Saturday, August 27, 2011

A ramble through Anna's brain...

Steampunk University is tomorrow and as you can see, I'm all set!  Since Nate is off to PAX (Penny Arcade for you out-of-towners) and my play ends tonight, I needed something to top off my weekend sans hubby.  
I was going to ramble on about quilts or new dressers or new projects but for some odd reason my computer won't upload new pictures the day of upload.  It's like it can't see them at all.  When I open the photo viewer they are there, safe and sound, but should I desire to put them on the interwebs for you fine people, something some where throws a hissy fit and denies me out of spite.
Tonight I take pictures of the costumes I put together for Bertie and I hope some of them turn out nicely. I need them for a portfolio I put together at the end of the year so I am rather excited.

In other news I sliced open my poor little ring finger.  You can almost make out the bandage (left hand). I was cutting up some bread for lunch and despite all my training in how to use knives or perhaps it got stuck, the knife slipped and sliced a small gouge into my poor little finger.  It's fine, just a cut.  Yes I have been keeping it hyper clean, no I'm not going to get one insignificant stitch.  It'll heal and I will have another kitchen battle scar to prove my culinary worth.  

So it's on to sipping coffee today and some sewing, oh and movies!  Netflix brought me goodies yesterday.  Wall-E, Gaslight, and Showgirls.  I know, odd collection but would you expect anything less from me?  No, you shouldn't.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

On Homeschool...

I read a lot of blogs each day, and a good portion of them are what I have affectionately named "Mama Blogs"  Women who write passionately about family, homeschool, and being a parent among other things. One such is Miss James, (BLEUBIRD - Homeschooling) a lovely mama of three rascals who has recently made the choice (along with her older two) to begin homeschooling.  Some ignorant person made comments on her blog that raised my ire and I wanted to write a post about my experience as a homeschooled child.

While there were parts that could have been improved, my experience was fabulous overall.  My dad began homeschooling me somewhere in the neighborhood of 5th grade, so what?  1990 something?  I had started out in the public school system and had done okay for a while until I began needing more help with mathematics, etc.  My parents told me later that I would periodically burst into tears at dinner after a long day.  I was only in 2nd grade.  I'm not a stupid person, I just needed a helper to show me the way.  Once I had a grasp of that I was fine to continue on my own until I had a question.  I just needed extra attention, something the public school cannot provide as readily as homeschooling.  For 3rd grade, my parents ordered curriculum and we gave it a try.  Perhaps the most boring drivel I have ever forayed into.  It was like having the rigor of public school at home and I bucked it, hard.  Frustrated but not dismayed, I went back to school for 4th grade and my dad wisely read everything he could find on the subject of homeschooling.  In 1996 there wasn't a whole lot, and not a lot of blogs to find practical help either.  But we made progress.  The concept of "unschooling" was introduced and we embraced it fully for 5th grade, and I never went back.

People hear I was homeschooled and the immediately conjure up an image of some Amish child sitting straight-backed by the fire reading the Bible or something.  The assume we are devoid of human contact, that  we have no friends or an understanding of how cable-tv educated society works.  I gently tell them they are wrong.  SOME families are like that.  NOT ALL OF THEM.  We were different.  Not only was the man of the household at home educating the children, but we were of the artistic bent and didn't stick to memorizing bible verses all day.  We went to the grocery store and learned how to purchase food, how to make decisions on what was least expensive.  We went to the bank, post office, we interacted with society on a level, I think, many of my peers learn after college.  We were polite, well spoken, intelligent, and respectful because not only had we been taught to do these things, but we had seen how we were treated when we acted in such a manner.  Many people marvelled at how well behaved the three of us kids were.  We quietly occupied ourselves at restaurants, office visits, etc.  We took "activity bags" with us that we ourselves packed so we could have a selection of things to play with.
It isn't something that is isolated.  Rather we were exposed to so much more, treated as little adults sometimes, and I believe, learned more than our peers.  Now we are a little odd to our peers, I'll grant you that, but if you met us today, I don't think you would find us anything other than normal, pleasant people.  We have our quirks, we're artists and that's just the way it is, but they're not unsociable quirks.

I would like to homeschool my children in the future.  I would like to give them experiences and opportunities they might not have had if they were put into an (arguably) broken system.  My fervent prayer is that I can be able to take the time to educate them myself and to nurture who they were born to be, allowing that spirit to have the freedom to manifest itself given time, love, and patience.

What are your thoughts?  What do you see homeschooling as?

Monday, August 22, 2011

Wardrobe Quickie

Not that kind of quickie my dears! Heehee.  I am too sleepy to upload the new pictures from my camera just now so an outfit post will have to do.  I have been experimenting with my wardrobe, learning about basics and how to "mix and match" (for lack of a better term).  Clothing used to be something I threw on without thinking much beyond "is it clean?" and "what's the weather like?".  It was ungainly and rather awkward.  There were things I liked, I just didn't have the moxie to mix them together in a cohesive manner.  With guidance and encouragement from good friends, I am working to exhaust my wardrobe as well as add staples, mainly handmade dresses (they're ridiculously easy to toss on!) rather than purchase new items.
shirt : West Seattle St Faire
belt : absconded from a friend
skirt : exhilaration 
petticoat : salvaged from the side of the road
tights : Urban Outfitters

Deets: vintage owl necklace.  Probably used to have a swingy body, but I kind of like just using the head.


sweater : salvaged from theatre, by H&M
blouse : from Sonya
belt : absconded from Jocelyn
skirt : thrifted
shoes : by not rated, thrifted


lace top : thrifted and modded
skirt : made by and from Sonya
ballet flats : thrifted by H&M

I have been embracing skirt wearing now that I sneak boxer briefs under all of them in the summer and tights for the rest of the year.  Boxer Briefs are a woman's best friend!  Particularly when absconded from the darling boy (don't worry, they were a: clean, b: unused, and c: SUPER COMFY)
I have two petticoats that I wear under my skirts for added fluff without being overly Lolita, as well as being warmer for the colder months.  *ahem* Seattle's rainy season...Lol.
Anyway, there are a few things I have played with lately.  More to come. 

Monday, August 01, 2011

Patterns for later...


At Sonya's wise encouragement, I picked up these sweet patterns during one of my many scourings.







These are some of my favourites.  So darling!


I love the little rompers/ bubble suits!  Pad those out with adorably ungainly little diapers, so cute.