To-Do List Tuesday

I plan on getting back into the studio in the very near future and would like some company.  I need your feedback on which classes sound most appealing to you, as well as dates and times that work for you.  I would love to never have a studio event where the voice inside my head is my only company.  Let's fill up those seats.
The next few weekends are off-limits.  My personal to-do list is pretty long until after school gets out...
This weekend-Monika's wedding weekend
Next Wednesday-Shea's Birthday

Next Thursday-My mom comes into town!

Next Friday-Baby doctor and Shea's 2-year well-check!  Crazy how much he has changed since his 1-year check up

Next Saturday-Shea's Birthday Party
Next Sunday-Chill with the family
Saturday the 16th-Sequoyah High School Graduation-SHOUTOUT TO ALL OF MY SENIORS!  Congratulations!  I am so proud of how far you have come since you were just my little freshmen babies 4 years ago! 
AND
My little brother Nathan's graduation from high school.  I cannot believe you are already a senior.  I look forward to all that your next big life adventure brings. 

So my next possible available day for a studio event would be Sunday, May 17th.  Would anyone be interested in any of the following classes on May 17th?  Seriously, let me know if you are free to hang out and make fun things with me.  Here are your options for classes...

1.  T-shirt scrap rag rugs- $10...rag base and t-shirt scraps provided but you are welcome to bring your own shirts too.

2. Custom Planners from books...I have done this class before but would like to try it again.  I made one out of the children's book Peter Pan and have used it all school year.  The class will be $10.  Cost includes needed supplies and binding rings.  Bring your own book or purchase one for just a little extra from my collection.

3. Sewing Party-$5 for studio usage.  I plan on this just being a hang out for my sewing friends and wannabe sewing friends.  I am new to the sewing world...self-taught.  This is something I am proud of but also would love to learn from my veteran stitching friends.  Bring your machines or needles or come empty-handed and we can share materials and knowledge.  We could even do a fabric swap and exchange scraps.  I think this would be super fun and I would love to pick your brains.  Cindy Varner, Katie Turner, Kim Ingle, and Ms. Mary...you all come to mind.  So be there or be square!  :)

I really want to hear what you guys think about these studio event ideas.  Throw out some ideas of your own if you have any.  What is on your Tuesday To-Do list?

Inspire Me Monday-Monika soon-to-be Patel

So normally my Inspire Me Monday posts are about artists and crafters that inspire me with their work.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my inspiration has come from other places lately...most recently from my dear friend, Monika.

This past month has been my most creative month in a while.  I think I can attribute that to lots of things.  First, I would have to say that I have made more things because I have had more orders than I normally do.  I am grateful for that.  It will keep me busy after school gets out for the summer.  My last day of school this year is May 22.  I don't know who is more excited, me or the students.  I like teaching, and I like my kids, but I am glad that school isn't year-round.  All that to say I am glad I have something to keep me busy this summer besides just my little boy and my hubby...who I am super looking forward to spending more time with really soon.

  :)   This is the longest list of orders I have ever had outside of the holiday season.

1. 4 Mermaid Tail Blanket Wraps-DONE...This is where I can say that inspiration came from a friend.  Blakely, one of my husband's co-workers posted a link to mermaid tail patterns on my Facebook and within a day I had people requesting I make them.  They were really fun to make and I hope I get to make more in the near future.
   
   
   
2. 2 T-shirt Quilts-DONE
   One is not pictured because it is a surprise.
3. Heart Quilt-DONE
   
4. Secret Special Surprise for my LITTLE brother who is graduating from high school in 2 weeks-WIP (work in progress)
   
5. Onezie Quilts for twins-one boy and one girl-WIP
   
6. Crocheted Football Headbands-To-do list
7. Newborn Crocheted Elephant Hat and Diaper Cover-WIP
8. Teddy Bear Quilt-waiting on fabric to arrive from Etsy
   
   
9. T-shirt Quilt Order-waiting on shirts
10. Quilt for my dear friend and her Hubby-to-be!-DONE
    
    

This dear friend of mine, Monika, has been an inspiration to me since we were roommates and teammates on the track and cross-country team at UTC. 

She is a jack-of-all trades, that woman.  I am inspired by her ambition and ability to throw her whole heart into a variety of hobbies and callings and passions and be a rockstar at all of them.  If this tells you anything about her, her wedding is next Saturday and she spent literally all day yesterday preparing for her physical therapy final today.  Next year she will be graduating from PT school.  So yesterday her only break was catching up on life with me over some Crust Pizza.  I felt special.  As I pulled up to her house to park my car, I was greeted by a giant community garden that Monika created herself.  It has brought the people of the community together and is a source of food and fun for the neighborhood.  And she made it on her own.  No one asked her to or paid her to or praised her for it.  She just saw a need in the community and an empty lifeless space owned by a neighborhood church and she asked them if she could give it life.  Look at it now.  It used to be a lot overrun with weeds and now it is a beautiful garden.

I am so excited about the new adventure she is soon embarking on with a great man.  I just pray that her marriage is as much of a treasure and light in her life as mine has been.  I pray they continue to make each-other's hearts happy and inspire each-other to more wonderful things.  I can't wait to see what the Patel team does.  Here is a testament to Monika's awesomeness and Pranav's love for her...proof that these two will do more for the world together than they ever would apart.  This is what Pranav said of Monika on their wedding website.

Why I chose Monika

Her determination, honesty, and humility are magnetic. She maintains an active, yet simple lifestyle, helping others and contributing to our community. She's adaptable and all-accepting.  She has an unconditional giving nature in every act.  She's in sync with nature, reads often, and has not missed a single day of journaling since the age of six, which shows discipline, commitment to one life principle. Mark Twain, one of Monika's favorite authors, made a statement when announcing his engagement, and nothing could ring more true for my feelings toward her:

"I am not worrying about whether you will love my future wife or not—if you know her twenty-four hours & then don’t love her, you will accomplish what nobody else has ever succeeded in doing since she was born. She just naturally drops into everybody’s affections that comes across her."


So I have concluded that if Monika can do it all, I can do it all, too.  I can't wait until her wedding next weekend.  It is going to be a blast.

This was her on my wedding day RAPPING...yes RAPPING a "speech" at my reception.  I won't be rapping but I do plan on returning the favor as creatively as possible. ;)

I can't wait to share in her special day in 6 days! Eek!

Inspire Me Monday

As I begin the adventure of starting this community art studio, I have made plans on how I can stay connected to all of my little Scrappers (see FAQ if you tilted your head to the side and made a funny face). I have created a tentative schedule to keep all of you posted on this little blog that I home to spruce up in the near future. Sorry it's not too easy on the eyes yet. The new schedule is as follows:

Sunday Showcase-introduce artists selling their work in the studio and make you wanna buy their stuff

Monday-see above

To-Do List Tuesday-the project I've pined to my Pinterest Page that I can't wait to do in the studio

WIPs on Wednesday-for all of us crafters this is works in progress

Thanks for the Scraps Thursday-a shoutout to devoted Stashers who donate to the studio and help this vision 

Finished Product Friday-art and handmade goods created in the studio whether for sale or for keeps

Meet a Scrapper Saturday-an artist who uses the studio, who they are, what they're about, and some of their art

This Monday Jordana Jaffe at www.embarkability.com inspired me...

I stumbled upon her blog when I found this image on Pinterest

This quote is very encouraging to me. It is exactly what I am planning to do.

What inspired me most was her honesty. She reflected over her year and laid it all out there...the good, the bad, and the ugly and shared what she wished next year to look like. So I will lead by example to show you just who you will be making friends with should you chose to make use of the studio. So here are the milestones that happened in my life between last December 30th and today...

1. January 5th-began volunteering at McKamey Animal Center where I helped shelter dogs find their forever homes like my terrier Roscoe and my pit bull CindyLu did. It has been a pleasure of mine and I made many friends in the process. With the new business and the new baby my volunteer days have been few and far between but that shelter, those dogs, and those people have a special place in my heart.

2. January 29th-painted my first pair of converse shoes and began to see the diversity I could use in my art. 

3. March 17th-finished preparing the nursery for my baby boy.

4. April 4th-I was a bridesmaid at my best friend's wedding

5. April 15th- went into preterm labor at 34 weeks but was able to stop it with bedrest

6. May 4th-decided if our little boy was born on the day of Kentucky Derby we would make his middle name the name of the winning horse...but only if Frackdaddy or Itsyourluckyday won...I was pulling for Shea Frackdaddy Strauss...Shea didn't come that day.

7. May 6th- Shea Elijah Strauss was born at 5:12pm three weeks early but healthy as could be

8. May 30th- got semipermanent blue ombré highlights in my hair...not a big deal...but seemed significant to me

9. June 27th- took a 14 hour drive to Texas to see my family...with an 8 week old...it was easy...he slept almost the whole way

10. End of July- beach trip with the fam

11. August 8th- my first day back at work and Shea's first day of daycare

12. End of October-flew to see my husband's family in California

13. December 6th-Shea's first visit with Santa

14. Shea's first Christmas!!!

Looking back it all seems like flowers and rainbows and for the most part it was. I have been so blessed this past year by the joys of motherhood and falling even more in love with my husband. But there were many tears too. Most of them were shed over the realization that I only have so much impact on my high school students as their teacher. I can teach them and love them and discipline them and encourage them all day long at school. But when they go home they go to an environment that is opposite of the one I try to instill at school. This led me to the vision of the community art studio. I want to create a positive environment for students and families to create things that build their confidence and develop their sense of creativity. I feel I can touch people so much more out of the confines of public education. I see it's value and have no complaints about the way things are done I just want to change the culture the students have after they leave the school.

I have also struggled with doubts about the studio and whether I can make it happen and still be a good mother and wife. But this is a calling from God. Of that I have no doubt. And over and over again God has reminded me that what he has started within me he will see through to completion. For every door that has been closed that brought with it doubt, he has opened one I wasn't even searching for. I have to continue to pray for confidence in my dream and the ability to be the wife and mother I was called to be first. Not to be cliche but I know that with God all things are possible, and I know he will provide.

New Years Resolutions-

1. God first, family second, studio third

2. Be more productive with my time.

3. Touch at least one life in a major way.

4. Broaden my creativity.

5. Help others find value in their individuality.

Happy Almost New Years, friends! 

What are your resolutions for 2014?