Grandkids Are The Best

Excitement is mounting for the unveiling of the grandkids artwork.  Canyon called me when he received his package to tell me he was thinking about doing something in the abstract.  He said, "After all you said to be creative."  I think he wanted my approval so I told him that was fantastic because that's what grandma's do... they are always supportive and encouraging.  And they have a knack of seeing into the heart of a matter.

Then a few days ago he called again to say the pictures were ready for the mail.  "But I have to tell you something.  I put pipe cleaners all around the edges and mom said you were going to put them in a frame".  "What a wonderfully creative way to make a frame for a picture", I said.  "Frames don't always have to be something you buy at a store."  When I talked to Jana she said she asked Canyon, "What did you do that for?  Grandma Niece is going to put them in a frame", sending him into panic mode.  Then she asked Auggie if his picture was his best.  He burst into tears, "You don't like my picture."  

There's nothing like a mom to suck the creativity out of a project.  I remember when my kids were at home.  On Halloween we would make pumpkin sugar cookies.  I would be hovering over them to make sure they rolled the dough out evenly so they'd bake just right.  I doled out 5 chocolate chips to make a mouth.  Heaven forbid the whole cookie was plastered in chocolate chips.  In my defense there would always be a kid crying if someone else got more chips than they did.  I love being a grandma.  It is much easier to go with the flow and let creativity just unfold.  You don't have to worry about everything being a life lesson to build character.  You don't have to worry a bag of chocolate chips is an extravagence. And you don't have to worry if things don't turn out exactly as planned. 

Now for the Austin side of things.  This is the letter I received from Mackenzie a few days ago.  That kid (they all do) has the power to elevate me just by looking at her.  But this is the stuff that just melts a grandma's heart.

 This is going to be a fun tradition!

Lunch Bag Pattern

My sister-in-law, Karlene, is having a knee replacement tomorrow.  I went to her pinterest and printed out the patterns she had pinned to make baby hats.  I made her a bag from fabric of her favorite sports team, the Georgia Bulldogs.  I found the fabric online at, http://bearpawquilting.com/.  The pattern I used is called a Lunch Bag but it fit a couple skeins of yarn and crochet hooks just perfectly.  

http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2010/08/tutorial-lunch-bag.html

She better just love it since I worked on it ALL afternoon.  AND I looked at every skein of yarn at Joann's trying to find the most perfect awesome colors and softness for a girl and a boy.  This is the first one I've made from this pattern so making more shouldn't take as long.  

Continuing On...

Last night I read over the blog and realized what a nifty history it was.  Especially times with the grandkids.  My friend had her blog made into a book so I think I'll carry on.  I'll probably backtrack the highlights of last year...

Last year Canyon called to ask me if I knew any ways he could earn some money.  He wanted to buy a kindle.  I told him my walls needed some artwork and commissioned him to draw me a picture for $10.00.  A few minutes later the phone rang again.  It was Auggie.  "Grandma Niece, do you know how I can earn some money?"  So of course I then had to include Kenzie.  These are what they sent me.

Canyon's - Age 8 {Love the creativity of the bicycle mouth}

Auggie's - Age 5 {Love the goggles}

Kenzie's - Age 7 {Ever the astute negotiator she rummaged up 5 pictures she had already done & wanted to collect 50 bucks.  A long conversation later she had to cough up an original for the said amount.}

We are now going to make it a yearly tradition.  This is the letter that went out for this year.

Dear Kids,

It’s a brand new year and so I need new artwork from my favorite and talented artists.  I have a wall at my house that is just going to be about people. 

Some ideas are to draw yourself or your family.  Your best friend or anyone you’d like.  And your person or people can be doing anything you like.  They could be riding bikes, playing soccer, reading on their kindles or standing upside down on their head.  Use your imagination. 

You can color it with crayons or markers, colored pencils, glitter or anything else you want.  Or you can just leave it white. 

Your picture will hang up for the whole year so take your time and do your best.  Make it something you are proud of.  (You cannot send me something you have already done.)  Sign it with your name.

Use the paper I sent.  There are extra pieces in case you need them.

Send me your picture by the end of January and when I get it I will send you $10.00.  I can’t wait to see what you make.

Love, xo

Grandma Niece

It's All About Ethan...

We left the Provo Airport Friday morning amid one of the largest snow storms Colorado has had this year.  200 flights had been cancelled.... luckily ours wasn't one of them.  However, the snow was beautiful and none of us wanted to do anything except hold the baby and play games with Mackenzie.  We all had turns holding him while he curled up on your chest like a little rolly polly bug.  Three days passed like an hour.   It was also very exciting that Ryan was able to be there too.
   

Kenzie was into her "technology".  

Friday is family game night.

Saving the best for last.  His cute little voice and movements.... and a bonus sneeze.

Fridays and My Ode To Christmas

Sasha renamed Peanut or "The Nut"

Fridays are my cleaning day, which means I get dressed before noon and Peanut doesn't get unlimited cuddle time.  So here's how the day sized up.

• Laundry done - check
• Vacuuming done - check
• Kitchen appliances cleaned - check
• Kitchen sink scrubbed - check (because these 2 make it look extra sparkly and clean)
• Kitchen floor scrubbed - check (I could have just said Kitchen cleaned - check, but then you wouldn't really appreciate how I really knock myself out on Friday's.)
• Paper work off the kitchen counter & bills paid - check
• My projects organized and unnecessary things cleared from the kitchen table - check
• Chistmas boxes all mailed - check  (I actually did that last Friday but I just wanted you to know how awesome I am presents will arrive in time for Christmas)
• Bought unhealthy snacks including the sweet rolls which are a tradition - check (emphasis on the "bought" part)
• Vege tray made - check
• Full of good will and Christmas cheer - check

Our Christmas Tree

The way things looked at the end of the day.

So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Joy for the Winter Solstice and any of the great ways you might celebrate with the people you love!

It's All About 4 Days Of Quilting Mania

Last week was the annual Utah Quilt Guild Festival with classes from beginning to those offered by the National Teachers.  I can't believe I resisted going for so long.  It incorporates fund raisers, humanitarian opportunities, a vendor mall, and my favorite the luncheons featuring the National Teachers.  It’s interesting to hear how they started and the paths leading them to their advanced techniques.  Some have a more gradual progression and others win National Competions with their 1^st quilt and sell them for $25,000 or more.  It’s fun to be around lots of quilters who have the same quirks and utter devotion as you do to the art of quilting. One lady was excited another kid had moved out. That would make the 3rd room to fit all her "stuff." I didn’t feel quite as bad I had my one room & the dining room table.... and I suppose the fireplace hearth... and maybe just a wee space in my bedroom. I guess that’s getting close to 3 rooms.  It just happens.

And then there's the Quilt Show. So we'll start with the good news first. The quilt I entered won 1st place in the Miniature category. I have to admit winning is really fun.

"Crossing Paths"  20" Sq. with 1,203 pieces.

Just when I’m feeling pretty good about myself, I turned the corner and saw this quilt.  It is by the National Teacher, George Siciliano, http://www.georgesiciliano.com/, who specializes in  miniatures.  I took one of his classes and it was just amazing to learn his technique and tips.  I bought a couple of his patterns and fabrics to try other designs & maybe try one of my own.  His wife, Virginia is an award winning hand quilter and both have quilts in the National Quilt Museum.  They teach the classes together.  Ken didn't want to hear about that part.

"Dusk a l'Orange" 12 1/2" Sq., 4,210 pieces

 During class he demos a 1" square made from 25 pieces.  He does a coin toss & the winner gets it.  That's right... it is now mine. I bought the pattern to try it myself.

I also took a class by David Taylor, http://www.davidtaylorquilts.com/ , another National Teacher who specializes in hand applique.  This was much harder for me but he made me really want to practice & improve.  His quilts are taken from his photographs and it is hard to tell the difference.  His goat is made from hundreds of different fabrics.  Each color change is a different fabric, cut out and the edges all turned under before they are stitched down.  The detail is just exquisite.  He then uses many, many variegated threads for the machine quilting to compliment the quilt design. (because life is too short not to use color)

"Little S'Tinker

 On top of that I took 5 classes to learn how to use my EQ7 design quilt program.  I was exhausted by the end of it... in the best kind of way.  I can't wait for next year.  (It will be in St. George) 

It's Not About Perfection

Most of you know I keep my mom in quilting projects. We’re both equally passionate about what we create and the happiness it brings us. However, I walked over there today to find her hunched over with a ruler measuring the 9-patches she had just made and telling me quite despondantly she hadn’t done a very good job in putting them together, as she reached for the seam ripper. It broke my heart. Sure they were a little askew and didn’t quite match up to the other blocks they connected to, but she has just the tiniest bit of sight in her left eye and macular degeneration in her right eye which means she has a black spot right in her central vision. So are you kidding me, they were fabulous blocks created with a determination to keep her passion alive in spite of her limitations. I didn’t want her to lose her joy. You know Mom, I told her. Something doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. I hope I can do as well if my eyesight ever fails me.

The quest for perfection is as old as time and I have always felt it is a bit of a self- defeating behavior, but I really felt it at that moment. I finally live in a world where I’m good enough. Damn it. I’m not always picking myself apart, trying to fix all the parts that might have gone askew and don’t always match up to how I think the rest of the world wants me to be. I like my reality and think it helps me love the things I love more. And that doesn't mean I'm not willing to change or try to be all the things that make a human being good, but if it is so discouraging and I start feeling like I can never do anything good enough and it makes loving what I do less, then I'm taking my plants and making another garden.

Anyway here’s the perfect things I’ve been creating lately. Just kidding. I have had fun making some miniature quilts. They’re 12” square and now I need to add some kind of nifty border. I forgot to take a picture of the one I’m entering in the Utah Quilt Guild Show. Sally Collins is one of the National Teachers that will be giving classes at the Quilt Festival this year. She is known for her precision piecing and the awesome way she creates borders to give quilts a balanced finished look. Since I won’t be taking any of her classes, I bought her book, “Borders, Bindings, & Edges, The Art of Finishing Your Quilt”. And that is one reason why I love quilting. There is always something new to learn. It’s an art form that keeps on giving.  (I think I said that once before so it must be true)

 This is "Perplexed By Purple"  Look at the circular geometric shapes then move your eye down and you'll see the purple & white flower.

I want to do some kind of beading on this one.  On this one kind of squint and move your eye between the white spaces and then to the colored.