For sale.....

                                      
        My Korean flag ornament

Okay,  so I had other plans for these, but changed my mind and thought some of you would like to have one, since the other some of you liked them so much.  Thanks, by the way! ;)   I am selling 5 Korean flag ornaments I've made.   How much you ask?  $6.00 a piece,  so the next 5 people that leave a comment below will be the proud owner of your very own Korean flag ornament.  These were hand made from clay and hand painted. If you haven't received one, and would like to buy one, leave a comment!  We'll talk! ;)

I really enjoyed making these.  This was time well spent waiting for our Aiden to come home to us.  I really don't know what I would have done if I did not have this project to keep me occupied - probably have gone coocoo, not that I haven't gotten half way there! Seriously!!

It really meant so much to me to hear how others really like and enjoy their ornaments.  I love doing things for people, helping out, and I love this time of year - usually!  Waiting for Aiden has been a very  long long journey, and it's still not over yet.  He's in Korea still, growing, laughing, playing.  I can not even imagine how it's going to be when we're making plans to go get him!  Really I can't.  I don't know how I'm going to react.   I am so glad Mike, the hubs, is with me on this.  He is my rock, my solid ground I walk on, if it was not for him, I would not be who I am.  I am so happy to know he supports Tay and me 100%.  We are a family of three, soon to be four.  I have no idea how the future will pan out.  To tell the truth, it kind of scares me, but life is good and about to be even better! ;)

FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rachel, you were right - STOCKINGS!!  ;)

So,  here's what I've been working on for the past 2 weeks:  Project #1

All 23 of them!!  Okay...now that you've seen the picture, I'll explain the whole story.

My grandmother had a tradition many years ago, which may have been  before I was born, I'm not sure.  All the family would go to her house on Dec. 25th,  Christmas night for dinner and gift giving.  She had stockings for all of us, which she made.  My grandmother was a sewing queen, she did every kind of craft known to woman, she was a "crafty" wonder!  There wasn't a craft this woman couldn't do! So each year we'd gather at my Me Maw's house on Christmas evening.  I can remember as a child, that was my favorite part of Christmas (besides Christmas morning of course!) was going to my grandparents house with all of the family  for Christmas dinner and of course - those stockings!

Last year my cousin Deb had the idea of starting the tradition of "stockings as gift giving" at our house for our "Cousins Christmas".  We made due with what stockings we could find last year, so now it's December of this year.  Since we missed the quota for the EP's, which meant Aiden couldn't come home this year.  I had the whole month of December to do nothing but watch the clock  click.....one....... number .......at........ a........ time!  Oh my, I've got  to come up with something to do!   Yeah......I'll make new stockings for everyone!

I thought, great idea! (enter happy dance!)  So I sent an email to my two cousins that help with coordinating our "Cousins Christmas" every year.  They thought it was a good idea.  Yah,  now.... how on earth am I gonna make new stockings without it being expensive?!  I needed to make 22 stockings!!  That's a lot of fabric, so I asked my cousins what I should make them out of.  My cousin sent a reply back - "Use quilts". OMGOODNESS, that was an awesome idea!   And, what's ironic about these stockings is two of the quilts I used,  my Me Maw made many many years ago.  Plus, one other quilt was made by my other grandmother, many many years ago.

I started out with a quilt, traced a stocking, then cut it out.

   

I bought some fabric at Hobby Lobby (love me some Hobby Lobby!!).  Cut it into strips and took it to Monogramming by Sherri,  local retailer who does monogramming - who gave me a great deal, thanks! ;)

Then I attached the fabric with the names on them to one side, then the blank one to the other side.  Inverted them and sewed them together with my sewing machine.

Everyone in my family will have new stockings for Christmas at my house this year!  :)

Another thing that's great about this,  every year I get those stockings out, I'll remember what I did to pass the time....waiting for Aiden to come home.  Sweet!

Oh btw,  there is one extra one without a name.  That's for whoever ends up at our house for Christmas, so no one is left out!  Everybody gets something at our house on Christmas!

Project #2

15 down......7 more to go....

Here's a recap of the hints:

#1  It's recycled.

#2  They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes at Christmas time.

#3  They have names on them.

Oh yeah....the last one is new,  hint #3.  : )

Never been one for being Wordless... and yes it's Wednesday

Okay,  project #2 is finished.  I had started on Project #1 a couple of weeks ago.  Part 2 of Project #1 had to be done somewhere else, by someone else.   So when I got the call that they were done,  picked them up, brought them home, and there they sat for another week till I finished Project #2.  Project #2 was fun, but after making quite a few, whew,  little tired of hand painting!   For some reason, this site won't let me upload some pictures today, so it's not a Wordless Wednesday with tons of pictures...and there are words (duh Leah.)  Don't ya just love technology - when it works!   Uggg!

Okay............so I'm not a quitter!  I figured  out another way to post Project #2, yes, sometimes I like technology.....when it works, for me.   So if you saw/read my last post it was about the Korean flag ornament I made.  I sent one to Paula as a thank you, who at this very moment, is on pins and needles.  Paula and her family are now waiting for Zoe's paperwork to get fiinshed in South Korea so she can be ready to travel, which could be any day now!!  I'm so excited for her and her family!  Just look at this little cutie!  
Paula just received this picture yesterday of Zoe!  That Travel Call can not come soon enough for her - hang on Paula, it's coming!  Paula is taking a few things to Aiden for us when they travel to Korea to get their girl- which I am so very thankful for - THANK YOU P! : )  This will be care package #3 - yes, #3!

I have always worried if Aiden's care packages got to him.  We didn't get a picture of Aiden with his 1st care package, but I'm sure he got it. The 2nd was this one we just received:

 Our little guy is growing up so fast! :(

I was a little apprehensive on how to start Project #1, how to put it together, and just plain ole "HOW" do I do this??  I started on them yesterday,  didn't have a clue, but knew I really needed to get going on these!  I've got 22 +  "things" to make between now until the Sunday before Christmas,which is our Cousin's Christmas party, where ALL my family gets together for our  Christmas. And, for the past few years, we've been getting together at our house, so bring it on!!

Yesterday, I  finished 7 of Project #1 and still need to complete 15 more - wow - that sounds intimidating! Seriously?  What else is there to do till Christmas!?  So I'd better get off of here and get to it!!  Oh...........
for any of you that want Hint #2:     #1  It's recycled        #2  They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes at Christmas time.

Project #2

It's getting close to the end of the year....December - YAH~!  It's been a long year and a long 4 year wait for Aiden,  remember this little guy?

He's going on 11 months and changing so fast.  Each time I get a Well Baby Check he's doing great, and each time I get new pictures, it's like a world of difference! I forget how much babies change in the first year! I can. not. wait. to. get. him. home!!!!   Hopefully he'll be submitted in early January for his Emigration Permit.....like I said hopefully!  There's no sequence when it comes to this process - which is very frustrating.  There's no picking up the phone and calling direct to see when every little thing is done over there in Seoul.  I  just have to sit back and then freak out!!  

When I finished up work in mid November, I knew it was going to be a long couple of months to get to January 2011.   I'd read where adoptive mom's from the Korean Forum said to stay busy for the last few months, it helps.  Okay... I can try and find something to do.... but what?   Thank goodness I took that to heart and came up with a couple of ideas to keep me busy.  I had to or else I'd go nuts.....I'm already half way there, ya know?   (enter hysterical annoying laugh hehehehehe) Umm anyway,  I like crafts, so I looked into that.  I settled on 2 projects.  The first one is sitting there waiting to be put together.......I'm a little apprehensive about it, so I stuck to finishing project #2 first.   Wanna see?  

It's a Korean flag ornament.  I made it out of clay that bakes in the oven, painted it, then sprayed it with clear acrylic sealer.  I put the date on the back to remember when our journey to little Aiden  started!

Taylor wanted one to go on her little tree. 

I've made a few extras, so they're on my big tree.  Now every time I look at my Korean flag ornament, I'll remember Aiden, my little Korean baby till he comes home! :) So every year I put it on my tree, I'll remember what I did to pass the time waiting on him to come home to us!  Aiden, we're coming ... as soon as you're ready! :)

Just got 'em today!!!

I casually looked at email this morning and BAMB --there in the subject line was  "WBC for November and photos"!  New pictures of Aiden - YAH!  I clicked as fast as my clicker would click and there he was.  The first picture I saw was this one:

Bless his little heart, he'd been crying when they took this!  He has changed so much since I last saw a photo, I can't stand it!  I want to pick him up and hug him so much!  The clothes he's wearing are Korean.  Notice the cute little suspenders!  CUTE!! :)  First a blue jean jacket, and now suspenders!  My kid is cool! lol 

Next, was this darling photo.  The lady in the photo is his Foster Mother.  I had to blur out her face for privacy reasons, but he's so darn cute!!

These items were in his second care package I sent!  I am so very thankful to get this photo of him and his care package!  The little toy he's holding is a fabric photo album that has our pictures in it.  I'm coming Aiden, you hang on sweetie!! :)

When I looked at the email, there were only two pictures there, but the subject said WBC for November.  I emailed MC, our contact at Holt International and she emailed the WBC file to us with a little note that said: "Sorry, guess I forgot to attach the WBC, got carried away with the photos, he is so cute."  I opened the file and this is what I saw.  Aiden is around 22 lbs, 28 inches tall, and it looks like he's drinking 6 oz every 4 hours, not sure on the last one there.  Koreans measure in kilograms, centimeters, and cubic centimeters.  I had to convert to lbs, inches, and oz.  It says Aiden is also doing lots of things, lots of movement from this little one!  It says he's walking while holding on to furniture, so at least I know he's not running around everywhere!  

Another day.....

Yep, it's another day.  No, not like the last post, but better.  The last post was the vent.  If I've learned anything from other Adoptive Moms, it's  "vent when you need to!"   I've connected with lots of AP's on Facebook.  Here's a big shout out to the ladies - HEY LADIES! : 0  I feel connected. : )

So what's going on today you ask?  Been working on my Christmas projects.  Part 2 of  project #1 was ready, so picked that up on the way home from picking up Tay, my sidekick. ; )  Got home, started working on more of project #2.  I messed up a couple of things on those, still frustrated, because I made silly mistakes and had to go back and fix them - grrrrr!  But I've started more of those and they're looking good so far, but it's still early!  And I've got nothing but time!!

I've had some inquiries on what I'm working on, my Christmas projects.  Mom, I know you've really wanted to know what I'm working on, so see if this helps! :)   Well.....I guess I could give you hints.  So here they are:  on project #1,  hint #1 -- it's recycled.   Okay,  project #2,   hint #1 --  you can hang it.  I might drop another hint some other time.  Sorry to be so secretive, I've got to have some kind of fun with this!  I mean really,  I have nothing else to do till the first of next year!  Oh yeah, the picture.  This is a picture of project #1:

Oh darn, it's too dark!  Okay, I'll work on that.  Well,  I have another picture.  See if this helps,  it's of project #2:

Oops, too much light!  Dang it!! I'll try and work on that, really!  Till then this will just have to do!