happy birthday, gram

You know what I'm over the moon about right now?

fun presents + something handmade + flying to vermont today to surprise my favorite person.

My gram is turning 85 on Sunday and I'm going to see her with my mom. She has no idea we're coming.

I really tried to think carefully about what I wanted to get her since it's a big year and I'm hardly ever with her on the actual day of her birth. (She lives with us half the year and in VT half the year - including August, her birthday month).

So let me show you:

1) a retro Fire King (similar to Pyrex) sunflower bowl (her favorite flower) to put all her sewing odds & ends in.

2) a vintage reproduction hexagon floral print fat quarter.

3) fresh saltwater taffy from the Taffy Station at Trolley Square.

Here's a closer look at the sunflowers. I was thrilled when I found this pattern.

And a project that started out as these yo yos...

and turned into this pillow!

My gram jump-started my interest in sewing and I wanted to make her something special. This pillow was made with a lot of love. I spent many hours choosing my gram's favorite yellow prints, making the yo yos, and piecing them all together.

I love, love, love how it turned out!

Sure love you, gram! I can't wait to see you later today!

I also have to thank my very nice uncle for giving me a Skymiles ticket. He flew my gram back to VT in June and stayed with us for a few days before taking her. I cried & cried before she left. She is honestly my little friend and such a HUGE part of my life. I always have a hard time when she has to go.

I kept telling my uncle that "one month would be terrible, but six months without seeing her was impossible". After letting me cry a few times over, he said that he would be happy to let me use one of his tickets and we (all my gram's kids plus me) could go surprise her in August.

It will truly be a happy birthday weekend, indeed!