A Project Idea for Grandma Di

Last summer I spent some time at the Utah Arts Festival with these loved ones:

 

In this photo: my husband Randalf, our Daughter E, me, family friend L, and Grandbaby #1

Sweet Grandbaby #2 was also along for the ride in her stroller:

Each year the Arts Festival showcases the creative work of hundreds of visual and performing artists. As we walked around the arts park, I noticed a magnificent creation. I had never seen anything quite like it before, and I knew that someday I had to share this idea with Grandma Di.

But before I do, I want to give a bit of background.

My sons' grandparents, Grandpa "T" and Grandma Di, are serving a church mission in Romania.

Their main focus is helping the Young Single Adults in Bucharest. As part of their assignment, they provide a warm, friendly, food-filled place for the 20-somethings to hang out.

As happens with all missionaries, when they went to Romania they had to leave behind some things that they love. Grandpa "T" misses driving, especially driving his Mini Cooper:

When they packed up their stuff to go to the airport last Spring, they tried
to fit their luggage into the Mini, but no luck.

Grandpa has been able to drive borrowed cars a few times while in Romania. At least once it was for a trip on a scary, winding road. Grandpa had a great time, and Grandma just hung on for dear life. :)

Grandma Di misses certain foods and ingredients that aren't available in Romania. For example, she can only make chocolate chip cookies for those hungry 20-something kids if friends and family send her brown sugar and chocolate chips from the United States. 

Grandma Di is a talented quilter, sewer, and creator of all kinds of soft, warm fabric things (my boys have pillow cases for multiple holidays, Christmas stockings, quilts, blankets -- all created by their Grandma). There in Romania, she has somehow been able to gather together enough material to keep going at some creative activities that she does love. She has helped some of the Young Single Adults and local ladies with quilting. Also, she brought a hat loom with her, and went wild creating about 50 hats, which Grandpa "T" so beautifully models here:

She and her friends recently gave away handmade quilts and hats during a visit to a home for abandoned children. She said that the children, ages 3 to 15, loved picking out their own quilt and hat.

So, now that you know a bit about Grandpa "T" and Grandma Di, I can get back to telling you about what I saw at the Arts Festival this past summer.

The Arts Park is full of food booths, artist booths, performance stages, and the regular park things like picnic tables, benches, and trees. At last summer's festival, in random locations among all of these things, an artist had knitted or crocheted her (or his) works of art. 

Like this bicycle:

Or this blanket draped from a telephone pole:

It was the perfect hiding place for a tiny girl:

 Grandbaby #1 LOVED it:

And so now we get to the Project Idea for Grandma Di:

 Yes, it is a crochet and/or knit cover for a Mini Cooper:

It cracked me up when I saw it. 

Given, say, 9 months and the help of a dozen Young Single Adults, you could probably create your own Mini Cooper blanket -- even more magnificent and beautiful than this -- and have it done in time for Grandpa "T" to cover up his Mini for the Rocky Mountain winter.

:)