Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Bean Craft

Here is a fun craft the kids like to do: I draw a simple shape on paper (Amelia is making a butterfly) then trace it with glue and let them cover the glue with beans. Anna still needs a little help, Amelia is very patient and places each bean very carefully. 

Monday, March 30, 2009

Fairy Village






The girls and I have been building fairy houses the past month, keeping us busy while waiting for spring. Friday we placed the houses outside, made stone walkways and painted our homemade mushrooms (my favorite, they turned out so cute). Now we are waiting for the fairies to come... if you build it they will come.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Hands in his pants


Both my girls take gymnastic class together once a week, there are a few boys in the class, one I have named "Hands in his pants Evan". Every week he has his hands down the back side of his pants, under the underwear showing some butt crack and it really grosses me out!

Once he pulled his hands out of his pants and patted Amelia on the head, yuck, yuck, yuck!!!! I just think of all the rings, bars, floor mats he touches and then all the other kids touch. Needless to say as soon as we walk in the door it's wash your hands.

His mom, who is usually reading a book, has seen him do this and once I even brought it to her attention by nicely saying I think Evan has an underwear problem. She said she didn't want to embarrass him and went on reading. Last week she did see him and did go tell him to stop, which lasted all of 5 minutes. And this week... hands down the pants again and again and again!!! What is the deal? The teacher has also told him several times to stop. As a mom I would be having a talk with my child, hands in your pants and you come out of class, that's it. Am I over reacting?

Monday, March 23, 2009

School Parents Play



Brian was in the grade school's parents play again this year, our kids are not even in the school yet (next year they will) but his brother wrote the play and my sister-in-law was also in the play (my niece is at the school now). Brian was a knight and also played the mummy again, they kids all love seeing their parents act silly and I know the parents enjoy the spotlight, a good time for all!

I'm sure we have 6 more years of this now that Amelia will be at the school next year.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Peg Leg Pirate Monkey

I created this plushy about a year ago for a friend who had a baby boy. This guy loves pirates and monkeys so I gave him both. This one took a long time to make, but turned out super cute! Notice the left peg leg and removable eye patch.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Memories - The nursing home, 1981

When I was in 5th grade, around 10 years old, I lived with my family in an apartment that was attached to a nursing home. My father was the head nurse so he had to be available at all times, day and night, since death was a daily thing. The apartment had a door that opened to the nursing home. To me it was a door to a wonderland, full of good and bad adventures. I knew, even at my young age, none of my friends would ever have these experiences.

The good:  Old people love kids, so I received a lot of attention from the residents and was always welcome. I helped play bingo, do exercises, I loved to help in the kitchen setting up the trays with silverware, salt, pepper, etc. I remember feeding the elderly residents that could not feed themselves. I wheeled them around the home to places like the in-house beauty parlor. 

I remember having a friend come over for a sleepover and taking her on "my" elevator and going down to the kitchen for ice cream which was like Baskin Robbins, minus 25 flavors. But hey, 6 flavors was more than most have in their home. My very favorite thing to do was deliver the mail, everyone loves to get mail especially, the lonely. I remember reading the mail to one lovely lady that was blind.

The bad: Speaking of delivering the mail, one day as I knocked on a door I thought I heard a, "come in", but as I walked into the room there was a nurse helping a lady get dressed, but I saw her topless and was stopped in my tracks. In a split second I saw her droopy breast sag down to her waist surrounded by ripples of wrinkles throughout her body. It is a vision that will never leave my brain. 

There were the scary old residents, one lady slowly rolled through the halls saying, "Penny, Penny, Penny" that was all she said over and over like a skipping record. I was told that her daughter's name was Penny. Back then she just scared me, now I think about how sad it is.

My father never wanted me to get too close to any one resident, he wanted to protect my brother and I from the reality of death that surrounded us. I guess he did a good job, because I remember more good than bad.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Cirque Du Rouge

I was hired to create four of these 3ft dolls as decoration for the Red Ball, a yearly fundraising event for the doorways housing. I love to make plushy toys, but this was a first and a fun challenge. We hung them on silky fabric to replicate fabric trapeze artist. I have one more doll that Amelia wants me to finish for her.

Friday, March 6, 2009

"Gloria the Monkey" by Amelia

Amelia surprised me with this monkey collage she created totally by herself. Drawing it, cutting it out, then gluing it together. She is crafter after my own heart! She named it Gloria.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Nicknames

I have had several nicknames throughout my life so far:

Marge & Pebbles: these both were because of my hair, when it was really long before going to bed I would put my hair up into a ponytail on top of my head. My dad called me Pebbles when he saw my hair like this, my sorority sisters called me Marge.

Radar & Baby Ray: Radar was my nickname at age 16 while working as a life guard at Camp Cedar Ledge, the girl scout camp. It quickly became Baby Ray since I was the youngest employee at the camp.

Pokey: I can't remember how I go this one? I think it may have been from when I was a camper at horse camp.

T-Bone: my sister-in-law calls me this every once and a while.

Rose: sometimes I say stupid things but always with a smile, so my sorority sisters started calling me Rose after Betty White from the Golden Girls. Since I was the youngest pledge I guess I had a sweet innocence to me?

And the most unique nickname... Fruit of the Loom.... another hair inspired name given to me by my sorority sisters, because my curly hair bounces back wash after wash!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Plushy Squirrels are nice!

Here is another maid-to-order plushy I created, a cute squirrel with it's own acorn. I like this kind of squirrel, the live ones just keep attacking my bird food and digging holes in my potted plants, aghhhh!