Mabel's BIG quilt

Last July, six year old Mabel took me aside and with great earnestness explained her need for a "big" quilt.  Yes, I had made her a small quilt when she was two and now she was six and a big girl who needed a big quilt.

Her well thought remarks made me realize that she did indeed need a "big" quilt.  I finished it and gave it to her last fall, but finally took pictures the first of February while we were visiting her family.

I used a jelly roll of "Sundrops" by Corey Yoder and a Bella solid to strip piece a "Sweet 16" quilt.

I love this cheerful fabric.  I machine quilted straight lines forming sqaures.

I pieced the backing with additional "Sundrop" material.  I used the ends of the strip sets as a stop border between the two different fabrics.

Now my cheerful granddaughter has a BIG cheerful quilt!

Aprons for the boys and the girls

Years ago I made and bought some aprons for the grand  kids to wear on doughnut day and sugar cookie day.  Guess what?  They keep growing and growing, so this year I made some new ones.  These were not Christmas presents, but just because I want them all in the kitchen learning how to prepare food and gain food prep skills.

For the boys, I found a four pack of dish towels each a different design at Ikea.  Perfect!

For the largest, I only trimmed off the triangle for the arms.  For the smaller boys there was some trimming and additional hemming.

I used the extra towel for ties which were fairly long.  They are threaded through the casing on each slanted side with a loop to fit around the neck at the top.

I used the triangles from the armhole trimming for further pocket accents.

My accent fabric was some red and white ticking leftover from my family room drapery project last year.

Pretty cute!  My base pattern was a Simplicity apron pattern.

Baby Opal didn't get left out.  She had also grown and needed a larger bib.  I just added some more length at the shoulder.

I love this reversible bib pattern from Piper's Quilts and Other Comforts.

Showing off their new cover ups before rolling doughnuts.  That is Oscar's in the background.  He wasn't as pleased but I know that he loves to help in the kitchen so I'm sure it will be used.

I also used a Simplicity apron pattern for the girls.  It included sizes for adults, children, and 18 inch dolls.  Once again, perfect!  Heather has grown so much this year and I used a small adult size for her.  I started with the largest child size pattern and just kept cutting it down as I went.  Most of these fabrics were Lori Holt designs.  Heather's is different mostly because I needed more fabric and most of my Lori Holt fabric pieces are a yard or less.

 

The doll aprons are made from the girls' contrast fabric with pieces of their main fabric for contrast.

I loved how they turned out.  My main expense came from all of the quarter inch double fold bias tape, yards and yards of it, that I bought.  Thank goodness for a senior coupon of 30% off my entire purchase at JoAnn's.

I had enough of the same but different color way fabrics to send the three sisters; Ruby, Sadie, and Mae home with coordinating aprons.  Heather's and Julianna's were each a bit different.

Julianna was more interested in helping grandpa in the front yard than participating in our photo shoot.  But we carried on.  I received coupons for free photo books with the purchase of a couple of dolls I bought this fall and I wanted a plethora of cute pictures of my American girls.

Aren't they the cutest? I love my boys and my girls!  I wasn't sure how my two oldest grandsons would feel about an apron, but they are still on my list for the future.  You may have noticed that Opal's bib and Julianna's aprons are of the same fabrics.

For Christmas, the girls received matching American Girl tops and American Girl hats including hats for their dolls.  I also picked up new white blouses and jeans for their dolls at the Doll Shop at Gardner Village in Midvale.  I love shopping there for my girls.  The quality is good and prices are lower than the official American Girl outfits.  They also have monthly coupons.  Just a thought for any of you who are from Utah.

Entertaining Grandchildren

This summer some of the grandchildren were practicing and memorizing and working hard on developing new talents much to the delight of grandpa and grandma.  We were invited to 101 Dalmatians presented by the talented children of my daughter's new hometown.  Henry was a Chihuahua.

His brother Ray played two parts.  He was a dog who sent out warnings about the missing Dalmatian puppies AND the police officer who takes the bad guys off to jail.  They were so proud of their costumes before the musical play began.

It was the cutest most delightful evening ever.

Kanine Krunchies indeed.

The little girl who played Cruella will most likely eventually be in a musical on Broadway.  She could act and sing!

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Cutest Chihuahuas ever.

Henry knew his parts so well.  The little boys on each side seemed to follow his lead.

Ray was in his element and so glad that he had purchased this hat at the Civil War reenactment booth earlier in the summer.

He was a most dramatic lawman

who led Cruella's henchmen off to jail.

It was a great little family theater and just right for the young cast.

Kudos to all of you!

Great songs

and cutest little cast ever.  So fun!!

Back in Arizona we were in for another entertaining treat.  My son's daughters had worked hard all summer.

They were part of a Broadway Choir.

Little sister was in the audience cheering them on.

Sadie had a little solo part in "Singing in the Rain."

Ruby sang a solo in a song from "Secret Garden.'

I was so happy that they stood near each other and in front of the seats grandpa had earlier selected.

There were truly some beautiful voices.

I'm so happy that they had an opportunity to do this.  Ruby participated last year, but it was Sadie's first time.

The finale, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Miz.

Daddy Dave had flowers for his girls.

Ruby was so sweet and gave the pink butterfly to Mae.

Cousin Heather was there to add her support.

Daddy Dave really is the perfect dad for a house full of girls.

I am the luckiest grandma in the world to have these beauties in my life.

Great job girls!

Grandpa treated everyone to Nielsen's after.  I presented Sadie with an early birthday present.  Not fun when you are having a sleepover and everyone has an owl pillow but you.

Mabel loved seating at the big counter.

Grandpa loves ice cream

and his girls!  Thanks grand kids for being so entertaining!