Hush. All is peaceful.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Fifty Fridays #13
This photo is a lot like last week's.
But while #12 was an informal snap which was posed, this one is very formal. I recall that a professional photographer came to our house to take a family portrait. I don't remember why it was taken. There was never another one. And, of course, there are a few more faces here. That baby girl now has pigtails.
We all had to dress up - even my younger brother is wearing his best overalls. I remember that they were yellow. It's too bad that there was never another portrait taken because there is one person hidden from view. My mother's smock should be a giveaway that another little one will soon be joining the family. Another little sister for me to baby. And until I left home, she was like my baby to take care of and keep happy. My younger brother had a lot of health problems and took up much of my mother's time. So, I learned a lot about child care in those years.
The photo is taken in the living room of that house that I mentioned a while ago. If I close my eyes, I can imagine the photo in color. A lot of creams and greens with brown and gold. These earth tones were my mother's favorites. Can you guess? I absolutely hated those colors. Still do except in very small doses. In fact, I know that we were all pretty color-coded. The male jackets are navy. My dress is a dark green, my mother's top is green, my sister's plaid skirt is also green and blue. All is harmony. For the picture.
But while #12 was an informal snap which was posed, this one is very formal. I recall that a professional photographer came to our house to take a family portrait. I don't remember why it was taken. There was never another one. And, of course, there are a few more faces here. That baby girl now has pigtails.
We all had to dress up - even my younger brother is wearing his best overalls. I remember that they were yellow. It's too bad that there was never another portrait taken because there is one person hidden from view. My mother's smock should be a giveaway that another little one will soon be joining the family. Another little sister for me to baby. And until I left home, she was like my baby to take care of and keep happy. My younger brother had a lot of health problems and took up much of my mother's time. So, I learned a lot about child care in those years.
The photo is taken in the living room of that house that I mentioned a while ago. If I close my eyes, I can imagine the photo in color. A lot of creams and greens with brown and gold. These earth tones were my mother's favorites. Can you guess? I absolutely hated those colors. Still do except in very small doses. In fact, I know that we were all pretty color-coded. The male jackets are navy. My dress is a dark green, my mother's top is green, my sister's plaid skirt is also green and blue. All is harmony. For the picture.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sunday Wonders - P
P is for Paper Dolls.
Before there was Barbie for little fashionistas to dress, there were paper dolls. This box has been languishing in a forgotten corner of a cupboard for a few years now.
I found the dolls in a magazine one day and decided that I had to color them. I had some nifty felt pens and I went right to work. Took me hours and hours. I'm not sure what I thought I would be doing with them. I just knew that I had to pay homage to my childhood love of paper dolls.
I colored and cut out the large ones but seem to have stalled on the smaller ones. They did all get colored, though. I have them saved for my grand-daughter now. I'm not sure that they are as interesting to her as they were to me.
The first paper dolls I ever had (I was about 6) were of Lucille Ball (long before she was I Love Lucy) modelling some of the most fabulous clothes. I don't have them any more and the photo above is courtesy of Google. I remember that hey were very much like this. I think - no, I know - that my mother was fascinated by Lucille Ball. She bought me the paper dolls as well as at least one LB coloring book - another thing I loved to do. So did my mother. That was an awful lot to buy in the way of movie star stuff for those times. I'm sure it reflected my mother's youth and, perhaps, her loneliness at being so far from family and friends. And she was at home with two small children every day in a house well outside the town center.
The best thing about paper dolls is how easy it was to create new fashions for your dolls. My mother indulged her love of fashion and color and put her considerable design and drawing skills to work making my dolls new dresses and costumes. It was heaven to me...I believe it was to her as well.
Before there was Barbie for little fashionistas to dress, there were paper dolls. This box has been languishing in a forgotten corner of a cupboard for a few years now.
I found the dolls in a magazine one day and decided that I had to color them. I had some nifty felt pens and I went right to work. Took me hours and hours. I'm not sure what I thought I would be doing with them. I just knew that I had to pay homage to my childhood love of paper dolls.
I colored and cut out the large ones but seem to have stalled on the smaller ones. They did all get colored, though. I have them saved for my grand-daughter now. I'm not sure that they are as interesting to her as they were to me.
The first paper dolls I ever had (I was about 6) were of Lucille Ball (long before she was I Love Lucy) modelling some of the most fabulous clothes. I don't have them any more and the photo above is courtesy of Google. I remember that hey were very much like this. I think - no, I know - that my mother was fascinated by Lucille Ball. She bought me the paper dolls as well as at least one LB coloring book - another thing I loved to do. So did my mother. That was an awful lot to buy in the way of movie star stuff for those times. I'm sure it reflected my mother's youth and, perhaps, her loneliness at being so far from family and friends. And she was at home with two small children every day in a house well outside the town center.
The best thing about paper dolls is how easy it was to create new fashions for your dolls. My mother indulged her love of fashion and color and put her considerable design and drawing skills to work making my dolls new dresses and costumes. It was heaven to me...I believe it was to her as well.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Saturday Stash
Hmmm...I seem to have missed a Saturday. Now where did that one go? I have been knitting. Honest.
I don't have much to show since I forgot to take photos of the last two soaker bibs for Gabby. Just for the record, the wicking effect of a wool bib is not a myth. it actually works. So, if you know a teething baby, this would be a great gift. Washable wool sock yarn held double works really well with Elaine Fitzpatrick's patterns. You can find oodles of these cute little critter bibs on her blog, Down Cloverlaine. Ooh! I just visited to get the link and she's created the cutest little dog - with a waggly tail. Take a look.
And here's half a pair of socks. These are Finchy Feet...can you see the colors of the pretty house finch? They will be for my grand-daughter who commented that she had outgrown all her Grammy socks. And winter is coming, you know. The patterned part is in Feather and Fan which I think is perfect for feet that fly like those finches.
And youngest grand-daughter needed a new sweater. She's growing, growing, growing. So, this is still in the bits and pieces stage. Just working on the hood now. Later, I'm going through the stash to find some fancy yarn to give this a bit of oomph! A little too plain for me.
Back to knitting...I have more unfinished stuff, I know. There are at least three projects that I'm not even talking about that sit quietly on the table and sigh with exaggerated patience. Soon, my dears, soon.
I don't have much to show since I forgot to take photos of the last two soaker bibs for Gabby. Just for the record, the wicking effect of a wool bib is not a myth. it actually works. So, if you know a teething baby, this would be a great gift. Washable wool sock yarn held double works really well with Elaine Fitzpatrick's patterns. You can find oodles of these cute little critter bibs on her blog, Down Cloverlaine. Ooh! I just visited to get the link and she's created the cutest little dog - with a waggly tail. Take a look.
And here's half a pair of socks. These are Finchy Feet...can you see the colors of the pretty house finch? They will be for my grand-daughter who commented that she had outgrown all her Grammy socks. And winter is coming, you know. The patterned part is in Feather and Fan which I think is perfect for feet that fly like those finches.
And youngest grand-daughter needed a new sweater. She's growing, growing, growing. So, this is still in the bits and pieces stage. Just working on the hood now. Later, I'm going through the stash to find some fancy yarn to give this a bit of oomph! A little too plain for me.
Back to knitting...I have more unfinished stuff, I know. There are at least three projects that I'm not even talking about that sit quietly on the table and sigh with exaggerated patience. Soon, my dears, soon.
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