the two Kiras and Grandmommy: a Christmas story

I really enjoyed having both Kiras visit me in South Carolina the week after Christmas.  Flat Kira was overjoyed when she looked down from her favorite eucalyptus wreath perch one morning to see Kira Rose eating a bowl of the Cookie Crisp cereal she had helped me buy at the grocery store!

Flat Kira really liked Kira Rose's Christmas presents too.  But Kira Rose needed a crimper, more beads, pendants, and earring wires to go with the collection of beads Aunt Michelle had given her.  And how would she fill her sketch pad with drawings if she didn't have graphite and water color pencils and something to sharpen them with?  So Flat Kira and Kira Rose went shopping with me for even more craft supplies on New Year's Eve.

 Flat Kira is safely in the hands of Kira Rose's mother now, all set for their trip home to Pennsylvania on New Year's Day.  This is the last chapter in a story that I've so enjoyed writing!  Kira Rose, may you always remember, with the help of Flat Kira's saga, the Christmas when you were eight . . .

Love you bunches, my two Kiras!

Happy 2011!!!

Grandmommy

the 9th paper crane

I'd forgotten about this one, tucked away in a basket amid skeins and squares of yarn from a long-ago unfinished afghan project, camouflaged

among leaves of silk flowers sharing that space . . .

a Toy Store story . . .

I am really intrigued by what Windows Moviemaker chose to leave out from the original videoclip. You'll need to use your imagination here to picture Percy's magical transition from Cassie's hand to Michael's and her predictable two-year-old response :-)

There's another story in the picture in the background. When my son was about 9 or 10, he decided he was ready to attempt counted cross-stitch. Having an older sister who excelled at the craft was both his inspiration and his project's eventual salvation. I purchased complimentary designs: Antique Store (in the background) for me and Toy Store for Jamie. Both were tucked away, unfinished, for years, until Kimberly decided to surprise Jamie one Christmas by completing his picture. (A snapshot of the project, as Jamie had left it, is taped to the back of the frame.) A few Christmases later, a completed Antique Store (probably the last time I attempted anything in the way of embroidery . . .) joined Toy Store in the nursery being prepared (yes, that wallpaper had to go!) for Michael's arrival.

October . . .

Christmas and paper cranes. . .

Paper cranes are the oldest ornaments on my tree. . . I've made a zillion of them, before and since this one and her sisters came to be--but kept none but the original family. I think there are seven of them now. . .

I can still make them from memory. And I did so just the other day--a get well wish for a dear friend and colleague. . .

Amazing how one thin book, an amazing story between its covers, has shaped so much of my life. Sadako, in her lifetime, did not reach her personal goal of 1000 (and, honestly, I doubt my "zillion" is close to 1000 either) but, in her memory, shoolchildren around the world fold thousands each year. This is one of the few years when I haven't taught some of them how . . . yet.