Grandmother Blues….

 

He's just tooo cute!!

Don’t you just want to squeeze her?

When I was raising my kids I didn’t spend much time thinking about my mother or my children’s relationship with her

.  I spent most of my mothering years dragging my children all over the country but we were  never closer than 2000 miles from grandma’s house. 

Now all I can say is “Ouch, and I’m sorry mom.” 

Now that I have grandchildren of my own…I long to see them but because they too are 1000′s of miles away our hugs and snuggles are far and few between.  I had no idea these maternal feelings would run so deep – I hate the thought of my two little grand babies not being able to grab onto my legs as they run around my house.  I regret I am not available for the spontaneous “can you babysit tonight” duty. 

Oh,  woe is me…

I also never spent much time thinking about those little Bronze Baby Shoes some grandparents display proudly – I used to think they were um…corny.    Not any more, I find myself wanting those cute little bronzed beauties along with a stained bib, outgrown onesies…whatever grandma can get her hands on – she wants.  So I did a search and found the recipe for How To Create Bronze Baby Shoes…

 

1.  Clean the shoes thoroughly by rubbing the shoes with a rag saturated with alcohol.  All wax and polish must be removed.

2.  Arrange the shoes in the way you would like them bronzed.  Tie the laces.  Adjust the tongue so that it touches the sides of the shoe.  Rubber cement the positions if they are stubborn.

3.  Drive a tiny hole through the sole of each shoe and loop a string or wire around it.

4.  Prepare your liquid bronze use bronze, copper or gold powder (You can find bronze powder at any good paint or hardware store)  and mix the powder with a fast drying varnish, stirring well and adding the powder until you have a liquid with a paint like texture.

5.  Apply bronze using a good quality paint brush.  Paint shoes inside and out with several coats.  It there are dull spots after the shoes have dried – give it another coat until the finish is glossy.  Hang to dry using the loop of string or wire you created through the sole.

6.  When the final coat is dry, create an “antique” effect by mixing a little burnt umber or black color in oil with the bronzing liquid and painting it into the creases of the shoe with a small brush.

I understand the results are very professional looking when using this method.  Perhaps you will do such a good job and enjoy it so much you may want to begin a service doing it for others.  We grandmothers around the world must unite…

The picture top left is my first grandaughter – Sophie.  She had a rough start being born premature at only 4.5 pounds.  Since then she has had heart surgery and is working hard at growing “bigger” still being only 8 pounds at 6 months. 

Kevin Jr. is my 4 month old first grandson.  His world is one of amazement and busyness.  Mom is currently able to take him to work so he gets plenty of lov’n from the office ladies.  But who he really needs is Grandma!

I live in Washington state, Sophie lives in Texas and Kevin Jr. lives in Maryland…