More About Vintage Toys and Grandkids

Here's that area (described in the post below) like my grandparent's and aunts'. All the cupboards are filled with vintage toys. We're making 2-D shapes from geometric shape blocks. I'm making characters, S is making flowers and Dylan, a robot.



Dylan doesn't know it, but he's also learning about geometry.

This is the first time Sophia has shown interest in Auntie Sylvia's dolls. There are old Scandinavian handknit sweaters and matching hats knit by Sophia's great-grandmother and me, her grandmother, and hand-sewn doll clothes by the two of us. S entered her fantasy world and played by herself with her "children" and then without being reminded, packed them all up in the suitcase and carried them back to the room where they are stored.

Making Grandparent Progress

The grandkids are becoming more and more enjoyable for me as they gain in competence and skills. I've always liked collecting blocks and using them. Now the kids are able to use lots of my collections. This gives me great pleasure and I'm delighted that their parents no longer feel they have to bring the kids own toys to keep them from being bored. Bill Ding was always one of my favorites. S and D are starting to see his possibilities. Checking on line I was surprised to see that this set is still being manufactured and sold. I'm tempted to get a third set which comes with multitudinous diagrams of positions he can hold.

I've made up a toy area in the living area that mimics the one my aunts and grandfather had when I was a child, in the library of their home outside of Phila. One of the cabinets under the books, held the toys that my mother and her siblings had used. My cousins and I never considered these toys boring nor old and "less than" more modern toys. In fact, we were fascinated with them. There was an old orange metal Dusenberg car, a felt hand-sewn Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a round chalkboard with letters on tracks surrounding the slate.

Just like that area, all my vintage toys are in under cabinets behind a large Oriental rug to play on. There are child size hardwood flat blocks that help stabilize buildings. You can't see the cupboards in the above photo because of the contrast.
We can also play cards with them now! S wants to play SNAP as soon as she is up in the morning. She learned the game quickly and we don't have to hold back too much to let her win! Knowing she needs to learn to lose as well, we do manage to let that happen occasionally. And when she is winning, she often gives us half her cards so we won't feel bad. Games are great.
Almost five, S now wants to assist in the kitchen and at meal times too. She helps set the table and dry the dishes. At one point she sat down and covered the dish she was drying with the towel right there on the floor. It's best to let her do it her way, rather than discourage her by teaching her the "right" way, I think.

My Two Owl Mugs

My two favorite mugs; owls; one British, one Japanese. Are you jealous?

Walking Uphill

T and I were reluctant to spend a moment inside today, as the temperature soared to over 60 degrees F. Along the road to Morrison Heights there was a group of loose hens and roosters who clucked and clucked at us, but did allow me to take their pictures. There were still a few leaves left and the way the sun hit them today, they stood out as the most vibrant of the season. There is a lot to be done inside as I leave in two weeks for the winter and won't return till April. Still, on a day like today there is nothing to do but live outside.



At the top of the hill, we dipped into T's brother's house for an espresso, slice of cake and human clucking. We didn't accomplish much, but we sure spent our time well.

We Always Have Enough

Spending time outside is so essential to my sense of well-being. While Sophia was at school and Cindy was at the gym, Dylan and I decided to spend OUR morning in the Blue Hills. I was struck by how much he has matured and how comfortable he is outdoors. He took great pleasure in examining leaves and dried flowers, collecting small stones and observing the flow of the little stream feeding into the pond by his house. I felt such companionship with him and the day that had been given to us.

One out of Three

My collection of used, imperfect cashmere sweaters has grown to the point where I needed to use it or lose it. I have been wanting to create a new sweater from old ones for years so finally I bit the bullet and chose three to cut up and reconstruct.

First there is the Ebay argyle V-neck that Beth gave me a few years ago. It was in good shape, but I didn't use it much. Next there is the pink V-neck Lisa gave me when she found it at her local Drippin' Springs, TX thrift store. It had moth holes, but even so, I wore it a fair amount in MX where I received it in 2008. Lastly is the ribbed turtleneck that was worn out around the seams and edges and accumulated last winter, 2009, in Los Gatos at the Happy Dragon. The buttons are all random from a big, junky collection I bought solely for some kitty buttons amongst the lot that I used on a sweater I knit for granddaughter, Sophia in 2007.

This is how it looks with the turtleneck buttoned up. It's toasty and comfy because it's cashmere and it really doesn't itch.
And this is how it looks with the collar open.
If you look closely you can see that it is completely hand-stitched together. It was a lot of work. The hardest part wasn't even the sewing, but the laying out and fussing around trying to get it to fall right and come together. As with most things, it looks simple enough, but it was nowhere near as easy as it looks.
Yes, I made a cute little label for the inside, from some pink fabric that illustrates Paris sidewalks.

If any of you are thinking, "I want one! I want one!" Please help yourself to the idea, but don't ask me to make you one. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel differently, but right now I don't think I'll do this again. Of course, there MIGHT be a matching hat in the offing.

The Bodhi-softas are a whole lot more fun to create. I'm going back to them.