Then, after school I greeted her with balloons. All the kids coming out of school noticed the balloons and Claire felt a little shy about it.
Claire asked for icebox cake and I put up lots of balloons. She’ll have a pool party with her friends later this month.
As I made her cake I remembered when she was born. All through the night we were waiting for her to come and worried about being able to meet my mom and dad at the airport early the next morning. She came a bit earlier than planned, but it all worked out. And now she is seven. She is sweet and helpful and she is a good friend. I love her giggle. I wonder what her next birthday and her next year will bring. It will be a year full of change for our seven year old.
Things are moving along a little too fast. The move is breathing down my neck. This week the moving company sent a guy to survey all the stuff that we will be shipping. Yikes that makes it all even more real. I had to do some paperwork for the shipping – part of it was estimating the value of EVERYTHING we own. That just seems so ridiculous. How do you go about doing that? I picture myself counting every spool of thread in my sewing room and then moving onto the needles. Luckily I had some paperwork left over from our last move that listed stuff room by room so somehow I got that done. I’ve been sorting stuff all week – getting rid of things we don’t use. All the while thinking of which items we will need at our apartment and which ones will stay here.
Thank you for all your kind comments about our move – it makes the hard part of moving much easier when your loved ones support you.
In other news – I finished my quilt! I think I could call this the procrastinating-thinking-about-moving quilt. Or I could call it the Foyle’s War quilt since I re-watched that whole series on PBS while I pieced it. I made this quilt in record time – just four months. It turned out such a happy quilt – I had to put it right on my bed and admire it. Then when Brian got home I made him hold it up for some pictures. Another benefit to having a tall husband.
I sewed a new pattern – it’s called the Swingset Skirt from Oliver + S. We have a wedding coming up and I told Bea I would make her a skirt. Getting dressed up is a big deal for her. I mean she never does it. She is anti fancy, fun, girly fashion. But we are going all the way to London to a friend’s wedding and I’m trying to make her understand that her jeans and a t-shirt just won’t cut it. Anyway – this polka-dot version is a practice run with this new pattern. I bought some blue dupioni silk for the wedding skirt. Next I have to think of a way to get her to wear some dressy shoes…
I recently tried making a nightie for Claire with an old McCall’s pattern. It reminded me how much I love, love, love Oliver + S patterns. The pictures on the old pattern didn’t really look like what they were supposed to be showing and the pattern pieces were wonky – not matching up at a couple points. I hate that feeling when you are trying to put something together but the directions make it into a big mystery and you just stand there in your sewing room not knowing what to do. The Oliver + S pattern directions are always completely clear and helpful – no guessing. It makes me want to only sew with patterns designed by Oliver + S founder Liesl Gibson. Love that lady!
The Swingset skirt has three little casings – two for quarter inch elastic and one for a little drawstring. It’s lined and it has a lovely twirly shape. It feels like it’s been a long time since I sewed something and Bea actually liked it. Here it is blowing in the wind. Success!
I have a favorite little antique store in the town next to us. Their stuff is always impeccably displayed and the prices are great. We have a wedding to attend in May so I stopped in hoping to find a pin to fancy up my dress. I couldn’t decide on just one so I go three for about $20. And then I got home and had to photograph my little collection of old cheap jewelry. I especially love the enamel flower pins.
I’ll miss our neighborhood Easter Egg hunt next year. It’s cute and sweet and funny. And this year we had the most beautiful warm day. The girls both met up with their friends at the hunt – I’m trying not to think about how much they will miss those girls.
Here’s our own little Easter egg hunt on Easter morning. Gosh that Easter Bunny gets up early! I’ll miss having our pretty little yard to hide eggs in.
We had our first outdoor dinner of the year. We’ll have lots of outdoor meals in Zurich and they will be pleasant with a great view… but I will still miss our backyard.
Those little copper wire egg-lifting tools that come with the egg dying kits are just about my favorite thing. I love the wobbly feeling when you lift the egg out of the color and then tumble the egg onto the table.
This week I was sort of un-motivated. Maybe I’m a bit overwhelmed by our upcoming move.
Instead of getting stuff done I made record progress on my quilt. I don’t think I’ve ever quilted a quilt so fast. I just wanted to sit in my chair by the window and sew all day.
Laowai 