KCWC Day 7 - Sleeves, Stencils and the Groke

First of all, let me apologize for the blurriness of my photos this week.  Mr. Jones has a new found passion for photography, and I have a nasty habit of supporting such passions, even when the fate of much loved hardware is at stake.  I thought all was well, but there's definitely something amiss...

For today, the last day of KCWC, I just have a few more upcycled t shirts to share.  The first is a felt Groke shirt for B.  I added rainbow stripe sleeves to the basic Target t shirt and it goes a long way toward looking like something really unique and whimsical.  If I wasn't so worn out from this week, and worn out from just looking at the messy fallout that a week of sewing has scattered around our place - detritus abounds! - I'd probably go on a stripe sleeve insert rampage.

The Groke is a melancholy creature from Moomin Valley who strikes fear into the hearts of other residents and freezes the ground beneath her wherever she goes.  She's awesome.  She inspires a sort of a slow, looming cold fear rather than a running and screaming fear.  Something about her has always fascinated B, and to be fair she's a complicated villain, but that's the way we like 'em around the Brewer house.

My last 2 projects were these 2 punctuation shirts.  If you know my kids, you know exactly which shirt belongs to which boy. It was a pretty cool coincidence to find I had these two blank tees in the same shade of worn red around the house.  It was a perfect opportunity for some brotherly cuteness, but I could not get inspired.  The stared, maybe even glared at me from the ironing board for days.  Finally on Thursday I was helping my dad print large letters on tee shirts for the bus drivers.  (He wrote another School Bus the Musical to be performed at the schools by the drivers themselves.  The first was super successful, and if I know my dad this one will be even better!) One of the shirts had an exclamation.  Epiphany.  And thus the red shirts has a destiny.

 At first I thought I'd make exclamation points for both of them, but 20 to 30 seconds of thought about the boys and I knew Becks should have a question mark.  Jonesie! and Beckett?  It really does suit them well.

Overall I've had a fantastic week.  Most of all, blogging again has given me a larger perspective on my world.  It's like a porthole to the wide blue from this swaying, sometimes listing, ship called parenthood.  It's really good to write again, to use grown up words, and to allow myself a few minutes alone with my netbook to pull it together.  Thanks for putting up with my long absence and thanks for reading!