Blaze

Hi There,
Last Sunday my Littlest Lovely asked after watching Coraline,  "Would it be very hard to make a rag doll Mum?"
"No," I replied.

And so started the journey.

We found some calico in my sewing stash.  Then found a basic rag doll pattern on Pinterest and went to cutting out the shapes.  I made LL sew the legs and I made the body then I got her to patiently sit and stuff it.  She did a great job!

LL then decided that she only needed eyes.  No mouth necessary Mum! Easy.

We discussed hair colour for a while and then settled on two shades of red.  It gives it a nice depth I think.  The dress was the challenging part of the whole process.  Why I couldn't figure it out I don't know.  I had to add a little piece above the arms for the dress to be able to fit around to the back.  A little bit of a nightmare.  I got there in the end and it seems to be OK.

There are a few things I would do differently next time, like making the arms sit down as opposed to sticking out.  I think also I could make the dress better BUT at the end of the day my Littlest Lovely squealed with delight when she saw her and really that is all that matters.  If she loves it then I have done a great job.

Pretty contrasting sash

Vintage lace added

Name?  What do we call this creation...I wanted Abigail or Isabelle or another super cute girlie name...but LL had that all covered...

"I will call her Blaze because that is cool and she has red hair."  Can't argue with that!

So meet...BLAZE

Then..."Mum do you think you could make another one with Blue hair?"

Oh Boy!

Lxx

Beginnings

Hi There,

My little people went back to school last week. My OL (Oldest Lovely) is in his last year of primary school.  So a special year for him.  Both have settled in nicely to the school routine while I madly do little jobs around the house before work starts again.

This week has been a very busy one with me counting over 1,000 poppies and tidying up some poppy panels and then packaging seven up ready to go to Christchurch to be displayed at the Airforce Museum for Anzac Day this year.  

One panel - beautiful

Rolled and almost ready to send

Display of three panels at Glenfield Library

We now have over 23,000 poppies!  It is crazy to see how massive it has become.  I am really looking forward to seeing all 23,000 poppies displayed in one place later in the year.  The effect will be breath taking.

On the crochet front I have managed to make a few things too!

Introducing...

Emerald

 The newest Imp to the Imp Family.

Apparently she is the girlfriend of Limestone.

L-R: Pearl, Indy, Limestone and Emerald

These four Imps are very mischievous together and play some pretty creatively made up games.

Puffles

These critters aren't my favourite to make but the little people like them so of coarse I am obliging and make them.

So that I feel is everything that has been happening here in the cupboard this week.  It is almost time to go make tacos and tortillas for dinner along with a banana loaf for school lunches.

I hope you all get to be a little creative this week.

Take care,

Lxx

Quilt

Hi There,

Over the years I have collected many pieces of scrap fabric from finished sewing projects and bits that I have just liked 'because'.  

So after having this idea rattling around in my mind for about a year, I decided very quickly that I would cut up all those bits of fabric and make a patchwork blanket. Now I must confess that I am not a quilter!  I consider myself a novice and slightly useless at it.  But none the less I gave it a go.  I didn't know how all the crazy colours would go together and even if it would work.  

Work in progress

I made two sides that were very random, slightly crocked in places just by overlocking all the pieces together.  All the quilters out there would probably gasp at my roughness in putting it together but I didn't have time to ponder making it look pretty as long as it stayed together I was happy.

Once both sides were made I went to my happy place - SPOTLIGHT - and bought some bias binding and cotton batting.  I then put all three bits together and trimmed it with the bias binding.  Pretty quick - two and a half days later I had a patchwork blanket.

And to be honest... I LOVE IT!!  I love the quirkiness of it.  I love the colours and it makes me smile.  It goes so well with the two resident couch blankets.

Happy...Happy!

I accidentally bought too much batting and I still have loads of scraps left so I thought I could make another.  Why not?  Still three weeks of holidays to go...

Lxx

Happy New Year!

Hi There,

Rangitoto - We climbed to the top New Years Day

Another beach day

I know we are 11 days into the New Year and wishing you all an exciting, creative, crafty, colourful lovely 2015 seems a little late.  But OH Well...HAPPY 2015! 

This New Year has started well in the craft cupboard.  I have managed to make a t-shirt for my Oldest Lovely and a pair of shorts for my Littliest Lovely.

Renamed - Clown Shorts

LL picked the fabric and trim.  I was all set to make a pair of pants until she piped up and said that she would rather have shorts with frills around the bottom.  So I followed the orders and made them how she wanted.  She loves them!  They were very satisfying to make as they took less than an hour.

Another project which had been sitting in a pile to be seen to was OL's t-shirt.  I had cut it out MONTHS ago but never quite got around to finishing it.  Well now I have! Another successful sewing project.  The fabric which is a stretching sport type fabric was a little tricky to stitch. I am not sure I would use it again but it was a good challenge.  I have another happy child!  Yay!

So far this year I have been busy sewing by day (when we aren't out in the sunshine) and crocheting by night.  It has been lovely having the overlocker and sewing machine out and getting creative and making things.  

The never-ending blanket is STILL going. The pile of yarn is slowly getting smaller. I am trying not to get too distracted with other things as it really needs to be finished this year. It has been three possibly four years in the waiting making. So this is it, this year IT WILL BE FINISHED.  Ha...Famous last words!  Have a look at a previous post: New Year 2014 .  I can tell you now nothing on that craft list got looked at let alone finished.  So those new years resolutions were a little redundant.  But look at what I made instead.

2014 Projects

SO PRETTY!!

A lot of critters and dolls were made and only one blanket.  

I wonder what path my crochet mind will take this year.  It should be an interesting one!

So to all you creative people out there who 'pop in' and read this crazy blog of mine...have an exciting, creative, crafty, colourful lovely 2015.

Lxx

Summer

Hi There,
Quick post today.
I just had to share what a beautiful day in NZ looks like.

21 degrees - perfect for a swim

Local beach in full Summer swing

Pohutukawa Tree in full bloom

Enjoy,

Lxx

Summer Holiday

Hi There,
Yay!  The Summer Holidays have begun!  We have six weeks of blissful rest and relaxation ahead of us.  It is quite a nice feeling not having anything planned.

Summer Holidays = afternoon nap

* * * * * M E R R Y  * * *  C H R I S T M A S * * * * *

Rudy the Reindeer and Holly Da Christmas - besties

Rudy the Reindeer arrived hot off the
hook on Christmas Eve

Today is Boxing Day here but the rest of the World will be celebrating Christmas Day as I write this... so Merry Christmas to you all who pop in here for a little read.  I hope your day has been a lovely one spent with people who you love and care about and lots of bubbles (Kiwi for Sparkling wine).

Our Christmas Day was spent with family at the cousins house.  It was so relaxed!  It was especially nice to come home to a clean house after and blob on couch.  Little People were very happy with their haul of gifts and have been knee deep exploring and playing with all that they got.  A real hit was the kinetic sand.  It is unusual stuff. Very hard to describe, it is like sand but it moves and moulds as you create. Very therapeutic!

Angels made by the Littlest Lovely and friend

Today has been a productive one.  Starting with a bike ride that nearly killed me!  I haven't been on the bike for MONTHS.  It was nice to get out there again and try and get some fitness back.  After the ride I got into the neglected garden and gave it a massive tidy.  It looks so pretty again.

After this I am off to finish a two year WIP!  Well I am going to try.  An early New Years Resolution to finish the never ending blanket.  So off I go...

WHAT!!! Lime green!? That is not right

Take care,
Lxx

Life...

Hi There,
Life here in the craft cupboard has been a hectic one, which I see after reading back over a few posts is the story of my life really.  As much as I try to sit down and blog about all the great stuff I have made lately, everything else just gets in the way.

Something I want to make over the Summer Break

I thought December this year would be a slow amble to the end then start the Summer Holidays with the Little Lovelies with more slow ambling until Christmas.But alas this year like all the others it is FAST FULL STEAM AHEAD!  The main thing that has changed here is that I am full time working till the end of term which is great as it gives us extra funds for the super fun holiday we are about to have (in a few weeks).  But it does make for one very tired Mum.  Oh and a very disorganised house!  How do full time working Mums out there do it?  Keeping the house ticking over, dinners, lunches, cleaning, washing, working, after school or weekend sport...!!  I admire those women who have it all in order...Do they exist?   Maybe they have house cleaners.  Oh one of those would be nice even when I am not working then I could hide in my little craft cupboard and create!  Dreams are free.

*Sigh*

Must dash now and put a load of washing on and make a yummy dinner - 'TACO TUESDAY'!  See we Mum's never stop!

Take care,
Lxx