my favorite things

 

This weekend, I've been doing a bit of settling into my new sewing room. One problem I had at our old home was a cat that wanted to play with everything I own that is cute, and not enough room to safely display my adorable things. I don't know why it has to be this way, but seriously, anything I think is too cute for words, our Fozzy wants to have for his own.

I still have this problem, but got smart about it. My dad made this shelf for me a few years back out of an old window, so I decided to put all those precious little things in there so I can see and use them, all the while protecting them from my savage little cat.

As you can see, it is chock full of ribbons, tapes, pincushions, buttons, and felted animals. One of my grandmother's canning measuring cups is in there, as well as a tiny little glass milk jug my dad gave me. And do you see all those little wooden spools? My dad used to send those to me all the time from estate sales or garage sales or whereever. He was my biggest crafty enabler.

So today, in honor of my dad (and to say thank you to all of you for the warm, heartfelt emails and comments), I'd like to have a little giveaway for a few of the wooden spools he sent to me, as well as some aurifil thread and an aurifil cotton thread color card from Alex at Aurifil.

 

Just leave a comment telling me your favorite memory of time spent with your dad. I'll choose a winner tomorrow night, Monday the 12th of December.

~Penny

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Comments

[Patti]

My Dad loved cribbage, and made a huge "life size" board that took up a whole corner of the living room....a challenge to everyone that came to visit!
Thanks for the Dad inspired giveaway.

[Melissa]

Oh, I'm a total card-carrying daddy's girl. I can't even let myself imagine what you are going through right now. I do hope you feel the love and comfort of your family and your friends and your quilting right now, though. :)
I have too many favorite memories, but here's my favorite "My dad is a hero" memory. My parents divorced when I was in high school, and one summer I was with him, I decided to bake some brownies. The box said to "add vegetable oil". Dad didn't have any of that, but he did have olive oil. Well, I reasoned that olives were vegetables, and so I poured in the olive oil, and baked those brownies.
Needless to say, they were AWFUL!!!! Yuck! But, my dad, being the awesome guy that he is, ate every last one of them.
Or fed them to the dogs, now that I think about it...
It is really nice, and a real treat, to have wonderful memories of your father. I know you will treasure each and every one of them.

[DebrafromMD]

My Dad was in the Navy and was frequently deployed and away from home. My best memories are of meeting the ship when it finally came back to port after these long separations.

[Nancy]

My dad passed away 36 years ago at the age of 47...he was a fun loving, generous, funny, kind, caring daddy and he is sadly missed...Lucky for me, my Mom remarried 15 years ago at the age of 66 to a wonderful man who has stepped into the role beautifully.. I remember one summer we went camping and we begged my dad to go swimming with us. He kept saying he couldn't (he was diabetic and was fighting a foot infection secondary to having the front half of his foot removed for gangrene) We of course didn't understand WHY he couldn't. He told us simply "Without the front of my right foot, I would just go around in circles!"...

[Caro]

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure you've heard this before, but time will help heal.

[Chris]

My Dad was the original thrifter. I grew up in the 50's and 60's and he loved nothing better than to find something and fix it up or use it for another purpose. I used to love going with him. Back then there were no consignment shops but our town has a pretty good dump and believe it or not he would find some treasures there to fix up. I now love to repurpose just about anything so I know I got that from my Dad.

[Mary on Lake Pulaski]

Wow, what a question. My favorite memories of my dad are many, but here are two: he taught me (with much patience) how to back up a four wheeled wagon with a tractor (we lived on a farm and this is not an easy feat). The other memory is the smile he gave me right before he walked me down the aisle at my wedding. Your dad sounds like a wonderful man.

[susan]

I always used to help my Dad with fix it chores around the house. I loved going with him to the local electrician's shop, getting what we needed, and then going out with my Dad and the electrician to a nearby Kresge's (what was called a 5 and 10 cent store in those days) for a coke at the lunch counter. When the electrician asked my Dad how old we five kids were now, my Dad would always turn to me to get me to answer saying that he couldn't keep track of our ages. I felt very important, having "coffee" with the men and being included in their conversation.
I also remember a time Dad needed to replace some interior bolts on the trunk of a Fiat we had. It meant totally replacing the hinges and my Dad was stymied as to how to figure out where exactly on the underside of the hood (the part that was inside the car) to drill the holes for the hinges. I was eight years old and he was telling me what he needed to do and how he was having a hard time figuring out how to do it. I suggested that I get into the trunk and mark with a pencil where the hinges hit on the underside of the trunk. My Dad's eyes lit up and into the trunk I went with a pencil and a flashlight. Before you knew it, the job was done. My Dad always gave me credit for helping him and coming up with good ideas which, when you were one of five, was really important! I miss him every day.

[PattyC]

When i was little i remember my father would be very tired after working all day & my twin sister & i would want his attention.He would lay on the couch & bend his legs in such a way that it made a little pocket between his legs & the back of the couch -our fort! !! We would have so much fun piling books & toys all over that couch -We never tired & he occasionally got a nap amidst all of the noise & clutter. I sure miss those days ;)

Wonderful Giveaway -Count me in ;)

[Debbie]

One fun memory I have is of my dad when we were on vacations. He would stop at every little roadside attraction or viewpoint, helping us 'see the world'. So sweet you have this fun little cupboard that gives you warm thoughts of your dad.

[Courtney]

When I was in high school my dad and I used to go for walks with our dog late at night. I felt like I could talk to him about anything on those walks and I did - everything from boys to girlfriends to what I learned in school (I'm a history buff and he is too, so many talks were about the Romans or the war of the roses!). I'm a lucky girl!

[Angela]

Love to watch football games with my dad, he always falls asleep and when my mom wakes him every time he says "I was just resting my eyes" to which we all respond "Then why were you snoring" Thanks for the giveaway :)

[Diane]

This is a great post. Memories of Dad. I grew up in Glendale, Arizona. When I was about 10 or 11 we would get up in the morning about 5 am and all drive out to the desert. Mom, Dad, Grandma and the kids. Daddy would make a campfire and we would fry bacon and fry eggs for breakfast in the desert and watch the sun come up. It was so exciting. I could never figure out why in later years he didnt want to do that any more. Now that I am older myself, I realize that he just got tired as he aged. It is a wonderful memory.

[Marcia K]

I think I must have followed my dad everywhere when he came home from work. I was always trying to help him with something. Working in the garden, workin on the car, or fixing something in the garage, helping in the kitchen. I was always underfoot, and with 7 kids, he never complained once. He is an amazing man!! I'm crying now.. I love him so!

[Sallie]

Sincerest sympathy to you and your family. One of my favorite things to do with my dad was go fishing! Thanks for the giveaway!

[Ethne]

Fortunately I have many memories of times shared with my Dad - one that we discussed with a smile and laugh last time we were together, was the time we were standing at the end of the small harbour wall in Kirkcubbin on a stormy Sunday afternoon when a freak wave splashed up over the harbour wall and soaked him - he had to strip off and drive us home in his damp undies - it still makes me smile.

[Melissa]

One of my favorite memories with my dad was on a visit home from college. We went on an impromptu huckleberry picking trip over my birthday weekend - camped under the stars, drove all day, froze, and found not a single berry! Awesome time spent together, though. Thank you so much for a reason to remember!

[Jenny]

one memory that comes to mind with my dad was walking to the park with our 2 sets of neighbors (all girls...including my sisters, he took 8 girls to the park he grew up) and we challenged anyone around to a game of baseball! it was usually girls against boys and dad usually cheated for us since we played pitchers hand. thanks for bringing that memory to mind this morning Penny. praying for you and your dads family.

[Wendy Swenne]

I can't remember really a moment spend with my dad. My mom and dad divorced when I was 8 years old. And not much later my dad didn't want to see us anymore. So the memories I have are phone-calls which makes no sense at all.

But for like 6,5 years ago my mother remarried and now I do have a dad. Not a biological dad, but a step-dad. But to me he is a real dad.
The moments I favor most, is when he is there for me. Just washing my first car (cause it was really dirty when I got it), without saying anything. He's a man who shows he loves you just by doing things. Love that about him!

[Laurie]

I was the only one who would get up early to go fishing with my dad, and those were some of the best times we had together. We would get those banana cream Hostess cupcakes at the bait shop on the way. They were extra delicious because he'd say, "Don't tell your mom.". By the way, Aurifil is the best. I never use any other kind of thread in my sewing machine or my longarm. I have a little collection of wooden spools in a wooden case, too. Irresistible.

[Jamie Lee]

When I went away to college, unbeknownst to me, my dad planted a bunch of daffodil bulbs right outside the entrance to my dorm. When he and and my mom came to visit in the spring, he pointed to the flowers and told me he had planted those, along with a few other clumps in various places around the campus! Whenever I was walking to class in the spring, I'd chuckle when I'd see 3 or 4 daffodils blowing in the breeze! Our campus was meticulously gardened, so I'm sure the head gardener scratched his head every time those rogue flowers would bloom!!! They'd get mowed over after a few days, but little surprises like that were what my dad was best at.

[Jane]

So great to read these posts, especially how Jamie Lee's Dad planted daffodils outside her dorm! As a gardener, I LOVE that story. The best memories I have of my Dad are walking the beach at our yearly trips to northern Michigan. We'd have great conversations as we walked along and collected beach glass. Every time I see the giant jar of beach glass on my bookshelf, I think of our times together. Thanks for letting me share this wonderful memory!

[elsa]

Gosh, I have so many memories of my Dad. Was lucky enough to have him take care of me after a terrible car crash I'd been in and I was broken all over my body. He would come into my room and sit on the bed and tell me that everything would be okay and I would heal and get back to my old self. At the time I was 42 and he was 80. He could be such a gruff person at times but with my son and I he was so kind and loving, going out of his way to make sure that all our needs were taken care of.
Got the wonderful opportunity to share a house with him for 16 years. He was such a good influence on my son, a wonderful role model. He died a few years ago and I lost the best friend I ever had. I was so blessed to have that time with him, we got to talk about the past and heal more than just broken bones.
Thanks for the memories ~ not that I don't think of him everyday ~ just nice to share them with someone else. I was so lucky to have a Dad like him.

[kern]

One of my favorite times is when my dad was teaching me to drive a car with a manual/stick transmission. It was a beat up old pinto and it was really hard to shift. He said I did pretty well for my first time. But when we got home he asked if he could play a joke on my mom. He pulled out three cigarettes and put two in his mouth and then walked into the house trembling all over trying to light the one in his hand. My mom freaked out and boy did Dad and I laugh. It took weeks before my mom would drive with me!

[Anita]

It is probably when I was a kid, riding in our ski boat. My dad's first language is Spanish,so he liked Mexican music. His teenage children didn't. I just remember riding in a in a ski boat zipping across a lake that was blasting less than cool music.
My dad is now 81 and pretty sick. This is probably his last Christmas, I hope that it is a good one.

[karen]

My dad had a quirky sense of humor. For example, he made some ladie's legs out of plaster of paris, put nylons & heels on them (they were feet & legs up to the knee). He put them in the stall in the men's restroom at work to see people's reactions. He also put them on our couch sticking out of rumpled up pillows, blankets, etc., then wait for reactions from our out of town guests. He got more use out of those stupid legs. I wonder whatever happened to them.

[Emma]

I love reading through all of these wonderful stories. I'm not sure I can pick one favorite memory with my dad. From help with homework, teaching me to drive, counseling me on my career path, he has always been there. He is definitely my hero. He has always been my biggest cheerleader.

[Penny G]

I used to cook with my dad. The first time I ever used a pressure cooker my dad taught me over the telephone. He called and said he and my mom would be delayed at work so I needed to make dinner and he stepped through each step in the dinner as he waited for the delivery truck to come in. The only thing he forgot to warn me about was my brother who sneaked in the kitchen after I finished and ate over half the stew by himself with no remorse.

[Rachel]

WOW. Dad memories. Hmmm, probably three I can't decide between. One time when I would got in (BIG) trouble my mom let me know that dad was going to give me a spanking when he got home (she couldn't do it.LOL)I honestly don't remember what I had done (that time) I was probably 6ish. When dad got home he took me into my bedroom, closed the door (I knew I was IN for it) and quietly said, "when I smack the bed, you cry." I have never asked my mom (we lost dad in 2004) but I have a feeling she knew...I never got a "spanking" again. LOL...The second is that I was one of those horse crazed girls. Even though money and time were super tight my dad saw to it that I had riding lessons and that I got to go to the county fair to see the horses and the competitions.Last, but not least...This is still a hard one. My first child was born in June 1992. In May 1992 my dad called me on Mother's Day (out of the blue) and told me he knew I was going to be a great mom. Every year after that he would call me on Mother's Day and tell me what a great mom I was. I really miss that. I know it is cliche, and I am sure you have heard it before, but really will make it less painful. HUGS!!!

[Ellen Ban]

My favorite time with my dad was when he made me a wonderful dollhouse out of a bookcase and we decorated it together. I especially loved the windows he made by cutting out garden pictures and making window panes with thin white tape. It even had lights! Thanks, Dad!

[Leila]

What a sweet post this is Penny! I'm getting all warm and fuzzy inside.
I have very little memories of my father as a child because he's been absent pretty much all my life.
I do remember him playing guitar and singing. He drew faces on his thumbs and sang Thumbelina to me, and sometimes he would speed up his recordings on the 8 track to make them sound like chipmunks.
Do you mind if I 'borrow' this idea for the comments on Give Away day tomorrow? childhood memories.. brilliant!

[Karen P]

A) I can relate to a furry beast needing to get into all of your cute stuffs... my dog thinks the every ball of yarn or any swatch of knitting needs to be chewed on and any quilt lying on the floor for basting or pictures should be lied upon. Good thing she's cute!

2) As for my dad... he passed away about 11 years ago - about 5 months after I got married and 2 months after I moved away. About two weeks before my wedding my folks updated a lot of the house... new paint, carpet... my dad wanted to lay some laminate wood floor down in the kitchen and hallway and was convinced he could make all the cuts needed for all the nooks and crannies, lay the floor and glue it all down (this was pre-snap'n'lock flooring) in five days by himself. That first saturday I came home from a full day of work at the craft store to see he had laid flooring in the front closet. That's it.

Over the next ten days, as he got more and more behind, he let me help more and more. It was messy, back breaking, late night work but we did it, we did it together and we had so much fun. The last night after midnight... after we put the last piece down, we had a beer together and enjoyed the site of our finished floor.

He was putting on the last bits of finishing trim the next day as my soon to be in laws pulled into the driveway. :)

My dad was very handy and he always let me watch what he was building or fixing but it wasn't until this project that I really got to help. That floor wasn't the greatest and there were still little bits left undone when be died that my brother finished up before mom sold the house (and my floor) a couple of years later. I imagine the new owners have replaced it now. Jerks. :) But before I left home after my dad's funeral I found a scrap piece of the flooring and keep it today with his watch and my memories. :)

Thanks for letting me share that. :)

- Karen

[jenn]

early morning car rides with my dad - before everyone in the house was awake, or going to work with him.. thanks for making me take a second to think about it and realize what are my favorite moments!

[Paulette Doyle]

My BEST memory of my dad was going out into the woods to cut our Christmas tree in a torrential rain storm!! It's a long story but we both came home soaked to the skin dragging the sorriest Charlie Brown Christmas Tree EVER...and then having to listen to the ribbing later from my brothers and sisters!! Loved that time with my Dad!!
Thanks for the memory!
P

[Bridget]

I had many good times with my dad, but the most memorable was when he took just me to an Angel's game because I had straight A's. It was the only time I had such good grades and he made sure it was special.

[Michelle Olsen]

I love your display cabinet, it's full of so many quirky and interesting things. It's neat that your dad would gather wooden spools for you. This is such a sweet post. About my dad, my best memory is about the time I was sick with strep throat. I was about 10, and it was nighttime and I was feeling awful and just laying in bed, trying to get to sleep but unable to do so. My dad came in the room, gave me a bowl of ice cream, hugged me, and wound up my music box. I felt so loved, and it helped me feel better.

[Alisa]

My dad used to take all four of us fishing. He loved it so much but when I look back on it now, I realize that he never actually got to fish! He was too busy running around helping us with tangled lines and casting mishaps.

[Desiree @ Wee Share]

It was actually times we've spent together recently. Since I had my daughter and he became a grandpa, I have began to see him in a whole new light :)

[Lynne]

My Dad is the best at inventing new games. We used to play frisbee in the waves in the sea, where you had to throw the frisbee for the person to catch just as the wave hit them. Boules in the rocks where you played standard beach boules but across the rocks which made it a very tricky game. And badminton at dusk where, as it got darker and you had another sip of champagne, the game seemed to just get funnier and funnier. If you pick me, pick again as I have the odd spool of Aurifil but I thought your question was a lovely one and I loved reading your post.

[Joyatee]

I remember sitting on the hood of our car as a little girl, and my dad would take out maps of the states. He would take a marker and highlight the road trip we were about to take, telling me about all of the cities we were about to see and what was so fantastic about them. During the road trips, I was the "principle navigator," and I was so engrossed in correctly identifying where we were on the map and recalling all of the great things about the places we were going to visit, that I never got bored during the day-long trips!

[Alice R]

My favorite times with my dad was following him around while he worked on stuff listening to the old greats of country music on a little translstor
radio. Everyone else in the family hated country music, but we loved it - the more twangy or blue grassy the better. Really miss that now...

[Carbonated Creations]

I am not one of those fortunate enough to have had a loving father. My father was/is physically and mentally abusive and time, alcoholism, and depression have only worsened those traits. However I do have a picture I treasure of when I was very little of him picking me up off of the snowy ground. All of you who have commented above are very fortunate and I've enjoyed reading your stories. I would love to win the thread but please note that I'm not trying to get a simpathy win.

[Head Ov Metal]

Great time with Dad was watching him play the guitar.

[Megan]

My Dad took me to the park every Saturday. We would feed the ducks, and I would swing and he would sing. It was years before I knew my name really wasn't in all those songs he sang to me! We found ducklings hatching one day and ran home to fetch Mom so she could see too.
The funniest memory I have is being sent to bed one night after church with no snack. I was sure I would die from hunger. As I lay sniffling, here creeps my dad in the room with a small snack and drink for me, unbeknownst to mom. :)
I'm glad my dad is with me and I get to give him a second granddaughter for his birthday next March.

[krista - Poppyprint]

After I read your previous post, I sat and looked out the window at my frosty backyard and fondly remembered the many, many early Saturday mornings that my Dad and I spent cross-country skiing while my Mom stayed home with the three younger kids. This was a very special time for me - my Dad worked very long hours and traveled a lot. Those winter mornings always started with an epic waxing session out of the back of our wood-paneled Pontiac station wagon and ended with a thermos of hot chocolate shared in the front seat. Thanks Penny. (Please share with someone else if my # comes up randomly - I'm overloaded with spools, thread and I have a colour card already).

[sherri]

My favorite memory of my Dad happened about a week before he passed away. I was late for errands and school and had my two toddlers already in their car seats in the car in the garage. Running back into the house to grab something, I heard the doorbell ring. It was my Dad, who rarely stopped by unless my Mom was with him. I answered the door, brought the kids in, and had a great visit with my Dad! We talked about a lot of things and memories of our family. About a week later, he passed away, and I treasure that conversation more than I could ever express. Thanks for reminding me of it once again!

[Rachel B.]

Every year my dad would bring me along when he went to do the Christmas shopping for my mom. He just can't be trusted and if left on his own would buy her crazy looking clothes and presents that she would never use, so one of us kids always had to go with him. Since I was the youngest I usually got stuck with it and at first it was a chore but as I got older I looked forward to spending the day with him - and it was ALL day but then he was done! I am currently living too far away to do the shopping with him this year or last year and I miss that time with him. Maybe next year.

[Rebecca Kennedy]

Loved going fishing with him and have great memories of catching my first redfish, which we kept even though it was just shy of the limit

[mrs.Pickles]

Every year for as far back an i can remember my Dad and i have a father daughter Christmas shopping day. We usually only take 30mins to 1 hour to shop and the rest of the time we just bond.

[Cecilia]

The memory I remember the most is when my Dad took me to a spaghetti dinner with the Brownies. I felt very proud to go with my Dad. He has been gone for 17 years now, but I still miss him alot.