Nana Alert!

Aidan was here this past weekend and when she went home there was a little note on my pillow that said "Look on my bed". And on Aidan's pillow was this note.  Just made my day! It says "Thanks for the love and care that you have gave (given) me for so long!" Her handwriting is actually better than mine...which is horrible after 30 years with the Army and always writing in a hurry it seemed. Her verb tense needs some work...but for ten years old, I'm not overly concerned because she speaks better than she writes. We had been working on class Valentines which were not given out on Friday because most of the students forgot them...having missed several days of school that week for weather...and not being reminded to bring them. The note just made my whole week better. It is on my bulletin board now.  

Catching Up...

Good day to all...thought I'd do a little catching up. Last Sunday we had our family gathering for Thanksgiving, and it was a full house! No time for running upstairs for a camera...but I did get a photo earlier in the morning of Aidan making her fruit salad. This is the first year that she got her name on the "list" of cooks and what they were bringing. Pretty good for a ten-year old. She washed, cleaned, and cut up all of the fruit. We put it into a pretty clear glass bowl...but she mixed in my ceramic white pot so everything could be stirred up without it going all over the counter....which as you can see from the photo is really tiny.  

My friend Judy from Meridian sent me some lovely redwork embroidery blocks...and I've been having a lovely couple of days turning them into quilt blocks. I'm still thinking what the sashing and border will be...so that will be for a later post.

  And, an update on my precious little ward during the day...he is sitting up on his own now! But, I still pile pillows behind him just in case he were to topple over. He loves standing and sitting...but just does not want to crawl.

   He seriously detests being on his belly for more than three seconds...I think he might just decide to pull up and walk instead of every crawl! Boy, when that day comes...I've be one tired great-aunt then! Ha!

Baking Day

The baking bug bite Aidan and I this week. We made yeast rolls, twisted lemon bread,  

 cinnamon rolls, 

  and she made chocolate cupcakes with coconut pecan icing.  We had fun...and agreed not to do this too often...it was too much work! And, too much bread! Luckily I have mother and sisters to give some too...  

Aidan's First Embroidery UnderWay! -- Grandma Alert!

School is out for the summer...and Aidan is here this week. She wanted to do some embroidery work since I was working on this quilt design by Jenny of Elefantz (above). So, I gave her the rose floral design I did last week. It is in draft...but would be cute done as a colored pencil item for a pillow on her bed. So we started by me ironing some freezer paper to a piece of linen fabric, then I taped the pattern to the back of the freezer paper. Aidan used the light table to trace the design on to the fabric. The freezer paper helped to keep the fabric flat so she could trace easily. Here is the design after she had traced it, and after she completed the color pencil work.  

Next, she is stitching the outline of the leaves in green perle size 8. This will take a few days, then she'll do the flower petals next.   

She knows that it will take her a while to get it done, but she's still stitching this morning...so I have high hopes that she'll get it done eventually! She is doing a back-stitch..like I'm using on Jenny's design above.  

Eggs for Easter All Painted!

Today, Aidan and I spent some time painting eggs. We used egg dye to base coat the eggs...then when dry, we got out the acrylic paints and felt tip markers and had some fun! As you can tell from the eggs above, I'm no artist!

Aida did a great job with hers...and I wish I could keep them! But, after a few days...they'd be smelling pretty stinky!

Surfer chick! This is Aidan's most favorite.

Easter bunny and basket was a favorite too.

Aidan goes home tomorrow, but I have really enjoyed this week's visit. I sure do miss her when she is not here.    However, I am also very tired...she has so much energy! I'd be a rich woman if I could just figure out a way to bottle all of that energy!   So...tomorrow afternoon...I'll be getting me a nap! Hugs!

Spring Break Time!

It's Spring Break. In the United States, school is out for a week in the spring time...to give the teachers students a break from class work. I'm sure that there are other more "official" reasons...but, regardless of what they are...the kids get a few days off from school work. This week, Aidan has come to visit me...and therefore, not much sewing is getting done. There was a lesson in making hexagons today...and these above are the one's that Aidan completed. The one on the far left is her first attempt...then, you can see that she got better as she went along.

Before the fun...we got out housework completed. I did the dishes, laundry, made the beds and cooked breakfast. She volunteered for the bathroom ( YES!! Woot! Woot!) Here she is, taking all of the hairbrushes and combs out of the basket...so she could get to the hair bows and bands to put them back in their "right place"...and not thrown in with the hair brushes. (She's also checking herself out in the mirror)

Now, we are baking cookies. I supervise...and she mixes and cooks. 

These are not the prettiest chocolate chips ever...but, betcha that they will taste good! And, we have enough to share!

Productive but... Not Productive

This weekend I got a lot of things finished...however, none of them were on my To-Do List. Aidan was here all weekend...as we created Valentine Cards. Actually, she did most all of the work...and I helped only in punching the corners for the cards that were 2-ply paper...which were too thick for her to get the punch to work. Oh, and I contributed the spelling of some words...hugs! (See the corner of my card, that's Aidan's drawing of me, her, and Buddy. Aren't I slim? Ha!)

 We also made a necklace and earrings. The necklace is a gift to my daughter's boyfriend's mother. Wow, say that fast three times! "Mamma T" is the lady's name (we have not really met). But, she is being very kind and generous to my grand-daughter...and certainly very worthy of some of my beads...so I was happy to contribute all of the supplies! We created three strands and put them together into a necklace. Aidan did the middle strand with the little pendant.

 See the little bear? Aidan says that Mamma T loves bears...so, she shall have one on her necklace too. Aidan also re-learned about "patterns" and "repeats" while we worked.

Aidan went back home yesterday afternoon...with an arm load of cards and gifts! The dog and I were worn out! But, in a good way...and we both slept late this morning! All is good in my world today...and I hope that it is in yours as well!

Aidan - Goofing Around

Aidan...as a "fashion designer". This is not her Halloween costume...just her goofing around! She kept saying, "and WHO are you again?"....and I have no idea why! Hugs!

 The next project is a bib for Baby Elizabeth Jane...who is due in the next few weeks to arrive! This is the outline of the embroidery and bib shape traced on to linen. But, before I get started on this project...let me show you a couple of photos from yesterday's Baby Shower for "Ellie".The mom-to-be (again) is my niece, Shannon. My youngest sister Jan arranged the shower for her yesterday, including some games (they are not in the photos). The funniest game was a race...between two teams. Here they are, my grand-daughter Aidan and my younger sister Anna racing against my niece Melissa (Shannon's sister) and Jean (Shannon's MIL). 

 You can also see Tracy, my youngest brother's wife...whom lives next door in the photo.The teams were a pretend Mom and Baby...and the idea of the game is for the Mom to "diaper" the Baby. Each team was given a paper bag with secret contents and told that ALL of the contents had to be used. What was in the bag? ...well...one full roll of toilet tissue!

Anna and Aidan won...but only because Anna "stuffed" Aidan and the tissue into the bag so it would stay up...along with half of the TP roll ...unused...as Anna announced that Aidan was now a boy...and the TP Roll was her &*^%$ (I'm sure you can fill in this blank)! This was Aidan's first shower to attend...and she had a great time! We all enjoyed tons of food and Shannon got loads of baby clothes and needed items. And, everyone loved the little dresses and blankets that I've been working on these past couple of weeks...thankfully! Do you international ladies have Baby Showers in your country? Just wondering if they are as "crazy" as some of ones my family plans. We always have tons of food of course, and the new Mom gets tons of baby things as gifts, and we play GAMES. Some games are pencil/paper types...like taking the baby's proposed name and determining how many words can be made with the letters...that represent baby items. Or, perhaps a BABY CROSSWORD puzzle to complete within a given amount of time. Oh, I could give a long list of "pencil games". But, the real fun is the "race style" games.The last baby shower in the family was for my nephew and his wife...and I decided on the games.My teams of Mothers had to Feed the Baby...and were given a choice of two bags. One bag contained a jar of baby food...peas or prunes; the other bag contained a jar of applesauce. Each team was lucky...and chose the applesauce. They had to feed those "babies" the entire jar...with a baby spoon. Each team was given a bib (dish towel) to also go around the baby's neck. My sister Anna was one of the babies...and my sister Jan was her "Mom". Jan stuffed that spoon into Anna's mouth as fast as she could...and Anna promptly "spit up" into that bib! They were so funny...and this story probably tells MORE about how my family works and plays that you should know!! Ha! I'm working on a bib pattern with shadow applique embroidery motif, generic in style for ya'll, and will get that posted this week (hopefully)...as soon as I get it done in Illustrator.Hope all are having a glorious weekend!

Aidan - The Designer

I just had a good little laugh with Aidan...and thought you might enjoy one too. Here is the image that greeted me as I looked up from the computer keyboard. Aidan looks like a sausage in the casing...as she got herself wrapped into this piece of scrap flannel fabric. Note the beaded evening purse to complete her outfit!

But, the ingenious part is how she did it...

 it took her 60 pins to make it work!  Shows a lot of determination and creativity I think. Made me laugh...

Simple is Complex!

I just spent two hours moving my desk (15 minutes), re-routing all of the cords (10 minutes)...and trying to get my large monitor to talk to my laptop and be visible as my main monitor (1 hour and 35 frustrating minutes).
Geez, it should be simple...now, I just want to go take a nap!
But, I have more baby blankets and burping cloths to make...so, will have to settle for a piece of pie and a glass of milk to calm my nerves (and my stomach...which is surviving today on coffee alone so far.)
Technology is wonderful...and horrible at the same time!
My eyes were getting so tired from viewing the laptop monitor that I decided to move my desktop flat-screen monitor over to the desk so I could use it most often. It does help, and that means that I can do more writing as I need to so badly.
Now, to go and move one of the old dinosaur monitors from the garage back upstairs...so the desktop will work. Mostly, we play Clifford the Big Red Dog on it...so that does not need a flat-screen style. With summer on top of us...Aidan will want to do her own "office work". I think I shall teach her to type this summer...ffff jjjj ffff jjjj...wish me luck.
Oh...wait...I want to show you what Aidan has been working on. Let me go get a pic for you...

 Not bad for 8-years old! And, I'm no longer having to stitch the "spokes" for her...she is doing the roses and the leaves ALL BY HERSELF! I'm one proud Nana!
She still has a ways to go on those detached chain stitches...but, I'm happy with her progress so far. :)

Crystal Ring

A dear friend contacted me yesterday, to see if I could make a beaded ring for her...from a book that we both have. I just love this book...and had wanted to try a project from it...so, sure I thought...why not. Well, some supplies have been ordered...but I had enough to try a small version of the ring...in plain crystal (but really, there just is no PLAIN crystal)...

 This one will go to Aidan...as a present for her completing the second grade with such good grades...and only two trips to the principals office all year! Ha!I'm sure it will mostly get to live in her jewelry box...but, that's okay.

 The band is beaded as well as the front.Oh, the book is Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski by Laura McCabe if you want to check it out!

My muse is happy...and I'm going back to stitching something tomorrow...not sure what yet, my list is long...but something will have to get done.....before I start stressing over deadlines. Hugs!

Warning: Proud Nana Alert!

Yesterday, I went to Aidan's 2nd Grade Christmas Play...walked 5 blocks to get there because my daughter would not answer her phone...but, that's a different story. These photos are blurry...but I think you'll get the idea anyway. I was sittting in the second row; but was still about 30 feet from the stage...with my cellphone camera! So....considering...they aren't so bad.Can you spot my little brown reindeer?

She is explaining to Santa...who has a broken leg...and was just given some advice from his reindeer friends...and thanked them..."That's what Friends are for!"

If you have any children's plays to attend this year...and have not done so yet. One small piece of advice "Bring Cotton Balls for you Ears!". I'm sure that the teachers advise them to "speak up"....which translated in an 8-year old's mind means: "Talk Really Loudly...directly into the microphone.". I'm not sure why they also talk fast...but most of the time I felt that I was either "twitching" because a child was so loud that I jumped out of my chair...or confused because they mumbled and I had no idea what they just said.

What does translate well...is their obvious pride to be performing...and sheer relief when it's over! Ah....life lessons so early! Here is my precious Aidan...she also got the honor of being the last to speak..."Thank you all for coming to our 2nd grade Christmas Program. Have a Merry Christmas!". Nana was so proud!! And, still is....had to share...blurry photos and all! Merry Christmas to all the Nana's out there....and my condolences to those that are not...cause you are missing one heck of a ride! Hugs!