Fabric Baby Book

As promised in my last post, I wanted to show you the fabric book I made for our Little One.  
It took me aaaaages to make!!!  I really enjoyed designing each page, and doing the applique and embroidery bits.  But then, turning it from a few pieces of fabric into a book was NOT so much fun!  There was a lot of un-picking and re-doing, and a lot of naughty words along the way.  

But I managed it in the end.  And here it is.....

One smiley sun:

Two friendly clouds:

3 birdies on a branch:

4 eggs in a nest:

5 little toadstools:

6 pretty flowers:

7 caterpillars on a leaf:

8 black spots:

9 colourful flags:

10 red apples:

Another thing for the baby drawer!  

After the Easter holidays, I only have another 4 weeks of work to go before my maternity leave starts.  So I've already started on my 'to make' list for then.....  ;-)

Carly

x

Halloween Costumes

After 'skipping' a year in 2012, we decided to reinstate our annual Halloween party this year.  We both decided to go as Mexican 'Day of the Dead' skeletons.  

I made my costume from an old bed sheet.  I used 'Pattern Y' from Yoshiko Tsukiori's 'Stylish Dress Book'.  I spent a couple of days embroidering a colourful pattern of the front.  It took a a fair few hours, but I made the most of it and enjoyed the chance to relax by sitting on the 'Poang' and listening to ghost stories on Librivox as I embroidered.....

I hadn't done much embroidery before, so had to learn a few lessons along the way.  

I accessorised my costume with some bringtly-coloured jewellery, and bought a flowery headdress from a costume shop.  So, altogether, my costume only cost me €6!

Simon's outfit consisted mainly of his 'normal' clothes (chords, a black shirt and a waistcoat).  We found a neckerchief in the fancy dress box, borrowed the sombrero, and bought the rifle and bullets.  His outfit cost €10!

The face-painting was all Simon's handiwork.  He did a brilliant job, I have to say!!!   

Would you like to see???

And a bit of a scary one to finish up with.....

Now our faces have been scrubbed and all the decorations and outfits are packed away, we're starting to think about next year's costumes.....

Any suggestions???

Carly

x

   

My Friend the Postman

This week, I have a new best friend – the postman!  We check our mailbox excitedly every evening when we get back from work.  And we’re usually both disappointed.  But, over the last week, my pal has delivered me 3 exciting packages!!!

Inside package number 1 was Issue 13 of ‘Mollie Makes’. 

Look..... free buttons!!!  How cute are they?!  And how pretty is the colour?!  There’s lots of cuteness and prettiness inside the magazine too.  There are so, so, so many things that I need to add to my ‘dream shopping list’.  And there’s a lovely, colourful crocheted cushion tutorial.  I think I might give it a try, to enhance my new-found granny square skills.

Package number 2 contained Issue 11 of ‘Mollie’.  Don’t ask!  It took 3 months (and countless trying-to-stay-calm-and-not-write-any-naughty-words emails) for them to send me my first subscription issue.  And I haven’t received any of the magazines in the right order.....  It was really annoying!  But now I’ve got all the issues I’m due, and they’ve promised me a few ‘extra’ magazines after my subscription officially ends.  So, I’m happy now!

Issue 11 came with a cute kit for making a little Russian doll key ring.  And look at the little mice on the front cover.  Look at that teeny-tiny little knitted cardie!!!  I’d LOVE to make myself and little well-dressed mousie.  But I think it would all be way too fiddly for me.  Maybe one day???  This issue has inspired me to try out some embroidery.  There are instructions for making an embroidered cuckoo clock, and I’d LOVE it for my crafting room!

Package Number 3 was the most exciting one of all!  It contained a giveaway prize from the lovely and VERY generous Jules at The Awkward Niche.  THANK YOU JULES!!!  Look at all the goodies I won.....

         

A cute hedgehog embroidery kit (more prompting for me to get my embroidery on):

A sweet little blue heart:

A kitty key ring (look what he ate for dinner):

And the super-cute ‘Super Cute’ book:

Thanks, postie!!!  What will you bring for me this week, I wonder.....

And thanks again, Jules!!!  Hugs to you and all my lovely blogging friends,

Carly

x