Today I skimmed Pinterest for DIY catnip sachet toy ideas. I browsed for pictures, watched a video and then, hopped off the computer to fashion our own pattern. Maybe that's just how I roll. Since we have a craft show coming up, I helped the girls get started on this new cat-friendly addition to their dog treat business. With our adorable new fish shaped catnip sachets, we won't be letting the sweet little old lady cat lovers off the hook anymore!
The Blossoms spent the afternoon at the sewing machines, crowded around the dining room table or kneeling on the floor. After my test runs to discern if the new "pattern" would work, I assigned jobs for everyone. Blossom4 gathered scraps and threw them away. She also cut old grocery bags into shreds to make the nifty little toys have a "crinkly" sound. Blossom3 was in charge of stuffing with catnip and the shreds. Blossom1 and Blossom2 sewed the sachets together and then, sewed them closed. Nobody is quite certain what I did. We made it through the bumpy parts of teaching everybody how to do what they're supposed to do. Teaching your kids to sew is chaotic under the best of circumstances. The warm fuzzies don't come til later, after training... and practice... and correction... and guidance. Don't believe me? Check this old post out. It's pretty much the same, except there's no baby gorilla on my head.
Later on, when they were eventually working independently in the craft headquarters that is the dining room, I found myself beaming over the relationships and camaraderie they are building with each other. They chatted from sewing machine to sewing machine. They giggled over a funny looking sachet. They commented on their processes and efficiency. They envisioned a grander scale, a web site even! We made it through the bumps, to the good, good part.
Being together all the time doesn't strike me as a pitfall of the homeschooling/always together life that we lead. I see it as just another building block of Godly family relationships. We are together constantly, so we are always learning how to better interact with each other. Time will tell if this long term investment pays off.
Dominique
