Cousins & Good-Byes

Roxie with some of her blond cousins! Babcocks came up last night to celebrate the holidays, eat fantastic chocolate silk pies, say good-bye to Em & Stew.
Emma wearing an altered sweater. I told her she was like my ultimate Barbie doll, dress her up and see how cute she is, try on new outfits, and marvel.
There was a moment when brother John and his daughter stood up with the same gesture/motion/stance, twin-like, clearly related. Alice said, "Did you see that?" It was uncanny, fascinating, clearly physically related movements.
The last sibling together photo for a long, long time.

John-husband just took the college children to the airport. We will see Stewart at the end of April, but Emma is thinking of staying spring semester. Stewart is putting his availibility date for Church mission at first of May 2011. He will be gone for two years, overlapping the possibility of Maxwell being gone...This was a big deal last together Christmas!



I want to remember them all together, their in-jokes (goats and all), gentle teasing, silliness, seriousness, hugs & kisses after family prayer, harmoniously singing, stalling before family prayer while we are all on our knees, eating together at the big expanded table. This is my family, no matter how spread out we become. I hope they always want to come home, gather and be happy talking together.

Living in Your Own World of Your Making

I was doing research for a planet mural and found a fun tool: make your own planet!

Emma learned how to do it and here is one of her creations using photos from her trip to England:



These planet "worlds" make me giggle.

It's a Good Day When I Can Touch Paint

Didn't paint any walls like I would have liked to have done today. But I did clean up spilled paint, put it in smaller containers. Must carry a hammer with me to mural jobs so I can securely close lids before bringing things back home.

And thrift-shopped with Emma. And did a Target run. Thank you to the anonymous quilter friend who gifted me with a gift card there!

Thank you, Mom & Dad. One of my seminary students facebook "Happy Body Day" to me! Love it!

Grandma's House

Sandy Mom, my husband's birth mom (yah! THANK YOU FOR HIS BIRTHDAY!), collects Nativity figurines. She has a whole village--elaborate set-up every year. Suzu helped, and I gave her the camera last night to document the village.


I can't remember his name, but I think the spotted lamb follows a Christmas story book Sandy read to our children one year. I altered him, gave him his spots, gifted him to Sandy one year. She has over 10 cats througout the village, lots of birds. She loves animals.

I like the carpet seller. I think his rugs look like great quilts!

This year she added Salt Lake temple square to the collection. That's John Wayne standing behind the temple!

Cold Children Hexagon Pose

I woke up with the distinct thought that I needed to take more photos while all my children are all together. Changes of missions and unknowns will make it harder to get all of these beautiful people in one place.

And they are good sports. It was starting to snow. COLD. And I insisted on a photo shoot outside for the great lighting!

This is my favorite one. Well, except Sam is on the end of his patience, plus being hungry after Church. When John saw it, he said, "Cool snowflake effect!"

It didn't work having them look straight up in the sky. Too bright, they said.

Christmas Day Suprise!

We asked them to get dressed warmly, make a sandwich, grab a book for a 2 hour car drive.

As we drove, Suzu thought maybe we were going to pick up a dog, because she saw kennel signs.

Emma thought we might be going to an amusement park.

Max thought we were going down to the DC temple. (That would have been a good idea!)






We went north. To a place called Washington Crossing.








Washington Crossing is the name of a town in PA. They were well prepared for the crowds, plenty of parking, visitor facilities. Bring your own lunch, or you can buy pretzels and hot chocolate and food at the inn.

Cold, exciting, fun! I loved it! It was patriotic good fun!

Suzanna asked if this was a new Christmas tradition?

Sweater Day 6

This is my favorite make-over. Apple green cotton cardigan sewn to thirfted silk cream short-sleeved too small sweater. Lace added to transition bumpy/ripply seams.

Merry Christmas!




If you ever see these baking molds in a thrift store, grab them! I had doubts, looking at the intricacies of the detail, but they made perfect little bundt banana cakes to give away. "Nordic Ware" is on the bottom of the pan. $1, thrifted treasure!

Sweater Day 5

Lace at shoulders and snowflake doilies added along button edges. Easy, white thread, zig zag stitch.

Sweater Day 4

This bright yellow-green sweater started as a crew neck. Cutting up center line creates cardigan. Added ruffles to finish edges. Needs a belt or ribbon tie to hold shape...Who gets this one?

Sweater Day 3

Blue thick cotton sweater started out as a turtleneck. Cut that off first (Roxie hates turtlenecks, doesn't like how they feel or fit). Added apple green cotton stretch jersey band (from another sweater) and sewed on a hot pad flower.
Crocheted hot pads as corsages!
More hot pads=possibilities!

Sweater Day 2

I wore the sweater at Cranberry the day after Thanksgiving this year. Black high-contrast paisley (Persian Pickle!) on cream print.

I've thought of over-dyeing it. Soften the contrast, mute it some. But I love the orange in it, and the pokes of turquoise scattered. Almost made the arms longer than the 3/4 length (but that is one of my sad altering mistakes, can't control the stretch/rippling without adding distracting trims).

Here I am exploring neck altering options. So this is more sweater-in-process, not finished yet. It helps me to try things on the mannequin (Mandy) that rests on my sewing table. Every time I see it with fresh eyes, I try to evaluate my reaction.

"Does this work?"
"Does it draw the eyes UP?"
"Is it too _____?" freakish, gaudy, crazy, artsy, edgy, Bohemian, attention-grabbing, boring, tacky, inappropriate, or just right? What style am I striving to emulate? What image? Who am I, anyway?

Sweater Day 1

I like this softened, romantic-photo version of this creation. Camera was not working well last week, so you don't get a before photo. Imagine this lovely silk coral cardigan $2.48 at thrift store, and four old t-shirts in various colors of salmon, faded florescent pink, orange, and pink. Ruffles made with 1.5 inch strips, no hemming sewn in like this lace version.

Truer colors for the real me. This sweater is so comfortable. Not all my experiments have been sucessful. Some flopped sadly. Must be honest and show them this week, too.

NWBW * b/w Kitchen & Dinning Room

*Non-Weight-Bearing Wall









This was Friday, the first morning Emma & Stewart were home from college. Finished up seminary with a grand party of crepes & birthday cake! Then our home teacher came over, with his tools & talents. Best. Barter. Ever. Trade you a painted mural or two for the talent and know-how to knock down a wall, rewire, and build a half-wall back up!



All I want for Christmas/birthday and for John's Christmas/birthday is a new stove. And a place to put it! No more 1950's cook top and tiny, tiny oven that wouldn't even fit a cookie sheet in either direction.