Squam Blossoms for Squam Art Workshops

I understand now why the lure of a Squam Art Workshops retreat is so great. It holds the sisters I never had, the neighbors I wish I had, and the friends I long for. I think some people are lucky-they experience change and connection in their first retreat. It's took me 4 tries. Yes, I'm a late bloomer and a very shy one at that.
My time at the last fall Squam was different from previous visits.  I felt real acceptance from the women in my cabin that I had previously only seen there, but not experienced. It felt like I finally, finally met women who understand what I’m going through:  how to engage and remain true to myself and not always pull to the needs and lure of others and to nurture what is creative and original in myself.  I know now what it is like to have a "tribe" at Squam, to ask a hard question and have it answered, to offer a heart with openness.

It is rare to be in such fine company.
I don’t see them often but I keep up with their lives in Facebook and Instagram and would like to see them there again.

Elizabeth Duvivier, the amazing woman who started Squam Art Workshops posted a contest to use up to the leftover bags from previous workshops: make anything with the bag, include the logo and win a spot! There is a second prize of a $500 gift certificate towards a workshop that is running through Instagram. So I entered.

Here is my project – I call them Squam Blossoms. I used the handles of the bag for the stems and the printed flowers for the buds.


You can also see the other amazing entries at #TotesSquam.

Sock Doughnuts (and Pin Cushions)

I made these fun sock doughnuts as play food for pretend play (for work awhile back) but I've been using a leftover one as a pin cushion. I decorated more than a dozen doughnuts with puffy paint BUT as a potential Mothers Day present you could use bugle beads as "jimmies" instead to fancy them up. The process for the doughnut base is the same.

Materials: 
2 socks (or 1 knee sock)
Scribbles 3D paint (puffy paint) or bugle beads
Needle & thread

Cut the toes off the socks.

Turn the socks inside out.
Put one sock inside the other (prettiest inside).

Roll the cut edge over about 1 inch and continue to roll the sock up (tuck the heel in as you roll) until the top edge flips over the doughnut.

Use an “overcast” stitch to sew the sock edge to the bottom of the doughnut. It doesn't have too be tidy- a child could do it pretty easily.

Add Scribbles 3D paint "sprinkles" and drip “frosting” to the doughnut top.
Allow the puffy paint to dry completely.

 

To add the bugle beads instead-make sure you choose a needle that's skinny enough to allow the beads to pass through.

Work around the doughnut- no need to tie off each bead- just shove the needle through to the next spot, add a bead and go back into the doughnut. Repeat and tie off the end on the bottom.

You could add felt frosting (sewn or glued?) if you wanted to before you add the bugle bead jimmies...an option I've not yet explored.

 

But it's an either/or thing- I wouldn't give a kid the one with the pins & needles to play with - right? We're giving that one to my mom with some little scissors and a box of pins.
Just sayin' in case you were worried.

Pajama Pillow Bag

This pajama bag is very easy to make. I bought this owl pillow from Target and used a seam ripper to open the bottom seam, then removed the stuffing.  Wash and dry the empty pillow cover to remove any sizing.

 

One could just sew the hems down but for non-sewers (you know who you are) I tested two different ways to bind the hem; I wanted options I knew could go through the wash.

Sewing, gluing or iron-on seam binding all work just fine and you can decide which method you like:


1. Fabric-tac glue (the orange side).This glue is a little stinky to use but goes through the wash intact.



2.Therm-o Web Heat'n Bond
 Ultra Hold Iron-on Adhesive  
(the green side).

Measure out a piece of the iron-on tape and iron it on the hem; remove the paper backing and fold the hem over and iron a second time.

 

 

Once the hem is tidy on both sides, sew on 3 large snaps.
That's it- you're done! Yay!