Newest Granddaughter

In July we were blessed with a brand new granddaughter!  Grandchildren are the best and we certainly love all 11 soon to be 12 of ours!
In September we headed back over to Idaho for the baby blessing.  I had the privilege of making Autori's blessing dress.  It was an adventure and a challenge for me.  I have never done anything like this before.  I love to crochet, but have done edgings mostly.  I know I had lots of angel help from above.  On my own I could have never accomplished this, little lone in the 3 weeks I did do it in. 
Here is little Autori in her dress

She is a beautiful baby and her dress was the perfect one for her.  She looked like a little vintage doll.
Special thanks to two sweet friends who helped me along the way.  Jan helped me right up front with my cluster stitch...I have to say I am now a pro at that stitch thanks to a great teacher!  And thanks to Sherry for blocking this dress...she made a limp dishrag look like this!
THANKS ladies!
On our way home from this event we got this text

Okay it took me a minute to figure it out...but it is great news!  End of April grandbaby number 12! 

Landon's Birthday...he's a budding Photographer!

Nine days after the last birthday our oldest grandson has his birthday!  This year, because I am trying to keep gifts handmade...I collabarated with mom.  She said they were getting him this little camera.

 I thought I can make a strap and a case!  I mean every great photographer needs his camera with him all the time...gotta catch that perfect shot...right?  I got online and checked out all the dimensions and figured what was needed to house his newest piece of equipment.  Rachel and I shopped for the perfect fabric...safari site seeing...PERFECT!  I found a zebra webbing for the strap.  I lined it with a coordinating print to keep it soft at his neck.  What a handsome young man!

 When he is finished for the day in it goes to the case and the camera strap acts as the strap on the case.  This was a fun little project...so glad he likes it.

I also made Landon a marble bag and filled it with marbles.   I am guessing they are having fun with the marbles too.

Happy 6th Birthday Landon!

They are all growing up so fast!

Kaylie's birthday bag

I do wish I was better at posting!  It always seems like a daunting task to me and I just don't sit down to do it (insert a little hand slap here!)  It is embarrassing to say that this is from one of the March birthdays.  Miss Kaylie Marie turned 6 the 7th of March.  She is in Kindergarten and from this grandma's perspective she loves all things fun and little.  I found for her several fun "girlie" things.  Things like lip gloss, nail polish, notebook, fun pen, bubble bath...you get the picture.  I wanted a fun useful bag for her to keep these and other of her treasures in....

 I t was a fun bag and super easy to make.  I quilted the fabric to give it some stability.  I also monogrammed it with a big purple K.  I know she would have preferred pink, but the lining was purple....
I was inspired by this bag, but changed it up a bit so I didn't have to insert the bottom.  It turned out pretty cute!

Best part all of the "treasures" fit in the bag with room to spare.  Coming up soon...the other March birthday, and a baby quilt.  Not to mention thos elusive TV blankets that WERE Christmas gifts!

A Century Celebration!

Today April 6, 2012 would be my maternal grandfather's 100th birthday.  He has been gone a long time, like 51 years of a long time gone.  He didn't know any of his grandchildren, we were all born after he passed from this earth life. 

 

As near as I can determine this picture was taken in the summer of 1959 at their home in Payette Idaho. Below is a picture of Grandpa, Grandma and the girls.  Denny is missing the oldest child and only boy. 

I have been thinking about what to do to honor this man.  Nothing has come to mind until today.  My Aunt posted it was his birthday, and all of a sudden I thought.  We (his family) should do 100 acts (deliberate) of kindness in his honor.  So family are you with me?  You can come back here and post to this post or we can set up something where we can all share.  Pictures would be fun!  There are quite a few of us.  Please pass this on to other family members who might not be aware of my facebook or blog.  THANKS! 

Happy Birthday Grandpa! 

Uhhh...where did February go?

As I look at the calendar this morning and wonder what exactly I should do and where to start.... I can't believe we are to the end of the second month of the year!  How did this happen?  Where have I been?  Did I accomplish anything?  Well since it has been nearly a month since the last grandchild's birthday...I must hurry and post this before the next two birthdays appear...right around the corner!
Miss Zurie turned three the end of January.  So hard to believe these little grandbabies are growning up so fast!  I remember flying out to Oklahoma to help with older siblings when she was born, experiencing my first, to close for comfort, tornado, and wanting desperately to be able to stay a bit longer, but knowing I needed to get back to my life and home.  Now that little doll is THREE!  Just like the month of February flew past, so did those three years.  Sometimes I just can't hold on well enough.  Well here is her birthday gift!

 It is a little backpack!  Zurie loves little horses.  I purchased her some more and made her this little backpack to keep them all contained.  If you look closely you can see a daisy button for the closure.

 You can see by grandpa's hands that it is not overly big, but perfect for a  2-3 year old.  I used Kalleen's tutorial from this site.  She has such great ideas and is always doing something fun.  Her tutorial is quick and very easy.    I did quilt my outside fabric (the frogs) with a piece of batting.  I wanted the backpack to have some stability and be sturdy. 

I added a magnetic clasp for the closure.  I must admit I wasn't thrilled with this notion at all.  It was a fun project, was pretty easy to accomplish and from what I hear made one little girl pretty happy!  Okay the fabrics just make me smile they are so cute!

First Birthday of the Year!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

First grandchild's birthday of the new year.  Miss Kamrie had her birthday at the beginning of the month. I made her Alphabet bean bags.  They were inspired by some my daughter made for a couple of the grandkids for Christmas.  I purchased the alphabet fabric at Jo-Ann's and used 5 different colors of solid cotton.  I used purple, red, blue, orange and green.  I cut the blocks 4 1/2 " square.  I then pressed a letter of the alphabet on each solid square, I rotated through the colors.  Then I stitched each bag wrong sides together on three sides leaving the fourth side open.  I filled them with the poli pellets.  I used pins and pinned the fourth side closed.  Then stitched along the fourth side.  I used thread the color of the solid fabrics.  After stitching all four sides I trimmed the seams with pinking shears to minimize fraying.  Put them all in a small bucket.  I added some other alphabet friendly games and such to the basket and voila a great gift!  I have a vinyl cutter so I cut my own letters.  Or you can purchase iron on letters at your local sewing store.

If you would like a set of alphabet letters you can contact me at  uniqueinspirations@cox.net.

Aliya turns 8!

This little girl...our oldest grandchild, turned 8 in December.  It is hard to believe that she is that old already!

 She has grown up so fast.

 Into a lovely young girl!  We are proud of her decision.  Her mom made her dress from her wedding dress.  Not sure what she is going to use for Aliya's wedding dress as all of her special dresses have been made from one her mother's special dresses...

The whole family minus Landon (he had already left with the other grandparents).  Congratulations Aliya and thanks for letting us be part of your special day!