Tuesday Treasures

Happy Tuesday to all of you out there in bloggerland. I hope you are having a great week! Crackers and I are just as happy as 2 little birds with french fries. We are starting a new feature on this blog called Tuesday Treasures. We will feature things that we consider "treasures" that other people might just pass right by. Especially since Crackers treasures tend to be close to the ground (or ON the ground :) ). But today's treasure is mine, and it is.....ta duh! Crackers! She is a treasure all by herself, and I thought you might like to see her birth. She doesn't think you will be interested, but I think you might enjoy it.

She started out at Joanne's Fabric store, where I picked her out and brought her home. I then had to make a pattern for her, and re-make it several times until she looked just right! Here is her first prototype.

She was too square, or I guess I should say too triangle-ly, and she didn't look right. So I started over. After a few more tries, she looked like this.

Then I got to work on her feet and legs. Her big feet and very un-duckly legs were a bit unwieldy, but I managed to get them done.

Next I made her wings and her bill. Both the legs and the wings have wire in them so she can be posed.

Now it was time to put her all together. She originally had hair to match her tail, but it made her look like a rooster, so I got rid of that Quick!

This is what she looked like as she emerged. Her wings and bill had to come out first, so there was room to turn the rest of her. Doesn't is look like she's hatching? I had to sew her legs in after she was turned, because they are so long, there was no room for them inside as I stitched her.

And here she is, all ready for the finishing touches, like eyeballs and a tongue. I also gave her a little embroidery floss hair that looks more like duck hair (if there is such a thing) and stuffed her bill. She is so excited to get to know all of you and to show you the things she likes.

Well, that was the birth of Crackers. If you enjoyed seeing it, drop us a comment a let Crackers know.

That was my Tuesday Treasure for this week. Next week, you will get to see Crackers' first treasure. She is looking hard for something that will please both you and her, so come back and find out what it is. For now, we will say good-bye and love to all from....

Well, I think I'm set to go. I've got my signature, my template and layout, (which may change) and my partner! Crackers. Who has turned out not to be a he but a she instead. As I was making him, I just kept getting the feeling that "he" wasn't a boy. Then when I put pink legwarmers on her, that was a sure sign......my duck is a girl. (Which is kind of understandable, you know, because it's kind of hard to tell until they get a little bigger.)

Crackers isn't your ordinary, run-of-the-mill duck, you know. She is a little plump and has some loopy hair right at the very top of her pointy little head, and she has very un-duckly legs. You see, they are really loooooong. That's why she needs leg warmers! Long skinny legs get cold, you know. And she has BIG feet, just like me! She's a little shy right now, but she'll get used to having her photo taken, because it's going to happen a lot. I'm even trying to talk her into writing a post every once in a while, so look for that in the future (if I can convince her that you want to hear from her). We can call it "All Quacked Up" or something like that.

So, drum roll please..................da-da-da da-da-da da-da-da DA! Here she is, Crackers, the Duck!

She likes to sit on my laptop because it keeps her little tushie warm, but it makes typing very difficult, so I have to kick her off when I'm writing a post. (She pouts a little, but I just ignore it.)

I have some ideas for future posts, and maybe some weekly posting ideas, too, so I hope you'll come back often and see what happening here at Gramm and Crackers. We love followers and we love comments. Invite your friends and family to join us, too. The more, the merrier!

A family blog...

Hello friends! A new year, a new name and a new game. Old Gramma G is starting another blog. This one will be dedicated to kids and grandparents. I have 16 living grandchildren, and I get to see two of them everyday, a few of them often and some of them almost never. I want to explore ideas for making the relationship between us oldies and our little ducklings a bit easier to keep in sight. I hope you will join me as I embark on this journey of discovery to a new place of hope and joy and just plain fun. :) So let's get to it!
I'm going to have a blogging partner, this time. His name is Crackers the Duck. Crackers will be helping me to find the path that leads to communication and understanding and humor. He will fly across the United States, maybe literally, to visit the grandchildren I don't get to see. He will deliver hugs and kisses (eeeew, duck kisses?) and messages from Gramm. Maybe he will even come see you! How fun would that be? You'll get to see him soon (I haven't made him yet) and I hope you will all treat him like a member of the family.
Well, that's all for today. I have to get busy and build a duck, and get some ideas for what will be a journey to that place where all grandmotherly dreams come true. See you next time.

Gramm and Crackers