mr. monkeysuit

felt necklace

Wool felt necklace for Cissie, who is really into to dressing up now. Made using small squares of felt from my scrap box and strung onto some Elasticity bead cord. I made this and the bracelet all in the time it took to watch Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which was great. I am convinced there will be a third movie but Andy poo-poo's this idea saying that the rest of her life was "a boring run of peace and prosperity and who's interested in that?"

As soon as I put this on Cissie, Floyd announced he wanted one too.....only it has to be *all* blue.

The force with which she started pinging this one around suggests I'll be making more than just one of these in the near future.

I ordered a whole load of ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs and I can't hardly stand the wait!! I have printed a bunch of recipes from recipe zaar and found Craft Bits which has a veritable library full of recipes. I just want to get making, I love the idea of the whole house being filled with the smell of cocoa butter - yum! or lavender, rose and chamomile - sweetness itself.
Still no progress on convincing Andy about homemade toothpaste though.

Amanda's book

I bought a copy of The Creative Family pretty much as soon as it came out. Like most bloggers I had long been anticipating the release of this book. It doesn't disappoint. It is filled with wonderful ideas for crafts and activities but much more than that it is filled with ways to make your life nicer, better and when I look through the book I can't help thinking, it is filled with ways to make your life calmer. It reminds you to slow down, go with the flow of what your children are doing and appreciate the moment. There are so many ideas in here that I knew about as a teacher but just simply forgot. Here's one crafty activity we pulled out of the book this week.

Making pictures with dried beans.

Floyd shows off this treasure map. (Yes, we are still stuck on pirates.)

After most of the boo (glue) was spread liberally over hands and table, Cissie got down to the serious business of pouring the beans from one pot to another....for about, oh, I don't know, half an hour.

The finished product.

I think it is testament to Amanda's gift for writing that we all feel in some way, we know her or share something in common with her. She has a way of drawing you in, making you feel at home and letting you be part of what she is doing. It's like we are all on a first name basis with her.
Perhaps that is why, when I look around blog-land, seeing her inspiration everywhere, stop by her blog and read all of our comments, I can feel a palpable wave of support as we watch her achieve so much. I feel like we are all cheering from the sidelines Go SouleMama Go!

summer threads

:: shorts for Floyd - Burda pattern 9793 - same as last year!

:: dress for Cissie - Simplicity pattern 3853 - really crap pattern but the fabric and bias tape (both from  Superbuzzy) made this dress super cute.

::top and shorts for Cissie

::Simplicity pattern 4203 - a better Simplicity pattern but you know something, I just don't think they are written very well, in general. I always feel there are steps missing in them or they just don't make sense or they have worded them very strangely.

Ok off that soap box and on to another one.
So, I tried the no shampoo thing as recommended by Angry Chicken. I was more than a little skeptical about not using shampoo and conditioner. I am someone that loves a good beauty product, especially if it's all dressed up in a cute bottle, but damn it all if that baking soda doesn't completely work. Who would have dreamed it? But my hair feels clean (not at all greasy, which was my worry) and is super soft. I tried the apple cider vinegar rinse and that totally works too, with no vinegar-y after smell!
I am so excited about this and even though most of our beauty products are SLS and SLES free I am so into making a bunch of the stuff we regularly use, like face cream, moisturizer for the kids in winter, lip balm, shower gel, the list keeps growing.
I picked up this book which seems pretty informative with lots of recipes. This, this and this one also look good though I haven't actually looked through them and I found Mountain Rose Herbs for all my other supplies. This shop seems to have just about everything you can think of which is so cool.
So that is me set for the month of May. Turning our house into a mini herbal laboratory. My husband is very patient with of my little fads but he is drawing the line at homemade toothpaste.

gentleman's family

I took Floyd and Cissie for their well-child visits this month and whilst I was there our family doctor told us we have a 'rich man's family' and later when our good (Irish) friend was here she said a similar thing, we have a 'gentleman's family'. Do you know what these terms refer to? I didn't at first. It means you have one boy and one girl, typically in Ireland the children would be called Sonny (for the boy) and Cissie (for the girl)...what's weird about this is that Sonny was one of the names I liked for Floyd before he was born and well Cissie is called, Cissie. Pretty cool huh?

I do feel very blessed with our kids and I'd like to think I am thankful for them at some point in each day (though undoubtedly I have days when it is harder to remember...you know the kind of day I mean, right?). One thing I am especially grateful for is having the opportunity to parent for a boy and a girl.

At my advanced (ahem) maternal age I think we are probably going to stop at two kids. We go back and forth all the time...I mean *all* the time. Andy, I think it is safe to say, would probably have more though he worries about finances. I care not a jot about our finances (surprise, surprise) but get totally freaked out about going through another pregnancy. It is hard work isn't it? Of course it is amazing and wonderful too, but I can't forget how exhausting it is and what a toll it takes on your body. Of course the toll would be much alleviated if I ever had the flippin' will power to lose all the weight I have put on.....but that's another story.   
All this is to say, I thank my lucky stars for my wonderful kids and the opportunity to make things for a little boy and for now for a little girl too. It makes me feel very rich, in the most important way.

crib :: vintage from local shop
doll :: as before but with new needle felted Princess Leia style buns.
mini quilt and pillow :: freshly made by me for her with this fabric...only in pink...of course!

Now that's what I call a swap

A fair while back I did a swap with Alex from Moonstitches. I think it is okay to say here that it took a long time for the swap to be completed but as I said to Alex, some things are so totally worth waiting for.

Five little owls all with some Liberty fabric tied onto them. We obviously share of a love of Liberty fabric.

Two beautiful Liberty scarves with one of my all time favorite prints.

Miss Bossy Boots instantly claimed one as a hat for herself. Lucky for me she has the attention span of a 20-month-old and after waving a few stickers in her face I was able to sneak it back into my possession.

Also in the package was some cute Japanese tea and candies that, alas never made it to the photo shot. One greedy partnership between the husband and the dog took care of all of that. (Yes the dog got some too, I am ashamed to admit it, but I still have the tea at least.)
The wonderful thing about this package was its timing. Alex was very apologetic about it taking longer than she'd hoped but actually the timing was spot on. In the midst of the chaos that was the month of March this ray of sunshine dropped into my letterbox. I was honestly having such a terrible day I almost cried at the sight of this gift because it was so well thought out and so perfect. Alex, thank you, really really thank you. I love it all. You are just like the gift itself,

pirate paaarrrrrrty

At last. Some piratical pictures. And then I'll get to telling you the delights of the party...

:: pirate invitations. Blank cards from Michael's, stamps from here.

:: the cake. Ok so I realize my doesn't look a lot like the one in the picture but it was 9pm and I was feeling more than a little crabby (I should have known then).

:: pirate pajamas though on the day he wore his shirt.

:: up close

:: the fabric is from Jo-anns and has been in my stash for over a year. This lady in the shop convinced me to buy it because it was only $2/ yard and truth be told I never thought I would use it. Floyd loves them.

:: I scanned and printed a bunch of these for the kids to color in and I made them some felt eye patches. We also had this game for them to play and of course the obligatory chocolate gold coins.

If you are looking there are a bunch of ideas for pirate parties here. Also I have a bunch of felt eye patches and some coloring-in pages left over so if you are having a pirate party - they're yours for the asking.

Right now lets get to it. The party. I am not showing any pictures of the chaos, the madness and the mayhem because I really don't need to re-live it and I am sure you have had similar experiences yourselves. The thing is, I am not sure that Floyd really enjoyed himself.
He has been talking about this party for about 11 months. He has been very specific about the kind of cake he wanted, the theme and who he wanted to invite but I could tell he was getting more than a little anxious about it weeks before the event.
I have to say I really did not enjoy it a great deal. It seemed kind of nuts; a load of frenzied kids running around, the crazy amount of gifts (more than half of which are still hidden - he has already forgotten about them) and the general overwhelming-ness of it all.
On his actual birthday we sat around as a family, opened a couple of presents and had some cupcakes on the porch and that was so much more fun for *everyone*. So I think I am done with kids parties (after only two of them!!) I think from now on it is going to be a family affair and maybe a trip to the zoo with one friend. I honestly think, though he wouldn't admit it, Floyd will enjoy it more.

tree quilt

I have been working on this quilt for a very long time. I found it hard to finish because I just didn't know how I wanted to quilt it. I finally settled on clouds which you can't really see in the longer shots.

This is actually a picture of the quilt on its side, it should be this way round....

The binding is a Liberty print from a couple of years ago that I love. A gift from someone small (you know who). And the inspiration for this quilt came from the book, Treelets by Jill Bliss and Shinpei.
I don't know if it is available anymore but here are a few scans. It is a really beautiful book and I am really glad I've got a copy.

Speaking of books I plan on doing a big book review this week of all the great things I have been reading. So according to my usual accurate time keeping you can expect to see that sometime in June then.
Happy Monday.

Update: I meant Happy Tuesday. Of course, I knew that.

welcome

A little while back I had a major spring clean of my sewing room and I got myself pretty darn organized thanks to a certain little someone. I thought I would share a few photos of what my favorite room in the house looks like.

:: my sewing table with my fancy new quilting machine

:: my  oppressively large fabric stash (there are reasons long and complicated as it why it is so large but who really wants to go there)

:: embroidery from pandora pocket (the shop)

:: computer table with wire clip thing from west elm to hold up bits of paper, postcards, photos and inspirational bits.

:: spools of thread and spools of ribbon

   

:: a chair my very good friend found in Goodwill for me and though she really didn't like it, she knew I would so she bought it for me. (How can you not love a friend like that?) The cushions need to be re-covered but for now an old quilt of mine does the trick.
:: Above the chair I was lucky enough to score myself a Keiko Minami print thanks to an ever-generous husband. (Now how can you not love a husband like that?)

:: of course my sewing room comes with the most important fixture of all....a couple of little helpers, who delight in undoing all Claire's hard work.

spring

Hello again and thank you, again. Tim is making steady progress and has been moved from ICU to a regular ward. He is talking, eating and trying to walk and we are praying for a full recovery, and although some things have not fallen into place yet, we are hopeful that they will.
Thank you for each and every kind message. This blogging community never ceases to amaze me. Your kindness, your creativity and your generosity are a constant source of support and inspiration. So one last time (for now), thank you!
Despite March being one of the worst months of my life (there was so much drama in our house and so many visits to ER, I honestly can not bear to relive it by retelling it) I managed to sneak in a bit of crafting or rather I took solace in it.
If there is one thing to take your mind of all the craziness it is making something. The concentration, the immersion, the single mindedness it takes is a great therapy.

:: practiced free motion quilting.....

:: ....for some new Easter place mats.

:: a new tree embroidery for Cissie's room.

 

:: making duvet covers from two flat sheets (who ever uses them?) and a Dritz snap fastener in about an hour and a half. 

:: And a whole bunch of pirate crafts, yet to be revealed.

Spring weather has finally arrived here. It was glorious yesterday and as we sat on the porch drinking wine with our very good friends it certainly felt like we'd turned the corner.
It is Floyd's fourth birthday today so cupcakes in the sunshine this afternoon is our highest priority.
Hope the sun is shining with you.

Thank you

I am just popping in quickly to give a quick update. My brother-in-law, Tim was taken to hospital in the UK ten days ago in a coma. He opened his eyes for the first time today and made some other encouraging signs. We are praying that this is the beginning of a full recovery, but there are some complications, the depth of which will only unfold over time.
I really just wanted to say thank you. Thank you so much. I cannot begin to tell you how each kind word has helped me. Thank you for your sweetness and support. Thank you for leaving a comment. My mother-in-law always reads this blog and I know she will be so touched that people she has never met have such kindness towards our family.
This last week has been one of the worst of my life and yet I can only be grateful. Grateful that things weren't worse. Grateful for the hope that Tim might be okay. Grateful that my Mum and best friend have been here to look after me. Grateful for my friends. But most of all grateful for my family, my wonderful kids and my amazing husband who has been a constant support to his parents and held us all together.
Come home soon sweetheart, we love you and miss you.