It seems like most of my posts lately have been family related. Sooooo, I decided to show you what I'm working on. I actually have several projects, small ones, going right now.

I "made" a treasure box, what I call it, for my swap sister, Daphne, in England. I started out with a cigar box that the gentleman who lives downstairs from us gave me.

I took off all the paper and hardware. Then I wrapped it in quilt batting and covered it with a purple moleskin. Did I mention purple is Daphne's favorite color??? Well, it is. I added a motif to the front and fringe around the lid.

I wanted to add a cq'd block to the top. I had a purple one from earlier this year.

I embellished it with roses, a beaded ribbon, and a D for her name. I also used a gold fairy and two purple handmade buttons that Daphne had sent me.

Unfortunately, when I was finished I discovered that the block was not long enough to go on the lid. It was wide enough but not long enough. Very disappointing but I learned to check these things before I begin and make adjustments. So....I had to do something with the top. I decided to keep it simple with a lace bow and a button that Tommy had picked out for me. It has a victorian styled woman's head on it. Quite different from what I wanted but I think she will like it. I'm going to fill it with goodies for her. I am going to use the block for the cover of a needlecase for her that is due in October.

So that is now finished. I am just waiting on a shipment from Judyth to finish my package and put it in the mail.

I have also been working on comfort dolls for Pat Winter's project for abused women. Of course I forgot to take pictures of them. When I actually get them finished I will post some. I also have one made for the Crazy Quilting International's group Spirit of Christmas doll swap. I'm planning a couple for more for that also.

I have also started my Victorian Christmas stocking for the CQforNewbies group swap this fall. I am trying to get a head start so I don't stress out. I really like the way it is coming and have a sneaking suspicion I may keep it and make another one.

I am actually staying fairly busy with all this. I need to unearth my sewing machine so I can finish my dolls and get them in the mail.

Beadaholism Runs in the Family

It is 5:24 am on Friday, July 13th. Why am I up this early? Tommy had to cover the night shift of a guy on vacation. This is so going to throw off my sleep, yet again, as Tommy usually works the 7a to 3p shift on Thursdays and then the 11p to 7a shift on Friday. For those of you up nights like me, have you ever realized there is nothing but junk on the tv? Must be my cue to turn it off or put in a movie.

Well, I have been gone for a while and have lots to share. First off, on June 12, Tommy became a grandpa. Jaylee was born to his oldest Chelsa. She is beautiful. We got to see her when she was 2 weeks old. Tommy is still disturbed that Chelsa is only 16, but that is something he took up with her mother. With us while we were visiting mother and baby, was Erin. She is Tommy's youngest at 8 yrs.

Ok, I've decided to start at the beginning because I was beginning to confuse myself, much less you guys. We left New Orleans at 4:30am Sunday, June 17th. At 8:30pm, we picked up Erin, Tommy's youngest, in Perry, Oklahoma (about 85 mi W. of Tulsa). From there we drove to Pratt, Kansas (40 mi E. of where Greensburg, KS used to be) and Tommy's dad. We got there about 10pm Sunday night.

Three generations of Lears: Tom, Tommy, Erin.

We spent Sunday night with Tom in his apartment. He lives in what was the original Pratt hospital and has now been converted to apartments. This was the first time since '99 that Tommy had seen his dad. First time Tom had met his granddaughter Erin. As uptight about it as Tommy was, it was a wonderful visit. The two men may not see eye to eye on everything, what father and son does, but the love is obvious. As for Miss Erin, I don't think that girl has ever met anyone she didn't take to almost immediately (except me the first time).

Monday morning, the 18th (my mom's 65th birthday) was spent looking at pictures and listening to family history. We left just after noon. We were not going to be able to see Chelsa and the baby til after 2pm the next day due to a pediatrician's appointment, so we spent the night in Broken Arrow, just east of Tulsa. Erin got her wish and got to go swimming in the pool....just her and her daddy.

Tuesday we slept in a little and had a leisurely breakfast there at the hotel. Then we set off for Horatio, Arkansas. I will swear til the day I die I heard banjos. It took Tommy a little while to find Chelsa's house but we eventually did.

Grandpa Tommy, Chelsa, and baby Jaylee

Grandpa getting his first real look at Jaylee.

Sisters: Chelsa (16) and Erin (8).

Another 3 generations of Lears (and don't grandpa look thrilled about that!!!)

Aren't they a beautiful family? I think of the two girls, Chelsa looks just like her daddy.

In case you are wondering about the big gap between the two girls ages, there is a third child. His name is Patrick and he is 15. He and his mother were out of town for the time we had Erin, so they didn't get to see each other.

We took Erin back to Perry, actually to Stillwater where her mom was working, on the 1st of July. Other than a few bumpy moments, it was a wonderful two weeks.

When we took Erin back, I got to meet her mother. I have now met all of Tommy's ex's with the exception of the first, who is deceased. Of the three, Erin's mom is the only one who wants Tommy back. She latched onto him like.....like.....ok, I'll be nice....an anaconda with fresh meat. Her mother looked at me abashed and I think she thought I was going to out of the car and hurt her daughter. I just smiled.

Tommy laughed when I brushed him off before I'd let him kiss me....he thought I was a little disturbed by the hug. I thought he was disturbed for having married her in the first place. They have nothing in common. But it's all over til next time. I must make a mental note to remember the bleach next time too....hehehehe

I know, I know, it's been too long since I have posted anything. My friends are starting to worry. I'm sorry. Life got all tangled up and time slipped away from me. I do have a lot to catch you up on though. Later....for now, I want to ask a question that has been buzzing around my little brain. As I read blogs and posts for the groups I am in, it seems that there are several people who are in the process of, getting ready to start, or finishing the process of moving. My question is this: What is your ideal living environment? I don't just mean your home and studio, I mean the entire environment.

I have several things that would make my ideal environment. What are they? Well, let's see:

1. Not living in what is now known as the most dangerous city in the U.S.
2. Not hearing sirens at all hours of the day and night.
3. Not having people walking past my house at all hours of the night, loud and drunk.
4. Not having to worry about my husband walking home from work late at night because there are no parking spaces by our house.
5. Not listening to the nightly news and having the first 15 minutes taken up by who got shot/stabbed/killed and no one was caught.
6. Not listening to our politicians make excuses for why they did the stupid crap they did.
7. Not living in a state where we re-elect the stupid politicians who do stupid crap.
8. Not living in a parish (we have parishes and not counties) where when the schools were first began reopening after Hurricane Katrina all the teachers were fired and the new school officials brought in their own teachers AND are now BEGGING for teachers to return to the classroom because there aren't enough and there are too many kids STILL not back in school, two years later.
9. Not living in an area where it is politically incorrect to arrest someone for the murder of an innocent because the bad guys are simply killing each other off. (that is the latest excuse for no arrests/convictions of anyone who has killed someone this year, this includes the police officers who are being killed.)

Of course there are some funny things about living in Louisiana. We are the only state in union (that I know of anyway) that had a run off election for governor between a convicted felon and a grand wizard of the KKK.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox for now and change the television channel to something that doesn't deal with real life on the streets of New Orleans.