Home Made Gifts!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Creativity seems to be in my nature. I will take a pattern and put a spin on it that is my own. I love doing crafts - crocheting, sewing, beading, cross-stitch, plastic crafts, and even quilling. Some of which I have more practice in doing, but I will attempt all. I may get frustrated with a pattern, but I will set it off to the side, go back to it later and most times the light comes on, and I am able to complete the project. What I love the most is that when I give away these home made projects that the recipient is appreciative of the gift, and knows that it was made with love! These projects have flaws, because I am not perfect, but they are filtered with a lot of love!

I give Mom, Dad, and my grandparents the credit for my love of working with my hands and trying to be creative. Their generations made many of their items they needed because that was the cheapest and best way to get them. It today's society, they would be classified as antiques. For me they are precious memories that once belonged to those I love.

I also give God my thanks for giving me the ability to work with my hands and to be as creative as I can. Some people say they can't do anything . . . you never know until you try! God has blessed us all with a talent, we just need to find it and put it to use! :)

Someday when I am gone, it would be nice to think that something I made and gave to a loved one will pull it out of storage and say that it was made by me with love!!! Mom has many people who will tell her that they have the baby blanket she made them when they were born. It tickles her to death that they kept it!

I don't make these things for compliments; I make them because I love doing it and hope it will be please the person receiving the gift knowing they are loved!

The following are some of the things I've made since October. I started making things for Mom to contribute to her Christmas Bazaar at church. Others are things I made for some very special "little ones!"

Crocheted Santa's which were turned into pins. I used a different type of thread to help Santa have a fluffier beard!

This plastic container is full of goodies I made for Mom to take to the Christmas Bazaar!

I used #3,#5, and # 10 thread to make a variety of coaster sets!

I didn't make coaster sets in just Christmas colors, but I used a variety of colors and a variety of cotton thread!
Mom and I put the "makings" for chicken noodle soup in a jar! I decorated the top with a Christmas theme! After all, they were going to be part of the Christmas Bazaar! :)

A first for me this year was putting a topper on kitchen towels! I have to admit that in the beginning it almost got the best of me! Again, I did not stay with just a Christmas theme!

With the aide of iron- ons, I made a couple of things for Cora and Ben. Ben got a t-shirt with a tie; Cora got her "red" shirt with sparkles, and she also got an apron with her name in red! I was a little disappointed that all of the "iron-on" pattern did not attach to the material!

I know a couple of precious girls who are huge MU fans!!! So the received a shirt to show their support for their favorite college team!

I also made them a hat and scarf. Their MU monkey also received a matching set!

Working with my hands is therapy to me. I do much of the crocheting while staying with Mom. It helps keep me focused on the positive, and not worry about things I have no control over. mom loves watching me work on a project, and loves when I have to pull out the mistakes and start all over again! she loves looking at all the finished pieces. She is a major part of why I make what I make!

"My Kids" - Then and Now

Monday - December 26, 2011

Those who know me, know how much I love my nieces and nephews. As each one joined the "Layne" family, it was my responsibility to spoil them rotten!! Isn't that what aunts are to do??? As I got older, I realized that my "biological" clock was running out and that "my children" would be the children of my brothers and sisters-in-law! I also counted the students I had in the classroom as "my kids!" I did end up with a step-son whom I love, as well as his family, very much!

These seven were the seven I could never have!! No I wasn't always there when they were sick, going through the growing pains, or even on all their celebration - but I loved them and worried about them as much as if I were there! (Still do!) I pray that they would go through life the way God would have them to, and that they will always be happy and thankful for all they had!

I came across these pictures - the older ones - several weeks ago and thought it would be great to have an updated version!!! But getting all of them together is not an easy task. Their work schedules, family obligations, and the distances they live away from me always seemed to keep a gathering difficult to plan. But, on Saturday, December 17, they ALL managed to come in and see their Mammaw at the same time! Ahhhh, Aunt Sue was going to be ready with the camera!!! Here in the last six or seven years, the only time the cousins were together was when someone close to them all passed away. I really wanted them to get together at least once not because of the passing of another family member. I wanted it to be about all of them enjoying one another as they did when they were younger!! I also wanted Mom to be able to see them all and enjoy it as well!!!

They all converged in on the small house on Virginia Avenue! Mom had no clue they were coming in! My two brothers (Dink and Mike), three sisters-in-law (Rhonda, Laurie, and Debbie), along with my nieces and nephews and their families surprised Mom and gave her the best Christmas present ever! It was a great day - so many stories of things they had done in the past; so many stories that made us all laugh; and so many stories that included Dad and John! All happy memories that bond us together as a family forever.

The following pictures are my "Then and Now" pictures. The then pictures were taken approximately 25 years ago . . . my, my, where has the time gone! I love these "kids" so much!! The last picture is one of my great nieces and nephews - all who live up North in the state of Ohio!!! I wish I were closer so I could spoil them too!!!

This picture was actually taken on January 22, 1989 - mine and John's 39th birthday!

left - right: Meghan, Dawn, Lindsay, JD, Billy, Todd, and Bobby.

December 17, 2011 at Mom's

back to front: Billy, Lindsay, Bobby, Meghan, Mom, JD, Dawn, and Todd; Dink is sitting in the chair on the left.

"My" boys in the front yard at Mom and Dad's - the line-up left to right: Billy, JD, Bobby, and Todd

Billy, JD, Bobby, and Todd

"My girls" sitting on my bed at Mom's - left to right: Meghan, Dawn, and Lindsay.

Meghan, Dawn, Lindsay

Oh they were not happy with Aunt Sue on this day! I stopped their playing to take a picture - just love how they cooperated! :)

back row - left to right: JD, Bobby, Todd, and Lindsay

front row - left to right: Dawn, Meghan, and Billy

(in their defense, the sun was shining brightly that day - thus the looking down and shielding their eyes)

Standing - left to right: JD, Bobby, Meghan, Todd, Lindsay, and Billy;

Sitting - Dawn

Love the smiles!

This is a picture of the great-nieces and nephews sitting with Mom!

left to right: Courtney, Gavin, Alex, Aaron, Emily, Caleb, Mom, Brooke, Jenna, and Allie G

I love "my kids" so much!!!! Even though I am only "Aunt Sue," "Aunt Soup," and "Suebee," I feel as if they are like my own!!!!!

Crafts With Cora Ann

Friday - October 28, 2011

I love crafts! Some of my interest and love for crafts may come from my early years of teaching! We had no art teacher, so as an elementary teacher, I was responsible for the art activities my students did! I wanted it to be fun, easy, and something they would be proud of!!!! I haven't lost that love for helping younger ones work on a craft.

I have taken a big interest in a site on the web in which ideas are available for us to see and use. The site is called Pinterest! While browsing through their many pictures, I came across and idea that I thought Cora Ann would enjoy. All that was needed included pinwheel macaroni, tacky glue, paint brush, and glitter. Using the glue, you will start forming a snowflake by gluing the pieces together. Using the glitter, you would be putting the "shimmer" on each snowflake.

I also had parchment paper, small paper doilies, and paint brushes. I used the parchment paper as a way to protect the table. The paper doilies were used as a means for Cora to see where she could place the pinwheels! And since I bought glitter glue, we used the brushes to spread the glitter all around!

Cora was a very willing and capable "student!" She grasped the idea quickly and was following my directions swiftly. She even got her Granddad to help with the snowflakes! She was watching closely what I said and did, and when it was her turn to do the work, she made sure she put the pinwheels in the right spot!!!!! You will see some of the finished products in the following pictures!

Concentrating on the placement of each shell!!!

She was looking at Mammaw to make sure she was doing it correctly!

Back to work . . . . She was putting the glue on the shell so she could attach it to another one on the doilie

She was very meticulous as to where each shell belonged! You can see one of the flakes drying in the lower left hand side in the following picture!

Deep concentration when putting the glitter in the snowflake!One thing we did discover was that Cora did not like getting the glue on her fingers!


Once we were finished with the snowflakes . . . . Cora want to play with her play dough!Rolling the dough up into a ball

We ended up making purple snowmen!

We both enjoyed doing crafts with Cora ANN! It won't be long before Ben will be at the table with us! :):) Cora Ann was a very good and attentive student!

Cousins - What Great Memories They Make When Together

Thursday - October 27, 2011

Cousins are the next best thing to having siblings . . . . well, some may think they are better to have than siblings! :) Having grown up with many, many first and second cousins to whom my brothers and I were close to, I know first hand how close a person can become to cousins and what fond memories we made when growing up! We are happy that Cora and Ben have cousins that they are close to and with whom they have already been making great childhood memories!

While visiting this past weekend, Cora and Ben had a visit from their cousins! Jeni's sister, brother-in-law, and three children came by for a short visit! There is a total of five children, and it appears they always have a great time when they get together! It was a pretty day, so the older cousins went out to play. I was able to capture some of their fun via pictures.

Ben being the youngest of the cousins was content to stay inside and do what he loves to do . . . SMILE!

Haddie was content to just watch the others, but I have a feeling it won't be long until she will be right in the middle of what ever the older ones are doing!
Cora and Riley are closer in age and appear to be on the fast track of being best buddies. We were playing hide-n-seek! They turned their heads so they couldn't "see me!" I guess this meant I couldn't see them! It was so cute, and they loved "out running" me!

Ooops . . . I found their hiding place! :)

Riley had a great time swinging on "his" car swing in the back yard! He wanted me to push him "way up high" into the sky!!!!

Cora had a great time too! She didn't really want to go as high as Riley! :):)

Sophia is the oldest of the cousins and many times is like the "mother hen" watching over the "little ones!" She loves Cora, and Cora loves her. She is pushing Cora in the swing as Haddie looks on! All of the cousins love one another and have such a good time together!!!

There were times when Sophia did her own thing! Here she was "making wood" for her Grampy so he could make something with it!

We must not forget Molly, the four-legged cousin! She runs and runs from the cousins most of the time. She was all worn out from an afternoon of cousins!!! :):) They all love Molly, but for the most part, Molly just wants to be left alone! :):)

It was so much fun watching the kids play and knowing that there will be a day when they look back at of all the pictures taken of them with smiles on their faces. The pictures will cause them to remember the fun times they had together when they were young! May they continue making more and more memories as the years go by!!!

Here Come the Smiles and Acting Silly!

Wednesday - October 26, 2011

Have you ever been in a position that if your colleagues, friends, and even family members saw you they would scratch their head and wonder what in the world? We have discovered a whole new side of ourselves when around our grandchildren. We make strange noises to get Ben to laugh; say "cheese" and make funny faces when taking a photo of Cora. We find that we get in the floor to play with Cora Ann . . . .yes . . . we actually get in the floor and worry about how we will get up later!

Grandchildren tend to take us back to our younger years mentally; just wish the body would go back as well! We spent three nights and two days with two of the most precious grandchildren and their parents, David and Jeni this past weekend!! We enjoyed the time we spent with all of them. We cherish the time we had with Cora and Ben. They are growing so fast. Cora Ann is calling Bill "Ganddad," and I was "Gandmaw," Me-Maw,' "Ma-Ma," and "MamMaw!"

We talk to Ben, and he smiles, kicks his legs, and waves his arms. He is such a happy baby, except when he gets hungry or is being given a bath! He is four months old and weighs . . . . .well lets just say he weighs quite a bit!!! Love every ounce of that baby boy!

Cora Ann warmed up to us very quickly after waking from an afternoon nap. We realize that she doesn't see us as often as her other grandparents, but she warmed up to us much quicker this trip. She held onto both our hands when walking! We are no longer "strangers!"

We love these babies so very much! We feel so humbled and honored that we are their grandparents . . .at least one set of their grandparents! :):) The unconditional love from a grandchild is priceless!

I am doing several post covering our visit. The following pictures show some of those "silly things" we do when around the grand babies!

Cora and MamMaw "cheesin'" for the camera!

Granddad "gooing" with Ben and causing him to smile! And he may be wondering what Granddad is trying to tell him!

Look at those eyes!!! They will melt your heart in a minute!

Look at those cheeks . . . . just want to pinch and cuddle him . . . .AND look at his happy face!!!!

Molly has always sat in Bills lap, and with Cora and Ben around, she was making sure she got her lap time in!!! Bill played with her when she was a pup, and she hasn't forgotten!

These are only a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend! I hope to be sharing more with you later. We didn't get a picture of the four of us together . . . . but hopefully we will be able to soon!