Fashion Shoot

Leia's not as camera-crazy as she used to be - or as Leanne currently is - 
 
but she's still willing to get her silly on for the right bribe. (Usually 2 Tic-Tacs.)
 
This is another 'cheater' dress. 
 
Leia loved the fabric on sight; purple and Tinkerbell are a hard combination for her to pass up.
 
The main fabric is all one piece; 
  
I just added the bottom ruffle (I love the old-fashioned look of the lace), 
 
the shoulder straps, and the buttons where the straps connect to the dress.
 
I love how easy these are to put together and how cute the girls look in them. 
 
That Leia loves wearing them (and Leanne is coming around) is icing on the cake.

New Shawl

I wasn't crazy about this project while I was working on it, but now that it's done? Love it!
  
I think it was the motifs that were bothering me; just as I'd start building up speed, it was time to fasten off and start all over again. 
 
But slow and steady (and a looming deadline) got this finished just in time for Wednesday's class. 
  
Love the drape and how the beads (504 of them!) give it some weight, in addition to a bit of sparkle and bling. 

I made a couple of changes to the original pattern (Beaded Lace Shawl from the Crochet Noro book.) I used a bigger hook (E/3.5 mm vs. C/2.75 mm); took out the interior picots (thought they looked cramped and weird); 
 
and added a border all around that connects the outside edges of the motifs. Trying to wear this with a floppy edge would have driven me even more bonkers. 
 
Overall I'm pleased with how it turned out. Now I just need to decide if I'm going to keep it or give it away. . . .

Leia's Present

Leia and I collaborated on a Father's Day gift for her daddy. 
 
Inspired by this pin on Pinterest, Leia and I picked up canvas, acrylic paints and brushes from the craft store. 
 
I'm still not sure why we got brushes, since she much preferred painting with her hands . . .
 
We spread everything out on the kitchen floor and went to town. 
 
The next day, while Leia was at her mom's, I carefully peeled back the painters tape to reveal the hidden message.
 
Leia added the finishing touches -
 
a bit more paint and embellishments in the form of pearls, hearts and sparklies (most of which date from the 70's and 80's; a craft stash is a wonderful thing.)
 
And Daddy's reaction to our multimedia masterpiece?
 
I think he liked it.     

Hubby's Hobby

When he's not remodeling the house or wrangling baby-grands, hubby does a bit of wood turning.

 

Most of his turning time has been taken up making crochet hooks for my buddies and the shop,

 

but every once in a while he'll disappear into the garage wood shop, 

 

reappearing a few hours later, covered in sawdust and smelling of varnish.

 

Early last week he received a block of buckeye burl in the mail.

 

I thought it would go into his stash woodpile, to be made into something eventually.

 
But look what was waiting for me when I got home last Sunday. 
 
Gorgeous!
 
I love that he was able to keep that rough section in the final piece. And the inlaid turquoise gets me every time.
 
And that he took the time to get photos for me as he worked? 
Major bonus points.  

Flowers of Mystery

Not sure what these plants are (please chime in if you know Lynn says these are New Zealand flax and, judging by the pictures I found online, I think she's got it!),
 
but the hummingbirds LOVE them,
 
they're drought resistant,
 
and they photograph very nicely.
 
They don't flower for long, so the hummerbees* and I will have to enjoy them quickly.

* That's what my kids called hummingbirds when they were little. The name stuck and I'm teaching it to the baby-grands.

Museum Winner

I won tickets to the Museum of Ventura County through a Facebook contest - my love of Ventura history was finally good for something - so we took Leia and headed down there today.
Leia working on her storyboard.
 
I hadn't been since their expansion a few years back and the remodel looks good. Hubby and I were both surprised that there wasn't more room for exhibits; the expansion seems to have been directed toward adding a new courtyard, waterfall and meeting room.

Current exhibits were "Shooting For The Stars", with fabulous photos of Hollywood royalty by Guy Webster; "Quiet on the Set", showing where in Ventura County films had been shot (answer: everywhere), and including a great hands-on, kid-friendly section that Leia loved; and my favorite, George Stuart's one-quarter life size replicas of historical figures. The Stuart Gallery is worth the price of admission, all by itself. 

My prize also included tickets to the agriculture museum in Santa Paula. If the weather cooperates next week - and stays out of the 100's - we may take Leia to visit the tractors.    

A Girl And Her Slinky

I made "cheater" dresses for both Leia and Leanne last week. 
Leia loves hers - she's worn it twice already, but no pics yet since I couldn't find a camera either time.
 
Leanne, on the other hand, had to be tricked and treated into putting this on today. 
  
Thank heavens for peanut M&M's and sneaky grandmas who can quickly get little girls dressed while they are distracted by 'num-nums'! 
Once it was on, Leanne actually liked the dress.
 
She quickly mastered lifting the skirt with both hands, when needed, and loved twirling to make the bottom flare.
  
Wearing a long skirt obviously didn't slow her down.
  
And she loved going outside with grandma and her camera.  
 
I think she's going to be just as big a ham, and camera hog, as her Cousin Leia.