Christmas Eve and Grandma's

Gingerbread Houses 2012

It is becoming a tradition to decorate Gingerbread houses each year. A tradition for Cameron and I that is. Cameron is the foreman and I am the manual labor.

Santa and his lead Reindeer.

Santa, please stop at our house.

Holiday Family Pictures

 Aren't they cute!

Thank you family, for cooperating.

I told you it wouldn't hurt.

Decorating for Thanksgiving

Since 2009 - Calvin and Hobbes

Yes, James was again his favorite persona. It works!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Club Mouseketeer costume

Just when you think they are too old to Trick or Treat...

B's costume was a little too retro. She was disappointed to have to explain what was certainly obvious!

Obvious if you grew up watching TV after school in the 50's

Storm Trooper Mask

So Cameron is all about this Stars Wars business and dressing up for Halloween. He designed this Storm Trooper mask out of a milk gallon jug. We cut holes under the mouth and slits on the eyes. Not that I am recommending kids wear plastic on their faces... I was just so impressed with Cam's creativity with raw materials and a permanent marker! Cam is going as a Jawa this year.

Jawa and Trashtromech Droid R2D2 Costume

Here is Cam's costume design.

The complexity required the sewing help from Mom...

And the construction help from Dad... Can you guess what R2D2 is made from???

The design was all Cameron. The worlds biggest Star Wars Fan... Even too young to have seen these movies in theaters.

Thanks to Audrey for introducing these movies to Cameron.

 

Super Saturday

So, I did finish this project for Thanksgiving. I even made two of them - one for my sister. Thanksgiving is an under decorated holiday... This will make a welcomed edition to the festivities!

Bibbity Bobbity OOPS!

I love to decorate for Halloween and making decorations for the porch is especially fun! These artistic installations can be a little bigger and bolder that what is inside. This witch seems to have cast a spell that backfired. What fun to make. The pattern came from an old magazine; Country Marketplace Fall Spectacular 1998. I was inspired and tucked the pattern away. When I saw the "Sit for a Spell" chair idea from other bloggers I knew it was time to make the frog witch for my chair.

James is 15

Make a wish...

 I hope your wishes all come true.

Thank you everyone who sent a card and a gift. We miss having family close by.

Brianna's First Day of College

This is a picture of Brianna being stocked by her mom the morning of her first day of college. She grew up so fast! Best wishes with school, may all your dreams come true.

Brianna's Graduation Quilt

This is a picture of Brianna holding up her quilt. I love this simple string quilt. The colors are fun and the striped fabric (traditionally a solid) makes it a little bohemian. Its backed with flannel in B's favorite color (bright teal) so its cozy. My biggest challenge was deciding whether to quilt as you go or have it quilted. A friend recently acquired a quilting machine and did the work for much less than I expected. Best of all, the quilt was ready for
Brianna's birthday!

Brianna's Cake

We had so many ideas to choose from. Cameron thought that his sister would want a German Chocolate Cheesecake. Mom wanted to make a Chocolate layer cake with ganache. What Brianna wanted was Minnie Mouse Cupcakes. Easier said than done!

My first  batch of cupcakes had muffin tops...

I let the boys eat them.

 The second batch of cupcakes were brownies.

Brianna said 'no' to them. I frosted them with coconut and peacan frosting.

The third batch came out okay.

 The adorable bows were hand drawn candy melts with a squeeze bottle.
18 cupcakes looked pretty good.

But, the frosting was too soft. It started slipping off the cupcakes while we were at church.

I just will never make it as a caterer!

Webelo's End of Summer BBQ

Cameron has completed Forester, Outdoorsman, Traveler, Handyman, Aquanaut and Craftsman.

Its Official

With Cameron's evaluation complete today,.. its official: All my boys are autistic. For me, this means that normal at my house isn't normal. They say that moms of autistic kids spend an average of 2 hours more a day parenting. I don't know about that. I do know that there is a lot of drama. The hardest thing for the me and the family... James and Cameron have anxiety and their expressions of anxiety are stress inducing for everyone around them. Everyday setbacks become major issues!

Brianna's Graduation

This is such a huge event!

Not just because the venue is a sports arena and Brianna's face is projected on this Super Tron.

 The feelings of relief and triumph.

 The attendance of Grandmas who remember when.

 Sharing it with friends...

 Pride and joy. Its huge.

So here is what I did for my niece's graduation last year...

In honor of my niece's  graduation, a jeans quilt with her school colors in t-shirts. A big quilt; approx. 60" x 67".



Or, 132 - 6.5" squares sewn together with a half inch. seam.

 Here is the back.

A collection of toss away legs from jeans and overalls...

donated from many sources. 132 squares.



Making this a GREEN jeans quilt.

 Here is a close up of the magic that the washer conjures up. Look at those fuzzy ripples of cotton. Love it.

Here is a close up of the reverse. As comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans.




What have I done for my own daughter's graduation?

Well I have a week. Maybe I'll come up with something.

Sewing Room and Guest Room

We are getting ready for company. Do you think our guests will like this arrangement? Lots of shelves for books and knickknacks. Cool green walls and little punches of color.

 And, when company has gone, the bed folds up in the shelves leaving plenty of space for creating. Brian added the roomy cubbies on the left to store the supplies and projects in the making.

 Here is the view of the south end of the room. It is first and last my sewing room after all!

When you come to visit, I will make room for you. Consider yourself at home. Do you like?

May the Fourth at the Air and Space Museum

Cam is a recently initiated fan of the Star Wars movie series. He has added this theme to his growing collection of Lego sets.

So in honor of May the Fourth Be With You day, we visited the Air and Space Museum - Wings Over the Rockies at the Lowry airforce base. We saw a short film in the Harrison Ford Theater AND we were able to see these props from the movie.

Impressive, right?