Baby Mine

Waiting for a new little grandaughter to brighten our worlds is a very hard thing to do, but a pink and brown baby shower goes well in helping to make the time pass swiftly.  I found the cutest pink elephant invitations on etsy and our shower theme was born.  Shilo and I spent an afternoon making paper elephants for a couple of mobile's, a door sign, and Shilo made all of the toothpick cupcake toppers.  It's so much fun to spend the afternoon with scissors, glue and pretty paper laying all over the room!

The morning before the shower, Shilo and I were leaving the house on our way to Brittany and Chris' to decorate and get some food supplies.  Shilo checked Facebook before we left, then let me know that my sister, Susan, had posted that it was a beautiful morning for traveling;  that she was on her way to Brittany's Baby Shower.  Hmmm...Susan lives about 4 hours away.  Maybe she was planning on coming to spend the night and had just not thought to tell me.  Well, that'd be okay.  Hmmmm....but it is a little curious.  Guess I should give her a call. 

Ring-Ring, "Hello?"

Me: "Hey, whatchya doing?"

Susan:  "On our way to the baby shower.  Jordan's driving and we're about an hour out."

Me:  "Oh.  You do know the shower's tomorrow, right?"

Susan: - a moment of silence. (If you knew my sister, you would know how unusual this is!) Then, "No. No.  I wrote it on my calendar for Saturday!"

Jordon: (I can hear him in the background) "Doesn't mean it's right.  What does your invitation say?"

((My mind is racing at this point.  Did I write the wrong date on all those invitations?? Tell me it isn't so!)

Susan:  sheepishly and quietly- "It says the 20th"

Me:  "Thank God!"

Susan and my nephew Jordan got the pleasure of helping us clean and decorate.  Unfortunately, they had to get back to Echo as they hadn't made arrangements for anybody else to feed all the critters that live at their place.  We appreciated the help, but were sorry that they couldn't join in all the other festivities!

~Sweet pink elephants were everywhere~

"Baby mine, don't you cry

Baby mine, dry your eyes

Rest your head

Close to my heart -

Never to part

Baby of mine"

"Little one, when you play

Don't you mind what they say~

Let those eyes sparkle and shine

Never a tear,

Baby of mine"

"If they knew sweet little you-

They'd end up loving you too

All those same people who scold you

Oh what they'd give just to hold you."

"From your head down to your toes

Your not much, goodness knows

But your so precious to me

Sweet as can be~

Baby of mine."

Brittany got such cute outfits.  Mazzy Kaye is going to be the best dressed little girl in the neighborhood!

All little men who have a baby sister on the way need a flashing "I'm the Big Brother" button.  One of the gals Brittany works with brought it and it was one of the most loved gifts of the day.

How cute is this?? Thanks Auntie Susan~

The elephant on the invitations were so cute that I just had to carry that over to the felted diaper bag I made for little Mazzy Kaye.  Now, if she would just stop being stubborn and come on out...Grandma wants to hold her.

"Baby mine, close your eyes"

Easter Basket Swappers Craftiness

Springtime is starting to show her beautiful face here on the Oregon Coast, along with the endless rain and even the occasional snow squall.  The blooming daffodils are a gorgeous reminder that Easter is just around the corner and our Easter Basket Swap is coming to a close with the mailing date of April 1st only a few days away. 

I hope everyone is having a great time putting your baskets together.  I've been out of town for a short vacation, then to be with family when my Grandma passed, and then a week down the coast for work.  Finally home and perched on the couch with my laptop this evening allowed for some much needed blogging time and visiting all of your blogs.  There is such Spring and Easter cuteness happening at your houses that I almost couldn't stand myself.  You guys are awesome!

Here's a list of what you've all been doing.  If I've missed anyone's springtime craftiness, please leave a message so I can share it here~

Connie's beautiful baskets at Pearls and Precious Stones - woven and felt baskets that are just beautiful!
Debbie's Spring Owl Tags at Gumdrop Mama - Adorable!
Donna's Spring and Easter Banners at Tea Loving Lady - made from beautiful scrapbook papers!
Jennifer Robin at Jennifer's Creations sent her basket out right away - You can see the beautiful contents and all of her handiwork here at Paige's Funny Magic.
Kerry's oh so cute Pincushions at Tales of a Needle and Thread - an Easter bunny and a gnome.  You have to check these out!
Laura's adorable Easter Bunny Rug Mugs at Tara Court - I've never heard of Rug Mug's and am in love!
Mary Lea's Easter Bunny Wreath at Mumsie's Musings - Shhhh!  I think I may be the reciepient of this gorgeous wreath and I'm SOOO excited!  Shhh now~

The basket for my partner is almost done.  I have a little bit to finish up on one of the handmade projects and a couple of other tuck-ins to add, then it will be off.  This has really been fun.  Thank you all for joining in and I hope you can find a minute or two to visit with the other Easter Basket Swappers. 

Gakness

It bounces, squishes between your fingers, stretches, breaks apart and melds back together.  It's GAK and boy is it ever fun! 

Alli brought me an egg full of GAK one day last week and I just haven't stopped playing with it since. 

Get it out of the egg, mush it, mess it, drape it on your desk and watch it spread out and drip to the floor, then gather it up, stick it back in the plastic egg and give it a minute.  It softens right back up and shapes to the egg or whatever container you happen to have it in.

Works awesome as a stress ball too!

A few of our funny creations are below ~ Enjoy!

Gakrope

Gaklace

And a Gakseal!

Very soon I feel a gak making party coming on at my house! Want to make some of your own?  Pop over to Alli's Perhaps Today for the recipe.  Perfect to put in the kids Easter baskets.  (Who am I kidding?  Perfect to put in ANYONE's Easter basket!)

A Legacy of Strength

Grandma may be gone here on earth but when I think about her she is still on the Alaskan waters, in the galley of a small Troller, The smell of Coffee and the sound of rubber on the bottom of the cups and her laugh.
These words were "borrowed" from my cousin, Rodney. I will always remember Grandma in the kitchen making hot cocoa for us little ones and will forever hear her voice singing hymns at church on Sunday mornings.  Shirley Marcilee Kennison Sannar passed away March 3rd, 2011 leaving all who loved her with many happy memories.
 
Grandma was born July 4th of 1923 in the Wallowa Valley of northeastern Oregon.  She was the oldest of three children and had to grow up fast when her dad passed away when Grandma was only eleven.  After being the one sent, in the middle of the night, to fetch the doctor, Grandma spent the next years helping her Mom raise her younger brother and sister.
 
My grandparents met at a dance where Grandpa was to shy to approach the pretty girl, but instead asked a friend to ask her out for him.  Six months later, Toot and Shirley drove to Walla Walla, Washington to be married.  Grandpa says it was the hottest day of the year and his wedding outfit was a $5.00 wool suit that he had saved up to buy.   Back in Wallowa County, the happy couple moved in with Grandma's mom for a few months.  Their first house together was a wall tent with a wooden floor.  Can you imagine?  A wall tent?  And in the bitter cold winters of Wallowa County?  My grandparents were strong, stubborn people their entire lives.  Grandpa, at 90 years old, still is. 

For the next few years, Grandma and Grandpa started a family, welcoming my Dad and Aunt Judy.   Work was scarce during the war and Grandpa worked all kinds of odd jobs.  Towards the end of the war he was drafted and served as a soldier oversea's.  Once back in the states, Grandma and Grandpa moved to the logging camp of Starkey where Grandpa worked as a mechanic and my Aunt Kathleen joined the family.

Early in their marriage, my Grandma had told Grandpa that her job was to be his wife and the mother of his children.  That wherever he went, she would go.  So when Grandpa's brother-in-law called from Alaska, telling him mechanics were needed, off they went.  Grandma made her new home in Ketchikan without a backwards glance.  Even though she was deathly afraid of the water, when Grandpa decided to buy a commercial fishing boat and make a living from the sea, Grandma tugged on her boots, pulled on her rain slicker and became the Skipper of that fishing boat.  For years, they trolled the Alaskan waters, making a good living and storing away many memories and stories to share with friends and family. 

When retirement time rolled around, Grandma and Grandpa moved back to Oregon but still craved adventure, so they packed up their motor home and headed to the desert every winter until just the last two when Grandma was having blood pressure issue's and problems with her hip.  Even then, they kept the motor home and refused to park it at families, instead enjoying their time in an RV park with other year round residents.  Strong and stubborn.

Grandma was a wonder in the kitchen.  I can still taste her delicious mincemeat pies from my childhood.  She loved to quilt and made beautiful handstitched quilts for each and everyone of us grandkids and even a few of the great-grands.  Grandma and Grandpa had a large garden every year, growing and canning their produce right up into their late 70's.  Two summers ago, we celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with a camping trip and family picnic in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. 

My family is full of strong women and Grandma was always right at the head of that line.  Such a wonderful legacy of strength and love she has left for her family. 

Rest now, Grandma. Your work here is done.

"And if it looks like we were scared to death

                                 Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other
                                                You should have seen it in color"
                                                          ~Jamie Johnson