MAGPIE'S MUMBLINGS

A blog about my interests, which include fabric landscapes and various and assorted other artsy pursuits and sometimes known to contain mumblings of a random nature.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Is it possible to have too much fun?

 Yes, this Grandma is certainly having fun creating pages for the latest quiet book!  I wonder if I'm having even more fun than the intended recipient will.  At any rate, here are the pages I've just completed...



This page is a jigsaw puzzle - the pieces are held together with velcro.


This page features a picnic basket filled with different fruits and vegetables.  The basket is woven felt strips and of course the produce is also made from felt.  The handle is held shut with a dome fastener.


You will be happy to know (!!) that I finally managed, with the help of a friend, to get the vaccine codes onto the New Phone.  Now I just have to remember how to access them when I need them.

In other news here at Chez Magpie, the decision has been made...due to the huge uptick in covid cases here....that we won't be flying out to visit our #2 son and his family next month.  We had so hoped to be able to get some baby cuddles but decided that, even though we're both triple vaccinated, we could still be carriers of the disease and simply couldn't run the risk of taking it to our little ones.  Two little boys (5 & 2) and a brand new baby are just too precious to take any kind of chances with, just because we are selfish enough to want to see our family.  



I have never had an amaryllis do what this one did.  You can see the tall beautiful flower in the photo above, but do you see what's starting at the bottom?  The flowers on the top gave way to three massive blooms that are just peeking above the pot.  Strange, but wonderful!



Today, instead of a quote, I thought I'd pass this along.  It's supposed to be a joke....but.....if you're into a frugal lifestyle, or simply don't want to create a lot of 'stuff' for the person that has everything, wouldn't this be a fun exercise?  Just pick out books you think someone would like, wrap them up, and perhaps also offer to return them when they're done.  You would have the fun of 'shopping', they could enjoy reading, and there would be nothing to have to store, dust, or display.  





23 comments:

  1. LOL! The quote is funny.
    I understand, and agree with your decision not to travel. Sad, but safe is a part of life for now.
    The book is spectacular! You are so talented, your grands will have stunning heirlooms for years of smiles.

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    1. The quote made me smile but then I got to thinking that it would be a good idea. Of course you'd have to know the recipient(s) well enough to know their tastes in books and also know that they would return the books on time.
      The book is fun to make - I know the boys still play with theirs so I know it will last awhile.

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  2. Those pages do look like so much fun! We've had many amaryllis' but I've never seen one bloom like that. So sorry you'll be missing those hugs and cuddles - I know it's a hard decision.

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    1. I'm consoling myself for not going on the trip by making the book. Trying not to feel sad over missing seeing them.

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  3. How good you are to give up your long planned trip in the interest of keeping the family safe. Thank you. This cost you, and real love is about taking care of other people.

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    1. Thank you for saying that 'real love is about taking care of other people' - I will use that as my mantra when I feel down about not going.

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  4. Your quiet book pages are sew much fun. I think these quiet books would be ideal for older patients who have dementia. Your Amaryllis is gorgeous. Sad to miss visiting your family however it is the wise decision with so much unknown about Covid. Hubby and I canceled our big trip for this year. We had planned and reserved to go to Greece, Athens and Santorini island. Just too much at this time. Hopefully we will be ale to take it in the future.

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    1. Certain aspects of the quiet book would definitely be good for those with dementia I think. Not going to get into making too many of them though because they are very time consuming.
      I'm sorry you had to cancel your trip too - it's sad, but better to be safe.

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  5. What a fun book! I do think the little ones will love it as much as you have loved making it. My amaryllis had two stocks this year and I was thrilled to get the additional blooms. I will plant it outside when it is done. Last summer my others didn't bloom as they had previously......I'm thinking maybe it didn't get cold enough outside?

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    1. I hope our wee babe will like her book when she gets old enough to play with it.
      I've never been able to get an amaryllis to rebloom so I can't hazard a guess as to why yours didn't. I've had a couple that have had two flower stalks over the years, but never had one that had the second stalk be so short.

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  6. lol at today's quote. Ok... this quiet book is the most darling thing. I love these newest pages. Since the recipients won't likely have memory of playing with their books, I sure do hope they get saved so they can enjoy them when/if they have children to pass them on to.

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    1. Yes, I suspect they will be saved but once they're gifted it's not up to me. I know they take pictures of the kids playing with them so those will be saved even if the books themselves aren't.

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    2. Pictures of the grands playing with them will be very special. :)

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  7. That jigsaw is too cute.

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    1. Free downloads of coloring pages to the rescue on that design!

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  8. You never cease to amaze me with the ideas you come up with to entertain your GK's. Every one has been a winner. I'm sure you will get to see the baby play with the book later on. The families will be disappointed you can't travel but would appreciate the reason for that. The Amaryllis it fabulous. I hope 2022 is a great year for you and the Chef.

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    1. As of now the trip has been postponed until possibly May, depending on what's happening then. Luckily Expedia dealt with it and we didn't lose any money, at least for the time being. We'll see what it's like then.

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  9. Cute quote, and what lovely new pages for your book.

    I don't blame you for postponing your trip. Our youngest son just came down with Omicron, and the oldest while he tested negative is not feeling the best and will be doing another rapid test in a day or two.

    God bless.

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    1. I'm so sorry that your son (and possibly the other one too) has the virus - I pray that it's a mild case and that he recovers quickly.

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  10. I love your Quiet Book! A good friend gave my daughter one for her third birthday and we kept it so now my grandson plays with it. Happy memories.
    We're in the same place as you, with a new baby in the family and a 3 year old - no visiting for a few months so the little one can grow as safely as possible. Thank good ness for FaceTime and such!

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    1. Yes, what would we do without video chat capabilities. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for grandparents who aren't able to take advantage of that technology. We've only seen our oldest grandson (7) once in the the past two years and it's so hard. The 5 and 2 year olds (soon to be a newborn too) we see regularly via video chat so at least there's some sort of connection.
      Quiet books are fun to make and hopefully will last for another generation if the parents keep them.

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  11. I am so sorry that you have had to postpone your trip Mary Anne. I totally understand why you have made that decision. We had to cancel our New Year family arrangements as a member of our household tested positive despite being triple vaccinated. I am sure you will get there later in the year. In the meantime you can enjoy yourself making more wonderful pages for the quiet book. I am so impressed with them all. They are great! Hugs Christine xx

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    1. Yes, we're sorry that we can't see our family, but on the other hand we don't want to run any risk of taking the virus to them. We're triple vac'd but that doesn't mean we can't pick it up and carry it.
      I am definitely consoling myself with making things in my sewing room.

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