Marsbarn Designs...

Awesome new review!

One of my dice bag customers wrote this wonderful review of my work!  Whoo-hoo!

Valentine making workshop 2013

School wide quilt making project, part one

A new year, a new project.

In June, both our school secretary and our principal are retiring.

So, I am organizing a school wide project to 
make a quilt for each of them.  Each child in
the school will create a quilt square for the
quilts, which will mean approximately 600
squares per quilt.

We're starting with white squares and mark-it markers.

Each student will draw a concentric shape in 3-4 colors.

Add a little rubbing alcohol to make the colors blend,

we have colorful, abstract blocks. Rinse and press...

we have a prototype.  Phew.  Now, to bring the process
into the school and see what magic the kids work!

Snow, snow, snow

Part of our Christmas celebrating this year was done
at Uncle Foz and Auntie T's house. They out did themselves
in the hospitality department and ordered snow for our
amusement. 

We took full advantage of the white stuff.

We went for walks, had a snow ball fight (which was
more of a snow shoving fight because this snow is
dry powder snow. It's sledding snow, not fighting
snow.), and we sledded with Uncle Foz.

This may have been the best sledding I've ever done.
So. Much. Fun.

Thank you little snowflake.  Thank you Uncle Foz.
Thank you Auntie T.  Thank you, thank you.

Custom six sider dice bag

Before the December break, I finished up a couple of 
custom order bags, including this six sider bag. 

The wool felt dots are appliqued on, and are in a casino
proper order.  There was a bit of a challenge to this
bag, as the dots have to be put on before sewing the bag,
and I had to reconfigure how to cut and assemble the
bottom of the bag.

When you look into the bag, it looks like this:

Because, as with most of my bags, it is reversible.

This bag reverses to a red/white dice, with the inside
and outside dots lining up.

Now, see that bottom?  That took a bit of thinking with
the 'ole brain box.

I was really happy with how it turned out, and (I'm very
pleased to say) that the customer also like his bag.

December was that blur that passed by us

December was a good, but oh-so-very busy, month.

We were there at the start of the month, making time 
for gifting and chores, and then BOO! it was Christmas,
and ZOOM! it was New Year.

The shop did well, and I think I stayed in control of 
the projects I undertook.  I did let go of a couple of 
gifts I wanted to make, but I have high hopes of getting
them done for Valentine's Day.

January shows every sign of going the way of December.
I can almost hear the engines revving as the month is
on the cusp of spiraling out of my grasp.  My hope is 
that with liberal use of the hand break, I'll be able
to keep the year from flashing as quickly as the days.

It was a Good December, and I'm hopeful of Lovely
January.  There are big birthday's coming up, and 
dear friends to catch up with, and things to do.