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