First, the break. I’ve been finding myself jumping online to post something funny Walker said or did, or just a random thought, on my facebook status. A little too often! No one REALLY needs to know that I’m ready to go home from work and what I’m having for dinner!! So I’m taking a break. I’ve been meaning to streamline my online presence and my time online in general. I spend ALL DAY on the computer at work, then come home and spend the evening playing on facebook?? Too much. So, I’m taking a break. Plus, there are so many people on there now, that it’s not the intimate little conversation with a few college friends that I enjoyed. And no, I don’t have to accept every friend request that comes through. And I don’t. But it’s still grown beyond that intimate circle I enjoyed. And, while I’m proficient at privacy controls, it’s still not the same. So the first thing is to break the habit. I’ll start with a week. No facebook or livejournal for a week. Hold me to it!!
Which ought to free up time for PROJECTS!!!
I’m currently finishing up the second half of a weaving commission. And in between, I plan to finish unpacking at least one room in my house!!! Oooh, and I’ve picked out the fabric for curtains in my room. It’s not available locally, so I’ll have to order it, but I love it!!
Looks a little crazy and busy, but I saw a set of curtains in another color and loved how it looked. I completely changed my mind about the other fabric line I’d been looking at. I never could pick quite the right one anyway…which was not a problem at all this time! That tells me I have my answer!!
Oh…and a snuggly project coming up!! I have the Folksy Flannels coming to me! Yes, I’m a sheep and totally copying Nicole and SouleMama, but they’re so pretty!!! And I neeeeeed it for my new room, right?!?!
My project: dusting off the loom for a special request from a friend I haven’t seen in years. Proof it’s been too long…I had to read the handout I made for a class I taught on this technique several years ago to remember a few things. But it’s like riding a bike. And it’s fun to be back to weaving! It really has been too long!
Little boy has discovered how fun a big box can be! He keeps declaring “I love my new house!” It’s just big enough for him and a few toys. But cut a door and a couple of windows, and it’s awesome!
It’s not Christmas any more, so I can spill the beans on the super secret project this year. The theme was VANILLA! Lots of it!
I had intended baskets, but since I needed to ship half of them across country…the cookie tins turned out to be a safe way to package them! Just the right size too!
There was a burning incident (both the caramels and myself!) when trying to make Fleur de Sel Vanilla Bean Caramels, so I had to scrap that part of the plan. But everything else turned out as planned!
My cupboards smelled amazing while the beans were in the sugar making vanilla sugar!! And I’m completely hooked on the lip-balm. Lucky for me, I made LOTS! Maybe one day I’ll try the caramels again, but not now…the project list looms now that the move and the holidays are done!
You are funny and polite and older than your years (until you do something like spin in a circle until you get dizzy). You love horses, anything with wheels, cowboys, lassoing the cat (poor Mr. Pete!), pretty much any animal.
You also love to be a princess and dance with old musicals and decorate your body with markers to be beautiful. You’re constantly singing–real or made up songs (many of them have “poopy” in them).
You are silly and make goofy jokes. You are kind and worry when people are sad (“oh, he’s sad! His mommy is at work!”) You always have a smile and a hug.
You’re growing out of clothes faster than I can find them, but you have an obsession with “airplane pants” just like Daddy. (airplane = camouflage) Every few days I manage to pry them off your skinny little body and they get “lost” in the laundry for a few days.
Your vocabulary, grammar, and pronounciation are fantastic and you’re so careful to say things properly. You stutter a bit when excited, but have embraced the challenge cheerfully and just take a big breath and announce “I got stuck!”.
You’ve got a crazy memory for little details from a year ago and song lyrics and anything you ever saw on tv. (Might be taking after Grandpa D. that way.) It makes it possible to keep a real relationship going with your family even though they’re all out of state. You really remember them and don’t need to get to know them again every time. It’s a blessing for everyone that you have this skill.
You are adjusting to our move and life changes better than could ever be hoped. There will be ups and downs, but you have two parents who would change the world for you and that will get us through any changes.
Happy Birthday Baby Boy!! You’re three years old today! Who thought I’d be a blubbery mama on your birthday??? I didn’t even cry your first day of daycare at 9 weeks old!
Remember how this is supposed to be my crafty blog?? Yeah, me neither. But, I finally crafted something! Since the boys were in Texas, the Amazima dolls were all shipped off and the movers had done the heavy lifting…I decided to spend Christmas day working on a project I’ve been wanting to do since summer! I spent a fun day doing nothing useful at all—as you can see from the piles of boxes in the background. But I did finish up the dollhouse and I’m really tickled at how it all came together!!!
Of course, now I need to finish making that family I keep meaning to finish. But I have a couple of weaving projects to do for a friend before I do any more toy making. The Ostheimer family can live there for now.
It’s moved into Walker’s room now and I can’t wait for him to get home tomorrow and see it!!
Interestingly, the little bit that I’ve done of unpacking, it’s almost annoying to bring more stuff out. I’ve lived with streamlined belongings for a few months—even after the massive decluttering. Everything was out in boxes in the garage, and oddly, except for one or two small things—we didn’t miss the stuff! I’ll definitely be unpacking with caution and with an eye on a large pile to go off to the good-will!! And that goes for Mr. Walker’s stuff. These past few months he hasn’t even noticed that 80% of his toys were packed away. He asked after his blocks and that was it. I will be unpacking the boxes of toys with caution.
Hope you all had a fun Christmas and this time tomorrow I’ll have my baby boy back and spending his first night at our new house! Yay! Then we get all day Monday to hang out together.
Well, the boys are in Texas and I’m settling into my new home with Pete the cat. I’m contendedly getting snowed in and don’t mind at all. I have my fuzzy friend, a little food and caffiene, a whole house to unpack, and enough uninterrupted time to finally finish the dollhouse! I’m taking a break from cutting out windows. It’s been a long time since I’ve used the scrollsaw! I’m just sayin’!! So not as many cute little details, and they’re a little more wobbly than intended…but I wasn’t going for straight with sharp corners anyway, so we’ll call it organic, right?!?!
It’s kind of relaxing doing Christmas on my own. Different. Time for reflection about the changes that have happened over the past year. Next year will be very different, that’s for sure. New home, changes to the family dynamic, new professional endevours – well, an attempt anyway! Very different.
I hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas (or winter celebration of your preference)!!
Final tally ended up being 420 dolls! I’m so excited that we finished with a cushion!
Thank you to everyone that contributed time to this project. It’s been something I’ll never forget. I’ve had several very kind emails letting me know about the impact that this project has had on their lives and families simply because it brought them into contact with Katie and her life and work. The ripple affects are pretty amazing.
And the trigger was something so trivial: I was surfing for photographers in my hometown to suggest one for my new niece’s newborn photos. I fell in love with RiaLee Photography and scheduled a session for my own son. I wasn’t able to get the photos done after all, but while stalking Ria’s blog and her gorgeous pics, I stumbled onto some she took while on mission this summer. I saw the little girl with the baby doll and thought I might make a few for kids that get sick and need a little comfort…something very small scale. The rest is history!
Thank you so much for helping me make this happen! And thank you Katie for sharing your story and allowing us to help out in this small way!
Merry Christmas!!
(Now I’m off to hurry get through this work day so I can rush home and pack because tomorrow is MOVING DAY!!!!)
Just a quick note before the morning rush begins: it’s been a long week, but it ended in a stuff-a-thon yesterday with a friend and my husband. We got them all stuffed quickly. Then I spent the evening stitching them up. I’m sending another box full (75 dolls) today and that brings the total to 350! Since the ministry now has 400 sponsered children, I’m going to keep plugging away this week and get to at least 400. I know I can do it though because there are 32 dolls out there with friends and co-workers being finished, and I’ve got another 15 or so waiting to have their back stitched up, plus a handful of miscellaneous ones that needed a bit of repair before being stuffed. TOTALLY do-able!!
