Me and My Shadow...

When the Lapps family comes to visit, the whole family moves in. It's fun to have everyone in the house---12 of us, but it's pretty crazy and messy. I usually get up around 5 a.m. to have a little quiet time to myself. Usually, by 5:30 (which is really 6:30 their time), Elizabeth finds me. We snuggle on the couch in front of the fire and talk. She tells me all about what's happening in her life. We talk about school, friends, teachers, her sister and brother and whatever has been going on in her life lately. I always talk about books. I ask her what she's reading. She says she does not like the "DEAR" program at her school. It stands for "Drop Everything And Read." That sounds pretty clever to me.

Sandy told me that since she knows I enjoy this quiet time, she tried to get Elizabeth to crawl in to bed with her. She said, "heck no, I'm going down to find grammy." I love that. She's growing up so fast---8 already. It won't be long before she's sleeping "in" like the big kids.

She loves crafts of all kinds. Remember that I taught her to knit at Thanksgiving. By the time she got here for Christmas, she was almost out of yarn and finished with her scarf. But, it was not going to be long enough. It was full of holes and pretty lopsided. I could tell that by about the last 6 inches, she had really gotten the hang of it. I asked her if she wanted to take it apart and I would help her start over. She agreed. We were watching Mary Poppins. I got her started again and did about 6 inches. I asked her if she wanted to knit and she said, "Come on, grammy, you have to do more than that!" I guess she thought I was dumping it back on her after I had undone all her hard work!!

It was a crafty Christmas for Elizabeth.

We had finished opening gifts and it was about 10:10 p.m. when half the family wanted to play poker. Elizabeth asked me if I'd teach her how to needlepoint---her favorite gift because it was "real"---meaning not a kid's plastic canvas type. I did it up really nice for her---floss bags on a project ring, tiny scissors, needle magnet and her canvas mounted on a frame---ready to start. She said, "Grammy, will you teach me to needlepoint now?" Okay, it's after 10 p.m. and I've been up since 5 a.m. I must have had a "look" because she quickly added----"or anybody else that knows how!"

How can I resist that. I said, "Okay, bring it here." I just cannot turn her down! She's really good at picking up things quickly. It's a good thing too as the teens were trying to print a picture for a last minute Christmas gift. All of this at 10:30 at night! I'm a morning person. But for my grandkids, I'll do just about anything. So, I helped get the photo printed and framed. I do have ALL of the proper tools.

Back to Elizabeth. She picked up the continental stitch in about 1 minute---really. She's doing a fine job. She has even mastered threading her needle.

I did suggest that she pull her hair back and move in to the light. But her young eyes served her well.
She worked diligently and did a great job.

 We'll make this in to a pillow for her room when she finishes. It's hard to tell, but she's finished the far right turquoise strip and a little of the light blue.

She has actually done a very nice job. There is a skipped stitch, but we'll pick it up when she finishes. Traditionally, needlepoint is supposed to look as good on the back as it does on the front. That's not a serious consideration these days as most things are made in to a picture or pillow and you never see the back. I don't intend to ever make a rug.

E does not quite have the hang of the "back". It won't show, but she has wasted quite a bit of her fibers.

Speaking of needlepoint, I picked up my finished snow family pillow. It turned out so cute. I was very happy with the fabric and trim I picked.

The woman that does my pillows did a beautiful job. She really understands what I want.

I did the Christmas tree pillow a couple of years ago. I don't usually have these together, but I moved the tree pillow off the couch so it wouldn't get sat upon. I have plenty of other pillows to be used, just not my needlepoint ones---they are to be family heirlooms. 

I had this one finished for Morgan and gave it to her for Christmas.

I forgot to take a picture, so Morgan sent me this. I cropped as much of the pink background as I could, still, it's distracting. The yellow is a sheer nubby fabric that was lined with yellow satin. It's really pretty. This was from a class Karolyn and I took back in October. 

Jordan has requested something. I thought it was because she knew I had done one for Morgan. Turns out, when Steph got out the Christmas pillow I made her, Jordan texted me then with her request. I had just started another Christmas piece. I'll be finishing it this holiday season, so it will definitely be ready for Christmas 2014.

I love to stitch while watching a movie. That reminds me---Downton Abbey starts on January 5th! I can't wait. I've already pre-ordered the season. I still have "Call the Midwife" that I haven't watched yet. I like to wait until I have a chunk of time to have a little marathon. 

More to come about our family antics.