she sews again

I was finally, after a long hiatus, back at the sewing machine to make something special for a dear friend who will be welcoming a baby this fall. I can feel "wrapped-up-in-blankets" weather in the air already. I chose this fabric as a reminder of camping trips we've taken and plan to take with this new little family. Anderson did some good QA work made sure the blanket was snuggle worthy.

It was so fitting that following a ceremony to remember my Grandmaman (who taught me to sew), that I'd be doing the last hand-stitching on this blanket on our way to the celebration for the parents-to-be.

apr 21

it was one of those days. where making something was the therapeutic thing to do.

on the wall - reworked

...and John made a little change to my winter wall hanging.

Here's another peak at what we're packing up for...

on the wall

I bought these cute tea towels at a local craft show a few years back. And finally, I figured out an easy, inexpensive way to display them. I like that they aren't totally Christmas, but more winter decor, so they can stay up through the months following the holidays. John was like, "so on Sunday you have to build an igloo?" No, not exactly. But a good idea.

18 - packaging

I believe that you can show someone how important they are, by putting the time and effort into making their present beautiful with lovely packaging. It really isn't about how much money you can spend, but more about a gift where you gave of your time and focused on the little details to make them feel special.

17 - handmade

Looking back to 2006, this is the first year Kris and I did a handmade Christmas. We were full of ideas, and pretty much did every idea we had that year. There was a full day of planning, then shopping for ingredients, then shopping for packaging, then, I'm sure a few days of creating and packaging. There were late nights, takeout food, freezing rain, brimming laundry baskets full of goodies, it was the Great Caramel Disaster of 06, melting fruit jellies, apartment stovetop not reaching candy hard ball stage. Oh my, it has been quite the adventure. We keep up the tradition each year. But with every year of experience, we simplify and keep just the very best: the tried and true stuff that people keep talking about and that doesn't rely on a candy thermometer. Tomorrow I will share all the lovely packaging we did that year.

3 - and its done

My third knitting project. Maeva's newborn hat and cocoon were the first two. I started this one last winter. So glad to have it done, so that it could go to good use this winter. I did this hat on a circular loom, because I'm still quite in-the-dark on the whole knitting thing.

miga

John and I took a special liking to the Vancouver 2010 mascot Quatchi, I mean what isn't there to love about a cute, cuddly sasquatch who loves hockey, photography, and travel and lives in Canada's mysterious forests?

So Anderson has accumulated, a big Quatchi and a little Quatchi, and a Quatchi with mittens. And then in a post-Olympic Games clearance sale impulse buy (not to say the Quatchi purchases weren't impulse purchases), I picked up a Miga and a Sumi. Now despite Quatchi's fuzzy, lovable, awesomeness, Miga became Anderson's favourite little friend. So Miga's been camping and riding tricycles and to the park and rolling around on the floor of the van. However, Miga's rush-to-ship, mass-produced, made-in-China mascot cuteness did not hold up well to toddler adventures. Her back split right open and she was dropping stuffing all over the van, campsites and the house. So after a long sleep in Mommy's sewing basket, she was finally repaired. I even made her a tartan sweater and hat out of some knee socks, so that she could almost be as cool as Quatchi...almost. Her first outing since her surgery was to the science centre. I think she enjoyed herself, and her cool new outfit.

sew sew sew

With the holidays coming and the weather making us all feel like going inside to nest, I'm thinking lots about things I can make. So many ideas, so little time. I guess we'll see what happens. I don't want to pressure myself or get too stressed about it, because the whole point is for it to be fun. I'm enjoying Sew Mama Sew blog for all kinds of wonderful things to add to that ever growing list of possibilities.

dressing up the dresser

I got these great decals at Homesense. I love the little woodland creatures, they are so cute. This dresser was my cousin Heather's when she was little. If she needs it back one day, I'm guessing she won't mind the owls and bunnies. If not, they easily peel off. My little peanuts are now sharing a room, so far it is working out pretty well. I love listening to them sing and talk as they fall asleep. Some days it is crying in surround sound though.

The rocking chair was mine as a child, and so was the baby scale. I'm glad my parents never got rid of anything and moved that stuff from their first home to three different homes after that. Finally, it is back in use.

handmade for baby

This is what was going on at the sewing machine in this post. Some handmade for a little baby boy, who's Mommy I've known since she was 8 years old. And now a new little one is joining the family, a little girl, who I can't wait to start sewing for.