Family

Not Much Going On

Another week gone by, and I have nothing much going on. I still have stuff to upload to the Etsy store, but haven’t had time to get it done. No sewing accomplished this week, either. I worked the late shift, so by the time I got home every evening this week, I was just plain pooped. All I wanted to do was eat my dinner and take a shower, then put my feet up.

DSCN4710 — Inside the restaurant at the lodge.

Today we were off, and FabGrandpa suggested that we go to breakfast at the lodge. He didn’t have to ask me twice. The lodge was built in 1928. It has massive beams in the ceiling, and lots of windows that provide great views of the canyon. We didn’t get there until 9:00 a.m, so it wasn’t very crowded. We got a seat by a window, so I was able to get some good pictures.

DSCN4713 — A view out the side window of the lodge.

My breakfast was two eggs over medium, hashbrowns, and bacon. Lots of coffee, too. I could have ordered a fruit plate, or huevos rancheros, or even gluten free pancakes. What I got looked and tasted pretty good.

DSCN4717 — Two eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon.

After we ate, we went out on the patio to take some pictures. Yes, I already have tons of photos of the canyon, but it looks different every day, in different light.

DSCN4718 — View from the North Rim Lodge patio 7-14-10

Fabgrandpa took my picture. Yes, I was posing.

Then I took his picture, too.

While we were out there, we saw my co-worker out roving. They gave us all pedometers this week–it’s a health and safety “initiative”, designed to get us moving and walking more. So, Richard was out walking the Transept Trail.

DSCN4727 — My co-worker waaaayyyyy over there on the viewpoint.

DSCN4728 — One last shot before we headed home

We went back home, and did all the grunt work–changed the sheets on the bed, turned the mattress, swept all the floors, shook out all the rugs. Then I cleaned out all the kitchen cabinets and straightened them up, cleaned out the refrigerator, and took out the trash. Yes, everyday life, only at the edge of the Grand Canyon.

We decided to cook out on the new barbecue grill for dinner. I had a whole chicken that needed cooking, so I cut it in half, put on the seasonings, and threw it on the grill. An hour later, it was delicious. I made some oven roasted potatoes with garlic to go with, and our friend, Terry, brought a three bean salad.

DSCN4746 — Barbecued chicken, roasted garlic potatoes, and three bean salad.

Yum, a great dinner, then a beautiful sunset. We sat out there at the picnic table until the stars came out.

DSCN4747 — Our friend (and FabGrandpa's co-worker) Terry

Life is truly grand!

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Tada! Nana’s Wire Wrapped Jewelry Is On Etsy!

Karen · 7 Comments

nana and poppa 1992 — Nana and Poppa in 1992

The last time we visited with my mother and father in law, Nana asked me to take some of the wire wrapped jewelry she makes home with me and put it for sale in my shop. It only took me three months, but I finally got time yesterday to take pictures of each individual piece, measure them, and write a description so that I could upload them to my Etsy shop. Yes, it is a time consuming process, but something I feel honored to be able to do for my in-laws. They have been wonderful to me over the 18 years that FabGrandpa and I have been married, so it is nice to be able to do something nice for them.

Nana and Poppa both make jewelry. They used to go all over in their motorhome, doing craft shows and selling their beautiful pieces. They haven’t been able to travel in a number of years, so they haven’t had anywhere to sell what they make.

poppa 2010 — Poppa relaxing in his chair April 2010

I only have the first 10 pieces listed so far, but more are coming, just as soon as I have a minute to get them posted. Yesterday when I was taking pictures, the battery died in my camera. It is charging right now, and later today I am going outside for another photo session.

Take a look at all the other entries at the I Made It! Blog Party at Everything Etsy:

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Mother Of The Bride Dress Ordered: Check

Karen · 3 Comments

While I won’t look as slim and sleek as that model, I have ended the search for my Mother Of The Bride dress for Becky’s wedding. I have only been shopping and searching for it since August of last year. This one has all the things I was looking for: It has sleeves, because I do not do sleeveless. It has a beaded or sequined bodice. It comes in amethyst, which is a color I like and that looks good on me. And it was reasonably affordable. It takes 11-16 weeks for delivery, the website says, so it will be a while before I can model it and see how close to her I look in this dress. I am just glad that the dress has been ordered. Now I just need to find some shoes, and a nice necklace to wear with it. The hunt is on…..

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Amelia’s Dress Finished

Karen · 5 Comments

This has turned out to be a very satisfying project. That curtain panel really looks great in the finished product.

The pattern I used does not call for an overskirt, so when I cut the skirt, I cut it about 3 inches wider on each side than the underskirt, so that it would be “fluffy”. I also cut it with the original hem at the bottom, and cut it 3 1/4 inches shorter than the underskirt, so that when I hemmed the underskirt, it is just the right length.

Here is the pattern I used, McCall’s 2053. I bought it in 1999, when Miss Sarah was born, and used it to make a dress for her, too. Her’s was a baby plaid seersucker. It turned out just as cute. I made that hat for Sarah, too. I’m thinking this dress needs a more “baby bonnet” looking hat, though.

I finished the back with baby snaps instead of a button, so that it will be easier on her mommy when she is dressing Amelia. Can’t wait to see the pictures, except that it is about the size to fit a 6-8 month old so I will have to wait. Sigh.

I’m sharing this on Everything Etsy’s “I Made It!” Blog Party

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A New Dress For Amelia

Karen · 4 Comments

Yesterday when I was in Kanab, I found this old curtain panel in an antique shop for $4.00.

DSCN4251 — Soon to be a fluffy baby dress!

Today I made this dress for Amelia. The bodice is lined and it has an underskirt, both made with a piece of fabric I got in 2002 in a thrift shop in Forsyth, Georgia. There used to be an Arrow Shirt Factory there, and this fabric was once used for making expensive men’s dress shirts. I think I paid about 5o cents for a yard of it. It was just right for this dress.

Here is a close up of the bodice. I used a piece of lace around the neckline because the sheer fabric showed the seams in an ugly way.

I still have to finish the hem and put on a button on the back, but I am so happy with the way this project turned out. And I can’t wait to see a pic of Amelia modeling her dress.

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My New Fab Granddaughter

Karen · 10 Comments

Until today, I had four grandchildren–Michael, Sarah, Spencer, and Owen. Three Fab Grandsons, and one Fab Granddaughter. Every time one of my children and their spouse announced that they would be having a new baby, I always said, “You know if you have a girl, you will have to name her after me!” I never really expected that to happen, but a grandma can ask, right?

This morning, at 12:45 a.m., in a hospital in Maryland, Amelia Summer Gail Parson entered the world. She weighed in at 8 lbs, 13 oz. She is the pride and joy of my son, Seth and his lovely wife, Sarah. And, she shares MY birthday. They called me last night to tell me they were on the way to the hospital. The last time I talked to them was at about 11:45 p.m. Maryland time. Sarah said she was only dilated to 5 cm, so they didn’t expect the baby to arrive any time soon. I told them I had to get up early to go to work, and asked that they just text me, so I would know when I got up whether or not she had been born.

This morning, I called, and Sarah told me Miss Amelia was born just an hour after I last talked to her. She told me there were pictures posted on Facebook, so while I was talking to her, I signed on to look. And that is when I discovered that they HAD named this baby after me. I got so choked up I could barely speak. And my eyes started leaking. My son said that since she was born on my birthday, she had to have my name. Her “middle middle ” name, Gail is my middle name. What a wonderful birthday surprise–not only does she share my birthdate, she shares my name as well!

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A Thrift Shop Treasure

Karen · 1 Comment

In 1976, (dang that seems like a hundred years ago) I bought this pattern and made tons of these felt ornaments. My children were little then, five, three and almost two years old. I sold the ornaments for $20 a dozen to make some extra money for Christmas. I also made enough to decorate our Christmas tree with them.

Over the years, a few got lost. Then, in 2000, my husband and I sold our house and everything we owned to run away in an RV. I went through all of the Christmas ornaments I had left and divided them up amongst all the now grown up children. For some reason my children all loved those felt ornaments. Maybe it was because we had them for so long, that it was just a tradition to see them on our tree. Or maybe it was because I made them.

I have been wanting to make some more, but the pattern was long gone. So, you can imagine my delight when I came across the pattern in a thrift store in Flagstaff, Arizona last week. So, I haven’t actually made these yet, but I am sharing the love on the I Made It! Blog party over at Everything Etsy.

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Still Looking For A Mother Of The Bride Dress

Karen · 5 Comments

And I think I may have found one. Or two. I was looking online tonight for Mother of the Bride Dresses at RomanticGowns.com! and found this one:

chanpaigne mother of the bride — This one comes in my size in Champaigne

And this one:

periwinkle mother of the bride — I love the periwinkle color.

The wedding will be in February in the north Georgia mountains, so it will be cold or cool. I don’t like wearing a dress that has no sleeves, so both of these would be good choices. I really like the periwinkle color. But do you think it would make me look washed out with my gray hair? What do you think?

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