With the October round-up of my articles at Blisstree’s Arts and Crafts section, I shall be saying good-by. 
Some reorganizing is occurring at Blisstree, and the Arts and Crafts section will be discontinued, as far as new posts are concerned.  You should be able to find my previous posts if you’re interested in them.
It has been a great deal of fun sharing with you at b5, first in a Quilting and Patchwork blog, then through the Arts and Crafts section when Blisstree was formed.  I won’t be leaving Blisstree because I shall still be blogging at the Parenting section.  I also …read more

One-room schools existed throughout America in its early days and still are in operation in a few rural areas.  I attended one of these during my first four years of schooling and have fond memories of teachers and friends.  I thought it fun to discuss these schools in conjunction with “back-to-school” theme week.
This type of education runs deep in my family, since my sister, brothers and I attended a one-room school, as did my parents and grandparents.  My mom and her mother were teachers in one-room schools, along with many of Mother’s cousins.  My paternal great grandmother also was a …read more

Each month, I select a round-up of five of my Parenting posts here at Blisstree.  I hope you’ve enjoyed all of them.  Here are five that gained attention during August.
Parenting Parents on Less Social Security
Mom’s Creativity Inspired by Youngsters
Are We Ready for Government Parenting?
Family Food Preparation at Picnic Time
Are Cell Phones Recording Your Parenting?

For most students, it’s back to school, whether they’re attending classrooms or being home schooled.  At our household, our granddaughter has entered college in another state and grandson entered high school.  Big changes in their lives and ours.
In your home, there must be excited youngsters who are embarking upon new adventures in a new year at school.  Or you may be planning learning activities at home.
This was an exciting time when I was a youngster, too.  New clothing, new shoes, a new bookbag and possibly a new lunch box.  Mother didn’t have a great deal of money to spend, but …read more

At the end of each month, I post a round-up of five of my Arts and Crafts posta at Blisstree that drew attention or that I particularly liked.  Here are those for August:
Tying Great Grandmother’s Quilt
Saving Family History
Tear Bottle – Fascinating Collectible or Gift
Creating Postage Stamp Collages & Journals
Scrapbooking Back-to-School Memories
Did you have any favorite Arts and Crafts posts?  Did you enjoy any of the above?

My granddaughter spread a large quilt on the deck the other evening and proceeded to re-tie it.  This quilt that I’d made for her great grandmother several years ago had come into her possession when Grandma GG went into an assisted living home.
Now Kara is going to college and wants to take GG’s quilt with her.  Many of the ties had come out so it needed re-tying.  As she tied, and then her mom joined her, I thought, “The legacy of quilting goes on in our family.”
Beth, when she was Kara’s age, had helped me tie the original quilt for GG.  …read more

Sometimes the terms you use to promote arts and crafts events (or any event) have much to do with how they’re received or the attention they get.  I saw the term “Homemade Happenings” for a listing of participants in a community open house of craftspeople in that area.
It caught my attention.  I like the term “Handmade Happenings” a bit better because I’ve discovered that people often regard something “handmade” as more professional than “homemade.” But that’s a matter of opinion.
However, the term in the promotion captured my attention more readily than “arts and crafts fair, arts display, crafters fair.” I went …read more

After I discussed Color in Your Quilts & Art, I discovered another article by Penny Halgren about quilter Joen Wolfrom and her use of color in dyeing and quilting. 
Combining colors in a striking palette becomes an art in itself.  Although these articles are about dyeing fabrics for quilting, you can utilize the theories for other art work.
My daughter delights in dyeing her own fabric, although I’m not sure I’d have the patience.  She finds it relaxing and discovers combinations she wouldn’t find otherwise.  Amazingly, she does this on the kitchen counter or dining table because she doesn’t have space for a …read more

In keeping with the Theme of the Week – Nature, in my Blisstree Parenting posts, I thought it would be fun to come up with at least 13 quilt patterns with names relating to nature.  I know there are many more, but here are 13 I selected from among the traditional patterns.
You may work in nature related themes in your fabric art.  Share with us something you’ve done in this area, whether it’s an original pattern or a traditional one.

Butterfly Quilt
Dresden Flowers
Blazing Star
English Flower Garden
Grandmother’s Flower Garden
Honey Bee
Maple Leaf
Ocean Wave
Palm Leaf
Spider Web
Strawberry
Sunbeam
Wild Goose Chase

What else can you think of?

Nature and the out-of-doors comprise our theme this week.  What can you and your youngsters do this week that’s related to nature (learning about it, preserving it and enjoying it)?

Take walks around your neighborhood and find natural objects you can learn about.
Pick up trash as you take your walks…you’re helping keep your environment green and clean.
Collect objects you can use for nature crafts…stones, shells, fallen leaves, acorns, unusual sticks, and more.
Listen to the birds and try to identify them by sound and sight.  Keep a list and add to it.  Mother taught me to take time to listen to the …read more