"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Latest Crafting Life

During my February trip to Burbank I made seven red hearts as gifts for some family members.  This one hasn't been stiffened into shape yet.

I left Portland, Oregon, in an ice storm thanks to my brave youngest daughter who drove me oh so carefully to the airport and  I was oh so grateful to land in sunny warm southern California!

While at my older sister's home I took a photo of this sampler our mom stitched well over fifty years ago. It hung in all the homes I can remember in which my parents lived and expresses the loving feelings I have about "home."

My mom painted this rock a little over fifty years ago.  It reflects our family's love of the sea and I took a picture of it at my sister's house because I always thought it was precious artwork.

My young great nieces, Lauren and Maddie showed me how to finger knit while I was visiting them, and Maddie gave me this necklace which I have enjoyed wearing.


I arrived back in Portland in time to celebrate Valentine's Day with our traditional spaghetti dinner and a viewing of the movie Lady and the Tramp with its romantic spaghetti eating scene!
The first tulips of the year I saw at the grocery store found their way home with me.

Then on my birthday I headed down to Lincoln City with some friends for a scrapbooking weekend. I have almost finished Sarah's first year scrapbook.

We were blessed to be able to eat at a restaurant with this gorgeous view.

We were also blessed to see this stunning sunset over the ocean.

Then using Teresa's great pattern, I also crocheted four more hearts.

Once home again I started another preemie blanket using Teresa'a pretty pattern.

Then for a friend I made this bookmark.

In March I flew back to Burbank for a memorial service for my brother-in-law at the Miramar military cemetery in San Diego.  This view is looking west toward the ocean.  My brother-in-law was in the Air Force.  We thought he would have appreciated that two military jets flew low over us while Taps was being played.

There were wonderful orangey gold patches of California poppies along the freeway.

We visited the Birch Aquarium in San Diego,

and got to see such interesting creatures as this Dragon Seahorse.

Also along the way we stopped to admire this Torrey Pine

at the only location Torrey Pines are known to grow.

On the way home at the Burbank airport I spotted this book. It made me think of my British friends...and appealed to my ever present desire to be calm.  It was a quick, encouraging read!

It was raining when I left Portland the second time and raining when I got home a week later.  Since then it has rained...a.lot.more... and Spring is progressing!
See the Snowdrops Teresa and Dayle gave me last year?

Mallards and Wood Ducks are visiting the ponds again!

I watched a YouTube video to practice finger weaving one day thinking that I would teach my granddaughters how to do it, but instead their mom showed them how to make a different sort of friendship necklace weaving, and I found myself weaving this friendship bracelet using a pattern I used years ago.

My little granddaughters, Joy and Rosie brought in some Daffodils for us to enjoy.

Then I picked some sweet violets from the plants that Teresa and Dayle generously gave me last year, and put them in a little blue jar.

Earlier this evening I submitted my taxes...Yay...and several days ago I filled out a new calendar which includes camping with some of my adult children on the other side of Mt. Hood for the first two weeks in June, and a cross country trip with my two sisters in July and August.  Now we three are widows launched in new seasons of our lives...wondering what creative adventures the Lord will cheer us on to know.

What is your latest crafting life?

Gracie xx 

20 comments:

  1. How lovely to see you back Gracie. Looks like your travels have been full of interesting things. Love that seahorse. CN x

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  2. It's good to read another post from you. Been missing you but glad you had safe trips to and from CA. My calendar is filling up for April. Have two free Sat and will keep it that way. Crafting for me includes a quilt for granddaughter and thinking about a prayer shawl for sweet friend who's battling brain cancer. I'm hoping to figure out my quilt squares by Sunday and cut them out soon. It's the hardest part. Have a good weekend! Hugs!

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  3. I loved all the beautiful photos! Yes, wasn't this quite a winter spread for OR! :-) Gorgeous view from that restaurant. Enjoyed seeing all the shots.

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  4. Wow, you've been busy traveling! You're welcome for all that wonderful SoCal weather :)
    And those photos of San Diego--brought back so many wonderful memories. I hope you will always have good memories of San Diego and your brother-in-law.

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  5. Lovely to hear from you and to catch up with all of your news Gracie. I have missed you!

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  6. Hi Gracie, we really have had a lot of rain here in the Pacific Northwest. I'm glad you could be with your sister and then at your brother-in-law's service. Sounds like you have some good plans hatching. I like that thought of sister travel. One of my sisters is now a widow. They are talking about sunshine next week...I hope they are right!

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  7. It is nice to catch up on all your adventures, Gracie. And I loved the sampler your mom made. It must be special to see it displayed in your daughter's home.
    Amalia
    xo

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  8. Gracie, a lovely post. You learned to finger knit! good for you. I bet Teresa missed you when you were gone. Swim pals that you are. We are thinking of a trip to PNW for AL's 30th bday next year.
    My new venture in knitting is starting as soon as i get the kit in the mail!! Mother Bear project here I come

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  9. What a lovely post, catching up with all your travels and your crafting. It's nice that you've been able to visit family so much lately and you clearly inherited your love of crafting from your mother. That photo of the coast at Lincoln City is really wonderful. x

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  10. Gracie you have been so busy. I am so glad you have been there to comfort your sister in her time of loss. How exciting yo have planned these wonderful adventures. Sending you a hug.

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  11. It is wonderful to see you back in blogland Gracie. Your late winter/early spring has been so busy with wonderful travels to family and the tribute to your brother-in-law at Miramar was wonderful. It's easy to seee where the creativeness in your family comes from. I so enjoyed seeing the projects from your Mom and nieces. I'm so happy you have plans already for the summer with your family too. You are such a blessing in the lives of everyone you meet my friend. We're hoping for a trip to Nebraska in June or July. Brad & Mandy are moving there later this month. It will be wonderful to see all of our families while there too.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  12. Hello Gracie. Lovely photos of your travels. I like the idea of travelling sisters. I am still making my cards, holding my class once a month, also a little knitting. Hugs Anne x

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  13. Oh Gracie what a lot of news, it was all wonderful to read.I love your zest for family, crafting and life. Happy plans, making and travels. Jo xx

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  14. Oh Gracie, how fun to see your comment! And what...you were that near me!!! Oh how I wish I had known! Actually, you were nearer to me when in San Diego. I would have loved to meet you!!
    I see you come by your crafting quite naturally, as your Mom was very talented as well. Such treasures your sister has. I hope you have some too.
    I am happy to be able to do a little blogging again. Life has been a but unsettling, but has calmed down now. I look forward to catching up with all of my friends.
    xo Kris

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  15. I don't really have a latest crafting, although I have found a new crafting group to join here in Bangkok, I too am a fellow scrapbooker (lapsed) Gracie! Maybe I can get back into it!
    Have a lovely weekend
    Wren x

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  16. A wonderful catch-up, Gracie, I so enjoyed coming along with you! So many interesting and crafty things you have been up to! Lovely to visit family in a warm climate and see some of the sights. How sweet that your nieces made you a little finger knitting necklace. Lincoln City used to be one of my old haunts when I lived in Oregon. We would go camping there every summer and my Mom and I would leave the guys with the kids and go into town to do some shopping. I sure miss those days....Your little hearts are very sweet. Sounds like you have some wonderful trips lined up, too. So sorry about your Brother-in-law, but a nice memorial for him. I have the very same blue bottle vase. It was my Mom's. Love seeing your dear Mother's needlework and rock painting. Such sweet treasures. Hugs and blessings xo Karen

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  17. You have had some lovely travels! I love the photos of your mom's artworks. We know where you got your talents!
    Did you know that the weaving you are doing with the colorful yarn is a Japanese craft, kumihimo? I use it with beads. It's such a fun technique.
    What an amazing location for your scrapbooking get-away!

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  18. Lovely to catch up on your interesting travels, Gracie! I enjoyed seeing the lovely little sampler your mother stitched, and agree with its sentiments too. Such a special memorial for your brother in law. Loved seeing the California poppies growing in such huge drifts along the freeway there. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you and your family a Happy Easter.
    Helen xox

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  19. Hi Gracie, I looked again at the frame and it's wonderful.. definitely Arts & Crafts type. I do hope you do an embroidery like your mom's and frame it in a similar frame.. then it will be a family heirloom for YOU to pass down! :-) . Thanks for the shout out on my heart pattern and my shell pattern blanket design. This was a great post and I thought that's I'd left a comment because there were so many fun things in it. Thanks for the good chat today while swimming and I hope to see you in the pool on Friday!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  20. Hi Gracie, just catching up now that I have the internet once more. You have certainly been busy. Loved seeing your Mums work, the sampler was a real joy. Take care.

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