Christmas ’11~First Celebration

Posted on December 27, 2011 | 1 comment

I hope you all had a happy, merry Christmas day, filled with family, friends and love.  We’ve just had another joyous celebration with our daughter, Rebecca, Harvey and 2-1/2 year old Alastair.    Regrettably,  I took very few pictures the entire two days.

Christmas Eve was spent with Harvey’s family, who seem like our very own.  At Carol and Alan’s absolutely gorgeous, huge, decorated-to-the-nines country home, we enjoyed a delicious supper of gumbo, homemade slaw, special bakery bread, fresh strawberry pie and bread pudding.  Our son-in-law Harvey grew up just outside New Orleans so it’s no surprise that his mother has significant expertise in Cajun cuisine, not to mention everything else edible.  The company was as good as the food.

 

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Alastair wore his Christmas suit and was, of course, the star of the evening, shining for his adoring grandparents,  89 year-old great-grandmother Ruby, aunts and uncles.   Why didn’t I snap a shot of him charming Ruby or showing everyone how high he can jump?  Why didn’t I take a picture of him alone in the music room playing (well, hitting the keys) on his grandmother’s baby grand piano? Or pulling back the curtains to examine the electric candles and the outdoor lights?  I missed so many photo ops. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

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Last Minute Flights and Late Night Projects

Posted on December 24, 2011 | 5 comments

UPDATE: Alastair was precious in his Christmas suit and loved the design! None my fears were realized.   I shouldn’t have worried about him not liking it.

burgundy velveteen shorts, ivory linen shirt

I knew I was cutting it very close this year.  One thing and another kept coming up, thwarting my plans to finish up Christmas gifts.  Yesterday, I had the entire day free to finish up.  But then…

 

My pilot son invited us to join him on a shake down flight on his new jet.  Well, it’s not his to own, but his as the captain to fly and schedule. So we were off to Ft. Lauderdale for lunch, except that there were some technical glitches and we had a late supper there.  It really was delightful, but the whole day was used up.

my handsome pilot son and his family

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, embroidery blanks, heirloom sewing, Holiday Projects, linen blanks, machine embroidery

Overtime in Santa’s Workshop

Posted on December 20, 2011 | 7 comments

I’m not sure if my Christmas workshop effort should be labeled overtime or overdrive, but I can tell you that I am working hard!  There is still so much that I want to make, but I have gotten some gifts sewn up.

Molly and her American Girl  sisters will have a new hand knit sweater.  I’d like to make more pants for the dolls, but that might have to wait until after Christmas.  The colors in the sweater embroidery will coordinate just about any fabric.The letters are the small Diva Dots from Five Star Font and the spray was taken from Amazing Designs Buttonholes 1 collection. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, doll clothing and accessories, machine embroidery

Tea for Two on a Busy Day

Posted on December 18, 2011 | 4 comments

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance,.  They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life.  And , most importantly, cookies.”  Rudolph Guiliani

Today was one of those days when I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the joys in my life. In case you didn’t know, grandchildren are just the most wonderful gifts in the world.  Six year-old Robert and seven year-old Laurel, had arrived yesterday for a weekend visit and the day has been as much fun as ever.

Even though it was Saturday, we did a few hours of homeschool, dedicated mostly to Latin, one of their favorite subjects.  Keeping in the Christmas spirit, they practiced Oh Come, All Ye Faithful in that ancient language.  That made the old schoolteacher in me very happy.  Yesterday, their homeschool group sang carols at a nearby retirement home.  I wish they had learned this song earlier.

After they had completed their school work and taken  a bike ride, Bob took Robert to a basketball game, leaving Laurel and me to enjoy girlie activities.  First thing this morning, she had asked if we could have tea today.  So that was added to our lengthy list of things to do.

Continue reading →

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Posted in machine embroidery, Nana fun

Boy’s Christmas Vest

Posted on December 16, 2011 | 1 comment

Six year-old Robert’s Christmas vest is finally ready.  With dress pants and shoes, he will look very grown up.  Initially,  a vest was not what I wanted for the little guy I have dressed in smocked rompers and Jon-Jons for Christmases past.  Sadly, there will be no more button-on suits for my towheaded boy.

Anyway, his skinny little bird legs don’t look as good in short pants as they did when he was a toddler.  That boy needs to eat more gingerbread and pumpkin pie, which he would do happily if he didn’t have to eat his vegetables first.

Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, machine embroidery

Christmas Dress Upgrade

Posted on December 13, 2011 | 4 comments

Laurel before church with lace added to sleeves.  That collar is just too big.

DGD Laurel’s Christmas dress just fell short of my expectations for a variety of reasons.   Originally, the sleeves were simply bound, but it just seemed too plain so I have added gathered lace which helps.

plain, bound sleeves

unadorned sleeve binding

It also fell short of the desired length.   After we attended the Stetson Christmas concert, the dress returned to the sewing room so the generous hem could be dropped.  Several holiday dresses ago, I learned that asking a non-sewing mother to measure a child for length was risky–also ridiculously unnecessary since I see Laurel 2-3 times a week!   But I had not taken the measurement so I took the precaution of adding several inches to the turned up hem.  Whew!   Three more inches added to the length gave a more pleasing fit. Continue reading →

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Posted in girls, heirloom sewing, Holiday Projects

Quick Little Gift

Posted on December 10, 2011 | 6 comments

Isn’t this a dandy little tea bag case!  My friend Suzanne Sawko just made a dozen of these as favors for a tea her daughter is hosting.

Though she made twelve, each was personalized with a monogram, making the gift especially nice.

Many years ago, Mildred Turner and I traveled together a good bit.  We both enjoyed a nice cup of Bigelow Earl Grey tea, but few of the airport or hotel restaurants we frequented carried it.  I found two small, inexpensive crazy patch ultrasuede zipper pouches that we used to carry our own supply.  We used those until they fell apart.  This is so much nicer–I should make one for Mildred. Continue reading →

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Posted in bags, machine embroidery

Gingerbread Christmas

Posted on December 7, 2011 | 3 comments

I’m scrambling here, working on the grandsons’ Christmas outfits and preparing for tomorrow’s arrival of 2-1/2 year old Alastair.  He will be with us for a few days and will have my undivided attention.  So there is no time for a new blog post. I hope you will enjoy this re-run.

The children’s ages and Christmas garments are not current.  But the upcoming gingerbread house decorating activities will be just as described below–except that Robert may have a little more restraint with the candy.  Then again, he is a little more experienced and might get away with even more this year.

Whatever.  We will have a grand time decorating.  I hope you have a chance to do this with a child.  It is messy, yes, but sooooooo much fun.

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“And I had but one penny in the world, Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread.”  William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost

 

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Laurel and Robert, wearing the gingerbread John-John now worn by his little cousin Alastair

 

Unlike the character in Shakespeare’s play, I’m not sure that I would spend my last penny on gingerbread. I’d probably go for a scrap of fabric or lace, or a needle …..but I digress. This is about gingerbread and Christmas outfits for my grandchildren.

 

The marshmallow snowman had a short life. And he did not melt, did he, Robert?

The marshmallow snowman had a short life. And he did not melt, did he, Robert?

 

If you have read more than two or three posts on this blog, you will know that gingerbread plays a huge role in our Christmas festivities. Robert and Laurel, at ages 2 and 3, seemed ready to be introduced to this family tradition. They made their first gingerbread houses, received gingerbread ornaments for their personal collection, added a charming book, Gingerbread Land, to their library in Nana’s nursery, and wore smocked gingerbread outfits for various holiday activities and on Christmas day. Continue reading →

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Posted in boys, brother-sister, girls, Holiday Projects, ready-to-smock finished projects, smocking

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Christmas Dress~Sleeve Tip

Posted on December 5, 2011 | 3 comments

Having just returned from North Carolina last night, I’ve hardly unpacked.  But the exquisite Stetson Christmas Candlelight Concert was this afternoon, so that took priority over properly settling in at home.  Last night I pulled a long session in the sewing room finishing up Laurel’s dress so she could wear it for this, the first Christmas-dress-worthy event of the holiday season.

She looked as sweet as any Christmas treat, though I am not completely happy with the dress.  For a rather small 7 year-old, her Sarah Howard Stone collar is rather large, even though I reduced the size considerably.  After putting the dress, collar and sash all together, I really think I need to put lace on the sleeves.  There just wasn’t time before we left for the concert but I’ll tend to that this week. Continue reading →

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Posted in antique textiles, girls, heirloom sewing, Holiday Projects, machine embroidery

Cabin Visit and Friendship Quilt

Posted on December 3, 2011 | 8 comments

quiltpartyall

We’re still in North Carolina enjoying some R&R.  When we arrived the weather was miserable, cold and snowy.  What a difference a day makes! We didn’t see much snow but we did see four deer traipsing across the mountain behind the cabin. Can you see the one who posed for the camera?

 

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Look closely at the center of the picture. There were four deer behind the cabin, but this is the only one who lingered long enough for this photo.

 

Even though we came to relax, there are always chores to be done.  Bob cleaned out the gutters and climbed the extension ladder to take down some quilts that needed de-dusting and then fixed the damper.  I spent time putting up  Christmas decorations, brushed the wall quilts, and scrubbed the stone face of the fireplace which had some soot accumulation.  I’d like to know who made this mess by forgetting to open the damper!

 

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The  souvenir quilt hangs above the hot tub in the cabin. The country colors and down home style fit perfectly in there.

Continue reading →

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Posted in quilts, techniques

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