A Tisket, A Tasket ~ I Made Another Basket

Back on the 21st of November I took my first basket weaving class at the Library near my home. Robbie, who taught the class goes to church with me and is very handy with her hands. The one we made was a simple square napkin basket. The basket weaving was easier than I thought it would be. She tries to limit her classes to 6 students so as to be able to give individual instruction and still finish on time. But that particular Saturday some how the class had grown to 9! The increased number slowed the class down and we finally finished about 1 1/2 hours past the 3 hour class deadline. Even so, it was so enjoyable that I signed up for the next one the same day.

This past Saturday, 12-11 I met with 5 other ladies to learn how to weave a Sleigh basket. The ones on display at the front of the class were very intricate looking. As a class we weren't to sure that ours would look that nice. But by lunchtime we were all through and our sleigh baskets were ready to be taken home. Again I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was. Easy that is if Robbie was giving us round by round directions to follow. It wasn't hard to do but this one did required a little more concentration for some of the weaving techniques and keeping count on spacing.

I took the class for several reasons. One, to meet some other crafters in the area and have fun learning a new craft. Two, to be able to create small baskets for my future goat milk soap. Thirdly, I have 3 old rockers that I have been saving that need new seats and everyone threatens to throw away. They are good oak rockers that look tattered because of the broken woven seats, that I want to re-cane. I figure basket weaving is one step in that direction and would put me a step ahead of the learning curve required to do so. And lastly, who knows I might even get good enough to make some as gifts for family and friends. Maybe even selling a few in my "I dreaming of a Farm Store" one day. I keep that one tucked in the back of my mind, adding info and ideas nearly weekly to it's file. But that is a subject for another day.

We had a special visitor this past weekend as well. Our 4yr. Granddaughter, Leah came for a long visit, staying with us from Friday - Monday. The weather was bitter cold with a harsh wind chill. I was ever so glad I had already made a list of inside activities for her to do. Having gathered the needed items and a new video on my last grocery/errand day. It was a busy weekend for all! Anyone who has ever played or entertained a 4yr. knows just how busy you can be. The pictures to follow highlight some of our special holiday activities . . .

Our first kitchen project was to bake my Granny Franklin's Nut Cake. It has been in the family for over 100 years. It is a light version of a fruit cake, but with more nuts and less fruit. Most fruitcakes are heavy, this one bakes up light. It is the only fruit cake I have ever baked my whole entire life. Leah had fun dumping the ingredients I had measured out into the mixer. When it came out of the oven, she wanted to cut it right then. Stating "I think we should have it before supper, Papa's gonna want some of this!"

Saturday we began several projects, the first being a crafty one. We made orange studded ornaments to hang on our trees to make them smell nice. I remember making these as a little girl and thought she would love the hands-on sensory project. She loved the process, but thought the cloves smelled bad that is until we stuck them in the oranges.

Tough skins posed a problem until she used a push pin to pierce it first before sticking in the cloves.

Leah took this picture herself and is learning to do a great job of framing the objects in the camera's window. -------------------------->

Looks like one satisfied crafter to me. I hope we made a memory that she might repeat with her own children and grandchildren one day. Ummmm, sure does smell good!


I had promised her the last time she came to visit that we would bake Gingerbread cookies on this visit. Soooooo. . . she didn't let me forget and was the first thing she asked about when she came in the door on Friday.

After helping to mix the dough up, we rolled it out and she put her playdough skills to work. The recipe actually made 12 full size cookies.

She loved the whole process and begged to do more. I had to remind her we still had to bake them and then decorate. Just the mention of sprinkles got her motivated for the next step.

They were super easy to make, fun to decorate and yummy to eat. I do believe we have the start to a Christmas tradition. One that we both will enjoy for years to come. She took most of them home to show and share with her parents, but not before we ate a few.

In between all the baking and crafting we watched several Christmas videos; Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is coming to Town and The 12 Dogs of Christmas. Not just once but a couple of times each. She never comes out without bringing her movie cds and we watched several of them too. Friday night Papa popped corn for us to enjoy while watching movies. On Saturday night we had ice cream with sprinkles.

I had just sewn her a fabric nativity out of a panel of fabric I had bought years ago before she was even born. We play with it and her favorite toddler one made of little people. Mary and Joseph has had quite a few adventures over the past year. But since moving out to the farm she brings them out for some farm living, complete with tractors and other barnyard animals each time she comes. It's her favorite game to play, begging whoever is free to play farm with her.

She went with Papa to the feed store and to buy hay while I was at my basket weaving class on Saturday. I think Papa actually came away this time without buying another toy there. Her little blue eyes can melt his heart in an instant. I'm not quite sure what all they got into while I was gone, but I'm sure they loved having one on one time together.

All weekend she begged to put on the new dress and shoes I had gotten her to wear. Come Sunday she was ready before breakfast to get dressed. She has gone with us each time she visits and has gotten to know a few people there. Mrs. Jana's Sunday school class is now HER class and she loves it. The evening service was the Youth & Children's Christmas play and we sat up front so she could see all the action. There was a covered dish meal afterwards. The only problem I had getting her to eat was in getting her to sit still long enough to get finished. Before joining the other kids on stage playing.

I read it somewhere once that "You're always making memories. . . To make them worth remembering." I prayed we did just that the 3 of us ~ Papa, Nana and our precious granddaughter.

Loving the chance to make them,

Deborah