I had the enjoyable opportunity to teach a workshop during the provincial teacher's NBTA Council Days. Creating silly softies from the Lost and Found where many stray mittens, socks and gloves end up, softies that the elementary age kids could make.

It is all about the process, the act of creating with globs of glue, mismatched socks, wiggly eyes and scrap bits of felt, cotton balls and even dryer lint for stuffing!

Each of the teachers got a bag full of supplies tied with a Tootsie Pop and ribbons. Here are the gang ready to go, their bags are packed!

The teachers at play!

The bunnies did not turn off their phone! They were all ears!

It was late when the gang got home, they were happy but so tired, the shark wasn't even tempted to nibble at Mr. Spud Head!

It was a fun day, the teachers were a great group! Happy Crafting!

Today I am off to teach a workshop during the Provincial Teacher Council Days. My group are elementary teachers so I am raiding their lost and found to craft with stray socks, mitts and gloves.

I will post photos from today and tutorials for the silly softies on the weekend. Look for Sam Shark, the Tweet Nest, Darwin Dawg, Penny Pony, Mr. Spud Head and the Bunnies, they are multiplying already!

It was fun to prepare, each teacher receives a goody bag with a Tootsie Pop tied in ribbons to enjoy while they craft.

Tomorrow I visit the local Kid's Fair, we have many creative opportunities and wonderful programs for children. I enjoy my kids workshops and am looking forward to upcoming summer ones.

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!

This weekend I taught a kid's workshop. I have such a great group of creative and very entertaining kids. Each month I introduce them to different techniques through a project and let them loose! This month was a doll pillow using fabric markers and stencil paint technique which gave a watercolor look to the pillows. We used two types of fabric markers, Jacquard's TeeJuice Fabric Markers and ILovetoCreate Fabric Markers. The kids liked both and found for outlining the TeeJuice fine marker was easy.

I had the opportunity last week to tour the Jacquard Company in California, as soon as you enter the front door the lobby chairs are boldly painted in striking designs. Painted fabric artwork hangs everywhere along with artwork accessory pieces by the talented Melony Bradley. Annette who gave me the tour was so welcoming and showed me throughout the factory where product is shipped all over the world.

Back to the kids and their experience with the products. Natalie liked the bright ILovetoCreate pack of markers and used every color on her fish pillow. She drew a fish on one side and a teddy bear on the other. Emily created a bright cat stress pillow, Molly made a Vintage doll as she loves the era of the 1800's.

They first began by drawing their idea on paper. With this as a guide they drew with pencil on the fabric going over the details with the fabric marker. The stencil paint technique for the larger areas allowed the fabric marker to show through.

We used prewashed unbleached cotton. I sewed a simple oval shape which they stuffed once their design was painted and heat set.

Once stuffed the pillow could be embellished further.

While they craft I am entertained with stories of school happenings with two of the girls in a school play much was talk about the drama festival next week. Crafting with kids is such a pleasure!

I have a delightful group of kids I do a workshop with each month, they are creative, enthusiastic with an abundance of talents. They throw themselves into each project with such energy it is a wonderful to be part of! This month we made sock lions as they are big Lion King fans, the making of the lions was accompanied by their musical rendition of songs from the soundtrack! They are such fun!

Making sock creatures is an easy project for any age. We used chenille socks and leg warmers so they would be super cuddly. The head is one sock with the cuff cut off for ears. Aleene's Fabric Fusion glue works well for adhering felt features.

The striped leg warmer makes the perfect body glued up over sock head and cut off at appropriate body length making all the lions different in size as they were meant to be!
Tail is a narrow strip of long sock with chenille stem glued inside to make it curl. Mane just bunches of yarn tied and glued in center.

Here is the finished pride! Paws are cut from another sock and the end of the leg warmer. I picked up the socks at the local Dollar store so this is an inexpensive fun project especially if you use stray socks from home!

Then the lions went out to play!

Wandering the aisles of the local dollar store is a source of inspiration and also my bribe for walking some days! I was strolling through the kitchen aisle and saw a package of six brightly colored scrubbies. The way they hung in the package immediately reminded me of a caterpillar, (which probably also says something about my kitchen skills!)

I purchased a package along with a few other interesting items. Fun with those later! With a chenille stem, glue, a couple pompoms and eyes my crawly cutie was created! A very fun and easy kid craft. If strung together with yarn or string the scrubbies could be used making it a great gift.