8/1 - I have selected all the designs I wish to use. Once again, there are 20 pages and some are just too fun. I'm already excited. Mind you, I have simply made a list of what I want to do. Hahahahaha.
8/4 - Out to the studio for solid broadcloth pieces that will work as page backgrounds.
I'm going to go with this denim look for the front and back covers.
The page backgrounds are cut. The batting insides are cut from scraps. AND, the felt is in the house. It's a great start.
8/13 - Drawing patterns --
8/16 More drawing and I downloaded a couple that look so fun. That's it for August --- I met my goal.
9/15 September is the start of "3 pages per month" of a goal. We are at the beach retreat and since I'm doing only hand work, this works for me I've got a start on three pages today.
9/29 - Home from retreat and Lady Elna is brought out to attach all necessary parts to the backgrounds. Goal met for this month and 3 pages are finished.
10/1 - A new month and new pages to work on. Lots of cutting today on three new pages.
10/2 - Cutting for the front and back pages
10/3 - Some shopping for magnets, red ribbon, and larger snaps for this month's pages. Front and back are laid out.
Alphabet foam letters have been retrieved from old family reunion totes.
10/10 - The flat page is finished and the alphabet pages are getting there. I need to hook the fronts to backs on the individual pieces and add a place to put them.
10/12 - Everything is pinned and ready to stitch down. All the handwork is complete. Off to the machine and these are done too -- forgot to take a picture.
10/18 - Working on the turkey page and went to get more magnets for flag page - Nothing is working right. Argh. Turkey page complete.
10/26 Flag page finished - all the stars are sewn together BUT if you let them get too close to each other, it's one big clump. The blue part is a big flat magnet too. Six pages done this month. I am now one month ahead. Woohoo.
2/6 - Yep, you read that right. I LOST November, December, and January. My 3 pages ahead is now a deficit of 6. I need to move it. It's retreat time and I have lots to work on. I did do some cutting in January, but that's about it.
Cutting for the hippo, stoplight, shoes, and train actually took place in January, but I neglected to take any pictures. Now for the bug page.
Pinning away, I am ready for some hand stitching.
But first, cutting the bugs out.
2/11 Home again and cutting like a mad person on the racetrack pages.
2/12 - I have lost the den in the ensuing anxiety. Cutting, cutting, cutting. I have only one month left.
2/13 - More cutting and pages EVERYWHERE!!!
2/14 - The last of the pages are cut out!!! Oh my. I wish that meant I was close, but I have a LOT of work to do still.
2/20 - Today's focus is on getting little pieces of felt tamed everywhere all while battling allergies. Sneeze, stitch, sneeze, stitch.
By the end of the day, I have 5 pages ready to be attached to the backgrounds, leaving me with 5 to go.
2/22 - Back at retreat and hoping to get more work on these finished.
2/23 - Success -- The bug page is ready to attach to the background AND lots of progress on the camping pages too.
2/26 - I am now up in Denton taking four days of classes. Tonight I have set up for the evening to visit and work. All this and I managed to get the boy for the camping page completed. Goodness.
3/4 - OMG --- I now have FOUR days maximum to get this in the mail or it won't be there by his birthday. Obviously all my great planning at the beginning went right out the window. Discipline was required and not found. The price must now be paid. I HAVE to get all the pages attached to backgrounds and that means prepping them is top priority today.
3/5 - Oh my sweet man holds his hand up to shield his face as he walks through here each time. I don't think it could get much worse.
Backs are being attached.
Binding being cut.
Pages trimmed, matched in the correct order, and sandwiched. The stack is about 8 inches high.
Binding going on.
3/6 - All the binding is hand stitched down. All the little parts are made (except three wise men which I'll do tomorrow), grommets are placed, the rings are in, and the closure is in place. Mister has to go to the office tomorrow so tonight is video night -- finished or not. The stills follow (and more story) but here is the link to the video - https://vimeo.com/322271471 - It shows how to play with each page.
3/7 - I HAVE to mail today. Wise men here I come. While talking on the phone with my daughter for an hour and a half, I manage to put these together. (In fairness, a lot of them had been readied yesterday.)
I didn't think the room could get much worse, but it did.
Just the variety of objects on my little work table is amazing.
And then suddenly --- Mister is happy again. (keep reading to see JP with his book)
Happy Birthday John Paul! A HUGE thank you to Mommy, Cassie, for the pictures that let me share in the joy of the day.
"Okay John Paul, that is enough," the sisters seem to be saying. "We want to check it out, too."
Here comes Ava
Ophelia joins in and John Paul seems to say, "Hey girls, look at this stuff " -
Feeding chocolate to the boy
Made S'Mores
Ahhhh, my heart is happy tonight and I'm already on the hunt for more ideas. I'm sure another one will take place in a couple of years.
What an awesome gift of love from Gammy 🤩😍🤩❗️❗️
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much. I loved doing this third one. They are lots of work, but so much fun at the same time.
DeleteWOW!!! Such an amazing gift, not just for JP, but also for the parents. He's gonna have so much fun with this book. Lots of work for you, and so worth it. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!! It is definitely a labor of love, but they enjoy them so much.
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