Like Having My Own Store!

I love having gifts in reserve to just pull out and give to people when the time is right.

My niece’s baby shower is today, so I went to “my store” (my stash) and pulled out this baby blanket I crocheted a while back (in the appropriate University of Texas colors, of course):

I’m not attending, so I made a deal with my daughter: if she would come by and get my gift and take it with her, I’d provide her with a gift for the mom-to-be. I had these onesies already dyed; two in a reasonable facsimile of burnt orange, and one tie-dyed version:

I hoped to discharge little longhorn logos on the burnt orange onesies, but since I’m not doing anything this week (see post below), that didn’t happen.

I love having my own “store!” Of course, now I’ll have to replenish the stock for the next baby that comes along—and in my huge family, I can guarantee that won’t be long.

Is This Not the Best Idea Ever?

I’ve been writing in my 10-year journal this morning. This has to be the most amazing invention ever, even if you’re not into journaling.

Each day of the year has it’s own page, and a small (4-line) space for each year. Mine runs from 2005-2015, so today I can see what I wrote last year on April 27, and in 2007, 2006, and 2005.

If I’m REALLY in a writing mood, I can continue my thoughts or ideas in expansion pages in the back.

It’s amazing the memories it triggers, even if only the friends we had dinner with, the funny thing the grandbaby said, or what I was working on (last year on this day I went to the fabric store for backing fabric for a quilt I was making; the year before that, my daughter and grandson came for dinner; the year before THAT, we were in Las Vegas!).

Plus, occasionally I run across a really great idea I jotted down that I had completely forgotten about, and that might have been lost forever if I hadn’t written about it on that day.

Every year, I use a different color for my journal entries. My 10-year journal is started to look pretty colorful! I can only imagine that, as time moves on, it will be even more fun to review one day over ten years to see how my life has shifted, moved, or stayed the same.

I think whoever thought of this idea is brilliant! The journal is available on Amazon, if you’re interested in recording your own memories over 10 years. I bought one for each of my children, and for several friends. They make wonderful gifts!

I just had a thought—I think I’ll get a couple for my grandbabies who are 8 and 9. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they had a record of their teenage years to keep throughout their lives? Hmmm . . . off to Amazon!

Two Down, Twenty-seven To Go

I always feel good when I complete a project since I’m so much better at starting than finishing them. I feel especially good today because not only is it a perfect Spring day, but I’ve completed TWO projects! And to top it all off, neither one of them will get tucked away in a dark closet.

The first one is a piece I started back in January (you can read about its birth in this post). Later, I added some color to it with Neocolor crayons:

I beaded this piece while watching (or mostly listening to) TV. When it was finally finished, trimmed it to 8”x10”, added a back and binding, and fused on a label:

This is going to my sister, Suzanne, and her partner Judith, who both have birthdays coming up. If you’re reading this, Judith, Surprise! Happy Early Birthday!

The second finished project started as a piece for Lily Kerns’ Fractal Fragments class at QU; I blogged about it here. I wanted to add a lot of fractal elements, but I just couldn’t get excited about it, so this morning I free-motion quilted the piece and made it into a pillow. I’ve never made a pillow before; it was fun!

And now, I think it’s nap-time . . .