I've been away for awhile.  A LOOONG while.  And I'm not even sure what to say about that, except read my other blog "Mumsaid."  mumsaid.blogspot.com    I've considered combining the two, except the concept of Mumsaid is so very different from Pattercraft.
Mumsaid is about reflecting on life and the things my Mom said.  Because whatever "Mumsaid" was a rule.  "Mumsaid" do it and that was that.  "Mumsaid" a golden life rule and So It Shall Be.  And you know what?  She was usually right.
Pattercraft is the blog to go along with my crafty self.  I so very want a craft business and have worked on it but not so much in these past couple of years.  I just don't have it in me.  I quit "Stampin' Up!" because I bought more things than other people.  I tried to use it as a launchpad for Pattercraft.  But sheesh to commit to one line of materials and to conform to one way of working was just NOT ME.  I am picky about materials.  I know what I like and I know there's more out there than Stampin' Up!  (Plus, typing Stampin' Up! and figuring out all the punctuation surrounding it is a pain.)
When I think about it, Mumsaid is where I am sad and Pattercraft is where I am happy.  One is myself "The Writer" and the other self "The Artist."  And I don't have much confidence in either of those roles.  And that very last sentence my friends, is why I've been away for awhile.

Only once in a very blue moon does true giftedness come along.

This post is about a young lady who I feel possesses skill and talent akin to that of the Great Masters, only in modern subject matter.  I know that to some that may seem a ridiculous statement to make, given that the pictures below are of Pokemon, but the Pokemon is merely an example of this girl's emerging skills.  She can draw with amazing precision the most delicate of fairies and the fiercest of dragons.  She crafted giant origami rabbits for our Easter breakfast.  (Mind you, the larger a piece of paper, the more difficult it is to control.)  She made a little fleece bunny and cat for my daughter when she was born, and managed to create adorable somethings that not only would pass government safety tests, they have SURVIVED the LOVE of a TODDLER.  In other words, the girl got SKILLS.


Somehow, the planets aligned, God heard a prayer, or SOMETHING happened to get me to attend University United Methodist Church.  (Besides marrying Tim.)  The teenagers at UUMC never cease to amaze me.  There are so very many old souls in that one little youth group that you can sense the powerful potential developing within each and every one of them.  And a pox upon those who dare to disagree.  Before church, Anna often shows me what she is working on, drawing, or otherwise creating. One morning, I spied her sewing what looked to me like rays of a sun.  Once she explained, I was even more curious.  One week later I saw it in its completion.  I am not up to date on the Pokemon population, nor can I pretend to care what happens to Ash or those annoying villains.  I can, however, recognize a well-crafted adorably ugly insect-like stuffed creature.  And this adorably ugly insect-like stuffed creature was amazingly well-crafted.  And huggable too.  And made WITHOUT A PATTERN.  No kidding.  Its name is Larvesta.  (The name kind of makes me say, "Ewww."  But her craftsmanship certainly does not.)  Check it out.

This is Anna's Larvesta.  Notice how she stitched the eyes to form a pupil.

Larvesta from an aeriel perspective.  So huggable, yet so buggy.

Side view. The "Bulbapedia" says that Larvesta is 63.5 pounds.
That's a LOT of Pokemon.

And it looks EXACTLY like the picture, slightly whorled horns and all. 

 Didn't I tell you the girl was gifted?

Guess what?

Pattercraft is going to be at the Chesterfield Earth Day event on April 16, 2011.  Here's the scoop:

We're making paper flowers out of discarded books, and perhaps some wool.  The activity will be offered at a small fee that is yet to be determined.  (I just have to pay for materials & that booth!)  I will also have my famous crayons, tags, and other lovelies for sale.  I am so psyched about this event I can hardly stand it.

Rain or shine, come play!

Check out the website for more info, including what Chesterfield is collecting for recycling.

http://www.chesterfield.mo.us/earthday.html

Cheers!