Colour me happy and my Steiner dolls

These are the little Steiner dolls that I was talking about in my last post. I did two lots of lessons with a lovely local lady. The first was to make the big dolls; Gloria and Pip (Hannah chose Gloria's wild raspberry hair and bonded with her before she was even finished!) Dan was unfortunately a bit too young for Pip at the time so he has remained a somewhat peripheral figure - gets played with sometimes but not the treasured companion I had hoped! I kind of don't mind as I am a bit partial to Pip myself - love his pumpkin hair.

The little dolls are called "root babies". I can't find a photo of the normal root babies I made but these are the Easter versions! They are very soft and squishy and mold to fit a child's hand. Unfortunately because they are full of rice they can't get wet which means that ours are now a delicate shade of grey through much use!

I am toying with the idea of making them both jointed "baby" dolls from the new arrival but don't know if I really need another project LOL!

I have always had a bit of an eclectic teaching style and been quite influenced by Steiner so love this little journey into the world of Steiner toys. We like to visit "Head, Heart and Hands" which is the most magical rainbow of a shop in our own little main street of Nairne. It has exquisite woolen and silk items and beautiful wooden animals and Steiner dolls and toys. If you are local and haven't visited you really should! I have spent far too much of the money I earn relief teaching in this shop! The wooden animals are particularly hard to resist... We are off there this morning looking for wool roving for the kindy and I just know that I will be tempted to do a bit of Christmas shopping! Visiting "Head, Heart and Hands" always makes me feel like throwing out all of the kids plastic junk and just having rooms full of natural, beautiful, handcrafted toys!

On a totally unrelated topic; something very strange is happening. I have always been a fan of soft florals, muted browns and blues but lately I find myself flirting more and more with colour. I borrow English Country Living from the library and ogle the gorgeous Kath Kidson prints and the lovely bright spotty teacups and vintage furniture. I read books like Seams to Me and Material Obsession just for the explosions of colour. I even have fat quarters like the red paisley creeping into my stash? I am obsessed with red and white spots (has become almost my signature fabric?) and I hadn't stopped to think about this strange obsession until visiting my friend in her new home. She was cradling her gorgeous new baby and showing me around when she pointed out her red kitchen stools. "I had to have them, even though they don't go with anything else" she said, "I just couldn't stop buying red things when I was pregnant!"

Which makes me wonder; is there something about pregnancy and red? Or did this changing of colour palettes begin happening before that? Why do colourful sights like thread spilling out of my embroidery tin make me perversely happy?

Why does this cheerful patchwork chair work for me when my husband thinks it is revolting?

Why does colour affect us in this way?

Anyhow, enough rambling - I'm off to play with some more fabric, and later some baking with the cherubs.

Keep smiling,

Nell


p.s. apologies the photos are sideways. Anyone know how to alter this?

Something for Doll makers

A friend just put me onto this lovely blog: thehandmaden.blogspot.com I have been following Little Jenny Wren's blog for quite a while as I just love the look and feel of Steiner dolls. Very glad to be able to add the handmaden to my list of blog eyecandy! She is having a lovely giveaway at the moment so check it out! One day when I am feeling creative I will photograph the Steiner dolls I made for my two cherubs.
Until then,
Happy stitching,
Keep smiling,
Nell

p.s. I do have some photos on the camera to share but life has been crazy hectic here this week - maybe Friday?

New projects and some scrapping

Do you remember this photo of Hannah's first rainbow dyeing attempt? Well we've finally finished the scarf and hat (actually it has been pretty well finished for ages but just needed the ends sewn in!) I've also finished a grey beanie for my friend's husband and a pair of acrylic socks for my MIL but neither were exciting enough to warrant a photo! I'm finally getting to the end of my homespun stash which means now I can legitimately spend more time spinning yummy fibres to replenish it!

I've also made a start on the baby's quilt stitcheries - two down and about four to go. This will be the third of my Bronwyn Hayes/Moda Sweet quilts (and probably my last as I really should move onto some other techniques LOL!) Found a lovely cot quilt pattern at a little Patchwork Shop in Robe last weekend - and I've thought of the perfect fabric for it but just have to get up the nerve to order it online (Pokey Little Puppy fabric from the US)

Have also been having a play with Creative Memories new Black and White Power Palette - yummy! Makes me want to go and print out some more photos and get back into some serious cropping!

We had a very exciting week - family getaway to Robe, then Auntie Kaz (my delightful sister) arrived Wednesday night, three birthday parties and a kindy disco before putting sis back on the plane last night. With all of that I had expected the kids to give me a hard time today but instead they have been totally angelic (we cleaned up then made playdough and played outside and now they are happily engrossed in a spot of couch potato t.v. viewing!) I'm off to finish my stitchery.

Keep smiling,

Nell

Finished projects

This is the finished quilt for my dearest bestest buddy Ness who is being induced with her first baby on Monday (lucky I finished the quilt early as bubs was supposed to put in an appearance in mid August!)

When Moda brought out the first collection of the Urban Sweet range I used it for my niece's baby quilt and I loved it so much that when the second range came out I bought a layer cake to do Nessie's quilt and our own baby quilt. The pattern is a hybrid of Leanne Beasley's "Quilt for Ruth" and Bronwyn Hayes' stitcheries from "Little Chicken Feather". Some of the sayings like "Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much" are favourites that mean something to me. I really enjoyed this project, I think because it was stitching from the heart - this quilt is for a really special baby and her/his really special mum.

I even put a quilt label on the back so that we can write a message once we know bubby's name - I was proud of this small detail as I'm normally not one for the finer details like labels! Now I can get started on our baby's quilt using a pinwheel pattern interspersed with stitchery squares - and yes it will have my favourite red spotty border as well!

Last photo is a finished UFO. This is a Melly and Me pattern, "Acute" who has been sitting unstuffed and unfinished on my sewing table until a recent clean up. He is a great pattern for using up small scraps. Did you notice the lovely pile of tone-on-tone fabric he is perched on? I was a lucky winner at Jane's Christmas Gathering last weekend - lovely to add to my stash. I felt thoroughly spoilt!!!

Must go and entertain the cherubs.

Keep smiling,

Nell

Some eye candy from Christmas in July

Finally some eye candy from the Xmas in July Gathering from last weekend. First is the stitchery that most of us worked on. Quite a bit of chain stitch and easy enough that I got it finished that night.

Jane and Rosalie had done a lovely job on setting up the hall with all of Rosalie and Leanne's beautiful projects (and Jane and her girls did an exquisite job of decorating with lovely suffolk puff tinsel and Christmas trees - there was even a little Christmas tree near the handbasin in the loo!)

I love Leanne's Merry and Bright wall hanging - so nice to see some contemporary fabric on a Christmas piece. She had also used part of the stitchery to decorate a linen tablecloth and napkins (which could be a good present for MIL if I wasn't so busy doing other things LOL)

Rosalie was just lovely, very down to earth and approachable. I got her to autograph my copy of her book "Gift" but didn't get a photo with her as it felt a bit too much like a crazed fan. I was trying to explain the significance of meeting Rosalie and Leanne to my hubby post-event and the best I could come up with was "it is kind of like you meeting Mark Webber!" LOL

Unfortunately Leanne's poor daughter was quite ill so meeting Leanne will have to wait until some other time!

Blogger is being very frustrating and doing strange things to my photos so I will have to post some photos of finished projects in a separate post.

No exciting stitching this weekend as I have to sew up two pairs of pants ready to put in fly zips at my alterations course on Monday night.

It is Woodpatch Quilters Exhibition day at the Lobie town hall tomorrow so I am looking forward to that!

Keep smiling,

Nell

Lovely Christmas Goodies and a progress report

I had such a good day yesterday. Not only did one of my loveliest customers decide to become a Creative Memories consultant in my team (great $99 business kit offer this month), but I also received a special parcel in the post from my Christmas in July swap partner Val. I was overwhelmed by the beautiful handmade goodies Val sent.

My very special favourite is this needlecase (even has my name on it and in my favourite colour too!)

Unfortunately a little mousie had a nibble on the package in transit so the beautiful handbag that you see in the top photo had a weeny mousie bite taken out of the bottom of it! Luckily I begin an alterations and mending course at WEA next week and hope to be able to mend it invisibly. This little bag is excellent timing as the handle fell off my current bag and I have been looking for a replacement - this one is just the right size for a bottle of water and my purse and keys and even has a phone pocket and leftover room for baby wipes and bandaids and little chocolate treats!

The cherubs were suitably impressed that Val had included a packet of jelly snakes for them (means they will leave my chocolate alone LOL!)

I love the little crazy patch turtle (which we all decided is lovely for the baby) and the teeny tiny little pocket doll (I remember making these pin dollies about a decade ago for a few crafty friends and being frustrated turning those tiny arms and legs so thank you for your patience Val and it is lovely to have one of my very own!) All in all I felt thoroughly spoilt. THANK YOU VERY MUCH VAL!

I am resisting temptation to show you my latest efforts until they are finished (only 1 side of binding left to go which should be knocked over tonight in front of the telly) Let me just say that I am somewhat in love with this latest effort!

I have also started an upcycled effort for Hannah - a long frilly denim skirt from a pair of my old jeans. Hope to have that finished in the next few days and if it goes well will give you a tute on just how I did it. My girlie girl just refuses to wear trousers and is freezing in little short summer skirts and dresses so this is my sneaky attempt to dress her appropriately!

I am two balls away from finishing bubby's shawl. It has become the "magic pudding" of all shawls (but not in a good way!) Seems like no matter how much wool I throw at it I still need more. We are now up to double the recommended amount plus an extra four balls and I am going on a trip sometime today to see if I can get a few balls to do the edging otherwise it will have to be in a different colour! I have included the latest snapshot of the little whippersnapper - apparently I have more than the usual amount of amniotic fluid (the report said "generous but not excessive liquor" which James thinks sounds like the little tike is getting quietly sloshed!) and this is making me seasick! Hoping the morning sickness goes soon!

This weekend is my 20 year Grade 10 reunion and I am disappointed not to be in Sunny Queensland with them all - would have been lovely to see and hear what everyone has done in the last 2 decades and how different our lives are from what we imagined!

This weekend is also the Gathering with Leanne Beasley and Rosalie Quinlan and I sooooooo can't wait for that! Should have lots of yummy stitching to show you next time!

Until then,

Keep smiling,

Nell

A Little Bit of Scrapping

I have somewhat lost my Scrapping Mojo this pregnancy and have been spending a lot more time doing textile/tactile things. This month Creative Memories brought out the most gorgeous range of paper flowers and paper ribbons (all 100% photo safe) so I have been having a play.

They really are yummy and lend themselves well to cards and altered gifts as well. For our unit meeting prizes I filled an altered coffee can with chocolates and also wrapped up a couple of chockie bars. The girls had a choice between these or new product and they chose the chockies!!! I've bought a few cheap cloth journals that I want to tizzy using these flowers and ribbons one day soon.

You may remember in one of my recent posts I mentioned that my Grandfather was quite ill and not expected to return home. Pleased to say that thanks to a wonderful assessor at the Noosa Hospital he is now home and they have got lots of support lined up for him. My grandparents have been inseparable since my Grandmother was 13 years old. In recent years Nanny has become increasingly forgetful and is probably not capable of being home by herself. On the other hand, Grandad's body has been deteriorating. Separately, neither of them works properly, together they are perfect. I just love these two (crazy as they are!) and I am so glad that Grandad is home with his sweetheart.

My sister sent this photo down to me. So glad that she was able to be there for them when I wasn't.

Must go, Hannah has absconded with one of my china teacups and some of the cutlery for a tea party outside!!! The things creative little minds think of while Mummy is blogging!!!

Keep smiling,

Nell