The Name Game

I wanted to make each of my grandchildren a special gift for Christmas. 

I decided to give them each a special name picture that was just theirs and no one else would have.

Went to Hobby Lobby and bought scrapbook paper trying to match each personality. I wanted it to be fun and colorful.  My one grandson loves Star Wars so I went to a speciality scrap book store to get the licensed Star Wars paper. Luke Skywalker is crouched next to the M in his name.  My other grandson loves baseball so I used a baseball to dot his i, the background looks like the cover of a baseball, stitching and all.

The girls pictures are fun and colorful.

I wanted the frame to have glass but didn't want to spend a lot of money.  Found just what I wanted at A.C. Moore, just the right size for $9.99 a piece.

My neighbor found out about the project and said that she had a Cricut cutting machine and I was welcome to use it. I took all of the supplies over to her house and we spent the afternoon being creative and having fun. Used Hodge Podge to glue the letters and fun shapes to the background.

Grandpa attached the hanging wire to the back of each one and taped the hanging hardware on the back so that Mom or Dad could hang them up.

The kids loved them and they have a special gift from Grandma.

The Magic Pouch Builds a Village

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Grandchildren in Chicago. I wanted a new idea for the Magic Pouch, something different. I finally decided it would be fun to build a Christmas village. I went to the Dollar Tree and bought all of the pieces that they had for a village including the snow. Because some of the pieces were too large to fit into the pouch, they had to go on treasure hunts to find them.
What fun they had!

The first time that they checked the pouch, there was a note saying "Lets build a Christmas Village together. Before we start, ask you Mom and Dad where we can put the village. "

Then : "Go to Miles' bed". There they found a note saying: "Go to the dryer".  They found two buildings (gift wrapped) and the "snow" inside the dryer - the fun begins.

Miles really got into this. In between the Magic Pouch discoveries, he started to use Legos to add his own parts, he made a hobo with campfire and a little newsie guy with a newspaper (that one really made Grandma proud). Walking across a bridge was Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars and in the corner was the TARDIS with Doctor Who standing next to it. I think he covered many different angles.

Magic Pouch to the Rescue!

My grandson has always been all boy, very active. When he started kindergarden it was very hard for him to sit still. One night I was talking to him and his Dad on FaceTime. He didn't look very happy,
Seems that he has been bringing home Oops Notes from school. He had a problem keeping his hands to himself and talking out of turn. Of course it broke my heart, I was frantically trying to think of how I could help. I was so far away. Then it hit me -The Magic Pouch!
Miles is a huge Star Wars Fan. Grandpa and I spent the weekend going from party shops to Hallmark Stores looking for a Star Wars bracelet. Finally found one online and ordered it. The plan had begun.

The Magic Pouch wrote him a letter.

The letter included Star Wars stickers and a chart.

The following Friday, Miles and his Dad called me on FaceTime to show that he had 5 stickers on his chart. A whole week without one Oops Note!  Hooray Miles and Magic Pouch!

The Magic Pouch send a special Star Wars book to him.

Grandma's Magic Pouch

When our kids were little their Grandma Murphy always had a crisp, new dollar bill for each of them when they visited. When I became a Grandma I decided to have fun surprises when I saw my grandchildren. My sister had given me a small Mary Kay cosmetic bag for my purse. It was black velvety with silver roses on it and a pretty tassel on the zipper pull. Thus was born Grandma's Magic Pouch! When I visit them or they visit us, the Magic Pouch "appears" in Grandma's purse. It is so magical that when they are good, the Magic Pouch "creates" a special surprise for each of them. They love it! I buy small items of interest when I see them. For example, Lego figures, Disney Princesses, Fisher Price People, candy, little flashlights, bubbles, jewelry - there is no end to the ideas. When we go out to dinner I have something to keep them busy until dinner arrives. I put them together in sandwich bags in the bottom of my purse, when no one is looking I slip the toys out of the bag into the "Magic Pouch" in my purse. When one of them says "Grandma, can we check the Magic Pouch?" it is ready. Sometimes it is empty. My son told me that one time on their long car trip from Chicago to Pennsylvania, his son was tired of being in the car and said "How far until we get to the Magic Pouch, Dad?" As they got older, the Magic Pouch grew with them. Two of my Grandchildren are now 7 and 8 years old and reading. Suddenly, the Magic Pouch had a note in it instead of a toy. The note says "GO TO THE LIVING ROOM COUCH" there another note "GO TO MILE'S BED" then "GO TO THE TOP DRAWER IN THE SILVERWARE CHEST IN THE DINING ROOM" another note "GO TO TABLE ON BACK PORCH" where there is finally a large Magic Pouch surprise that is too large for the pouch... but best of all, they went on a treasure hunt! They love it and it makes very special memories.The Magic Pouch sent they up and downstairs, funny part is a parent must accompany them. 

 One time I sealed Star Wars Figures and Strawberry Shortcake figures in tin cans as a treasure hunt surprise. Got the idea from:http://www.ourbestbites.com/ 

 My favorite Magic Pouch adventure happened last year when we went out to breakfast with the kids. I put two gifts in a brown gift bag with handles. I wrote their names on the bag and hide it in the back of the car. After we were seated at the table, I said "Oh No, I left my purse in the car, be right back". No one paid any attention and I went out, got my purse and bag. I went to the hostess stand and asked her if she would please put the bag behind the stand until two children came up to ask for it, it is a surprise. Of course, she said yes.

After ordering breakfast, they were getting a little restless and asked if they could check the Magic Pouch. They alway take it out of my purse feel it all over to see if there is anything in it. This time the note told them to take their Daddy and go to the nice lady behind the stand by the front door and nicely ask her if there is anything behind the stand for them. The lady really got into and asked them their names. This time I surprised everyone, their parents, Grandpa, Aunt and of course my little angels.

 Our Grandson took one of prizes to school for Show and Tell. As he was headed back to his seat, he stopped, turned around and said;"Oh yeah, it came from my Grandma's "Magic Pouch."

 Grandma's Magic Pouch is so much fun. Just when they get old enough to start questioning the Magic Pouch, "Does the Magic Pouch really make those toys?"etc. it re-invents itself and does a treasure hunt. I don't think they dare question it anymore, although Miles did ask how The Magic Pouch can type those notes.

When "The Magic Pouch" visit with the other Grandchildren, the pouch is larger because there are three children.

 Next post I will tell how The Magic Pouch helped my Grandson with a problem at school.

Knitting Fun Things

I crocheted for years and as soon as I found out that I was going to be a Grandmother I decided that it was time to learn to knit. I found a wonderful local yarn shop, Knitter's Dream and the knitting began. I also learned that the pastel pink and blue that my children wore as babies, was no longer popular. I dragged myself into this century and started to use the bolder, brighter colors.I just finished a sweater for Lucy, our seven year old. It turned out great but I was knitting in PA and she continued to grow in Illinois. When she received it and called me on the iPad, I saw that it just fits her, sigh. Lesson learned - next one will be made four sizes larger instead of two. I am working on two new major knitting projects that I will share as they progress. Here are some that I have completed: