lights, camera, action

As everything starts winding up for the year, I love looking back over the past 12 months and seeing the shifts in our family. One big shift this year has been watching the boys blossom in their confidence. Partly to do with Bear being at school, and Boy2 finding his feet in a world not dominated by his big brother, but also partly to do with, I believe, their drama lessons. I particularly noticed Boy2 at their last performance, has really come out of himself, and both boys work the stage in front of a room full of grown ups like they own it. It’s a whole lot of fun to see – especially when it involves Boy2 rocking it out as a break-dancing ninja (of his own design). So. Much. Fun.

And of course, full credit goes to our drama teacher, who works with the children every week, develops scripts and productions and lessons that the boys are excited to get to every week. So with it being the first of our activities to wind up, I sat down Monday night, and after a bit of sketching, started sewing a little mugrug. Half was to be a directors clapper-board, and the remaining bit of space I went with a stylised spotlight. The clapper-board came together quickly, but when I trimmed one of the spotlight foundations and took with it the fabric that was supposed to stay, I decided to call it a night. (please tell me I’m not the only one who trims the wrong bit of fabric at times when foundation piecing?).

Tuesday saw it fully pieced and sandwiched, and by Wednesday morning, I’d finished the quilting and attached the binding. Which is all well and good, except the lesson was that afternoon, and my morning was filled with Bear’s school end of year Presentation Day. So I put on my multitasking hat, and got the binding stitched down during the ceremony!

I was really happy with how this came together. It was pretty much all foundation pieced, and once it was together, I used my trusty Uniball Eye pen to mark the lines of the clapper board, and then quilted over them a couple of times in black thread. The spotlight was originally going to be quilted in white in the light beam only, but when I was digging out my black thread, I found this roll of blue metallic thread that had been given to me by Kirsty as part of my quilt camp goodie bag last year, and thought it might work. After I FMQed in the beam, I was really happy with it, and then decided to add the quilting to the black as well, to suggest the spill of hazy light that surrounds a spotlight beam.

It was then bundled up with a couple of coffee sticks and a little box of Lindt chocolates. Nothing overly fancy, but hopefully a well received gesture of our appreciation.

Expect to see a slew of mugrugs over the next couple of weeks – I’m planning a few for various teachers, and hopefully the addition of a little felt ornament if I get time. Thus my weekend is planned for me – sewing mugrugs, a dolls quilt, and catching up on Project Life and December Daily. I’ve got my work table covered in Project Life stuff at the minute, and slowly pulling spreads together as I can steal 30 seconds from my day to place a card or a photo. I really love the spread I finished yesterday, and hope to get last weeks do today or tonight so I’m caught up ready to do this week on Sunday. December Daily desperately needs some attention too. There’s a Christmas party and a sleepover in my very near future. A farewell party for some dear friends. A picnic dinner to prepare for and pack. The smell of banana muffins is wafting through the house so I’m thinking a Friday afternoon calls for a break from the to-do list and taking five to sit with a cuppa and a muffin. Just five minutes of quiet as the children sleep before our last crazy weekend of the year commences. Three days of school and the holidays are upon us. Not that I’m counting (yes, I am). Have a great weekend!