Spit That Gum Out Right Now! (Pesach 2012)

We've arrived.  All the crazy preparations---the shopping, the cleaning, the cooking---have receded into childbirth-like memory, and we're right smack dab in the middle of the most thought-about week in the Jewish calendar.  

We've consumed our body-weights in eggs and potatoes, and we're not even halfway through.  The seders have come and gone (quite smoothly--but guest-less-ly this year.)  The super-size box of Bazooka has been chewed, and its telltale wrappers linger insidiously throughout the house.  (In the bathroom? Really?  And the laundry room?  WTH?)  The perennial favorites have been baked and devoured, and a fabulous new recipe has joined their ranks.  

And, most importantly, the semi-annual kid-pics have been taken.  Remind me not to hand out the aforementioned Bazooka till after the photo session next year.  Grumble, grumble...

Today's excitement included a very windy trip to the park, but tomorrow we'll be taking on the thrills of Discovery World.   The weather's been gorgeous---none of that freak snowstorm business this year, and we're taking full advantage.

 If you're smart, you'll go bake those cookies now.  That's what I'm doing...

Toothpicks and q-tips and bleach, oh my!

Yup, it's almost Pesach, which means I've been neglecting you, my little bloglings, in order that I may bleach the living bejillies out of most everything in my house.  This evening, my trusty razor blade and I excavated the cracks and crevices of the stove, bringing forth all manner of unspeakable gunk.

Right now I'm itching to clean the kitchen table so I can dress it up in the mind-blowingly fabulous oilcloth I finally scored at my local JoAnn's...

... but first I have to reassemble my poor candelabra, which got completely dissected, cleaned, and polished this evening.  (Note---this was not so much a Passover chore as a "Good Heavens, who was President when that was cleaned last?" chore, but all of the kids were really excited to take on the task.  For the first ten minutes.  Then, guess who futzed with it for an hour and a half?  Why, yes, that  would  be me.  How clever of you to guess!)  It looks better than it has since we brought it home from the store, but (naturally) a piece went missing during The Great Cleanse, so it's all kinds of wobbly.  Not cool.  And the kids are all sleeping, so I can't even bribe them into tracking down the wayward nut.  Nuts!

In other news, my littlest sous-chef did some onion peeling earlier.  She was appropriately garbed for her chore. (Yes, I totally wear these while I'm chopping onions.  When I had contacts, my baby-blues were impervious to onion tears, but now I'm a regular wuss.  I slip these stunning goggles over my shades and look perfectly ridiculous while I'm chopping---and not crying.)

The classes in my studio are coming along really well.  Last week we made puzzles and did some printmaking.

I'm looking forward to a new batch of girls' workshops and a ladies group at the end of the month!

Before I head back to the salt mines, here's a peek at the annual Pre-Pesach Picnic:

Sneaky, sneaky me.

In the girls' room, there's a little room adjacent to the closet that most people would use for storage.  My kids claimed it for a playspace--- in spite of its dark, creepy interior--- the moment they discovered its existence.  I've been hoping to do a mini-remodel on the DL for ages, and last week I did the deal.

This is pretty much what the interior looked like when I started.  Studs everywhere, wood floors---lovely but decidedly un-cozy--and insulated snugly and finished with cardboard boxes.  Seriously.  My first stop was at ReStore to grab some carpet and padding.

The carpet was actually a foot narrower than the 10'x5' space, but I was planning to cover that side with book crates anyway, so I was pretty happy with what I carted home for my ten bucks. 

I thought about painting, and just couldn't see it in such an awkward space---it's kind of triangular---so I headed stashward instead.  Equipped with staple gun, a high tolerance for pain, and mucho fabrico, the ceiling took on the look of a badly pieced quilt.

Once I'd finished with the ceiling (well, mostly---you know how I am about finishing things...) I moved on to the space between the studs.  Armed once again with swathes of fabric and my trusty staple gun, I covered the boring drywall. 

Next on my list---adding shelves.  I hightailed it to my home away from home and picked up a couple of 2x4s, which they obligingly cut into 15" segments for me.  Upon my return home, I remembered how important it is to measure twice.  And how important it is to measure yourself, even when the 12 year old you've delegated to seems perfectly competent.  I headed downstairs for a little quality time with the table saw.  Twice.  Then my drill and I rediscovered the wonder that is making pilot holes, and the shelves went up in what passes for a jiffy around here.  (Remember that all of this was done on the sly---no small feat when one has a three year old following one's every move.)

Then I carted in vast amounts of books, soft toys, and pillows.  I added a few blankets to the mix and hung the music-box that was in my craft room in Des Moines.  Did I ever mention how bad I am at keeping secrets?  I gave up on Friday afternoon, and showed the girls my handiwork.

They were so excited!  They've been in there pretty much every waking moment, and the boys actually slept inside on Friday night.  Totally worth schlepping myself and all manner of sharp tools in and out of this glorified closet all week long...

Studio Tour: Up close, personal, and un-edited.

I'm a lucky girl: I finally have a room of my own, and it's even heated.  The house we bought in Milwaukee is a duplex that we use as a single family home.  My studio is the upstairs kitchen, which means it's got oodles of cabinets, a double sink, and lots of space.

 My workbench is nestled in the nook where the stove should go.  Love the task lighting!

 Lots of Dictionary Sacrifice earrings on the bench block today.  (I finally got wise and schlepped a concrete block upstairs to use under the bench block.  Before that, I was doing all my metal stamping on the concrete floor of the basement.)

Beads hang out on the bench with me-made findings.

A repurposed  rake provides storage for strands of beads and wire spools.

 This is pretty much the way it always looks.  There's never just one project going at a time...


Between craft fairs, I keep everything set up in my "showroom."  Makes it easier to find items when they sell, and also gives me the opportunity to switch things up if need be.

 This is where the heavy drilling and cutting happens.  Right now, I'm trying to put together some storage for my metal stamps.  Naturally, I can't find the right size drill bit...which means it's time to hit my neighborhood hardware store.  The blow dryer is handy for drying off findings after they've been tumbled.

 Here's my trusty $3 paper cutter.  Bought it from friends at a yard sale years ago, and have probably used it more than any other piece of equipment I own.  More than my money's worth...

 I have a (ridiculous) collection of tool boxes and jewelry boxes, which hold everything I need until I need it.  Or until I forget about it...

 The south wall is where all of the cabinets live.  Original to the house. Awesome, no?

 The kids like to hang out with me, so they have their own work table smack in the middle of the room.

 Reclaimed heat register---sprayed silver, and used for storage.

There you have it---my little haven o'craft, Milwaukee-style.  Where do you get crafty?

Craft Show III, ADD, and Me.

It's been a busy week.  Sunday, I did my third show, which I helped to coordinate.  Had some new tricks up my sleeve, including the nifty stamps I used on my once-plain brown paper bags.  The setup is essentially the same as it was last time...

...but there are a bunch of things I'm looking to change up.  My bunting is starting to look kind of rumpled, which is not quite the image I'm shooting for.  Also, I'm feeling like all the green is a bit much, so I'm on the prowl for ideas about what to cover the table with.  I forgot a bunch of my signs, and had to fudge a couple and do without one entirely.  And see that solitary burlap display in the back?  Must. be. revamped.

Luckily, I had a slew of helpers this go round.

I'm pretty sure this one ate most of my profits.

And this one wasn't too happy to leave once the festivities had ended.

The studio has taken a hit during this succession of shows, so I'm hoping to put it to rights this week.  My workbench is hidden under all manner of findings and tools.

And my Power Tool Station (okay, the counter next to the sink) is the very picture of disarray (and headless silverware).

Naturally, I'm coping with the urgent need for organization in the way I know best: ignoring it and doing something altogether different. Here's a dark, amateurish photo of the business card holder I put together this afternoon while the Huz took the kidlets to a movie.  It's made of balsa wood, buttons, and the ever present paper bags.  Amazing what lurks inside these cupboards of mine.

On a final note, my new bracelets were the hottest seller at this event.  (Which was cool, since I've been sweating blood over them.)  Any clever ideas for quotes or phrases to stamp on them---with no more than 30 characters?  Yeah, that's been keeping me busy, too...

Off to light candles with the family...hope your week is filled with light!

Bright and early on Friday morning, I stopped here.

And I left them this:

Which left me pretty much computer-less for the next seven to ten days.

To console myself, I headed here.

And now I'm spending the better part of my time looking for the light at the end of the tunnel (of boxes.)

Much progress being made.

My Creative Space: still unpacking

f

The side of our house gets a nice batch of empty boxes each day, as I slowly sift through the stuff we've yet to unpack.  Most of the boxes that remain underground are labeled "Art" or "Kids' Books,"  and I'm attempting to purge both collections as I bring them into the light of day. 

Not an easy task, mind you, considering the years I've spent amassing each, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can't hang on to everything.  So, yeah, if you're looking for a Boxcar Children book, I'm your man.  Also if you have need of a bunch of presser feet, a large, laminated Ben Franklin, or an assortment of bulldog clips.  Because we arty folks never know when something might come in useful, isn't that right?

For more creative (and less cluttered) spaces...