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Sonogram yesterday and the cervix has started to shorten again. Not good news. I am to maintain bedrest and "hope for the best". If I make it 2 more weeks, I go back to the Dr. and get the steroid shots at that time. It is hard to accept, but we just have to wait and see. Thank you all for your thoughts and support. I may be scarce for a while but I will be looking in on your blogs.
22 weeks, 1 day.
On a day like this, with 2 movies waiting on TiVo and some old Marie Claire Idees to page through, I kind of don't mind being on bedrest. (I never thought I'd say that!). My dear friend Anne arrived Saturday evening with a laundry basket full of food. Salad with homemade dressing, crusty, grainy bread, chicken paprikash and even sponge cream cake for dessert. The evening flew by and I actually went to bed tired. She noticed that I had ripped this recipe out of my Martha magazine and offered to make the cookies...Now that's a friend. Although after a clear side view in a full-length mirror this morning, I think I can safely say that I am eating enough!
When I am working, I spend my time trying to think up creative activities that will help my students reach their fine motor, gross motor and visual perceptual goals. Schools and families used to include such activities in their daily lives but, with the increased use of computers, video games and television, many children lack basic skills. So, my students learn to sew buttons onto a shirt, mend a hole and repair a hem. Imagine my joy when I came upon this at an estate sale...
The box holds a collection of sewing exercises completed by a child...
I love that this useful and developmental exercise was a part of this child's education...
I think the name is Georgia Arnliff. Does that seem right? All of you who sew with your children should feel great about the fact that you are helping them develop manual dexterity skills that will serve them as they grow...as well as a practical skill and pastime.
I also like to weave simple things with students, so I was very excited to find this vintage loom...
this website has information about the Weave-It looms. Another company makes a reproduction of the original Weave-it, called the Weavette. Martha Stewart did a wonderful article on hand looms a few years ago. These little looms are great for weaving wool yarn into small pieces of cloth to make sewing projects.
What I love most about craft work is that it is universal. We all have our ethnic flavors, but the base skills are the same. Thank you for stopping by Hollyhocks.
21 weeks 6 days.
I hope this finds all of you enjoying your weekend. A good friend is bringing homemade Chicken Paprikash to me for dinner so I have a nice visit to look forward to this evening. It's good to have friends who like to cook! The baby dresses were an estate sale find. They were dirty and rolled into balls in the bottom of a box with this...
A beautiful handmade peachy pink silk dress.
I think these old baby hangers are just adorable. Why were things so much more detailed and charming when we were kids?
I can't remember when I picked up the little embroidered flannel jacket but I see them at estate sales pretty frequently.
A thrifted sheet and, recently I was walking around Amvets, silently lamenting the fact that I rarely see wool blankets anymore when I found this perfect pink wool blanket. I felted it and can't bring myself to cut into it yet but, I was inspired by Vicki at Turkey Feathers who found an off-white wool blanket and started what she calls her "blanket statement". She has challenged herself to make as many unique projects as possible from the one blanket. She is even writing a craft book about her endeavors...
These little darlings are what's keeping me occupied this weekend. The idea is to make and stuff them (love that "Touch of Silk" stuffing from JoAnns) sew little ribbons on them and send a rustic basket full of them to work to thank my coworkers for their cards and care packages while I am "on the nest". By the way, the birds are resting on another thrifted cashmere sweater. Yipee, more tiny cashmere sweaters to make. I can't wait to see what you're making. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.
21 weeks, 4 days.
My neighbor stopped by with these. What a perfect present! Dr. visit yesterday. Everything continues to stay the same, which is good news. They gave us a peek at the babies who are "stacked like cord wood" according to the DH. They were kicking and punching away...and so adorable and baby-like. I am doing my part by eating an entire order of spinach-artichoke dip for dinner...extra chips....
Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.
21 weeks, 1 day.
Just a few things I love. Please check out the list of people participating in Show and Tell Sunday. This cameo was my maternal grandmother's. I love cameos. I envision this one as a choker on a wide black velvet ribbon with a strapless black taffeta dress. Remember that breathtaking black strapless dress Princess Diana wore that time? She stepped out of the limousine and the papparazzi gasped...Now that's an entrance.
Cameo earrings found at an estate sale for $1.50
Faux pearls that were my grandmother's resting on a gorgeous 1950s dress of my mom's that I thought was lost forever. I knew that I would never have thrown it out...Mr. Hollyhocks found it packed away in the basement...along with...
This little silver dog pin. You can see it pinned to my grandma's coat in the photo. I am so glad to have it back. She wore it all winter and I remember admiring it when I was really little.
More grandma sparkle...
...and more...
...and 2 estate sale find pins...I have a few more things which I will save for another time...I really want to show you these...
These are an estate sale find. Aren't they just the best? I've worn them a couple of times. I'll leave you with...
A few things that arrived in the mail this week from Andrea's Shop. Have you ordered from her yet? Everything arrives wrapped like a present and with some yummy pink candy. She is sending a free almond-scented Italian glue stick with every order placed in April.
Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.
20 weeks, 5 days.
Good Morning! Not too long ago I heard a woman tell a group of people that she never told her children about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny because she "doesn't believe in lying to children". On that note, we at Hollyhocks plan to read the evening newspaper to the twins at bedtime. "The housing market continues to decline in many areas of the US"...NOT!!! We are going to lie to these kids about everything. Mr. Hollyhocks will be up on the roof with the faux reindeer feet after he eats the cookies the kids leave out for Santa (I'll probably have to eat Rudolph's carrot!), eggs will be hidden, teeth will be purchased, etc.
We plan to do whatever it takes to preserve a sense of wonder in the children. Life will toss them enough other stuff. We will marvel at leaves and flowers and bees. We will read stories and teach them to respect Cadbury as a treasured big brother.
We won't have TVs in the bedrooms or video games in the house (My students were horrified by this. They assured me that the twins will be "big geeks"). It will be fun to see what the kids have to teach us about imagination when the big lighted box in the living room is turned off.
On this note, I would love it if you would share with me your philosophy for raising children and some of the creative things and family traditions you have shared with your children or children in your life. As Senator Clinton says...It takes a village to raise a child... I bet it takes a whole city to raise twins...
Oh, and in case you've noticed....The photos are, of course, of some delicious Superbuzzy fabric. I could just frame the stuff! Who can bear to cut it up?...I am thinking of a natural linen and fairy tale quilt (or 2) for the teddy grahams...as soon as I can sit at my sewing machine. That way we can point out characters as we read the stories. Don't worry, I also have newsprint fabric....
Spring has finally arrived in Western NY. There are leaf buds on the saltspray roses and the grass is greening. We are not free of frost danger until late May, but that day is coming....When I am tempted to dwell on and worry about "my situation" I think of my beloved Martha and her 5 months in the Big House. At least I'm in my own home.
...and I have a coloring book now...Hello Kitty of course...thanks to the DH. I am thankful for all of you.
Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks.
20 weeks, 3 days.
The next time someone asks if there's anything they can bring me, I am going to tell them...coloring books. I think coloring could be very therapeutic. Strawberries are going to have to wait. Every June I go out to "the country" and pick them. There's nothing like a warm, fresh, perfectly ripe strawberry. Probably enrobed in all kinds of pesticides...Maybe I should wash them first... The girls at work have been stopping by every week with a care package. It is such fun looking though their thoughtful gifts...nail polish, treats, gourmet dog biscuit, pocket games, puzzle book, Pizza Hut gift card. I am truly blessed to spend my days with such thoughtful people...and they're funny too!
I googled Dutch fabric last night and couldn't really find an online source for that wonderful red/white, blue/white and red, white and blue Dutch fabric and cotton ribon. Does anybody know of a vendor?
But I digress...back to hankies.
These sheer lovelies come from estate sales and Mom's collection from her mom. Not the most practical of kleenex, but a lady could certainly use one for dramatic emphasis when she felt a case of the vapors coming on. I think these are also the type that fall delicately from a lady's hand...to be retrieved by an eligible male as he passes by. One can only imagine how that scene would play out with today's young people...
I have a bunch of the rose bouquet hankies. They are so romantic looking and detailed.
Ah, Lavender. My eye is always drawn to purples, lavender and periwinkle.
Don't even get me started on Christmas hankies. There are many, many..I drape them all over the place.
I really like the coral-y pinks too...
What sewer could resist a theme-y hanky like this?
This one reminds me of my grandmother's hanky. I carried it on my wedding day and it's safely tucked away, hopefully for my daughter.
I'll leave you with this hanky apron and the enduring feeling that Hope truly is "the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul" (Emily Dickinson).
Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks. It is so nice to share my collections with like-minded people.
20 weeks, 2 days.
Hi Everybody! What's going on in the outside world? Am I missing anything? Here is my favorite hanky...today. I change favorites all of the time...So here are some more hankies from the pile!
...The Pile...
...and now for something completely different...I love crinoline lady hankies...they are pretty scarce at estate sales so I am really excited when I see one...
Pretty huh? I found this great ballerina hanky at a little antique show...
...the attention to detail is so lovely...
That when I saw this one, sealed in cellophane, I thought "Oh, another pretty detailed crinoline lady". Well, since this is a family blog, I can't show you what I discovered when I got the hanky home.
But, suffice it to say that the maker of this hanky had a rather risque style. I can only imagine that she got tired of making pretty ballerina hankies...I bet someone had her on bedrest...
So, I still have tons more to show you. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.
P.S. Dr. visit today.We're still holding steady. Back to the sofa....
20 weeks.
Better late than never! I am a day behind all of the other vintage hanky-posting bloggers, but boy do I have a LOT to show you. I am always on the lookout for children's hankies with brown dogs.
This one had such a nice image, I couldn't pass it up.
This one was pretty funny. I have seen it in collecting books, but the value to me is just in looking through my collection. The DH, on the other hand, would sell every one in a heartbeat!
This hanky is a Tamis Keefe, again fairly collectible. I love anything with dogs on it.
This is a Pat Pritchard. It was a mess when I found it but it cleaned up really nicely.
This was a find at the "estate sale to end all estate sales". I bought tons of linens and...vintage paper dolls which I sold on Ebay. I felt really guilty that the bidding went up to 25-30 dollars on some, but I guess collectors really prize the old ones. I have such a hard time parting with my "finds". I hope the twins are interested in vintage linens! If nothing else, I can teach them to count to 200 using vintage hankies. ( By the way, that number will be our little secret).
I loved the buggies and it was in pristine condition
...and these cleverly designed hankies came in red so a lady could blot her lipstick without staining the hanky.
Thank you for visiting Hollyhocks. There are MANY more hankies to come. Stay tuned for florals and crinoline ladies...
19 weeks,6 days.
O.K. I know this fabric is from her last collection, not MM. What do you want from me? I live on a sofa. If you really want to drool over some snazzy new Amy prints, go to my favorite local fabric purveyor Sandy's site and plan your next spree. If I was allowed to stand upright, I would go over and get a fat quarter bundle myself....while we're on the subject, here's some fabric I bought before my "confinement".
2 of these fabrics are actual vintage and one is new. Can you guess which one is not like the others? Isn't it great that they make such realistic repros now? Boy am I going to miss fabric shopping. I know that you can shop online, but I like to touch every bolt before I decide.
I bought this to finish a girly banner for a giveaway...
and this because it's 30s repro and it's a requirement that I get some every time I go to the quilt shop. But...the fabric below is just plain lovely. I want to make a pillow out of it and sleep on it so that every morning it's the first thing I see...
I hope this finds you enjoying a beautiful gift...today...Someday, when the twins are snug in their cribs, I am going to run from this house, go straight to a restaurant, sit outside and order a nice big glass of Reisling with a huge plate of pate and soft cheese. Until then, I will be grateful for what I have, especially the Labrador snoring next to me on the sectional sofa. Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.
19 weeks, 2 days
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Tricia Guild: Tricia Guild Pattern: Using Pattern to Create Sophisticated, Show-stopping Interiors
Brad Hill: Blogging For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
Kay Redfield Jamison: An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
Kumiko Sudo: Omiyage : Handmade Gifts from Fabric in the Japanese Tradition
Frederick Buechner: A Room Called Remember: Uncollected Pieces
Martha Beck: Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth, and Everyday Magic
