MAKING LACE

Here are a few pics of a lace piece I have put together from Karen Ruane's lace class.  Her classes are so much fun.  This one was taking pices of lace and putting them together to make your own lace piece and as Karen says you could not buy this.  She has a new class starting for 8 weeks in June just sitting and embroidering with her.  I have taken every class she has had except one for buttons which I will take someday.

 

 

The bottom section was just pinned when I shot the pics but last night I sat and sewed on the lace where pinned and then did more embellishing on the bottom section. When finally finihed I will take another pic.



THE GRAHAM GIRLS

 

Family and friends used to refer to us as the Graham girls.   There were only 4 of us in our family, our Mother and her 3 girls.  The oldest was Irene in the middle of the picture. 

2 years later along came Dorothy on the far right of the picture.  5 years after that along came Freda, far left of the picture.  I am assuming I was around 7, Dorothy around 12 and Irene around 14 when this picture was taken.  It is the only real photograph we have of the 3 of us.  Money was tight for my Mother and no money was available for extras.  Even though times were tough and money tight, we had a happy childhood.

 

We all married and had wonderful husbands and children.  My Mother loved her SILs and we used to kid that she liked them better then her daughters. 

 

5 years ago last Sept. we lost Dorothy to a lung disease called Bronchiactisis.  I had never heard of it until Do came down with it. That was my first real loss in life.

 

Almost 2 weeks ago on april 30th. I lost my other sister Irene of bone cancer that went right through her body. She had breast cancer 29 years ago and had a mastectomy.  When I came down with BC 14 years ago she always encouraged me by reminding me of how she had remained cancer free and we thought she had won the battle.  Well that was not to be.  It came back very quietly and by the time they found she had it it was throughout her body.

 

One week I was talking to her and 2 days later she was in the hospital in palliative care in Barrie, Ontario, north of Toronto where all 3 of us lived until I left at age 30. It was a blessing that the end came so fast for her but hard on her family.  She had just 1 daughter, Janice who is married and her son Jason was Irene's only grandchild.

 

Well the Graham girls are now down to 1 girl but I too intend to go out fighting.  Cancer is a terrible disease and there is not a family among us who has not been touched by it.  Some day there will be a cure and that generation will look back at our fight with cancer as we looked back at tuberculosis which was a terrible disease in our day.  I had an uncle who died of it in his late 20's.

 

This is just a little tribute I wanted to pay to my beloved sisters who were known as "The Graham Girls".

 

Freda Marie Butler (nee Graham)

 



BALANCE OF SQUARES

I added 2 squares together in the last pic so I could have the peacock coming over both.

SQUARES FINISHED

I said in a recent post that I was going to pack away my squares and finish them when we get home to Chicago.  Well I was cleaning out a bit in the sewing room and came across a container that had a lot of stuff that I could use on these blocks.  So I went ahead and worked on them and they are just about finished.  I may add a bit or take off a bit when I am home but here they are for now.

I entered 4 to make sure they came out and will now add the other 4.  They are 6 -  8" and 2 - 8 x 11
for the sides to match the original stone angel picture.

I see that in pic 2 that he little MOP leaves look yellow.  They do not look yellow in reality.

SISTERS ?

When we were returning from Daytona we stopped at the local flea market and the only thing I found that I wanted was this picture of the 4 gals.  I assume they are wearing mourning clothes all being dressed in black.  I thought they were probably sisters but at a second glance the lady on the right sitting down may have been the Mother.  What do you all think?

I thought it would make a good Halloween pic so please feel free to download it if you like.

3 weeks tomorrow we go home and I am looking forward to seeing my kids, grandkids and garden.
It will be interesting to see what is coming up in the garden and speaking of growing things - every year I am amazed at how much each of the 6 grandkids have grown in 6 months.  This year none have been down to visit so it will be a surprise.

NEW BOY IN THE FAMILY

 

 

 

Here is the newest addition to my daughter's family of boys.  3 boys, 1 husband and 1 new pal for them all.  His name is axel and he is a rescue dog.  He is a labrador between 2-3 years old.

 

She was put in touch with the family who was fostering him after his family lost their home in a foreclosure and just went off and left him.  Neighbours were feeding and looking after him because he was such a nice dog.  The woman who fostered him said she had never had a dog as nice as him.

Axel. She kept him while Sue & family were gone on Spring break then delivered him last weekend.

My daughter says he is so great with the boys and is a treasure.  Can you imagine people just going off and leaving him?  They could have at least taken him to the human society and told them they couldn't keep him but he is now in a loving home.

 

I can hardly wait to get home and see him. 

 



HAPPY EASTER

First I must tell you about a wonderful giveaway that will end tomorrow. Maggie from Magpies Collectibles.blogspot.com made this beautiful bracelet and is so generously giving it to one lucky winner tomorrow. Sorry for the short notice but I just read some blogs today and saw it. She also donates 25% of the selling price of her bracelets to breast cancer research. Good going Maggie. Happy Easter to all my friends and readers who celebrate this holiday. I took a few pics of small things I set up around the house a couple of weeks back. Easter is one of my favorite holidays to decorate for. The first pic is of the table by the front door. Next is my bunny sitting on the tray with some beautiful ceramic eggs (not made by me). I have had a hard time resisting the chocolate eggs scattered around the grass every time I enter or leave the kitchen. The other bunny is holdin a couple of my smocked eggs that I made quite a few years ago. I also have a beautiful orchid sitting on the counter but the pic did not turn out too good so I will spare you that. Hope you all have a great day tomorrow with family or friends.