Weekend Update

Ah, serenity...  There wasn't much of that around here the last couple of weeks.  All because of a deadline I put on myself and a baby afghan I promised to make for a friend. This photo was taken at that friend's beautiful home in Indiana...but I am getting ahead of myself.

 Friday I cared for my beautiful little great nieces.  We got to pick up our first grader from school and spend some fun time with the two year old at home during the day.  Makes me remember all the energy involved in caring for young children.  I admire my SIL Elizabeth who does it all the time, and works too.

On Saturday we had so many things to do, but most importantly to find a red hoody sweatshirt for our baby grand.  She wants to be Daniel Tiger for Halloween and grandma and grandpa took the job of finding all the right elements for the costume.  If you are not familiar, Daniel Tiger is a character spun off from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.  It is an animated series, but has the same gentle nature as Mr. Roger's show did and teaches the same values and life lessons I loved when my kids were small.

We started our search at the fancy pants mall and had to stop at the Pottery Barn to see what was new. (After visiting all the stores I though would have a red hoody, we finally found one at the Wallymart.) These giant reclaimed wooden doors was what was brand new at the PB.    

Another reason we need to raise our roof, so I can have giant doors and an arbor in the dining room. Pottery Barn does it all so beautifully.

 Sunday was a trip to Indiana.  A baby shower for our dear Charlotte's  sweet sister Christina.

 Pink camouflage was the color of the day...great eats...

 beautiful desserts...

 ...even a camouflage cake.  All of this was set in Charlotte's parent's beautiful home under a complete renovation.  It was a lovely party, so many kind and friendly faces, especially Charlotte.

 This is the project I alluded to in the last several weeks.  Charlotte's Mom sent me all the yarn and the pattern for an afghan.  I love to crochet, but this project was my most challenging ever.  Not that it was so very difficult, but that it was for someone else.  I am critical of my work for myself and I take that to a whole other degree of angst when it is for someone else.

 It took many many hours of crocheting to complete all the blocks, then over 20 hours to assemble all the blocks, and do the edging, all the while not sure that the finished afghan would be what they had imagined.

 Instead of sewing the blocks together, I crocheted each and every little block together, since a baby afghan needs to be washed often and sturdy.

 When it was all said and done, there was satisfaction in completing this project.

 Just remind me to never, ever volunteer for a project like this again!

 This was my contribution to the festivities.  The diaper cake...32 newborn diapers, wound around a bathroom tissue roll and secured with ribbon.  Two receiving blankets wrapped around and secured. Twelve tiny socks rolled into roses decorate the "cake" topped by a baby bottle with two binkies attached.  

Tiny socks make the cake!

After our whirlwind weekend, and completing my project that was weighing on me for a while, I feel footloose and fancy free. I'm starting to think about the holidays...but today I've declared my day off!

Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day.