kidding around

hi everyone- just a quick travel update…

my sister called me today and wanted to share with you all that the children were so excited to receive their gifts. she visited a government and a private orphanage.

the government orphanage was a very sobering visit with most of the infants having cleft pallets or other physical needs. they gave all the babies linus blankets and each babe a “Wee”-she said it was very hard to leave and felt our gifts were like “guardian angels” for these precious souls. she was not permitted to photograph any of the children.

the privately funded orphanage was a completely different experience with older kids just delighted to receive something personal. my sister told me that they just kept saying “thank you thank you!”. photos were allowed and so when she gets back, it will be fun for all of us to see them.

i was just so excited to hear from her and that customs was fine and that the kids were thrilled.

so cool everyone…

Meet Tess.

She is ready for my Penelope to love, but the introductions will have to wait. Peppy’s birthday is not until the 9th and I HOPE to make another friend and a few more outfits…we’ll see.

This project has been really nice to work on over the past few days. I have a long list of sewing I want/need to do, but nothing is more exciting than to make a gift for my sweet…

We are all settling into having Lulu with us quite well. Here is a conversation I overheard from Penelope and Lulu:

Penelope: My sister

Lulu: No, MY sister

Penelope: NO, Lulu, MY SISTER

Lulu: NO

Ellie must love this heightened popularity. I know I would.

Can you stand how sweet and cuddly she is?

If you are reading this Susan, she is doing just fine. She proudly proclaims you are in China and she is Chinese!

this cute little girl emerging!

I am making a doll for Penelope’s 3rd birthday. This pattern is so easy that I think I may make a few friends- the more the merrier!

The pattern can be found on the Purl Bee’s website and modified from bunny to girl. I rounded the head a bit more and made the feet a tad smaller- I think I will use wool felt for the hair and piece shapes to form a sassy bob. What do you think?

Thanks to over 35 of you kind readers, my sister and her boys are on their way to China with some very special gifts.

I was so excited for Susan to see all the gifts that I have been receiving over the past month. She was totally amazed and grateful for the generosity of all of you! The world really does seem like a smaller place when the care from strangers is felt with so much intensity. Every gift was made with so much care and thought- thanks again everyone. AND a thanks to those that were not able to contribute- I know many of you have read eagerly to see my “loot” and have cheered this project along.

So here is the final count:

barrettes- 104
cuffs/bracelets- 101
linus blankets- 123
pencil rolls- 103
softies- 71
wooden dolls- 60

So, now what will I be doing? Well, Lulu will be with us for 2 weeks and I anticipate lots of fun. I am hoping to find time to do some yard work, gardening, and a few handmade gifts for Penny’s upcoming birthday. There will probably be more photos than words these next few weeks, but that’s not all that bad, is it?

Check out the last of my “loot”!

So I am continuing on with my “growing up” series-

We are going way back to 1978, Kindergarten, student of Hamilton Martin (no longer around!), riding a little tiny school bus to and from school, living in Pittsburgh, PA…and just a happy little girl.

I love school photos and all of their horrid backgrounds and cheesy photographers. For most people this is a constant reminder of their youth- and a reminder of bad hair styles and clothing options. This shot, however, I loved the dress I was wearing it was one of my favorites…perhaps it was because my older sister wore it for HER Kindergarten shot and I always admired my older siblings (still do!).

Being the youngest of 3 girls, I always have felt pretty lucky. I never went through a really goofy stage because my older sisters influenced my music and fashion tastes…I never felt spoiled even thought I spent most of my teenage years as an only child…I never was irresponsible because, well, I already saw my sister’s learning from their mistakes.

I am a fortunate person, I know. My parents were fair, my sisters loved me…BUT I did have my share of teasing from one of them. Like my sister Susan and her friend prancing around in my training bra OR feeding me Worcesthire sauce thinking I was getting chocolate. How stupid was I?

I included a shot of Penelope because being the third, I think she is pretty lucky herself. She has two siblings she can easily boss around and they will do as she says (ahem, we are working on that!), she has 4 laps always willing to have her plop herself into, and she gets to figure out the world through all of us nudging her along…

This summer, I am taking my family back to where I grew up. I’ll also have the pleasure in showing my kids my childhood home and all of the winding roads and hills of Pennsylvania. I can’t wait to go back and feel like that little girl in the photograph.

Please don’t think I sound like a broken record, but I am totally blown away by all of you!! Next week’s mail will definitely be a big bore, that is for sure.

Check out today’s loot!

I’m still mainly focused on “Made for China” and just enjoying all the lovely treats so many of you made! I have to admit, when I sent my parents off with a load of gifts I was a tad sad to see it all go…of course ecstatic as well and impatient…I can’t wait to hear of the children’s reactions.

Check out what I received today. I am sure a few more boxes will trickle in- which is fine. As I mentioned before, my sister and I will be packing everything into suitcases on Friday.

I am in the midst of making 15 pencils rolls and a dozen more cuffs…hopefully I will make my own deadline!

I’m starting to pack everything up!

Here is a current count of all the “loot” I have received so far…

Linus Blankets- 91
Wooden Dolls- 24
Barrettes- 106
Cuffs/Bracelets- 90
“Softies”- 58
Pencil Rolls- 54

Total 423

As you can see, my goal has been met over and beyond. And I still have more packages coming!

I’m not sure if I mentioned that my Mom and Dad will be meeting my sister (and her two boys) in Tokyo. They will then travel together to China and visit 6 different orphanages. I’m really glad that between the 5 of them they can carry a total of 10 suitcases! We have vacuumn-packed 91 linus blankets into a neat 5 inch high bundle!

My sister will be traveling to Chicago with her sons and daughter Jane. We will then do some more packing and hopefully Susan can post a bit of her trip’s itinerary. After she leaves we will have Jane (Lulu) for 2 weeks. Penelope is so excited to have her- I am wondering when the “love” will wear out…1 hour, 5 days, never?!?

Okay, better get back to finishing my 75 drawstring bags!

Check out today’s update…

A few weeks ago, I found my husband scanning a bunch of photos from our early years. Over the past few years I have been in denial that I have hundreds of photographs just thrown into boxes, envelopes, plastic bags…you get the idea.

For me, photos just bring back a flood of memories and sensations of the past in a really intense sort of way. I can feel the soft skin of my first born or just imagine the 100+ temperature/humidity on our wedding day. When we first moved back to the Chicago area from LA I couldn’t even go near my photograph box. I was extremely emotional about leaving and could not even find photos to put up in our house. It’s not that I loved LA so much, but it was because I had roots, friends, family and a sense of history.

I suppose I have a bittersweet relationship with my photographs. I treasure them and love to use my camera daily, but I also keep them at a distance. Crazy, huh?

Thankfully some of the photos are just SO old that I don’t have the denial I once had toward them…I like that part in my relationship with photos…

Anyway, what is the whole purpose in this post?! Every Friday, I will share a photo from the past (and maybe organize my stash!). Whether it’s from my childhood in Pennsylvania or my college years in California- I’ll write a bit of the time and hopefully it will be of interest to some of you!

Okay- so this shot is from 1991. Nathan (my husband) and I had just met one another and we were on an Art Department camping trip to see Christo’s umbrellas. It was my first time driving a mini-van (borrowed from the university), dashing LA freeways, and really camping under a beautiful star-lit sky. We were both 18 and freshman in college. At that time we were “friends”, but I think we will both admit we were quite smitten over one another.

It was such an exciting time in my life. New friends, new world, and totally cool boy that I had all those “butterfly” feelings toward. Look how young!!