Hot Pink Sneakers*

*for folks on the west coast, where I come from, this would be "tennis shoes."

I took a short road trip over to my local fabric store this morning, looking for fabric for a graduate doll I'm planning to make for Big City Girl. After checking the college's website, I determined that all of the graduates wear black. How boring....especially for a dollmaker! So I decided I would look for some black fabric with a little print. Something to make it more interesting. I also considered making it in solid black, but with bright red shoes.

Most of the time I try to go into a fabric shop with an open mind. I always have my list of things I plan to make, but I'm usually side-tracked and end up coming home with stuff for some new project. While I didn't see anything interesting for BCG's doll, I got carried away with the polka dots and the hot pink. Yesterday I was thinking it would be fun, and oh-so-whimsical, to make a graduate doll wearing sneakers....maybe the high-top variety. Then, in today's paper, there was this color ad. I think it was meant to be! Not for BCG though. It wouldn't be her style. I'm just going to make it for fun. I'm intrigued by the challenge of sneakers.

I've made graduate dolls in the past, and I find that they just about have to be custom-made. Most people want them for someone they know who is graduating, and they want the school colors. And they want the doll's hair to resemble the person's. Sometimes I even put glasses on them. But I'm thinking a whimsical graduate doll could be a one-size-fits-all kind of thing......providing that everyone concerned has a sense of humor!

I did receive some sheep-doll feedback, and it just may be that those hooves are a tad too cloven. I'll tone them down a little on my next one. Meanwhile, this one will guard my yarn stash, or go on my next craft fair table. I know there are people out there who might not mind if their sheep isn't anatomically correct and they might also be willing to overlook his bad hair day......

No assembly required

........and here's what a sheep looks like all assembled. I decided to put a little kerchief on him, and I left it loose--sometimes I glue or stitch them in place. This way, if he decides to knit himself a bright-colored scarf, he can wear that instead. Sheep should be allowed to make a fashion statement if they want to. And I'm sure it will be out of that 100% wool stuff, or alpaca or silk or something. Nothing acrylic......yuck!

This guy....who for some reason I want to call Sheila....let's make that Sheldon, has a ladybug embroidered on his pant leg. That's because he's already been out in the grass doing a little grazin'. His head is made out of dark brown flannel, and his ears, arms and legs are made from a dark brown cotton print. I painted his eyes on, and embroidered his nose and mouth. He's got quite a head of hair, and wasn't that fun sewin' it all on! Even though I had Santa-beard plans for it, I have to say it makes a nice sheep. Back to its roots so to speak...heh..heh.....

Before I take on the pilgrim project, I'll be making a graduate doll in honor of daughter's college graduation. I'm not sure what color her gown will be, but it should be fairly easy to find out. I'm guessing dark red.....maybe a burgundy. I'll make the jumpsuit out of that, and the mortar board hat too. I'll put some nice black shoes on her, even though I think lots of graduates wear flip-flops now. And iPods. And cell phones. And who knows what else.....I hate to think.

So, I called my dad at the nursing home yesterday, to wish him a happy 86th birthday. I usually don't call much anymore because his hearing has gotten very bad, and he won't "hear" of a hearing aid. It's so hard to raise parents! But it was his birthday, and an email (my usual) seemed rather impersonal. Right away I started talking in my usual screaming voice.....and the nurse came on and nicely suggested that I talk more quietly because there was an echo on their remote phone. And don't you know, he could hear me just fine. He was delighted, and so was I. Sometimes the best gifts are the simplest ones.......and they don't require 9v batteries!

Sheep fixins'

Just in case you're wondering what a sheep looks like unassembled....

I thought I'd provide a little glimpse of my dollmaking process. Don't expect any time-lapse photography though. I'll leave that to the technical folks over at National Geographic. I figure this sheep will be ready for grazin' in a few days. That's because once I start a new doll I can't wait to see what it's going to look like "in the flesh" so to speak. I'll be doing a little stuffing this evening during the Connecticut-Duke basketball game....or not. I might be chewing my fingernails instead. I just don't know if there's any team that can put one over on Duke this year. But we'll see.

My dollmaking process is as follows: Cut out all the pieces, stitch them together, stuff, assemble, and then feel terrible because the doll doesn't look good at all. I throw it on the table in my craft room and forget about it for a while.....but usually not for long. Then I remember that they always look fine once I've added accessories. For the cows, it's the neck scarf and the cow bell. For a cat, it's the bowtie and whiskers. Snowmen need their scarves and buttons. I'm not sure how I'll accessorize the sheep. Ideas for these things come to me when I'm doing something totally unrelated to dollmaking. I've had great ideas in the shower. Sometimes even while scrubbing out the sink. I've learned not to panic. On rare occasions I even remember to do this with other things in my life. Like when I can't find my car keys and I have a doctor's appointment in 30 minutes.

On a different subject, and totally unrelated to sheep, I took a trip over to see Tech Guy at work a little while ago. It's just a 5 minute drive. I do this occasionally when I have some left-overs in the fridge that I think he might enjoy. It's funny how those picky eaters I used to have are not nearly as picky now that they live on their own and haven't really familiarized themselves with their kitchens. I'm kind of a mom version of "Meals on Wheels." And while I was handing him the bag of food through the car window, I took the opportunity to ask him a question about an idea I had for a blog illustration. He said he could do it, and I figure he owes me. Here's a little hint. It will combine my great photos and his humorous cartoons. There could be some real blog fun ahead......just as long as I keep cooking and putting gas in the Meals-on-Wheelsmobile.......

Pearl

I finished another Red Hat Lady doll and she's now up on eBay (go to ebay.com and put "red hat lady doll" in the search box, if you're interested). I named her Pearl, since she just loves her pearl jewelry. She's also named after the mother of an old friend of mine, with whom I visited while in California. We used to work together, and I hadn't seen her in over 20 years. Mother Pearl is in her late 80's and is quite something. She isn't a Red Hat Lady, but she should be. She'd be driving all of her pals around, and partying into the night, long after they'd all gone to bed!

Now I'm taking a little break, to catch up on some house chores and recuperate from the weekend.....and the Univ. of Connecticut's Women's nail-biting basketball win last night. I did wash the wool for the sheep doll, and it is drying as I type. When I bought it at Rhinebeck (NY Sheep & Wool Festival) last fall, I figured it would be Santa beards. What did I know!

Anyway, Big City Girl did arrive home last Friday for her birthday celebration and we had much merriment in the house. Her boyfriend came too, as well as Tech Guy. I was quite impressed with her new jewelry. No pearls for BCG. Instead, rubber bands. On each wrist, she had about 50 wide rubber bands. Obviously not something from Tiffany's. No, they were from the mailroom, where she's been spending a big chunk of her internship......sorting mail. This is the kind of activity that parents love spending out-of-state tuition on. But let's not go there. It makes me sqeamish.

The other day, on a visit to the bank (let's hope it was company business) the teller passed her the receipt under the little glass thingie, along with 2 rubber bands--one blue and one green. Apparently, no words were spoken. I guess the teller thought it would be fun to add some color and play along. I wanted to get a picture, but she had to run for the train. I'll try to get one on her next visit, unless she's been hospitalized for circulation problems.

So now I'm off to Trader Joe's to see if I can find some interesting food items to spice up my WW program. I'll definitely get one of my favorites--Dr. Praeger veggie burgers. Something much more healthy and lower in points than the birthday cake and cookie dough ice cream I've been grazing on all weekend. I have an idea. Maybe I could put my hands behind my back and use some rubber bands like handcuffs......to keep me out of the fridge. Hmmm.....wonder where I could get some?

Love those fans!

More Tech Guy artwork today, and I must say, he's my biggest fan. I think he's still in shock that I actually started the blog. And when he found out I was going to sell things on ebay, he almost had to lay down and rest til his heart resumed normal rhythms. I'm indeed fortunate to have my very own blog illustrator!

Not much going on today other than preparations for a birthday celebration for Big City Girl. She'll be arriving by train in a couple of hours. And Tech Guy will be coming over after work. Then it's off to a local restaurant for dinner......where they do it up real nice for a birthday celebrant.

I did do a little jewelry shopping for my latest Red Hat Lady.....which I hope will be going up on eBay the first of the week. Sometimes I make their earrings, and other times I just buy regular pierced ones. I deck them out in gold, rhinestones or pearls. This is the first Red Hat Lady I've bejeweled (I think that's a word) in pearls. I hope she's happy with her outfit and her make-up job. Otherwise, she could be a real pain and insist that I make changes....and then it will be later in the week. Most of the Ladies are easy to get along with. I haven't had one get nasty yet. It's the witches I have to watch out for.

After the festive birthday weekend, I'm going to start the sheep doll. I'm always anxious to see how a new doll will come out. And I'd better start washing some of the raw wool I'm planning to decorate him with. I want him to look like a farm animal, but definitely not smell like one!

Glitzy kitty debut

To borrow a phrase from my knitting friends, here is one of my "finished objects." But he didn't come to be without a few labor pains. It's quite a lot of work to stuff something this big (he stands about 14" high) and now my hands need a vacation. I think they'd like to go to Hawaii.

While I was doing the embroidery, my imagination got busy and I pondered the possibility of making this into a pattern that I could sell. But as all pattern designers must know, you need to make a prototype to see how it goes before harboring those thoughts. There were a few challenges that I didn't anticipate when drawing him on paper.

In my hurry to get this project ready to take with me on my trip, I coffee-stained only enough fabric to do the front of the cat. When I got home, I stained the fabric for the back and tail, and they're different shades. Lesson learned: stain all the fabric at one time.

Stuffing the cat was a bear....heh...heh..... I got the head stuffed, using my handy forceps (the medical community has some great tools for dollmakers.....by the way, go look here to learn some tricks from a great dollmaker.) Then, as I got to the mid-section, the stuffing in the head started coming undone. Lesson learned: find a tutorial on stuffing before taking on another big project.....or just make smaller projects.

And finally, I had to put so much stuffing in him that the oval piece on the bottom puffs out and he doesn't have a nice bottom for sitting. He definitely needs the tail for stability, and I will reposition it because, though you can't see it in the photo (trick photography!) he's leaning forward more than he should. Lesson learned: back to the tutorial, or maybe put a cardboard piece inside (but that would make the stuffing job even more of a bear...maybe even a gorilla!)

Anyway, I'm pleased with the overall look of him, and once I get the tail moved a bit, he should sit more proudly. For now, he will keep me company in my craft room, or he might get invited out to the family room for special occasions. Now.....let me see about the hand vacation. I think Hawaii is out, but maybe a good soak.....and definitely not in dishwater!

Drawing knitters knitting socks

Today's drawing is compliments of Tech Guy, who has been having fun with his new birthday present.....a digital drawing tablet. He loves to draw, but says he finds it difficult to come up with ideas. I have millions of ideas. Maybe I'll hire him as blog illustrator. I'm totally impressed with anyone who can use the computer to draw pictures, color and shade them, include shadows, have a nice clean background........ and put a kitty in there too! It's mind-boggling.

But I remember when I decided I wanted to learn to knit socks. Trying to hold 4 double-pointed needles in my hands, all at the same time, was mind-boggling too. I persisted though, and after about a dozen pair, I finally had two socks that looked pretty good. And even the first 11 pair were wearable, since mistakes in socks, unlike in sweaters, are easily hidden inside shoes.

The addiction to sock knitting usually begins right away. I'm not sure why that is exactly, but most everyone who knits socks becomes hooked. It may be because they're such a small, portable project. You can take them with you and knit whenever you have a few minutes.....while waiting for an oil change, during your kid's socker practice (or at the game, as long as you're discreet!), while waiting for a red light (only in California, where you might also have time to read the newspaper) or even in line at the bank.

Another reason they're addictive could be because there are so many new and wonderful sock yarns to choose from, and in every color and stripe pattern imaginable. It's easy to gather a stash. Just as soon as you fall in love with a couple of skeins, you find other skeins you love even more. Before you know it, your husband is asking, "Are you knitting another pair of socks?"

I've never knit a pair of socks for hubby. He prefers store-bought. Or, at least he thinks he does. I hear tell that once a husband has worn a pair of hand knit socks, he's hooked too. I don't think I'll be able to convert mine though. I think it's kind of like peanut butter. He doesn't like peanut butter. He's never eaten peanut butter. And why should he try something he doesn't think he'd like?

That's ok with me. I love hand knit socks. And if I'm going to outlive my stash, I'd better get back to my knitting.......

A Big City Birthday!

There's big birthday doins' going on in the big city today. Actually, most of the doins' went on over the weekend I imagine, since Big City Girl has to work today.....aaahhhhh! Too bad. It's just hard to believe she's 22 already! It seems like only yesterday I was in the hospital having her. But then, there's no point in telling any of that story.....who wants to hear it!? Certainly not BCG herself! But I do remember seeing snow on the ground when I looked out my hospital room window, and lo and behold, there was a little dusting this morning. Mother Nature likes to play tricks with the calendar. Doesn't she know it's the first day of Spring?

So the family birthday festivities will happen next weekend, when BCG will be coming home for a dental appointment......and a stop by the house for a sugar fix (don't tell Mr. Dentist!) Her favorite cake is white (boxed mix) with white frosting with rainbow sprinkles and mom's carefully written birthday message with the gel deco pen....purple this year. I keep asking if there's another kind of cake she'd like, and she always says no.

We'll take her out to dinner, take a few pictures, and give her a birthday present. Over the years the gift giving has gone from My Little Ponies to music gift cards to just regular ol' cash. The gifts have gotten more useful for her and have made the wrapping activity much easier for me. She'll enjoy the hoopla and her dad and I will enjoy the short opportunity to see her.

It's funny how you think there will be a day when your kid leaves home. They'll just pack up their stuff, clear their rooms out, maybe give you a few boxes to store in the attic til later, and give you a big kiss goodbye. It doesn't work like that. What really happens is that one day you look around and you realize they're gone. They pop in every once in a while to retrieve something, or to do a load of laundry, but they've pretty much left for good.

It's easier that way I suppose. The idea of an abrupt exit would be too much for most moms to endure. Their gradual departure gives you time to adjust to the quiet in the house and the good nights of sleep you get when you're not laying awake listening for their key in the lock. And being able to grocery shop once a week. And doing the laundry and not being blamed for forgetting to remove a pen from a shirt pocket or shrinking a favorite t-shirt.

Now, if I could only get her to move back in long enough to clean her room.......

Go Hug a Leprechaun!

Happy St. Patty's Day, and I hope you're wearing green! I am. I'm wearing my bird socks. They're the ones I knit out of yarn with color called "Toucan" and they definitely have green in them.....more like neon green. I think I'd be safe crossing the street as long as my socks were visible. And they are toasty warm too. I knew I'd have another chance to wear them.

I made this little guy a couple of years ago, and I've sold a few. On a day like this, especially on the east coast, everyone is Irish! I think he looks kinda cute sitting on the stump. I'm not sure, but I think a leprechaun's 'hood must look something like this. And if I do end up making the doll calendar, I think he'll definitely be my March guy.

Yesterday, hubby and I got this wild notion to do a spur-of-the moment trip to Martha's Vineyard this weekend. We've never been, and we have an big (25) anniversary coming up the first week of April. Yeah, I guess we could wait and go then, but on April 1, the prices on everything Vineyard-like go up.....almost double. They must think it's the start of summer or something. So we scurried around and got hotel and ferry reservations, and we'll be sure to pack our winter clothes. I think it's going to be in the high 30's.

I've also noticed that there's a fabric and yarn store on the island, so you know I'll be stopping in there for a peek, even though I'm sure there won't be any bargains. But you never know. It is the off-season.

So I'll be back on Monday with a report, and maybe a picture or two. Well, make that a picture. And speaking of things green........I hope the sea is nice and calm for that ferry ride.....

Why yes, I was an English major....

I thought I was all done with the Minuteman embroidery (daughter's patch for the Christmas tree skirt), but my inner speller started nagging me. "Go check the spelling," it said. "I think you've done a little more stitching than you needed to." Good thing I did. Big City Girl might have been a tad upset with me....especially since I've always been a big cheerleader for correct spelling. Fortunately, it was fairly easy to rip out (can I say "frog" here?) and I used a pen that's easily erased with water. And the fix-it job will be smaller than the original job...heh heh....

I also decided to sew my embroidered cat together today. Then I realized the backing piece had some newsprint on it (Note to self: don't use newspaper as a base when brushing on coffee stain). I got that fixed, sewed the two pieces together, and realized the back and front were different shades......ever so obvious at the seam. More frogging. That wasn't all. I managed to embroider the ladybug on the wrong side of the tail. A little more frogging. The stitching is always the fun part; it's the engineering that usually gets me in trouble.

Meanwhile, I did sketch up some body parts for the sheep doll, and I think I have all the designing done. And I cut out an outfit (the one with the mums) for a Red Hat Lady. Then I decided to get the heck out of my sewing room before anything else could go wrong.

For my next project, I'll start the embroidered patch for my son's college. That should be an easy one, since he went to school right here in our home state of Connecticutt....

Red Hat Snowlady

It's still the snow season here in the northeast, although no one wants to hear it. We might get some on Friday. I don't mind. I've been out of the snow zone for the last few weeks, so it might be fun--almost like the first snowfall of the season. So, in honor of the snow we might be getting, here is my red hat snowlady. I put her up on eBay a while back, but didn't get any takers. I like to think it's because I may not have listed her properly. That does make a difference on eBay, and I'm learning as I go. I will re-list her at a later date, unless someone comes by my table at a craft fair and does a little gleeful dance.....because they are a Red Hat Lady, or they know someone who is.

Since arriving home last weekend, I've been itching to get into my sewing room and start something.......but all kinds of chores keep getting in the way. I do have the sheep doll on my agenda, and the pilgrim pair, but I think I'd like to make another Red Hat Lady first. I found some fabric in Calif......the same as the "mum" sheep print, only purple.

I've sold three of my Red Hat Ladies on eBay. One went to a woman who was bidding on lots of Red Hat stuff. She either had quite a collection, or she had a shop. Another was purchased by a man for his mom. He said she was a Red Hat Lady herself, and he thought the doll looked a lot like her. And the third went to a very nice lady in the south who was also a Red Hatter, and had a collection of dolls in her office. I hope my doll has adjusted well and is playing nice!

So Tech Guy came over and helped me with the blog. I'm pretty sure it was the burritos. I sent all of the left-overs home with him. He showed me how to do my posts on Microsoft Word, and it looks like the picture arranging is fairly simple there. He, with his super mind for all things technical, could not figure out the multiple picture posting on Blogger either. So now I have my instructions all written out (click this "thingie" and then double-click on that "thingie") and......I thought I was good to go. But I forgot to ask him how to do the titles.

It's the cactus brain, I tell you.......

Gone to the Dogs

Here's a picture of the red scarf I knitted during the Olympics. It doesn't show up very well against the brown closet door, but a white wall (plentiful in our house) would have made the dog disappear.....and you have to admit, he is kinda cute. He was a Christmas gift several years ago from one of hubby's business associates. He's actually a plant stand--there's a shelf in his back. But he came loaded with something much better than greenery.....chocolates!

So we flew home from California yesterday, and as soon as we got to the airport to check in for our flight, I had regrets about having packed the scarf in my suitcase. It was cold. But as soon as we landed in New York, all was well because the northeast was having record warmth. I'll keep it handy though. It should be more seasonal as the week progresses.

When I go to the west coast, I always fly JetBlue. I'm a frequent flyer now. I've made about a dozen round trips in the last 3-1/2 years, ever since I called my dad (my weekly ritual) and he told me he'd have to call me back...he was on the floor. He had been falling occasionally, but had always been able to get up, or someone was handy to help him. I knew it was just a matter of time until he'd no longer be able to live alone.

I made a hasty trip west and found an assisted living facility (being a native Californian, he wouldn't hear of coming east to the cold.) He lived there for 2-1/2 years, until I called to say hello and found him slurring his words. I flew out again, and visited him in the hospital where he was being treated for a mini-stroke, and arranged for a nursing home. He's now in nursing home #2 (the first one wasn't so nice) where he is getting excellent care, but he doesn't like it. This comes as no surprise. He's always been very independent and insistent about doing things his way. Now he can't do anything for himself except read his mail and lift a fork with his left hand. He can't hear very well, and his speech is difficult. But over the months, I've been able to see him fairly regularly and tell him I love him, and do what I can to brighten the final part of his journey.

He has told me many times that he has no regrets, and that he's had a good life. He's traveled to all 7 continents and has been around the world. He's flown on the Concorde, and sailed on the QE2, and racked up countless cruise miles. He even drove an old VW bug from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas on the tip of Baja...and stayed in the best hotel there (back when there were only two or three). When he was 80, he gave himself a big birthday bash on the old Queen Mary. And the following year, he took me along with him on a trip to Antarctica.

I have to say, I've learned a lot from dear old dad. When my life is over, I want my kids to find chilled wine in my fridge, a current passport in the drawer, and lots of chocolate wrappers in my garbage can....and maybe a couple of empty ice cream cartons in there too.....

My Brain on Computers

I could have just figured out the picture posting thing and put all of my neat botanical garden pictures up at once. But it's much more fun to do them one at a time, with a little story to go along.

This has to be called a brain cactus, although there was no sign to identify it. Maybe the garden people figured we'd just all use our brains to figure it out..... I'm pretty sure this is what mine looks like when I'm trying to learn new things on the computer. Hubby and Tech Guy are always very patient, but I know when they're out of the room they must really be shaking their heads. I'm a slow learner when it comes to this stuff, but I hang in there til I get it.....which happens eventually.

I usually have to write things down in steps. In my own words. I know "thingie" isn't a tech term, but it works for me. When I first started selling dolls on eBay, I had several pages of instructions. It took me a couple of hours to post one doll. And sometimes I had to start all over, fighting back tears. Then I started getting it, and I got my postings down to about 30 minutes. My current project is learning to transfer pictures from one computer to another, using one of those neat little USB drive-thingies. Soon I will be able to give up my scribbled notes for that too.

For some reason, this reminds me of my Italian mother-in-law, who was a good cook, and who is now, no doubt, making her great meatballs for the angels. I used to ask her for her recipes. She made wonderful soups and eggplant parm....and, of course, the meatballs. She would look at me like I was speaking Japanese. It seemed like a simple request. What I didn't know is that she had no recipes. So I started standing next to her in the kitchen when she made these things, and I made a few notes. Then I went home and tried them myself, and soon I didn't need the notes.

I never thought my kids would want any of my recipes. They were picky eaters when they were young. Macaroni and cheese with hot dogs was their idea of gourmet fare. But just in case, I've written some of my recipes down. I found some little blank books with chefs on the cover at the dollar store. Just the right size for chocolate chip cookies, meatloaf, chicken soup and stew recipes.....and maybe a few words of wisdom.

Don't you know, soon after Tech Guy moved into his own apartment he called to ask me if I could write down a few of his favorite recipes. "Which ones would you like?" I asked. "Well, for sure your stew and meatloaf," he said. "And maybe the chocolate chip cookies and chicken soup too."

Score one for mom.......

Sewing in the Great Outdoors

As I was walking through the botanical gardens the other day, I couldn't help but think how pleasant it would be to find a nice quiet bench among the foliage where I could sit and knit or embroider for an hour or two, and listen to the birds. Then I happened upon this image in the cactus garden.

I'm starting to get organized for the trip home on Saturday. It's kind of ironic that the weather here in So. Calif. has turned colder, and the temperatures in New England are rising. By the time we arrive home, it will be warmer there than here. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to make it up a snow-free driveway. There's nothing worse than getting home from a long flight and having to trudge through snow dragging suitcases.

One job I really dislike is having to gear up for a trip to the grocery store, since I usually make sure the cupboards are bare before we leave. This time I have a plan. I'm going to make my grocery list before I leave, and before jet lag sets in. The shopping is the easy part. It's the meal planning that's hard. I've tried to delegate that job, but so far no takers.

The Minuteman embroidery is coming along nicely. And I'm about finished with another knitted scarf. It's the same pattern as the red one I did earlier, only this one is dark blue. I'm wondering if they would look good worn together....or whether it would just be too much fiber around the neck. I'll take a picture of the scarves after I get home. I have an idea about a whimsical way to display them.

I have had suggestions for a couple of new dolls. One is for the sheep doll, which I've already mentioned. The other is for a pilgrim pair. I have some ideas, and I'm anxious to get some patterns drawn and put scissors to fabric. I've often thought it would be fun to make a calendar with pictures of my bean bag dolls. I think I have one for just about every month, and the pilgrims would do nicely for November. Hmmmmm......can mugs and t-shirts and mouse pads be far behind?

Oh those Minutemen!

Here is a scan of my current embroidery project in process. It's a Minuteman, the mascot for the University of Massachusetts--from which my daughter is about to graduate. When the stitching is complete, I'll make it into a round patch and applique it onto our family Christmas tree skirt. You can check out some of the other patches in my early January posts. I'm just noticing that this guy is a little off-center. Some people....especially those who attend the University of Connecticut....would say this is to be expected. I think he's just got an attitude--maybe following a certain big basketball upset.

I remember very clearly when Big City Girl went away to college almost four years ago. Actually, I remember her last semester of high school when each of her friends made a trip to their prospective college to purchase a sweatshirt....which they then wore to school every day until they graduated. It was kind of like when they used to go to the mall on Friday night and would have to carry (and jingle) their car keys to show off that they'd just gotten their drivers' licenses.

Freshman move-in day at the dorm is also very vivid in my mind. I saved the parking permit we got that day, limiting us to just 20 minutes. Most of that time was spent waiting for the elevators. Neither of us shed any tears that day as her dad and I headed for home. She was ready to be on her own, and we were ready to have a good nights' sleep. There's a certain calm that comes when your child is arriving home in the wee hours somewhere else.

Now she's about to graduate, having completed both a major and a minor. She knows about organizing and deadlines and computer glitches. She is competent to navigate the adminstrative bureaucracy. She can prod a landlord into action. And she knows a thing or two about delegating. Like when there's a spider in the bathroom. That's definitely a job for a guy.....

Time to Clean the Fridge!

I'm pretty sure I cleaned everything out of the fridge before we left home five weeks ago, but every now and then I wonder and worry that maybe there was something left in that bottom crisper drawer. And I hope it doesn't look like this when I get home.

Today hubby and I took a little trip to the botanic garden. Even though I grew up in this area, I had never been there. But I don't suppose such a place would hold much allure for a young person. I'm sure it's a destination for school field trips though, which are then followed by written reports that are graded and become part of the good ol' permanent record. I'm sure I have much more appreciation for a beautiful spot like this now that I'm of a more advanced age---unfortunately not sufficiently advanced to get the senior citizen discount.

One of my favorite parts of the garden was the wild and crazy cactus. You didn't really think it was old, moldy broccoli from the fridge did you? If I had the multiple picture thing figured out by now, I'd include a couple more interesting cactus (or is it cacti?) but I'll just have to put them out one at a time, between the embroidery and the knitting, until I can enlist the help of Tech Guy. I'm sure he'll be happy to help me if I bribe him with burritos or cheesecake.

Yesterday I started the embroidery on the Christmas tree skirt patch for my daughter. It will be her college mascot, and I'm pretty sure I'll have it done and sewn on the skirt in time for Christmas. I'll give it a scan tomorrow and share the progress. I'm a pretty speedy embroiderer because it's fun and relaxing, and it causes me to let the housework go. Maybe I could take my embroidery up to the botanical garden and find a nice bench in the sun and just stitch while I listen to the birds.....

Bling! Bling! the Cat

The embroidered cat is almost done. I just have a few small vines to add at the bottom. Then I'll sew the back and bottom on and put some weighting pellets in and stuffing. He'll need a tail, of course. This will probably go on after he's stuffed, and I'll embroider a ladybug on it. His nose will be needle-sculpted. I tried to leave enough space for this between his eyes and his whiskers. We'll see....

I did sew lots of beads on him, but they are hard to see in the picture. Many of the flower centers have beads, and there are some scattered on the purple flower clusters. His eyes have each been accented with a white bead. He will make the trip back to Connecticut folded up in my suitcase, and then, as soon as I get my sewing machine up and running (after grocery shopping, unpacking and laundry.....and I hope no snow shoveling!) he will come to life. Of course, the best part of having a stuffed cat is you don't have to go to the grocery store for Friskies and cat litter.....

I haven't decided what to do with him yet. I may just keep him and let him sit in my craft room or in the family room on the fireplace. Then again, I may decide to put him up on eBay for adoption. It's always hard to figure out a starting bid for something like this, since there's so much time involved in its making. I'll wait and see just how happy he is living at our house, and if he seems to be one of those roaming cats, I'll set him free.

Since I'm about ready to take on a new challenge, I think I will start on one of the patches for my ongoing Christmas tree skirt project. I found pictures on Google of the mascots from the colleges my kids attended. Since I have quite a few past years to fill in, I'll do the one for my son for 2004--the year he graduated, and my daughter's for this year. I've already enlarged the pictures so they are the proper size for the patch. Next, I will use my special giant light box (the sliding glass door with sun behind it) to trace the pictures onto the white embroidery fabric. Then the fun begins--the stitching!

I have to admit, I'm kinda looking forward to getting home to Connecticut....even though it's beautiful, sunny and warm here and there are 6 to 10 inches of snow in the forecast back there. I do miss my stuff. Even though I pack carefully, I'm never able to bring all of my stuff. And I'm most comfortable when I have my full complement of stuff. Not to mention, Tech Guy is probably looking forward to a home-cooked Sunday meal. And Big City Girl has a birthday coming up. I know she'll want the basic white cake with white frosting and sprinkles. I like that some stuff never changes.....