greetingarts

treasures from the sea

We went camping for Spring Break (for five days in a tent!) and came home with buckets and boxes full of treasures from the sea.  The beach we were at has tide pools, interesting and varied rocks polished smooth by the waves, and shells and sea glass of all different sizes and colors.  But what to do with all the goodies, aside from putting them in jars and bowls and/or leaving them to gather dust in the garage?

I used some crochet cotton and the Klutz Hemp Bracelets book to create some wearable memories of our great week.  This was the first one I made, just a trial run, and since then I've made a few more, with a few beads added in.

I also collected some smallish rocks with natural holes in them, that I hope to string up and make into necklaces.  I want to do some crocheted rock covers, too.  Ack!  So many ideas, not enough time or energy.

I found this amazing, incredible, natural heart rock (I mean, isn't that freaking beautiful?!) but Jessica made me put it back into the water because she said the seaweed was still alive.  I don't think it was, but couldn't tell her for absolute positive sure that is wasn't, so I was a good girl and put it back in the ocean.  Thank goodness for cameras, or that sucker would have had to come home with me.

And one last souvenir I brought home?  I had a pretty bad sunburn on the backs of my legs and my feet.  I'm the one with the pink water shoes, so, yup, it now looks like I have some funky tattoos on my feet.  At least they kind of resemble hearts - and thank goodness for socks!

seven

The little one turned seven yesterday, and we celebrated at Farrell's.  I remember going there for my tenth birthday with my aunt and cousins, and there was a great big drum, sirens, and a whole lot of ice cream.  They closed down for a while, and recently re-opened.  There's always a line outside, regardless of the day of week and time of day.  We had to wait for about 20 minutes to get a table, which worried me at first, but it was totally worth it.  There was loud singing of unique birthday songs, amazing balloon sculptures fashioned into headwear, lively waiters and waitresses that certainly earned their tips, and huge smiles all around.

What's she holding up?  One of her birthday gifts, a pair of pillowcases.

Great fabric, I bought it online last year (sorry, can't remember where) and have been waiting and waiting to make these cases.  It was so gratifying that the moment she unwrapped them, she loved them.  And she doesn't care one bit that mommy didn't pay attention to the direction of the fabric when she cut it...(think about it, the words should read horizontally when you look at the pillow lying on the bed, not vertically like in the picture above)!

One pillowcase was immediately used for its intended purpose the moment we got home last night, and the other was a shawl/cape/sleeping bag and is currently housing her stuffed cat and being dragged around the house.  Totally warms my heart. 

Happy seven, my little one.