Sticker Scene Printables

One of my favorite pastimes with my grandkids is creating scenes for them to decorate with stickers. I draw different scenes on paper, and they bring them to life by adding stickers. To keep things fun, I stock Grandma’s craft cupboard with a variety of stickers from the dollar store. Over time, I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting the best ones for this activity!

working away on a project!

A finished piece

There’s something I love almost as much as a good sticker—free printables! In the spirit of sharing, I’m offering a free download of a couple of scenes I recently created for the kids. You’ll find both a color version and a black-and-white version, so they can be decorated or colored in for even more creative fun!

Let me know if you'd like any further refinements!

Coloured Living Room

Coloured Landscape

Black and White Living Room

Black and White Landscape

Simply click on the link below to download your printable:

Coloured Living Room

Black and White Living Room

Coloured Landscape

Black and White Landscape 

I would love to create more of these scenes for you, so if you have any suggestions or requests, please submit them in the comments below! 

Grandma's Craft Closet

Grandma and I in 1991

I often talk about my Grandma Vincent. We had a very close relationship when I was growing up. She was always soft, gentle, and kind. Whenever we visited her, she would always hold my husband's hand.

I aspire to be the kind of grandmother that Grandma Vincent was. She passed away in 1995, just five days after my youngest child was born. Even though many years have passed, I miss her every day.

I once saw a quote about grief that said, "Be the things you love most about the person who is gone." That is exactly what I try to do.

Grandma was a first-grade teacher, and I can easily understand why her students adored her. Mrs. Vincent was well-versed in nursery rhymes and stories, and she knew all the songs that were popular with young children. When she retired, we grandchildren were still quite young, and we benefited greatly from her expertise.

Mrs. Vincent with her students

She taught me to read at an early age. I remember sitting with her during our "special times"—those quiet moments when my younger brother was asleep in his crib. She would pull out my special scribbler, and together we would work on my alphabet and phonics.

Grandma Vincent lived in a series of small, modest apartments, but she always had a drawer set aside just for us grandkids. That drawer was filled with empty toilet paper rolls, cardboard inserts from pantyhose packages, bits of yarn, and a package of wax crayons. When I visited, I would dive into that drawer with creative zeal, passing the time making puppets, paper dolls, and other crafty treasures.

I encourage other grandparents to create similar spaces for their grandchildren—places where creativity and imagination can thrive. It doesn’t take much! I have been fortunate to have extra storage space in our most recent home. When we moved in a few years ago, I was thrilled to discover that we had not one but two hall closets! We had barely signed the lease when I declared to my husband that one of those closets would be designated as "Grandma’s Craft Closet." Although the upper shelf may hold a few other things, the majority of the closet is dedicated to my grandchildren and their arts and crafts activities.

The kids know that when they come to visit, they can request to open Grandma’s Craft Closet and dive into an activity! I love watching them engage in creative play, just as I did with my own grandmother.

You may be wondering what I have on my shelves:

• Crayons

• Markers

• Washable paint

• Scrap yarn

• Pipe cleaners

• Glue

• Tape

• Stickers

• Playdough

• Scrap paper

• Coloring books/printed coloring sheets

• Safety scissors

• Toilet paper rolls

• Scrap cardboard

One of my favorite activities to do with my youngest granddaughter is to draw scenes on construction paper—perhaps a landscape or, my favorite, a house interior with bookshelves. Then, I let her place stickers on the scene I have created. I often find fun stickers at the local dollar store that work perfectly for this—whether is little toys or ornaments to place on drawn shelves or animals in a nature scene.

If you are a grandparent, I encourage you to carve out a small space—whether it’s a closet, a drawer, or just a storage box—to inspire your grandchildren’s creativity. It doesn’t take much to create meaningful memories that they will cherish for a lifetime. Inspired by that modest little drawer at Grandma Vincent’s house, Grandma’s Craft Closet has become a one-stop shop for inspiration and an inexpensive way to keep the grandkids entertained at our house!

The Fairy Tree

When my first granddaughter was little, the fairies would occasionally leave her tiny treasures on our front lawn. I loved watching her race outside, eyes wide with excitement, eager to see what had been left for her. My husband told her that fairies especially loved children who were grateful for their friendship. If you talked to them—especially if you thanked them and showed appreciation for their gifts—they might continue their generosity.

When we were searching for a new home, we scheduled a viewing one evening. As soon as we pulled up, I gasped, "It has a fairy tree!" In that moment, I was sold. I don’t know what I would have done if the interior of the house had not met our requirements —we had to live there. I had fallen madly in love with that tree.

It’s a magnificent Russian olive tree, the only one of its kind on the block. At least thirty years old, it has a massive trunk with smaller trunks that reach in every direction. At its base, the four trunks intertwine, forming a small, sheltered space—the perfect hiding spot where the fairies leave their treasures for the children to find. In addition, at its base is  a natural alcove where the local rabbits like to sleep.

Every Halloween, we transform the tree with pumpkins, skeletons, and ghosts dangling from its branches. At Easter, it becomes the perfect hiding place for Easter eggs.

I also make fairy doors, and several now grace the trunk, adding a touch of magic to our beloved fairy tree.

Whenever the grandchildren visit, they always check the fairy tree to see if the fairies have left them something. However, as one granddaughter discovered to her dismay, visiting every day doesn’t always guarantee a surprise.

Sometimes, the fairies leave a colouring book, a dollar-store toy, or a lollipop. Other times, it’s a shiny rock or a little treasure from Grandma’s junk drawer—perhaps a tiny mirror or an old bracelet Grandma won’t miss.

One day, my younger granddaughter, who was four at the time, stopped by with her dad for a quick visit. About half an hour before they arrived, it had started to rain. When she found her treasure, she picked it up, looked at it, and exclaime, "Wet socks? Really, fairies?"

As would be expected, the fairies share their tree with many other creatures. As I previously mentioned, there are often rabbits that visit the fairy tree, they love to eat the olives and tender leaves that they find under its branches, and like to nap at the base of it's trunk. Many birds visit the fairy tree as well, and my husband loves watching them perched on the branches outside of his den on the second floor. 

And of course, there is the squirrel.

One time, the fairies left a Kinder Surprise—a chocolate egg with a toy inside—for one of the kids to find. As I glanced out the window, I spotted a squirrel high up in the tree, busily unwrapping the treat! I can’t help but wonder if, somewhere, a tiny Kinder toy now sits in that squirrel’s nest—a prized possession and the talk of all his cocktail parties!

I should mention that the kids often leave treasures for the fairies, too. The fairies love sunflower seeds, pine cones, and even leaves. Pretty rocks are always a favorite. Now that the kids are a little older, we’re encouraging them to leave notes and drawings for the fairies. I think I’ll make them a mailbox so we can be sure the fairies receive their messages.

Most importantly, it’s about gratitude—learning to appreciate the magic of small kindnesses and giving back in return.

Little Bateese

I lost my beloved dad six and a half years ago. I miss him every single day, and I know that my entire

family still feels the loss of him being here. But every once in a while, something special happens that reminds me that we are still connected. Today was one of those days that poked my heart.

In searching through my vast compilation of work emails (seems I never DELETE anything, only archive) my search keywords for some reason brought up an email from my father from three years before his death. I love it when this happens, and make it a practice to always open them up, it is like conversing with Dad again! 

This one really struck a chord with me, as we have our first grandson (Dad's first great-grandson after two great-granddaughters) and the family has been talking about how much Dad would have loved the new little guy. Dad was a sentimental man, a rare fellow who did not hide his feelings. He would tell us on a regular basis that he loved us, and that he was proud of us. And those words have stayed, even though he has gone. 

I hope you enjoy Dad's favourite poem, "Little Bateese" by William Henry Drummond. 

For the Love of Barbie

When I was a little girl, I loved my Barbie Dolls - I would play with them for hours and hours.

My dolls had a case full of clothes, which included outfits that had been knit and crocheted by my Grandma Vincent, and also clothes that had been sewn by my mother. Those were always my favourites, the clothes that were made especially for me.  

One Christmas, I received the most amazing present - a collection of wooden Barbie furniture. I was so excited! My best friend and I would alternate between her house and mine - taking over the basement rumpus rooms for days on end as we created our Barbie houses across the floors. 

My tiny german dollies

I had a few miniature german dolls that I have now discovered were Ari miniature dolls from  Germany - they promptly became my Barbie's babies.  For me, my Barbie play was about creating a home, and a family - which was what I dreamed of for myself one day.

When I grew up, my Barbies and the collection of furniture, was lovingly packed up and put away. I kept all of it, and when I left home and started my own family, it came with me, always having a home in one storage space after another.

When my daughter Amanda came along, I was delighted to discover that I had a little girl who loved Barbie like I did! And out came my box of Barbie treasures. 

I have to admit, I was hesitant at first to hand over my treasures...what if they broke? What if they were ruined? But then I realized that dolls are meant to be played with, not boxed up collecting dust. So my dolls became Amanda's dolls. How happy those Barbies must have been, to come out of their dark storage box after so many years, and be back in the hands of a lovely little girl!  The Barbie collection grew, with the addition of Amanda's new generation dolls from Christmases and birthdays.

My little girl in the nineties

Well, time has passed, and my little girl grew up. The Barbie collection was once again boxed up and placed on my shelf. 

Amanda blessed us with our first granddaughter six years ago. And I am lucky enough to have another girl with a love of Barbie in the family! I am getting to play with Barbies again! 

I am also getting to be the "crafty grandma" and getting to fill Mom and Grandma's shoes, by creating Barbie clothes for my granddaughter. Not a sewer by any means (my sewing machine is strictly used for sewing paper these days), I am sticking to primarily crochet for my contributions. 

A couch I made

I have combed the internet for crochet patterns, and have found some amazing sources. However, with different yarns in my stash, and different hook sizes, I have found that I can only use these patterns as a "frame of reference" so that my biggest successes have been with my own "designs". I keep my Barbie model close at hand and try the garments on her as I go.  Keeping in mind that dressing Barbie in her clothes can be a challenge for younger ones, I am conscious of making the clothes easy to pull on and off, and that they have loose sleeves (if any) and sturdy, easy to use fasteners. 

Some of my creations

Most are quick projects, and I get a great sense of accomplishment, and a feeling of mastery each time I complete another addition to Barbie's wardrobe. It answers to the little girl in me, and I get to make one of my favourite people in the world happy as well!

P.S. I have made another attempt at furniture, thanks to this post on youtube:

https://youtu.be/v1vT90VNpa0 

It was fun, and I hope to make more, so stay tuned!

If you create anything for Barbie, please share in the comments below...let's inspire eachother!

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A Tale of Two Dragons

I love to knit and crochet. So when my youngest granddaughter, Evelyn, turned 3 in January, I decided that I would make her a dragon to cuddle. (Evelyn LOVES dragons!) 

I found a pattern online, grabbed my crochet hook and started to make Evelyn's dragon.  I wanted to use some soft snuggly yarn, and so I pulled some of my favourite velvety yarn from my stash.  I had enough yarn to make the head, but not more than that! I thought that I could purchase more of the same colour, but I was surprised to discover that the yarn I had used was discontinued, and not available anywhere. For some reason, this is a lesson that I never seem to learn - always make sure to have enough yarn BEFORE starting a project! 

So I ditched my first attempt, and then revisited my yarn collection. I found some lovely yarn that would do the trick. In about a week, I had completed my project, and added a few personal touches - an "E" for Evelyn and a number 3 to commemorate the occasion.  and I am happy to say that it was a huge hit with Miss Evelyn. She loved "Dixie Dragon".  

A few weeks later, Evelyn was over to visit. As she was searching for "treasures" on my bookcase, Ev pointed out a "dolly" that she wanted on the top shelf. It wasn't a doll - it was the head from my first attempt at making her dragon. She really wanted to see the thing, so in true grandmother fashion, I did not say no, I pulled the sad lump off of the shelf and I gave it to our little girl. Evelyn was quite enamored with this special toy. She hugged it, and kissed the "unembodied" head, with true affection. "It needs eyebrows, Grandma..." she told me with the authority that only a three year old could have. "It needs a body, Evelyn!" was my reply. "I love it, and it's for my home." she announced. 

Well, the head of the second dragon went home with Evelyn that day, and is part of the menagerie that sleeps in her bed at night, along with Dixie Dragon, of course! 

 

I am the QUEEN OF OVERTHINKERS, and this project, like all others involved me questioning whether I had done the pattern justice, and whether it was good enough to give as a gift to my granddaughter.  Evelyn taught me a valuable lesson:

It doesn't really  matter WHAT you make, or how well you make it - as long as it is made with love! 

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What Does Your Garden Look Like?

Months ago, I took a wellness class through my employer.  In that class, we did an interesting exercise that still resonates strongly with me.  We were all asked to imagine what our dream garden would look like.  We wrote down some notes, and then compared what we had written.

I have been thinking about converting this exercise into an art piece, to frame and have in my art room. So this past weekend, on a wintery day, I decided to pick up some of my favourite art tools (pen and watercolour pencils)  and put it together. It was very calming for me to forget about Covid-19 for a little while, and dream about a summer garden.

My dream garden is sunny, with a gazebo filled with a sofa, and some comfy chairs.  The gazebo is a lovely place to draw knit, and have tea parties with my granddaughters.  My husband and I can sit there and enjoy our morning coffee, rain or shine.  Do you see the coffee cup?

My garden has music playing so that the grandbabies and their parents can always dance in the grass. 

My garden is also full of flowers, favourites that invoke wonderful memories.  There are marigolds and lilacs, like my mom had when I was growing up. She said that the marigolds always reminded her of her grandmother on the farm. There would be pink roses for me and although I did not draw it, there would be a lavender plant that I could take cuttings from. The scent of lavender is my favourite, it reminds me of my Grandma Vincent's perfume. There would be lots of lilies for my husband, they are his favourite to grow. Last but not least, there would be gladiolas like my Grandma Dubitz always grew in her garden.  Sometimes after Sunday dinners when I was a child, she would cut some of them from her flower beds for me, and I would get to take them home and put them in a vase in my bedroom.  

So what was this exercise really about?  It was about identifying our CORE VALUES.  

We had just finished going through a list of values, and identifying which values most closely represented what was important to us.  

While some people chose adventure, entrepreneurship, mastery, and environment, among many other things, my list was the following:

Family

Creativity

Relationships

Tradition

Nurture 

Love

Kindness

For everyone in the class, it seemed that their dream garden really illustrated a lot of the core values that they had chosen. For example, I realized that all my flowers in the garden were about childhood memories, and relationships.  I guess you could say my roots run deep! (Excuse the pun.)

My garden would be a place where I could be creative, and nurture my family, with love and kindness. 

What does your garden look like? I would love you to share it with me!

On Sundays, We Dance

On Sundays, we dance.

When it came to a point in our lives where some of our children did not live with us anymore, my husband and I started the tradition of hosting Sunday dinner. During my own childhood our extended family would get together at the home of my grandparents.  On Sundays, I would see my grandparents, and all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  This was a time to enjoy my Grandmother’s wonderful cooking, including some of the traditional Romanian fare – oh those dumplings and cabbage rolls! But it was also a time when I experienced a special connection with my extended family. The first time I had a sip of coffee, was at that grown up table! I also learned how to pour tea for everyone. My grandmother's first, because she liked it the weakest, my dad's at the end because his needed to be stronger. If my great aunts and uncles came to visit from the country, or from another city, there was always room at that table, or for us kids, who often lined up along the wall on the floor for our meal. Laughter, gossip and after dinner games of crib for those who were brave enough to play - that is what I remember. One time I was excited to have made a cake for dessert to contribute to the meal, but I made it in my easy-bake oven, and it was so small that there was only enough for my grandparents.  My Grandpa said it was delicious! That was more than 45 years ago now, and I remember it vividly. It was chocolate.

 My husband comes from a very close-knit family.  I think of it as being small compared to mine. Their Sunday dinners were at a smaller table, and more intimate. Most of my husband's extended family lived across the country, so his experience as a child was very different from mine. Those big gatherings only happened rarely when family flew in to visit. I think that the feeling of connection during those occasions was the same as I experienced as a child, but for him, those times were fewer.

Back to now. No matter how crazy a week it has been, we know that Sunday is coming and we will be together with all of our kids again.  My widowed mother is also a steady guest, as often is my niece. My husband is an AMAZING cook (I am truly blessed), and everyone goes home with a full belly, and leftovers.

My eldest granddaughter (who is three) calls Sunday her “Happy Day”. She says it is her happy day for many reasons, one of which is that she gets to see her great-grandmother, and all her aunts and uncles. She also gets to see her new baby cousin, my youngest granddaughter, who, at the time that I am writing this, is just three weeks old. Our big girl is a little uncertain right now, as she was waiting for the new baby to arrive so that they could sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, watch Disney movies together and share play dough. For her, this little bundle of joy that sleeps in our arms all the time isn’t really what she had expected.

But the biggest reason our little granddaughter calls it Happy Day is because, on Sundays, we dance.

After my kids clear the dining room table, and wash the dishes (did I mention I am truly blessed?) the music starts to play, and there is a kitchen dance party. The music will range from New Wave to Country, to Classical fare, but it will all be loud, and there will be LOTS of dancing. The little girl dances with her Grandparents, her Aunties, her Uncles.  Last weekend, while we were enjoying the new baby, and perhaps lingering too long over the last of a wonderful dinner, when my granddaughter came and whispered in her Uncle’s ear…”will you come dance with me?” And that little girl was reassured that even if her Uncle was a new daddy himself, with lots of new responsibilities and distractions, there was always time for a little Spirit of the West, and a Celtic reel with his niece.

And then the dance floor was filled. And when my adult kids dance and laugh together, it reminds me of when they were small and people would tell me how rare it was that siblings could be as close as my kids were. And that it was a surprise to see them get along so well together. That three children was going to be trouble, because there would always be two against one, and that one would always be left out. But no, they all dance together, and laugh, and hug and smile, and my heart is full, and my feet are tired. 

These three amazing adults are as connected now as much as they were as children. And now their children, will learn that feeling of family connection.

So on Sundays, on Happy Days, we dance.