Bridal Bag

Hi My Friends.  I have been gone for over a month and feel bad.  Unfortunately life gets in my way and computer problems do not help.  We left Florida mid May and returned to our Chicago home. T here is so much to do here when we return in the spring because this is where my garden is.  In Florida it is hanging baskets and indoor orchids and plants in the sunroom so is easy in comparison.  Ourdeck was in terrible shape and needed both cleaning and staining.  Our deck is very large and covers the complete back of the house with 3 step down levels.  I could not find anyone interested in cleaning.  The kids were all still in school or not home yet and our gardeners were so far behind with the bad spring they are still trying to catch up.  I hauled the power washer out of the shed and did it myself until it stopped working.  We need a new part that is not in stock.  My  daughter said I will bring you ours and she did and proceeded to wash the last section of deck.  Then it had to dry and I stained it in sections.  It looks really good.  I had to do this before I could all the planters out and plant them so I am really still behind.

This weekend my son and DIL are coming in from Minnesota for our daughter's oldest boys graduation from High School.  He heads off to the University of Illinois in Aug.  His Mother, Father, Uncle (from MN) and his great Grandpa Erickson all went to U of I. It is getting so hard to get into some of these schools but he really tried hard and had excellent grades so he made it.  We are proud of you Kyle.

We will be celebrating his graduation, Fathers Day, her middle boys birthday and her FILs birthday.  One big party plus  family friends.  It will be a big bash.

I wanted to show you the bridal bag I made along with Karen Ruane last Fall.   Karen's daughter was getting married in October and Karen made one for her and I just followed along.  No future bride yet but with 1 grandaughter and 5 grandsons someone will hopefully wear white and want it.  I had a great time making it.  Hundreds of French Knots, bullions and web stitches.  I have the pic where I had stretched it when the outside was completely finished.  I also made the lining out of silk and decorated all around the outside of it because when gathered that is what shows.  I finished it the day before I left for Florida but did not have time to take pics of the finished bag.  Here it is: