Make: Popcorn Hat

by Designing Mom April of Shibumi Gallery


My boy doesn't like baby blue. So being a discerning mom myself I decided to give them all away to someone who does. As the pile of clothes sat in my office I had this thought that I could dye some of the ones that I liked the cotton material of. So I did. I used good old Rit dye. I am sure there are more natural dyes but being a working mom with my three month old son. I opted for what I knew I could get quickly. My first batch was a blue that I like to call Indigo....and I dyed everything that I imagined would look good.

The hat and some of his onesies got special treatment. I used popping corn and small hair rubber bands to make small irregular circles.

Instructions:

1- Put popcorn under fabric and stretch tightly rubber band around each kernel

2- Make a pattern or just use a random pattern.

3- Bucket add hot boiling water to fill

4- Rit dye~ color of choice, Stir in dye

5- Let sit for a couple hours if dye is older might want to leave in overnight

6- Do a general rinsing by hose or sink

7- Wash in washing machine on hot, wash only the same color of clothing you just dyed

8- Remove rubber bands and corn

9- Dry in dryer

Below hat, t-shirt and overalls all dyed in the same bath. Then I sewed a patch over the overall logo!

Next is my chocolate brown batch......!

Father's Day Fotos: Daddy and Ando

above: Designing Mom April's beautiful father and son portrait photographed by Leon Borensztein

Friday Fotos: Little Tiger Fish

above: Some photos in my archive of
Designing Mom April's little "Tiger Fish."

Happy Friday and weekend everyone!

In the News...

Designing Mom April is in this month's issue of American Craft Magazine. Click here to read!

Friday Fotos: In the Final "Stretch"

above: This glowing mama is Designing Mom April

who is in her eighth month

Have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Story: April's Journey

Designing Mom April is sharing a very special and intimate journey for our "Story" segment today. How poignant that April's blog She-he-me is now He-He-Me... There's a wonderful surprise ending to this. Read on and you'll soon see why.



by Designing Mom April

I was recently asked to write about adoption vs. biological child. Since I have only been in the process of both I will write about that. We are currently on a list for International Adoption. Our journey for a child began about 5 years ago when I was 36. When we did not easily get pregnant I will say that I experimented with some milder fertility treatments in the beginning. I felt pretty insane hormonally and decided I did not want to take this any farther. My hormones were screaming to procreate but intellectually and heart-fully I knew I wanted to be a parent. I did not need it to be my egg. My husband felt the same.

We started to investigate adoption. I am Japanese/French/German born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. (yes really!) My brother and I being the only half Asians in our school growing up, I had always been somewhat treated like I was from a different country other than born and raised in Utah so it felt natural for me to look to an international adoption for our child. And now living in the Bay Area I knew my child would be accepted as any race.

We found out that since we had only recently been married, even though we had been together for many years that this was an issue. Most international countries ask for 2-5 years of marriage before you can apply. Others have restrictions for age. Which my husband was at the 45 year mark and that is out in some countries. One thinks these rules are strict, I do agree, but with an international adoption one has got to see things from their point of view. In Central Asia where we eventually picked, people life expectancy is into their sixties. So from their perspective, why are we adopting over 45 if we might live to 60?

We just barely met the requirements for Kyrgyzstan, a country south Kazakhstan and west China. I loved the mix of the people and liked the idea that if our kid didn't want everyone to know they were adopted that they could probably pass as our kid. Not that I cared, I wanted the kid to find their way to fit into this world. An issue any kid has adopted or not.

What I have learned is their are advantages for adoption, I have met a whole extended family in this world. I have met kids that melt your heart. I have read that only 1% of kids without parents find a forever home.

I also know how incredibly hard it is to wait, and wait, and wait. I would tell people if you are interested in adopting it will most likely take you from 3-5 years. Yes really. Currently the International climate is not easy to adopt. Waits are very long and countries close or are put on moratorium for political reasons. This is what happened to us. Since August 2008 adoption in Kyrgyzstan came to a screeching halt. All through 2009 we have been trying to decide on other options. Things did not seem promising and we had been waiting almost two years at this point for our adoption.

Well I surrendered frustrated with the adoption process. To make a long story short, with the help of a very talented Naturopath who worked with homeopathy and acupuncture, at 41, I am 3 months pregnant!

I had given up even wanting to be pregnant. I would have been totally happy with an adopted child. Not that I am not happy now, I am thrilled. I only wish those kids who need good families could find their way into loving parents homes more easily.

So it's a boy! (surprise) We wanted one child but maybe baby o will still come from Kyrgyzstan? We are still on the list, after all..... I surrendered right?

The only advice I have since it is such an individual process is that your heart does open down each path you take.

Designing Moms: Meet April

April not only has an exquisite eye for detail as seen in her beautiful jewelry, but a vision that encompasses a gallery of artists who echo her personal passions and work. What a dream to also be able to live and work in your studio! I feel lucky that April and I got a chance to meet one day (she purchased a wool zip top bag to help display her jewelry) and cannot wait to read more of her work and life!


Name: April

About: I am a hopeful soon-to-be-mother through adoption. When I searched my heart, adoption seemed the right path to become a mother. My husband and I are awaiting news on a referral from Central Asia for a baby girl. It has been a long road and International Adoption is very unpredictable. But we have faith that the right little one will come to us.

Work and Play: Berkeley & San Francisco
I lived in San Francisco for 18 years and then bought a wonderfully creative building in Berkeley in 2005 which is the umbrella for my home, my jewelers studio, my husband's sculpture & public art office & last but not least my gallery. My dream is that our new space allows me to have my career and also be a mom.

What I do:
I am a Jeweler, who owns a gallery: Shibumi Gallery which features Contemporary Art Jewelry, Sculpture and by event Ocelot Clothing.
I also do design consultation, my specialty is artwork and object placement and making a space feel harmonious. I love it when things are considered!

What inspires my design: Nature is always inspirational. I love organic shapes, subtle beauty, Japanese influence. I have also been inspired by traveling and I love visiting any country who people works with their hands or has colorful dress. Randomness and balance are two qualities I play with in my work and challenge my eye.

What's my day in the life like: I wake up every day with my two Siamese beauties and my husband in bed. Since we live in a live-work space, two things I love in the morning: coffee out & a walk by the bay. The rest of my day can range from seeing clients in the gallery, enameling and creating in my studio, communicating, organizing & blogging on computer, looking for interesting new stones and trying to be a good business woman all at once.

And now to fit in my future "baby o"! Luckily I have a few really wonderful people who work with me at Shibumi and I am slowly learning to delegate to newer fresher talent! I'm taking it seriously and know I need room to be a mom.

I'm so appreciative to have a creative group to turn to when I need like minded folks around for inspiration and company. I also hope we inspire other mothers to keep in touch of their creativity in their lives.