Blogging

***Friday July 30th, 2010***

Tonight I came across a new blog: nieniedialogues.blogspot.com

This woman, who had a blog beforehand, had over 80% of her body burned in a terrible plane accident. Since the accident, her blog has basically been about her recovery and how it has affected her and her family. I cried reading it and have already read twenty pages tonight.

Here is a bit from Nie's blog:

I asked Mr. Nielson with tears
in my eyes if he could still see me.

He was shocked at the question and slightly confused. But he answered anyway; he said he didn’t compare me to anything especially my appearance before the accident.

Maybe he doesn’t, but I do.

Sometimes I actually scare myself.

Yesterday at the grocery store a woman turned around to me in the
line and with an exhausted look she blurted out:
“Oh, I feel just the way you look!!”

I wanted to curl up and cry in the fetal position right there in isle three. I looked away and tears stung my eyes. I wasn’t prepared to have confirmed to me what I had felt earlier that morning after I had scrubbed my fragile body in the shower until it bled.

Part of the deal I chose, I guess.

I guess I should just suck it up and remember my blessings.

But part of me hurts for outward beauty.

When I lie in my bed as still as can be, I feel like the Stephanie before. Out my eyes I feel just the same. I feel perfect. My skin isn’t strained and my joints don’t rip my thin skin over and over with each movement.

That’s why getting up is hard to do.

Blogs like hers, no doubt, save many lives.

Flower Dress and My Mother

***Thursday July 29th, 2010***

Today I finished Lone's Flower Girl Dress for my sister Janet's wedding.

Today is also my mother's birthday. She would have been sixty six.

I wish she could see how I have finally taken up her passion for sewing.

That I finally get it and love it, as she did.

For this project I used a woman's vintage slip, added a lining (pure hell), belt to tie it in, straps and fun embellishments.

Lone has already threatened to not wear it, but luckily for me, she be a slave to the candy.

If you like it please let me know.

My biggest fan, no longer can.

BIRTHDAYS

***Thursday July 29th,2010***

Here are some lovely things I plan on buying Lone for her birthday...

Don't even try to stop me!

Love the gold!

And for this happy face...

Too cute!

Cheers!

Cover Your Bits With Cloth Bits

***Tuesday July 28th,2010***

Tonight, when Miss Smyth finally gave into the sleep fairies, I had a nice hot bath with bubbles. I have not had a bath by myself in over two months. I loved, loved, loved it!

Today we did this:

Ain't she a beauty!

Been so exited about this project because not only is it a great idea, but I got to sew while Lone played with the scraps. We would have enjoyed this project much earlier if I had any black ink in my printer.

Big YOU ROCK going out to the creative momma behind http://thismamamakesstuff.com for creating these little guys and this fabulous project.

Lone loved this one. You can get the download here.

Later in the day, I even took three of the little cuties and a bag of material bits to my girlfriend's house for her son to enjoy. Yes I know the ribbon is pink. I used what was on hand. Boys look good in pink.

I will probably do this project again for Lone's birthday. Maybe draw some sombreros and get the kids to decorate them, since it's a fiesta theme party.

Graphicsfairy.blogspot.com is a great place to get free prints, if you cannot draw like yours truly.

Yes, not even a sombrero.

Hmmm

***Sunday July 25th, 2010***

Today Lone met a lovely little girl in the park and they played together and bonded and the little girl's mother and I bonded. Then another, slightly older, little girl appeared, dressed in a lime green and purple, Tinker Bell dress and for Lone, the first little girl was forgotten. Now Lone will not stop talking about her new friend "Tinker Bell". Refusing to be thwarted, I took the phone number of first little girl's mother, to hang out in the future. I made a point of mentioning that perhaps our girls should dress up in their fairy costumes when we meet up.

My daughter, so shallow and clothing obsessed. Wherever did she get it from?

T-Shirt Pants

***Sunday July 25th, 2010***

I've been making Smyth clothing.

I'm like a little girl dressing her Barbie.

These fun, bright yellow pants are made from a recycled t-shirt and vintage fabric for the patches.

She's been living in them and doesn't seem to mind.

Homemade Gift Tagsd

***Friday July 23rd, 2010***

Whenever I need a card, I always go to the expert...

Lone is great about decorating or making cards.

She loves getting involved in any form of gift giving.

I bought a pack of tags from a stationary shop; and look at the wonderful gift tags we made. They are all ready to be used for the next gift giving event that we attend!

Homemade cards are so much nicer to receive and may even be lucky enough to make it onto a fridge or be kept, packed away in a box to be looked at in the future.

Thanks!

Popsicles

***Tuesday July 20th, 2010***

My daughter loves freezies and constantly asks for them. I can't stand all the garbage that goes into a store bought popsicles, so I make my own. It's really easy!

All you need is a blender, fruit and either honey or maple syrup. You can also add sugar, but I try to avoid it when real maple syrup has so much good stuff in it. Just blend the fruit, I also add a bit of plain yogurt, and then add as much of the sweet stuff as you need, then freeze.

Currently, we are picking raspberries from our garden and then turning them into popsicles. It makes a fun activity out of making the popsicles. Next, we are going to go pick strawberries locally and make strawberry popsicles.

Try it, I'm sure your little one will love it. Also, Ikea has great popsicle molds, if you need them.

Paper Me

***Sunday July 18th, 2010***

Lone and I made a paper person. A "paper me" as she called it. I tore down some old, paper blinds and they were the perfect size to trace around Lone's body. At first she just wanted to colour the person in grey, I think that she's going through her "grey period", but I convinced her to add more colour, which she did so reluctantly.

We also went to a street sale in the town of Port Hope. There's a lovely kid's store there called Higglety Pigglety, run by an equally lovely lady named Debbie. Debbie put out snacks and games for the kids to play and gave out freebies. She hopes to do more activity nights in her shop. I really like this western Tee Pee that was in her shop, that all the kids, including Lone were drawn to. It would be great in our living room, both for Lone to play with, but also as a place to store her wandering or discarded toys.

I'm always looking for a place to hide toys within reach.

Thanks for stopping by!

Another Cool Hat

***July 14th***

Lone was such a fan of Smyth's hat that we did her blue cap with a tartan heart and some zig zag stitches.

She wasn't up to modeling it though...

Hat Revamp

***Wednesday July 14th, 2010***

A momma craft! Lone went out with her daddy and Smyth was sleeping so I had a chance to do a little sewing. My girlfriend gave me a bag of unwanted clothes that we are both hoping I can do something cool with.

This cotton, white hat for a newborn was in the bag. Already a very cool design, I added an apple, that I cut out of a child's vintage apron. I used a zig zag stitch to attach it to the hat and added two rows of yellow stitches to the visor for fun.

Looks pretty cute I think. Anyone can do this. You really don't need any sewing skills for this type of work.
But what a difference it makes to a hat!

Flower Princess

***Wednesday July 14th, 2010***

We made a fairy flower crown!

So easy. Just use a brown paper bag. Cut it into a crown shape and add flowers. Would be lots of fun hunting for the flowers together but my little one refused. She was more interested in hanging out with her Ya Ya (grand daddy), whom was visiting.

But, she couldn't resist partaking when she saw the plate of flowers...

My little Princess! Such a camera lover!
Cheers!

Chocolate and Pom Poms

***Monday July 12th, 2010***

Saturday was sushi and Sunday I was too tired to post. But here is what we did!

I love zinnias!!

So Lone and I decided to make our own flowers.

These pom pom flowers are all the rage these days! Great for weddings, birthdays and even bedrooms and really easy to make for an older child or adult. We decided to make them for Lone's bedroom.

While there are tons of sites that will tell you how to make them. I went with good old Martha.

I must say, the smaller ones turned out rounder and nicer.

Smyth thought they were rather fetching.

While Lone was too young to actually make the pom poms, she loved counting the tissue paper and picking the colours. She played with the scraps as well.

*************************************************************************************

Also yesterday, we took chocolate...

And turned it into this! (With the help of peanut butter).

So easy to make even when your only oven is this convection oven! Yes, it's true, we have no oven in our house and only noticed the day we signed the deal. It works beautifully though, considering I left a brand new beauty, at my old house.
We sourced the recipe from Bakerella. Only five ingredients and Lone could do most of the prep by herself. Just remember to warn about the hot bowl after heating the chocolate. :( Poor girl.
So, so yummy!!

Button Man

***Thursday July 9th, 2010***

Say hello to my little friend.

Button Man! He rocks and is very easy to make. I found him in this library book. Libraries are great places to score cool craft ideas.

First we picked our buttons. I have lots because of my button bands.

I have to admit Lone got overwhelmed by having to thread the buttons. I was so impressed by how well she did though! Alas, She hid one of my button jars in protest. Still looking for it.
Directs, cause I'm too tired to write them out. All you need is lots of buttons and two pieces of string 18 inches long.

More directions... Really easy honest.

The ones in the magazine are a little more vibrant in colour than mine.

Enjoy!

Boys Threads

***Thursday July 9th,2010***

My girlfriend, the mother of two lovely boys, Landon and Kale, does not think there are cool clothes out there for little boys. BUT, Etsy is full of great and unique, boy's clothing! Mine to be included in this list soon, I hope!

I need to show her how wrong she is...

These cool pants for a one-year-old cost only $14 at:

www.etsy.com/shop/shortees

Another Etsy shop, www.etsy.com/shop/smallbeansbaby has great boy gear!

Oh Jack Sprat! Oh Jack Sprat!

I am such a fan of this designer, who makes clothes especially for little boys, that I contacted her to see if she would do some custom stuff for me if I had a boy. But alas, my beautiful Smyth did not want to be a boy.
She doesn't have a lot in her shop currently, so you can look through her sold items and she will be more than happy to make what you like from the list. www.etsy.com/shop/jacksprat

God, her clothes make me want to have a son!

I think I have proven my point Lee....

Recycling Kid's Artwork

***Thursday July 8th, 2010***

Today Lone had Montessori, so I only needed a short project for us to do this evening.

If you are anything like us, your child produces a lot of masterpieces. We love all of Lone's creations, but there is so much of it! We can't throw it out, it's too special to us...ok maybe the occasional piece does end up in the trash, but only because there is just no storage room left! Anyway these heart garlands that we made from the bundle of artwork hidden in Dale's piano bench, turned out super.

All you need is a pile of kid art, scissors, a needle and either embroidery floss or any string you can thread with.

Lone is too young to cut the hearts, but she was able to pick what their order on the thread would be.

Not much of a poser today.

We cut hearts in a couple of sizes. Then I thread the needle with yellow floss and poked the needle in through one corner of a heart and back out through the other side.

We live in bathing suits these days!

Lone decided that Smyth could have the little, heart garland, in her nook. Such a kind child I have.

And the big one went above Lone's big girl bed.

I love the little faces.

Great craft for Valentine's day. While she wasn't too keen on having her art cut up at first, Lone now can't wait to make more for other people, which means the pile will be getting lower, which makes me happy!!