Family Mellmann

I have really been enjoying the baking classes that I have been taking. Not only do I learn to make something that many people can enjoy and/or benefit from (home made baked goods, pasta, etc.) I also have an opportunity to learn a new skill, stretch skills that I already have, develop new interests, and expand my horizons. I have enjoyed this new phase of learning so much that I decided to sign up for a beading class. I have been beading for several years now, but I have never taken a class. Everything I do is self-taught. One important lesson that I have learned (repeatedly) in the baking classes is that sometimes a few "tricks of the trade" shared during a class can simplify or improve my ability to do certain things, or take the mysteries out of repetitive tasks that challenge me. What was true in baking class is also true in beading class. Tonight's class was only about earrings. We learned to use seed beads, we did wire wrapping, and a dangle-y chain style.

My helper is back. Today, Katherine has a half day of school (teacher in-service day) so I prepared a few things that we could do together with the couple of hours between her coming home from school and Patrick coming home. For Cross Connections (a mom's group at church) I am responsible for "baby bags" (gift bags for moms with new babies) so Katherine helped me to fill the bags with things for Baby and Mom. She did ALL the work.