BIRTHDAY THEME: FARM or BARNYARD ANIMALS

Some of us learn by reading, some by pictures/tutorials, some hands-on….Here I will primarily post photos which will give you some ideas: THIS PARTY WAS FOR YOUNG TODDLERS so there are not games per se, rather, activities. (the above photo: everytime I crop this and adjust lighting only the original transfers…rats! Will keep trying)

CAKE: Check out the cake Daddy made up for the party! (above)…little pig made out of starbursts, hay is yellow-dyed coconut with marshmallow behind for circular bale; cake = pound cake; walls of barn use red string licorice; roof = chex; fence = pretzels, 2 round 9'' cakes, icing and presto! Barnyard Cake. Blue icing for a pond, black for pig in mud, green for grass, red for some of barn. Notice the 2 round cakes are nestled within one another; cut out a portion of one to fit the other inside it. Feed the birthday child his first piece of chocolate cake iced separately with green icing. Everyone else has cupcakes…the following days the family enjoys the Barn Cake together. You can give the baby the entire silo to dig into! Oh man; oh fun.

CUPCAKES: Pigs, Chicks and Cows and Sheep:

1) Pig: nose = marshmallow dipped in sprinkles; string licorice chopped for nostrils; eyes =choc. chips; ears = pink starbursts

2) Cow: nose & eyes = same as pig; nostrils = choc. dripped through small hole in bag; ears                                                                 
   = pink mentos gum

3) Chicks: covering = yellowed dyed coconut; wings are gummies; eyes same as pig; nose (oops I forget - some sort of orange gummy)

4) Sheep: one large marshmallow surrounded by tiny marsmallows; eyes = drip like cow; mouth 
    =  pink gel icing. 

BARN YARD: (for mother's to sit with crawler's; or toddler's to play.) Place blankets/table cloths on ground and set around barnyard stuffed animals and books about farms for mom/dad to read etc.)


HAY RIDES: label a wagon with a sign and presto! Kids love taking rides in a wagon

You can include a ''waterpond'' if you don't mind the kids getting all wet. Heather did have this with towels nearby (no picture).

now for FOOD: 


Wanted you to see the pig placed in dark icing for mud; blue icing for a little waterhole and the hay is coconut dyed yellow with a marshmallow behind some to make a circular bale of hay.


The main theme was a garden patch of vegetables on a tray made to look like a vegetable garden. Place vegetables in rows and make some dip! (left front: with play fences on the sides. They borrowed my animal dishes/bowls for fruit; Oreo cookies labeled as 'spokes' of a wheel; Rice Krispie treats labeled "bales of hay"; the candy called 'Cow Tales'; and in the Crock-Pot were ''pigs in a blanket.''
Hot dogs wrapped in bacon cooked in a crock-pot ahead of time. Labels with a farm theme name and presto! Barnyard Party and Food.

What To Make for A One Year Old

        Baba            
 THAT'S WHAT!
   (Baba: knit project)

At the last minute, actually 24 hrs. before the birthday I thought, "I'd love to make Joel a huggable something." So, searching on Ravelry,
a knitter/crocheters' website, I found the perfect pattern to download by Shafer Dobry. Find her pattern on Ravelry.com or Etsy.
Ravelry is great to join, by the way. 

Store pictures of all your projects in one place, see what people all around the world are making, share ideas, free patterns, trade yarn, meet professional knitter/crocheter's and get advice etc. etc. etc.

PICTURES ABOVE of Baba: my son sent these to me in an email with the following captions:

"Waiting around for my little boy to wake up," says Baba (picture two)…."But first some fun!" (picture one). You see, Michael, age 29 is still a child at heart; the apple doesn't fall far from this tree! He has all the animals talking to his kids and being goofy and crazy well, like I was I guess. Michael you are a blast. Sometimes I am not sure who the children are; you and Heather?
(below: Baba ''hanging around in my flowers." NOTE: I'm a beginner knitter - easy pattern; written well.

FOR UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN

                      There are so many creative ways to adorn a mantle for Christmas. 
I have found over the years most of my decorations I have made; usually, made items go to family and friends. All the angels pictured I have made except for the small clay angel (center left) with the horn and the stuffed canvas angel (far right front). One angel was made to enter a competition, another made with a group of friends for a fun craft day. Two angels were made for my mother and sister who are now deceased; so, these angels are special to me.
                    THE BIG SURPRISE WHEN DOING THIS PROJECT WAS ''NO WREATH!!!!"

After putting together the mantle I considered the wreath I'd decorate for the wall but decided I liked the blank wall thinking I'd put up an angel ''perhaps." Well, she was just hanging there on the nail for awhile with her legs dangling down for a day. (When I reach an impasse I wait a day or to and walk by, glance at or sit and stare at the entire area.) All of sudden an idea will come to me and in my head, for some reason, I say ''presto anti-freeze!!" aka: ''that's it, that's what I'll do." The idea that popped in my head was to adhere her legs in a flying position. A day later I was glancing at the angel and the thought came, "FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN." The candles still need some work as you can tell. The gold cups near the center are candles as well.
  
How To: Print out the necessary letters in black from the computer. Cut out the letters and trace on white paper. Mount on wall with "Handi-tak." (craft store or possibly office supply store) The angels are made corn husks, fabric, lace, etc. For whimsy I cross the angels legs in different positions. Greenery is always fresh mixed with mini-lights and/or baby's breath, holly, ribbon. Keep it simple not fussy.

(Left/Right) I am posting smaller pics of the same mantle;the living room. This room I always use ANGELS as the theme for some reason. I will be posting at a later date the other two arrangements below.

#2 January 25th, 2010:  The Nativity below was made from muslin and acrylic paints; some are embroidered. Then I made wooden stands for each; they were supposed to hang from a mobile but I wanted mine to stand. Not all the sheep are in this picture. I don't know what it is about this set but it is one of the favorite things I have made. I was surprised that I could paint and draw faces way back when. You cannot see it but baby Jesus sits on a wooden manger I made as well. The pattern came from:  (will look this up and entered later so the co. gets the credit)

You can't see but the scene is set in a large bay window with fresh evergreens, pinecones, and berries, little birds, candles and tiny white lights complete the background. The urn has ivy growing from it which usually sits on the mini-grand. I don't know, there is something I just love about this scene; warm and inviting I guess.

EVERY QUILT HAS A STORY TO TELL!

Every quilt has a story to tell!   Sewing...another passion....what is the story behind this quilt?
 (coming soon)





This is a current project yet to be quilted and edged.

THE STORY

                                A WEDDING QUILT

Entry date: October 18th   My sister, Hannah, made a wedding quilt for us years ago. I have always known that I wanted to do the same for my children blessing them with a wedding quilt. July 22, 2006 our son Michael married Heather; and, the quilt is still not completed but will be in 3 weeks! Some of the reasons of why are outlined below.

What is a wedding quilt? It is a quilt made up of individual squares made by any/all of the women on the grooms and brides side of the family. Each women receives in the mail detailed directions and a pattern for piecing their personal square. Before mailing it back they are encouraged to embroider their name on the square. The embroidery is open to creativity if you choose; I love this part a lot and encourage individualism. (My Aunt Sally embroidered her name with a stick figure holding a hockey stick; Sally was my coach in high school. In the quilt above a cousin embroidered  three fish as ''he'' loves to fish. A boy sewed? Yes! He wanted to participate so why not? I loved it, the mother thrilled and so did the bride/groom.  
The colors used in the quilt can all be determined by you, some determined as I did and will explain later or, relatives select all the colors for their personal square. 
The quilt squares are pieced together by you, the designer and completed; or, hire someone! I make a square that says the couples name with the following below, each row as follows: ''their wedding quilt;" ''given in the year of;" ''July 22, 2006."** We hang the quilt at the wedding behind the bride/grooms table.

HOW TO: Long before the wedding, the designer of the quilt, selects a pattern for the quilt and mails detailed instructions to each woman on the bride and grooms side of the family with or without fabric with a specific date that the square is to be ''in your hands'' for construction.
 (Be aware that there are inexperienced sewers to non-sewers! In the case of this quilt some non-sewers asked friends to construct the square or hired someone to piece it together which worked out wonderfully. Do not be surprised if some family rejects the idea and do not participate. This, although disappointing, is not a big deal; we all have busy lives and priorites! Judging, conversing etc. would only compound/dampen the spirit of the quilt for the couple and for you as well.)
In the case of this quilt I chose the base colors of the quilt as Michael loves green and Heather loves lavender purples. Wow, what a challenge that was for choosing fabrics. 


After devising the pattern pieces and instructions I ask a friend who knows nothing about sewing if she would be able to construct the square. I also ask her to teach me how to piece the square. Adjustments are made to the directions and pattern. Mail.


Once you have received all the squares, it is imperative that you evaluate and square off each square (ha ha) so that they are all equivalent; they are all the same exact size! This was the major reason for the delay in this quilt. I pieced this quilt almost twice totally trying to make it work. I will never again choose a pattern with long diagonals. The fabric on the bias of course stretches and unless all your sewers are experienced there will be so many different size squares and it will be very difficult to piece. I had to take apart many squares and/or add fabric to them. 
After or during the time I am squaring up the squares (ha ha ha) I lay them out and select the fabric(s) that will hold it all together color wise. These include the binding, borders and backing. 

**Baste "waste  canvas" (counted-cross stitch fabric that will fall away when wet) to your fabric.

Waste canvas is made up of woven threads held together with a specific starch. When wet it will dissolve.  This helps with placement of the stitches. Although the lines look uneven in this photo they will not be when completed; the unevenness appears due to the way I have pulled the fabric taut. 

I have chosen the lavender fabric which will not be placed within the quilt pattern but on the border at the bottom, centered.

If you are interested in more information, detailed instructions, pitfalls to avoid jot a note here and I will get back to you. I will post the quilt in 3 weeks when it is completed.  HAPPY QUILTING!

HOW TO's: Fall Pumpkin Center Piece THAT LASTS! Great "MAKE AHEAD"....

GLENMOORE GARDEN CLUB VISITS NURSING HOME     Prepared with cleaned out pumpkins, flowers and greens from our own yards and smiling faces, the Glenmoore Garden Club next Tues., October 13th will help residents decorate their own fall centerpieces. Photos of residents are not included for privacy reasons.This is one our most favorite activities and the residents really enjoy it as well.
NEED: one small or medium pumpkin, carved out, lid and contents discarded.

          water/clorox solution 10/1 (enough to rinse out shell of pumpkin)*
          one small or medium sized piece of ''oasis'' (purchased at craft supply store)
          flowers, greens (be sure to think about width and height)**
  * Water/clorox solution will prevent rotting up to two weeks at least or more, often 3. Great to make  for dinner parties. I have made them from teeny pumpkins as individual gifts for women's events/personal tea parties/children's craft for birthday parties, etc.
** Recommendations for any container arrangements:
The container is 1/3 of the total height with the arrangement of flowers/greens the remaining 2/3's. Width of flowers/greens should not extend more than 1/3 to 1/2 the width of the container. I find that 1/2 is too much but this is personal taste.

HOW TO: Soak the oasis in a small bowl of water till thoroughly saturated. Meanwhile clean and prepare pumpkin as outlined in the "NEED" section above. Pour enough water/clorox solution to fill the cavity of the pumpkin. While pouring the liquid out roll pumpkin one revolution to be sure the top inside edges or ''lip" of the pumpkin are treated as well. Place the oasis in the pumpkin and decorate!!

I included the close-up photo as I am not happy with any of the photos of the arrangement. Secondly, the choice of flowers/greens in the yard this fall are not plentiful for some reason. And lastly, I chose for fun the one with the best kitty cat picture in it keeping the arrangement far out of site..ha ha ha!!! (Grace is on the left and Maggie is hidden in the back of the picture; where is Rufus??)

PROPAGATING AFRICAN VIOLETS (now is the time if you want to give them as gifts for Christmas

           My mother taught me how to propagate African Violets when I was about 8 years old. THE PLANT IS POISONOUS. NEVER PUT THE STEM IN YOUR MOUTH! Now, this may sound silly but my Aunt Hannah did; she had no where to lay the leaf so she held it in her mouth before planting it.  Her lips did swell rather rapidly with no other side effects.

NEED: *small pyrex bowl or a glass container 

                   with a narrow neck/opening

             *rubber band    *scissors   *wax paper 

                                                                                              

HOW TO: Fill the container with water. Prepare a piece of wax paper large enough to fit over the top and somewhat over the side of the pyrex bowl. Use the rubberband to hold the wax paper in place. Using a pencil, pierce several holes in the wax paper. DO NOT MAKE THE HOLES LARGER THAN THE PENCIL HOLE. If the leaf gets wet it will rot before rooting sufficiently for planting!I have made tons of holes; the leaves can stand up straight and do not need to lie down. (see picture #2)

Cut the larger leaves at the base of the parent plant being sure the stem is long enough that it will protude down into the water at least 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Stand all leaves in the holes of the wax paper. Place the container in a window that receives indirect lighting. My violets do well on the northwest side of the house.
 WATERING: keep the stems wet at all times. When the water gets low I make another little hole somewhere in the wax paper and pour water through it; or, it's no big deal to take a leaf or two out, pour water in the holes and blot up remaining water with a paper towel.

 NOTICE THE LEAF I AM HOLDING. (see picture #3) There are already two tiny violet leaves formed at the base of the stem and some roots. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT; yipee! I have never counted the days but I would guess it will take about 2-3 weeks for the tiny leaves to form. Also notice the picture at the top of the page (see picture #1). The two stems left in the wax paper fit perfectly in the pencil hole so no water will come up and get the leaf wet.

The last picture shows a fun little holder I found in a rather serendipity manner. Ocassionally I collect little containers so I can give away flowers from the garden when someone needs some cheer or when a congratulations is in order. This one, however, I am keeping currently for propagation until another neat little nugget comes along.


FEEDING VIOLETS: (optional) I use Miracle Grow's little sticks to encourage continous bloom; and, it works!!!
Year round blooms.