My awesome mother made a wonderful lunch yesterday to wish Jamie and the kids farewell and a good trip today. The day seemed to suit the mood: all travel arrangements had been completed and although there was some packing left, everything had been assembled and there was nothing left to do but enjoy the warm weather and a great day together. Read More
Finished projects and creepy kids
Sewing with kids is really fun. As compared to most adults, they are fearless. I have discovered that certain precautions are important… such as slowing down the speed on the sewing machine a bit, because they really like to let it rip. Read More
A little knitting, a little sewing…
The kids came back from the beach yesterday afternoon and we are all now busy finishing our projects together and enjoying the last few days before their departure this weekend. In between there are games to be played, movies to be watched, outdoor activities and even some cooking together. Read More
Little travel projects
The kids have gone to the beach with their dad over what is a long holiday weekend here in Ecuador. So it’s been quiet… just Jamie and me. Nice, as we enjoy these last few days together before her departure this upcoming Sunday. Read More
Lovely handicrafts
In preparation for Jamie’s upcoming trip and year in the U.S., a shopping spree at the local handicraft market was necessary. The variety of beautiful handmade items is a reminder of one of the advantages we have living in Ecuador. Read More
Healthy Envy
Hmmm… is there such a thing as healthy envy? Well, this is an expression we use a lot in Spanish to indicate admiration for another person’s accomplishment. And in our Thursday sewing circle we find we use it repeatedly when it comes to our friend Mariangela. Read More
A trip downtown
We all agreed it was about time for a day downtown, so we climbed into a cab and headed off for some fun time in the colonial part of the city. It is due to the preservation of this sector in Quito that it was designated by UNESCO (along with Krakow) as the first Cultural Heritage site, in 1978. Read More
Hope
Even with the grandkids here and a lot of hustle and bustle over the weekend, I managed to make a little sewing time and finished this little art quilt. This is the second piece Jamie will be taking with her to decorate her dorm room during her year abroad (you can see the first here). Read More
The spirit of quilting
In our sewing circle this week personal projects were set aside and our time together centered on a collaborative effort: marking a quilt top for our friend Mariangela. I took a couple of pics and then forgot about it until this morning, when I remembered I had several pictures on my camera I hadn’t unloaded from my camera. Read More
Finished wallhangings
In the midst of kid-oriented activities and posting patterns for our Christmas in July series there has been time for a wee bit of sewing! As usual, not as much as I would like (but then, there never is!), but at least a couple of wallhangings have been finished! Read More
Fabric Dyeing with Shaving Cream
We spent the afternoon playing around a bit, dyeing some fabric the kids want to use in their sewing projects. We used a shaving cream method a little different than what you might have seen, to “tone down” our colors a little, as this fabric will be used for the background of the kids’ projects and we didn’t want the color to overwhelm the projects. Read More
Finished appliqué
Doing the “mom thing” sure does take time, doesn’t it? Yet I love having these kids around… days are full and happy, we are busy, busy and exhausted by nightfall. I must say I’m sleeping well these days. (-: Read More
Alexia is back!
I’d forgotten how much time is used up when kids are around. I mean, I’m used to living in a world of adults where everyone takes care of him or herself. But for a short while now it’s back to actual cooking three times a day. It seems that right after breakfast and washing up I’m back in the kitchen preparing lunch! Plus laundry. Whew! Read More