A little bit of sewing

Lots of sewing has been going on at Redwood Sewing Center.  I've taught a few classes and of course every Tuesday morning I host a Sit & Sew from 10-2 pm.  We have lots of fun and everyone works on different projects.  

For the past two months I've been teaching three classes of The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt.  Each month we get together and make 10 or 11 of the blocks in the book.  All blocks are 6" square and there are 111 blocks in the book.  I'm so proud of my gals.  Here are many of the first month's blocks from one class.

 

 I love the variety of fabrics everyone is using!

 One night when our small quilt group of ladies was getting together to sew Sydney came along.  She wanted to sew too so her mom set her up on the Singer Featherweight and had her sew.

 

Sydney's first 9-Patch! Perfect 1/4" seams!

  What do you think of Sydney's block.  Grandma thought it was perfect!

 

The Talent Show

Today started out with Gamma & Gampa attending the Talent Show at Redwood Christian School here in Eureka. That is where Sydney has nearly finished up her Kindergarten year. She has learned so much this year: how to tell time, to count to 500 & beyond by 1's, 2's, 5's, & 10's. She has learned to read and write and play nice with other children. She's learned about the world and who created it. She knows that Lincoln was the 16th president and freed the slaves, all about George Washington & Martin Luther King and more. She knows the seasons, what month it is and so very much more.

Today was the Talent Show. Early last week Syd announced she was going to sing a song. She planned to make it up as she went along on stage. Hmmm.................. Liz suggested that she sing a song she already knew. Well, Sydney decided if Gampa would play his accordion she would sing for the Talent Show. Here's a YouTube of Sydney singing at the show. Enjoy! Watch for the high five near the end. It's priceless.

Weekend at Gramma's

Today I picked up Sydney for Weekend at Gamma's. Gamma & Gampa are going on a road trip and we'll be gone for 40 days and 40 nights....or so Sydney says. Good thing we've got someone who'll keep the cats fed and occupied! And I suspect Sydney will stop by once in awhile to say hello to the kitties.



First we went to the recycling center...getting rid of the mountain of cardboard and paper a quilt shop generates in just one week. Sydney used to stay in the car and had me the cardboard, but now if it's not too busy she can help dump it into the bins.


Second stop was the grocery store. Red peppers, orange peppers, lettuce....let's see, what else is on the list? Gamma was picking up her produce for the first part of the week and two special items for after dinner.....yum...root beer and vanilla ice cream!

When we arrived home Gramma became second best...."Where's Gampa???" I'm pretty popular unless Gampa is around. Then I'm a far second. So Sydney "helped" Gampa work on his truck, mow the back garden and other outside chores. I got everything ready for the Oatmeal Cookies we were going to bake right about the time Sydney came in to wash her hands. She cracked the eggs and put all the ingredients in the mixer bowl.

All righty....Six dozen oatmeal raisin cookies. Sydney told me she doesn't like raisins. But then she DOES like them in cookies!

Dinner fixed and eaten, then she and Gampa practiced for her upcoming talent show. She is in kindergarten and I'm not sure she really knows what a talent show is but she wants to be in it! She decided she was going to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Gampa would accompany her on his accordion. They practiced (Sydney is a typical kindergartner when it comes to singing!) and practiced and after about 30 minutes I suggested we should make Root Beer Floats! I think they both were ready for a break.
Gampa found a microphone and now they are back at it. And surprisingly....Sydney is getting better, actually singing the notes Mr. Scottie Dog is playing! We'll see how Friday's show goes. I know I will think she's the best there is! Probably Mom & Dad & Gampa will too.

Some of Grammy's Girls

As you know, I am a Grandma, a Gamma, a Grammy...doesn't matter what you call me, I am crazy for my girls (and my grandson too!). Mercedes (Sadies) Sarah Grace turned three last week. She had a SweetPea Princess Party. Technology being what it is, I used Skype to close the miles and got to go to the party. Here's a picture of the big girl now with the adorable Castle Cake Beka made.Happy Birthday Sadies! You and your cake are truly adorable!

Sydney had two milestones back to back. First we pierced her ears and Monday she lost her first tooth. It's been loose for about 3 weeks and the 2nd tooth coming in right behind it. Liz tied a thread to it and before she could even pull, the tooth popped out as she tightened the thread around the tooth.Lots of root still on that tooth! Here she is with her new tooth coming right in. I have it on good authority that the Tooth Fairy who used to bring me a dime or quarter now brings 5 (that's right, FIVE) golden coins (Buchanan dollars). The golden dollar coins are fun...they are doing all the presidents. You can ask for them at your bank. Today is clear and sunny. Sorry for my friends in the Midwest & East.

Weekend with Gamma

Saturday mornings I usually sleep in a tad, but not this weekend. We were holding a Get Acquainted Class for some of our new Pfaff sewing machine owners. Giving a class like this is always fun because of the lights you see going on. "Oh, I didn't know I could do that!" "I never dreamed I could make a button hole so easily!" "It has an automatic thread cutter?" "Oh, my goodness....it's beautiful!" You hear all sorts of comments just like these. We, at Redwood Sewing Center/Scottie Dog Quilts are overwhelmed at the response of our local sewing/quilting community since we've opened our Pfaff Sewing Machine dealership. And we are glad that they have all been so happy with their machines. One gal had confided last week to a fellow class member that she "hated" her new Pfaff. Couldn't do a thing with it. After Saturday's class she told me she's not going to sew on anything else! She loves it. I wish she'd told me that last month and I could have helped her out before! And so every month we offer get acquainted classes for our new owners.

Sydney calls me Gamma and the Haché household calls me Grammy. I suppose that when we go on our cruise next month all the grandkids will choose one or the other name. This weekend we've had the pleasure of Sydney's company. We ate dinner at her favorite place: HomeTown Buffet. I'm surprised that she first chooses a (somewhat) healthy plate with 1 slice cheese pizza, carrots, hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, grilled white fish and then, of course, comes dessert. You'd think with a vast array of desserts that she'd want several or at the very least have a problem choosing. NOPE! Every time she goes for a cone filled with orange fat free, sugar free frozen yogurt....with lots and lots (and lots and lots!) of sprinkles on top.

We came home and baked a cake. Syd's getting really good at cracking the eggs! Then we watched our friends, Huckleberry Flint, perform on TV! What a treat to see them. We like their "old timey" sound. Some of them grew up with our children and we've been fans for many years now. Then Gamma fell asleep and when I woke up Grandpa had put Sydney to bed. So much for Gamma's bedtime stories!After church today we frosted the cake and Sydney put sprinkles and jimmys on the cake. Is she proud or what?

"What's for lunch, Gamma?" I had an idea. Last week she'd asked me what a pig in a blanket was. I had a can of biscuits from who knows what in the fridge. First we smashed the biscuits and then rolled them on the hot dogs. It takes a lot of concentration.

Then you bake them (and any stray biscuits you have left-over)Next you fix your plate....did you know it's a law that you have to fill up each section of your plate? It is! Truly. And after she said she didn't want any carrots, Grandpa came to the rescue with Cheetos....she and Grandpa have a thing about Cheetos. They are too artificially orange for me! As you can see we have filled up the plate with 5 major food groups....Your bread/grain group, your protein group (hot dogs?), your milk/dairy (string cheese), your vegetable group (I kid you not...when Bill Clinton was president they classified Catsup as a serving of vegies for school lunch programs!) and your "too orange, what could be in a cheeto" group!
She looks pretty happy about the whole thing!

Right now she and Grandpa are outside doing something.....it's cold and misty (not quite raining, but certainly not dry) but they are having a fine time. Later I'm going shopping with daughter Liz and maybe a movie. Good weekend...and for me it ends today as I work all day tomorrow....and since it's a holiday I'll probably be busy.

My Grandkids are cuter than your Grandkids!

Tonight my son-in-law Jason posted some pictures on FaceBook of my Minnesota Grandchildren. They were great pictures. I made a comment on his pictures: My Grandkids are cuter than your grandkids! And it's true! At least to me and that's all that counts.

Here's some of the latest pictures and you can judge for yourself.

Sydney, age 5 1/2

Pumpkin Patch, October 2010

Jakob, age 4 1/2

School Picture, October 2010

Mercedes age 2 1/3

modeling at home, October 2010

(I included this one so you could see her face)

Mercedes, I LOVE this photo

Indian Summer fun day, October 2010 Shiloh 8 months

October 2010

Now...don't you agree that I have the cutest grandkids ever?

June is busy for Sydney

Last week Sydney graduated from Preschool. Mr. & Mrs. Sanders run a fabulous Preschool: "Rebecca's Sunnybrook Farm." She has been nurtured and educated there Mon, Wed, Thurs for the past two years. She returns tomorrow for summer fun, but technically school is over until she enters Kindergarten in the Fall. They had their program last Wednesday night.Sydney (l), best friend Madison (r) and their classmates march in to Pomp & Circumstance played on Mr. Sanders' kazoo.
Up on stage Sydney catches sight of Grandma! The kids took their turn singing with the microphones. Syd's turn came when they sang "This Little Light of Mine."
Afterwards: Madison, Sydney, Emma and Kaia. Madison is moving to Arcata next month. Sydney is heartbroken. She thought she'd never see Madison again. Then the wise mother explained that she and Madison's Mom have been friends since they were tiny and Carrie lived in Arcata and Liz lived in Eureka and they are STILL friends even now that they are all grown up. Emma & Kaia are daughters of one of Liz's Blue Bird friends. I love that my children's children are friends.

Saturday night meant a sleep-over at Grandma & Grandpa's. Sunday School on Sunday morning and then since the weather was good we drove to Rio Dell to Redwood Mini Golf. If you haven't gone yet, be sure to go. We all had a great time. If we'd known they had food we would have eaten there. Hot Dogs are only $1.99. They are open 7 days a week and we all highly recommend them.
Sydney is jumping for joy! She got her ball in with only 4, er, 5, er 6 or maybe 7 shots. Mr. Scottie Dog got two hole in ones. You'll find Paul Bunyan, a church, Eel River Sawmill and even PalCo Lumber Co. Instead of the usual windmill for hole #18 they have an outhouse and you try to hit the potty. Mine *almost* went in the toilet.....


Tonight was Humboldt Accordionaires with Mr. Scottie Dog getting to play with Gary Blair from Scotland. Sydney danced the night away. Here's a little video.



June has been busy around here.

Syd can sew!

Today when I came into the store, Sydney greeted me with, "Gamma....will you teach me to sew?" Everything I wanted to accomplish at work went right out the window. How could I resist that request? Sydney found some pieces in the scrap drawer and we got out her sewing machine. It's a white (slightly green) Singer 221 Featherweight. She wanted to make an apron for her doll. I'd say she did a good job. I had taped the foot pedal to a box and we patiently sewed the apron. Mostly she sewed a straight line. Good sewing for a 5 year-old.

Tonight was the last meeting for Redwood Empire Quilter's Guild for the "guild year." They don't meet in July or August, so in June there is a pot luck meeting. The theme was "Hawaiian." I didn't get the memo on the theme but obviously Ann & Carolyn did.Don't they look happy!A view of the room. My plate is empty...it's so nice to eat what others cook.

One of the best things at any guild meeting is Show & Tell. Here are 6 of the 8 ladies who joined together to make this quilt.
One gal had taken a photo of some pottery in a garden setting and divided the photo into 8 sections. She blew it up, created line drawings for each section and gave one to each of the quilters. They had a tiny photo (2" X 3") for true color of their section and the actual line drawing. Some sections were embellished, some were 3-dimensional, all were fantastic. Each section was quilted by the creator, then sewn together on the front and the back seams were covered with bias. They will be selling the quilt to raise $$ for a charitable organization (still to be determined). Well done, ladies.

Sydney's Debut

Sydney had her 5th birthday last month and Auntie Beka & Uncle Jason sent her an accordion. For those who know...it is a Honer and they make wonderful accordions. The first time Sydney showed me her instrument she asked which button she should push to make it play Happy Birthday since Grandpa's accordion always plays that on special days.

Last night was the monthly concert/dance for the Humboldt Accordionaires and Sydney was ready to go with her accordion. While Grandpa and the other 20+ musicians set up, Sydney set up her snazzy red accordion right next to Grandpa. Mr. Scottie Dog is sporting a new-to-him accordion himself these days. The first couple of songs, Sydney sat next to me in the back of the hall (I was binding a couple of quilts) "waiting" a bit to play. She danced a couple of numbers with Caleb...her "older beau." Caleb just turned 9. Then Sydney decided she was ready for her musical debut......She wandered up front, stood by Grandpa and proceeded to "play" with the big boys and girls.

They were quite understanding and announced over the loudspeakers that Sydney would be joining the group. So she pulled and pushed the "squeeze box" and pushed a few of the buttons. Doesn't she look happy? Pretty soon Grandpa is going to give her lessons.



After she played a few numbers they asked the 100 or so gathered to give a round of applause to the littlest Accordionaire.
One of the songs that is played nearly every month is When the Saints Go Marching In and a bunch of ladies hand out feather boas and umbrellas for the Cakewalk. Sydney and Caleb are always in the parade...he brings his own umbrella.

Looks like fun, doesn't it.

Tea Party at Grandma's

For several weeks now, Sydney and I have talked about having a Tea Party at my house. We've made plans that haven't worked out and finally we decided Thursday was the day. I'm leaving for Minnesota next week and she was going to be away for the weekend. Wednesday night she stayed over at Grandma & Grandpa's house. We made a cake for the party.

We baked one cake and several cupcakes for Grandpa.
After breakfast and chores were over on Thursday it was time to frost our cake. The frosting had sprinkles in it!

After frosting the cake Sydney cleaned up the utensils!
We cut the crusts off the bread and made two kinds of tea sandwiches. Ham "fingers" and strawberry cream cheese triangles. Sydney arranged our plate.
We had tangerine slices, pink frosted cookies, nuts and tea, of course, with our cake and sandwiches. Sydney looked for the "squares" (sugar cubes) but I must be out. We dressed in our "going to tea" dresses but forgot to put our hats on. We made polite conversation, made sure our pinkies were extended and had fun. I think Sydney used 12 spoonfuls of sugar by the time we ended. The nice thing was that Sydney went back to Mom after the party....well sugared and satisfied.

I think we'll have another tea soon and ask some friends.

The Phone Call

Today at work I got a phone call. "Gamma, can I spend the night at your house tonight?"

Sweet, sweet words for a Grandma to hear. Mom brought her to the store about 5 pm. Grandpa picked us up about 6 pm. We went to McDonald's for dinner so she could play on the play structure. Then on to Humboldt Accordionairs Jan. Concert/dance night. Sydney danced every dance. Grandma got roped in on The Chicken Dance & The Cakewalk (wearing a feather boa & twirling a red and white striped umbrella!).

Bake home in time to get the Munchkin in bed, tell her a couple of stories, sing some songs and say her prayers. "Gamma, that was a good prayer. Know why? Because we thanked Jesus BEFORE we asked for stuff." Out of the mouths of babes.

Potato Corn Chowder

Every Fall I end up making Potato Corn Chowder. This morning Sydney was delivered to the house about 9 am. She and I were going to make Potato Corn Chowder and Corn Bread. YUM! First of all we put on our aprons and then washed our hands.

Here she is with some of our ingredients. You can't see the onion and garlic cloves.

Sydney had never peeled potatoes but she did a pretty good job, didn't she?
As I cut the onions and potatoes, she put them in a pan with some chicken stock.
After the potatoes & onions had cooked we put it all in the crockpot and she stirred it all up. We turned it on high and made our cornbread.

Syd can really stir good! She also loves cracking the eggs.

After the bread was out and the soup was done we loaded it all up into the car and went to Scottie Dog Quilts. We'd made lunch for the Thursday Sit & Sew Class. Fun, fun!