Emergency Project

I bought my granddaughter this really huge poster of the Eclipse (Twilight) gang.  You know how each year, there is at least one gift that you know is going to be perfect, and you are really excited about it?  This was the one for 2010. 

When I started to wrap it Thursday morning, I discovered that the kittens had clawed the plastic and left scratch marks on it.  We jumped in the car and drove 35 miles to the nearest Target to try to replace it, but they didn't have one--naturally.  We ended up getting her an ugly one about half the size of the original.  I was crushed. 

I came home and dug this tote out of my stash, cruised some Twilight websites for ideas, and came up with this design.  She is going to love it!!!

Merry Christmas to My Friends

No matter what you celebrate, I wish you love and joy on this day. You all mean the world to me.

Things I've made

I worked really hard today to finish all of my housework so that I can have tomorrow free to sew.  I still have 3 major things to make and 4 towels to embroider.  For now, I'll show you some things I've made in the past.

I made this cross stitch calendar in 1985.  Before I was finished, I'd made one for my mom, my sister, and my MIL.  It wouldn't be Christmas without it.

I made this back during the 1980's too.  The inside is a straw wreath.  The fabric was gathered and stretched over it.  I haven't used it in a couple of years, although I'm not sure why.

One of my biggest complaint about giving gift cards is finding an interesting way to wrap them.  Last year, I went to the dollar store and bought several stuffed animals.  This one was for my teenage grandson.  Then, I stitched up a little felt billfold for the card and sewed the billfold to the animal.  I had several of these under the tree, and they were really cute.

I'm always looking for new ways to give gift cards, so feel free to share.

Christmas makes me sentimental

I recently made a trip to the next state to visit (and check on-but don't tell him that part!) my elderly bachelor uncle.  While I was there, I tried to take a picture of this family picture.  It has been on my grandmother's wall my entire life--I'm 57, so that's a long time.  It's in an old oval frame with the convex glass.

The handsome man on the left is my grandfather, Hester Jones.  The handsome young man on the right is his best friend, Bill Walker.    Pa and Bill joined and went off to World War I together, and were lucky enough to serve together.   Pa caught influenza and spent time in the hospital in France.  I have letters that he wrote home during that time--a treasure.  Pa survived the flu, came home, married, and raised a family.   Bill never made it home, but he always had a place of honor in my grandparent's house.

When my grandmother died, my uncle gave me the family pictures, which included almost as many of Bill as the family.  I tried for years to find a descendant, although I knew he never married.  I hoped to track down a niece or nephew in that small community, but I was never able to find anyone.  So, my family picture albums include this nice young man.

I had hoped to get a picture that was good enough for me to have a copy made for myself.  I'm afraid that, even if he would permit it, there is no way it would survive being removed from the frame and copied.   This was the best I could do.  I may try to find someone who is a photoshop genius to see what they can do.  In the meantime, I can look at it on my computer.

I also took a picture of this one--my grandfather's parents.  He was a circuit preacher.  He farmed all week, and on Friday night, he saddled up his mule and visited his churches, Monday morning, he went back to his farm.