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.

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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Wrapped Up In Love

I became a grandmother for the first time in October of 2016.  Several months earlier, my daughter came over to visit me. She sat me down and she handed me a ball of the softest cream coloured yarn.  She said, "Mama, I need you to make me a blanket out of this." Then she handed me a photography of an ultrasound. 

I searched for a pattern that would highlight the lovely texture of the yarn, and ended up with this lovely basketweave pattern.  As I worked, I dreamed of the grandchild I had not met yet, and how we would wrap the new baby up in this warm cosy gift from me. It is said that when you knit a gift for someone, that there is love woven in with every stitch. That certainly was the case with this special project!

My granddaughter will be three in October.  This is her favourite blanket, and it makes me so happy to see her comforted by it.  Those stitches contain lots of love from Grandma! This blanket has been washed more times than we can count, as it gets dragged back and forth to daycare for nap time, and gets used at home as well. 

In January, I will be blessed with another grand-baby, as my oldest son and his wife are expecting their first child. I am planning to use the same pattern to make a blanket for the new arrival, and you can be sure that there will be a lot of love going into every stitch for the new little one, from Grandma!

Chloe's Night Light

My granddaughter is almost three years old. I cherish these times with her, I know too well how fast children grow up. 

Last weekend I had the chance to babysit my granddaughter overnight. When I do that, we have a special sleepover in Grandma's bed.  We have a special pillowcase that we use on her pillow, embroidered with flowers by her great-great grandmother years ago. And even when the summer evenings bring bedtime before the sun sets, when my room is not dark at all, we have to use Grandma's special night light. This night light comes from another great-great grandmother, who left this world 24 years ago.

My Grandma Vincent was a very special lady. Born in 1905, Grandma Vincent would share stories of  teaching in a one room school house, and would do up my hair in 1920's pin curls. She would host tea parties, and patiently watch our amateur variety shows that my brothers and I would perform in our living room.  I told her all my secrets. She was everything that was loving and gentle and graceful.  I want to be a grandma like her. 

Grandma was also a writer of poetry. Sweet and silly little tales of her childhood memories, of day to day life, or poems she would give as a gift at a niece's wedding shower, or to welcome a new baby.  I put all the poems together into a book after she passed, and gave them to family members for remembrance.

One of these poems is about her friend Chloe, whom she met on a flight back from California.

 My Friend Chloe! 

February 3 1979

They say, "Don't talk to strangers!"

But that isn't good advice

For it's my guess,

that you will miss

Meeting someone nice.

That's not just a speculation

And I'm the one who should know

On returning from my vacation,

I met my dear friend Chlo!

We started to talk and she told me

She was coming to my hometown

Where she was a total stranger

And feeling a little "down".

Her daughter had married and gone away

Just as mine did way back when...

And I knew how her heart was yearning

To see her dear daughter again.

So I got to know her better

And found her sweet and kind

So don't be afraid of strangers

There's some wonderful ones to find!

Grandma, being as kind hearted as she was, arranged for my cousin to drive Chloe to her daughter's home. Chloe was touched by the kindness, and the two ladies started a friendship that continued for many years. They became very dedicated penpals. At one point, Chloe sent Grandma a special gift, this dove night light.

When I was a child, and had sleepovers at Grandma Vincent's little studio apartment, she always lit the special dove night light, the gift from "dear Chloe". A lady I never met, but was my Grandmother's friend.

At some point in time, when Grandma knew she was getting older and may not be able to be on her own much longer, she gave the night light to my mother, who had always admired it. Grandma said, "it will make me happy to see you enjoying it, even more than me keeping it myself."

And now, my mother gave it to me, so that I can enjoy it with my granddaughter. She calls it "my special light". And I know that Grandma Vincent is smiling at us, because a little gift from her dear friend, is now being loved by a fifth generation.

And I am reminded, that being kind and gracious can give you some of the most precious things.