Gran Jam

I can hear you saying to yourself..Who or what the heck is Gran Jam? Well..she is a 'Shopkin' , My 9 year old granddaughter asked for Shopkins for her birthday. I took a look at the Shopkins website and hoooboy there are SOOOOO many of these little figurines - they are anthropomorphized things you can shop for (there are also Petkins..wee animal items) There are oranges and apricots and hair dryers and cookies and donuts and wheelbarrows..you get the picture...they are currently on series 4...

Gran Jam is a jam jar...with granny glasses and a gingham hat... 
"Gran Jam watches over all of Shopville. She spreads love and slathers affection on the Shopkins, sweetening their lives with her kind words."

I could not find a Gran Jam in the store...so..I made one! Drafted the pattern one day at lunch. She is made of two different green fleece materials, purple gingham and a white felt face with pink felt glasses..I think she turned out pretty cute!

DGD was pretty impressed with her new Shopkin...said she was going to take it to school and set it on her desk..not sure how that will work out, but it made me glad that she likes it!

I even made a tag...

I had DGD sew the arms on..which lead to more sewing and crafting...

She wanted me to make a blue bird with red wings...

while she finished off a beaded necklace

and a landscape

She learned a whole bunch of new skills - threading a self threading needle (the ones with just an eye will come later), how to knot off when done with stitching, how to sew on a button, how to do a running stitch and the applique stitch (not very invisible..but hey...gotta start somewhere!) She did everything on the landscape except the initial knots on the thread..

Flying Kites

For my DH's birthday this year, we gathered in a park to fly kites.
Here is our favorite kite-flying spot:

Granddaughter Lily flying the dragon kite:

One of the other features of this park is it is next to Santa Ana River...and if you are careful, you can climb down to the river...last time we went to this park, the mere thought of going down that hill caused tears, but this time, Lily was a brave, brave girl and went down the hill!!

You can sense the hesitation!! Holding tight to Daddy:

But she made it all the way down!

And back up! (it was getting dark by the time she and her Daddy came back up)

Birthday Presents for DGD

Made a few things for DGD's fifth birthday...

A Tooth Fairy Pillow - DGD hasn't lost a tooth yet..and from what I hear, is kinda not so sure about the whole loosing a tooth thing..thought this might help her out a bit (I did check it out with her Mom to find out if the Tooth Fairy was going to be stopping at her house when DGD lost a tooth).

The pattern is by Two Blonde Mice..saying is:

in this pouch you will find
a teeny tiny tooth of mine
so while i sleep and dreams parade
can we do a little trade?

I used a piece of horse fabric - it might have been for a shirt for my Sis, but I don't remember the shirt - I found the fabric in with the stuff my Mom saved that I made the Heart's Garden quilt out of - only had two strips of it..so I had to piece the back..and there is almost nothing left!



A snack mat..made from a block that I got from the AZ Retreat..don't know whose bag of scraps it was in, but thought it was really cute!


Sponge balls - got this idea off Pinterest..went to the Dollar Tree and got several packages of sponges..the hard dry cellulose ones just don't work..in case you want to try these! Fortunately, I got a pack of 10 of the foam sponges..and they work a treat..cut each sponge into thirds with a scissor, stack up three sponges worth, tie with some cotton crochet yarn - I think I cut around 10 inches..use a couple of surgeon's knots to keep it from coming undone, turning and knotting it several times..Fluff out the ball and in less than 10 minutes, you have 3 soft balls that can be thrown in the house or used in the bathtub..
 

 Will be going to her party in the afternoon...

Horsing Around...

A few weeks ago, one of the bloggers that I follow announced she had just gotten a new fabric line that she designed published..she had a little contest and I was chosen to recieve some of her very cute fabric to make a pillowcase...So...here is the pillowcase and if you guess that it's going to DGD, you would be guessing right! She has a LARGE collection of horsies..but so far, not a horsie pillowcase!

You can see the whole fabric line here. Isn't it just the cutest design?? It's supposed to be in Quilt Shops sometime in February in case you are interested in getting some for yourself..

I love the main panel! Have to see if DDIL would want me to make a wall hanging for DGD's room out of it:

Wednesday WIP

Well..Wednesday is almost over, but I did want to post a bit about what I have been 'doing'- its not particularly QUILT related...but golly, is it ever FUN!!! Presenting.... my new grandbaby - Lily!She is ever so much fun to cuddle! She arrived in the wee hours of Sunday morning, weighing in at 8.15 lbs and is 21 inches long.
DS has learned to change diapers, swaddle baby and give a spit-bath. Miss Lily is amazingly calm except for diaper changes and bath time...Kid has an impressive set of lungs when disturbed!


I am scheduled to go to a craft show this weekend...I am looking for a couple of things - a wooden seam roller and I want to check out the lighted knitting needles and crochet hooks - those sound like a gas to have.