Where has the past 2 weeks gone?

Oh! I know! I have spent the bulk of it (or so it seems / sew it seams?) at my daughter's school. 

The Wizard of Oz is finally all over. The project itself seemed like a life season. One that began in September. One that filled our home with song and lines of script. "Lions and tigers and bears!"..."oh the Jitterbug, do wah do wah do wahhhh"...


With twice weekly after school practice, lunch time practice once a week and about two Saturday practices a month, to say the kids get committed would be an understatement. To watch the journey of these children, especially the younger ones, bloom into confident youngsters in a gift in itself.

This year, I signed on for the costumes. Had I actually put some thought into it and watched and refreshed my old brain about the WoO, I may not have. Alas, I did though, and did overall, enjoy the adventure. I got to be a bit creative, and to sew without patterns. The one commercial pattern I did use needed the most alterations (go figure). Through the process, I got to know some amazing ladies better, and also dabble in non diapering sewing ideas and thought processes.
There have been many compliments about the costumes. I am somewhat embarrassed (uncomfortable with flattery?). Some items I am happy with, others I feel like I shortchanged. I had been ill for the better part of the winter and did not get to spend quite the time I would have liked to but overall, I must admit I was pleased with the appearance on stage. There were some mom's who took on their own children's costumes and did FANTASTIC which I so appreciated! Maria (Tinman) and Judith (Glinda) were both overall, my rocks and sanity savers on many fronts...we need to do lunches more often too!

Our principal/director/SUPERWOMAN is purely amazing in all that she does each year for this production. I am not sure that I will ever be able to express my thoughts about what she does for children and community. What she has done for my daughter. For me. I look at what the school was when my eldest was there under a different administration and now and there is simply no comparison. I would not want my children anywhere else, under anyone else's leadership and role modeling. Thank you Libby. I know you will never read this paragraph, but thank you.

I really enjoyed sewing DIFFERENT items and using different materials than I might normally also. The lion was made from two blankets I found at Value Village and some mop heads. I LOVE that he was upcycled!!!! I also, more than ever, fell in love with my industrial machines and their ability to deal with THICK fake fur with ease. Not loving so much that I need to still "de-fur" the studio. It keeps showing up LOL

I still have many photos to upload so that I can post and am awaiting some from another lady. Mine sadly did not turn out as nicely as I had hoped. My shutter speed was too slow with the lower lighting and no flash. Here are a couple however and I will post more and talk about some of the individual costumes in another post.

My beautiful daughter who I do all of this crazy stuff for! Love you my girl! She has so much fun doing the plays and I can not believe the confidence that she has. No nerves at all even being in front of a few hundred people. 

PLEASE, If I ever squawk about needing a new hobby (after I use up my thousands of yards of fabric) please point me in the direction of photography. I NEED TO IMPROVE! I have so many blurry and ruined photos from this play :(

AND......That's a WRAP ;)