January, February and March crafting

January

A fabric box (which currently houses Ivy's kitcheny toys. The pretty fabric softens the uggliness of all that plastic) from this tutorial thanks to Pinterest! When I read through the tutorial I was nievly optimistic on how quick it would be, thinking I could do it during one nap time. Didn't help that my interfacing isn't fusible so after trying to fuse it and nothing happening I had to use bondaweb too, which added a whole extra step. Anyway, I love it!

A skirt for Steph for Christmas (whoops. BUT, how nice to receive gifts in the middle of grey and drizzly January, it's almost like I planned it!). From this tutorial, also thanks to Pinterest. I don't have any photos though as I was just glad to have finished the damn thing having started it in early December (this is often how I feel about sewing projects by the end!). I had to make a lot of adaptations to the original pattern as I didn't have enough of one fabric and didn't want the elastic exposed like in the pattern.

Three birthday cards. A crossword style, things-you-like card for my Mum. A painted dinosaur card that says "Happy birthday Sophisaurs" for Sophie. And a painted lobster card for Jake (the only one I took a photo of).

An appliqué bird t-shirt for my cousin's daughter, Nina, for Christmas. I finished her twin sister, Aya's, before Christmas but there wasn't a rush as they were all in Brazil. The wing of the bird and ear of the elephant are flap-able :)

February

Elephant wall hanging for my Dad's birthday. I did this in one long afternoon and evening the day before his birthday, even though I'd been planning it for months! Another one of those projects I underestimate how long it will take.



Hot air balloon appliqué top for Ivy. I'm really happy with the design, but the stitching is a bit dodgy as the top is stretchy and I must have been stretching it when I was sewing so it's turned out a bit wobbly, especially around the basket of the balloon. The balloon is also a bit too big for the t-shirt so when it's on it's not clear what it actually is.



March

Emmelie's birthday skirt (also a circle skirt), two months late!



Robot appliqué top for Ivy. I gave her a choice of t-shirts, and a choice of fabrics and this is the combination she chose :) (ugh crappy photo)



Crocus fairy from Steiner playgroup.



I have also been working on: Crochet slippers for me, crochet bear hat for Ivy, purple dress for Ivy, family photo album.

6th

This morning was my morning off parenting and on Getting Stuff Done, this morning sewing Christmas presents. So here is what I am working on and have finished recently...

All that sewing is hungry work. I finally ate one of the three tomatoes I harvested from my plants. All that work and love and nurture and only three tomatoes! Well ok, I was actually pretty slack and was a bit of a rubbish tomato parent if I'm honest, so I'm lucky I got as many as three... I had to pick them in September when there were still green because it was getting frosty. They took a while to ripen on the kitchen windowsill but have been red for a couple of weeks now. I kept looking at them and thinking I need to eat them before they rot, but that it needs to be special. I finally just got on with it, grilled one and had it with my eggs. It was good.

Today was a no-nap day, so Ivy and I spent the afternoon at Bubbahub, playing and reading and having our photos taken by Alice. It was really lovely, at one point Alice was showing Ivy which button to press to set the flash off, which was fun. I'm looking forward to seeing this years photos! Here are some she took this time last year...

Advent

We are lucky enough to have two advent calenders in this house, one reindeer with drawers from my Mum, and one sewn pocket bunting by me. And they are both for all of us! each day is a little something for someone, but not for everyone everyday. We decided that we didn't want Christmas (and advent) to be about Ivy getting lots of presents, so hopefully she will realise that it is about everyone else as well.

Yesterday in our bunting calender Ivy opened her first little gift. She was cautious at first, and kept giving it to me to open, so I showed her how if she slips her finger under the paper then she can tear it open. So she shredded it! She was very pleased with her spoon and fork set.

And this morning the drawer with a number 3 on it contained a little something for Ivy. Two felt balls! Yesterdays had a mysterious tea bag for Kwojo, and the day before a little chocolate for me.

We also watered the water. Fill the watering can from box of rain water, pour into box. And repeat. Also, Ivy thinks that all watering cans are called elephants.

Creating

In the beginning of my pregnancy, all of my creative energy dissapeared. My 365 project faded away when I kept forgetting to take a photo until late at night and ended up with some dissapointing pictures of things in my room - that wasn't the point of the project, so it ceased. With feeling sick all day everyday I lost all desire to cook and bake. I struggled to finish paintings for the exhibition and instead chose to exhibit those that were already finished. I even lost enjoyment in listening to music. I guess my body/mind was filtering out anything not necessary in favour of being able to focus my (little) energy on what really was necessary - and it saddens me to think of art as 'unecessary'.

I have been feeling well enough and energised enough to be able to reintroduce all this creativity back into my life for a while now, but I guess I am out of habit, and in a different environment, so it hasn't come back naturally.

I have a teeny weeny sewing machine that cost £12.99 so I am working my way up to making a baby quilt. As we are not yet in our own home, it's been difficult to find ways to nest and prepare to the new arrival - so making baby things is the way forward! My small practice projects so far have been a patchwork quilted coaster (x2) and a pencil case for Kwojo who starts back at uni on Monday. The first coaster is smaller and more wobbly than the second, it's exciting to see the improvement! It's also great to be finally using the Africa fabrics that Kwojo's Mum gave me.



And of course my body is being the most creative it ever has been or ever could be - I'm making a human :)



The baby project is 67.6% complete and expected to be finished in January 2011.