"It's A Girl!"

Despite the pink wonderfulness of my craft room, it has a distinctively Man Cave attitude being that all of the characters I create are of the male persuasion. With the never ending holiday parties in the making, and the ever present quest for True Love, I decided it was time to insert some female influence.

Intimidation is precisely what I felt at the thought of creating a girl character. Why? Because she doesn't wear pants that only require striped pipe stems! My own Paper Clay tutorial inadvertently provided the answer. A rope of clay around the bottom of the figure, pull clay back towards body.

Oh My Gosh! I am tickled PINK!  A girl character to join in the fun.  Her little jumper is just too cute!

Hmmmmm..... There may be a period of adjustment needed. This little fella doesn't quite know what to think.

Joy. Sheer Joy is the blessing I feel that I have a such a place as a craft room where the characters of my imagination can come forth, and I am most grateful to have those of you who happen here and allow me to share such things.

The wonderful pattern that is covering my "E" is  from the vintage wrapping paper seen in the first photo. I used my pinking scissors to cut the white from the pink. The white portion was used to cover all of the edges of the letter. Oh! And who is that handsome Scottie seen in the background?

He is a Poorbaby Payday Pooch who has come to reassert the male majority!

Valentine Keepsake Tutorial

My most favorite days working were the years spent at Gooseberry Patch. I couldn't wait to pick-up conversations left unfinished between the calls I took from customers. Laughter buoyed our spirits late into the night. We forgot we had families and homes waiting for our return.

With each new publication shared with my customers, creative images filled my mind's eye waiting for the opportunity to come to be. You have seen in nearly every photo posted my Christmas Keepsake Frame, a project featured in "Gooseberry Patch Christmas All Through the House", finally, one for the other Red Holiday on the calendar, a Valentine Keepsake Frame.

SUPPLIES: 8x10 white frame (I painted a wooden document frame), printed paper cut to size of glass, cardboard, Valentine Hankie (one half, cut in half), fat-quarter fabric, med. sized rick rack, embellishments, hot glue.

STEP 1: (Steps 1-3 preform on ironing board) Iron fat-quarter in half lengthwise. Pull fabric one inch from center (finger) towards center creating a pleat, iron. Repeat left of center.

STEP 2: Lay frame on top of pleated fabric to determine how wide fabric pocket should be. Push outside of fabric towards center of fabric to create a pleat just inside frame edge, iron.

STEP 3:  Position hankie in a pleasing way. Fold hankie edges under itself to match pleat edges (finger), iron edges.  Excess hankie will go behind pocket front and between pleats in back of pocket.

STEP 4:  Position frame over pockets to determine to how deep you want them to appear in relationship to  the open space above pockets.  Cut two equal pieces of cardboard measuring from inside edge of frame. Slip cardboard between layers of fabric.

STEP 5:  Place paper on top of glass, position pockets (cardboard edge flush with bottom of glass), fit within frame, tuck fabric towards exposed glass, replace frame backing, push down metal tabs. Now for the fun part - EMBELLISH to your HEART is CONTENT!

OH MY GOSH! I did not notice at first that I had chosen a Valentine and cookie cutter that tells the story of my photograph of my very first boyfriend. "Rain or Shine, Benny. Won't you Be Mine?"

Of course my frame includes my lifetime's Valentine, my husband. How cute is his First Grade photograph! Do you notice the little tag I have created from a greeting card Maker's Mark? "Forget-me-not". So sweet!

Oh how I loved my days at Gooseberry Patch, and oh how I do love my Valentine Keepsake Frame!

Trickle Down Theory

One year as my brother John surveyed his classroom in preparation for the upcoming Valentine's Day party, he noticed that it's contents were the result of the Trickle Down Theory. All the essential necessaries going to the High School first, cast offs trickling down to the elementary schools.

Students busy with their art projects, construction hearts and tissue squares littering the floor, a child's raised hand caught his attention. "Mr. K. what did you do for Valentine's Day when you were a kid if you liked a girl?"

"I would put five Valentines in her mailbox on her desk;" began my brother "so that she would know I liked her more than any of the other boys in our class." Children stopped mid-paste, to hear this revelation from their teacher. "What would happen if you gave a girl five Valentines?" they wanted to know. "I would get to sit by her when it was time to watch the film strip on the day of our class party." John's words had everyone's attention. They didn't know what a film strip was. The story continued.

"When I was in Mrs. Lewiky's Fifth Grade class, I really like Sarah McClay; and I did what every boy did when he liked a girl, I wrote her name on the whitewall of my high tops for her to see. But I saw that two other boys in our class had her name on their sneakers, too. I had to find a way to let her to know I liked her the most. (Holly's Cute as Can Be pattern, found here.)

"The next time my Mom took me with her to the Mall, I bought Sarah a little gold heart necklace with my allowance money."

"Then instead of taking the bus home, I followed Sarah who was a Walker, to see which house was hers in the neighborhood right next to the school. When Saturday came I rode my bike to her house, and put the necklace in her mailbox. I waited on the recess ground of our school and peeked through the shrubs to make sure she found the necklace."

Arts and crafts completely forgotten, John's students wanted to know the end of the story. "I got to sit next to Sarah during the filmstrip!"

John surprised his students the day of their Valentine's Party by procuring from deep within the school's library stacks, a film strip reader and the very film he had watched so many years ago. One student was chosen to turn the wheel of the reader, another to feed the film. Lights dimmed, "Sit wherever you would like." John noticed the many Boy/Girl pairings as a result of the Trickle Down Theory.

My Valentine's on their way for Debby's, Cozy Blanket, swap.

A Date for John

My brother John was a very handsome young man in High School with many girls wanting to be his girlfriend. But these were the girls he had gone to school with all of his life, they didn't interest him.

A member of the Honors Chorus, John was chosen to sing at the Kennedy Center as part of a larger chorus composed of students from schools in the Washington, DC area. An orchestra was formed this way as well to accompany the singers. There were two oboist in the orchestra, and one of them caught John's eye.

Smiles shared from a distance, John could tell the girl was interested in him as well. Not able to directly speak to her, he asked a fellow chorus member from her school to relay to her that John wanted to take her out.

Arrangements were made through the go-between, John was to pick her up at her house at eight the following Saturday to attend her school's musical. Transportation arranged, his long-time childhood friend Mark would act as chauffeur.

The girl's house easily found, John knocked on her door eager to see her again. What a surprise to find the student had told the wrong oboist that John had a tremendous crush on her. Before John stood a girl not at all attractive wearing her braces headgear. She was ecstatic to see such a handsome boy before her. "I'm sthooo glad thooo meeth you John!" Spittle landing on John with each "T" she spoke.

 
Chauffeur Mark could not contain his joy at the situation John found himself in. He purposefully slurred his "T's" as well. "Thhis is going thooo be a greathh nighttt." Poor John was soaking wet by the end of the musical.

The evening at it's end, John nervously walked the girl to her front door. He knew she would expect a kiss. John could see Mark watching from the car. "Well, thank you for going out with me. I'm really not allowed to date yet, but my parents made an exception for this evening." He quickly kissed her metal mouth guard and turned and walked away. John would never see either girl again, but for one of them, the chance to date John was a chance to date a gentleman.

  

Why Daughters Call their Fathers When they really want their Mothers

One of the peculiarities of becoming an Empty Nester is the ability to tell when one of your offspring is calling on the telephone. I never rush to get up and answer when I know it is my daughter calling because I know she likes to begin her conversation with her father.

"Hi Dad, I'm calling between classes. Isn't the weather pretty today? Yes, work went well this morning, our sales are up. Can I talk to Mom?"

"Hi Mom, guess what? I signed up for a boxing class."

"What do you mean you signed up for a boxing class? Do you need this class to graduate? You aren't going to let anyone hit you are you? You know you have had several concussions. Does Joe know you are taking a boxing class? How are you going to work when your whole body hurts from being hit? You better wear a helmet! Do you have to buy your own gloves? Well, I guess if you made it through the Police Academy, you will survive boxing. So are you excited to box? Let me know if you need help with funds. I love you, too. Goodbye, sweetheart."

When I hung up the phone, I went and stood before my husband. "Have you noticed Kellye tells me what she would never have the courage to tell you for fear of your disapproval?"

To which my husband calmly replied, "Well, after listening to you talk yourself into supporting her latest adventure, I'm good to go!"

No wonder their conversations are always so lighthearted! What a smart daughter I have!

Bee Mine Ornament Swap

I don't think there is anything more wonderful than bright sunshine on a snowy day. Everyone I have passed today has had a smile and a hello to share.

In my craft room as well, the sun is streaming through my window and onto the faces of the cutest Bee Mine Shakers I have ever seen. Holly from Cotton Pickin Fun has once again combined her talent with fabric with her love for felt and created the sweetest pattern for us to make.

Holly has asked if I would swap Valentine ornaments with her through the mail. Well, if I am making one, I might as well make twelve!

That's about how many it will take to fill my Valentine's Day tree!

I thought I would make medium sized Love Birds such as the little one on the left. He won't have feet, but he will have a hanger. I just love his sentimental wings!

This is a ONE-TO-ONE SWAP with no hard an fast rules. Hostess gifts? Thank you, "No". Your ornament is kind enough a gift.

E's Ornament Swap

1.  Holly, Cotton Pickin Fun
2.  Viv, Viv out on a Whim
3.  Tammy, Tammy's in Love
4.  Pam, The Finderskeeper
5.  Kimberly, A Vintage Fairy
6.  Sandie, Retro Sandie
7.  Laura, Vintage Betty
8.  Shirley, Zetta's Apron
9.  Denise, Coffeeberry Cottage
10. Lynn, Life on the Weinee Rance
11. Meri, Imagi Meri
12. Kimber, Ga Ga Dolls



My address is: Elizabeth Andrus, 112 Gibraltar Ct, Delaware OH 43015

There are so many wonderful swaps to find. Even if you can't get a spot, it is always fun to participate on your own. Erica at Golden Egg Vintage is hosting a Candy Box Swap I will enjoy following along, and Debby, Cozy Blanket , is having a Heart Swap that I will be making five of my embroidered hearts for. I do hope you will join!

The Blizzard of 1978

January never comes that I don't think about my Knight in Shining Armor, my Dad. Young Love always needs a safe place to land when misunderstandings seem to mean the end of your world. A Dad willing to brave a blizzard, memorable in a most unusual way.

Boyfriend words spoken and not understood cause the heart to ache as though it will never beat normally again. Flight seemed the only option to me. If I couldn't have my True Love, I could at least be in the place that was closest to his heart. That it was 700 miles from home wasn't even a thought. Snow beginning to fall not even noticed.

With all my worldly belongs filling the back seat of my Mustang and my father's credit card in my wallet, I headed North to begin a new life. Tears falling with each remembered word, the landscape turning white with each mile passed. I thought I was so lucky to be the car behind the snowplow barely seen through my snowy windshield. I didn't recognize I was the only car on the road, for 27 hours!

Traverse City, Michigan. A place to live, a waitress job found, a call home to let them know I was okay. "Your father will be on the 3pm flight. Meet him at the airport, you must come home!" Fear replaced my anguish that my actions had caused my father to miss a day of work. Trepidation over his peculiar quirks  bearing true with my first sight of him.

Miles taller than anyone else, there was my most distinguished father debarking from the plane, dressed in his uniform suit, tie in place, his pajama bottoms peeking out from his cuffs, his toiletries filling each pocket to be found. "I didn't want to pay for luggage!" his response to my embarrassment. "Let's go, I'll do the driving."

How my father ever bent his fame into the tiny space that was the driver's seat, is still a mystery to me. His knees stradled the steering wheel barely leaving room for his hands. A stop at the gas station became a moment of lifetime mortification. My father could not get out of the car!

I stood shivering in the still falling snow with interested passersby as the station attendants dismantled the car seat to free my father. And still he wanted to drive! "It's a blizzard, Lizzie, I can't let you drive!" Oh my goodness! My father drove me all the way home by sitting on the car's back seat, his legs still cramped in the small space.

Not a single word was mentioned our long drive home about my silly decision to flee and cause such worry. My father's soothing professor's voice quieting my anxiety with talk of all the curious things that interested me. Not but one day away from home, the light of a new day seeming possible again. A mended heart begun by the care of a father.

Please do not pin pattern on Pinterest. Thank you!