...went on vacation and actually made a little art.

I spent two weeks in eastern Tennessee with my retired parents.  Darling Babygirl daughter and my own dear dad are two days apart in birthdays, so we got them together to celebrate their birthdays together.  Having grandfather/granddaughter birthdays close together seems to be a trend in my family; I am born the day before my dad's father, and Babygirl is born two days after my dad's date.  If Babygirl can spit out a daughter a couple of days before or after May 6th (just not too soon - like in 10 or 15 years) we have a definite trend going on here.

My dear stepmom belongs to a Red Hat Society group, and it was her turn to decorate "Ruby," an odd, elongated soft doll which is part of the group's lunch meeting traditions.  DSM was the last woman in the group to dress Ruby before her "retirement", so she decided that Ruby was retiring because she was getting married.  So the three of us - Grandma, Mommy & Babygirl - made a bridal gown for Ruby.  We worked on Ruby for a good three evenings, spent an afternoon shopping for her at a dollar store and Walmart's - my second trip into a Walmart's ever; we don't have them around our parts - and whipped up an adorable bridal outfit.  Her gown was an old blouse of DSM's, turned upside down with the elasticized hem now Ruby's bodice, her veil was an unraveled scrubby bath puff.  Her bustle was constructed from a gift wrap ribbon package...

Here's Ruby, being presented to the Red Hat ladies by my gorgeous Babygirl -

I did the sewing on the gown, while Babygirl worked on the bouquet, veil and bustle.

I particularly love the bustle.  I wish I could have had a bridal gown with a train of ribbon twirls.

Ruby's tiara was soft pink ribbon roses scoured from the bottom of DSM's chaotic sewing basket.  I cleaned it up for her.  I'm not sure if she wanted me to or not, but I did it anyway.