Bonnet, Monograms and Chicken Soup

What does this baby bonnet

have in common with chicken soup?

Christmas Day.  Because all I did on this joyous holiday was make the bonnet, eat chicken soup, nap and cough.

Christmas 2012 was not at all what we planned or expected.  Bob and I both were sick (and still are), so the day was spent with just the two of us at home, eating chicken soup rather than Christmas goose and green bean casserole.

We missed the candlelight service, the squealing grandchildren unwrapping gifts, the love and laughter  shared with family and friends.  But there was plenty of time to ponder the miracle of Christmas, to quietly read the Christmas story, to watch spectacular holiday concerts on tv and to count our blessings.  It was a different yet very meaningful celebration.

Instead of making pumpkin pie, I made this bonnet. The fabric is pink Swiss flannel, lined with batiste.  The ribbon rosettes and ties are from a reel of antique silk grosgrain, which has been stashed away and used sparingly.  A matching but pretty much disastrous daygown was constructed earlier and is complete, except for the smocking.  That soft garment is packed away, to be retrieved for stitching while we await the birth of this precious baby.

Since most of my bonnet patterns are smocked, I had  to scramble to find one  that suited my mood.  I found this in Debbie Glenn’s Victorian Treasures book.  Lace, pinstitch and machine embroidery were substituted for the padded scallops and hand embroidery on the brim and crown.

The brim is machine embroidered, except for the French knots, with room for a monogram—if the parents ever get around to choosing a name for the babe.  They are fairly certain her first name will be Vivian, but for a single syllable middle name they have resorted to polling their facebook friends.  My but it’s a new world!  So I await the full name for a tiny oval shaped monogram.

It’s funny that we usually think of 3 letters for a monogram.  “Mono” means one.  Out of curiosity, I went to Wikipedia and found  this.

A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a cypher (e.g. a royal cypher) and is not a monogram.^[1]

Whew!  I’m glad I got that sorted out!  It appears that some of the illustrations in the Monogram Wizard ads are not technically monograms! I wonder if they know.

It’s time for more chicken soup and maybe a nap.   I’ve got to beat this misery before Baby Girl (due any day now!!!) arrives.  Just how much chicken soup, hot tea, and fresh oranges must be consumed before a cold bug is drowned?

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Nana Fun

While on a playdate with a friend, 7 year old football fanatic Robert was talking about how much he would like to go to the Sugar Bowl to watch his beloved Gators play.  His friend’s mother suggested he might do some chores and earn money to go to the game.

“I don’t like to do chores,” Robert said.

“So where do you get spending money?”

“The tooth fairy.  I’ve got a mouthful of baby teeth so I am counting on her for cash.”