Lasso The Moon

Craft Wednesday - Light

After our first class on the color wheel, I finally decided on the theme of our art class series.   As we proceed through the classes, our lessons and projects will loosely follow the order in which God created the universe.

So, for our second class, we learned a couple things about light.

During our play-doh warm up time, we remembered the color wheel from last time.  And because light contains all the colors, we made our own color wheels out of play-doh.

Start with two balls of play-doh in each primary color:

Break one of the balls in half and place each one on the sides of the larger ball of the same color.

Now comes the fun part.  Talk about which colors mix to make new colors.  And with each pair of small play-doh balls, start to mix them together to see what results.

Keep mixing until a uniform color is formed.

Like magic!  Take a minute or two and play around with the new colors.  Make something different out of all of the colors of the wheel.

The kids in art class LOVED this part of the lesson.

How fun to mix play-doh colors and not get in trouble for it!

After the warm up time was over, we set out to make kaleidoscopes with a project I found on the bkids blog. (That's a great source for artsy ideas!)

We used circles cut from self-laminating sheets. They are very stiff on one side and sticky on the other.

Our artists cut shapes from three different colors of tissue paper.  Magenta, Blue, and Yellow.  They stuck some of each color to their flimsy, sticky circle, and then had a grown-up cover the shapes with the "lid" piece of the laminating sheet.  Make sure to leave plenty of blank space so the circles will stick together. 

Depending on time and attention-span, your artist can make two or three circles to form the kaleidoscope.  We made two each in our class. Make sure each circle has all three colors represented.

Cut a small hole in the center of each circle.  We folded them slightly and cut with scissors.  (Be careful!)  Place a brad in the center, connecting your layers together.

As you hold up your kaleidoscope to the light, turn the circles to form new shapes and colors.  As they overlap, you'll notice the came colors you formed while mixing play-doh!

A great way to study light through art.

(More details can be found on the bkids blog.)

Next week is Air and Water!

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Dolly update:

These 3 cuties just arrived from an anonymous crafter in Arkansas:

And 10 more came in from Denton:

That brings our total to:

115!

 

 

 linked to: THD

Time to ship those baby dolls. Today!

There are only three days until those baby dolls need to be in. THREE!  That means, if you are out of town, today is the day they need to go in the mail.  Ship them priority, and they should be here exactly on time.

I got these in today from some local sewists. 

From Karen H.

Love that tiny button detail on the boys!

And these from my sister, Abby:

She gave each one a completely different hair bow.  I love them all, but I think that curly ribbon is my fave.

Also today, my friend Jill brought her three nieces over so I could help them finish the dolls that they were HAND sewing.

Hand. Sewn.

Dory made this one:

They told me that they had never sewn before.  This was their first sewing project ever.  When I looked at the work that had gone into them, I could not believe that they'd never sewn before.  A dolly is by no means your typical beginner project.

Summer made this one:

I want to clarify--I did not teach these girls to sew. The dolls were almost finished when I met them.  Are you as impressed as I am!?  Amazing!

Elizabeth made this one:

And how gracious to offer up your first sewing project to a child in need.  In Haiti.  I am moved by their generosity.  By the generosity of ALL who have donated time, money, sewing skills, and prayers to this project.

Are you ready for today's total?

101!!!!!

***********************

Now, if you have finished dollies that you have not sent it, get to the post office today!

Send your babydolls to:

Baby Dolls for Haiti

c/o Faith Bible Church

1437 W. Pleasant Run Rd.

DeSoto, TX 75115

Four days

With 4 days left before the baby dolls get packed up, I received two large shipments of them.

These 9 are from Morine and Marguerite, right here in Dallas.  I don't know these ladies personally, but they heard about our mission and wanted to join in.  Such generosity!

The boys are too cute!  I love all the custom details.

And this huge pile of baby dolls came from my friend Jennifer in Denton, TX.

Thirteen girls and one lucky boy!

The girls have pompom bows and ribbon anklets. Where do they come up with all these adorable ideas!

If you are keeping count, our numbers increased by TWENTY-THREE dolls today.  That's the power of teamwork!  And this brings our new total to 81!!!

Eighty-one sets of arms that will have a hand-made baby doll to hug.

Eighty-one little hearts that have been personally covered in prayer.

Eighty-one brothers and sisters who we'll probably never meet, but who I love anyway.  They are our neighbors, but they live in a wildly different world than we do.  I hope that making these dolls will help us think and pray for them a little more often.

 

 

Five Days Left of the Dolly Drive for Haiti

I just got a package of beautiful baby dolls from Michigan, made by Laurie C., and I couldn't wait to show you.  Each one is different from the others and full of details.

I love the bow on this one.  I'm going to have to make some for my own baby dolls.

This one has a kerchief. And the happiest face imaginable.

This dolly is a different, more complicated pattern.  It makes her seem like the big sister of the group.

They are ready for hugging!

Since we only have 5 days until the end of the drive, it's time to talk seriously about some things.  Today is Monday.  The end of the drive is Saturday. If you are mailing your baby dolls, then your deadline is really only 2 days away.  It's time to start finishing some baby dolls. 

I say this because I know that some of you aspired to make quite a few dollies, but your workspace still looks like this:

Or even this:

Now, I love an assembly line as much as anyone, maybe more.  It's how I make almost everything.  But there is a time to work on things one-at-a-time, and time that is today.  Regardless of how many you intended to make, a pile of baby doll arms is not going to be fun for any Haitian child.  Pick up one of your dolls and finish it completely today.  Because one finished dolly is going to make a huge difference in a child's life.  Much more than 20 piles of unfinished dolly parts.

I know that the finishing touches of these dolls take the most time, and that can be frustrating when you want to finish a whole bunch.  But while you are hand-stitching those faces, or adding those flowers to their hair, consider this.  Take that time to really think about the life of the child who will get your dolly.  Pray specifically for her.  You don't know her name, but God does.  Maybe this is the first prayer anyone has ever said for her.

Pray for her safety. 

Pray that she is allowed to reach adulthood. 

Pray that she finds a loving family. 

Pray that she doesn't go to bed with an empty tummy tonight. 

Pray that she knows real love.

Pray that she finds Jesus. 

Pray that she would know the love of Jesus, and become a light in Haiti. 

Pray that she would become a leader, and lead others like her to the Truth. 

And keep praying for her after you send me her baby doll.  There is a reason I asked you to make these dollies.  It would have been much more simple to run to the dollar store and grab a bunch of toys to stick in a box. 

But we aren't just sending toys. 

We are making a connection between two worlds.

And the time you spend in prayer over the children who will hold your dollies are worth every minute.  More than we'll know in this lifetime.  Imagine what it might be like in Heaven someday.  Seeing someone you've never met walk up to you and say, "I know you. You prayed for me when I was a child.  And now we have eternity to get to know each other." 

That's why I asked you to make these dolls. 

So spend a few extra minutes today finishing a baby doll or two.

And send them to:

Baby Dolls for Haiti

c/o Faith Bible Church

1437 W. Pleasant Run Rd.

De Soto, TX 75115

The deadline is July 28th, so if you are mailing them, you'll need to get them in the mail by the 25th to get here on time.

We are not JUST about Haitian baby dolls around here -- just mostly

Just wanted to reassure you that there have been a few non-baby-doll happenings around here.  We have actually been making some great progress on our big summer list.

Sprinkler Park

The Chihuly Exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum

If you live in or near the Dallas area, please take the time to check out this exhibit.  We loved it, even though it was super hot at 10am and most of my pictures turned out like this:

Some antiquing:

And I have to share this pretty bowl of home-grown eggs from a friend:

That promptly became breakfast-for-dinner-french-toast. Yum!

So, yes.  We have been doing a little more than making and collecting baby dolls this month.  But not much more.  And if you have some dollies to send in, be aware that the deadline is only 5 days away!  I'm starting to get some in from other locations, and I'll share some of them tomorrow.

 

 

Craft Wednesday - Color Wheel

I started an art class for the neighborhood kids and some other friends on Wednesday mornings.

Every class I've ever taught starts by making a color wheel.  This one is made using magazine pages, so it's very kid-friendly.

Preparation:

Take a large piece of white craft paper, and trace a circle with a dinner plate.  Divide the circle into 6 equal sized wedges, either by eye-balling or folding.  Trace all the lines with a black marker.  Using colored markers, draw a line or squiggle in each wedge that shows which color to use: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet. 

Flip through magazines and junk mail to find pictures that are mostly one color.  Recycling and giving you permission to get rid of some of those magazines that are cluttering your side table!

Separate the colored paper pieces into piles (or baggies if you are outside!) and let your child fill each wedge with the right color.  Tell her to try and cover every bit of white paper, and she might just take all day to finish it.

Depending on your little one's age, he might need some help.  One of our friends kept putting the glue on the wrong side, and then couldn't figure out why it didn't look right in the end.  No big deal, though.  Just cover them with more pieces!

I love doing projects with lots of kids, because each one works differently.  It's fun to see all the various personalities and how they approach their own work.  Try not to hurry them if time allows, and try not to give too much instruction.  They have ways of figuring things out for themselves that might surprise you.

Don't forget to take a picture of the finished product!

********

If you are following the baby doll drive for Haiti, we just got these two darlings, made by Kathryn S.

I kinda want to keep them.  I love the collars!

That brings our current total to 34!

Keep sewing and sending them in!  Details here.

 

 

linked to THD

How to finish your baby dolls -- faces, bows and other tips

I have had a few detail questions that I thought you might all like the answer to as you are working on your baby dolls for Haiti. 

Find the printable pattern here.

1. What is the best way to put the dolls together? 

First, read the tutorial made by the designer.  I put all of my baby dolls together the way she suggests, with only a few minor adjustments. One change that I made is that I don't pin the arms to the sides of the dress.  I found that they were bunching and shifting too much during the sewing, so I tacked them to the sides (stitching close to the edge) of the front piece before sewing the front and back together:

I also did the same with the stuffed legs, before stuffing the body.  This time I used the full 1/4 in seam allowance, so it makes a guide for turning under that last seam after stuffing.

Another small thing I changed is that I am hand sewing the last seam shut, because no matter what I did, I could not make that one look good using the machine.

Finally, when cutting out the boy body pattern, I divided the body into two pieces, cutting about 1 1/2 inches from the bottom, to form separate pants and shirt.  Then I added a 1/4 inch seam allowance to each side of the split so the finished doll would be the same size.  I think the boys look adorable either way, though.

2. How are you doing the faces? 

Since I am much more adept with a needle and thread than with a paintbrush, I am embroidering the faces.  But I say, do whatever you are good at.

Here are the two simple face styles I'm using for the girl dolls:

Use just two strands of embroidery floss so it looks nice and tidy.  For the satin stitched eyes, outline your oval in a neat back stitch, then fill with the satin stitch, keeping your fill stitches inside the outline.

Here are the boy faces:

I hid my knots under the hairline or along the side seam, and then poked the thread back into the doll to bury the tail end.

3. How should I finish them off?

I am sewing a simple felt pocket to the boy shirts, before I sew the front and back pieces together.  This could also be added at the end by hand. (See above)

For the girls, I'm switching between three options:

A simple ribbon bow, a felt flower, and a yo-yo rosette with ribbon "leaf".

Overall, I just want to send as many baby dolls as we can to Haiti next month.  So if you can make one, please do.  And please send the dolly drive info to someone else who sews, too.  We had a dolly-making party yesterday, and added several more to the group:

We got the total up to 26, with a few more that just need finishing touches.

Send your baby dolls to:

Baby Dolls for Haiti

c/o Faith Bible Church

1437 W. Pleasant Run Rd.

DeSoto, TX 75115

Remember, the deadline is July 28th, so if you are mailing them, you'll need to get them in the mail by the 25th to get here on time.

If you have already made dolls for the drive, and would like to add a tip, please leave it in the comments.

 

 

I've Been Told I'm A Character

There is a new interview up at the Spud and Chloe blog.  Seems they have added a new member to Chloe's family in the form of a cartoon character.

That's me!  Or more accurately, that's Aunt Anna, the one who makes all the up-cycled project bags.  Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be part of something like this.  I'm totally flattered.

So, if you feel like it, stop by their blog and check out the interview.

And don't forget--there are only nineteen days left in the Baby Doll drive for Haiti. Find details here.  That is plenty of time to make one or two dolls and stick them in the mail. It's a great way to use up some scrap fabric you may have around.

My own little row of dollies is growing bigger, but it will happen so much faster if you pitch in!

Can you make one rag doll? Baby Dolls for Haiti

Do you sew?  Do you know someone who does? I have a little project I want you to help me with. 

Donnie is leaving for a mission trip to Haiti on August 1st. He's taking several kids from our youth group, and while they are there, they will be helping with a local ministry, learning about the culture, playing with Haitian kids, and getting their feet wet in global missions. 

There are more than 400,000 orphans in Haiti, and hundreds of thousands more children living in poverty there.  I want to send as many baby dolls with Donnie as I can--something to hug when life gets scary or lonely.  Every child needs that.

I made one!

And then I made a few more.

I made 7 dolls in just a few days, and I'm going to keep making them.  But since the trip is only about 3 weeks away, I thought you might want to help me out. Here's how:

If you sew, commit to making ONE doll to send with our group to Haiti.  Just one.  You might want to make more after that, but even one doll would make a difference in a little one's life.

If you don't sew, consider donating some supplies (solid brown cotton fabric, black thread, stuffing...) or even just a few bucks to the cause.  We figured that the dolls cost about $2 each to make, so just a little could make a big difference.

Whether you sew or not, make it your goal to tell three people about our Baby Doll Drive.  Send them the link to this post, share it on facebook, however you can get the word out.  I will probably make about 25 dolls before the group leaves, but imagine how many more we could send if we all pitched in just a little! (We can't send too many.)

(Aren't they gorgeous! Can't you picture them holding on to their own baby dolls! Haiti photos by Amanda Towns.)

I got the pattern from here. The Dolly Donations blog is full of ideas, patterns, tips, and tricks to make doll-making easier.  Download your pattern here.

There is a list of supplies on the site above, but basically, you need brown cotton fabric, black felt, and patterned fabric for the "clothing". 

We are looking for girl AND boy dolls, with brown to dark brown skin, with any color hair.  Get creative and have fun with it!  Ask a child to help you stuff your doll, and use it as an opportunity to teach him/her about children in other countries.  When you are working on the hand-stitched parts, or picking out your fabric, take a moment to pray for the child who'll get your doll.  Maybe this child has never been prayed for in her life.  You don't know her name, but God does!

Send your babydolls to:

Baby Dolls for Haiti

c/o Faith Bible Church

1437 W. Pleasant Run Rd.

DeSoto, TX 75115

Please send your dolls early enough that they arrive before July 28th.  They'll need a couple of days to figure out how much they are taking and get it all packed up. 

If you have any questions about the drive, please leave a comment on this blog post, or email me.  lassothemoonshop (at) gmail (dot) com.  Thanks so much for helping!

And here are a few pictures from the last trip our group took to Haiti.

That's my little brother Jon playing guitar.

Thank you, Amanda for letting me use your photos!  I hope we get to send lots of baby dolls this year.