White Dress for Baptism

We actually have a grandchild old enough to get baptized. This time stuff never ceases to amaze me. 

Whole other subject here...

We are Mormon and so baptize at the age of 8 which is when we feel children know the difference between right and wrong. This makes us accountable and so able to make things right when we make mistakes. I asked her if she wanted me to make a dress for the occasion, and she (along with her Mom) agreed. I used lining of peacock blue (left over from Steph(er's) wedding, with a couple of different white embroidered cotton fabrics that you can see the blue through. 

The skirt is a circle with a pleat in the center, and it zips up the back. The neckline has a rounded yoke which is simple and sweet. It has a tea length half slip under it which is fluffy adding more body to the dress. The sleeves also have a pleated bottom in leu of a cuff and gathers, which makes it more suitable for an older girl. Usually the little girls dresses I make are puffed sleeves on top and bottom, which works well for under 6 year olds.

 Grandpa, Grandma, David (Dad,) Kara (Mom,) & Uncle Michael with Lexy in the front.

The dress she is wearing here was made by her other Grandmother for the actual baptism and is culottes so that it doesn't float up too much in the font of water. Then she changed to the dress for the confirmation prayer on her which follows the water immersion.

 Lexy Lou also liked the matching dress I made for her new American Girl doll. Nice addition. I also made bows for the 2 dresses waist area and hair.
What a beautiful little 8 year old.
Congratulations sweet girl!

White Christmas

I didn't have to dream of a White Christmas this year.
The Hubby and I traveled to Colorado to spend the holiday with our middle child.  #4 met us there as well and the snow came to us.

But first, we shared Christmas morning with these cute little chillens.

Such excitement in our lives!!!

 Team work

And look at this one!!

On Christmas day we woke up to a couple inches of snow on the ground and the beauty of it was not lost on us.

 Don't you just love it when the snow sticks to all the tiny branches and makes the world glisten.

Katz got a great lens for her camera and she took some amazing pictures that she will be posting soon, since she is on bed rest now so she doesn't have a baby at 32 weeks. Hint hint, Katz?

 Overlooking Black Lake outside of Ouray, CO. What a WONDERFUL setting for a mountain home.

And inside this magnificent home of my brother and sister-in-law are some pretty wonderful people.

Thanks Uncle Steve and Aunt Connie. We had a great week in between the 2 holidays!

Happy New Year!!!  2013 here we come.

Katz or Steph, if you have a pix f the house from the other side of the lake, send it my way?

TX

Finally Finished - Mom's Pi Shawl

A couple of years ago I posted about a project that I was working on. Here is the post regarding that crazy, lacy, sea foam green/turquoise, and difficult Pi Shawl I was working on for my sweet mother. 

As time consuming as each row was, I was excited to finish each step along the way, although admittedly, I did put it on the back burner for months at times as I was busy with other pressing projects that didn't require as constant attention as this one. 

Now after about 3 years, I have at last finished it. I will take it to my Mother and deliver it by hand for Valentines Day.

After edging for 7/8ths of the way around the circle.

Layed out and ready for blocking. The edges look ruffled instead of pointed at this time.

48 inches of center design

Blocking the edges to make sure each point is made apparent.

Center medallion and initial 8 spokes being formed.

After blocking, this Pi Shawl in my mothers favorite color is ready for any roundish table or to be folded and put around her shoulders.
I hope she can see it well enough to appreciate how much effort she is worthy of.

Charlotte

We have seen several huge spiders and webs around here since fall arrived and the plants and back yard are all finished. 
 The other day when Lena was at our home, I showed her one of the webs that stretched between the corner of the house and a bush 8 feet away. Lena then asked her insightful question of the afternoon, " Where is Charlotte?" 

I thought, "What a cute little granddaughter. Her Mom must read to her for her to know who Charlotte even is. Good job!"

Not a great picture of said spider web.

It got me thinking about a quote that I read referenced from the popular book. It is Charlotte talking about her children and how important they are to her.

..Charlotte from Charlotte's Web:

 "My Egg sac (her children) "My magnum opus, my great work, the finest thing I have ever made. Inside are my eggs, five hundred and fourteen of them. I counted them. I got started counting, so I kept on, just to keep my mind occupied. I guarantee it is strong. It's made out of the toughest material I have ."
                            - Charlotte explaining to Wilbur about her work.

Our children...are our "magnum opus. Our great work!"  Whether they come out rotten and drive us crazy:-), perfect and drive us crazy, or just as "our kids" and make us better people, they are our "Magnum Opus!"…

How do we protect them? What is the toughest material we have? Is it love? testimony? example?
Those precious children sometimes become so protected that they can't grow and develop for themselves. Unlike Charlotte's children, ours are never allowed to fall from the top and see if they can catch themselves.

I feel like I have armed some of my "great works" with good strong testimonies, questioning minds, prayerful hearts, and self esteem. With these same tools of strength, some of them have acquired these strengths of mine in lesser amounts. Hopefully they will continue to grow as I do and as they assist those around them to be their best.

We all can, with the help of our Lord, eventually be a Magnum Opus. 

Dedication

Yesterday was a temple dedication that was wired in to all of the Utah congregations.

My Mom and Dad sent all their progeny (except half of my kids who they apparently don't have in the family email list,) this little note.

We just got home from the 3pm dedication session.  We, of course are in Utah. (St George) Want all of our family to once again realize that all of you living in Utah were invited to the Brigham City Dedication.  In our afternoon meeting Elder Nelson was the voice for dedicatory prayer.  We, as the singing of "The Spirit of God" was sung mentioned to each other that all of you were singing along with us and had waved the hankie together.  Now, 139 temples are in service.  When Joyce and I were children, there were 4 in Utah, 1 in Arizona, 1 in Canada, and 1 in Hawaii.  The Church will continue to grow and assist us with our righteous activities - whether it be in school, in our homes or at our work.  Even those of us who are retired will be blessed.  

Love you all this Sabbath afternoon, GPs Kel 

Never has the church done a dedication like this before, and my DD lives in Orem, so I made her this special temple hankie and sent it last week. I used 2 different white thread types. One was a bit shinier than the other and I use that for the leaves and flowers. In the pix below you can turn your neck around (even though I can't) to see the "S".

Here is the nearly finished piece as I gathered and sewed on the ruffled lace edging.  This kind of French val (cotton) lace has a thread on its header that just needs to be tugged on for a gathering affect, and it doesn't need much of a gather to make it very pretty. 

 These 4 surrounding mitered borders were completed about 20 years ago and saved in my lace bucket. I have meant to use them for before, but usually this gets put on the back burner when I'm busy with other things like a wedding gown or something. (right Kathryn?) So now they have been put to good use. I guess that's why I don't throw things away and why my sewing room looks is out of control.

 I had an extra mens handkerchief in my socks drawer so I put Steph's boyfriends initials on one and sent it too.

 Here is the end result.  I love it. So did Steph.