Summer is almost over....

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Today is so much closer to the end of my summer....  I will return to my classroom the Wednesday after Labor day to start teaching my new group of Kindergarten kiddies.  I have spent the last couple of weeks preparing for their arrival.   I can't wait to see who comes through the door.  As I spend today creating more labels and room signs, I can only think of the myriad of things that I feel I have to complete before starting.  It doesn't help that our district got a new reading program after 11 years with the last one.  All I can say is that it will be a year of lots of learning on both my part and my students' part.  Happy Saturday everyone.....

New Doll Clothes

    I have always wanted a Waldorf style doll and bought supplies and stuff to make my own doll months ago and had s-l-o-w-l-y been working on her for the last 7 months. It was like torture....So I finally placed a custom order for a Waldorf-style doll sometime in early July.  The sweet lady, Melissa at isajoydesigns, who made her was super easy to work with and allowed me to make payments over time.   My own doll is finally finished and my new doll arrived last Wednesday.  

     I know understand why these custom made dolls are so expensive.  I have the ability to sew and consider myself to be creative......however putting a doll like this one together was soooo much work.  I will now stick to only being a dolly dress designer/seamstress.  I will leave the doll making to the experts.  

     With that being said, the doll arrived and I did not realize that she would be so big......I decided to give her to my niece who just turned 5 years old a few days ago. My mom decided she would split the cost of gift between her, myself and my brother.(although he doesn't know yet....)

    I could not send the doll away to her new home without creating a new wardrobe for her to wear.  She came with some cute pants and a shirt.  But, since I love me some doll clothes, I went to work.  I have since made two pairs of pants, a shirt, a pair of flannel pajamas and a mermaid outfit, complete with tail...... 

     I have been emailing my sister pictures all along and my niece keeps wanting more clothes.  I have my mom working on a tutu/ ballerina outfit and I will be making some pink silk brocade pants for her as well.  I am off to  switch laundry loads then to the sewing room...

Laura

   

Closet Cleaning....

Today was a very productive day.  We cleaned out all the closets in the hallway.  I am now able to see all the goodies inside and have storage for more.....  I made a trip to the Goodwill to donate all the extra stuff that we had out grown, don't need, haven't used in a long time and simply "what was I thinking when I got that" stuff.  I even remembered to get a donation slip from the nice gentleman that helped me.
I also got to cut out some more teacher tool belts and will get some sewing done on them tomorrow.
I am waiting for a package to arrive.....it is my Waldorf-style doll that I ordered and have been patiently waiting for since the middle of July or so.... I will post pictures as soon as she arrives.  

Saturday.....

We are finally finished with our summer project for this year.  We added a bigger window to our living room and painted the entire room (it's HUGE) with more than one color, 3 to be exact.  It turned out really nice. 


I also just finished 3 days of training for our new reading program, California Treasures.  It was a bit overwhelming, but we had great presenters and it was informative and helpful.  Now I think I will be able to start the new school year with those kinder kids with confidence that they will learn from my teaching.  


It will be a very busy weekend.  We have a dinner to go to tonight for a while and then a dinner we have to prepare for 24 people tomorrow.  The nice thing about the one we have to prepare is that it is at the beach.  So we will have a beautiful day tomorrow for some tri-tip and chicken barbecue. 


For today though, we will go to the Rise n' Shine for some coffee and breakfast with some friends.  Then  I will spend time in the sewing room.  My favorite thing to do.  The laundry will also get some attention.  


Pictures will post later, time for some biscuits and gravy.....


I know the pictures are out-of-order, but alas, I am still new to the art of arrangement of stuff on blogs......Happy Saturday.

Old ugly finish.

New window almost finished along with the new wall

Some of the debris

Highest corner to reach

Tim working on the inside of niches

Me up on the high ladder, mudding the wall

Wall being rebuilt.

My favorite area, the bar.  I loved how the red color turned out.

New nicer finish, before paint.     

Before adding wall adornments.

Before painting.

View from the office.

Finishing the window.

New finish.

My hard-working son.

Before adding the red paint.