Today's Winter

Beautiful!

Yesterday's surprise

Emily arrived our house yesterday. Now Emily is special. There is a story.

Amy is really into AG dolls and has been on a couple AG related message boards. She convinced me to become a member of one of them. The other day I was reading a post from a woman who ordered her own AG doll, her first, I think. She is 41. So I got to thinking maybe I should do that. I pretty much talked myself out of it, but kept thinking about it. I even prayed about it, talked dh about it. What came to my mind was that having my own AG doll was a good relationship building tool with Amy. It really was a difficult decision, not in the life altering sense, by any means, but difficult in its own way. I was concerned about the cost although I did have birthday money, but I wondered if I should spend so much of it on a doll.

I finally decided to get one of the friends dolls because Amy doesn't have any of those. Emily is Molly's friend. Last Wednesday night Any and I sat at the computer picking and choosing what outfits to get. She even got tired! ; ) We did have a great time.

Now at risk of "protesting too much" I also want to say I fear being judged for my choice. Maybe I don't need to be concerned about that because my friends wouldn't do that. (I hope.) ; )

Today's excitement

Details tomorrow.

Spring

My parents sent this to Amy. It's cute. After clicking the link, start clicking on the page or click and drag mouse on the page.

http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

What I'm sewing

The title should probably say "What I've sewn." Here are a few items I've done over the last week or so.


Last week I started this bag with sewn with remnant fabric. It's got all kinds of pockets inside. I finished it on Saturday.



On Saturday I made this table runner for St. Patrick's Day. I did a little quilting around several of the clovers.


Today I made this zippered pouch. The idea came from a book called Bend-the-rules Sewing by Amy Karol. Her method works, but is a little complicated. I found another one I'm going to try. It looks easier.

Future projects include more doll clothes and grocery bags. (My corduroy swing coat is still on hold because it's way too big and I'm trying to decide how to fix it, one of my least favorite things to do.) I have yet to start Learn to Knit lesson 2. Soon maybe.

What I'm reading

I'm reading these as well as quilting books and magazines, a couple knitting books and I just checked out from the library Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It looks like it was published in 1906. From the inside cover:

"Now this is the story about the doll family I liked and the doll family I didn't. When you read it you are to remember something I am going to tell you. This is it: If you think dolls never do anything you don't see them do, you are very much mistaken. When people are not looking at them they can do anything they choose. They can dance and sing and play on the piano and have all sorts of fun. But they can only move about and talk when people turn their backs and are not looking. If any one looks, they just stop. Fairies know this and of course Fairies visit in all the dolls' houses where the dolls are agreeable. They will not associate, though, with dolls who are not nice. They never call or leave their cards at a dolls' house where the dolls are proud or bad tempered. They are very particular. If you are conceited or ill-tempered yourself, you will never know a fairy as long as you live."

I should also mention I'm almost finished listening to Rilla of Ingleside, by far the most serious of the eight books as it deals with WW I.

I am in need of more books to listen to, so if you have any suggestions of light hearted books let me know. I'm not into deep stuff while I'm listening and sewing at the same time.

Weather

According to the Akron Beacon Journal as of last Thursday, 23.2 inches of snow had fallen during the month of February. The most snow for the Akron area occurred in 1910 when 25.3 inches fell during the month. I don't know if our exact area got that much snow, but close maybe. : ) : )