It really is the little things

If I were to tell you I was a little bit proud of myself I would be lying....I'm literally bursting

I've just completed my first nursery project.

I've read that babies are stimulated by bold colours and also like to suck on satin tags. I spotted a picture of a tag blanket in a magazine and decided to make one, here is the result.

I actually ended up making 2 as a dear friend has just a beautiful bouncing baby boy and thought he might like one too. Love it Love it Love it

All Buttoned Up

I returned home late last night resembling a Pearly Queen

I hadn't suddenly decided to move to East London and learn Cockney rhyming slang. No. I'd been to a Button Jewellery taster class at the London Jewellery School and had made enough goodies to practically rattle as I walked home.

There is certainly something exciting about being faced with a box brimming with buttons. I don't know if its the feeling as they drip through your fingers, the mirage of colours and shapes or just the chance of uncovering a gem which makes rummaging such fun but the 4 of us in the class were mesmerised before the class had even started.

Our 2.5 hours whizzed by in a flurry of button threading action. I really couldn't believe just how easy it is to make these sweet-shop treats. Am now off to eBay to source some materials...here is what I made....I will be seen modelling them around London and Surrey for a long time to come

2 cute bracelets

some retro button earrings

and here is me modelling my new necklace

Trip to Ikea completed....

....without a tea candle, packet of napkins or set of glasses gracing my basket and I got no where near the usual £100 spend, I am one chuffed little crafter right now.

I did decimate the fabric department.

There were just so many lovely fabrics.

As previously mentioned we don't know if I'm carrying a she-bump or a he-bump so strictly unisex colours and patterns. Here's a little sample of what I picked up

Let the sewing begin.....

Simply Quackers

I finished my little ducky today, and am pleased to say it does actually resemble a duck....

there is a beak

there is a yellow body

there are wings

and even a little tail

I don't have a pond in the garden so the the duckie can be seen here hiding in the peonies

Think I've still got a lot of practice before I can attempt the beautiful crochet toys from my earlier post..... Can anyone recommend a good amigurumi book which starts with the basics???

New on my bookshelf

I've just treated myself to this lovely sewing book - Simple Sewing for Baby by Lotta Jansdotter

I wanted to make a couple of bits for the nursery rather than buying everything and think this book has a good selection of bits'n'bobs and most importantly patterns which don't look too complex. In fact the front cover even claims -

24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers

I'll be testing to see if this is really true...

I've made a list of the fabric needed to make the bits I 'need' and I'm planning a trip to Ikea's fabric department in the next couple of days to stock up. I'll have to see if I manage to get out of the store without the obligatory tea candles, napkins and glasses which seem to be essential purchases on any trip to Ikea as well as spending over £100, does everyone suffer from this difficulty when passing through the Markethall or is it just me... wish me luck!

E is for...

another rather strange "is for" picture, but the sheep does look quite cuddly and I'm loving the little heart.

The overall picture is really starting to come together though...loving it...

My week month ahead

Unless you have been visiting Mars or live on an all female commune (in which case please send me details so I can enquire for vacancies) you will know that the Football World Cup kicked off yesterday evening and is determined to plague our TV screens until 11th July.

I'm not really a sports fan myself, R however, has been counting down for MONTHS (he has even kindly installed a World Cup App on my iPhone so I am never more than a few clicks from the latest score! thanks) ...our holidays and evenings out have had to be arranged around this series of 22 men running around a ball....

I have drawn the line at decorations. R is a grown man and more than capable of showing his support without the need for flags or kits gracing our car and home - I can only imagine what I will be subjected to in 4 years time if bump is a boy.... help

However, in a moment of sheer madness this morning (I blame pregnancy-brain) I agreed to plan our evening meals this week so that we eat food from the countries playing...Oh what have I done????

Monday 14th June

Italy v Paraguay

Easy - Pasta and Garlic Bread

Tuesday 15th June

Brazil v Korea DPR

Slightly more tricky - don't really know the national cuisine of either of these countries, might try to pass off stir fry

Wednesday 16th June

South Africa v Uruguay

Hmm another tricky one - am thinking maybe I pick up some Biltong and grill lots of meat. I've never been to South Africa but have been to Namibia next door so think this might work.

Thursday 17th June

France v Mexico

Fajitas and Nachos (yummy)

Friday 18th June

England v Algeria

Not really sure for England, we don't really have any traditional food (well not anything I can knock up when I get home from the office at 7pm) if its cold weather maybe I'll be organised and start a slow cook cassarole before I head to work, if not maybe a sandwich????

And tonight - well tonight is the England v USA match, I honestly don't think that R will event register what food I put in front of him as his eyes will be 100% trained on the TV. I'd already planned a Moroccan Tagine, well the World Cup is being held in Africa so surely this counts???

Anyone else doing crazy World Cup cooking???? I haven't looked at the matches next week so no idea what delights might be in store for me

Crochet on the Beach

R and I are just back from our Babymoon.....our last holiday just the 2 of us before I'm no longer able to fly and bump arrives. We had a peaceful week being looked after in Cyprus, the weather was hot, accomodation lovely and the food tasty and plentiful so all in all a great week away.

I of course took some tools with me. Didn't fancy my chances of explaining to airport security as to why I had an embroidery kit with me so left my cross-stitch at home and took my crochet hook determined to get back into hookey-ness.

My focus was of course on bump so started to make a little duck...

I have to stuff this and add on the beak, wings and tail hoping it starts to look a little more like the picture in the instruction book soon or I may have to pass this off as an alien creature rather than a duck to my little one....I'll show you the finished article when stuffed and stitched

D is for.....

Not entirely sure what I do if bump is a boy. We have opted not to find out the sex in the second scan as wanted a little surprise when bump arrives. This really was the most unisex sampler pattern I could find, oh well in the world of metro-sexual men I'm sure my child wont be scared for life because Mummy embroidered "Dolly" for D on the baby sampler

C is for....

Cluck, Cluck, Cluck

or maybe this should be Cake considering the volume I've been eating recently...

The cutest crochet toys

On a recent trip to Amsterdam with the girlies for a dear friend's hen-party I spied this fabulous crocheted toys by Anne-Claire Petit





Arent they just adorable...Think the elephant is my favourite, or the sausage dog. I absolutely loved them and managed to get out of the store without purchasing one (partly because I'd left my wallet in the apartment by accident, doh!)

Think I'd like to have a go making one, it will be a good reason to force me to pick up a crochet hook again.

I haven't had any hook-ey time for a few months now, I honestly haven't been able to face the yarn running through my fingers, its kind of like a reverse craving I guess. Not sure why I couldn't do it, the thought of the yarn just didn't appeal, I've been the same with hot drinks. I was a girl who would have a couple of coffees a day and I've just not fancied one for a while. Well I'm back on hot drinks now (strictly de-caf) so its time to pick up the hook again.

Fingers crossed I can create something which looks as good as these professional toys

B is for...

Splish....Splash....Splosh....B is for Boot


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