Stitched Presents

For cousin Jessica -- who loves Nativities. A couple months ago I got to visit a town called Glasgow, Montana. Not much going on there but did get to spend a little time with some cousins and get to know them really for the first time. My husband and son were supposed to take a guided fishing boat day out on Fort Peck Lake but the weather proved non-cooperative so they will return in the Spring. It is amazing how you can be related and yet not have the opportunity to get to know each other. Family has always meant a lot to me as I grew up in a foster home. As a child you are told in the foster home that you are part of the family, but the last name is never the same, and then when it really comes down to introductions to new people -- you are called the "foster child". I, however, was fortunate to get to know and love Aunt Marie. She found out about me when I was 15. She came to visit in Tennessee and then we started a correspondence through mail and phone for many years. When I turned 21, she was my anchor to moving on with my life and helped get me to Montana. Many years later I can see how she helped so many in the family get from one place to another to where they need to be. I am glad to say she is now where she needs to be and hope that she continues to be happy and feel love from all the family -- near and far. Still trying to figure out the 1st, 2nd, 3rd cousin order of family and wondering where the "twice removed" parts come in when people are talking. Guess I need to do a little research. Did manage to stitch a few presents for the Glasgow area cousins and hope they have a wonderful holiday season. Here is thinking of you -- McKenzie, Malani, Nicole, and Christian (he got a knitted cap)!!

Holidays and Sniffles

Pssss . . . It's snowing again. It is also 2 degrees outside currently. Ever felt like things were running smoothly -- no stress, no worries. Holidays just around the corner and then BAM! Out of no where a little tickle starts in the throat and then next thing you know you are laid out flat in bed for 5 days. That happened to me. Packages were not even sealed up to be mailed out. One more afternoon at the sewing machine needed to finish up a wall hanging headed to Kentucky to my brother and his new wife. Well things will be arriving late for some. Christmas cards unfinished will become New Year greetings. Am I sweating it -- NO. Not what the holidays are all about. Do I have my 3 kid's presents wrapped -- NO, but I know they will be happy and feel my love. Just so thrilled none of my family came down with my more than sniffles. Glad they are not saying these words anymore, "Mom you sure do look like a picture of health, NOT." -- Avery age 13.

Christmas Wish

Trying to get into the spirit of the holidays coming up. Came across this photo and it made me laugh! Hard to believe Thanksgiving is this coming week.

Elephant in the Room

“By a sweet tongue and kindness, you can drag an elephant with a hair” Persian Proverb

“When you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run” Abraham Lincoln

“God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just keeps on trying other things.” Pablo Picasso



Ever feel like there is an elephant in the room? When tempers flare and then tension remains even though there is silence from all parties involved. Well the calming down from the holiday highs can cause this. I find my house is going through what I have just described. Could it have something to do with having almost 3 teenagers (ages 12, 14, 17)in the house?

Found it a little ironic that something on Etsy caught my attention while the "situation" was developing -- Pink Elephants.



The elephant seems to have disappeared for the moment and now I am off to repair an internet connection after a power outage overnight.

Compliments

On Christmas Eve my daughter and I visited the Personal Care wing where I work and delivered some finger cakes dipped in chocolates and made some fruit punch with sherbet for their snack. There are three lady residents on the floor right now and all are in their upper 80's.

Excitement was in the air over me doing this little treat for them. The staff and I had decorated everywhere on the floor for the holidays including their dining room so everything was pleasant and spirits were up.

As we sat visiting at the dining table it was fun to ask questions and hear their history of how they ended up in the town of Fort Benton. All three had been married; two to farmers (one in cattle, one in wheat) and the other had owned a store and post office in a distant town saying, "As the kids moved in closer so did we".

One who had lost her husband last year around Christmas smiled when telling how she had traveled to Fort Benton to help a brother's wife who was having her third child to care for her small young ones years ago. She had been set up on a blind date -- and gone to the big town of Great Falls on their first date on April 1st. I loved seeing the smile on her face when telling this almost like she was that young girl again on her adventure with love.

Many thanks were given by them for this special snack. One even told me yesterday morning as I was helping her get dressed that my activity was the "best" out of everything she did for the holidays this year.

I know it isn't the big things in life that please people the most, but having shared this short time with them brings a smile to my face as well as my daughter who left saying, "They remind me of grandma. I know she is not with me anymore, but I still feel her around me."

Spirits Are Merry

Well, yesterday and today have me in a very MERRY mood! Right now I am jamming away to classic Christmas tunes online and smelling some wonderful smells from the kitchen where two loaves of Eggnog Bread are cooling on the rack. (The kids have started coming around to see when the 1st loaf can be cut.)



After working three nights in a row and now having a few off, I am happy to see some white stuff on our ground. (I image the farmers in our area are very thrilled to see the moisture as well!) Happily, I can stay inside and watch the weather from my windows. A feeling of a want for some hot chocolate or hot tea right now is ensuing. (A tea pot was my request for Santa, but then I spotted something similar at Sam's Club that I especially liked for less than $20 -- Mrs. Claus purchased it and has it under the tree. Gonna be a good girl and leave it there till Christmas Eve when we open goodies.)



Happy to report that my efforts to get an Amaryllis to grow and eventually bloom are starting to perk up. I have had it a month and have moved it from one window to another to another. Finally seeing some growth.

Maybe it is the nutcracker guarding it that is causing the change?!!

Patchwork Gift

I have spent this weekend putting together a patchwork throw for a lady who has been very sweet in carpooling my husband to work 72 miles a day 5 days a week since we moved to Fort Benton, MT in September.



Don't know why it takes me time to figure out what I want to do or make and then it seems like last minute.

Instead of quilting, I decided to use buttons to tack the quilt together. I like using buttons and like the end results also.



My 14 year old was in the room when I was checking to make sure I had everything finished. I told him I liked the back especially to and turned it over for him. He said it is a double sided quilt, but really it has some adorable pink raccoons (vintage fabric) with borders on the back.



My husband walked in the room when our son said, "Mom you know raccoons are not really pink." The reply my husband gave, "You know son, women like that sort of thing." Adorable -- the raccoons or what men think women really like!!!

Avery Craft and Photos

My now 12 year old (had a b-day on 12/14) son, Avery Z, as he likes to be called decided he wanted to go outside and take some pictures of things we and our neighbor Granny have up outside. I think he did a good job in centering the photos and has an eye for it.







Avery was given an assignment to stretch his comfort zone the other day. He is a very dear sweet boy and does very well with his autism, but has challenges in self esteem and expressing himself. His job was to look at different books and come up with a picture for his aunt that he could draw and I would trace onto fabric to make something for his aunt.




He decided to trace a pattern from a stained glass pattern book and then signed it with his regular "AVERY Z". He did a wonderful job and was praised by his dad and myself. I traced it and then had him color the picture on the fabric. I know his aunt will love his efforts and let him know he has many talents.

Homemade Goodies

I took the kids to The Golden Age Center in Fort Benton, Montana the other day for their Cookie Walk. I guess it is an annual thing and the little elderly ladies were so sweet and kept having me put another cookie on the plate to equal 1 pound for $7.00. The kids and I were happy with our selections. I even had to hide a few for my husband after he got home from work late that night.

My neighbor lady,Granny, invited the family over to see her decorations. Once we arrived she asked each one of us to stand in front of her Christmas tree to take a picture. We had a very pleasant visit.




The next morning Granny came to visit us and see our decorations. In her hand were crocheted ornaments for each one of us. I think they are just beautiful. Now they are hanging on our tree and look like they have always belonged there.

Holiday Cheer

This year has been a trying one for my family. We have had the worst financial stress since our early years of marriage nearly 19 years now. We have cut back on many things, moved to pay less rent, and yet continuously seek more ways to make it through.

I know there are many families and many single people out there doing the same as we. It is hard especially around the holidays to keep much cheer knowing that there is not going to be things under the tree for my now almost 3 teenagers. They have become so understanding for the most part. They understand that there is a sequence on waiting in an imaginery line for their time to come to generally even one thing they would like and that the time lapse may be a couple weeks, a month, or even 3 to 4 months if not more.

My husband earlier in the week sent me an email laying out the bills (mostly medical co-pays after our insurance) that are pressing on us to take care of here in the near future. He said he hated to be the bearer of bleak news of "NO Christmas". I went into a depressed spiral state for a couple of days and started trying to figure a way to make more money come through the door. My Ebay and Etsy sales have not been very good this time of year compared to many in the past. I know it is because we are a nation all facing the same scrimping and cutting back.

After a few days of this "stressed & depressed" state of mine. I am finally calm and have watched a few videos in past several days which have themes in them of what I have been going through.

Persuasion by Jane Austen says; "While Lady Elliot lived, there had been method, moderation, and economy, which had just kept him within his income..."

You've Got Mail a scene -- "Down $1200 in sales from this time last year.. How can that be? . . . I am not going to let that get me down, I am hanging more twinkle lights!"

Miss Potter opening words; "There is something delicious in writing the first words of a story. You never know where they are going to take you and mine has taken me here."

I know my story is not over, as a matter of fact, I told my husband just last night that I have been playing with the idea of starting some college courses online to work toward a degree. This is only in the beginning stages of planning, but who knows, one day I might go from a 2 year degree I already have to something much more. So I do have some new hopes and plans brewing in my mind.

Bring on the Holiday CHEER!

Playing With Dolls

Today being Saturday, I have had to time to play in my sewing room. I have been working on another king size quilt top and have another border to go, but just not quite decided on what I want to do yet.

I did embroider these dolls during my week of overnight shifts at the youth home. I actually got called in last night because the weekend person was sick giving me more hours to stitch. (Don't worry -- I do my job of bed checks every 30 minutes, house laundry, mopping floors, keeping the refrigerators clean, baking cookies/breads, cleaning out the ovens, emptying the dishwasher, records keeping, and cooking breakfast for the residents.)



These little doll characters are simply cute and I could see some little girls playing with them, putting them in their purse, or as part of gift baskets. They are headed on their way to my shoppe on Etsy.com.



Think I am in a mindset to start some crafty Christmas ornaments. The holidays will be here before we all know it!

In Search of a Strawberry

When I was a little girl growing up in a foster home in Tennessee, there were times when my "mother" could and would be so nice in creating special memories. One of those is the picture here. It was Christmas and she made me the long red skirt. Also, she got me a ruffled collar blouse and added some red trimmings to it. To top off the outfit, I was allowed to wear an old piece of her costume jewelry -- a strawberry with red stones in it. I felt so special, so pretty. I am beaming from ear to ear in this picture!!!

I don't know what happened to the brooch. I remember asking to wear it some time later and was told that it was lost or gone. That has stuck with me all these years and every time I have been to a yard sale or thrift store I have always looked for one.

Last weekend Savannah Rose and I went to the Rocky Mountain Craft Sale held here in town. This was the first time checking it out and also the first time one has been held in the Spring. There were several things to look at and we ended up finding something we liked at the Special Olympics booth.

Before leaving we had a wonderful time looking at gorgeous pieces of vintage costume jewelry a lady collects and sells. I happened to ask her before leaving about a strawberry brooch. She had one but it was not what I was looking for and I left still wanting to locate one.

Keeping in the spirit of things I had purchased a couple of big boxes of strawberries just that morning so we came home and had fun doing some chocolate fondue strawberries and bananas with my sons. (My husband was out of town at a work training and missed all the fun!)

Well, I am one to not let something that gets in my mind be forgotten too easily again. So while working on listing some auctions on Ebay and Etsy, I was able to find the exact strawberry brooch I have been looking for and also at a very reasonable price with free shipping. I will be anxiously awaiting the mail delivery here this next week looking for my tangible item that will be a story told to my kids and a piece of jewelry passed on to one of them.



Hope you are able to find that special something that holds a pleasant memory for you -- no matter if tangible or not. Hope it puts a smile on your face and tugs at your heart strings.

Dressing Up Charlie Russell

Great Falls, Montana loves its western heritage and is home to the Charles M Russell Museum. On Central Avenue in downtown Great Falls is a wonderful statue of Charlie Russell and I couldn't help but stop and catch a snapshot of it dressed in holiday attire.


The local paper ran an article that someone in town is going around putting hats and scarves on other statues. I am thinking it will be a fun idea to take the kids out tomorrow and get a few more photos of others dressed up for Christmas. This will keep their minds off the presents under the tree and the pleading to open them early.

My Avery said tonight, "I have been the most patient one this year, haven't I?" A hug and kiss was placed on his forehead telling him yes, indeed he has been.

These are the simple joys of loving your kids and feeling that magic, that anticipation. I hope it never ends, but when it does, I will have these memories and smiles.

Holiday Spirit

Here are some photos of ornaments I have been stitching lately:






Working on getting in the holiday spirit? Well, I found a blog spot on some tips for hot chocolate and thought I would share them with you.



My family has been playing it very low key this season as my husband has been out of town for weeks and weeks with only a short visit for Thanksgiving. We will all be so glad for his return this coming Wednesday.

I have been stitching and sewing odds and ends. I have been stirring around in projects and actually getting some things done. As the end of the year comes so do memories from this life changing 2010. My family has experiences ups and downs, additions and losses. We have grown in many ways, and yet I find it hard to believe I have two teenagers in my house -- ages 13 and 16. As well as my baby is turning 11 next week and he is taller than the rest of us.

Hope you are in a GOOD place this holiday season and taking things easy and slow. It will all get done, even the baking!! (I have been enjoying baking banana breads and pumpkin breads this past couple of weeks. Something new for me.)