September Craft: Pencil Toppers


We thought our school supplies could use a little fun and what better way than with our own mini versions of Red Fred Bodoni and the Jolly Troop?

To make Red Fred pencil toppers you will need:
• Different colored fabric for each bird (we used fleece cus it's so soft)
• Coordinating embroidery thread
• Fabric glue
• A thread needle
• Scissors
• Red Fred Bodoni printed patterns

Directions:
1. Click on patterns, drag to desktop, and print at 100% (on your printer!).
2. Cut out each bird and accessory from the patterns and trace onto material.
3. Fold material and cut along traced lines so you end up with two matching pieces.
4. According to the pattern, line up beak in between the two matching pieces.
5. Glue together along the top and side but leave the bottom open (for the pencil!).
6. With embroidery thread, line stitch around the outside of your bird except for the bottom (cus of the pencil!).
7. Make a knot for each bird eye and cut excess thread.
8. Top your pencils with our own members of the Jolly Troop!










The Hoeflers and The Show Me State



Did you know there are wineries in Missouri? I did not. I did know wine is produced outside of Italy, I just wouldn’t have expected it in the mule state I suppose.

However, The Hoefler Twins spent a weekend at a Missouri winery recently.

They needed to unwind after a recent, heated debate over the historical accuracy of the first moon landing. It lasted an entire week. Magnus was at his wit's end.

But while they vacationed at Chandler Hills The Twins wine tasted, but not too much. They relaxed, but took long walks. They asked one million questions about vineyards, but listened to all one million answers. They stayed awake late, but woke up early.


And they argued some, but agreed some too.

The trip was a very good idea. The Twins returned home stress free (mostly).

I hope you are stress free (completely).

-rfb


Fast, Faster, Penny.

I like Penny because she is so fast. She talks fast. She reads fast. She moves fast.

She once started and finished a story before Big Ben was done chiming the noon hour. She once read the whole dictionary in the time it took me to make a pitcher of lemonade. She once beat me by a mile (literally) in a running race.

But she is also fast to say hello to someone new. She is fast to smile at a stranger. And she is fast to ask about your salsa dance lesson from last night (which didn't go as well as I'd hoped).

I'm glad Penny ran across my path.

And I'm glad I ran across yours.

-rfb