Just a minute .. in July
I decided to join the 'just a minute' theme organized by August Street. So, here I go:
Wanting to watch:
Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince
Wanting to read:
Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule
Actually doing:
Watching in awe
..just how fast they grow.
One Stubborn T-shirt
Do you know those days, in which nothing seems to come out of your hands the right way? Yesterday was such a day for me. I thought I could whip up a quick t-shirt for Olivier. Yah. I might have thought that, the t-shirt seemed to have a mind of it's own and I can tell you: That mind wasn't thinking what I was thinking. Oh boy.
Today I picked it up again to see if I could fix all the silly mistakes I made yesterday. And it worked. Sort of. Ofcourse I still see things that could have been neater of better, but it's a t-shirt, for Olivier, and it's still kind of cute, I think.
And do you remember the lovely package I received from Rachel a little while ago? I couldn't resist using a little bit of that lovely owl fabric on this t-shirt. I love surprising details in cloting:
Yes, it was one stubborn t-shirt. But I finished it. And I guess it really will fit our littlest boy. Because as small as he is right now, he already shows us he really has a mind of his own too. :-)
Decluttering and giveaway
Inspired by her I decided to do some decluttering in my sewing area. And it was needed. I can't concentrate when I'm surrounded by a mess and even though I love the image of the inspirational, colourful chaos that some people collect around them and in which they seem to thrive, in practice I just can't function that way.
So I started sorting and ordering. And while I was busy sorting my pattern magazines, I found out I have some duplicates. They are a couple of years old, but I figured someone would probably just as well like them. Ofcourse they are in Dutch, so for the non-Dutchies among us that could be a hurdle, but on the other hand: If you know a little bit of sewing, you probably don't need the description per se. And, if you ask nicely, I might even translate the pattern you're interested in making ;-)
Do you want to win? Just leave a comment on this post telling something that's on your mind. I will draw a winner in a couple of days. Yay, my first giveaway!
Two wonders meet
Lucas in awe of the greatness of the North Sea
Soapstone
Can you see what this is? Don't worry, I won't blame you if you can't:-)
This is my first attempt in working with soapstone. My mother, sister-in-law and I went to a workshop some time ago and this is what I made. Ofcourse we had only a limited amount of time there, so it's not even really finished. But that's oke, I treasure it anyway.
I love working with threedimensional materials. I like to feel what I'm making, to be able to walk around it, touch it, shape it with my hands and tools. Like clay. And, as it turned out, soapstone.
Because of my enthusiasm, my parents gave me this stone:
It has been lying around here for ages now. I keep looking at it, picking it up, waiting for it to tell me what it is supposed to become. So far, it didn't tell me. One of these days, I decided, I just start filing. I can't wait to see what will reveal itself..
Summer Activities
I had plans to do a lot of crafting this summer, but somehow we get caught up in other activities. Like going to the zoo with my parents, where we had a wonderful time...
playing with lots of sand..
..defying wild storms (ahoy, matey!)..
..admiring all the wild animals (from the safe place high upon opa's neck)..
..and learning what it's like to look through an insects eye.
The days at home are filled with a lot of playing outside, building with lego and earning the title 'mama's little helper'. And they really want that title, especially when it comes to baking, and even more when it's pizza we're making. So there had to be little dough rollers for the hardworking little ones..
..to make three pizza's. One big one, two little ones:
Well, we really intended to take pictures of the whole progress and the final result of the pizza baking. But somehow, while tasting the topping and decorating, we forgot. And then, after the baking was done, the pizza magically disapeared before we could document it. Strange.....
Partydress
Next week Chris' brother and his girlfriend are getting married. Ofcourse Sarah needs a dress for that event. I've decided to make a Feliz by Farbenmix for her, because I think that it's the ultimate partydress for little girls.
Yesterday my mother offered to help me a bit. And since there is nothing more fun than crafting together, especially when it's with my mom (who can encourage me a bit when it comes to sewing things I never sewed before and that I find a little bit scary to begin with because of that), I happily accepted that offer.
(Those really sunburnt hands on the right are my mom's :-))
I picked out the fabric a couple of days ago, Chris watched the children, my dad came along to play with lego, so we could get started right away.
At first I felt a little overwhelmed, looking at all those pattern pieces, but following the instructions step by step...
.. and with a little bit of puzzling here and there, we managed to finish the Feliz for Sarah in one day! Here it is:
The front
and the back.
I am really happy with the way it turned out. And Sarah? She loves it. She twirled around in it and stated that she felt like a real princess. And that's exactly what a dress should do for a girl.
Mission accomplished!
Dreamcatchers
Inspired by The Artist Woman we decided to make some dreamcatchers today. Especially Lucas was very enthousiastic about this idea. First of all because sometimes he wakes up with bad dreams lately, second of all because it would involve beads, yarn and lots of colour. And those are things that are really loved here.
We started by cutting the upper parts off of a flower pot. This way we had a strong circle to start out with. Then the children picked different colours of yarn and started wrapping it around the circle, covering it completely.
I can tell you, it kept them pretty busy for almost half an hour! After that, we made a little net in the middle and decorated it all with strings and beads.
Now we only have to hang them above their beds, to make sure they will have beautiful dreams. Because, Lucas explained, the bad dreams will be caught in these dreamcatchers and *poof* disappear.
It's real magic!
Something's fishy
Now my brother, sister-in-law and their three little ones are away on vacation, we have three house guests. Their names are Vlekje, Stippeltje and Blubje. They live in a castle, are friendly, quiet and our children love every bit of them:
You'd think that after a little while they would have had enough of staring at those three fish swimming round and round. But oh no, not Sarah and Lucas. They laugh at their movements and are excited when they take a bite of their food. They tell us about the characteristics of each fish, that Stippeltje is a bit cranky, that Vlekje is the sweetest and that Blubje is a bit shy.
Maybe I should spend some time staring at that bowl too. Who knows what I can learn...
Bracelet
I promised her a long time ago that I was going to make her a bracelet. She picked the colours, I made the design. But I made some mistakes the first time when I made it, and it fell apart. After that, the bracelet sadly sat in a little box, waiting to be made again.
Shame on me! Especially since it was my mom I kept waiting for it. My mom, who has been my rescue in times when it has been tough for me to get things done around here, during my pregnancies and the times just after them. My mom, who has been not only the one I can turn to when I need support, but also the one whom I can laugh with until our tummies ache. My mom, who is not only my mother, but also my best friend.
So here it is, mom. Finally. For you!
Mix 'n Match
I'm learning more and more to let go of my perfectionism, to just play with the materials I have at hand and to mix those materials in a way I was not used to before.
Today, while the rain was pouring from the sky, so it was perfect weather to craft a bit indoors (wasn't it supposed to be summer??), I played with the combination of fabric, thread and paper. I like how those work together.
Cold Wooden Feet
Once upon a time, there was a little house with a bright red roof. In this house two children happily lived with there grandmother and grandfather.
There was a lot of love in the little house. A lot of play. A lot of laughter too. There is a kitchen, where they all cook great meals. A livingroom to play games in. A bathroom, for baths together. And ofcourse a bedroom, with a big bed to sleep in when they are tired.
It's a soft bed. With a soft mattress and soft cushions. A bed to have a good sleep in. But wait a minute...
Something's missing... Look at those little wooden feet. How can those children get a good night sleep when their little wooden feet are cold?
There you go. Luckily the little house is taken care of by a little giant girl who asked her giant mother to make a blanket for those poor little wooden feet. And look at them now; Sound asleep.
Is it me or do you also think those grandparents look very happy with their new found free time in the evening?
Happy Birthday Sarah!
Today you are three years old. Three years! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. And look at you now. You are sweet, warm, caring, funny, a giggler and a busy bee. You share everything you have with the people you love and you know exactly what and who you like and dislike. You can scream harder than anyone I know and sing just as loud and passionate. You are our little girl.
Right now you are sound asleep. And that's not strange after such a lovely and busy day, filled with all the things you like and love:
Decorating a "monchou pie" with fresh strawberries.
Unpacking lots and lots and lots of presents.
And playing with them.
Having all the people you love around you, playing with you, laughing with you, singing with and for you. And ofcourse, as the perfect finish, a meal with all your little friends and cousins.
Yes, you had a wonderful day. And so did we. Happy birthday, Sarah. Thank you for being our little girl.
Wrapper for Craft Hope
In a previous post I wrote about Craft Hope and about how this wonderful organization tries to provide warmth and comfort for newborns in India, in the form of blankets, beanies and booties. Today I finished this blanket/wrapper to be send to them.
I remembered that when I used blankets to wrap my little ones in it always was a problem that the 'flaps' we wanted to wrap around them weren't big enough, leaving little toes or shoulders uncovered. That is why I decided to make a large rectangle instead of a square. On top of that rectangle, I made a hood, to make sure the little head won't be cold.
I used a really soft knitted fabric in bright colours, suitable for both boys and girls. Olivier happily modeled the wrapper, as you can see. Maybe he is a bit too lively to show how large the wrapper is, but trust me: He could be wrapped in it twice.
I hope the little baby that will be wrapped in this blanket will feel just as loved and comfortable as our little boy right here.
Gift from Rachel
A little while ago, I was so lucky to win a giveaway from The Two Windmills. Have you ever visited Rachel's blog? If you haven't, you should. She makes the cutest softies (check out that hippo!).
Today an envelope arrived in the mail here, all the way from Australia. Don't you love those kind of packages? I ripped it open and look what was inside:
A lovely wrapped gift and a beautiful card. Did you make that yourself too, Rachel? And inside that shiny red paper:
Three (three!) wonderful pieces of fabric. Do you see those cute owls? And that little shepherd girl? I'm not sure what I will make with these yet, but I see tons of possibilities.
Rachel, thank you so much for this great gift!
My name is Karin and I take
pictures. I tell stories. I sew. I dream. I love books, fashion,
hot baths, conversations that make me think again. I fantasize and
realize. And above and beyond all, I am mama to Lucas, Sarah and
Olivier.
