Small gifts from the heart

Life seems to get more elaborate everyday, our houses are bigger, stores are huge,  parties and weddings are bigger and many gifts are big.

But some of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received are small, made with love gifts. 

This cross stitch book mark - I've kept it in my Bible since 1987.  Aunt Evelyn stitched patchwork hearts on one side and our names on the other. Isn't it so sweet? 

Son Bobby made this hanging heart from a wire clothes hanger- probably around 1992. 

Son Jimmy made this cross bookmark with variegated yarn and plastic canvas, free hand, probably around the same time his brother made the wire heart.

My Aunt Ann painted this light switch plate for me about 50 years ago - the plate is metal and I am pretty sure she used oil paints as they have been durable.

My mom made this little book for son Bobby when he was 1-2 years old. This was before fancy scrap book supplies.  It is just 3 large index cards folded in half and stapled together. She decorated it with stickers and cut out photos from my dad's farm magazines.  

It was one of Bobby's favorite possessions and was looked at and read so many times, I am not sure how it is still intact.

Gift giving season is starting- Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, weddings, spring birthdays and spring babies-  I think heart-felt little gifts can be wonderful. 

Do you have any  tiny love-filled gifts like mine?

Slow down week

It's been a very busy 4 weeks here with a big birthday party, Easter celebrating and house guests 4 weekends in a row.

The house was in pretty good shape Monday morning, and I was feeling a little tired, so I did not make my usual weekly to-do list. I plan to just do the upkeep that really needs done and in my free time, I will just do things I want to. 

Not that I am sitting around and just eating bonbons.....grands will here 4 days, I did laundry and changed sheets yesterday and cleaned the tile floors this morning.  

But I am not making a list and scratching things off, so I just feel more relaxed.  I am sure next week, I will be back happily working my to do list.


I sewed  a quick hack project this morning.
grand daughter Elizabeth had a queen size comforter that she wanted cut down to fit her toddler bed. 

so, I just cut off the size that would fit- I used the edge so there were just sides that needed to be finished off.  

a few weeks go, Elizabeth saw this Minnie Mouse blanket binding in my sewing room and asked if I would make her something with it.  It was perfect to finish off those edges - so I killed 2 birds with 1 stone. 

there was enough binding to go around 3 sides, which makes it look more balanced, and less of a hack job.  

That scrap of the binding is all that was left.  

hopefully she will have sweet dreams with this cozy comforter,  now just her size


we went to our favorite  thrift store Saturday.  

I found more spoons and knives and these are really nice,  Community Stainless. They were 2/25 cents.
Now we have more than enough flatware for big meals.  

2 dresses for me $3.50 each

and would you believe one more Ethan Allen piece? a tall hutch,  all maple and birch for $140!