Winter Formal: Maddie

We caught up with Maddie late in the afternoon the day of the Winter Formal.

I saw photos of this sparkly dress earlier when she picked it out. The dress has personality!

I think Auntie Jen helped to corset her in!

The bracelet that we designed to go with her dress.  We worked on it the weekend that she was deer hunting with my Dad.

Maddie and two of her friends.

There were half a dozen girls in the house with their dates.  The girls sat around texting and taking photos, giggling and eating pizza, the boys were talking about trucks and cars and having a video game competition.

Maddie and her beau.

Here is another view of the back of the gown.

Those tendrils of fabric flowed behind her as she walked.  The theme of the Winter Formal was “Frozen in Time.”

I took this photo right after the Grand March.

I had to turn one photo into black and white because black and white photos are beautiful of Maddie with her dark eyes and dark hair.  She had a really fun time getting all dressed up!

Winter Formal: Paige

The Winter Formal that our Granddaughters attended was on Saturday.  The girls ask the boys for this date.

Paige’s group of friends are not quite old enough to drive yet.  One of her friends parents went all out to make it a real experience.  They hosted eight girls and their dates, with parents invited to take photos and then a fancy smancy dinner for the teenagers.  After dinner a “fun bus” took them to the Grand March and dance.  After the dance they all went back to the friend’s home to watch movies, play games etc…and were chaperoned until morning….when everyone was served breakfast and sent on their way.  It all made great sense to me…and I could rest easy that Paige was well taken care of.

Of course we didn’t know all this before hand and showed up a little early to take photos.  The parents were gracious and said we were more than welcome.  Of course they adore Paige…don’t we all!

 

The back of her gown.  She said “Grandma I am no good at this posing stuff.”

The peyote stitch bracelet I made for her.   I told her she didn’t HAVE to wear it, but she said she loved it. She wore it along with another sparkly bracelet.

I thought this pose was quite model like!

This is probably my favorite photo!  I think her Grandpa was telling her something funny.

She asked for a photo with her Grandpa.

Paige and her friends.

Paige and her date, he is a basketball player.

The Grand March

I think he adores her. BUT as she says she has goals and a vision and a boyfriend just complicates things.  I keep telling her that she can date in her late 20’s!  Hockey and getting good grades are her whole life right now.  She is the number one or two student in her class.

Winter Formal: Shoes

Last evening was the Winter Formal that Maddie and Paige attended.  It was a whirlwind day…getting their hair fixed…nails done…pictures taken and finally the Grand March.

I have photos to edit and will share about each girl soon.  Since they will read this blog someday…I want to do it up right.

First lets look at some of the shoes.

I used to be a shoe person…not so much anymore. After a certain age it is all about comfort…at least it is for me…comfort and warmth.

Paige and friends..that gal on the right has the right idea.

 

Maddie’s toes match her dress…and yes she was squealing because I made her go outdoors for some photos!

Finally…pretty shoes and practical winter boots…Minnesota Winter Formal footwear at it’s finest!

It was fun to see everyone all dressed up having a great night out!

Gathering

My girl cousins and I host a Christmas dinner honoring the remnant on my Fathers side of the family.   I made the vegetable soup on Thursday, Aunt Anna came to help chop vegetables.  It turned out great.   Standing overnight in the fridge helps to marry all the flavors!   I took a crock pot with 15 cups of soup, my cousin Diana made Chili. Of course we had some hors d’oeuvres first and cookies and Kathy’s famous fudge and a pumpkin something for dessert.  There were many gluten free foods as several in the group have Celiac Sprue.  It was a good gathering of 18 relatives…better than a funeral where we usually all meet up.  There was about one cup of soup left…so I guess I made the right amount!  No one walked away hungry…and if they did..oh well…then they can just wither away.

The cousins bring gifts and then roll dice (IF they remember them) to try to roll doubles to steal another persons package.  Hot items this year were a bag of fruit, some kind of a digital thermometer, and a deer towel hanger.  Far Guy and I got a food chopper and a set of scented candles(not exactly a great gift for us…I gave it to another cousin!)

Trying to get and keep my cousin’s on track is like herding cats.  I was the only one with a list…no one else wrote anything down.  I am not sure how they can remember it all…but of course they can’t so they call me with questions. 

I cannot organize the entire free world…or my cousins..it is impossible.

Carvings, cards and letters

I finished up some Santa Carvings they were in my bag of unfinished projects.  The board they were cut from must have had an evil twisted life as the wood was difficult to carve.

At one time I thought I would use this as a project for the ornaments that we give away each year… Far Guy does not do faces…so that put the kibosh to that idea….plus that we have done many Santas.

Errands seem to pile up this time of year…we ran out of labels for the Christmas Cards and we needed stamps…so it seemed a perfect time to go out for breakfast…as you can tell one thing leads to another!  Before we knew it…it was afternoon!

We wrote the Christmas letter and envelopes are being addressed.  I spent the afternoon yesterday cooking (vegetable soup) and Far Guy tackled the cards…I think he was watching a little too much TV as one  envelope made me giggle….everything is upside down on the wrong side.  We send out about 110 cards…some with handwritten notes some without.  Christmas card greetings may be a bit old fashioned…but isn’t it fun to go to the mail box when you have lots of mail!

 

As you can see we don’t have very much snow…and yesterday was delightfully warm at 26 F or –3 C eh!  I can take a whole string of days with those temperatures…without the wind! 

Today I must take down the outside Thanksgiving decorations and put up some Christmas ones.

Ornament Winners

Well we have some winners!! The random number generator picked #7 and #18!!

Now as to what they won!

 

Ornaments in progress.  The popsicle sticks are meant to be a staminode. You know the little part that hides the anthers and stigma (reproductive parts).

It was a slow process.  I designed this ornament. There was some trial and error in R&D. Yes it is a Lady Slipper Ornament.

Before color

There are five parts to the flower; dorsal sepal (the one in back), two petals, the popsicle stick staminode and the labellum or lip.

We were not sure how we would hang just the flower so one leaf was added.

Here is a pan of the little buggers tiny beauties.

I carve and paint.  Far Guy carves and assembles because as the flower parts go together they are glued and pinned.  He glued his fingers together a few times. Then his final step is to pin and glue the flower to the leaf and drill two tiny holes.

I did the touch up, the sealer and added the string.

It was a joint effort.  As far as we can figure from start to finish we have about 7 to 8 hours per ornament. We made 80 of them.

This will give you some idea of their size.  They are about 2 1/2 inches long and 3 inches wide.

I have a few for sale if anyone is interested.  They are listed on my left sidebar near the top…Far Side’s Attic and Woodshed Carving For Sale …click on that link and you will see the Lady Slipper Ornament and other woodcarvings for sale.

Now for the winners….congratulations to….drum roll…

linda M and Alvina M!!   linda I need your address, please email me captainconnie2001at yahoodotcom.  I have Alvina’s email. I will mail them off as soon as possible.

Nearly everyone guessed a flower…and most of you guessed a Lady Slipper…my readers know me well!

Wistful Wednesday : Tree on Main Street

Each year the tree on Main Street it lit on Friday evening after Thanksgiving.  You can donate to Hospice in memory of a loved one and  one of the lights will represent them.  We donated in memory of Far Guy’s Mom who received Hospice Care the last two weeks of her life.

This year we both noted that the tree was moved down a bit on Main Street.  I will take a photo one day soon. I don’t recall it being that far down the street last year…but hey I am getting older.

Alrighty then…the tree is always donated by someone.

In 1967 it was donated by Far Guy’s Paternal Grandparents Jim and Tracie.

Far Guy says “It was a beautiful tree and it came from the grove just north of the house.”  he doesn’t remember going to the lighting ceremony.”

We were dating back then and I don’t recall it being mentioned at all.  That was 47 years ago…uffda.

 

This giant Christmas tree will be officially lighted on Friday evening in ceremonies to be held in downtown Park Rapids.  The tree is annually donated to the community by the Park Rapids Lions Club and decorated by Minnesota Power and Light Company.  Jim Henderson of Osage gave the tree to the Lions Club, who erected the tree on Tuesday, November 22  (Photo by Salter)

Grandma wrote the year and month  December 1967.   I wonder if anyone out there has a photo other than this one that appeared in the paper and was saved by Grandma Tracie in her Purple Agricultural Book made into a scrapbook.

In 2008 I took a photo of the tree on Main Street.

In 2009 I also took a photo.

You have until 9 PM my time tonight to make a comment and or a guess to be in the Ornament Giveaway! Here is  the link.

Cold

So very cold here, severe wind chills.  They say your exposed skin can freeze in 30 seconds…maybe.  I was out there and all my exposed parts seem to be fine.
We finished upstairs!  Hooray for us!  Busy day yesterday and today is looking busy too.  I need more hours in my day!
I did okay on my November List.
November List:
Resume selling “stuff” on eBay.  It all takes time, now after the yard work is done I will have some more time.  Not yet but soon.
Craft Sale in mid November..one day…I have cards and woodcarvings all set to go. Done.  I didn’t make enough to retire…oh wait I am retired!
Finish up the Cousins Cookbook. Done!!
I should clean upstairs…vacuum down the walls and move the furniture to clean behind and under.  Done with some great help from Far Guy!!
Rework my weird scarf/head covering with the furry doo dads. Nope…didn’t even drag it out.
We have a prototype of next years Wood carved Christmas Ornament 2015 that needs some work.  I have carved two…they are ready for paint.  The jury will be out until after the painting and sealing is done.
So I have three projects to carryover to January.
I am not making a monthly list for December, I should make a daily list but I will spare you the agony.
I have four events I would like to attend this month.  Cousin’s Christmas Party, Winter Formal with Paige and Madison, a Benefit for Far Guy’s Cousin who was diagnosed with a rare nerve disorder and a cookie exchange.
I would also like to get together with a friend…whose Christmas Gift from last year is incased in a red plastic bag and had to be dusted off.  Far Guy said “You have packages ready?”  NO I have packages STILL.  I also have a house warming gift for her and two birthday gifts…I will add a Christmas gift from this year!  It will be quite a gift opening event!!   That will probably not be happening until after Christmas.  She is a busy lady.
I will begin decorating upstairs soon.  The upstairs tree has to be in the air first because I use the downstairs tree stand for the first part of the Shiny Brite tree.  There is a method to my madness.

This is one of Far Guy’s ornaments from our deer (ha) friend Sue in Indiana. (Deer Hunting is her passion!)

If you would like to enter the drawing for a Hand Carved eighty one of a kind  Christmas Ornament please leave a comment here…or email me with your guess. I will draw at 9PM Wednesday night and reveal the winner Thursday.

OMHD and other eyes

Son in Law Handy Andy is testing out a pair of Google Glass  es to see how they could be used in his Robotic’s program.  (He teaches robotics and other cool stuff)

Haven’t heard of Google Glass?  That is where the OMHD come in. Optical Mounted Head Display.  Basically a computer screen in a set of glasses…you can read your mail, find the weather, record a video…all kinds of cool stuff.

I tried them on, I love that it takes voice commands…oh yes your Smart Phone must be linked to the OMHD.  It found my blog ..no problem.   It was like being in your own little world…and you scroll by making up and down movements in the area of the bow.

Google Glass

Side view of Handy Andy and Google Glass

Front view of Handy Andy’s brother Carl.  He is focused!!

Ain’t technology grand!  Just so you know I received no compensation for this endorsement…but if Google Glass is reading this I am all set to do a winter trial for you…oh crap that would mean I would have to get a phone…no thanks.

Ok now for the other eyes.  A few weeks ago Noah showed me a pair of contact lenses that he ordered.  Uffda.

Well here they are.

He enjoyed posing for photos.  I think they are kinda scary…but hey when you are 15 you should be allowed to try some weird stuff.

You might also notice a purple cast to his hair…I understand it was mostly purple before the temporary color washed out.

For the record his Mom dislikes his new eyes…of course anything to do with eyeballs makes her weak at the knees…she requested that he remove the contacts before Thanksgiving Dinner…and he did. Because he loves his Mom and of course he was hungry.