Teacher's Apple

It has been a tradition in our family to give each child's teacher a project apple at the end of the year. It has only gone through Elementary school because Middle school and High school has far too many teachers.


Here's a list of things you'll need:

1. A one liter plastic soda bottle with the lid.

2. Spray paint, small amount of bottled brown, brush

3. Silk flower leaves

4. Items for the content

5. Scissors

6. Florist wire

7. 1'' x 14'' piece of lightweight cardboard

8. Tape, masking works best but any will do

9. Stapler

Basically what you want to do is end up with a dish that looks like a apple. You start by washing the soda bottle and removing the label. I cut the bottle 1 '' from each noticeable ridge that outlines the label, both top and bottom. Your bottle should look like this:





The next step is critical, do not skip this step! One year I thought I could do the apple a quick way by skipping this step, we were late in getting this project going AND the lid does fit snugly inside the bottom. But, if your child is transporting in a backpack, you'll need the next step, otherwise the lid gets pushed in or it pops out, spilling its content in the backpack for all to see. Wrap the piece of cardboard around the top of the lower half, raise the cardboard 1/2'' above the edge of the cut bottle. Staple, overlapping the seam. Stick tape on the upper piece, half on the bottle edge then fold tape to stick to the inside of the lid. This makes the edge smooth. Tape inside over staples if you want. Your bottle will set like this:






Up next is paint! You have reached the halfway point in the project and you can pick the color! My son and daughter were in grade school together so for the first couple of years Madam P's apple was green, her brother had red. The color seems to have stuck. Spray the inside and outside of both parts (It helps to conceal any scratches). Apply paint every hour until the color looks even, being careful to avoid drips. After 24 hours you can wire the leaf to the lid, elevating it to make the apple appear as if fresh picked.





Now your ready to fill with goodies. We have used balloons for the teacher who doesn't like sugar hype, but will do the bouncing balls! My son gave his 6th grade teacher (favorite) golf balls and tees, the teacher was hysterical. Babe mentioned that he'd need them. Whatever you chose be sure you have enough for the students to have. Transport using rubber bands placed from top to bottom of dish. Madam selected these for her teacher, a button doll with student and a apple, a refrigerator magnet.







And 21 Reese's for her friends. C&G Design

SCHOOOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMA!!!!!!

Poems and sayings

Truly a sad day for the grade school in my area, we have a long time teacher leaving, a "Miss" that has devoted her time to becoming a role model to young minds and molding the future. The leaving has moved Madam Pompadour to construct a farewell card. She has comprised this poem:



The Miss Poem



Roses are red;

violet are blue;

and so are you.

Candy is nice;

I will give you advice;

you are beautiful, every one's affected;

you could never be rejected.

You wrote (friend) a note, I think that's fine;

nobodies holiday cards are better than mine.

When you are sad, I don't like you then;

but your likable now and again.

You are the best;

so much better than the rest.

Her drawing on the inside of the card. "Miss" has taught at our school for 10 years, she is a prior teacher of my daughters and molded my son six years ago. Her main goal is to become principal and for eight of her ten years, she held the title of lead teacher. Miss got her masters this winter and has accepted a position as literacy teacher, well on her way.

Best wishes. C&G Design.

Raggedy Andy music box

Yeah! It's Wednesday again, middle of the week, and the day devoted to Raggedy Ann and her family. I don't know if I'll be able to do it every Wednesday but I'll try, I'm starting with last weeks addition that I picked up from a yard sale. The close picture is not that great. My camera blurs quite a bit on zoom especially photographing small things.




I'm not sure the manufacturer because it's not marked, he is a music box. I tried to clean him up as much as possible but as you can see some of the paint was affected, not much though, he came with a lot of wear on the base. A collectible just the same, no cracks and chips.






You can see Andy's edition is in respect to the Bicentennial year of 1976 and he plays "Yankee Doodle went to town". Every note plays and he rotates perfectly.

I found Andy in one of my books. Rather than doing the post over, I chose to include the information. Ann and Andy were sold as a pair made by the Bobbs-Merrill., Inc in 1975. Ann plays "Your a Grand Old Flag". I'm not a expert but valve is estimated at $50.00 each in good condition.

Called it a macaroni?!? C&G Design

Boston Museum

Another trip for Madam Pompadour, she was beside herself about going on this one. It meant ALL day, a ride on the bus, and a different state. The 4th, 5th, and 6th grade went on a field trip to the Boston Museum, the school does it every three years with help from the PTO.

She didn't get a lot of pictures because the Omnina Theater was the main objective, it is a planetarium and quite dark inside.

A roulette wheel? Wait a minute!?! No gambling!

This is neat,

seems to be a thing that triggers a thing,

that triggers ANOTHER thing,

that might have a function!

Okay, I'm not that old, was a dinosaur.

Another old age thingy.

A scary sight, each part lit up depending on what you wanted.

Awwwwwwww, a live exhibit,

with babies,

how do they do that all the time?!

Educating myself. C&G Design.

Strip, block, and appilque' quilting

One of the simplest forms of quilting is strip quilting. It is enjoyable and progresses quite quickly. I recommend it for the beginning quilter, you can't go wrong....

The above photo is a picture of madam's quilt, she choose leopard print for her room because she wanted something to grow into. I started this quilt last fall and I have committed myself to finish it before this fall, since we have moved in the new house it is harder to remain sediment at the sewing machine. Right now she has a duvet that is all one animal print. Strip quilting is basically 4 or 5 color complimentary fabric cut the same inches wide and the same in length, stitched together in columns and cut horizontal for the same size. Get it? If I have 4 colors of my choice cut 2 1/2'' (keeping in mind 1/4'' seam allowance) wide by 4' long each, I stitch them all together in rows. I measure 8'' down the piece and cut squares across the columns, the squares are flipped from one another and sewn together . In theory the strips should measure the same and the seams should be accurate. The finished "block" is ready to be trimmed evenly and all blocks should be measured the same.

In the picture you can see where I took 3, 6 1/2''x 6 1/2'' strips and flipped them the other ways, 3 groups of them then added the solid square with the appliqued dollies. My "block" quilting consist of a finished product measuring 12'' x12''. It took three constructed 12'' x12'' squares to make a row across and four squares going down the quilt, or on the side of the bed. You can see I added a border to my piece. Madams bed is a full size and I want the quilt to hang over so I added the border print. This method of quilting can be laid out so every color runs in a zig-zag pattern diagonal from one corner of the blanket to another but that's another posting. I wanted a less formal pattern with the dollies so I figured each block in a different rotations as long as the dollies weren't to close to one another. Here's the outside row cut and stitched together. Notice the repeat pattern.

This is the additional border after the leopard print border and will also be the border around the pillow covers. I've decided to applique' a larger dollies on the animal print, border it with a narrow strip, and finish the pillow cover with a large print ruffle.

When this piece is done it will be machine quilted around each dollies with a layer of fluffy batting and a solid animal print on the back as I want it to be reversible.

Madam has TWO bed ruffles, one purple and one animal. Her walls are painted purple. I hope she won't decide she wants a crazy motif when she becomes a teenager!

Sleeping in style. C&G Design.

Half dolls

I recently picked up this lovely lady, I must say...she is made of modern day resin and has a manufacturing tag on the cushion, she is not worth alot but cute none the less.

As she appears upon her tuffet, she looks as though she is full bodied, not so.....her criss-cross-applesauce legs are added to the cushion, she is a perfect example of a half doll.

Half dolls are highly sought after in today's antique market, they were produced from 1900 to 1920, and mostly made in Germany or Japan. Some collections included grooming items, or dresser sets for the lady of the house. These are a rare find including a powder box, pill box, and attractive par fum bottles, generally one item is damaged or missing. Half dolls were also Incorporated into tops of whisk brooms and tea cozies. Mostly wanted as a pincushion as mine demostrates.

The valve of a good half doll depends on alot of variations, some people believe half dolls are more of a figurine as all of the antique gals are comprised of porceline or fine china. They also are upright without a stand. Being made from the waist up.... and having no lower half make them quite misunderstood as a nick nack.

The most predominant factor in determining the worth of a half doll is whether the arms are in or out. Dolls with arms in, that is, frozen to the torso, are lesser in value because they require a two part mold. Dolls with arms out have a complexity of molds requiring three or more. Other details add to the price guide of the doll such as holding a small animal, flowers or flower baskets, and or serving a pot of hot chocolate in one hand and a mug in another. Size can add to the cost of a half doll , they range from 2'' to 6''.

A free pattern of a half doll can be found at helengibb.com--projects http://www.blogger.com/www.helengibb.com/ladyelenor.html She has the pattern with a specific half doll but any doll will do. Also is convertible to a trinket box.

I thought maybe when I bought my gal I would take her apart but for now she is comfortable on top my computer.

I enjoy the clapping audience. C&G Design

Super Scraps

One of the needs of a dedicated craft person is, to have super scraps. They are affordable, take up less space, and if you are a shopper.....you can find many vintage fabrics at yard sales or flea markets. I couldn't live without them and sometimes I make my own! Some quilters only buy quarter fats, that's precut quarter of a yard of material, I say buy bulk and measure later!

Here is a list of the top five crafts that are useful for any leftover scrap:

1. Wall hangings and quilts

2. Pillows and rugs

3. Doll clothes and character embellishment

4. Stuffed plushies and beanie babies

5. Ornaments and Christmas stockings

Wool scraps are useful for penny rugs or braided rugs, cotton is the primary fabric for tied wreaths or segmented stuffed wreaths, reserve sheers for pillows, and almost anything goes for anything else!

So remember, when you see a large lot of little fabric pieces and the price is right, it might be you don't need them, but you want one striking pattern out of the bunch, buy it. It can't hurt.

Thinking I might get the studio/craft room done before I become over run! C&G Design.