Kaleidoscope – NOUN 1.optical toy: an optical toy consisting of a cylinder with mirrors and colored shapes inside that create shifting symmetrical patterns when the end is rotated 2.complex scene or pattern: a complex, colorful, and shifting pattern or scene 3.complex set of events: a complex set of events or circumstances
I like to think of it as a cascade of thoughts, photos, ideas, creativity, business, life.
My teenager turns 14 this week. She wants to go shopping in Indianapolis. She shares her birthday with my Mom. My Mom and I are going to take her to Indy shopping. She will probably wear her Colts Jersey (my teenager not my Mom 😉 )
I cannot believe how fast 14 years goes. The seemingly endless cycle of diapers, bottles, juice cups, sleepless nights, etc. has morphed into teaching algebra, sending her off to concerts, encouraging her piano lessons, adding a guitar to our household, a bedroom that looks like a cyclone hit, mood swings to rival the weather changes in Ohio, passing on household chores to younger hands, being friends with my daughter on facebook, experiencing all the passion and exuberance of the teen years again.
How is it that upon leaving my teen years behind I thought I’d lived them once, was glad to see them go, breathed a sigh of relief to be gaining a little wisdom, and found myself so glad I didn’t have to relive those years. WHAT was I thinking? I am now reliving them – and not only that I have two more sets of teen years to go through. Sigh. Thankful for a loving, long-suffering husband to go through it with me and help keep me sane. And above all SO VERY THANKFUL to have an amazing God who is there to carry me through it all.
I have been working on a pillow project for a friend for awhile now. It’s one of those projects I wasn’t given a deadline on. I think she now knows that is really a no-no. When I don’t have a deadline I can be the worst procrastinator! Now you know. Give me a deadline if you want me to work for you. 😀
I am now working on creating a hand-stitched monogram on said pillow project. Call me crazy. But it is so fun! Thank you, Mom, for teaching me to embroider when I was young. Skills like that never leave you and you never know when you will need them!
I wore a new skirt to church today. I made it a couple weeks ago and just now wore it. I’ll show it to you later this week.
I bought some more red yarn and some dark grey yarn this weekend. I want to make more pom-poms. Becca (my 7 year old) found the yarn today and begged to have it. Nothing is sacred anymore.
My teenager now has my old sewing machine in her room and is creating all sorts of things out of scraps. She made a skirt for her American Girl doll last Wednesday while my Mom was here. My Mom now thoroughly understands why I refuse to try to teach the girl much! LOL! Can you say DRAMA? The skirt did get done – and by Emma – despite her insistence that we do certain steps for her.
I am very ready for Spring. I always am. Actually I am ready for Summer but I will settle for Spring. I can’t wait to slip on flipflops and run out the door instead of pulling on tights and boots and coats and gloves and scarves and hats…
I got a shipment of Stripey Straws from ‘Pick Your Plum‘ this week. I am well stocked with straws now! Do you follow ‘Pick Your Plum‘? You should. Click on over there and do so now. You won’t be sorry.
I have piles of cool fabric waiting on me to create something fun out of it. What would you like to see me make? Got any tutorials you would like to see? Anything you would like to purchase for yourself that I could make for you? Let me know!
Sew a Fine Seam
Happy, happy birthday to your grown-up girl! I’m sure we’ll both survive this interesting 🙂 stage, but it is trying! We got a driving school post card in the mail, I threw it out! I’m not ready to go there yet, maybe in the summer!
LOL! I totally understand throwing that card out! That is gonna come so fast now!
Like mother like daughter! One of my girls loves to create like I do. Oh, the teenage years. Magical, frightening, but oh so worth all the effort. Have fun shopping! I love Pick Your Plum. Amazing deals. Beautiful pics by the way!
Thank you Karen! Teenagers are definitely interesting! I prefer it to the preteen years actually!
Haha. Or, you might be sorry you follow pick your plum..
Yes, Belle, that is very true! If you have no self discipline it might be best to stay far far away!
I never thought I’d have to relive my teen years…until now. I can’t believe you’ll have a 14 year old. Have fun shopping with her and your mom. How wonderful they share the same birthday. I, too, LOVE embroidery, I can’t wait to see that pillow and your new skirt.
Yeah, unfortunately we do get to relive the teen years – through our kids!
Have so much fun shopping! Wish I could fly in and meet you. Indy is a great place to shop.
I got my straws too and love their fun colors! I tucked a couple packages into my gifting box.
I get so tired of bundling up too. I’m not ready for 110 degree temps, but I’d be fine with 80. I can’t complain…it is very nice here today, after a cold and windy day yesterday. And we do see the sun most days, even when it’s cold.
I’m sure we will have lots of fun! We haven’t done anything like this for quite awhile.
Oh Jill, what a great idea. What would I like to see you make? Hmmm…I’ll have to think about that. I’m sure there is something, but generally I love what you choose to make. So many fun things and great fabrics. I’m always impressed. Stay strong through all the teen years. One day you’ll be glad she sews if you make it through the learning curve. Oh, happy day!
Liz
🙂 I can’t even say that the teen years is what gave me gray hair – I’ve been covering the gray for about 5 years now!
How lucky you are to be able to share the love of crafting, sewing with your daughter. My daughter (the 4th. and last kid) was only interested in making our life rather interesting. (I’m trying to be nice here ok) She is 6 yrs. younger than the 3rd. and acted like she was the oldest. My dear faithful hubs suffered thru a few tough years, I was in early very difficult menopause at 42 and putting up with a very willful 12 yr. old at same time. And she wasn’t a teenager yet. When she did become a teenager I realized how easy I’d had it with the 3 oldest. Sigh. There were days when I’d find something else to do before I’d go home from work so I didn’t have to deal with her when I got home from a difficult day. Raising kids in So. CA was hard enough believe me. Now she has a 16 yr. old and 2nd. one to be teenager in April. She rules them with an iron hand and they better not ever use the tone of voice she practiced on us. Uh-huh. I was the bad guy when I tried to be strict, Dad was the good guy, thanks alot buddy. Ah such memories.
I am happy that my girls like to do crafty things! I hope at least one of them takes my love of sewing through life with them!! And we definitely have our moments when I wonder if I will have any hair left till they are all out on their own, but overall we are getting along pretty well so far!