Ivey's Patchwork Stocking

I just finsihed making Ivey's Christmas stocking. While making hers I cut out Robert's and will not wait until next Decemeber to start sewing on it. Somehow I got busy and forgot about Ivey's, so I had to put myself into high gear to get it finished to hang beside Suzi's. AHHHH....one more project finished! I have several more to get done before Christmas Eve..... I love what I'm doing and it won't be difficult to get them completed. More on the other projects later. I have a secret I have to keep.

Mammie's Rescued Quilt

This quilt identification patch tells part of the story. There is much more to the story of how I rescued my grandmother's partially finished quilt. While visiting my aunt and uncle in Orangeburg in 1997 they pulled out an ancient, water stained, dusty paper grocery bag filled with some sort of fabric. They identified the contents of the bag as a quilt my grandmother had started, but not completed. Because my grandmother was such an important part of my life, anything that once belonged to her held a strong attraction for me. At that time I had taken a quilting class, but was far from being a competent quilter. I took a look at the dusty, old quilt and surprised them and myself by offering to attempt to salvage and complete it. My aunt and uncle were pleased with my offer and sent me home with my new project in hand.

I had no idea what a job I had bargained for. When I got home I carefully removed the quilt from the bag to discover that it was more damaged than I had realized. It had been left in a barn where water had gotten to it. It had been damp for so many years that there were mildew stains and, to be honest, it smelled horrible. Mammie had completed the quilt top and made a backing for the quilt from many small pieces of old muslin fabric. The batting, I soon discovered was one of the most interesting parts of the quilt. The batting had been homemade on the farm as it still contained pieces of cotton seed. There was such a strong, musty odor caused from water damage that I had no choice except to take the layers apart and remove the batting. Mammie had hand sewn the layers of the quilt sandwich together with some type of heavy red thread and a large needle. Tears rolled down my face as I clipped the stitching and pulled the layers apart. I cried because I was afraid I would never get the quilt back together as much as because I could imagine my grandmother's hands sewing it together all those years ago.

Having taken the quilt apart, I knew the next step was to wash it as gently as possible. Once it was clean and dry I started the time consuming task of repairing each block. That accomplished, I took the quilt to Hendersonville, NC to seek out a quilting authority. I called ahead to Georgia Bonesteel's Quilt Corner to be sure when she would be there. Georgia loved the quilt and advised me to have it machine quilted rather than attempting to hand quilt something so fragile. She also advised me to replace the old backing with new, but to save the old to use for binding the quilt. Machine quilting took two weeks and was well worth the wait. All I had left to do was bind it and deliver it, which I did the following week. My aunt and uncle were thrilled to have the quilt back and told me that one day it would be mine.

Last week that day came. My aunt and uncle moved into assisted living facility and gave Mammie's quilt to me. It is a treasure that I will cherish and pass on to generations to come. Here is the quilt stretched out on my living room floor in front of my great-grandmother's fainting couch. The fainting couch, we believe, could have been built by my great-grandfather who was a Confederate soldier and a furniture builder by trade, but I'll save that story for later.

Apple Picking with Mama Susie and Suzi

Suzi, Mama Susie, Foster and I drove up to Bryson's U-Pick

near Long Creek to get some apples. This was a first for both

Suzi and her great-grandma. Bryson's was the perfect place to go...the orchards are well kept

and mowed and there were PLENTY of apples at a good price.

They even have a restroom!

There were lots of varieties to choose from.

Many of the trees had apples hanging low enough for Suzi to reach.

Suzi picked the biggest apple of all!

She was proud of her bucket of apples.

She felt silly standing bebside the scarecrow, but it did make a cute picture.

No telling what was going on in the backseat on the way home.

She fell asleep just before we got home. . . .
one tired little applepicker.

Ivey Has Arrived!

We have had a few very busy and exciting days. Ivey arrived on Wednesday afternoon at 3:58, after what her parents tell us what a beautiful labor and birth experience. Jenny will blog the birth story soon I'm sure. We weren't there as Suzi was at our house that day.

Suzi loved the Ragedy Ann doll I made and gave to her on the day Ivey was born. She promptly named her new doll Rosie after Caillou's little sister.

Then she taught Rosie how to play her bodhran,

Suzi was thrilled to meet her new sister. She loved her immediately and sang "Happy Birthday" to Ivey within the first few minutes. We all know what a wonderful big sister she is going to be.

I couldn't wait to hold our new little granddaughter.

They say she has my nose . . . God bless her.

Then Grandpa got his turn.

My favoritie picture . . .

our precious babies together.

The Last Flowers of Summer

We picked the last of Suzi's zinnias ans sunflowers.

She was so pleased with them that we decided to snap a picture.

My Gift from Jenny

This week Jenny gave me one of the most special gifts I have ever received. It is a bowl, a very specific kind of bowl. She made it just for me. It is a bowl made of a plaster cast of her belly . . .pregnant with Ivey! She made the cast, trimmed it, finished the edges and painted it in my favorite colors with a hydrangea (grandmother's flower) and ,of course, a butterfly.

The colors went so well that I took these pictures on a chair in the sunroom. I haven't decided just where to put it to show it off best, but I doubt if I will put anything in it. It's just too pretty to cover up.

I have always been pleased with the fact that all three of my children realize that gifts don't need to be expensive, store bought items to be very special and much appreciated. I believe I still have every handprint in clay, painted flower pot, drawing and painting that they gave me as children. These treasures number too many to keep on display, but they are my most prized possessions.

Waiting for Ivey

Now that I have finished making Suzi's Ragedy Ann, I think I can safely say that we are ready for Ivey to arrive. Ragedy Ann will be Suzi's special gift from Grandma and Grandpa on the day Ivey is born. I made one for Jenny when she was 2 years old and placed a musical button under her heart that played "It's a Small World". The button was guaranteed to play 10,000 times. When Jenny wore it out about 20 years ago, I searched everywhere for a replacement. When I finally found a source for them I ordered half a dozen, gave Jenny's a doll a transplant, carefully put the rest away and prayed for granddaughters. Suzi's doll has one of those buttons under her heart. I have already started on Ivey's doll for for when she's 2 years old.

Today Suzi and Jenny spent time on the porch blowing lots and lots of bubbles.

Suzi and Grandpa wrote on the driveway with sidewalk chalk.

Jenny checked her email while she and Jordan waited for supper.

Suzi and Grandpa practiced nursery rhymes and

I snapped pics of everyone so that I could blog tonight.

Ivey, we are officially ready for you!

Family, Fun, Food and a Fantastic 4th

My cousin Lila came up from Goose Creek to spend the July 4th weekend with us. For starters, she and Suzi had a great time decorating a bank she to brought Suzi.

We took Lila to Mountain Rest to see some real hillbillies. We had never been to Hillbilly Day before, but thought there must be something going on there after reading that this was the 50th annual celebration. When we arrived we saw a little boy attempting to climb the greased pole. It was a valiant effort, but he wasn't getting very far.

We checked out some of the displays and vendors. Lila and I joked about the fact that some of our ancestors might have really loved to get a taste of the "moonshine" from this still.

We couldn't resist the temptation to purchase some jewelry from Walhalla designer Cyndy Wheeler. I bought Jenny a gorgeous amber necklace for her birthday as well. The quality of Cyndy's jewelry is excellent and her prices are competitive. Check out her web site at http://www.beaditdesign.vpweb.com/.

We browsed lots of other interesting arts and crafts.

Foster followed us around so patiently . . . then he got his wish . . .a plate of BBQ for lunch.

After lunch we looked around a while longer. You can't tell what you might find at Hillbilly Day. How about a "Ride to Eternity" in a heasre drawn behind a Harley?

As we left we had to stop and watch a group of young ladies giving their all in a team effort to climb to the top of the greased pole. Lots of work for a prize of only $30.

Back at home Jordan volunteered to make is famous homemade potato chips . . .the potatoes are special . . . straight from is grandfather's farm.

It doesn't get much better than this!

Suzi agreed wholeheartedly.

Then it was all over except for a late supper of steaks and salad. The kids stayed late to visit, Foster called it a day and Lila and I stayed up until almost midnight talking. She's still asleep and I just finished my least favorite job . . . cleaning the fryer. It wasn't so bad once I realized that good old baking soda and cider vinegar will cut the the sticky, cooked on oil right off . . .no need for toxic cleaning supplies! A refrigerator full of leftovers will keep us out of the kitchen today. The only thing that could have made the weekend better would have been more of our family here to share it.

Suzi's First Blooms

It has been a while . . . sorry about that. We've been busy. Mama Susie and Paul were here the first week of June, but we somehow missed getting pictures. I have started going to exercise class at 8:00 each morning. Grandpa goes for his walk as soon as I get back. After that it's all Suzi until 2:30 and we wouldn't have it any other way. We often go places . . . she likes Sam's almost as much as she likes her weekly trip to storytime at the library. The other day when we were in Bed, Bath and Beyond Suzi wanted to know where the toys were. When we told her that store had no toys, she called out loudly, "TOYS, where are you . . . TOYS, where are you?" She is a character.

Remember when Suzi planted her flower seeds?

Now she's proudly showing off her first blooms.

The little pool on the deck . . .under the umbrella . . .has helped cool off the hot afternoons.

Suzi is still drumming with Grandpa.

Uncle Brad stopped by to spent one night on his way to the low country.

Until next time . . . . try to stay cool!

She's got the rhythm of the beat!

The Greater Greenville Highland Games took place this weekend. Part of the entertainment on Friday evening was the Ceilidh (pronouced kay-lee) in the amphitheatre near the Peace Center. Several of our favorite Celtic bands were performing. After hemming and hawing over what we thought the weather might do, we decided to go. It was a great decision!

Suzi got a little bodhran drum and tipper of her own for her second birthday. She had been drumming on oatmeal cans, pots and pans, and bowls since she was could hold a wooden spoon, so it was time to give her an instrument. Her little eight inch bodhran drum is made of willow and has a goat skin head. She's actually very good at drumming to the beat. Sometimes she sings, dances and drums all at once. She likes her little drum, but she LOVES Grandpa's big bodhran.

She loves to sing and drum . . .

and lead Grandpa in parades around the house.

Come on, Grandpa . . .follow me!

Practice, practice, practice.

Everyone was happy . . .we had clear skies and great seats.

Her first chance to play her drum in public.

Grandpa and Grandma were glad they could enjoy the concert with her.

She tried out a new technique . . . drumming with her hands . . .
after watching a drummer onstage.

After a little encouragement from her new friend,

Suzi joined her as she danced to the music.

She played with the"big girls" who sat near us.

Coyote Run performed a fantastic drum piece at the end of their show. Jordan took Suzi right down in front of the stage so that she could see, hear and feel the beat. She was amazed.

Nobody needed to encourage her to go to sleep that night. She was sound asleep in her car seat before we knew it.