Awesome Idea for a Grad Gift

My cousin had me monogram this pair of towels for a graduation gift for her niece and they turned our very well.  I thought this was a great idea to share because I have heard so many stories from my cousins lately about college life since they have kids college age now.  I had heard that towels can easily get misplaced or stolen or just used inconsiderately by others.  I think this is a classy and trendy way to solve the "whose towel is whose" dilema. 

My cousin is giving the towels as part of a gift that includes a tote bag, washcloths, and hair care basics. 

Embroidery on Terry Cloth

I got up with the usual cup of coffee and something on PBS this Saturday, and within the half hour, I was at work.  I took a moment to make out the day's chore list for the kids.  Something I usually reserve for the summer months, but the house was in worse than usual condition.

I use a bullet list with check boxes on the side for them to mark their accomplishments.  Over the years, they developed their own way of deciding who does what without any help from me, and things can get done fairly well.  When they were younger and not as good at cooperating, I had 3 mini-lists on a single page, one for each child, then 4 lists, one for each of them and then mine.  Seeing my list helped them to know that they were not really doing everything.  Of course, I never ask them to work if I'm sitting on my butt, but the list helped them to see the things that I was doing and the bonus benefit was that they began to appreciate all that I did do.  The first time I did that, I couldn't believe what all I can get done in a day. 

When they were younger, the list comprised of about 6-8 things.  This sounds like a lot for some kids to get done in a day and still have time for some fun, but its really not.  This amount of chores all on a check list really looks impressive to the child and in the end they have a sense of pride for getting it all done.

  Now we all know that smaller children (4-5 yrs.) can benefit from a chore list, but they don't usually have that much of an attention span and you don't want to have to crack the whip all day.  That just sucks the fun out of parenting and being a kid, and I think the message of "working together for the benefit of all" message doesn't really gets across.  So I always padded the list with some everyday things.  For example:

• Brush teeth
• brush hair
• feed and water guinea pig
• put away your laundry
• get dirty laundry in hamper
• shower

Then I threw in one or two more things that are more that are really a chore.  I was always careful to let the kids know that they are not just to be responsible for just themselves, we are working together and sometimes things don't seem fair.  For instance, when your job is to pick up the living room, you pick up the whole living room, not just your mess. 

I also broke down the jobs for them more when they were younger.  An example for the living room then would be,

• pick up the living room
• fold living room blankets
• dust living room
• clean glass on doors
• sweep living room

Now that they are older, its just "living room". 

Over the years, they have learned to cooperate better, have a sense of pride in their home, an appreciation of what they have, developed an ability to see what needs to be done and don't mind getting it done and are a bit more proactive in keeping things tidy throughout the course of the week.  There are no complaints, and no yelling or arguing about anything too much (just the normal annoying of each other), and they know that these things get done before they can play. 

 I have to say that this isn't the only time that they have to work, they are asked to do things throughout the week also, but just something small here and there and they don't even notice how much they do.  And let me stress, "fair" has nothing to do with it.  "I don't care who did it last, I'm asking you to do it now, please."

I know that some parents disagree about this, but my children do not receive an allowance.  Not for the list work or otherwise.  My husband and I feel that the lists are reflective of what a family should do, work together for each other.  The reward is the feeling of accomplishment, and being able to stand back and see a clean room.

 My oldest child is 17 and he is becoming a fine young man who is fine with keeping up on the work around the house as part of being in a family, helps his younger siblings with getting their stuff done...sometimes, is respectful of other peoples time, and has learned to get the work done first so he can have the rest of the day instead of dragging the work out.  He doesn't feel he needs to be paid for every little thing that he does either, and that goes for around the house and helping in the community in general. I can see the same qualities developing in my other children, too. (altough, my 9 year old swears that she is just fine living in a pig sty)  So I am going to pass judgement and say that the check lists have been a success and I will continue to use them till the last chick leaves the nest. 

Happy Birthday to Isaac! 

Today is going to be like this weekend I suppose. And I guess that means not that differednt for me.  After getting the kids up and getting us all out the door, the boys to school and my daughter and I to religion, my day starts to take off.  First its to church for Friday Mass which is part of the normal week for the religion kids and their teachers.  A quick hop over to lend a hand getting a heavy box into the Sacresty, and then home for just long enough to change clothes, a quick conversation with my husband about getting the doors for the laundry room picked up, and tthen off to work to clean someone else's house till 3 or so.   

My husband is making supper so I don't have to worry about that, and I already made the cake Isaac wanted for his 14th birthday.  None at all, he wanted pie.  He and I went down into the basement last night and he selected peach, black raspberry, and apple.  I have to make 3 anymore if we want to have any the next day.  Sure enough, when I got home from work, the apple was gone, the only evidence that it had ever been was an empty plate with crumbs.  I'm not entirely sure it hadn't been licked. 

At 14, we don't do just too much for the birthdays anymore since all they usually want to do is sit in front of the tube and play on the Playstation because they usually get at least one game.  Not real exciting lives those boys lead.  If I want to "bond", I need to park myself on the couch and watch them play games and ask questions like I'm interested.  That done, I am next going to my sewing room and getting down to business for a while.  Hopefully my husband will be home soon to start supper and have some good news on our doors when he gets here. 

It's Wedding Season!  Right now I have 3 wedding gowns here for alterations.  This is the first one that I got done for a  May 12th wedding.  This is a Vera Wang gown that is cut really different.  It has wide strips of fabric sewn down the middle on fine soft tulle into interesting loops throughout the skirt of the gown and was not even close to asymmetrical.  The dress fit the lady very well and the style was very much her, the only issue was that it was still a little  long.         

   That's why she brought it to me.  I had to first make a map of the inside of the outer skirt so that after I removed all of the layers of fabric, I would be able to re-attach them the way the original  designer created them to look.  After I got the maps made, all labeled a, b, c, d, e, and g, it was time to get out my good friend , the seam ripper.  I removed the layers up to only as far as I absolutely needed to go.

After all of that was carefully removed from the delicate tulle, I had the bride in again to try the dress on and I trimmed the tulle to length while she was wearing it to be sure that is was perfect.  To get the fabric back onto the outer skirt, I laid out my maps one at a time and pinned the strips to the fabric.  This is very difficult because I was working with such delicate material on the skirt, the strips were 10in. wide and very lightweight fabric also, and I needed to be sure not to stretch either the skirt or the strips or it would ruin how the dress lay.  Since all of the edges were raw and exposed, to get the loop back to complete, I just had to overlap the beginning and end of each individual loop by about 6 in.  of course, there is still some magic in the placement of these overlaps in order for them to fall just so. 

To finish off the look of this beautiful gown for a beautiful bride, I added (at the bride's request)the band at the waist, and then the bustle for the reception.  This style of gown used a single tie french bustle which is where the skirt is tucked under the back of the dress and attached.  I used a bit of blue ribbon to add the "something blue" and to make it easier to spot under all those layers.   And I have to say, this gown bustles beautifully!

Love These Aprons!

I just got done making these aprons for the holidays and I just love them!  I had originally bought patterns for many different styles, but this one looked the most classic to me.  I made them in large and medium in adult sizes and in large and medium children's sizes.  My favorite thing about this pattern is that the neck strap is entirely adjustable by simply sliding the strap that goes around the waist.  No D-ring adjusters or tying at the neck for the right fit.   

Grace models the children's large

Grace makes her own First Communion Dress

My daughter, Grace, makes her First Communion this year.  Custom dictates that she wear a white dress.  However, if you knew my daughter, you would

Beautiful!

  have a hard time imagining her in a dress and smiling at the same time. 

    My solution, let her design and make her own.  That did it!  She picked out her own pattern and made her own modifications and picked out her own fabrics.  We then called in Grandma Karen for help and girl-time. 

    Grace really did do her share of the pinning and cutting.  When we got to the sewing, she set the speed on the Janome to the slowest setting (usually she goes full throttle on the Singer).  I thought that she could bump it up to the medium speed, but she said she would prefer it on "super-granny-slo-mo".  I tell you what, that is a perfect 5/8" seam allowance.  I can't ask more than that. 



Grace wanted a butterflly on the front



     By the time the seams on the skirt were done, she was ready to go outside and play which was perfect timing.  We had her come in and try on the bodice and then the unhemmed dress.  Seh decided that it needed a butterfly on the bottom and the length should be just above the ankles (Surprise for me).  I finishe the dress with a secret message on the inside with room enough for the next wearer to put their information should it be used agian. 

    The end result was just what I hoped for.  My daughter in a white dress for her First Holy Communion.

 



When it was all done, she agreed that she liked this dress and it was so comfortable, that she wouldn't mind if I made her another in a different color. 



<>Now, on the viel and shoes, we have a different story.  No veil or circlet of any kind.  Only ribbon and flowers (and she didn't even  want that). 

My Mom and Grace cutting pieces



     And the shoes, this is where a parent picks their battles.  White Keds tennis shoes. 

     I know that what Mom or Dad says goes, but when it comes to something like this, I want her focus to be on Christ, not her itchy dress or her shoes that don't feel good or the piece of hardware on her head.  First Communion is a time to celebrate and nobody wants to smile and enjoy if they're uncomfortable.   She's a tomboy and I love her that way, the way God made her!