community members. It seems that our name is getting out and new classes are being scheduled. If you are looking for us in the more immediate....we will be at the Harpswell Festival on July 24th, Bar Harbor the weekend of July 31 and August 1st and then we have a show opening at the Harpswell Town office for the month of August. We are thrilled to show some of our wares but even happier to have the opportunity to show some of the Beattie Chicks work.

Cloth Floor Cloths!

2010-07-13T08:11:00.002-04:00

I had a great time at Jodi's house last night. She and five of her friends over and had a private party at her house. Great food, fun friends and of course, hehe, a fun craft with the Beattie Chicks. I was worried that the craft was intensive, but they said it was well worth the effort. The results and the feelings that it gives you when "you" create something that you love is so great. Now to find more floor canvas for the party on Friday. Hmmm.

Can you believe that Emelia is 13!

2010-07-12T23:22:00.002-04:00

Just don't know how it happened? I am so proud of the person that she is, the person she is becoming. I just love her. She is in NC with her Grandmother right now and it is so strange to not have her here? It has been such a great time for her. And so good for her. Absence seems to have helped her realize that I'm not such an embarrassing mother after all. I think it helps that she is with my mother...who was far more embarrassing then I ever could be. Hehe.

Class with Friends!

2010-07-12T08:58:00.002-04:00

Our good friend Dana has been keeping us pretty busy. We had a great morning with Dana, Kyla and some of their friends. We made a note keeper / memo board/ display board. Not sure what everyone will use theirs for. I loved them and wish I had one. Making art with your kids is such a great thing to do. Finding the balance between "a little bit of me and a little bit of you." Met some really great moms and daughters. I hope they are all loving their projects.

Great Times with the Beattie Chick Girls!

2010-07-11T08:45:00.004-04:00

This post and the next to come are long over due. Leslie and I have been very busy with private parties and Girl Time Camps. During our Senior and Junior Girl camps we made many great things, but these paper mache birds that we first saw on One Red Robins blog were a huge hit. I love birds so much and just loved everyone that was made.

Don't miss out on our next Newsletter. We have a ton of great classes and events coming up. We showed our "makings" at the School Around Us Craft Fair over the 4th. It was a beautiful day and we did very well. I met some really great people - a few great customers from last year came back to see us and we met a woman from Australia that has presented us with a great opportunity for the future. Bart, the girls, and our families enjoyed the day at the beach and then we celebrated Emelia's 13th birthday and Bart's mothers as well. Eek! Can you believe my oldest is 13?

Don't want to miss any!

2010-06-27T09:12:00.003-04:00

I wish I could upload all these great pics at once. I don't want to miss any of the great art work. Thanks everyone for such great families to work with. I put a few on my facebook too.

Loving Dads!

2010-06-25T20:13:00.002-04:00

Here are a few more of the great Father's Day gifts that were created during our classes. It was such a joy to meet the moms or the children of some of the individuals that we have had in class. It helps to round out the picture in my mind as to who everyone is and to whom they belong. Wow! Such great families. I hope the dads loved their gifts as much as the moms and kid enjoyed making them.

Father's Day

2010-06-24T21:22:00.002-04:00

Here a few of the great Father's Day gifts that were made during our classes. Leslie and i both loved them all. we are trying to upload all the pics for you - but due to the error message on my screen, I will try later.

Another fun night with the ladies!

2010-06-13T20:21:00.002-04:00

Planning to teach this class again real soon. This is a pic of one the three projects we made during this Wednesday night class. Thanks to some of the participants, I now have identified my dream vacation spot. Of course, I can't remember the name of it...but I wrote it down. I do remember the awesome sea glass that she collected when she was lounging on the during her vacation. She was so great that she even shared a bunch with Leslie and me. Yippee!

Pillows for a friend

2010-06-12T21:32:00.002-04:00

My friend Sarah asked me to make some pillows for one of her friends new camp. I enjoyed using some of the vintage quilt squares I found at Brimfield and with some changes and additions I made these pillows. Her friend loved them...can't wait to find more quilt squares.

The Beattie Chicks just finished up two classes for Mom's and their kiddos to make Father's Day gifts. They turned out so great! We have to wait until next weekend to post more pics - so we don't ruin any surprises. Looking forward to a family day tomorrow. We need a bit of R and R.

Summer Crafting begins

2010-06-07T20:36:00.002-04:00

My little Ella, though not that little anymore, is such a great companion on my many beach excursions. I have been getting ready for our summer Girl Time art classes and my girls have been helping me gather extra supplies. During our full week classes the girls will be finding their own treasures as well as making great crafts with them. So why are we out searching????? It is like I tell my husband, "you can never have to much sea glass." And....I am having fun making examples with my own Beattie Chicks.

This Friday and Saturday we are offering Father's Day crafting. An adult and their child or children can join us for either class to make an awesome Father's Day gift. We are excited that we will have a chance to work with some of our favorite little boys, since we have only ventured into classes for girls. We still have room, so feel free to check out our website and blog for more details - www.beattiechicks.com.

Nina's four!

2010-05-19T17:44:00.001-04:00

Brimfield!

2010-05-17T13:08:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed a wonderful trip to Brimfield, MA with my friend Catherine and her two friends, Karen and Kelly. They have all gone together in years past and I was able to work my way into an invitation. Yippeee! I had such a great time. The antiques and treasures were amazing....but experiencing them with experienced shoppers was even better. We went up the night before and went to the store Absolutely Everything and then out to dinner and overnight in a hotel. I am going to try to link to their sites so you can see their awesome pictures. Hmmm. Catherine....help.....

Sweat Peaz Party

2010-05-10T08:38:00.002-04:00

Leslie and I had a great time before I went to Florida, teaching these great woman. Many of them we knew from previous classes and friendships. It made the night extra special and fun. SInce I have moved to a neighboring town, I don't see many of them anymore. I had to stop myself from wanting to chit chat all night and keep to our task. Their finished projects were amazing. Thank you ladies for a great night.

Class Wednesday night!

2010-04-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Join us this Wednesday night, April 28th, from 7-10pm as we make these adorable Family Shrine houses using CEREAL BOXES! The class is $25 including all materials and will be held at the Border Trust Business Center in Topsham. Please email me to register.

Girl Time Art Camp Spring Break

2010-04-22T10:51:00.002-04:00

We completed our stretch of workshops!!! Wow, what an amazing seven days. We started last Wednesday with a collage mirror class for Sweat Peaz and our good friends Jodi and Vicki. Thursday we did a fundraiser for the Harpswell Nursery School, making "green art". Leslie and I left Friday at lunch time for our first ever Art Retreat at Kieve. We spent the weekend teaching five workshops on mixed media collage. I will post later with some great photos and pics of our fun times. We consider ourselves so blessed to have enjoyed such an amazing group of woman. We enjoyed old friends and made some new ones.

It was hard coming home and jumping in to three days of Girl Time Art camp. I had to clean my studio and prepare all of the materials. One day I will be organized an have that completed weeks ahead of time. I woke Monday to two sessions of awesome camps. In the morning we had girls between the ages of 5 and 8 from 9 am to 11 am. Our theme was "softies" and each day the girls made a softie. They used both hand and machine sewing....and at desperate times even the glue stick. The senior girls came from 1 to 4 and enjoyed the same lessons, but at their own level. Leslie and I were exhausted each day, but so incredibly happy.

I will post pictures each day so you can see some of the great people and art that was made. So keep checking back. We are taking registration for our summer camps and are already filling up, so make sure you sign up soon.

Fun time, Fundraiser tongiht!

2010-04-15T16:20:00.002-04:00

This pin cushion is one of the amazing crafts we will be making at the Kellogg Church Nursery School Fundraiser tonight. Catherine, Leslie and I first saw these on another blog (Craftpudding.blogspot.com). Families at the Nursery school have been saving recycled goods and tonight the Beattie Chicks are helping them turn discarded items into treasures. Please stop by and join us if you are in the area. The cost is $20 and we have plenty of space and great ideas to share.

School friends

2010-04-08T14:10:00.002-04:00

Nina has been loving her school on Thursday mornings. Her buddy has joined the group and she thinks Ms. Myrna is great. Such great progress for my little one. Of course she is in shorts on a day that was just not warm enough. I will credit Chloe for that one. My almost four year old wants to be just like her older sisters. This could be a problem in the years to come.

Good progress is happening for our upcoming retreat. Leslie and I met last night to iron out some of the last minute details. We will post lots of pictures when we return. I think everyone is going to have a grand time. I am looking forward to starting two girl time camps when we return from the retreat. We will be making softies. We still have room if you live in Maine.

Things are looking up.

2010-04-02T22:14:00.003-04:00

Hehe. Do you get it? Things are looking up...and my little guy is looking up. I am sure I didn't need to explain. Right? Those of you that know know me know that my sense of humor is not by best trait. I tend to not be funny and often don't get it when someone else is joking. Now I was probably funny, but killed the moment by trying to explain it. Oh my.

This little guy went home with my friend Cate as part of my thank you to her for taking photos of all of my softies. Tomorrow is the last day to find my softies at the Veggie Corner. Emelia is hoping that the big purple guy is still there. I tell her she has to stop wishing that they don't sell - since that defeats the purpose. I know she is being kind, but I definitely want them to go with no reservations on this side. If only she would get my hints that the Easter Bunny will be good to her too.

Behind, or behind....hmmm backside works.

2010-03-31T22:27:00.002-04:00

I never would have thought to take a pic of this little guys backside. Thanks Cate. I have been busy making bunnies for the Veggie Corner. They called yesterday asking for more bunnies. Yippee. It makes me so happy that people are liking my soft little friends. I hope they all find new homes for Easter. Theresa showed me the cookies she is making for Easter. They are gorgeous. I would almost hate to eat them because they are so beautiful. Just think, you can get dinner, dessert and help the Easter bunny.

Good news about my friend who just had surgery. She is doing great. I am so glad. Can't wait till she is home and back with her babes.

Art for a friend

2010-03-26T15:51:00.003-04:00

This is the canvas that I made, as our demo, for our "mom and me" class. Leslie came to my rescue and helped me add the finishing touches. Making it clear to whom it was to be given to. It went to one of my good friends who is getting ready to have a double mastectomy. She has been so brave and continues to be. I hope this canvas will remind her of her strength throughout her recovery.

Mom and Me!!!!

2010-03-22T09:28:00.006-04:00

We enjoyed our first Mom and Me class on Saturday. Girls from 4 to 12 were joined by a special woman in their lives to make a one of kind art canvas together. I loved watching and experiencing as they worked together to design and create art together. As you will see with the results - they all look fabulous. Leslie and I are excited to offer this class again. Let us know if you are interested. What a great Mother's Day gift or Father's day gift. It was also requested that we due a class with sons or brothers. Sounds terrific to us.

Guest teacher

2010-03-17T14:28:00.003-04:00

I so loved last weeks class with Catherine Matthews-Scanlon. She is so creative and artistic. Even though I hosted the class at my studio, I took the class too. I learned so much and am in love with clay. I tend to stick to paper and fabric most of the time, but having someone show you what and how to play with clay was terrific. I love my projects and will post pictures. Everyone who has seen what we did has begged for her to come back and teach again. Watch our newsletter for another visit.

Giving credit where credit is due

2010-03-16T10:26:00.001-04:00

I didn't share in my Boston post about the awesome friends that made it all happen. You will see Becka, Meredith and bit of Che in the about photo. They are are oh so fab friends that took us to Fenway. They had us over, took us on the T, shared a babysitter with us and treated us to an amazing dinner. I wish they lived closer. Or, I wish that Che wasn't allergic to cats, so they could visit us. I am heading to Ikea tomorrow and wish that I didn't already feel quilty so I could arrange a visit with them. Bec....wanna meet at Ikea for shopping and lunch in the cafeteria? I know how you love to shop. Hehe.

Birthday gifts

2010-03-15T10:18:00.002-04:00

Somehow my supply of softies was not what it should have been....and Ella insisted on giving her buddy Bre a softie for her birthday. I had fun making this little one. It was even funner knowing who it was going to go live with. I hope Bre is enjoying her and has given her a good name. We have another birthday party this weekend, but I think we will make her something a little different. Off to the craft room with Nina....

Forgot to let everyone know that I have started making Easter Bunnies that I hope to sell for the holiday. Pictures to follow. I am going to check with the Veggie Corner and see if they would be interested in having a basket of bunnies on their counter. I will keep you posted.

Red Soxs and the Yankees!

2010-03-03T20:15:00.003-05:00

Please excuse the horrible picture of me.
I never imagined that I would hear so many conversations about baseball. I use to brag about how my husband wasn't into sports and therefore I never had to endure game nights. Something has happened over the last couple of years and he has become a pretty big Red Sox fan. So much so that we visited Fenway Park over February vacation. You may not think that this is a noteworthy experience or to some of you it may sound like a grand way to spend your day. BUT...my ten year old is very clearly a Yankees fan. I thought it too was a passing fancy, but since half her class has now converted and she has their gear and advertisements everywhere - I am out of luck. The jury is out on who will actually sway Nina into their court. Bart has Emelia and Ella, so it seems natural for Nina to go his way. She likes to change her mind depending on who is giving her what she wants. Hmmm.

Girl Time enjoys a Movie

2010-03-02T09:38:00.003-05:00

What a great way to end the week - enjoying my favorite movie with my senior girl timers. School was canceled so they joined me later in the afternoon for two hours of crafting. Bart made his homemade pizza for all of us to enjoy and then we watched the movie. I will admit that one girl fell asleep, two girls got the giggles, and Nina insisted on being in the middle and then quickly fell asleep.

I started another round of Girl Time Camp for the month of March. We are doing two weeks of collage and two weeks of sewing. They are anxious to make softies....but will have to wait for April vacation. Leslie and I are planning our summer camps, so if anyone has a request, please let us know.

February Vacation Girl Time Camp

2010-02-17T22:04:00.002-05:00

Wow! I am so thrilled with what a wonderful time I have had with all of the girls from camp. Leslie and I ran two sessions of Girl Time camp this week. The morning was spent with five to eight year olds and the afternoon with eight to eleven year olds. We only ran three days - so our families would be able to enjoy some of the vacation just as a family.

I am continually impressed by what amazing young girls I have met and get to enjoy making art with. Leslie and I are sure exhausted, but so pleased.

Chinese New Year

2010-02-08T10:03:00.004-05:00

We have enjoyed a wonderful pre- Chinese New Year with a few friends that traveled to China with us. We were able to meet up at the CAFAM Chinese New Year fair in Portland this past weekend. It was so wonderful to see Nina start to make friends with the little girls that have shared so much with her. I hope we can continue these relationships for her as she grows. We are hoping for a reunion with the bigger group this summer. It would be so great!

Beattie Chicks had a great day at the CAFAM fair. We plan to put the rest of our goods on Etsy this week - so watch for updates.

Soft creations!

2010-02-02T15:24:00.002-05:00

Here a few of my softies going to the fair this weekend. I have more that I have packed, but hopw to get pictures of. Leslie and I plan to open our Etsy store once we return from the fair. Off to the bus stop now. More later.

Missing Camera

2010-01-31T21:18:00.002-05:00

I have been having a fun time making things for the Chinese New Year's Fair this next Saturday. Of course my Asian doll that I was trying to photograph fell down and I only got a pic of my Valentines kitty. I hope to locate my camera tomorrow and get some better pics of my latest creations.

I was thrilled this weekend when one of my friends bought two of my softies for parties that her daughter was attending. One was even for a boy. I sure hope they like them - and love that her daughter was thrilled to give a Beattie Chick softie as a birthday gift.

Our friends from Indiana are coming this week. They are looking for a place to rent and work for Theron. We consider their moving here a gift - not just for us but for Nina. Their daughter was with Nina before we ever knew each other. That is a special connection for them to have - and to have each other over the years. I am working on my friend Joan and her family to move closer as well. I just like my people and love it when they are close. Okay ....Kim W., Kim S., Becka - your next. Hehe.

Girl Time Sock Critters

2010-01-25T23:00:00.003-05:00

I missed a post after one of my girl time camps and was reminded that they would love to show off some of their sock critters. I am sure that you will all be impressed by their creations and talent. Today we made sea glass girls and I was so pleased with their excitement and own sense of style. I feel like I get this little window into the world of a ten year old and it is a treat. I loved it when one of the girls told me today that my singing definitely would have embarrassed my daughter had she been there. Hehe. Love it! I can't help it that they do not appreciate the songs from The Sound of Music as much as I do. So, we have scheduled a girl time camp on a Friday after school to be followed by pizza and the viewing of The Sound of Music. I am sure they will enjoy it as much as I will. Right?

Chinese Zodiac

2010-01-19T22:46:00.002-05:00

Leslie and I are going to be vendors at the Chinese American Families fair on Feb. 6th in Portland. I have been having a lot of fun making goodies to sell. These are some of the critters I have been needle felting. Many of them are symbols for the Chinese zodiac, planning to make the entire set. I thought that was a good idea, until i realized that I would then be making an ox and a dragon. Hmmm. Not sure this set will be complete.

Home and my honey

2010-01-17T22:09:00.004-05:00

I looked for a picture of my handsome husband to add, but could only find one of him with all of his Red Soxs gear on that he got for Christmas. I don't think he would have appreciated that. So I settled on one of our home that we have built together. A place that we love and fill with good stuff. Yep, definitely a bit sentimental tonight.

Bart and I went on a date tonight. Since there is no school tomorrow and the fact that tomorrow is Bart's birthday, my mom was able to babysit. We went to Freeport to LL Bean where he spent his gift certificates and then to dinner at Broad Arrow Tavern. Not only was the food terrific, but I was reminded, yet again, how blessed I am to have such a great husband. We did a little dreaming and reminiscing - two things I love to do. I don't ever want to be one of those people that look back and say...if only I realized then ..... I realize it now. My dreams have come true and I love the dreams we have for the future. We have a home, four amazing daughters, careers that we enjoy (mine could be more lucrative), amazing families and friends, good health and a happy marriage. Don't get me wrong...we have our struggles. We have some debt we want to get rid of, we need to exercise more, we can't figure out how to get our daughters to do their basic chores and my kitty is in heat and I want her to have kitties (I can't believe I am admitting that on my blog). BUT plain and simple.....I am happy. Happy Birthday Bart, I love you. Hannah

Wee Girls, Girl Time

2010-01-11T21:13:00.002-05:00

I had such a wonderful time with this group of girls. I am so glad that I was well prepared. They stayed on task so well and were so eager to learn and do MORE. They finished their first project ( Wishes, Hopes and Dream Jars) and started the next two projects - bangle bracelets and collaged canvases. I had one of my older girls, from Girl Time, helping out, thank goodness!

Today, I got to meet with my Frayed Edges Art Quilting Group and had a wonderful day. We worked a gift for Deborah or member who lives in Texas. Nina liked this so much that she actually got to do more then I did. It was nice seeing her having so much fun making art. I so appreciate having these woman to talk about art with. They are such amazing artist and inspire me so much. From my little artists to my well advanced artist friends - they all give me so much. Such fun to make art and create with other ladies. I am definitely a little mushy tonight.

Classes!

2010-01-05T12:55:00.002-05:00

Leslie and I are meeting on Wednesday to prepare our next Beattie Chicks flyer. We have some great new ideas and fun classes for young girls to more mature woman (hehe). Just this week I have started two classes for girls. On Mondays I am teaching sewing techniques to girls from 9 to 12 and Thursday I am teaching mixed media collage to girls ages 6,7, and 8. Leslie joined us on Monday so that we could get each girl on the sewing machine and attend to them well enough on other tasks. I am so thrilled how many girls are excited about art.

Today, I am taking Emelia to the Orthodontist to start the process of getting braces. Following that appointment she goes to see her Chiropractor to have her back adjusted. Hmmm. And my children are in good health! It sure is expensive....but money well spent. We are so fortunate in so many ways and I am thankful for that. Nina is going without a nap again - I hope she is in good spirits for our appointments.

FAmily Time

2010-01-03T21:42:00.003-05:00

I can't beleive that the girls go back to school tomorrow. We have all been so spoiled sleeping late, staying up late and lots and lots of relaxing. We had a fun friend Thanksgiving dinner this afternoon at our house. Again I feel so blessed by the great people in my life.

Any of my friends that read this blog - please take note that we have NOT sent out a holiday card. I think we are going to do a Chinese New Year card instead of Christmas. I so love all the cards we get each year and have a bit of guilt that we are so behind.

I have a Girl Time camp starting tomorrow. The girls have been after me to do more sewing. I have been getting myself together to make that happen. On Thursday I have a younger group also starting. I so love my Girl Time. Hope to post pictures as the camps go on. Last session, I couldn't post pics because the girls were making holiday gifts for their loved ones and many of them check my blog. I hear there has been lots of crafting going on over the break and I hope they all bring their treasures to share.

Taggies

2009-12-27T22:08:00.002-05:00

I am planning to make more of my "taggies" this next week. I love blankies, but am even fonder of something that resembles a stuffed friend. So...I put them together -a softie and a taggie. Hmmm, what to call them "staggies"- no. Softie Tags, no. Any ideas?

My husband is home this week. I am so excited about this. We had a wonderful talk this morning about our lives together and with our daughters. We are developing a strict budget and family plan. We met with our girls shared our ideas with them. They seemed to like our ideas. They didn't like the cleaning and getting rid of stuff after the meeting, But the dreaming of family activities to participate in, that don't cost money, was fun to come up with together. Our long term goal will be a fabulous vacation next year. This year...careful spending, great family times and getting our lives together in order. In the mean time if anyone wishes to pass large sums of money our way...we would love to have our debts paid off sooner. Hehe. Chloe's words, "I wish money grew on trees." I am sure it will be hard, but is sure feels good.

Warning - Owls must have wings!

2009-12-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

I love making owls. BUT - it is time for them to mature. So - they have wings. Definately a good move. Planning to make an owl pillow today for my oldest daughter. Shhhh! Dont tell.

Harpswell Communtiy Nursery School

2009-12-18T22:28:00.000-05:00

I loved seeing the colors and patterns that everyone picked for their projects at tonights fundraiser. I felt inspired to come home and try a few things differently. I didn't though....after spending my afternoon with my Girl Time Girls and then running to the Nursery School, I have decided that relaxing on the couch is a fine thing to do. Feels extra fun since my husband cleaned the kitchen.

You may think I am nuts....but I am so excited to have a few projects to make that my friends have ordered. Commitions make me nervous. I like it when someone sees what I make and decides they want it. When someone asks for something .....how do I ever know if they really like it or not????? I end up over compensating and doubting myself. Not good. However, when someone asks for me to make something and they are open - I am okay. I am making three softies for a friend whose children I adore and to make them for them feels good. I hope they like them.

Looking forward to school vacation. I can't wait to not have a lot going on and to be present in my life - with my girls and my husband. Family time. Love it.

Beattie Chicks Art Night

2009-12-18T10:14:00.001-05:00

I hope you are all as impressed as Leslie and I are - at how great everyone did at our needle felted decoration class. Honestly Leslie and I were a little unsure as what to expect. This weeks class had a lot of people that we did not know well in it. We had no idea as to what their experience was or to their interests. And we didn't know how they would work together. Yippee for us and for another night of great woman and fun art.

Lilac Love

2009-12-17T22:02:00.002-05:00

I am so happy that this little gal has gone home with someone special. I sure do love fuzzy purple wool.

I am finished with my craft fairs and just finished teaching three classes this week. I am so happy, but sad. Does that make sense? I am glad to not have the pressure of having enough product for a fair. I guess it is knowing that I have completed my commitments that feels good. BUT...I love it. I love making things. I love sharing what I have learned with others. I love it when someones face lights when they have made something they love. I like it when people love the things I make. Hmmmm. Happy thoughts.

sleep

2009-12-06T20:41:00.001-05:00

I planned to update my blog with all the news from our great craft weekend....BUT I started to doze off twice while the picture was uploading. I think I need to close my eyes. I will try to complete it tomorrow.

The Happiness Tree

2009-11-30T22:50:00.002-05:00

I had a great time with Lisa Bossi last week at her book signing. We thought we would have a chance to catch up if she wasn't busy. That did not happen! Very happily, I must add. Lisa sold out of all of the books. So many people came out to meet her and to buy the book. LL Beans is carrying the book as well as many other stores. I highly recommend it for anyone on your holiday list. My request of Lisa is to turn some of her amazing illustrations into art for the wall. Anyone that wants to know more about Lisa and her books you can see her button on my blog and it will take you to her website. It happens to be my favorite website -so go check it out.

Started to feel a little panicy tonight about this next week and weekend. I think it may be a bit like writers block....crafters block. Hmmmm. I wonder if that is a real thing? I have decided that it will not last and that I do what I do because I love it and it will all come.

Doughty Point

2009-11-30T12:19:00.004-05:00

Here are my Babes on our hike Sunday. There was a picture of me, but it was of my bottem side going up the Mt. Definately not going to share that one. My big accomplishment was having Nina on my back and making it back home. I found a log I wanted to bring home and needed Bart to carry it back for me. Nina is definately bigger then last year....or I am older. Hmmm.

Kennebunk

2009-11-29T14:10:00.002-05:00

Leslie and I have been spending a lot of time Kennebunk. This picture was taken at the School Around Us before Thanksgiving. We had a great show. Yesterday we enjoyed a small show at Wallingford Farm. We sat next to a wood burning stove and got to watch all the children sit on Santa's lap. After the show we all went to my sister-in-laws house for our family Thanksgiving. The guys got to do the cooking while we all showed our goodies at the fair. I sure do love my family.

This is crunch week for me. I have a big weekend next weekend with three shows. I hope to see everyone. I went with my family hiking this morning. I had just gone down to sew and Bart mentioned hiking out to the point. My first reaction was to stay home...but I didn't. It was so great. The weather is amazing for this time of year and the views were fabulous. Ella and Chloe had gone to run errands with my mom, so it was just Emelia and Nina. Great time!

Fairs, Fairs, Fairs

2009-11-24T13:08:00.001-05:00

We had a great fair in Kennebunk this past weekend. This was our second time doing a fair put on by the School Around Us and it was just as terrific as the first one. I had a hard time not spending all of my $ at the other crafters tables. Leslie and I both enjoyed meeting great people and look forward to seeing many of them at the Consolidated School in Kennebunk on Dec, 5Th.

We will be at Wallingford Farm this Saturday. Our families will be at our other sister-in-laws preparing a holiday meal for us to share after a day of selling our wares. I so look forward to some family time. After this weekend, Leslie and I are going into overdrive to prepare enough holiday crafts to make it through three shows in one weekend. The weekend of December 4,5 and 6Th. We will be participating in the fair at The Harpswell Grange (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), the Consolidated School -in Kennebunk on Saturday, and at Williams-Cone School in Topsham from 10 - 2 on Saturday. Sounds a little crazy, but we have it all figured out. I am actually excited to be able to participate in so many great fairs. We have been working hard to have plenty of great products for all three fairs. I hope to see you all at at least one of the fairs. If you miss us, we will be at Sunsplash, at Bowdoin College on Friday, December 11th.

Now....onto a another subject.....SPELLING! First, I am not a good speller. Second, I make the same grammatical errors over and over and over. Having a mother who is a pro in English does not help. Well it did growing up because she would proof read all of my work. Now.....she tells me days later, after a post has been out for the world to see that I did it again.....
I tend to use "then" when it should be "than". I wonder if you have noticed? Don't tell me if you have. Just smile and try to send me your editing skills telepathically.

Snow people

2009-11-18T17:27:00.007-05:00

Looks like it worked now. Hmmm

I have tried four times to upload a pic my friend Catherine sent me, but each time, it does not work. It says it has uploaded, but when it arrives it is a bunch of words. Does anyone know what is wrong? So....you must go to my friend Catherine's blog and see the great snow people everyone made at the Beattie Chicks class this past Monday. Now to give you a link....Not working. So her blog is on the side of blog, listed as Art From the Heart. Hope you check it out.

Well we had a great night at our class. We had eight woman and we had such a terrific time. It was great seeing how each persons individual flare came through. I have loved making snow people for a few years, but a few weeks ago, when I got together with my Frayed Edges friends, Kathy shared her idea of making snow people similar to this new style snowman we made. I sure love having crafty friends.

Other happenings....I was at a craft fair this past weekend and it was a great success. I did the best I ever had on Saturday. Sunday was very slow, but still fun. This next weekend Leslie and I will be at the fair at School Around US in Kennebunk. If you go to just one fair this year. I highly recommend this one. They are very selective and have many unique crafters.

Art Night creations

2009-11-09T09:07:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures of some of the great mirrors that were made at our first Beattie Chick art night. Leslie got the pictures of the others on her camera. I will try to get them posted for you to see. Thinking of having this class again , thanks to the great woman who attended we have heard from many of you who wish to make one for yourself. Just let us know.

Pumpkins and power tools

2009-11-08T21:38:00.002-05:00

Do others use power tools to carve their pumpkins? Bart and I waited till the last minute (Oct. 31) to purchase pumpkins this year. We were then only able to find these half rotten tiny ones. The girls still loved carving them. Pumpkin carving was brought to an all new high for Bart - he says they were to hard. After this....we made sure that he had time to cut the fire wood with his chain saw so that he could leave pumpkin carving to the kids.

For those of you that know my husband, you understand that he is not one of those guys that feeds off man toys. But there is definitely something to say about a little power, even for Bart.

I haven't put my pictures on my computer yet, but I have some great things to share. First our first Beattie Chicks craft night was great. We had six woman join us and they each made such great art and we had so much fun. My lovely friend Annie called me the day after the class and to hear her joy over her piece just brought it all together for me. Having time to play and create does something to you. I am so glad that these classes will give many woman the opportunity to try new and fun things without the stress of having to put it all together and buy all the supplies. Honestly, I do hope to make crafters out of many of them and to learn and discover fun stuff together.

Girl Time Art Camp started this past week also. The girls were great. At the end of class they wouldn't let us stop and wanted to make the parents wait for them, in hopes to finish their projects. We try to get so much done in our two hours. Next week, we will have to forgo the pretzels after school and jump right in before the class is to officially start.

My last bit of news....Leslie and I participated in a craft fair on Saturday. We had a nice time at the fair and even were able to drag ourselves out to the Motor Booty concert with many of my friends from my neighborhood that evening. For those of you that are not locals, Motor Booty is a band that plays 70's music. I loved watching everyone and we danced the night away. I wish I had worn platform shoes and I haven't seen such great attire in such a long time.

we spent today enjoying family time. Grammie Sue took the girls to the playground and out for a treat around lunch time and Bart and I went out for a quick kayak trip. He took me to a small island and as I pulled onto the shore I spotted the greatest sea glass. I forgot about the pain radiating up my arm from paddling for about ten minutes and gathered some glass for my collection. Lucky for me the waves were moving in my direction on our return trip. I was glad that he didn't tell me about hypothermia and the water temperature until we were close to shore. I think we will wait warmer days next summer for further adventures on the sea.

This weeks class.

2009-11-03T08:54:00.002-05:00

We still have a few spots left for this weeks Beattie Chicks class. It is held in my home studio in Harpswell and starts at 7 and goes to 9 or 10. The cost is $20.00. We have a great group signed up so far and are very excited. Leslie and I got together yesterday to get everything ready. We even have put together some kits so if anyone wants to purchase an additional mirror and the supplies to make another one they can. We want so much to share what we have learned with others. This way, everyone can tap into that creative energy. Please know that with all the classes we offer, people of all artistic levels can attend. We set up the classes so you can follow our pattern as is or adapt it to your liking.

Also, I am preparing for the craft fair at Brunswick High School this Saturday. I hope I will see some of my local friends there.

Finally a Work Day.

2009-10-28T21:09:00.002-04:00

Nina and I stayed home today. We were invited to a brunch with our girlfriends, but I forced myself to stay home. I have been so busy that I have not had the time to craft lately and time is running out before our first holiday show. Nina enjoyed creating today as well. She played with stamps, cut fabric for us to sew on the machine and traced cookie cutters. She really wanted to paint, but I was having a hard enough time getting my sewing done. I do love that she likes to do arts and crafts. She almost likes it too much. Does that make sense?

Have some great new softies to share with you. My friend Deborah, from my Frayed Edges Art Quilting group, brought me an awesome wool sweater all the way from Texas. It is funny how happy I was to receive a sweater, that I am going to cut up. I enjoyed her more then the sweater though. We just had our yearly overnight at Kathy's this past Sunday. All of us were there. I have some great pictures to share. We each brought a kit to share, with a holiday decoration to make. It is so great to have friends that you can share your life with and also enjoy crafting with.

Friends!

2009-10-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

I have learned a lot this past week about friendship. Mostly, I have firmed up some of my own personal beliefs.

- I believe that when you love someone, it does not go away, change yes, but not go away.

- I believe that you should always look for the good in people and try to understand where they are coming from.

-It is okay to disagree, when you are friends, you have to talk it through.

-Relationships change...and that is okay. No one is bad or wrong.

-I find that when you are finding a lot of fault with someone, it often has to do with something within yourself.

-Don't hold on to negative feelings.

-It is natural to grow away from someone, this does not need to be a hurtful thing.

An old friend of mine sent me a note recently, I felt so good inside when I received it. So many years have gone by, but reading her words made it feel like we were back at our old jobs working side by side. She said to me that she believes that people come in our lives and got out and while they are with us we learn something from each other and then go on our way. I guess we have more work with some people then others. I hope this friend is someone that I get to see again. Our lives changed and we have both been involved in other things. She taught me so many lessons before, I think we have more to offer each other.

Mt. Road Mommas at it again.

2009-10-25T22:48:00.002-04:00

The Black Cat Ball is happening this coming up Friday. I my craft night ladies and I decided that we needed to dress up this year. Lucky for us I remembered this great hat that Leslie and I made a few years ago. After we made them all, some coming out more intact then others - we went out to my yard and spay painted them. It was a great night. Thank you ladies.

Tonight I am with my Frayed Edges Art quilt ladies. Deborah came into town from Texas and we are enjoying a tonight and tomorrow together. We each brought a decoration and kit for each other to make. I have been having a great time. I will post pics tomorrow I hope.

Anyone that knows my Frayed Edges group, they give the best gifts. Deborah brought my birthday gift and the page she made for my art quilt book. I love them both soooo much. I am going to hang them both in my house. Kathy already gave me a birthday gift, but she forgot and gave me another one. I fessed up, but lucky me, she let me keep it. She knit me a pair of hand warmer/cuff warmer/mittens with no fingers. I love them.

Birthday Party Owls!

2009-10-20T14:15:00.002-04:00

My Ella is the third from the right. And the other young ladies are her friends from school. We had a great party. I had sewn the owls together and the girls stuffed them, sewed them closed, and made their beaks and eyes. I had such a fun time. Next weekend it's Chloe's turn. Hmmm. Sports anyone?

Here it is !

2009-10-18T20:58:00.002-04:00

I can't figure out how to make it bigger or show all the pages. We will be sending it out tomorrow, so check your email. If you do not receive it, send me an email or leave a comment. Thanks for everyones support.

Ribbit!

2009-10-14T22:09:00.002-04:00

The color looks a bit off in this picture. He really is a fun green color. Notice please all of you boy moms. I am trying to make some non gender specific softie friends. His oh so glamorous legs were made from my large collection of single socks. I am so pleased that I have figured out how to use all of those socks that my girls and I have started collecting. Collecting is probably not the right word for our single socks. I think of collecting as a desired thing. Something we search for or want more of. We do not need more single socks. I haven't been able to throw them out in hopes that their match would one day surface. At least now I will know where the match has gone.

While I am on the topic of socks, it was a pretty big milestone for us when Emelia started being able to wear my socks. At first it was a neat feeling to share socks with my daughter. But then Chloe's feet got big enough and now I share with two daughters. I am going to put an end to Emelia sharing with me since her feet are now a 9 1/2. She has her Grammy Sue to thank for her long and narrow feet. My grand plan of getting really awesome shoes for her when she was a 7 never happened due to the fact that she was only a seven for half a week. I am still holding out hope for Chloe - though she is not much interested in anything beyond sneakers.

A Little Delay

2009-10-13T21:43:00.003-04:00

This picture is not the news. I tried to put it under the next paragraph, but with no success. My birthday was a few weeks ago and my husband surprised me with this sweet cake. We will have another weekend of birthday cake with both Ella and Chloe's birthdays coming up. I will be the one ordering the wording on the cake this time.

Okay.... I haven't gotten my part finished yet, so we are not ready for the announcement. I will say - this is not "BIG" news, so I hope I won't disappoint anyone. It has more to do with my future adventures. I must say, that it does make me happy to learn that my friends read my blog. (Would love to see you Becka)

Two New Friends

2009-10-11T21:23:00.002-04:00

Two more friends joined my collection this past week. Peaceful Foxy sold to a young girl this weekend, but her little friend is visiting longer. Not sure what to name her...of course it is only a temporary name. Whoever takes them home gets to give them their real names. I guess I just grow fond of them as they become - themselves and often a name comes to me. Still struggling over this one. Do you think that means she isn't done yet? Hmmm. I sure do like her though. Hopefully she will find a home this next weekend. If not...then she is in need of something else.

That sure was a lot of dialogue about a softie. With all that life provides, it amazes me that I can struggle over whether or not to name my latest friend. I guess sometimes we just need to live in a place of dreaminess. The girls had awesome soccer games on Saturday. I missed them, but Bart got great pics. I will post some later.

Eemoo!

2009-10-11T21:11:00.002-04:00

When I first had Emelia, my twelve year old daughter, my brother would torment me and call her Eemoo. Let's just say we have one of those sibling things going between us. Now, I never thought that Eemoo fit her, but it sure does fit this little one. He even has a pocket on his backside that I thought would be perfect for little trinkets or love notes for your child. I am definitely going to make more of them.

My fair on Saturday was lovely as far as the day, the location, the company...but not so good for sales. This was a first time gig for this location and though it was organized well, I think it takes time for things to catch on.

We were accepted in the Harvest Festival in York next Saturday. I am hopeful that this will be a good show. I don't know if people are starting to do their holiday shopping yet or not. But this is suppose to be a widely attended event. I will let everyone know. I hope to share my news tomorrow......no, no, no - nobody is pregnant.

We are almost ready!

2009-10-09T09:13:00.003-04:00

I am so excited I can't stand it. Leslie, my sister-in-law, and I are almost ready to reveal our "big news." Can you guess what it is? Monday.....Monday is the day for our role out. In the mean time, check back later today and this weekend for pics of my more recent fun. Hehe....I sure do love making softies.

Mermaid in the making

2009-10-06T14:52:00.003-04:00

Making a little mermaid a lot like my friend Heidi's. She is a little gift for a friend - if I can get her proportions right. Faces are hard too. It is almost time to switch to snow people, but something about mermaids and sunshine that are good for the soul.

Today my friend, Annie and Eleanor came over for a play date. The girls collected leaves from the front yard and made leaf prints. Annie and I had fun chatting away and she helped to take some of my overflow. I am sure loving cleaning out our stuff.

The girls are all settled in their new spaces. Bart and I took over Chloe's room and she moved in with Nina and Ella. That is three girls in one room, but it is what they want. Bart and I found that they needed us on the same floor. We hope everyone will go to bed easier and things will go more smoothly.

Beattie Chicks!

2009-09-25T10:32:00.000-04:00

Dreaming of my chicks while having coffee with my husband in Camden. So glad to have settled on sharing the name Beattie Chicks with my sister-in-law for my crafts. It just fits for me. I can sell and be an individual - Hannah C. Beattie or I can make it fun and use Beattie Chicks on labels, tags, and signs. To me having four daughters is a special thing and I will think of them as I use this label and tag. To Leslie she has her little chicks to think of. And to everyone else...who doesn't love a little chick? Now - to get the tax id number.

11 years!

2009-09-24T10:21:00.002-04:00

Grammie Sue kept the girls on Saturday and Sunday so that Bart and I could finally get to celebrate our anniversary. It is amazing how much you can appreciate twenty-fours of couple time. We haven't been alone for that long in such a long time. The good news....I am still the luckiest woman around. I so love my husband and our relationship. I can only imagine how I would feel if we actually had more time together. That will come later. It is nice to think that we still have so much to learn about each other and so much to explore in life. Having Emelia, before we were married, in some ways was hard, but in others it is a blessing. We haven't had that time alone as a married couple before children. We will have that luxury later. For now a night here and there is treasured. And our lives as a family of six is what we are - and a great one we are.

Sideways Pig

2009-09-17T21:59:00.003-04:00

She is just as cute on her side as she is standing up. She has found a new home, but still makes me smile. She is made out of cashmere and just so happy. Not often do you here the words cashmere and pig in the same sentence, but boy do they work together. In fact, I think tomorrow I need to make more pigs.

Sometimes life is hard

2009-09-16T22:06:00.002-04:00

Trying to think of a quote that matches this pic. My title just does not cut it. My friend Joan took this pic this summer when she was using my camera. I of course was pleased that she enjoyed taking pics and playing with my camera, but it truly worked to my benefit when the memory card came home with me. I will not be sharing the pics she took of me in my bathing suit. She must have missed that rule - in the rule book.

Pretty in Pink

2009-09-16T21:38:00.002-04:00

If I were a perfectionist....this is one of those moments that I would spend lots of time figuring out how to turn this picture upright. Much to my families dismay...I can't attend to such detail. I will wish it upright, but move on.

I have been sewing in bed lately. I will sew their main bodies during the day and bring them to bed with me to embroider. People say you shouldn't watch tv in bed. Do you think they would say the same thing about sewing? I guess it could be kind of painful. I have always been a bed person. That sounds funny. What I was trying to say, is that I would do homework in bed, hang out in my room on my bed, read in bed - I think I never outgrew that. Now that my bedroom is on the first floor, I tend to go to bed after the kids are in bed and sew. To think I have that great studio and I could finally be alone in it, but I just seek the comfort of my bed. Hmmm. My bedroom is even a mess, and I still gravitate to it. Don't get me wrong. I am spending good quality time with my husband. Well - as much as parents of four children do.

I have actually been doing a lot of thinking and talking about marriage lately. Some dear friends of mine are getting divorced and it has upset me so much. They are just a couple that I never would have thought would not make it. There is so much sadness and confusion for them. It has helped me to step back and to look at myself and my relationship. I am sooo thankful for my husband and the love that we have. In no way is it perfect, but I truly love him and feel loved by him. However, I never want to take it for granted. Sometimes I can see myself forgetting to give to him and forgetting to put him at the top of the list. We can get so wrapped up in raising our girls that we forget about each other. Not something I want to do. No way am I going to forget to love him....let's here it for loving our partners.

vision

2009-09-13T21:14:00.002-04:00

Been feeling a lot like my little friend above. Things haven't been clear - and may need to borrow her glasses. Actually my mom offered me a new mantra --- Divine Guidance moves me to new heights of wisdom and success. Trying to repeat it over and over as we make decisions about what action to take against those that have caused us great stress involving our failed septic. It is so hard to know what to do when others don't take responsibility for their errors. Excited to put it all away tomorrow and enjoy my Frayed Edges friends.

Time for lobstah

2009-09-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Is that lobstah or lobster. I think the first is the Mainers version of lobster. I painted this fun lobster for one of my earlier fairs this summer and he was happy to go join a family that was Red Sox fans. I have been pr acting making lobsters. I have a fabric version on my design wall that I hope to turn into a pillow soon. I sure do feel more confident working with fabric.

It was a skirt, but now a bag!

2009-09-09T21:38:00.003-04:00

Please notice my lovely friend and her new bag. Having company from away is so much fun, but even better when they like going to my favorite place.....Salvation Army. I know - sounds odd, but I love it. I think it is the same part of me that loves yard sales and sea glass hunting. It's the hunt, the surprise, and for sure the treasures. This lovely bag was once a mini skirt and the strap was once a belt. We had fun finding the skirt and even more fun turning it into a bag.

Loving my oldest daughter a lot tonight. She has been working on her first writing assignment at school - a letter to introduce herself to her teacher. It brought tears to my eyes to read how Emelia views herself, her family and to learn what she values. She is really funny and so lovely. She brought it to me with such pride in her work and you could see her pleasure in herself for having done such good work. This is the stuff that I love to see - my daughter feeling good about herself. Go 7 th grade!

Love Bug!

2009-09-07T22:02:00.002-04:00

Bart and the girls had a wonderful weekend while I was at my craft fair and fun trip to Ikea. I also had a wonderful time, but boy did I miss my family. Of course, upon my return everyone needed to let me know that they missed me and would prefer I not leave. Today has been a bit harder, but still a great day. Napped with Nina, nachos for dinner, reading time and a clean garage.

Back to crafting and playing with Nina tomorrow. I sat and did some paperwork tonight. Trying to get my fall fair schedule firmed up. Money in, money out....

Elvira...

2009-08-26T22:26:00.003-04:00

How can you resist a cashmere elephant? Much less, one with it's own toadstool. I so love making elephants. They seem to be enjoyed by others as well. Each fair I have participated in, I have sold the elephant. This last weekend, I sold almost all of my softies. It makes me so happy to think that others enjoy them as I do. I was even asked about possibly doing a show a gallery. WOW!

I have another show coming up and in between enjoying our company, I have been very busy. I found some neat sweaters today inspite of the out of towners collecting their sweaters at 'My" Salvation army. I think we need a sign..." Sweaters for locals first." hehe

More friends....off to new homes...

2009-08-19T00:35:00.003-04:00

York days was an interesting fair. I loved being with my sister-in-law Lori, but also missed Heidi. Working on new merchandise trying out new display ideas. I wonder how everything will turn out? Heidi won't be a the next fair either. Her sister is getting married and I was so anxious to get going, I didn't check any dates with her. Looks like all will work out though. Just means that everyone will have to come to all my shows so that they don't miss anything.

Girl Time Art Camp Week 2

2009-08-18T12:23:00.002-04:00

Watch out Softie collectors....there is some new talent on the streets. I could not get over how awesome my art girls were this week. They each created their own softie, made the pattern and sewed it in a day! The day before they made pocket journals from old jeans. It was great to see each girl personalize their journals with their own ideas, talents and interests. I think we will need to have a day long journal day for those that missed this great project. Thanks to Aunt Leslie who created the original.

Girl Time Art Camp Week 1

2009-08-18T00:12:00.003-04:00

Here we all are after our first week of art camp. I had such an awesome time and sooooo enjoyed each and every girl. Watch out artists....here they come. To be so uninhibited (is that a word?) I think they all had a great week. Playing the Ungame was definitely a favorite for the girls. Great game for group bonding. I have the family addition, but by changing a few words here and there it was perfect. Great game to get to know each other.

Laptop anyone?

2009-08-04T20:38:00.002-04:00

Took a brake from making softies for a day - tried my hand at laptop sleeves. A sleeve not a bag.... you say. It is meant to be a cover for your laptop when you take it with you in another bag, or carrying it. It goes in a backpack, suitcase, or seat of the car. Not sure that others will "get it." This one is lined with fun fabric. I guess it will become mine if it doesn't sell at the next fair. I made two others, with vintage buttons and no lining.

Enjoyed York Days this past weekend. Saturday was pretty slow, but Sunday picked up. I met some great people and loved spending the two days with my sister-in-law. Missed Heidi, but with friends in town and deadlines approaching she was needed elsewhere.

Wondering if anyone knows what I should be expecting to make at a show. Someone once told me that a good show is one that you make____% over the cost to be in the show. I just can't remember what that figure was.

Getting ready for Art Girls next week. We are going to have such a great week. They of course have requested many awesome crafts....we will need to work hard. I will transfer the pics from the last one to share. They made such great art.

Hard Core Hikers

2009-07-30T07:43:00.002-04:00

They did it! Bart took Emelia and Chloe on their annual trip to Katahdin and they had a great time. The girls were a little worried about the hike, but did a great job. Next year Ella joins them. Nina and I will wait a bit longer. I love that they have that time together and come home with such special memories and stories to share. To think that this trip was something that Bart and I did together before the girls came. Sure was different then... I miss the alone time, but wouldn't trade a moment of time with my family.

Good bye Ellie

2009-07-29T07:29:00.002-04:00

Ellie is on her way to her new home. I am pleased with her new home, but will miss her. She gave me confidence and assured me that making softies was working for me. I just love it. It is funny how I feel when people ask me what I am making for craft fairs and I tell them "softies." I find myself trying to convince them that this is a valid craft and something people like. It reminds me of how I would apologize for a gift that I would give to someone, giving them permission to not like it. NOT GOOD! I need to, well want to, feel confident and sure of what I make. I sold so many at the fair that it ole Ellie has done her job. There are other people who find value and enjoy a homemade one of a kind cozy. Now....the next step....submit them to Somerset Magazine for their Softie addition. Scary!

I'm Back!

2009-07-28T19:09:00.003-04:00

I am ready to be a consistent blogger. I talked to my good friend Joan, while at the lake, and feel like I have a plan to give my crafting world my attention. I participated in the Harpswell Festival this past Sunday and inspite of the rain had a great day. I love living here so much. To be able to be at a festival and see so many people that I know (and like). I feel truly blessed.

I was able to earn enough $ to pay off the tent I had to buy for all my shows. Yippee. Monday I jumped right in and had my first week of Girl Time Art Camp. The camp filled up and we are having a blast. Each girl is so truly amazing. I so love this age (9 to 12). Well....let me clarify. I love this age to teach and get to know....I find it challenging as a mother. All of my art girls save all that emotional stuff for their mommas and I get the enjoyable time. We wrap up tomorrow with an art show and I will post pics.

All in the Family

2009-06-24T21:41:00.002-04:00

My dad, Bart, Nina, Ella, Gigi (Bart's mom), and me - Ella made her grand performance on stage as "Jesse" the mermaid. Watch out Broadway here we come. If I could figure out how to do a YouTube video I would add the song that her Super Six Kindergarten class recorded about our town, Harpswell. It is amazing to me how much girls like music and singing when both Bart and I both have no special talent in this area.

Off to watch Closer with my husband. I love that show. We don't have cable so we watch it on TNT on the web. I think that is what we do. Maybe it is called downloading it from the web? Wow I need to update my lingo.

Sea Glass, Sea Glass, Sea Glass anyone???

2009-06-22T21:02:00.003-04:00

Is it normal for my three year old to love sea glass? And look....she even has her little buddy joining her in the search. I guess I do threaten her with no dinner until she has found a bag full. Hehe. That was a joke. I tend to not be funny, so you probably aren't laughing.

Today was the last day of school for my girls. I am so excited to finally be able to spend our days as we wish. Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating. I couldn't convince them to go to the beach even if it was windy and raining. Luckily we ate dinner at Estes and we walked on the beach afterwords for a bit. I found a few treasures - the best - watching my four daughters stroll arm and arm with their dad. I won't mention that twenty minutes later I was negotiating an argument about cheating. We have to hold on to the happy times and let go of the negative. My mantra.

That's my girl!

2009-06-21T22:49:00.002-04:00

Other then the fact that my heart was in my throat - Wow!!!! Ella has such determination and will when it comes to physical challenges. I have never experienced a Field day like the one that West Harpswell put on this week. Other then the occasional shower the day was perfect. Watching the girls on the bungee jump was my favorite. Field day like many other things for Ella have been so amazing. It is hard when such a high president has been set. Let's see six kids, all girls in class, two great teachers, amazing field day, fun, fun, fun.

Blue Bear

2009-06-19T16:57:00.003-04:00

Blue Bear joined her new owner last weekend. She is looking forward to joining Emily as she heads off to college this fall. I hope the heart reminds her how much she is loved. Congratulations Emily.

computer camera?

2009-06-03T19:11:00.002-04:00

It probably does not surprise you - that I just learned that my computer has a camera on it. I babysat my good friend Heidi's kids last Friday night and her 13 year old son taught me so much about my computer. Anyway...here is a pic that Nina and I took today. So much for a rest time.

Though I have been reading Eat That Frog, a book on procrastination and direction, I still seem to be procrastinating. Or am I? Couldn't it be that I have four kids, construction on my house, a parent that was here for a month, a school committee nightmare and laundry that doesn't stop???? They do seem like valid things, yet I do believe that if I want it bad enough there is time. So my question for the night???? Hannah, what are you afraid of?

Happy Day!

2009-05-16T14:51:00.002-04:00

Stopped in at JoAnn's today and was tickled to see the new issue of Stich Magazine. Even happier to see Heidi's and my bear and kitty inside. Unfortunately you wouldn't know I had anything to do with them if you didn't know me. For confusion sake and Heidi's good name...she submitted them. I did enjoy the financial benefits of having a friend in the world of crafts and personally feel so happy to see something that I sewed in a magazine. Hope you can check it out. Visit our craft fairs this summer and fall an you too could own one of our critters.

My Mom

2009-05-10T20:53:00.001-04:00

Again. I have no idea why this is underlined.

Many of us think we have the best mother there is. Well, I do. I remind myself, as my eldest daughter is upset with me. That I too felt that way one day. Lucky for me, my mom stuck with me and we made it to the other side. In fact, I even give my mother the credit for most things I do as a mother. She taught me so many things. Though she tried to get me to spell correctly, use "then and than" in the right places and keep my room in an orderly fashion....and failed. She did teach me the best things... how to love, set limits, but be fair, connect and respect AND to take your vitamins. Hehe. For those of you who know my mother, you know how truly amazing she is at listening, at being honest , loyal, talking things through and making you feel so important. At times she can come off a bit to strong. But those of us that have made it through one of those embarrassing moment s- truly know that behind every outburst is something VERY important. Sometimes you just have to search for it. Though she buys my daughters movies, juice and gum. Three things she never let me have. I love watching her love my girls and teach them how to truly love someone.

Balance

2009-05-07T18:15:00.002-04:00

I am by far a rock lover. When we went to Bar Harbor over Spring Break I found these rocks to be very appealing. Sometimes I feel like I am like those rocks - balancing in hard place, but peaceful. I think rock structures like this have a name.... Bart also is into rocks. He has been collecting neat rocks and many that are round to make knobs from. They look so good. I hope that since he is drilling through rocks, I should be able to drill through sea glass. Soon. Soon.

My dad is home from the hospital and looking better each day. I am so glad that he is here. I don't know how anyone could be alone after a major surgery. There are so many things to know and keep track of. I am of normal mind and have a hard time keeping up...imagine managing a drug induced state and managing the correct meds. Ugh! The part that is the hardest is Nina who seems to see him and any time I give to him - like sibling rivalry. Getting better each day.

Thinking of Pep!

2009-05-01T11:52:00.002-04:00

I went to get my father yesterday. His surgery was this morning and we had to arrive at the hospital early. I didn't tell him, but I wanted him close, to keep an eye on him. I didn't want him to feel alone. He is having his prostate removed and will be in the hospital a few days. The surgery is six hours long. Wow! I know he will be okay. It is scary to watch your parents get older. He seems so young in so many ways. In no way is he or we ready to not have him around. Think of my dad today. I appreciate it.

Joy!

2009-04-29T23:44:00.002-04:00

This is it for me. These lovely young people just make it all work. Of course I don't want to not mention my other lovely family members, but right now it is these fine young people. I called this post "joy" yet really I feel so sad and frustrated. I attended yet another school consolidation meeting tonight, where I sat as the parent representative for my girls school, and I left feeling so disappointed. I come from a family of public school educators, I am a social worker and I respect and appreciate communication and public schooling. However, tonight I am ready to send my girls to private school. I actually cried during our meeting. Not to mention the embarrassment I feel, I am so frustrated an disappointed at how money, egos and personal agendas can impact soooo much.

I moved to Harpswell, Maine two years ago in August. I will say that I for the first time in my adult life I feel like I have found home. I love being close to the water, to be surrounded by such beauty, but most of all I love the woman and families that I have met. It is so hard to then be faced with such silliness when it comes to community decisions and education. First it is good to be part of a small school. A small school that is ranked number one in our county. Yet a school that is part of a district that seems to talk out of both sides of its mouth depending on the daily agenda. Ugh! I will not let this keep me from loving my home, my neighbors, and my community. Our school board may be misdirected, but I will fight for my girls, they deserve the best and we will not settle or except (or is it accept) narrow minded, money driven, personal agenda seeking individuals that mascaraed as having children's best interest at heart. I have best interest at heart. How could I not with such wonderful young girls in my life.