Making Blankets

When a child arrives into your home through adoption, they bring all their personal belongings with them: clothes, toys, cutley and crockery, suitcase for clothes, storage boxes for toys, towles, toiletries and their own familiar bedding. When I did the photos of the bedroom for her special photo album, I thought I couldn't take a picture of just an empty bed, so I got the jungle quilt which seemed fun - and she loves it! I really wanted to make some things but knew she would come with all her own familiar spare duvet covers, so was wondering what I could make to add my own personal new mummy touch. I made these balnkets:

I used a plain fleece material and patterned funky t-shirt material printed fabric for the other side. This adds colour and fun without the blankets being too huge and heavy. Once I had sewn them up right sides together I turned them to their right sides and sewed inside the edge all the way around - to act as a bit of a hem and to help the fabric feel a bit more secure - at least in my own head, anyway! They are perfect and dearly loved, as well as being cosy and warm for these cold wintry and snowy days!

Getting Ready

I said that I haven't done much by way of being creative these last couple of years. I have done some things, though that I will share here. First up are the curtains. I got them in the sales last year, before I knew if I was having a boy or a girl and thought that I would add some applique embelishments when I knew more! I thought I would do flowers for a girl and train and cars for a boy. I got plain blue ginham check curtains with ties and added some dotty ribbons in various colours to the top. Then I added flowers and butterflies to the curtains. I ironed on interfacing to each piece before sewing the pieces on zig zag with the machine.

We both love them!

Welcome 2013 It's been a Long and Bumpy Journey!

I can't quite believe another year has gone by without me blogging here - well I can, but.... It has been a year of big changes and preparation and getting ready and waiting and waiting and waiting. It has tested me and pushed me to the limit. Almost. At times. A year of uncertainty. The doors I pushed in 2011 finally opened in 2012. A dream finally fullfilled in an unexpected way. My excuse for not blogging here? I am finally a Mum and loving it. I have been pushing the doors of adoption for the last 2 years. It has been rather all consuming it has to be said and most of my free time was taken up with form filling in, visits with professionals, compiling files ready for approval. At times I felt as if my creativity was being stifled, although I did my best to keep my creativity going. It has been in the writing for the assessments, where you spend hours and hours each week pouring out your heart and inner being. Months of preparing files with photos of evidence of childcare experience, which I scrapbooked! Further months getting the room ready and preparing a scrapbook of photos to introduce my little girl to her new home and surroundings - and of course the cat! More of all this later! Anyway, finally, here we are. It has been a long journey and lots of uncertainty and a very bumpy ride. Finally we are now both home and doing well. I am loving it but have been too knackared to do much creative in the last few months since we both arrived safely home. The creative things I have done over the last 2 years: scrapbooking, decorating, have all been kept a little quiet as there was so much uncertainty surrounding the process. Getting the room ready:

The cat is adjusting well to having a wee girl chase him everywhere and runs and jumps fast to escape.She, shrieks with delight when he sits on her artwork - usually on her glitter glue!

New Year 2012

Last year I didnt blog, sorry. New Year and I am back. Happy New Year and I am looking forward to sharing some things that are happening with me, creative things, craft and baking projects - and of course Tudur!
Reflecting on last year, it has been a year of pushing doors. Doors of change. It is all good and it has been a year of growth for me. I am excited about the year ahead and I am sure as the year unfolds some of my reflections from this past year will unravel.
A few of you have said you have missed me, so here I am.

All wrapped up

I wore hat, scarf, gloves, woolly coat and ventured outdoors to post the last few lovely gifts to send to my lovely friends and family, this Christmastime.
Brr.


colourful ribbons, colourful paper, brown paper... the choices are endless.
I chose burgundy red paper and rich purple ribbon,gold ribbon, tartan ribbon, brown dotty ribbon and turquoise ribbons.
For gold wrappings I chose red and white ribbons and tied them all in bows.
I also chose brown paper and some lovely red and silver dotty wide ribbon for some boxes that needed wrapping. Gorgeous.
Are you all wrapped up yet?

Christmas Bunting

I have been making some Christmas Bunting.
So colourful.
So easy!
I cut out 2 or as many as you wish triangles in 5 or as many as you like of different fabrics as you like. Cottons work well, but I also threw in some velvet in a rich brown and some satin lime green 2 tone fabric for some extra sparkly.
I used red and green gingham, red tartan, burgundy cotton, lime green satin, rich brown velvety velore.
I cut my fabric with pinking sheers so that it doesn't fray at all, which makes the bunting making even easier!
My triangles measured about 12 inches across and I did several metres in length.
I pinned each triangle piece along a couple of metres of ribbon.I left about 10 inches at the beginning and ending of my bunting, so there will be enough to hang it from once it is done.I used 2 inch wide ribbon so that once i had sewn all the way along, I could then fold it over and then re-sew the triangles again to finish the bunting off.
You can make any kind of bunting :-)
Have fun.

Secret Santa Creative Gifts

So for months we have been thinking, planning, making our secret Santa creations for our Christmas gifts to us 5 girly friends.
It has been so exciting and such fun to give as well as receive.

The Rules were:
1.It had to be secret.
2.The gift had to be handmade

So, months later, the moment of truth revealed:
The gifts all wrapped up...


I got these amazing napkins in funky green and green dots fabric.
They came with these beautiful napkin rings, made with metal wire, beads, buttons and sequins in funky white,silver, pink and orange. Perfect for my Christmas table!

Emily got this amazing knitted handbag! Isn't it gorgeous!

I gave Abbie a picture frame that I painted green and added dotty ribbon in red and then stuck on some buttons from my lifelong collection of buttons from my Gran and Mum and now my stash. The bag for life i made came with a pouch to keep it in folded in the bottom of your handbag and I made it with lightweight plastic coated showerproof fabric,in funky retro fabric that I found. I used one of my bags as a template.

Jen got the most amazingly huge basket of handmade chocolate truffles.yum.

and this beautifully threaded button necklace.

Rachel was really delighted with her line drawing of her children.

Well done, everyone. Thank you for my gifts and enjoy.
If you want to make some gifts and are stuck for ideas, these are great and all handmade.
Have fun.
Happy Creative Christmas!