My 15 Minutes of Fame

School is just starting to slide into a regular routine.  My AP Biology kids are hatching butterflies.   Actually we are accounting for the biomass and energy exchanges within an ecosystem, but it involves pretty butterflies.  This one was hanging out on Shelldon's shell this morning while I was at a meeting.  Anna took a picture for me.
Yesterday I was hanging out with my 9th grade biology classes learning about organic chemistry when the phone rang.  It was my assistant principal wanting to know what I was doing that day.  So I said we were using play-doh to model lipids and she asked if she could drop by with a news crew.  I thought she meant the one from our school announcements.  Instead, she showed up with a crew from the Orlando WESH 2 news.  They were doing a story about our school recently being rated as the best high school in the state.  So I was on the news!  My students were so excited!  Go look, you can see me doing my teaching thing.  Ryan is in there too, wearing an orange shirt and hanging out eating an apple with some girls at lunch.
So no sewing lately, but lots of good stuff is keeping me busy instead, so I will be thankful and enjoy every day.  

La Selva

In the last two months,  I put quite a bit of time into an application for summer study.  It included collecting together a team of 4 teachers from different schools in the district, completing an application, collecting letters of recommendation and preparing a written proposal of how we would apply what we learned.  So I just found out this week that the application was accepted.  I will be traveling to Costa Rica for two weeks this summer to stay at La Selva Biological Preserve.  While there we will learn about all kinds of ecosystem monitoring techniques.  From carbon sequestration calculations to quadrant counting and camera traps, we will spend days trekking around the jungle with 15 teachers from all over the country.  I'm so excited!  

Sunday Recovery and Restoration

 My one job today is to quilt the t-shirt quilt.  After my review session yesterday, I stopped at Joann's and used my coupon to pick up some backing fabric.  They were out of the one I had picked out earlier, but I think this lighter version will work just great.

 Fist though, I will need to clear off my quilting frame.  Oh dear, how did it get that way?

 Speaking of chaos, yesterdays AP Biology review session was a big hit.  We had two teachers and 31 students for 6.5 hours of power learning.  Physics was going on at the same time, and they had 30 kids with 5 teachers.  So much fun!  Hopefully everyone will feel much more confident now going in to the big exam.  It was lots of fun meeting students from other schools, they had lots of good tips and tricks to share with us all.

This guy was a real charmer.  He was headed off to prom last night, so I hope that he had a great time.  Some of my own student were even nice enough to stay after and help with the clean up.  Boy was that nice!  There were even enough boxed lunches leftover for dinner, so I didn't have to cook last night.  Well, enough procrastination, I'm off to clear the quilting frame and load up my quilt.  

Sewing on a School Night!

I used my sewing machine.  On a school night!  This week is "spirit week" at school with a different theme each day for costumes and festivities.  Tomorrow's is "dynamic duos".  Guess who I am?  Now that I've had more than my fair share of fun, I'd better do a bit of work for school.  I was supposed to catch up on grading yesterday night, but fell asleep on the couch at 8 instead.  Oops.  I'll do better tonight.  Already 8:30 and I'm going strong.  

Funny Story and Steam of Consiousness

Just before we ran out the door on vacation last week, a package showed up in the mail.  I didn't remember ordering anything, but it felt soft and squishy.  As I peeked in at oodles of orange fabrics, I remembered getting an e-mail from a blog reader, Sally, who said she had lots of oranges that she would love to send me, hoping it was going to be the color of the month very soon.  Apparently people feel very strongly about orange!  It was by far the most requested color in the giveaway linky party.  I was planning to save orange for October and Halloween, but I guess you are all too impatient for that.  So I'm not sure if it will come up in August or September, but I'll move orange up on the list due to popular demand.    Best of all, the orange fabric came with an adorable cat block!  So cute!  I will definitely have to include this one in the Rainbow Scrap Sampler.
 Speaking of running out on vacation, I also meant to post the fabric giveaway winner before we left, but completely didn't.  So thanks to the magic of the random number generator at random.org, Marsha Cooper is the winner of the lovely hand dyed fabric from Vicki Welsh. I'll get her fabric off in the mail and then get ready for the August giveaway.  Marsha, you are a no-reply blogger, and I think I remember having a conversation that included your e-mail, but I can't find it now, so if you can please send me your snail mail via e-mail, I'll head off to the post office with your goodies.
Sending away all this beautiful fabric is really making me want to play with some.  I need an awesome project to feature a rainbow of hand dyes -- any suggestions?  Sometimes when faced with a wonderfully coordinated bundle of fabric goodness, I get terrified and afraid to cut into it.  Same thing happens when trying to make a gift for someone.  I need to just take a deep breath and dive in.

And on the topic of wonderful surprise packages, I stopped by school this morning after taking Ryan to the orthodontist.  There was another surprise package waiting for me there.  This one was not soft and squishy, but it was so much fun.  I was at a science technology training workshop earlier this summer and found out that our district has now has a 3-D printer for the use of the science teachers.  One particular teacher volunteered to print things for us in exchange for keeping it at his school.  So I promptly put in an order for oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.  Check out that conformational change initiated by the bonding of the oxygen molecules.  Cool, right?!  And see the little red stand under the i-pad, it holds it perfectly vertical for video filming.  I am SO excited!

 Speaking of excited, I finally started quilting the borders for the little blue Dear Jane.  After much trial and error, I found that the clover white marking pen worked best along with a small collapsible square PVC quilting frame.  Maybe I'll make a little zipper case for it before the next trip?  Everything is better in a little zipper case.  

Butterfly Homes

My AP Bio kids are raising butterflies.  They are supposed to be accounting for all of the biomass in the  ecosystem and doing some math with it to support the idea of biomass pyramids.  So far they have had fun playing with their little caterpillars and watching them form a chrysalis.  Now that the little guys are all safely ensconced in their cocoons, we needed a bigger habitat for them to hang in.  So, here is my prototype butterfly habitat.  I think I'll try this one out and see what modifications I need to make before I go into mass production.  

Distractions

No quilting for me.  I have been working this week.  I was signed up to help out with some curriculum planning at school for next years home rooms.  Though I only worked half of each day, it got me (temporarily) back into school mode.  So I've been working on planning lessons for next year.  Sadly though, there has been no motivation for quilting.  There is another quilt loaded on the frame and one more ready to go, getting those both done this month sounds like a reasonable goal.  First though, I  have morning carpool for camp today.  Anna has a two week theater camp and Sydney has a single week with Mr. Science.  After that it is off to the grocery store and maybe home again to quilt a bit before pick ups start at 3.  Lazy summer days are never as lazy as it would seem.  

Jello in Space

We are sending our science experiment into space.  Jello and meat tenderizer in space.  Such a fun week.  Happy Friday to everyone!

Teacher Training Today

I was at a workshop today when this message came to my inbox. I am such a geek sometimes.

Done!

I facilitated two sessions at today's in-service, attended four others, took the kids out to dinner, polished off this HUGE stack of papers, updated and posted grades as well as catching up on e-mail.  I will feel NO guilt about spending the rest of the evening sewing some binding and meditating in front of some mind numbing TV.  Tomorrow is the first day of a new week and I am already DONE. 

Another First Day

 School started today with all the ceremony and excitement that a new year brings.  Today was Anna's first day of junior high.  She is coming to school with me now, and seeing her face around campus during the  day is such a nice surprise. 

Ryan thinks that 6th grade rocks, and Sydney ended up with the same teacher as last year and says it is like having the same year all over again.  My classes all went well, though by the time 7th period rolled around, everyone looked SO tired.  Getting back into the school schedule isn't all that easy I suppose.  I'm pretty much wiped out too, adjusting to the new routine is going to take a few days.  It is nice to start with a short week, by the time a long week rolls around we'll all be ready to move ahead full steam. 
I apologize for getting behind on answering e-mails, I am still reading, but responding hasn't happened much lately.  This weekend should allow me to catch up again and maybe even sew a bit?  I hope so. 

I'm Home!

 I had a great time workshoping.  This was a week long summer institute in preparation for a complete redesign of the AP Biology curriculum.  It was intense and full of good information.  See the adorable agar blocks we used to test the relationship of surface area to volume?  The pink is an acid base indicator which changes to clear as acid diffuses into the block.  I roomed with a teacher from our school who was there to do the calculus workshop.  Each evening, after dinner, I worked diligently on test questions, syllabi and such so that I could get up the next day and do it all over again. 
The first half of the week was spent in constant dampness as Debby continued to move through the state.  Those were the days when we were all disoriented and wandering lost around the second largest campus in the country.  It made me thankful to NOT be a full-time student anymore.  By midweek though, the storm had passed leaving BEAUTIFUL weather behind.  We had learned to navigate the campus and felt confident enough to venture out and explore a bit. 

While I was off at my training, the girls were enjoying surf and art camp.  Like me, they started out dealing with the storm, but were able to get out and enjoy the beach by the middle of the week.  Wednesday they started the day watching a nest of baby sea turtles hatching and Thursday they saw dolphins and horseshoe crabs on a kayaking trip.  Ryan was at Mr. Science again, this time doing a crime scene camp.  Their final day was spent analyzing an apparent homicide to figure out how Mr. Science ended up dead in a pool of blood.   Poor Kurt was just plain worn out after all the dropping off and picking up.  He had a lot going on at work, but had to squeeze it all in between his chauffeur duties.  They were all glad to see me, especially because I was able to drive straight to the beach when my class ended and see the girls surf while also saving Kurt from yet another car trip. 
Almost no sewing went on.  I did take my Dear Jane quilt to work on the hand sewing, but chose to focus on school work instead to get the most out of my time away. 

Tiny Tuesday - Arabic Lattice

I am trying hard to do one block every Tuesday at the very least to stay caught up with the Midget Sampler Quilt. Like anything else, its all about getting into the habit.  This one is called Arabic Lattice.  Whenever I looked ahead through the blocks I dreaded doing this one because it looked ugly and awkward and the pattern asked for templates and hand piecing. 

Of course, like anything else, once I actually started working on it, it wasn't as bad as all the anticipation.  The middle of each square is a four patch with one inch squares.  I cut out freezer paper templates for the triangle sections and then used a partial seam on the machine.  So simple in the end.  I still think it is an ugly block, but at least it is a finished ugly block. 

On a much prettier topic, check out the fabric that I picked up last time I was in Atlanta to see Mom! She took me to a quilt shop called A Scarlet Thread. It was a HUGE quilt shop with a great selection of reproduction fabrics.  My favorites are the little hedgehogs on the end.  I don't think it is proper depression era fabric, but I had to have it anyway. 
The school weeks have been nonstop hectic,  things are in full swing academically and evenings have been scattered with training sessions and such.  Last night was the first Academic Team match and that was a lot of fun.  Our team was the most enthusiastic and had the most members.  I'm still getting to know every bodies strengths, but they seem like a great group of kids. 

New School Year

School started Wednesday, so we've been back for three days already.  It is great to start on a short week, adjusting and getting back into the swing of things again is hard work.  On Thursday we were having safety day.  We listen to the Safety Dance song and do safety skits and watch a safety video.  Each student got to act out a scenario while another student identified it as safe or unsafe and stated the rule.  So after grabbing a pretend hot beaker, the first student exclaimed that he should have worn gloves to avoid burning his hand.  The other student thought for a moment before blurting out, "Always use protection when things get hot!". I tried not to laugh, but it didn't work. 
My own kids seem happy with their teachers and are honestly glad to be back at school again.  Anna was nervous about rotating from class to class but seemed to handle it without a problem.  Ryan has Anna's teacher from last year and I think that will be a good fit.  Kurt met Sydney's teacher at registration and thought she would be great with Sydney.  I know most of you aren't back to school yet, so keep enjoying your vacation, it will be over before you know it. 

Bulletin Board Border

Teachers returned to school on Wednesday and there hasn't been much time for sewing.  I did manage to whip up a quick border for my bulletin boards though, and thought I'd share a few quick pictures.

Two strips of fabric, 3.5 and 2.5 inches. 

Sewn right sides together on both sides.  (this is the tricky part)

Turned right side out and ironed flat 

Folded to length and stapled to bulletin board. 

Last Weekend of the School Year

This is Midget Block 42.  I've been putting it off because I don't think it is particularly attractive.  It has 36 pieces with sadly mismatched points and was paper pieced.  Thankfully it also has pitifully bad contrast, so I'm sure it won't be horribly noticeable in the end. 

It is called Whirlwind.  Glad to cross it off the list.  I spent some time this afternoon tidying in the sewing room and catching up on ironing and sorting of leftovers. 

Most of the weekend was spent hanging out in the garage.  Ryan is building an air cannon with Kurt and the girls are working on an old model train kit.  I've also been chipping away at painting the dollhouse.  Sydney has moved her furniture in and is anxious to have it done. 
I made some covers for the student sinks in my new classroom, apparently they like to throw garbage in them.  I also made some cubby covers with the extra wood.  Rumor has it that they like to hide their phones in there while texting during class.  Tomorrow is the last day of school and Thursday is scheduled for painting. 
Friday was Sydney's sleepover party.  Those pictures are on the other camera though, so I'll save it for another post.

Redecorating

We got a notice at work yesterday that there was a giveaway for teachers of office supplies and furniture.  Kurt volunteered to come with me to help in case I needed anything carried.  Since I'm getting a new classroom next year, I'll be in need of shelves and cabinets. Although I wasn't lucky enough to get any shelves, I did bring home a file cabinet.  I spent the afternoon with some blue spray paint and I think it will look pretty good when I am done with it.  My "new:" classroom isn't really new and is need of a little TLC, but I have some plans for fresh paint and some happy curtains that should make things I a bit cheerier. 

After that I worked on some more painting in Sydney's dollhouse.She picked out all of the colors and has been a big part of helping to put it all together.  She wants to have it ready to play with for her birthday party next weekend, so we've kicked it into high gear.  Unfortunately Kurt got impatient waiting for me to do my part and he put it all together before I could do most of the interior painting.  It would have been so much easier to do when the pieces were all nice and flat and spread out, but I am making it work.  I tried not to swear out loud as I used a mirror to see the ceilings and trimmed out the edges in tricky nooks and crannies. 

Kurt was out of town all last week and took a red-eye home on Thursday. Therefore, I went out after work on Friday for a little "me" time. I made a trip to Joann's for the new Quiltmaker 100 blocks issue and found some fabric to try out on the purple and green quilt.  I also watched a movie and saw two of my students working at the theater.  Graduation in on Wednesday and then there are are just three more days of exams with the underclassmen until the year is officially done.  

Another Week Wrapped Up

Every week is getting a little bit easier at my new job.  The students are starting to settle in and we are all getting used to the new routines.  Registration is already going on for next years classes and I am looking forward to being able to start fresh with all my transition experiences to help me along.  There are just 7 weeks until the first AP exam, so there isn't much time time to worry, it is just jump in and swim fast!  I was awfully glad to see the weekend come though and will enjoy a chance to take a deep breath before jumping in again. 

Good-byes

When I saw my friend good friend at Girl Scout pickup yesterday she said she knew that I had been busy because I hadn't updated my blog lately. Today was my last day at work, which explains a lot of the hecticness. Leaving in the middle a school year is awkward of course, so people were peering over one shoulder before congratulating me on the new job and saying good-bye. My student wanted to have a party, so the morning was full of cakes and farewells.
Wednesday there was a weird schedule because of career day, so I took the opportunity to  visit the new school and meet my new students before the old teacher goes away.  It went very well.  The students all seem very polite and motivated and the facilities are amazing.  The teachers were also welcoming, though I'm sure they are concerned about the transition. 
I'm still trying to make sure all the paperwork gets done in time, even though I worked for the same school district 8 years ago, they want everything again so I've been spending afternoons working on all of that.  You'll all be relieved to know that I passed my drug testing and fingerprinting and that my teaching certificate has been accepted.  That just leaves government forms and official letters and lots of other tedious details that I won't bore you with.  I'll be sure to get it all sorted out ASAP though, as it's always nice to get paid. 
Then Anna decided to get sick and she shared with me.  Thankfully the urgent care clinic set me up with an antibiotic and something for my lungs and I'm feeling almost normal again.  The bug caught up with Sydney today and Kurt was able to stay home with her so that I didn't miss my last day at work.  Then this afternoon was my last day to teach hands on science for Anna's class.  The kids all made cards for me to read and chipped in to buy a cookie cake.  I promised them that I would hang all their cards up in my new classroom. 
I've slept the afternoon away already, so I'm thinking that I'll be awake for a while and might play with my red scraps for a bit.  I'm promising myself that I'll take some time out to sew a tiny bit this weekend. 
Monday is a student holiday and teacher workday for the public schools here.  Since Tuesday is my first official day of work I thought I would take the kids over and let them help me decorate my new room.  I've got some quilts to hang and a few books and supplies to settle in.  I'm sure I can find a bulletin board somewhere and let them hang up all my cards. 
I'm sorry for being out of touch recently.  Thank you all for your good wishes and congratulations.  I'm a bit behind on e-mail of course, but hoping to catch up as soon as things settle down a bit.  I'm not sure when that will be, but I'm just going to take things one day at a time for a while. 

My Day Today

I'm teaching two new advanced placement classes starting in 9 days.  I've been buried in books all day today.  It is fun and exciting, but I am starting to feel a little cross eyed.  We got a redbox movie though, and I'm going to sort some scraps while we watch.