sooner or later

I can finally show this as we are off to deliver it now. It was a kit with good instructions and quality parts. I made it a little more custom by using polymer clay for the bases of the playing pieces and sticking in pewter charms that were meaningful to Anne. Eiffel Tower, glasses, shoes, cat, drum set, mortar board, flower, cell phone. If I find a trombone charm, I'll make her another one! I also stamped the backs of the Good News and Bad News cards - cause they were too plain. Each of the properties represents a family story or address and has a photo. They're so tiny, it's hard to see anything but it's the thought that counts!

A fun project and hopefully a great gift. I'm not affiliated but I do recommend the product.

I've been spending a lot of time on the computer lately but it's not something you'll notice here. About four years ago, we became the keeper of a box of family photos and I sorted some and scanned some right away and then got distracted. Now we have to take the box back and so I have been madly scanning. Staying up till all hours and my eyes are bleary but I have over 200 scans done. I was picky - only scanning the ones that appealed to me either in quality of photo or importance of the subject. I have come to realize that my husband's grandfather had a wonderful camera and took amazing photos that were printed in a quality lab. His photos are clear, sharp and very high resolution. He framed the shots beautifully. Wish I knew more about him.

This photo is of my father-in-law about 1928 in the Arizona desert.

bonus frog today!
A RAK from an on-line friend who I've bumped into in several groups. Lynn Majidimehr is a quilting teacher at Quilters Threads. This frog is quite the handsome hopper.

I am running out of display space for frogs. Cutting back on collecting, discouraging random gifts of frogdom unless they are really splendid (and frankly, what frog isn't?).

I have this basket o' frogs. A dozen of them. For 2008, I am thinking of a monthly challenge to dress up a frog, put them in diarama, and/or to send a frog off into the world. Still considering this. Anyone want a naked frog? I am willing to see these frogs going to distant shores and someday maybe returning to me if not in person, at least in photos, showing their adventures.

Wanna play with a frog? No warts involved. You do know that 2008 is the Year of the Frog, right?

My big gift this year was a new printer. I sent a link to one I was interested in and the grill king got it at a good price. At least for the initial investment. I've printed less than 50 pages and it has slurped up at least $50 dollars worth of ink. Time to look for deals on ink refills. The quality is wonderful. We will keep the old one on the network for the odd printout of a receipt.

Christmas 1961

While the new printer has been churning out photo album pages, I've been scanning family photos that have been waiting for four or five years to be done. Suddenly that is priority and it's taking me away from other fun stuff. But I'm glad to have most of it done. One or two more nights of the midnight oil and I'll have everything I want and be able to return the box when we drive north next weekend.

Hoping for sunny skies like we've had for past weekend.

Sometimes in a frenzy, sometimes in awe, we opened our presents on Christmas Eve. Many of them handmade with love and thoughtfulness. The store bought ones selected carefully to please the recipient no end.

My English muffins from scratch turned out great. The grill king did his magic in the evening. We toured the neighborhood to see the lights. The travelers are off today on visits to family in other states. The weather here is beautiful and crisp. We are quietly getting to know our new toys today and enjoying the sweet goodies leftover from yesterday. Later I'll try another new recipe, crab cakes with wasabi mayo and we may even go to the movies.

I've been emptying a bobbin every day at the loom and feeling very virtuous about it. Also, finished off the coffee cup cuff that J started yesterday. One last gift for the coffee enthusiast in Fort Worth. I also got a little time at my work table. All in all, I'm enjoying the long weekend and not looking forward to going back in to the office. At least, things are at a stand still because everyone else in the world is taking long vacations and no business other than retailing is taking place. The phones will be quiet. Hopefully, no crisis will occur until 2008.

I'm done with my photo session now, Grandma.

Hope you have a lovely Froggy Holiday.

I've been tagged by Vivian.

Here are the simple rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Not weird, definitely random. No one said I had to use seven in each one. I just leaned that way today. I could have talked about green or frogs but I thought I would step out of my skin a moment.

1. I have at least 7 looms in my house.

2. I need more than 7 days in the week.

3. I embroidered 7 dishtowels when I was a kid with the names of the days of the week.

4. I'm not sure I have 7 friends with blogs who want to play this game; I guess we'll find out.

5. I'm not really happy unless I have at least 7 projects going at once.

6. One of my aunts had 7 kids and they lived on a farm. I always enjoyed those visits but it was quieter at my house.

7. I don't remember anything specific from 7th grade, except the spelling bee. I won in my little rural school and sat down early at the next level. I was a big frog in a very small pond.

These are the bloggers I am tagging. They will probably never speak to me again.

Wendy
Rachel
Scout
Phyllis
Jenny
Daune
Janene

I'm weaving with a little help yesterday from my granddaughter. She stood in front of me and pushed the pedals while I reached around her and threw the shuttle. She also wanted to weave on the tiny table loom, so we did that too.

The napkin saga is long and twisted. I missed the deadline but only a fourth of the members of the group were done. Sharp words and many back room conversations. Are we having fun yet?

I gave a program a few years back on Don't Let Friends Weave Overshot. Included in the discussion was the lecture to not join a weaving exchange as nothing about it would go smoothly. The audience laughed but went ahead with their planned project and foolishly I have never heeded my own sage advice.