Sewing Camp

Here is the star sewing machine of camp.  Has the feel of an electric machine yet the control of a sewing needle. 

Sometimes they work together to make it run smoothly.  One leads while the other cranks. 

This sewer has it down.  Making a fabric picture. 

Such finesse is needed for the doll skirt. 

We also had other sewing machines.  We could often be heard saying, "A little slower or lift your foot up."

Eli tried needle felting. 

The needles all broke so he needs to keep working on these. 

I even got to try my hand at it.  How fun was that!

We just finished our second week of camp.  We had a great group and were very productive.  The hit was the hand crank and the bunny.  Every one loves the hand crank and bunny got lots of attention. We sewed lots of things including doll shorts and matching pajama shorts for themselves.  One afternoon I had a few of them stay which gave me a chance to try my hand at needle felting.  It's like painting with wool.  When you don't like your design you can just rip it out and re-do it.  We used old, felted sweaters to work on then sewed them together with a zipper to make a small pouch.     

More Ocean

Run, swim, run.  Summer on the beach.  Getting strong and learning the ways of the ocean.  I got to go down and see some of the competition.  I'm always amazed that that little dot out there is my girl.  That little dot among many.  The first time I saw the competition it was on another beach and I arrived when it was just a sea of swimmers.  You might have your eye on one of them but then they just turn into a mass.  It isn't until they arrive towards land that they start to become individuals again.  Emerging from the ocean. 

Local Bounty

We eat better when Nate's around.  Well, at least more locally.  I went to the local farmers market to purchase some local eggs and milk.  Delicious and fresh, but I must say the price of those eggs inspires me even more to get chickens.  They eat your scraps and give you food.  Can't beat that.   Our trees are laden with bounty.  When out in the back you often hear thud, thud.......the sound of fruit falling on the ground.  We're going to have to get to canning and baking.  And quick......as my mom says a pear is only ripe for 10 minutes.    

Pacific Seaside

Nate's home on the west coast.  By the Pacific Ocean.  We greeted it layered in fog the first morning he was here.    Brothers rocking the same style.  Those are newly cut cut-offs that Eli made himself.    The heat has sizzled around here lately and it's wonderful. On Sunday, after spending the afternoon at a performance by the local symphony, we headed down to the shore again with a cousin who loves the beach.  All the cousins built sand castles and ran in the surf.  Some didn't have all the right attire but that didn't stop them from getting in the water.