Spring Semester 2013: Week Nine + Projects

Hi, all!

I emerge for a moment from a teetering pile of homework to share a few snaps:

I re-purposed an Anthropologie shopping bag as a holder for my yarn for the granny squares challenge project. I placed them so that each skein has its "tail" out, ready for me to grab and crochet.

Dodger wanted to be considered for the project, but I told him he was the wrong type.

A few days ago, I decided to lay out my current squares to get an idea of the size. The thought behind this project is not only am I challenging myself to actually finish a blanket, I am making an afghan for the foot of our bed. The bedroom is currently very much a work-in-progress, with a lot of handmade details including art I have painted and the banners from our wedding altar. I've been eyeing some Anthro bedding for a while for ideas...while rather expensive, even with my employee discount, I'm getting thoughts for how I am going to pull the room together. Kevin says it's my room to play with, so I am taking my time about it...I can't wait to share the finished product with you!

In my study/craft area, warm and cozy!

I try to crochet in-between assignments and studying; I've been having a lot of computer problems lately, so I keep the bag of yarn close at hand so that while I watch the "pinwheel of death," I can continue doing something constructive with my time.

Since starting the project two weeks ago, I have nineteen squares completed...I'll take that. :)

My new crochet hook holder was once a candle!

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law came to stay with us for a few days last week before they (and my lovely nieces) move to Japan for the next few years as part of a military deployment. I was excited for them to spend time in our little home, but school + my three jobs haven't left a ton of time for keeping things tidy...so off to cleaning I went, and while I was busy, I set several of my empty candle holders into pots of water to boil.

I am a frequent buyer of candles at Anthropologie, but I'm not a snob. If I find something at the grocery store that smells great and has a long burn time (and a nice jar holder), chances are pretty good that I'll buy it. The sad part is that usually, once the candles have burnt out, most people throw them away. I've been melting the wax leftovers down for the last two years and taking wicks from tealights and essentially creating new candles.

This is really great for the Capri Blue Volcano candles (the quintessential "Anthro smell") which run from $14 to $28. Instead of throwing out the lovely jars with an inch of wax left, I not only melt down the wax to create new candles, I clean out the jars and use them for storage, planting, or decor. I have marigolds blooming in the giant Christmas Capri Blue candle holder, as well as crochet hooks (pictured above) close at hand on my curio case. So the next time you're thinking of throwing the candle jars out, pause and think over how you could re-use them. For the bathroom, perhaps? For the bedroom? I have a jar on my dresser holding extra bra straps, buttons, and snaps that usually come attached to apparel.

Teacher Performance Assessments (TPAs) are back in my life again: last semester, I had two, Designing Instruction and Subject-Specific Pedagogy. I passed both, so now I have moved on to the final two, Assessing Learning (AL) and Culminating Teaching Experience (CTE). I've spent the last two weeks gathering materials for both, I'm two steps into AL, and I taught and filmed my CTE lesson today. Somewhere in there, I had to have a serious chat with a kiddo actor from my elementary school version of Schoolhouse Rock Live, Junior regarding line memorization. I reminded him (and his parental unit) of what the consequences were if students did not put in the preparation necessary to support not only themselves in the parts assigned, but their fellow cast members.

He returned to rehearsal this past week with a "make-up" for me:

I think there are those who would disagree with me; I should have allowed him to "work through" his unpreparedness. My answer to that is that it doesn't serve the student or his cast members. It is a symbiotic relationship; they need one another and they need to work together. I have very strong opinions on children's theatre...for a future post, maybe.

Kevin and I are compiling our notebooks, writing e-mails, reaching out, and gathering together our materials and our people as we are gearing up for the summer with our co-directed Seussical the Musical and his The Underpants. He had to "clear" the usage of a rehearsal space through me this morning. I just laughed.

It's also been communicated that while we are co-directing, I am taking the lead as director and my vision will guide the show. I am very excited about this; anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about this musical. It may seem silly and fantastical, but there are really complex messages expressed in the "silly, fantastical" context of the show: a person is a person no matter how small, thinking can be dangerous but dare to do it anyway, one has to stand up to bullies even if one stands alone.

That's my take anyway. I want a fun, colorful, vibrant production, but I'd like it supported with thoughtfulness and consideration of the ideas we are sharing with what will be a mostly family audience. No pounding of ideas is needed, just a respectful telling of the story, and keeping its heart intact rather than exploiting it for cheap laughs.

It's time for me to go back to studying, so here are a few recent OOTDs:

 

Week Nine of this semester is winding down. Just a few more things to submit for the week, and then I'm on to finishing TPA-AL and writing my children's informational book. (Wait, what?) Next week is Spring Break and Schoolhouse Rock Live, Junior is opening (and closing). I'm on the cusp, almost there, the end is in sight! 

Best,

Lissa

xoxo