come join us in the park!!
click here for details.
this is a great project put together by some cool folks.
we'll be out there with something crafty for folks to do-
please come say hi!!

Don't Shop: Swap

That's the working title of the big family clothes swap we're planning for back to school time. It'll be modeled after the Swap-a-rama-rama that was so incredible at the Maker Faire last fall. We'll have piles of sorted clothing and dressing rooms and manned sewing machines lining the perimeter of the room. Clothes can be doctored, altered, revised or heck, even fused. Ms. Teresa Ponzhoa has offered up the gym at Zilker for our use and it's going to be fantastic. It'll be on that ridiculous tax-free shopping day when they somehow convinced all of society that they can save money by shopping. Huh? It's mission will be to help people realize that they don't need to go buy a bunch of new clothes when there are already a ton of really great clothes out there just searching for the right body to wear them. And that consumption of new stuff doesn't make you feel good. It's making your own style that makes you feel good.

Stay tuned. And remember, you heard it here first. Or maybe not. Maybe you heard from me because I've been telling EVERYONE. Even though it was really Kathie's brainstorm.

Mama classes were a huge hit.

The mama classes were totally fun. The first night we made appreciation banners out of reclaimed burlap and Kathie's incredible scrap bucket that has a combination of cut-offs, old sheets and linens and some fantastic totally thrift store vintage curtains (my personal favorite). Everyone walked away with a finished banner and the ability to add a little gratitude to their family life. It really does work like magic to have gratitudes be constantly on the forefront of everyone's brain.

Day two was the birthday class and mamas could choose between the wish flags, birthday crown or anticipation calendar. We'll have more photos later especially of the anticipation calendar which gives your child and you a chance to reflect on the year past and look to the year future all the while counting down the days until the actual big day. Thanks to Kathie for her incredible wisdom in creating that work of art. Again, photos forthcoming.

Right now I just have a photo of the crown I made which will for sure be featured on all of our heads for all our future birthdays to come. It's reversible which makes it all the more fun and you can see I got to use that vintage curtain I mentioned earlier. More embellishment will surely be forthcoming in the way of old buttons and maybe even some handwork. In fact, Kathie's brilliant idea was that perhaps a bit of handwork could be added at each birthday thereby marking the occasion with great thought and intention. I think that would suit us perfectly.

It was also brought to mind about the excitement of keeping everything in a special box that was brought out a week or so before the big day. Everything could be unfolded and displayed giving the occasion the honor and anticipation it deserves - beyond just cake and presents.

We'll definitely be doing mama classes again, so stay tuned for further details.

New Classes on the calendar

Appreciation banner class for mamas on Thursday night May 22nd from 6:30-9:00.

Come make your very own Family Appreciation banners to spread the love and share the gratitudes. You'll walk away with an amazing gift to present to your family but we'll also talk about why family appreciations are so important. We'll discuss family rituals, and ways to make your family life feel that much more connected. You'll receive top notch technical assistance from Kathie Sever and Bernadette will regale you with ways and whys of making appreciations work for you. This class will combine sewing with a little appreciation and while we're at it, why not combine it with a little BYOB. $45.00

Homeschool Craft Collective
The Future Craft Collective is starting a new class series the first four Mondays in June from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. For kids ages 8-12 years old. Sign up by May 29th to reserve your spot. $85.00 + $10.00 supply fee.

Future Craft Collective kids 8-12
The 3:30 - 5:30 classes will continue also. Hurry to reserve your spot because classes have been filling up.

Have I mentioned how much fun Kathie and I have been having? And how much cool stuff has been coming out of this studio all made with recycled materials?

Upcycling

That's my new favorite word: upcycling. It's about taking something that's considered trash and making it into something totally cool or beautiful or all of the above combined with useful. I first heard the word from Virginia Fleck. I thought she made it up. I thought perhaps it was inspired by her amazing mandalas made from plastic bags but but she said she got it from someone else. Regardless of where it comes from, the word AND the concept should definitely be spread far and wide.

At Future Craft Collective's after school club Kathie came up with a great upcycling project for the girls using plastic grocery bags. The thing was, when Kathie went to her cupboard to find plastic grocery bags, the cupboard was bare. When she called me, same thing. She had to search a few houses before she stumbled upon a stash and that alone seemed like a good sign. The fact that most of the people we know are no longer amassing huge piles of plastic bags means there is definitely a shift.

But the bags she did find were definitely happy to be discovered. And the girls in the club were happy too. Check out this amazing little snap purse made by my own ten year old daughter and gifted to me at the end of the class. I love this thing and it is seemingly rather durable as well. I've tossed it around quite a bit in the past couple of weeks and it is still not only looking real good but holding up nicely too.

I love recycling and reusing and reducing and man oh man do I love upcycling too.

new workshops for grown ups!!!!

Crafting Family Goodness

By Kathie Sever and Bernadette Noll
email us to enroll

From the minds that brought you Ramonsterwear clothing, Creating Family Goodness, Homeschool Designs and The Future Craft Collective comes this innovative and inspirational sewing and family ritual class.
Crafting Family Goodness is about inspiring mamas to handcraft family tradition and connection that will last for generations to come. It's about understanding ways of establishing family rhythms and rituals and at the same time, spending time together with other mamas and making some really cool stuff. Because it’s a Future Craft Collective endeavor, be assured will be reusing, recycling, and reclaiming materials helping us keep out of the consumption loop.

Classes are held in the backyard-sewing studio of Kathie Sever located near the corner of S. Lamar and Bluebonnet.

Class Number One: What you Appreciate, Appreciates

May 17th 2:30-6:00 p.m. $55.00 each class (or sign up for both for $100.00)

In this class we’ll make Family Appreciation Banners that will keep gratitude on the forefront of every family member’s brain. Each banner will have a pocket for each member of the family, friends and a pocket for Universal thanks as well. There’ll be space for materials too so you can say “thanks” whenever the spirit moves you. We’ll discuss just why appreciations are so helpful in family life and ways we can encourage our children and partners to recognize and indeed appreciate all that is around them.

Class Number Two: Happy Birthday to You! (and you and you and you) May 24th 1:30-5:00. $55.00 (or sign up for both for $100.00)

In this class we’ll choose from three different birthday projects that you will be able to use year after year and child after child.

1. Birthday Wish Flags

These little flags are drawn from the idea of Tibetan Prayer Flags and can be hung up for each family birthday. Each flag holds a special birthday wish for your children for the coming year. Some folks have also added lessons learned in year’s past as reminders of where we’ve been and thoughts about where we’re going. Flags can be added for each birthday until the family string can be stretched across the whole house sending wishes far and wide.




2. Birthday crowns

Okay, we may find those little cardboard cone hats to be a link to our own childhood, but why not build a whole new birthday hat tradition that will be used year after year. We’ll make a special adjustable crown that can be worn with sentimental pride by each child for every birthday.

3. Anticipation Calendar

Think of this as a way of extending a birthday into a weeklong celebration of fun and anticipation. These little banners hold seven pockets each one holding a tiny treasure and a secret message for the honoree. Your child will be able to see for themselves just how many more days until their birthday (leaving the constant questioning of it at bay) and you’ll both have an entire week of count-down fun.