More Crafty Classes Coming Up!

This next one is practically in my backyard. I'll be teaching students how to craft this sweet little Snow Pixie at About Memories and More in Flagstaff, AZ on November 7th.

And.....If you are in the Southern California area, I will also be offering the Snow Pixie class at Paper Tales in gorgeous San Diego on December 5th. Check out their lovely website here


Also, I have at least three more classes coming up in the near future. I'll teach how to create a Santa in paper clay at Mystic Paper in Mesa, AZ on December 12, and will be teaching two classes at the Art Opera in Red Bank, New Jersey on April 8-9. I am also planning to teach in Los Angeles next July for one of Kim Caldwell's renowned Artistic Affair events! (Stay tuned for more info on these awesome events!)

These opportunities are such blessings as I truly love to share my craft. In fact, I am always looking for more opportunities to teach, so if you have a shop in your town that offers classes or a crafty event in mind, please let me know.

Menu plan Monday

So that Garlic Cheddar chicken I put on the menu last week.... huge thumbs up all around the table... here's what's cookin' in the Fern Cottage Kitchen this week.....

Monday-Simple Grilled Chicken, Rice, salad
Tuesday-Sausage and Peppers, with pasta aglio e olio, green salad
Wednesday- Chicken and noodles, broccoli
Thursday- Meatball and Mozzarella Calzones, green salad
Friday-Chinese Takeout
Saturday-Tacos, rice and beans (carry over from last Sunday, since we didn't make this after all)
Sunday- Spaghetti Bolognese, homemade bread, green salad

I'll be back in a couple of days with some exciting announcements regarding upcoming workshops! Hope your week is off to a good start :-)

(PS. Be sure to check out Org. Junkies Menu Plan Monday for more awesome meal planning inspiration!)

Work/Life/Business/Balance and Beyond

Fall is definitely in the air here. My giant (silver leaf maple?) tree in the front is just about finished putting on her golden costume. I snapped this pic while saying goodbye to the last of the shady green leafiness that I have enjoyed all summer.

Change is in the air too! I recently was delighted to receive a letter in the mail confirming my acceptance into graduate school, and beginning in mid January, I will will be pursuing my Master's degree. I am not sure yet how much this will affect my full time job ( but I am anticipating a huge change with that as well, which I will share when I am able) and I am determined to continue to maintain, and perhaps even grow The Polka Dot Pixie buy adding more pieces to my line, pursing more wholesale accounts and creating more workshops so that I can share my love of paperclay sculpting! In short, I plan to spend the next few years pursing my passions and and focusing more on my family, as the kids are growing so quickly and before I know it, will be up and out of the house, pursuing their own dreams!

In the meanwhile, life has gotten incredibly busy... but all happy busy. And have been taking advantage of some of the wonderful time management tools and advice that I found while surfing around (hooray for Google Calendar!!!). I have been a long time believer in menu planning, and now more than ever, I need it t help balance my schedule and bring some order in what can be a very chaotic life. To keep inspired, I jumping on the Menu Planning Monday bandwagon!

I hoping this will keep me both organized, and accountable for cooking more at home, and I know the planning will help me make more time for sculpting! I will need it as the Christmas orders and craft fairs are already underway and time is so limited.

If you are a busy mom, have a hectic schedule, or need some quick meal ideas while your crafty schedule fills up, I encourage you to visit Organizing Junkie's website to get some yummy inspiration.

The post below is my plan for the week....

(My first) Menu Plan Monday :-) !

(above.. my vintage but functional, 1920's gas stove)

Okay I hope I am doing this right... click on the links where applicable for recipes

Monday-Carmel Apple Pecan Chops with Potato Pancakes
Tuesday-Leftover Night (we had a busy kitchen this weekend and mom is working late!)
Wednesday- Garlic Cheddar Chicken, Spinach salad with vinaigrette
Thursday-Shepard's Pie (check back for recipe)
Friday- Cheese Pizza, green salad
Saturday- Going to an Anniversary Party!
Sunday- Tacos, rice and beans (My mom-in laws authentic recipes)

Check out more awesome menu plans at Org.Junkie!

Guess Who.....

Since I had been doing a Storybook and Nursery Rhyme Series for PFATT, (and recently inspired by that awesome cool vintage Ray Harryhausen animated short) it was clear that it was high time I crafted a doll in honor the lady herself... Ms. Mother Goose!

She was sculpted from paper clay over a padded wire armature. Her dress was crafted entirely from crepe paper, including the super cute polka dot skirt from crepe I purchased at Castle in the Air.
She carries a happy little hand sculpted goose and a full color Nursery Rhyme Book (in the public domain) that I reproduced in miniature form.

Ms. Mother Goose is number 10 in the series of twelve that I have been creating over the past year and will be available on PFATT at midnight on October 10. Blog readers and newsletter subscribers get free shipping!

The residents at Fern Cottage thank you :-)

Thanks to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts this weekend regarding the fire. School was canceled (as they are currently being used as emergency shelter for evacuees) and I have taken the day off from work today, but other than that, thankfully, we have been able to stay put.

I have been following the National Forest's service's Twitter feed. (I love technology).
The high winds have been keeping the helicopters and planes grounded, but I think the cooler temperatures helped, and so far, they have been able to keep the fire from growing worse.

Thank you also for the sweet comments on the house. Below is a picture of it from 1916.
The little girl on the porch was named Fern, and according to our research, grew up in the community and lived here for years. I like to call the house "Fern Cottage" in her honor.

If you compare this photo with the one in the post below, you can see subtle differences in the architecture. I think the gingerbread was changed out 30 years ago, and at some point, someone added an extension to the front parlor. But the fence is still the same. It's a really sweet house to come home to. Thanks again to everyone who has kept it (and us) in your thoughts and prayers.

Twin Fire

(Image from AZFamily.com)

Burning only a few miles away from my home pictured below...

I can see the flames tearing up the other side of the mountain and they have evacuated homes about 6 blocks away from me. We have some bags packed just in case...Hopefully they get this thing contained today. Please keep my little community in your thoughts and prayers .

(((hugs))))

Jenny

Sale in My Etsy Store! This weekend only!

Well it's time to make room for Christmas, so I recently discounted everything in my Etsy Shop by $ 5.00 to $10.00.

And for blog readers and email subscribers I am offering free shipping! Just be sure to mention that you are taking me up on the free shipping offer in the "note to seller" field at checkout and I will refund you the shipping cost! Happy weekend everybody! :-)

Little Miss Muffet

What a perfect way to come back from a small downgrade in screen time... a vintage claymation movie courtesy of Archive.org. I think this will provide inspiration for a future Polka Dot Pixie Doll....

Hope this put a smile on your face like it did for me :-)