Counting Stitches    February 1, 2012

I’ve been completely obsessed with crocheting a granny square afghan for days now and it’s finally coming together. I rarely take on long projects because I’m so impatient by nature. But I’m determined this time to complete it. As you can see, I did get a little bored with the little grannies and made a few big ones along with a striped square for the center. I’m not sure where I’ll end up or how big it will get, but I’m enjoying the journey!

Buzz, buzz, buzz    January, 2012

The workshop has been a steady hum of creativity and excitement this month. Winter Camp, birthday parties, After School Workshops, Sewing & Knitting classes. It’s all good and very exhilarating to see people of all ages discover their hidden talents. I’ve been so busy running workshops, that I’ve hardly had time to grab a camera.

But I’ve been deliberate about making time to create.

I’ve had this idea brewing in my head ever since a pile of books fell off my headboard and onto my head. You see, we have this tiny little room and a HUGE KING BED. Somehow my side of the bed ended up against the wall—thus no room for a nightstand or reading light.

Meanwhile,  a friend was tossing out a few old drawers and I begged to rescue them. I drilled about 45 tiny holes around the drawers and crocheted across the front, mixing in one of my grandma’s doilies and Whalah!  A little book and magazine rack! I found a wall light at IKEA for about $20 to complete the nook.

I just stumbled upon this photo of a collage that I did a few years ago and it reminded me of how important it is to make time for soul projects...the ideas that brew in our heads. Making ideas is like restoration of who we are. For a creative person, it’s like exercise. It’s simply essential.

Done!    February 7, 2012

Late Sunday night, the last scalloped stitch was done! Now on to the next project....

Creative Bliss    February 17, 2012

Today’s After School Workshop was all about BRIGHT IDEAS....Light ideas, that is... Our project? Making lamps or maybe I should say “RE-making” lamps. Old lampshades were stripped of their “oldness” and the kids got to let their inner artist shine as they picked fabrics, ribbons, jewels and even tie-dye t-shirts to recover the shades. The energy in the workshop was so electrified by being empowered to create a beautiful and functional project... I can’t wait to see them finished!!!

A Wish, a Prayer, a Blessing  February 22, 2012

Every night my daughter Miika and I have a bedtime routine: she says her prayers then I say a blessing. It’s been the same blessing for about three years now. And I’d been thinking about incorporating it into a wall hanging for the past two years. Finally yesterday I started it...still tweaking, but it’s almost done. In May, I plan to have a Mother’s Day Workshop so moms can assemble their thoughts and wishes for their kids into a wall hanging too...stay tuned.

Ta-da
Moments

Magical places

My Little Chef March 8, 2012

Sometimes I forget that my son has Down syndrome. He’s a sparkly kid with a magnetic smile...oh, and he LOVES to cook. Nathan will turn anything in to roast beef...stinky socks, Tinker Toys, Kleenexes, etc... But when he’s REALLY cooking, he’s in heaven...like last Monday evening when  I caught this happy moment.

He begged me to stir. How could I resist??? I will teach him to cook and maybe he will indeed be a big chef one day.

Beyond My Wildest Dreams!

May 13, 2012  Last Saturday, we hosted our very first Trunk Show at the workshop and I’m still in a dizzy, sweet, daze. The quality of work and the support of our community simply blew me away! Thank you, thank you everyone!! We’ll definitely do it again!

My Hero!

June 16, 2012  I keep crossing paths with a girl named, Georgia. I think the first time I noticed her was at Trader Joes where she carefully packed my groceries. Then I went to an event at Opportunity Knocks. There she was again, bright, funny, conscientious and diligent. Georgia has Down syndrome and she’s my hero! She gives me a beautiful glimpse into my son, Nathan’s future. Georgia and Nathan were my inspiration for this past week’s camp at The Little Bits Workshop:  Be a Craftivist— a person who uses craft to send a message out into the world.

Our message? Acceptance, patience and respect for those with disabilities. We stitched up banners and planted gardens....at different times of day, but ultimately together.  Both the campers at the workshop and individuals who are part of the Opportunity Knocks program put their abilities together to create beauty. Our message on the banners:

GROWING

OPPORTUNITIES

TOGETHER

Another underlying message that I believe is so important is, that regardless of one’s age or ability, learning a skill is powerful. These banners were created by young children 5-9 years old and young adults with disabilities. It was hard work. Everyone was challenged by this project. But through perseverance and  a little sweat, everybody made an impact.

Imagine my surprise when my hero Georgia walked through the doors of the workshop last Monday to sew banners. Then two days later, back again to plant a garden along with about 13 other individuals with disabilities. That’s Georgia at the top of the page stitching on flower stems that she braided from t-shirt yarn. Each of our flowers is a repurposed vintage doily purchased from the Aspire thrift store in Maywood, whose proceeds benefit individuals with disabilities in the surrounding area.

Is yarn-bombing OK for the trees?

See what the Morton Arboretum thinks.

Yarn Magic June 30, 2012

Kids learned and improved their knitting and crochet skills this week and  had the big thrill of installing their work on Lake Street. Above is the Bunny Garden Bomb. Below is the Learning Tree, a patchwork of all the kids’ first work.

And the Wishing Tree where passersby can hang their wishes in the breeze....

The Giving Tree, a place to share handmade treasures. We knitted and crocheted little do-dads to give and take.

We scrambled to get the yarnbombs up before these scary clouds cut loose!!!!

The Balloon Tree

Getting Back August 20, 2012

After a few weeks of vacation, I’ve been trying to get my head in gear for our Fall Schedule and stumbled upon this yarn bomb that was done in Helsinki about a year ago. As a Finn, this makes me extremely proud!!!!

Our River Forest Yarn Bombs

Little Escapes September 11, 2012

There’s just something about little cottages and cabins that draws me in. Maybe its the constant buzz of my urban neighborhood that makes me want to escape to a quiet place? At The Little Bits Workshop, our Thursday Afterschool Workshops will begin with this project...the little bits cottage.

We’re also taking this project down the road to Hatch After Hours, an after school program in Oak Park. Kids LOVE this little cottage project and it’s such a skill-builder. We sew, sculpt, cut, knit, paint and imagine. Making these houses allows the artist to go into a peaceful, happy, creative zone.

gift boxes

paper beads

journals

origami

art mail

shadow boxes

purse boxes

little houses

quilts

Robo-Clocks

Junk-bot-Clocks

Treasure Stool

fingerless gloves

hats

scarves

knitting

crochet

altered couture

sweater pillows

sweater purses

yarn bombs

street banners

murals

moss paint

guerilla rocks & journals

fine art trash

jump ropes

braided rugs

aprons

shopping bags

cat’s cradle (T-string)

cereal box baskets

buntings

finger puppets

game boards

bean bag toss

kleenex wraps

tote bags

leaf print pillow cases

wool flower bags

cloth poetry collage

soap

candles

lamp shades

mobiles

t-bags

pillow case dresses

fused bag lawn mats

butterfly paintings

scrappy bookmarks

mosaic tables

secret journals

silhouette treasure boxes

twig hangers

needle felted stockings

slippers

paper doll portraits

altered journals

phone purses

wool beads

scrappy flowers

blue jean beads

felted critters

sock balls

rag rugs & swings

9-patch samplers

magazine trivettes

coffee cuffs

game of concentration

crocheted candle jars

crocheted book shelf

repurposed furniture

Christmas Topiary November 28, 2012 Yesterday the young adults who participate in the programs provided by Communtiy Support Services, came to the Workshop and made Scrappy Christmas Topiaries. Thanks to Cate Prado, editor of Cloth•Paper•Scissors for the inspiration. I had a completely different project planned until I saw her blog post.

  Community Support Services is a Brookfield based day program that provides productive activities for adults with disabilities. The Little Bits Workshop is very happy to host them every Wednesday morning.

Woodland Storybook Camp

March 29, 3013 Back in the summer of 2001 when Paul and I flew across the world to a remote Russian village to help run a summer camp, I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined how a dream could have been fulfilled to this extent... Twelve years later, I’ve found myself watching the beautiful minds of children bloom with creativity from the magic seeds that are there just waiting for water and sunshine.

This week at Woodland Storybook Camp, kids discovered that they have books and illustrations inside.

We kicked off the week by reading stories, creating an improv fairy tale in the forest, then plunging in and writing. What a thrill to hear and see imaginations transform into turning pages.

Here is Ava, reading her story to us....

And the grand finale this week.... Fairy Gardens...a real place for imagination to live.

Social Impact of Crafts
May 7, 2013 Every once in a while I get a request to complete a survey by a graduate student gathering data for a thesis. Most questions are fairly dry and boring, but yesterday I received a request to answer a survey measuring the social impact of my business... I was intrigued, challenged and even a little giddy as I began to informally and unscientifically measure the impact of The Little Bits Workshop.

It’s really quite simple. I have a core group of kids who have been developing their fine motor skills, problem solving skills, inventive ideas and imaginations for over three years at  The LBW. When new kids join us, members of our core group, regardless of their age, are miles beyond in their ability to create independently. They are also excellent teachers and often will step in to help our new students use their hands and minds. There’s no way for me to fully measure the impact of learning all these crafty strategies, but I have to believe—and this is what keeps me going—that kids who learn to implement their ideas will be leaders and teachers who go way outside their boxes in the real-worky-world.