August 9th, 2011 -- Posted in EZ-blog Oven, knitty/stitchy |
So I suspect my cross-stitch drawer may have been getting more lonely over the past little while, especially in the recent year as I’ve taken up knitting. I mean no offense to it, but those teeny-tiny squares *are* a little more difficult on the eyes! And wielding a small needle seems to be a little more tiresome on the neck muscles as well, which is something I can’t afford these days.
Nonetheless, I have not been ignoring this craft completely! Even though I only created maybe one or two cross-stitch patterns last holiday season instead of the usual “bunch” of them, I’m never without a project in the works. I still find it to be one of the most portable crafts to take on the go; I do most of my stitching while waiting in doctor’s offices and in the car and things like that!
Right now, there are a couple of birth announcements in progress for babies born in 2011. I like to give them no later than the baby’s first birthdays, so it helps to start them way ahead of sched! These little boys were born in April, 2 days apart even though they were due more than a month apart! They are also cousins so I made them matching designs. I’ve mostly finished the main part of the pattern but now need to add the birth details.
Last year I only had to do a couple birth announcements… a cute horse and frog. I didn’t get a chance to grab a photo of the Rocking Horse one (maybe next time I see my friend I’ll ask!) but here is the Frog one…
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May 15th, 2011 -- Posted in family, future / dreams / goals, life as a mom, pain / disability, things that make you go LOL |
So this year’s birthday was actually a good one… maybe it’s a sign this is my year… I may have totally stopped believing in karma and all that stuff, but signs? There may still be something there.
I was really not looking forward to this birthday at all! 30 was fun to look forward to… it was the age I’ve felt all my life! A whole new decade, new hope, new horizon. 31 is… not so hopeful. It has all the “old” with none of the newness or freshness. Worst part is, I have officially become too old for my own precious young mom website. I had to take a bit of forced backseat the past few years anyways because I just couldn’t get to the home office (or even laptop keys!) often enough though the pain, headaches, & mental fog to keep things running smoothly. But now I’ll really have to slink behind the curtain and remain backstage.
And I guess YM is a bit of a microcosm of real life… even though 31 is by no means “elderly”, I had my days in the sun way back when. With the way my health has been looking since the accident, I’m not seeing much partying or adventure in my future. Time to step back and let others star in the show. Which is ok… hard to come to terms with, for many people! But then again, that’s part of why children are around. So long as those children can be recognized for who they are and not taken as just second chances for the parents to do what they never could manage in their own childhoods, everyone can enjoy watching what the next generation accomplishes.
Anyways, enough philosophical babble and I’ll record some little details of my day that I’d like to remember down the way and that I don’t mind sharing with anyone that may still be wandering by…
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May 5th, 2011 -- Posted in family, life as a mom |
So this was a craft idea we had this year for both birthdays (my mother celebrates hers in April) and Mother’s Day. I ended up making 3 arrangements with my son, who is 6, and they all turned out really beautifully (and different!).
Here’s what we did for these great gifts…
Supplies:
- Clear Flower Vase (if you don’t want real glass, get a plastic one)
- River Rocks or other stones/faux gems/decorations
- Fake Flowers
- Flat Sheer Ribbons
Steps:
Have your child help you wash and dry the vase and fill it carefully with rocks/decorations. They can make layers if they want. Then stick in the fake flowers in the middle. Cut them if they are too tall. Tie the ribbon around the edge of the vase. My DS came up with the idea on his own to have the ribbon at the same height that the rocks come to! Have them put a little finger on the first knot as you tie the bow so it stays very tight. You can layer up two colours of sheer ribbon for a nice effect. Leave a long enough “tail” after tying. Cut the edges on an angle.
There you go! Professional looking floral arrangement at a fraction of the price and one that will last all year ’round! We got most of our supplies at a big craft store and at a grocery store so it is fairly easy to find what you need to make these gifts. My son was able to help out at age 6 and I might suggest you could go a bit younger, such as 3 or 4 depending on your child’s patience level, but not into toddler and preschool age levels.
If you do try out these crafts, I hope the gift recipients enjoy them very much! We’ll be delivering the rest of ours over the next couple of weekends and are hoping for some positive reactions. 
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