My Favorite 3 year old

Here she is. When I asked Boppa to get a good picture of her in her dress this is the best he could do. Happily, it is charming. I will try to get something a little better for my records when I hug her in person next week.

On a more personal note, I have been slowly working my way through 2 certifications. One is the SAGA Artisan program- Smocking. After 10-15 years (I've lost count) I am getting ever closer to turning in my first submission. I decided to wait until 2011 so I could hopefully, receive recognition at the SAGA conference in Anaheim. The other is the EGA Master Craftsman program. I am happy to report I have only been working on this for about 4 years and just completed level 2- picture smocking. I found this to be a particular challenge because of the stipulations of the program. However, it is done and judged and I was thrilled with an "exhibition quality" rating. Can you tell what the design is? Both of these programs are a lot more work than they appear to be and I have great admiration for anyone who has completed all levels....as I wonder if I will ever be at the end. Of course, others may be more committed to the process than I have been!

Spring is slowly showing its face here in northern California. With a cooler than average season everything has been slower to bloom. Just last week the spanish lavender opened up and is giving us quite a show. The bees have been very active and we found ourselves mesmerized for quite some time on Saturday enjoying the show. More overcast and rain today...we'll enjoy the sunshine when we see it.