A good week so far...

A stick, a marshmallow, a fireplace...

Children rolling down a grassy bank, laughing in the Winter sun and racing around, drunk on fresh air and friendship...

Finishing a little something for a workmate...

And these...

Making bread pudding, using my own recipe. If you're interested, it goes a little something like this...

6 slightly stale fruit buns

3 Tablespoons Apricot Jam

3/4 cup boiling water

2 eggs

3 tablespoons caster sugar

500ml milk
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Break the buns in half and cut into rough cubes. Place in dish. Whisk together milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Pour over the bread and leave to soak for an hour. Mix the apricot jam and the boiling water together and pour over the top. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 40 Min's or until golden on top.

Serve with custard and think "Winter's not so bad after all"

Teaching the children a little bit of yoga...

A good week so far, and you?

Book Sharing Monday

It was only 20cents at the op shop, and I was attracted to the simple pictures, thinking they could be good for softie design inspiration. But when I got this wee book home, I realised it's actually a real treasure. It's called "A Story to Tell", by Dick Bruna.

It's a wordless book, giving children the opportunity to make up their own narrative as it goes along...

I love the picture of the little doll with the sad face...

My children love this page, they adore seeing characters in books doing familiar, recognisable activities...

And when I googled the author, i discovered there is a really cool website as well.

Now, please excuse me, my fingers are itching to sketch out a softie with a pointy hat like that!

And the winner is...

Well, today is the day to draw and announce the winner of the giveaway, and Isla is away at her Nanas', thus rendering her unavailable for unbiased winner selection duties. I did, however, find someone else in her room, getting up to mischief...

He looked for her in, around and under her bed, bless him, but she was nowhere to be found. It all came down to little Kyan.

When I came back with my basket full of names he was busy tormenting/playing with the dolls.

But, with some gentle persuasion he paused, thought hard, and selected a name...

Ange, who writes the wonderful blog Sweenys' Mama

Kyan then put Ange to bed, which I thought was quite apt as she hasn't been feeling well lately. Congratulations Ange, thanks for supporting my blog and I hope you feel better soon xx

First Stitches

I'm so proud to share Islas' first stitches. I was amazed (in that way that you so often find yourself as a parent-shaking your head, smiling and in disbelief that this wonderful, clever being is your child) at the way she seemed to have done it before, and the way that she got halfway, then tucked her needle through the fabric (just like me!) and said "I'll come back to this later"-
and she did.

Here are some of my first stitches- I think I was about 7. I remember making this sampler in school.

And here are some of Mums'. A little needle case.

I hadn't really thought of stitching as something that pre-school aged children might be interested in, but since Isla had taught me otherwise, I decided to try a simple stitching project with the children at work (aged 2.5 to 5yrs). I made these simple headbands out of felt, and assisted the children to sew various beads and sequins on. I have to say, it really made me smile to see them running round in the Winter sun, with their headbands sparkling, proud to be wearing something that they had made themselves!

Maybe you'd like to make one too...

As you can see, it's very simple. These are the measurements for Islas' head (she's 3) but your best bet for a perfect fit would be to measure from ear to ear, going over the top of the head, to get the measurement for the length of the piece of felt, then make your elastic approximately two thirds of that length.

Happy stitching! And don't forget, there's still a couple of days to enter the giveaway!

Book Sharing Monday

I am at a loss as to why it's taken me this long to discover Book Sharing Monday, but now that I have, I'm very excited to be involved! My pick for this week is Stick Man, by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by the amazing Axel Sheffler. This is the latest offering from the wonderful wonderful people who bought us The Gruffalo, and, like The Gruffalo and every other book from these two, it's a clever story, beautifully illustrated and very fun to read!

"Stick Man lives in the family tree, with his stick lady love and their stick children three. One day he wakes early and goes for a jog. Stick Man, oh Stick Man, beware of the dog..."
Poor Stick Man, an innocent jog turns into a huge adventure as he is picked up by a passing dog and used in a game of Fetch. He is taken further and further away from home as he is picked up by a swan and used in her nest, then floats down the river...

Into the sea, where he is picked up by a family and used as the mast for their sandcastle, and several other things including a boomereang, a hook for a bag, and an arm for a snowman until eventually he ends up in the grate of a fireplace. Exhausted, he falls asleep and dreams of his stick lady love. Will someone wake him before it's too late?

Luckily, our favourite chimney dwelling friend, Santa himself, gets stuck, and Stick Man pulls him out, then gets to ride on the sleigh and help deliver presents. Stick Mans' Christmas wish is to be back in the Family Tree with his wife and kids, and Santa is happy to grant it.

Sorry about the awful pictures (Winter is good for many things-light is not one of them!) but you get the gist. Pretty cool huh?

Temari Ball Giveaway

I've been wanting to do a giveaway for a while now and I've been working on a special project for this very purpose...

It's a Temari Ball. The pattern comes from the book "Omiage" by Kumiko Sudo. I go on about the book quite a lot here

I've used one of my favourite fabrics, a Japanese print with tiny gold details (you can see it up there on my banner) plus some good old fashioned polka dots and stripes.

It's about the size of a grapefuit. People use them decoratively, as a childs' toy (minus the little flowers though methinks!) as a pincushion... It's entirely up to you!

I will post anywhere in the World. So... you know the drill. Leave a comment and you're in the draw! I will let Isla draw the name out of a hat or similar vessel one week from today. And Thank You everyone who has read, supported and left comments on my little blog over the last year. It's been encouraging, inspiring and very fun xx

completed

It's nice to complete things. I've just finished this bunny-who has hopped off to the shop
And this trio of owls, a commission project for a lovely lady who is very supportive of my little business and who has shown me that there's genuine kindness in the world-even from strangers.I often wish I was a knitter, because it would be cool to say "also on my needles..." But anyway, here is a sneaky glimpse at the project I'm working on for the giveaway I'm planning. And then, after I've completed that, this lovely little stack of fabric will be transformed into some sets of soft blocks, like these to be sent to The Happy Tree in Napier. I'm so happy that they are going to Napier, because it's really one of my favourite places in New Zealand-all that Art Deco...Don't you just adore those gnomes?

So it's very rainy outside. But I don't mind, I've got a nice cup of tea and some good things on my needles...