cliques 'n 'at

Madster went to a bday party on Saturday. It was her former bff who shares her first & middle name (but for one letter change). It was a clique to which Maddie does not belong.

She said only one girl talked to her the whole time. Everyone else was mostly interested in discussing & listening to their cell phones. And texting. She said only she & one other girl present did not have cell phones (not the same girl who talked to her). Keep in mind, they are 9 & 10 year olds.

It's an issue we've been dealing with since 2nd grade. 2nd grade. Remember then? The daily requests for a cell phone. Her constant analysis of which company had better benefits (knowledge gleaned from t.v. commercials, of course). That discussion has fizzled somewhat in favor of the iPod requests.

I'm sure it wasn't so very awful as the party was taking place at this amazing store. They made little scrapbooks. And OMG! the selection of paper was mindblowing. Nothing handmade & nothing really exotic. But mouthwatering, nevertheless.

BUT get this: when I returned to pick Maddie up, the girls were running around taking phone snaps of papers that they found attractive. It was odd & manic (as 9 & 10 year olds can be). But the cell phone thing was, well, irksome. Maybe that's too strong a word. It was bizarre? I don't know how to describe it. It made me question whether our insistence on NOT having a cell phone before middle school has been in our daughter's best interest. I mean, has it been detrimental to her "popularity" or her ability to fit in at this awkward age? I remember all too well how it feels to be on the outside looking in. I was ostrasized in 5th & 6th grade. Was it because I didn't wear the "right" clothes? Because girls truly are "mean"? Because I was the "new" kid? Who knows. I know it was a painful 2 years. Have I ever really gotten over that? And how has that affected my life now? Would my life be different now if I had "fit in" then?

It's painful to see Maddie dealing with the same kinds of issues. Cliques. I hate that when I see Maddie at recess she's frequently walking around alone, not paired off with a bud or playing with a group of kids like everyone else. She says she chooses to be alone. But she also says she would rather be with friends.

And what is our reasoning as to why a cell phone is not allowed? Because we didn't have our own phone at that age? I also didn't have my own t.v. in my room -but the littles have one. We don't have a land line, so Maddie really has no mode of communication with her peers unless she uses mine or G's cells. It's just not the same as having a shared phone. I've even mentioned this to G. How I hate that we use separate phones (though I wouldn't give up my cell) because neither of us talks with the other's families; his parents call him on his phone & vice versa, as I do with my parents & my phone. I can probably count on 2 hands the number of times G has actually talked with my parents over the last 6 years. Seriously. Is it any wonder that it feels like a disconnect between us? Everything is separate. Anyway, I digress.

To be continued....

overheard lately

while watching a dvr'd Martha Stewart Living episode in which a rabbit was created from a glove. (from same book as our little dog friend below)(Thanks Lindsay for the fab bday gift!) Glove had the thumb, middle & ring fingers removed, leaving the pointer & pinky fingers. Fi exclaimed "look! it's 'Rock On'!!" Get it? Some people might call it "the evil eye". In our house, it's "Rock On".

We've been doing some sign language again. Why not. It's quite a useful language. We're just doing animals & foods & some descriptive words right now. The girls really like to sign "where is ______"(insert word). I really like when they put sentences together.

Libby likes to sit in the front seat of the car (yeah I know, but we only do it for short jaunts like to the P.O.) and give the "peace sign" to ALL passersby. She makes the "V" and holds her hand up to the window for the whole trip, watching to see any reactions. I think she'll get a better response with nicer weather & a rolled down window as opposed to the tinted, rolled up window.

Just a reminder

When you head over to Flickr, make sure you sign into your account- or freaking accept my invitation already! Else you won't be able to see the pictures reserved for "family & friends"

teasers to get you over to flickr

this is a robe I started 10 years ago for Nikki. But with full time school, full time work, single parenthood AND pregnancy, I ran out of time to finish it before she outgrew the pattern.

the CMP ATC for Feb


an FO


who came for Saturday dinner?


our first attempt at a creature from the book "Sock and Glove: Creating Charming Softy Friends from Cast-Off Socks and Gloves" by Miyako Kanamori. Her head is a little askew but she's still cute. Maddie has since cut off the eyelashes I gave her


orderly glitter

how patient is our dog?

more pix right here

sometimes saving scraps does come in handy

I had some roses for Vday that were wrapped in organza. I saved it for future use. Of course. Why pay $9.00/yard? Look what I made from it (always trying out new stitches, too)





this is the only one that I wasn't pleased with because the stitches were too tight for the organza

she's crafty!

She made this for her teacher, all by herself! It was her idea, her design, her work. She's got skills, no? I only poured the glue out for her to use & showed her that when the pins are taken out, the top will come off; she decided to use glue instead of just pins. (it's a pin cushion!) The little pot was a stocking stuffer since been hanging out on the craft table patiently awaiting spring...or a clever 5 year old. Scraps & glue & glitter, a few pieces of potpourri in there too (I was sewing sachets that day.)



****more pix at flickr

fi's bday video

Yes, I did it again -turned the dang camera sideways, forgetting that I can't flip the video rightside up when I upload. So crank your head to the side there or flip your handy dandy laptop on it's side...and enjoy. It's a little long, but it's entertaining. Just a taste of what the girls are up to these days. You can hear big sisters Mad & Snick giving instructions & if you look closely you'll see little sister Lib practicing in the background. And there's Snick the eldest relaxing at home for a change. (I love how you can hear Fi & Lib both "answer" the video at about 1:15)

get thee over to Flickr

I have new pics posted, Fi's bday & such. If you're not listed as a contact, you're S.O.L. as far as the pics listed as "private" (that would be mostly anything with the littles in it). But if you ask real nice, I can add you. Just let me know. email or call or telepathy. Whatever works. yinzez click here

more crafty goodness

another belated xmas gift off the needles -and actually mailed off yesterday :) The hat is a revision of the "striped hat" from Melissa Leapman's book "Knitting Beyond Scarves". I had done one for Madster with the curly top but she didn't really like it; she got a lot of ribbing at school about it...although she has now come to embrace it as her own "teletubbie" hat. The scarf is just a garter stitch with a crocheted loopy fringe from this pattern. Both are done with Lion Brand Homespun in "gothic"(?). I think I should start now for xmas '08 gifts






the finished re-purposed grocery bag tote...isn't it fab?!?! Get the pattern here I used mostly Target bags with the stripe from Sunflower Market bags. I tried to reinforce the handle by adding a couple deeper stiches at the joints. I'll let you know how it holds up.




On deck: February's CMP ATC, a string bag, a vintage 1940's pants suit por moi