BlueFrogArts

Fiber Day at the Frog a Success!

 

What fun!

Vikki Morain, weaver, and spinner-wannabe, invited area spinners, weavers, knitters and curious observers to participate in the first Spin-In at The Blue Frog.  Apparently, people were more than ready to break away from cabin fever in Lamoni.  More than twenty visitors stopped into the Blue Frog to spin, learn to spin, have experienced spinners urge antique wheels into working order, knit, share patterns, chat with other fiber enthusiasts and generally just have a good day together.  Lamoni residents came to be supportive and feed their wondfully curious minds.  Great to have you all there!

Spinners Anna Knapp (Lamoni), Linda Graves (Osceola), Mary Parks (Pleasantville) and Sue Olson Jamison, MO) shared their expertise and were enthusiastic and patient teachers.  Thank you so much!

If you missed out, don't worry.  The consensus was that there should be a repeat performance so watch this space for another invitation in 6 weeks or so. 

Come Spin a Yarn at the Blue Frog

Really, no tall tale here.

 

 

There will be spinners and spinning wheels at The Blue Frog on Thursday, January 14 from 11:00 am-3:00pm.  Come watch a demonstration of spinning by area spinners.  You can even give it a try if you'd like to.  This is not a formal class but just an opportunity to watch and talk with people who have mastered an ancient/modern skill.

  Don't let work hours keep you away.  Even if you can come only during your lunch break, feel free to pack a lunch or bring take-out from one of our local restaurants and come to The Blue Frog.  Consider it a brown-bag lunch opportunity to learn about another art form.  

There will also be knitters and weavers, so if you have a project you are working on and would like some company while you knit, you are welcome to join the fun for a few minutes or a few hours.

Registration Open for Winter Classes at Blue Frog Arts

Jan 5 12 and 19     1-3 pm      Color and Texture in the "Key of Cool"

        Watercolor class with Beth Knotts

Jan 17      2-4:30 pm            Let It Snow -- Fused Glass Jewelry

        Create snowflake and stacked glass fused jewelry with Vikki Morain, instructor

Jan 28 and Feb 4  6:30-8 pm            Beginning Knitting

        Winter is a great time to learn to knit---with Priscilla Eppinger

Feb 27   10-3 and Feb 28   2-5ish pm     Bring Your Cocoa and Weave Mug Rugs

        Basics of weaving from winding a warp and dressing a loom to weaving a finished set of mug rug coasters with weaving instructor, Vikki Morain  (Actually, I'll bring the cocoa for you!)

^{Mar 4 and 11  7-8:30 pm}                    Simple Knitted Shrug

        A great project for the novice knitter!  Priscilla Eppinger, instructor

Mar 7  2-4:30pm               Escape the Winter Slump--Fusing and Slumping Glass

        Make a beautiful glass dish while exploring warm glass techniques of contour fuse, full fuse and slumping.  Instructor: Vikki Morain

Mar 23 and 30                  Color Three Ways!

        Intermediate knitting: intarsia, fair isle, mosaic...with Priscilla Eppinger

For more details and to register, contact:

Blue Frog Arts   119 E Main       Lamoni  IA      641 784 6827       Open Wed-Sat 10-5

Holiday Sparkle from the Blue Frog

Lamoni and surrounding areas sparkled just a bit brighter this year thanks to glittery glass ornaments created by a group of creative students who gathered at Blue Frog Arts to learn about the fun of creating with fused glass.

   

Let me tell you a little story about the young girl in the center of the picture.  Lily Meline and her dad, Randy, came into Blue Frog Arts not long ago searching for just the right birthday present for her mom, Linda.  They found it, but IT wasn't a thing...it was an experience...a mother/daughter shared class at The Blue Frog.   What a great idea, Lily!  And what a great time everyone had learning about how glass changes from solid to liquid in a kiln and then back to solid again in a new form that had been created by the new glass artists. The expressions in the picture above capture the fun and creativity of a great group of students from Lamoni, Sun Valley Lake at Ellston, Decatur and Des Moines.  

This inaugural fused glass class was taught by Vikki Morain, Blue Frog Artist and Co-op member.  The next fused glass class will be offered January 17, 2010. we'll be learning how to fuse dichroic glass to make jewelry----- looks like more sparkle ahead in the new year.  Of course, YOU are invited to join in the fun and learning and creating by registering at Blue Frog Arts, open Wednesdays through Saturdays on Main Street in Lamoni, Iowa.  641 784 6827 
 

Fall 2009 Classes Announced

Registration Open for Fall Classes at Blue Frog Arts

Blue Frog Arts   119 E. Main St.   Lamoni   784-6827

Call to register or stop in Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00-5:00

Oct 5, 12              Beginning Knitting
7:00-8:30p            learn to knit

Oct 19                  Get Loopy – Locker Hooking Sampler

  7:00-9:00p            learn a fiber technique to create your own heirloom                

   Oct 26, Nov 2       Simple Knitted Shrug 
  7:00-8:30p            a great project for the    

                               novice knitter! 

Nov 3, 10, 17, 24   Painting
10:00-12:00          learn from award-winning Beth Knotts

Nov 23-24             Loom Weaving
6:00-9:00p            make a cozy scarf   

Dec 3                    Crayon Batik
7:00-10:00p          who knew Crayola could do this?

Dec 6                    Fused Glass Ornament 
2:00-5:00p            just in time for Christmas! 

 

More details about some of the classes are below.  For additional information on the other classes, please stop in and visit The Blue Frog!

Walk in and Weave---Warm Woven Scarf

Weave a cozy scarf to ward off winter winds or to give as a gift.

When:  November 23 and 24 (Monday and Tuesday)   6:00-9:00 pm at the Blue Frog

Class Cost:  $30

Supply Cost:  $5.00 plus bring one skein of yarn about (about 175 yards) in the color of your choice.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate, No experience necessary

Ages:  10 to adult

Class size:  3 pre-warped looms available

Get Loopy – Locker Hooking

Learn a fast, easy, inexpensive technique to create your own heirlooms such as rugs, pillows, chair pads, saddle blanket and wall hangings.  In class we will make a sampler to learn the technique--- can be used as a hot pad or coaster.

When: Monday, October 19,  700-9:30 p.m.

Class Cost:  $25

Materials Cost:  $10 plus $1, $3, or $5>00 for fabric strips, yarn or roving, respectively. Everything you need, a locker hook, canvas mesh and locker thread and scissors  will be provided at the class. 

Skill LeveL:  Beginner, ages 12 to adult

Class size: Maximum of 6

Fused Glass Ornaments

Just in time for decorating or gift giving, make several beautiful, sparkly holiday ornaments made of kiln fired glass.

When: Sunday, December 6^th, 2:00-4:00

Class Cost:$25

Materials cost:  to be announced (approximately $15-20)

Skill Level:  Beginner, no experience necessary, ages 10 to adult ( a great parent/child or grandparent/child class)

Class Size:  Minimum of 4/ Maximum of 10

 

Making Felted Soaps!

Fiber artists Prisiclla Eppinger and Vikki Morain experimented with making their own wool felt over Spring Break and came up with some amazing results...

You probably have never thought about felted wool soaps, but they are a functional as well whimsical addition to any sink!

Below are a few photos of the process, but feel free to stop in the Blue Frog to touch and feel the final results!  Let us know if you would be interested in taking this as a class.

Vikki revealing some of the felted wool.

One piece of felt is finished, while another is being uncovered.  It looks like so much fun!

Gingerbread House Exhibit!

Enter Blue Frog's 1st Annual Gingerbread House Exhibit!

Awards will be given to EVERY gingerbread house entered.  We believe everyone deserves to have their creativity celebrated!

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES:  11am Saturday, December 22, 2007.  Awards will be given at 2pm that same day.

Sammy (pictured at left) made this cute house from a $7 kit purchased at Aldi's grocery store.  It was a great kit and had all kinds of decorations included - more than enough.  The Royal Icing included was an excellent glue to assemble the house. It dried hard as a rock. However, it didn't taste great.  Homemade gingerbread and cream cheese frosting taste much better. 

EASY MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSE
If you would like to make your own simple gingerbread house from graham crackers follow these simple instructions:

Gather the needed ingredients with your child’s help. If your child is learning his or her shapes, try to pick candies that have the shapes that your child is learning. Talk about the shapes of candy
you are going to include.

Ingredients & Supplies:

• Any small square box (you can use a couple of juice containers, a single serving milk carton, or any other box to serve as the frame for the house)
• Toothpicks
• Wax paper
• Cutting board
• One 16 oz. container of white icing
• Graham Cracker squares
• Candies to decorate

Instructions: Place the box on the sheet of waxed paper on top of a cutting board. Cover the box with graham cracker squares (or rectangles). Use the icing to hold the graham crackers in place. Insert toothpicks on the top of the box.

Lean two graham crackers on the toothpicks to form the roof. Cut a graham cracker in half diagonally to form a triangle for the front and back of the roof. Attach them with icing.

Once you have your sides and roof attached, use a plastic bag filled with icing with the corner cut out to pipe in the cracks. Use the icing to attach the candies and decorations as well. Use your imagination to create windows and doors with different shapes.

When you have finished decorating your gingerbread house, leave it out overnight to dry. Display and enjoy at the Blue Frog!

If you would like to make a gingerbread house with a little more craftsmanship, there are oodles of good sites containing recipes and tips.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Sammy had a definite vision for the roof decorations!  She made an overlapping snake of frosting and carefully put candies all over it.  It turned out more beautiful than I ever imagined.

ON-LINE RESOURCES FOR GINGERBREAD AND ICING:

• For the gourmet or foodie (serious cook), here's the article by Bon Appetite!
• For a showcase of 20 award winning gingerbread houses by Celebrating Christmas.
• Celebrating Christmas web-site has recipes, the history of gingerbread, as well as blue prints for a log cabin, Victorian, beach, and several other gingerbread houses.
• If you need step-by-step photos and detailed instructions King Arthur Flour's article and Gingerbreadcottage.com are excellent resources.