Fred&Toots

True Loves Wednesday: Sweaters

I love sweaters - especially ones that are handmade.  Both my Grandmothers were amazing sweater knitters.  Growing up my Gramma Olof knit Icelandic sweaters for the whole family!  How cute is that?  (This was before my baby sister was born though I believe there is a photo of all 5 of us including her with matching sweaters).  We were just coming from a Christmas party...

My Grannie Jean knit beautiful Cowichan sweaters for everyone, family, friends & neighbours!  I think she could do them in her sleep!  There is a family picture of us in our matching Grannie Jean sweaters somewhere...where did I put it?

Santa is kind of freaky...

That's me in my Gramma O's arms (about 3 yrs. old - so quite some time ago) receiving a present from Santa.  I look a bit scared and unsure possibly because Santa's beard is falling off!  This is one Christmas tradition (??) that irks me slightly.  When I had my first child I thought it would be fun to take him for a photo with Santa, something to send out with the Christmas cards.  It was never easy and I questioned my motives every time then after 3 years of doing this (I'm a slow learner) I decided I would never do it again.  If my kids showed an interest in going to see Santa then I might reconsider but they get enough Santa sightings without having to go to the mall and sit on some strangers lap. 

I saw one of these links last year and well, it makes you think twice about that photo with Santa.  The poor dears!

Scared of Santa 1

Scared of Santa 2

Season's Greetings

Another fine banner from my friend M!  The snow is disappearing around here and I think that's why Mr. Snowman has a drink in hand...

Once again, my apologies to mac users...from what I can figure out, my site shows up as one giant link when viewed in Safari.  I'm just too wiped by the end of the day to sit down and do much figuring.  Chocolate icecream calling me, gotta go... 

Igloo

We spent our Sunday building an igloo.  The snow was perfect for molding so we got out our plastic containers and started building.

The roof was a bit tricky but nothing our summer splash pool couldn't fix.

Shortly after completion, the rain arrived but an icy, cold rain so the igloo is surviving nicely under a tarp for now.

 

December!

Here we are...December!  I have a few Christmas decorations out but not many.  This weekend I'll 'haul out the holly' and such and speed up the crafting. 

One craft project I have completed so far is a button advent tree.  I got the idea from a friend whose mother-in-law quilted one for her.  There are 24 buttons and you hang a small ornament (leaving the top for last) each day in December until Christmas Eve:

While crafting up this appliqued/quilted tree thing Miss Z was busy 'creating' as well. 

Before starting a project I always make sure the kids are either a: out or b: set up with a craft of their own.  On this occassion I set up the kids with a selection of 3D objects (like boxes and wood) and paint to decorate them with:

The more I got 'lost' in what I was doing the kids moved on to other things and when all got a little too quiet I thought I better check on things...

Miss Z had gone from paint to scissors.  The sides got chopped off and there was a big chop off the back and one off the front.  She was very proud of her work - what could I do but pull out the camera.  One of the first things that popped into my head was 'thank goodness school photos have already been taken'.  It's only hair, right?  It will grow back.  I did take her to the professionals to get it tidied up a bit...

(please excuse the lens flare blur)

I love how she loves her new cut!  I've always had my hair on the long side so I just naturally assumed that it would be an adjustment for her but she loves her hair.  She's only been mistaken for a boy once (as far as I know) but my little tomboy took it as a compliment.  Go figure.

Other crafty things on the go:  felted snowmen

Here's one Miss Z & I worked on together.  She said that the snow'lady' needed purple lipstick and a pink scarf.

Here's a closer view of her head.  It kind of reminds me of one of those fancy flower swim caps:

* my apologies to the MAC users out there.  Every now and then my site does something wonky and the text appears as one giant link.  I don't know why this happens but I'll see what I can do - I have to think back to how I fixed it last time??? Any ideas?