Lots of Bugs and a Granny's Duty

It is a grandmother's sacred duty to wreak havoc and create pandemonium whenever possible with the grandchildren. I do it well, as did my grandparents and my parents. I think it's called "payback time."

Anyway - I went out yesterday in search of the perfect birthday gift, which was a package of ladybugs, as Jake Brenner is six today, and has been studying these critters at school. I thought perhaps they would come in a nice little package of 50 -100 bugs, but no. 1500 bugs, with 300 extras "just in case of high mortality."

A friend drove me, as I've been ill and couldn't drive myself - so we also stopped at the nearby supermarket. It's hot in Austin, so I had to take the bag of bugs, disguised in a plastic grocery bag, into the store. The cashier wanted to know what was in the bag (had I been shop lifting?) She nearly fainted when I pulled out the little net bag with the bugs crawling everywhere.

I didn't know it, but these things are kept in the refrigerator until ready for release, but heat wakes them up - so they were fully awake and crawling everywhere. I put the bag into the refrigerator when I got them home, and am grateful that my daughter is a good sport (she has four brothers).

When I pulled the bag out last night and gave it to the little imp, the expressions on his face were priceless when he realized it was full of bugs, alive and well - worth all of it!! The second picture is of the bugs in the bag awake and crawling - and on top of the cake box. (still in the frig.)

He and his daddy released them tonight after dark, as we were instructed - but there was a lot of howling and whining about wanting to keep them as pets. Oh dear. hee hee hee

I think tomorrow I will try to find my file of "jeweled" ladybugs on needlepoint canvas and post them as "Freebies" on the other blog. I know there is one I did from the Faberge mini-egg of a ladybug with diamonds.

A Sad Time

I will probably be absent here for little while. My angel baby grand daughter Madeline died in a tragic, stupid accident on Sunday, so I don't feel much like stitching or blogging right now. These are canvases she drew and painted for me last year - the post was on May 8, 2007, and labeled "Needlepoint Canvas Preparation" if you want to see. When I feel better some day, I will stitch these - as the plan was for her to do them with Granny's tutelage. She was 13, and I will miss her terribly. She was part of my soul. Love and blessings to my internet and "blogging" friends who have been more supportive in many cases than my own family.

TIF March - The Joyful Moments and Small Things

Walking by a window this morning on my way to the kitchen, I was stunned for a moment by the beauty - a fleeting thing - of the sun shining on the new leaves popping out on the oak trees outside. The sky is an absolutely brilliant cobalt, and, as it rained last night, at this instant, the little wet drops on the new leaves sparkled. I ran for the camera, and as quickly as I got outside, the light had slightly changed, and there were fewer "diamonds" on the leaves already. The ability to notice these fleeting moments and small details is a gift I'm very grateful to have! The picture will be saved, and hopefully used in some way in the future to preserve the image in a tangible manner. I wasn't going to do the children's art again just yet, but I burst out laughing when I finally got to the kitchen at Jake's latest artwork posted on the frig. A child's attention to small details is amazing - things one wouldn't think they would notice at all. The drawing of the backhoe is what elicited the giggles, as he correctly colored his hair red. (or orange). I have no idea what he is holding, but will ask him later to "tell me about it." I'm not familiar with heavy machinery and construction equipment, but his dad assured me when he was home for a few minutes, that the details are correct. I like the fact that the sun has a smilng face! The second work of art to elicit a giggle is the self portrait with his friend Natalie. There is no doubt as to which is Jake and which is Nat. She is a bit older, bigger, and has braids. Also, notice that Jake has a larger sword, and a dagger at his belt. It's good to see that both are smiling. As for the "little details" in life, I recall Jake's "Uncle Joe" running to me about 40+ years ago with his latest drawing, a large ugly beast that was probably Godzilla. It was holding what was obviously a car with little people in it screaming and waving their arms. (stick figures, of course) He asked me if this car might taste better without the people, or should he leave them in there. I nearly swallowed my tongue to keep from shouting with laughter - and told him that by all means, the people would taste better. It is the small details in life that are important - never doubt it.

Exquisite Work!!

I meet the most fascinating, funny, and talented people on the internet that I ever imagined. Gail Hendrix is the kind of artist/designer in needlepoint who makes me hang my head in shame and think of burning my paint brushes and taking up pottery again. I talked her into doing a blog several months ago (her husband thinks I created a blog monster), but it has been one of my very favorites for quite a while now. Yesterday I found these ornaments, and am, once again, astounded by this woman's ability in putting a design on canvas - besides the wonderful subject matter. This one really made me laugh and remember - clear back to those Toni Dolls of my childhood - the ones who had that awful spun plastic hair and a sugar water solution for giving them "home permanents." We won't discuss Barbie here, who, in my granddaughter Madeline's opinion, has descended into a world of a "lot of pink plastic stuff." Both my "Granny's angels" here in Austin have the American Girl dolls, and they are beautiful and wholesome things for a little girl to own, play with, and display. As you look at these pictures, do notice the beautiful, nearly perfect detail of Gail's stitch painting - even the little doll hands will work well. (more of Gail's work can be seen here.) I think my favorite of this collection is the gorgeous Indian maiden - "Pocahontas" immediately comes to mind. This ornament is small, but looking at it on my screen makes me want to stitch it, as I can see Very Velvet or suede fibers, beads, and other fine things to make a piece of needlepoint art come to life. I also like the idea Gail has expressed in her blog, that long after the dolls have met a sad end of one kind or another, the ornament would remain as a beautiful reminder. (To see her other AG doll ornaments, click on AmericanGirlDoll on her blog Tag Cloud - to which you can find a link on her web page) Our Madeline and Julia have no brothers, so their dolly friends have a better prognosis. I will not go into the grisly details of the demise of my girls' dolls at the hands of their four brothers, but it wasn't pretty, and if I want to throw a tidbit into the group for immediate lively discord at a family gathering, all I have to say is "remember when poor Emily lost her head?" These people are in their 30's and 40's now, but this kind of question gets immediate results! (Granny is wicked these days, but I have earned the privilege.)

A Valentine from the Heart of a Child

As I am still residing in the guest quarters at my daughter's house - I walked into the kitchen this morning after they left for work/school, and found a card and a box of candy by the coffee pot waiting for me. Had to share it!! I immediately spotted the hand of Jake, who is almost five years old, both in the selection and in the signing of the card. Laughing out loud first thing in the morning is good for the soul. He will learn so quickly, as did his two cousins, Madeline and Julia, to make the letters properly, and will be deeply offended by anything I do to immortalize his work. I have saved artwork and signatures that M and J did years ago when they, too, made letters backward - Madeline spelled her name "Mabeline," and Julia also turned the "J" around. I still intend to make a set of needlepoint pillow insets with these masterpieces, as their parents will love it. BTW, the name on the bottom is "Seth" - the baby brother in this family. He is still more prone to try to eat the colored markers than to draw with them. Anyway - I absolutely adore children's art, and have put a lot of it for people onto needlepoint canvas - makes wonderful pieces, as much of it is rather Picasso-esque or even like Matisse. I found when my little ones were about that age, that art would soothe the savage beast and keep them quiet and occupied and out of trouble for quite a while. Jake's Uncle Joe (father of Madeline and Julia) would sit under my work table and fight the Battle of the Alamo with full sound effects for an hour or so - in this case, the Mexicans were little stick figures in full uniform, and they were losing the battle. I wish those masterpieces had not been lost in moves. The other two pictures here, I am hoping at some point to have time to paint onto canvas and stitch - his mama would love it, especially as he gets older. Lots of places to study and do decorative effects with fibers and stitches. Fortunately, I have a copy machine that I can use here at home to enlarge these things for tracing onto canvas - but there are print shops who can also do the job. Other possibilities are to print them out, properly sized, onto silk for use in making quilts or pillows - or onto T-shirt transfer sheets. I have also used them to make thank-you notes for their mothers. Speaking of mothers, please notice that "Jennifer" is the first name on this - in this house, she is known as "Mama" and I am now called "Granny." How times do change. I love watching the childrens' interests change from week to week! Note the pirates in full regalia. Sometimes the best part of this is asking them to "tell me about it." A child's powers of observation are rather incredible at times - the details they notice and record on paper. (or on the walls if they can do it without getting caught). I remember it well. Do take a minute to enlarge the picture of the pirate ship and see the lookout on top of the mast! I must get this on canvas soon, as it will be delightful to stitch!!

The Rewards of Motherhood

This sort of thing makes it all worthwhile - all the years of being mother to six active, healthy, intelligent, energetic, hungry, dirty, etc. etc. children. and the best part of all is, Granny didn't have to clean it up!! He (Seth, age 2) was helping his mom mix icing for a cake. I asked my daughter if she could maybe mix more frosting so I could get more pictures - but she declined. I can remember considering picking mine up by the ears to transfer them to the bathtub - or sending them outside to play in the plastic wading pool after I had filled it and added "Mr. Bubble." My mother told me this was slovenly - but I thought it was rather clever.

I was cruising around in my "favorites" this morning, and found that my young friend in Kentucky, Jill Howard of the beautiful primitive dolls, now has a new blog! Several years ago, on a day that was a really bad one for me, the mail carrier handed me a box - which upon opening, reduced me to immediate joyful tears. It was the most beautiful, pitiful and homely doll looking up at me with her little eyes, and she has been a dear companion and stayed close to me since. I named her "Miss Emma Jane" after my great grandmother - and she is now sitting on top of the original Emma Jane's butter churn - which my grandmother used also when I was a very small child. During WWII, when I was visiting the farm in Austin, Grandmother let me "help" her churn on this thing. I also imagined that I was helping by milking the cow, Shirley, - and that is a picture of me sitting on top of this cow, whom I named after my glamorous Aunt Shirley. I'm not too sure she was as flattered as I thought she should be. The darning egg was also my grandmother's, and I can remember her sitting in her rocking chair darning socks for my grandfather. I was really thrilled to find these things in the attic of the house when I cleaned it out - and have made a kind of permanent "comfort zone" with these items. Besides, I think they are rather decorative!! Anyway - thanks again, Jill, for this wonderful little companion. I am living at my daughter's house right now, waiting for a new home - and Miss Emma Jane is right beside me.

The shield needs a little bit more work, but Granny is out of steam - it will have to wait. I had visions of fleur-de-lis in the blue field and lions rampant on the red - but not tonight. Jake won't know the difference if I don't mention it. I doubt that he has ever heard of the aforementioned design elements, and doesn't care. It's ready for him to take to school tomorrow, and that's what counts. The first picture shows the split peas before they were painted gold - my son-in-law was amazed at this element!. I saw a shield on a site for Medieval Shields and noticed the gold bead/nail head thing around the border, so had to add it.
The crown is covered with brown wrapping paper and Elmer's glue - painted with gold acrylic in a bottle, and the split peas and gaudy jewels added. This paraphanalia probably won't last until sundown tomorrow, but I had lots and lots of fun with it. Jake's reaction certainly made it worth while.