Weekend of Cuteness

Monday, Jan. 20, 2003
5:24 PM

I've been very lazy today, but I'll accomplish something before the day's over, I'm sure. I had a pretty busy week last week and the weekend went by fast. I finished another commission piece, for a friend of mine, but I haven't been able to get hold of her to arrange delivery. I'm a little concerned, especially because I think we're now past the date by which she needed it (it's a birthday present for her mom), but it's also strange that she hasn't returned my email or phone calls. I hope she's OK and not in the middle of a crisis or emergency. I'm sure I'll hear from her soon.

Friday evening I taught my first mosaic class. It went very well and I had a blast. I was a little nervous but once we got going I was fine. I had four ladies in my class (was supposed to have five but one didn't show up) - three of them were very cool, one was a little on the odd side but that's OK. She got kind of glue-happy so we had to clean up her piece but it'll be fine. I think next time I schedule this class I'll make the first session three hours instead of two, so the students have enough time to both prime the wood and get all their tiles glued on. I had to give them "homework" because most of them didn't get all the tiles glued on by the end of class. This Friday will be the second part of the class, when we'll grout.

Saturday we hung out with Rich, Genie, Jason, Shannon and Regan for most of the day. Had a lovely relaxing time with our friends and the wielder of the +5 Cuteness of Death. Regan amazes me with how much she grows and learns every day. She is one of the most laid-back babies I have ever seen. I am also touched (and amused) by the way she has Kevin wrapped around her finger.

I got some work done on Jason's cotehardie (only 16 more buttonholes to go!) and Genie built a house (rather, she built a roof for her house). Shannon made a dress and sideless surcote for Regan that is truly adorable. I gave her a bunch of scraps and chunks of fabric that I'd been collecting for a while (too small for big people clothes, just right for Regan clothes), and she made the sideless out of the same brocade I made my giornea out of. If you were at Twelfth Night, that was the overdress I was wearing that day. I told Shannon to let me know when Regan will be wearing her surcote, I'd wear my giornea and Regan could be my Mini-Me. =)

Sunday was very busy. I got up in the morning, showered and then Kev and I made a crab mousse and shortbread cookies for my sister's baby shower. OK, well, Kevin did most of the work and I assisted. Then I drove out to Hume, VA where my sister's friend Holly was hosting the shower. I helped her get set up before everybody arrived. My mom came a little early too, so between the three of us we had everything under control. Besides us, there were about ten or twelve of my sister's friends, plus three kids, all under three years old. We had a really nice time and I think my sister had fun and was happy to see her friends. She has apparently been teaching some of them to quilt, and they got together and made one for her as a surprise. It was really cool and she was really touched. For a second there I thought she was near tears, which surprised me because she is not normally very demonstrative of her emotions. Maybe it's the hormones. ;-) It was a beautiful gift and I know it meant a lot to her.

My mom is making a quilt for her too, but it's not done yet. It's also very beautiful - Mom makes great quilts. The front of it is an alphabet in lots of different colors, and the back is going to be two bunnies posed like the painting American Gothic - pitchfork and all. It is going to be adorable. She also gave Heather some vintage baby clothes, most of them handmade. One set was a white gown with cap that our great-aunt made for my sister when she was born. It was one of the last things Aunt Rosamae made before her eyes went bad. Another gift was two simple gowns, like long shirts really, that had been made for our grandfather when he was born, in 1915. Really neat stuff and I think it is really cool to keep passing these family heirlooms along.

We had tons of food leftover so I had finger foods for dinner as well as lunch. The crab mousse was yummy, though I think if/when we make it again, we'll lay off on the cayenne pepper. We made heretical shortbread, in that we added mini chocolate chips and butterscotch bits (in different batches). Yummmm... we have way too much left over, anybody want some shortbread? I have veggies and hummus and pita bread too. Got plenty of stuff to snack on for a while.

Slept in today and have been doing very little except bumming around on the couch, reading and web surfing. I'm going to keep working on those buttonholes this evening. I will be done by the end of the week! I'm also hoping to go down to my parents' house this week and install that backsplash. This thing has been in progress for the better part of seven or eight months, and I really want to get it done so I can get pictures of it and put it on my web site.

9 days until Miami!!! Where it is currently 61 degrees!!! WAHOO!