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!

Advent Journeys and Gifts

I promised to update you of my journey this advent time of the idea and challenge of silence.
It is tough.
silence is golden....hard to find....
priceless though when it is discovered....and treasured.
My Advent journey had me reflecting on Mary's song.
The Eager Expectation, the waiting, the pregnant pause.
I have so often felt during these last few months empty handed and struggled with that feeling.
empty handed and yet,the almost silent whisper of hope...the realisation that if I am empty handed, then I am then ready to receive.
I love this verse from Mary's Song:
the promise in Luke 1 verse 53:
He has filled the hungry with good things.
I have hope, empty hands open,ready to receive the gift from Him.
Whatever it is.
My gift.
Uniquely wrapped for me.
The joy of waiting is here.
I am finally delighted I am temporarily empty handed.
Are you?

Reindeer Food for Christmas Eve

Have you ever made reindeer food for those busy reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh?
We made some at the Christmas Fayre this week.

Glitter and sparkle everywhere, porridge, sugar and seeds.


Make a wish and tie it with ribbon and the lovely reindeer food poem I found for a truly Magical Christmas time.
Here is the link I found to help me with our Reindeer food that we have been busy making at our Christmas Fayre.
We had lots of fun.
Please note:
It is recommended that glitter used is only the edible type (or just use seeds and multicoloured sugar sprinkles)if you are going to put the Reindeer foodon your garden outside.
Try it!
Magical for children and adults alike.

Santa Cake

I made this really cute Santa Christmas Cake.
This weekend.
Very proud.
Chocolate cake.
Yum!
But....
I
Am
Heartbroken.
Life is hard.
I have to give my really cute and very proud of my Santa Chocolate Cake away.
Yes, give the cake away.
Noooo!
Yes, true.
It had to be done.
That was the deal.
Ouch.


I took him to work today, ready for the guess the weight of the cake competition this week.
I left him on the table in the staff room with a LARGE note which read:

Santa Christmas Cake:
Please Look
do NOT touch.
do NOT eat.
(he is for the guess the weight of the cake competition for our Christmas Fayre)

So far, he is still intact.
A miracle in itself.
I now need to make one more for me and one for my work colleagues...
TO EAT!
(which is my cure for my heartbreak of having to give away my really cute Santa Christmas Chocolate cake)
What would your cure be?

Maybe.... I could enter the guess the weight of my really cute Santa Christmas Chocolate cake and win him back???

Advent Sunday and beyond

So it is here, Advent,to my surprise and maybe to you to? Advent Sunday before December 1st. I always think of it as being the 1st December with the mad dash for the window and the chocolates.
A time of waiting and expectation, I heard at church.
Recently on TV there was a documentary programme on 5 people embarking on a faith journey called the big silence. 5 people went on a 8 day silent retreat.
It was fascinating to watch as I saw a little of it. One guy said he heard God speak to Him and say:I've always been here,it is just that you haven't been listening. Powerful stuff.Powerful answers for the powerful questions.
The question is: will we wait?
Will we have the wait of silence, the pregnant pause before delivery at this time of advent?

The wait.
The silence.
The breakthrough moment.

The challenge given yesterday was to have a time of silence (for a period of time) waiting each day during advent.In the big Silence programme it was 20 minutes a day after they got home from retreat.

The rules?
TV off.
Phone off.
Radio off.
No talking.
No giggling.
Sit or be somewhere comfy.
Silence.
The waiting.
Waiting in expectation.
Eager expectation.
I wonder what will happen?
If we dare to be empty handed, and hold on a wait,what gift we will receive?

A bit like waiting for Christmas, really.
At least, I think this is how it is meant to be.

Anyone else in for a bit of eager expectation at this time of advent?
I am.

I will keep you posted.

Half Term week of 365

Sunday 297/365Trying to get a photo of the new baby was almost impossible with the rest of them clambering all over me!

Monday 298/365 THEY all came round to see me and SHE found MY shoes.

Tuesday 299/365Christmas shopping! (All hidden of course!)

Wednesday 300/365 Christmas creative sewing day... but sshhh it is a secret, of course!

Thursday 301/365 Surprise!

Friday 302/365 A visit to the Hummingbird Bakery!

Saturday 303/365 The Michelin Tyres Car Garage, now an Oyster bar.

It's nearly Half Term 365

Yippee. The end is in sight.
Sunday 290/365 Such a fun weekend, even Natalie's chickens seemed to love having us all to stay.

Monday 291/365

Tuesday 292/365

Wednesday 293/365 Art Club

Thursday 294/365 We can't believe you said no to staying Kat!

Friday 295/365 Let half term begin!

Saturday 296/365 I really giggled at this card!

mid October 365

A busy week and then a fun weekend away with friends
Sunday 283/365 The Learn Something New page done with a shopping list!

Monday 284/365 Let's see if my ever changing timetable works this coming week.

Tuesday 285/365

Wednesday 286/365 Art Club!

Thursday 287/365 Kat we love you and wish that you would comeback here forever!

Friday 288/365 Zoe's amazing cake designed as a game of Settlers of Cattan!

Saturday 289/365 pumpkin grown by Natalie and Jono and soup made by Jono.YUM!

Birthday week 365

Very excited that it will be my birthday this week in October!
Sunday 276/365 A day to relax and be creative with more tales from Learn Something New.

Monday 277/365

Tuesday 278/365 another page on Learn Something New done!

Wednesday 279/365 Yippee Jacob has arrived!

Thursday 280/365 Curry Night!

Friday 281/365 there is even some cake left!

Saturday 282/365 lovely cards amd celebrating!