The year.

I don't think I realised what a busy year it had been until I put together these mosaics. A review of stuff that I've sewn and knitted. About one thing a week (there are a few things that still haven't been photographed and shared here), which I think is pretty good considering I've been looking after A, who has grown from a well sized young baby into a well sized one year old.

But I know I've had it easier than many- seeing the end of year image grab bags in the News is a harsh reminder of the disasters and difficulties that others have faced, and make me grateful for the year we have experienced. May we be so lucky next year. May you be so lucky too. Best wishes and thankyou for reading and commenting and sharing here!

Christmas wrapped up.

 



We had a lovely Christmas this year.
Good food, good company, some truly lovely gifts, some perhaps a little misguided, but it's the thought that counts, right?
Looking around the house now, it's hard to believe it's over, that a new year awaits just around the corner.
After another (a first) birthday, and hopefully a trip to the sewing machine shop.
There are plenty of things from this month to be shared here- gifts that were made- when I find the time.
It's been a busy year.
Wishing you all the best of the festive season too.

Gingerbread and jelly beans

While the resident bloke has been busy erecting Ikea Faktum cabinets in the new Laundry, C and I tried our hand at an Ikea gingerbread house.

I had bought a Gourmet Traveller with intentions of going the whole hog and making the gingerbread, but decided to take it easy with the pre-made kit. Not, as a friend pointed out, that decorating anything with kids can be called easy, but omitting the baking element made it quicker at least.
 
This being the first gingerbread house I've ever made (and C's first too) it was handy to have a couple of sets of instructions to refer to- we went with the Gourmet Traveller suggestion to decorate the walls and roof before assembling. I suspect this was much easier than trying to decorate the assembled house as Ikea suggested.


Despite a shortage of icing sugar (hence icing quantities), probably overly thick icing (for fear of making it too runny) and lack of a piping kit (we made do with a very basic parchment piping cone) we had a heap of fun, sticking jelly beans, choc buds and raspberry jubes everywhere, and finishing our masterpiece off with a liquorice path and marshmallow snowman.


It kept us both entertained for well over an hour, and we're looking forward to gobbling it up.

Let's become friends

I have indeed been envying some of my friends for a while now. They've all been having such fun, making new garments in a few short evenings, accomplishing that sense of achievement.
So when Kirsten mentioned her old machine was looking for a new home, I jumped at the chance to give it one. Now I just need to move A out of the craft room so I can get it settled in there and have a play...
 
Wish me luck.

The Tailor of Gloucester

I've been playing Tailor of Gloucester lately. Working away on the dining room table each evening, sewing, snipping, pressing and folding, while the children of the household sleep, and the man of the house works away on the Laundry renovations.
A little bit here, and a little more there, and in time things are coming together. I now have a few new summer clothes for A to show for it- some tops and smocks.

A gathered Liberty top, a variegated linen smock, an a-line Liberty smock with silk/cotton lining, and a white cotton gathered yoke top. More details on Flick via links. (Although given her current way of moving about- commando crawling and a bouncy bum shuffle- I'm not planning to put her in the white one just yet. Not unless I've just cleaned the floor).

My creative space: the dining table

My usual creative space is pretty much inaccessible right now.
With the Laundry renovation entering it's second month (although it is going pretty well), there is a heap of Stuff, that normally lives elsewhere, dumped or otherwise perched somewhere in the craft room. It's joined by a growing (hiding) stash of Christmas (and First Birthday.. just around the corner) gifts, and last (but not least) A's cot, with A sleeping in it, are residing back in there while we wait until she grows out of this phase of pre-5am and middle of the night waking.
The result- leg room and bench space and time to hang out in there (other than for baby settling purposes) are few and far between.
Instead, for now, my creative space is the dining table, armed with a carrot and some fabric paint, or (as tonight) with a glue stick and cutting knife, making some Christmas cards with C's artwork. Quick to make and I'm quite pleased with the results. Now for some card writing...