Backstory: Dear Phyl,

I've been lying a lot to you the past 3 weeks.  Making 21 hand-stitched chicken masks was a bigger challenge than I first thought and I had to keep a steady pace to finish the job on time.

Aug 30: the first successful mask was complete and I was on my way to cutting out 40 combs. I was about to become less available and would make you wonder what was going on.  I am so sorry, but it was for a good cause.

Sept 12: I was sick today and didn't feel well enough to go to work, but that didn't stop me from sewing almost all day.

Sept 15: inching closer, but you must think I'm a nut job.  This afternoon when we couldn't connect to go shopping together, I had actually rushed out to buy more embroidery thread.

Sept 20: there was no way I had time to make the food I'd committed to bring.  Thankfully, Stacey volunteered to make it all.

Sept 21: The day of the party! Morning coffee and sewing on the last pieces of elastic. Done at 12:20.

Lots of work, but so worth it.  

Breakfast with Ade

A couple of weeks ago, Ade asked if I could make a simple cover for a doll bed mattress which she keeps at her house for granddaughter Kylie to play with. Simple? I couldn't do that and went way overboard to create something special for a good friend.  This morning we met for breakfast so I could give it to her.

I used only scraps from the Baby Skaug quilt.

I like the finished product so well that I made a cover for a chair pillow for myself. 

Perfect morning

I spent last night at Justin's.

 

Perfect morning: coffee, a bit of sewing on the latest project, daffodils in bloom, 

 

neighbors coming by for a chat,

Justin is talking with Justin.

and today's chores: pruning all the walnut trees.

 

Lunch at Four Sisters

With Adrienne. Located at 9050 Fairway Dr, Ste 165, Roseville CA 95747. Good reviews on social media, 45-minute wait at mid-day on a Sunday, and worth it.

I had the Spice Up Your Day Omelette - excellent.

Even better, catching up with a good friend!

I'm wearing the top (cut out on the floor) most recently completed; sashiko embroidery of oct0pus on front.

Six to Australia

These photos were sent to me by Anna this morning. 

Part of Anna's message: "We are through security and at the gate. The dolls have enjoyed the trip so far. I posted pics on Facebook and two friends who have met Mark and Carolyn only a few times knew exactly who the dolls were supposed to be."

Part of a message from Carolyn: "Here is my favorite airport story. We are struggling under great mounds of bags and backpacks and Carys is walking along oblivious to her surroundings and dragging Grandpa Doll by one hand. I asked if she is helping him walk and she replies with her sweet smile,  'I have to help him, Gwandma, because he isn't real!' "

Dolls delivered

Before leaving for Palo Alto, Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Mark checked out the backyard

and shared a cup of coffee and a morning cookie.

5-year-old Rylin and 3-year old Carys and their mom and dad are moving to Australia and leaving next Monday.  They so enjoy spending time with their grandparents and will miss them very much.  Now Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Mark, in doll form, will go with them.

Carolyn is going to miss her granddaughters so very much.  Here she's creating an imaginary conversation between the dolls. She suggested that the girls ask, "Grandpa Mark, can we go to Rick's Ice Cream?"  Grandpa nodded "yes" because his head will only go up and down. 

L-R: Rylin, Jacob, Anna, Carys

The girls immediately began playing.  Rylin and Carolyn made a closet.

Carys made a desk for Grandpa Mark's computer.

A now-naked Grandpa Mark sits at the table with his computer and iPad marked with an M.  Carolyn's iPad is the one with a C.  Part of another overheard doll conversation: "... and Grandpa Mark said, 'I'll be there as soon as I check my points and miles.' "

To the Sewing Cave

On New Year's Day, I drove to E Nicolaus.  I had a project to complete with a definite deadline and not much time to finish it:  two dolls that hopefully look somewhat like Carolyn and Mark.  You saw version #1 of Mark in the blog post of Dec 1, but I thought I could do better.  I didn't like version #1 of Carolyn so I started from scratch in the afternoon.

By Wednesday night, Carolyn was 90% finished.

This really doesn't look like Carolyn and I sent her an email

sincerely apologizing for the nose.

I think her clothes turned out the best.  Last summer, Carolyn and her two granddaughters made t-shirts that said "Girls Rule."  Carolyn bought a similiar green t-shirt from which I made the doll's t-shirt and then embroidered the hems and words on the front.  I found a 100% wool sweater at a thrift store, washed it in hot water and dried it in a hot dryer.  I used the existing finished bottom edge of the felted sweater and sewed the pieces together with a contrasting blanket stitch.  The button closure came from the epaulets on another felted sweater.

Never fear, Carolyn, pants are on the way.

Being in the Sewing Cave was important.  I could stay up as late as I wanted without a sweet husband encouraging me to come to bed.  No cooking, there were amazing prime rib leftovers in Justin's refrig.  I got online just once/day to check emails but didn't answer any of them and only talked to Dick on the phone once or twice in 3 days.  Work work stitch stitch.  The Sewing Cave is one of my happy places.

More Christmas pictures

Christmas Eve. Grandma Carolyn and granddaughters Ryland and Karas. They'd just finished presenting a shortened version of the Nutcracker ballet.

I gave Carolyn a set of embroidered dishtowels.

 

                                  

 

 

 

Carolyn gave me a warm hat and wool socks - my head and feet will be so happy. 

 

Christmas Day.  Brunch at Justin's 

After dropping off my mom, we stopped to visit Dick's brother's family in Dixon.  Ladies L-R: Julie, Clara, Ann (Julie's mom), me.  Gentlemen L-R: Dick, Kevin, Jeff (Julie's brother), Tom.

 

 

 

 

Zoom ... and done!

By 2 pm, I was done!  It's about 24 X 14 inches.

Pillowcase is reversible.

And in between all this, I tried needle-sculpting, my first attempt.  With that in mind, WHO is this supposed to be?  Hint: Dick's family might recognize him.

Uh-oh, his shirt's too tight.

Zoom, zoom ...

Since I was going to be in the E Nic area for a couple of days, I met Adrienne at one of my favorite stores, Joann's Fabrics.  She had an idea for a project  for an antique doll crib so we were looking for fabric.

Then lunch at

Yum!

Back at Justin's, step one: get that fabric washed and dried. 

By the end of the evening, I'd finished the mattress cover, a pillowcase,

all the 2-inch squares were cut.