Made in 2008

Thank you, each and every one of you for the sweet congratulations on our newest little Big Project.  2008 was a strange year for me -- not the least of which was a month-long emotional drama resulting in a miscarriage last summer -- so the baby news is something that I am, shall we say, cautiously excited about.  We are 16 weeks along now, and every week I feel more confident.  Last weekend I actually pulled on some maternity jeans, so I suppose it is real now.

Anyway, you just have no idea how much your sweet words meant to me.  Really.  So thanks.

2008 was also the year I tried to crochet.  And slip-covered my little settee.  And did a lot of satin stitching.  And clothes-making.  Even for myself, which was something I had never done. I picked up watercolors for the first time since college and also made silly sashes for our annual Miss America Party.  Sarah set up a flickr pool called 'What I made in 2008" and this was just the little push I needed to look back and review.  

It really was a productive year.  October, November and December seemed so light on the Making, mostly due to feeling, well, tired and queasy. I was surprised how much I got done before then, though.  (And I actually forgot to shoot a couple of things.  A couple birthday number shirts and other embroidered gifties that got wrapped and given away before I could document them.  Oops)

So, here's to 2009.  I have a quilt to finish.  Some more quilt blocks for Twelve Square.  Some more sewing for the girls.  And a nursery to arrange.  That sounds like enough to keep me busy for a while.

What are your big plans for 2009?

Miniswap Fun!

On Saturday we were an hour into Fidget's birthday party when the doorbell rang.

Our miniswap parcel had arrived from Ali and her boys in England!

I cannot tell you how fun it was to explain to our merry little group what this was all about -- and then add that pretty package (can you see that cool flowered packing tape?) to our pile of presents and save it for last.  What fun!

Ali and her boys were so generous.   

First of all, her 7 year old son, Mark, wrote the sweetest (and most entertaining) letter to our girls telling them all about his school and friends and goldfish.  Very, very cute. 

Ali enclosed a note to me saying how they decided to send all the makings for a perfect tea... and wow, did they ever.

Ali even made my eldest an apron - which she modeled with delight.  Poor thing borrows mine all the time and was thrilled to have one of her own.  ??  Why has this escaped me for so long? 

And if I can get Fidget to stand still long enough, I'm going to try on the sweet little smocket Ali made, and was thoughtful enough to send a couple vintage buttons in case it was too small to tie!

There was so much in the box...

• A cupcake cookbook, which has already been studied by big sister
• A 'Duck' book (a character we adore... and we didn't have this one in our collection)
• A Magic Paint book (just use water!)  And paint brushes.  Love these.
• Cupcake decorations





• Hippo Biscuits for tea time (Mark and Johnny's fave)
• Hama bead coasters for our tea cups





• petit fours paper cups





• And more?  Yes, it seemed to go on forever.  They even included a little striped bag with lipglosses and girly stuff for big sister, but I think those have been stashed in a backpack already.  I can't find them!

Thank you Ali, Mark and Johnny!  It was all wonderful.  We hope you receive your package soon and enjoy it just as much.  xoxoxo

[ Want to see more miniswap photos?  >>> Follow me to the flickr group ]