D's visit - FRIDAY

We (Grandfather and Grandmother Nanut) have been enjoying visits from the grand children for some years now. For the past six, we have looked forward to D's visit. He has been here once with his whole family, but was young enough to not remember much of the visit. Maybe just the BOOM - BOOM! song, aka The 1812 Overture. He has been asking for years "when can I come to your house?" and this year was HIS year to come with his daddy. I have been looking forward to this day for weeks and it is finally here!!

 That exciting moment when we first see each other! Let the visit begin. 

 We are certainly happy to greet our D. 

 On the way home. I always enjoyed going to my grandparents house. It was different, yet became familiar through the years. I have posted some earlier of my mom's mom's house. Still brings back memories when we drive by. Wish I had pictures of the inside, now that would be special. 

 And being D, the first thing on the list is the play park. This is the first of many we visited. In fact this one was visited three times. 

 Nothing is more fun than a giant flat field to leap around in. 

And a little tic tac toe with Grandmother Nanut.

While dinner was being prepared, D decided to make a Hug-A-Bear. 

 Of all the grand children, D was NOT the one I expected to sit down first in front of my Bernina. I had to help, as it was tricky to get that curve sewn in, but D worked the peddle like a pro. He was in charge of raising and lowering the pressure foot, lowering the needle so we could turn the fabric, and pushing the foot peddle. Lots of new terminology to learn. Also keeping little fingers AWAY from that fast moving needle. He did a great job. 

 Next was drawing the face to put on the Hug-A-Bear.

 After the bear was sewn and the face made, 

we clipped the curves and turned the bear right side out.

 D watched while I pressed. 

I wasn't comfortable with a wild little man and a very hot iron. 

Sometimes D just MOVES! So he watched. 

 D found this to be his favorite part, STUFFING!

A finished Hug-A-Bear and we finished just before dinner. 

Dinner, prepared by Grandfather and daddy, 

was steak and smashed potatoes.  

Then it was Grandfather's favorite activity.

 They gathered up the change that Grandfather had been saving just for . . .

getting ICE CREAM!!

 We have a great ice cream store within walking distance. 

We never go there unless we have a grandchild visiting. 

This was their lucky day. 

 D was really good at pressing those buttons to cross the street. 

And finally . . . the ice cream and alone time with Grandfather.

Please note the HAT. This belonged to D's paternal Great grandfather. 

A great hat on a great kid.

 A little Lego time. While waiting for dark. 

The part of the day I was really looking forward to.

Building a little fire in the back yard for some time together. 

Just sitting around with enormous marshmallows.

Today, D was DElightful.

Hug-A-Bears

I finally got a picture of my Hug-A-Bear group at my church. The bears they are holding are the ones I made when I recently decided to pitch fabrics. I had SO much. I cut out bears from every available piece and threw out the rest. Hard to throw out, I tend towards hoarding when it comes to fabric, but last August USED much of what I had gathered. I still have some left, but I am working through it. It has been quite a while since I have bought fabric just because I liked it. Everything recently has been almost immediately used for something. 

My precious friends who come every month to stuff bears. They are each wearing the bear broaches I made for them. Recently we got the young man (who is home schooled) and his mom. Really helped with the "average" age of this group, who are mostly late 70's to late 80's. But do NOT call them old! For some reason, they take offense! They inspire me, for sure.

SOME of my bears, I am sure the family (and one of my friends) will recognize the fabrics. 

Bears and commission

This week, besides just taking care of all the things that life demands of me, I have been working on the bears. I went through all my fabric and tossed and sorted. I decided to just use it for bears, and this is the pile that I ended up with besides three bags for the trash. I know some sewers keep ALL their scraps . . . my house just isn't big enough! A purge was needed. Sometimes one NEEDS to just purge and get rid of stuff that is not serving a purpose or creating positive energy. 

I also have been sewing for an aerobics instructor that I know. Hemming, adjusting and even making something NEW! She is a very flamboyant individual and this is the item I made for her. 

Ah, to be so bold!

My little helper

Lately, I have been traveling, then recovering and catching up. The Hug-A-Bear program at my church has been carrying on without me, but because I have not been shopping, prepping and making the faces that go on the bears, there won't be many bears waiting to be stuffed unless I get after it. Saturday, my youngest spent the day with me. I put her to work. I found she is very good at each and every step of bear making, so she is now my face maker extraordinaire, and also can do all the other steps to make a little Hug-A-Bear. AND she is a willing participant. I am so happy to have the help, and I am sure there will be a least a few scared little hurting kids that will be comforted by the little bears we make. 

Hug A Bear #2

My new batch of bear material and face colors. SO cute! Makes me smile. Need to get some beige for the nose and tongue of the puppy fabric, and more fabric as I only have enough for 62 bear and last month we made and stuffed 150!

Bernina Record with NO number!

Call me crazy, but that is really a great looking piece of machinery. Check out those cams!! That is the guts of a Bernina Record from 1974, a 38 year old machine that I found in the Hug-A-Bear closets at church today. I brought it home for some TLC and a little cleaning and oiling. I had no idea that our little group had that much real estate or a Bernina at our disposal, as it was my understanding that we had ONE little closet, not three. Two were clogged with "donations" that were really not suitable to our projects, and with the help of another in our group, we purged and organized. It was wonderful.

Today we had 11 servants show up and we stuffed and closed 151 bears. We also laughed and enjoyed one another's company and admired some lovely fabrics. We also had a little party in memory of our recently passed leader. We all miss J, and will carry on in her memory.

I am using my moms Bernina Record 930 along with my Pfaff. I used a Bernina Record 830 for about 25 years. This one is SO familiar, it's really cool. Even has the knee lever.

Hug A Bear #1

I am going to track the cute fabrics and faces of some of the hug a bears I am coordinating. Just for fun and because I have to do a report at the end of the year.

Enough for at least 20 bears. Have some pink and lavender solids to go with.

This is a flannel, SO CUTE.

This one will make at least 34, as there are solids that will help stretch this fabric, by using it only on the front of the bear. Again, too cute!!!