9.10.2007

Pleasant discoveries

We are still unpacking. We still have dozens among dozens of boxes in the garage. We just got our storage cleaned out right before the weekend. It frustrates me because all I want is more time so I can finish unpacking and do my best to organize.

If I concentrated solely on unpacking all these weeks, I would have been done way before now, I can guarantee it. But with my job, it's been impossible. When Maia takes naps, I've been working. Most days when Noah is at school, if I'm not running errands, I am working. I am thankful Maia is good at keeping herself busy during that time. She sees it as a couple super fun hours that she can play with all the toys Noah won't let her play with when he's around! :c)

Anyway, we still have tons and tons and tons to do. Like, it's not even funny. At first I was taking it all with stride, and now I'm just beyond stressed out about it. I'm stressed, Neil is stressed and I think our stress is impacting the kids. How could it not, ya know? Anyway, I know we'll deal. This is more of a vent outlet for me right now than anything.

And what I'm really trying to get at is, I found some really cool things when unpacking a tub last night!

I thought this tub only contained pieces of an unfinished afghan that my grandma had began making before I was born. We found it when going through her things when she passed away (after her long fight with breast cancer -- oh I miss her still) in 2000, so mom gave it to me. I packed it away, but not too far away, thinking I would eventually find someone to finish it for me. No one seemed to want to help me. You know, we're all so busy these days, so I understood.

When I opened it and took out the afghan pieces last night, I also found another afghan (well, pieces) she had started on, and then I also found other crafty things started but never finished. It was like finding a pot of gold for me because I love hand made things and I love vintage things, but even more, it was something I found of my grandmothers that she had her hands on - a lot.

Take a look:
In the bottom of the tub, were probably 10 or 12 unfinished pieces of embroidery or cross-stitch (I think they're called??). This one was a "Merry Christmas" piece. According to the sticker, "A Keepsake". (Makes me giggle.) And to hold the yarn is a butterfly, seen here, made of plastic? (Crafty friends, do you know what I'm describing?)
How to draw trees. Anyone want to know how to draw trees? I can teach you literally by the book now!
Then I found these. Knitting needles? And lots of them.
And then more knitting needles. I guess I should learn how to knit, eh?
And then some handy how-to guides. Now I have no excuse but to re-teach myself! Anyone want to join me?
And then I found this beautiful piece of embroidery. If I were to only finish one thing, I think this is what I would finish. I don't think I could do as good of a job as she did, though.
And then a baby book! I guess I could make something now for my new niece or nephew, which by the way, we find out tomorrow what the sex is!!!
And then another unfinished piece. Those of who who know me well now know where I get this annoying habit of starting things but never finishing them (with good intentions to, though, of course!).
And then one of the afghans. So pretty! I guess she thought I was going to be a boy?
Look, the needle is still in it and everything.
And then the pretty orange one. I would love having this one done also. It's in thin rectangular pieces. I guess this is how you put an afghan together?? There are quite a few pieces. I really don't think there's much more to do than just knitting all of the big pieces together. Here's a piece. Hard to tell, but it's long, as are all of them.
Can you believe how there was so much unfinished? And I seriously had no idea she was so crafty! I never saw her do anything artsy ever. She was a grade school teacher, so I knew there was some creativeness in her, but not like this! It's so special to me finding out new things about her even after she's been gone 7 years.

And then, drumroll . . . I found in a different box some nostalgic things of mine. My "My Little Ponies"! (I gave them to Maia and she's now been carrying them around all day today. They even took a bath with her last night.)
And then I found piles upon piles of letters. I love to write letters, and I always have. It began with my pen pals when I was 8. My friend, Amberley, was one of my pen pals. But she wasn't just a "pen pal" but was like a sister to me. We met when we were infants (we were born on the same day . . .our moms were best friends), she move to Northern Illinois, but we stayed friends forever. This is one of probably the 500 letters I have from her . . . these back in 1989. How fun!!! (Cute Amberley, eh?!) I can't believe were have been friends since birth, and now here we are, 31 years later, the closest we've ever been, with 6 kids among us of our own. (Happy sigh . . . )

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it! But I can't see any of the pics! What's up?!

Unknown said...

Dang it. That took me forever. I'll try again. not sure what's up.

Jennifer said...

no pics~

Jennifer said...

I can see them now..little ponies have not changed a bit..Gracie had tons of them.

Very nice finds....if you can learn how to do all this stuff.Do(!), cause you could pass this stuff to your kids.

Also .25 stamp on those letters! I remember those days. 5.00 for a book..and now it's 8.20!

Katie said...

Quite a treasure trove you came across from your dear Grandmama! If you were here, I would totally spread out that afghan and help you finish it up. (Is that enough to get you up to Chicago? We could do it in a day.) My mom and sister and I knitted a big one in strips for Tim and Jen when they married. So much of your grandma's love and time and prayers in that tub!

Cerella said...

Looks like SOMEONE needs to start a Knit Night! *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* :)

LiLi said...

Val, my best friend, Melinda, lived right next door to me, and we wrote letters to each other all the time. I still have a box FULL of these letters and the letters we exchanged when we went away to our different summer camps. I love finding those treasures and reading them. I think I told you I even found a few letters from YOU, one from before we had Noah and Maegan! :)

Good luck on the crafts!!! How cool!

la bellina mammina said...

Wow! Will you be finishing her work of arts now :-)

Anonymous said...

what fun treasures!

Jamie said...

Val!!! ok I learned how to knit again from a lady at work just this past Friday. I totally think we should try to get a group of girls together for dinner , visiting and crafting. Even if everyone does something different , we could all teach each other!! I would so be into it. If not for an excuse to get together with other adults haha. Even my Ashley can cross stitch she has done some very cute things and loves making them for her "family quilt" as she is calling it haha.

How exciting to find all of that and not even realize it was there!! I love it when I come upon things like that.

Erin said...

Wow, what a treasure chest of finds! I've never learned to knit and I can only crochet a little. So I'm no help in that department. I love to cross-stitch (I know I'm weird!). And the letters you found is so cool!!! I love finding old letters. Laughing about the funny things we found interesting to write about : )

Corie said...

I bet you just loved finding all of those things!!! What a great surprise. :)
I wish I could knit with you.. we could learn together. I would love to learn, but have never made myself pursue it....

Alexis Jacobs said...

What great finds! It will all get done... I promise :)

Chel said...

Looks like you should knit, huh? :) Eliza loves My Little Pony.

Lauren said...

What a treasure chest!