greetingarts

appreciating it all

Two weeks ago was teacher appreciation.  I took a few days off work so I could help with setting up posters and decorations at the start of the week, and the faculty luncheon on Wednesday.  It was wonderful to be back in the classrooms, and I was surprised at how easy it was to fall back into the volunteer thing!

I sewed some ruffled streamers for the decor, made Jessica's Chinese Cabbage Salad (again!  I love this dish), and baked three dozen devil's food cupcakes, decorated to look like apples.  I saw the idea on a blog some time ago, but I can't for the life of me remember where now.  Anyway, I thought they turned out quite well, and even though it was super hot, there was a minimum of frosting droopage.  I used mini pretzel rods for the stems and fresh spearmint for the leaves.  The cupcakes turned out quite moist, too.  I love my two-tiered cupcake carrier that I bought years ago.

For our past and current teachers, I crocheted some pencil bookmarks with perle cotton and a steel crochet hook (one I inherited when my grandma passed away, I thought about her as I was crafting), and knitted an i-cord pencil keychain charm.  No patterns, I saw the bookmark online a while ago but just winged it, and then made up the keychain pencil as I went along.  I made five gifts in all, but forgot to take a group photo.

We only have one more Monday left of this school year, and by the end of this month, we'll officially be on summer break.  It's been a very difficult year for me personally at home, at the girls' school, and adjusting to work.  I'm really looking forward to slowing down, enjoying my girls, and clearing out the clutter in my house this summer.  Well, maybe not the last thing so much, but I'm sure I'll be happy *after* it's clean.

best things in life

The fact that these two amazing human beings call me mom is the best thing that ever happened to me.  A lobster dinner is just icing on the cake.

Happy Mother's day to my mom, my sister, and all the dedicated, loving, hard-working women out there.  And thanks to the men that gave us the gift of motherhood.  Best gift ever.

over the rainbow

A belated birthday gift for Jessie, a 65" long rainbow scarf, less than 3" wide.  I used all scrap acrylic yarn, garter stitch, and size 10(?) needles.  The fringe was made just by cutting the yarn extra long after every row and leaving a long tail before beginning the next row.  But if I ever make another, I won't do it that way, I'll make white fringe afterwards so that the white could signify clouds.  That would be cute.

 

treasures from the sea

We went camping for Spring Break (for five days in a tent!) and came home with buckets and boxes full of treasures from the sea.  The beach we were at has tide pools, interesting and varied rocks polished smooth by the waves, and shells and sea glass of all different sizes and colors.  But what to do with all the goodies, aside from putting them in jars and bowls and/or leaving them to gather dust in the garage?

I used some crochet cotton and the Klutz Hemp Bracelets book to create some wearable memories of our great week.  This was the first one I made, just a trial run, and since then I've made a few more, with a few beads added in.

I also collected some smallish rocks with natural holes in them, that I hope to string up and make into necklaces.  I want to do some crocheted rock covers, too.  Ack!  So many ideas, not enough time or energy.

I found this amazing, incredible, natural heart rock (I mean, isn't that freaking beautiful?!) but Jessica made me put it back into the water because she said the seaweed was still alive.  I don't think it was, but couldn't tell her for absolute positive sure that is wasn't, so I was a good girl and put it back in the ocean.  Thank goodness for cameras, or that sucker would have had to come home with me.

And one last souvenir I brought home?  I had a pretty bad sunburn on the backs of my legs and my feet.  I'm the one with the pink water shoes, so, yup, it now looks like I have some funky tattoos on my feet.  At least they kind of resemble hearts - and thank goodness for socks!

seven

The little one turned seven yesterday, and we celebrated at Farrell's.  I remember going there for my tenth birthday with my aunt and cousins, and there was a great big drum, sirens, and a whole lot of ice cream.  They closed down for a while, and recently re-opened.  There's always a line outside, regardless of the day of week and time of day.  We had to wait for about 20 minutes to get a table, which worried me at first, but it was totally worth it.  There was loud singing of unique birthday songs, amazing balloon sculptures fashioned into headwear, lively waiters and waitresses that certainly earned their tips, and huge smiles all around.

What's she holding up?  One of her birthday gifts, a pair of pillowcases.

Great fabric, I bought it online last year (sorry, can't remember where) and have been waiting and waiting to make these cases.  It was so gratifying that the moment she unwrapped them, she loved them.  And she doesn't care one bit that mommy didn't pay attention to the direction of the fabric when she cut it...(think about it, the words should read horizontally when you look at the pillow lying on the bed, not vertically like in the picture above)!

One pillowcase was immediately used for its intended purpose the moment we got home last night, and the other was a shawl/cape/sleeping bag and is currently housing her stuffed cat and being dragged around the house.  Totally warms my heart. 

Happy seven, my little one.