Things Made Recently

Whew! It's been an interesting week, hasn't it? I feel like this country has really been through something. It feels kind of like a road trip, where at the end you are so spent you have trouble mustering up any energy for your actual vacation. Though this isn't really a vacation, it's life, I get it.  It's just that the joy and  continued optimism I was feeling seems compromised. I find myself trying to give pep talks to those around me (as well as myself) but I'm been at a loss. Maybe it'll come in time. I still believe that we have more in common than what divides us, and I hate to feel so divided.  In the meantime, we keep creating. The things in our hands are what we have control of most, right?

I made Lulu some party hats, from a kit I've had for quite a while: Alicia Paulson's Prettiest Party Hats. They were an absolute joy to make. They taught me new techniques with simple wool blend felt, and now I'm completely inspired to make more things, not only from her patterns, but from felt. I had some of it left over in the kit, so used it to make flowers on her birthday jumper (made from Simplicity 1075, vintage and in reprint). This jumper is destined to be worn only once, being wool and worn by a girl who embraces mess, but I've stopped caring. I relish it, in fact. That's what special occasions are for and you're only age 3 once ;)

I made Penny a fancy dress from Vogue 9042, in fabric from Rifle Paper Company, lined with a peachy pink linen. The sweater pattern is Lottie (Ravelry link), made with a bulky yarn in size 2 instead of 4, so it would all work out to gauge.

I made a Toasty Blanket from a free pattern that I altered greatly. I made it exactly to the pattern, but had lots of yarn left over, so ripped it out, started again with 40 something stitches, and improvised the rest. It's a lap or baby blanket. I haven't yet decided its recipient. I've ceased working at a yarn company, so my crafting budget is very limited, though I was pretty pleased with this yarn I picked up on a whim, at Joann. All of the details are on my Ravelry page for this project, if you'd like to see.

Finally, I made Lulu a winter coat from Pendleton Wool I bought a while ago at the outlet here in Portland. I used Vogue 9219, but when it was time to put on the collar, I just didn't want to cover up the yoke pattern. So I drafted a hood for it, and it worked out great. I also used magnetic snaps for the closure. The jury (being a jury of one person, age almost 3) is out on how that will work, but I'm very anxious for the result.

I hope you've spent some time doing things you love this week. I hope it brings you as much respite as crafting brings to me.

Gifting

I've given a few handmade gifts, lately. Last week was one of Penny's teachers' last days before her maternity leave. She's been the sweetest, and I wanted to give her something for her upcoming baby Raven (isn't that a great name?). I made her an Annie Baby Blanket in yarn that self stripes. There was still a million ends to weave in, but I didn't mind. 

 

The colors reminded me of sunshine, so I made a Baby Surprise Jacket to match the blanket. I still love the idea of giving a "set" to a new mom. There are so many great sets in vintage pattern books I own, and I liked doing one knit item and one crochet piece.

Speaking of crochet, I made a gigantic donut for a friend's 40th birthday from a pattern in this book. It took so much yarn, but not as much time as I was expecting! It sure took a lot of fiber fill though, wow. Bags and bags and bags of it, bought with as many coupons as I could muster, at the craft store.

 

The size is ridiculous, and the girls pretended it was a pool float one day before we went swimming the day before we wrapped it up.

 

They were sad to see it go, which made me think I should make another - an orange one with bright pink icing, a chocolate one with light pink icing? Maybe someday, or maybe not :).

Tie Dye!

Penny has been really interested in the kids art show Creative Galaxy lately (it's free to watch if you've got Amazon Prime). Made by my former colleagues who started Blue's Clues, Super Why, and Daniel Tiger, among other shows, Creative Galaxy has an art and craft focus, and it's been getting the girls really excited to make things. Penny was particularly interested in tie dye, and begged me to do it with her. New craft project? Ok, twist my arm :)! So one sunny Saturday morning, we tie dyed some of our clothes.

 

I bought a kit, which contained lots of colors already in squeeze bottles, though we only used four, saving the others for another time, when their friends might come over to try it, too. We dipped the shirt in soda ash (bought separately but next to the kit) and put on our old clothes, smocks, aprons, and eventually gloves, when I remembered them.

I think the key to success with young kids and projects like this is to have other activities set up for them when waiting is necessary. We soaked the shirts, and the girls went on their trampoline. Then we tied and dyed the shirts and put them in plastic bags, and went to get groceries. After naptime, we opened up the rubber bands and looked at our masterpieces, and then I rinsed, washed, and dried the shirts while we played in the afternoon.

 

Voila! They had tie dyed outfits and were so proud. They made me a tank top, too.

They made their dad a t-shirt to give to him when he got home from his trip (wrapping paper pictured).

 

I couldn't believe how little mess there was! What a success. It was a great way to give new life to the stained up white clothing in their wardrobe. I think we might make tie dying a back yard summer tradition.

Easter, 2015

Things are really getting fun around here. My preschooler is really loving holidays, and all the fun activities that go along with them. I couldn't be happier. This year, I thought about doing some egg dyeing on my own, and letting Penny decorate the eggs with stickers. Then, it occurred to me that she really could help, and would really love to do so. Who cares if we got messy or the eggs cracked? I also have the cleanest 3 year-old on the planet, so messy isn't really an option. So, after bath time, on the eve of Easter, we put the dye pellets and cups out, and went for it. She absolutely loved it. The sense of pride on her face was priceless. "We colored eggs!". On Easter morning, still in our pajamas, we got out those stickers and finished the job.

Then we got dressed in our Easter Best (I made the girls some bunny rabbit hats. After the birthday party, dresses were too much) and we headed out to an egg hunt. It was the same one we did last year, in the garden behind a local restaurant where they grow vegetables for cooking. There were no more than 10 kids there, which means we were able to get some eggs! They were thrilled. Lulu also loved the chalk drawing.

The Easter Bunny was there, too. There was a bit of a role reversal, as last year Penny wasn't a fan...

...and this year Lulu had no use for him (just like Santa).

Then, we walked to the local park, played on the swings, in the grass, and on the jungle gym.

Later that evening, we put together an egg tree, from eggs my mom had left during her visit (and branches from a bush in the backyard that my mom had informed us was dead, and not coming back). Penny loved doing the egg tree so much that we took the eggs off four different times, decorating it again and again.

We posed next to the tree for posterity...

...and to recreate a family photo of my parents, my sister, Heather, and me. This photo must have been taken around 1977. My grandmother made our matching outfits! Some traditions carry on...(and by the way, is that Lulu sitting on my dad's lap?).

How much fun to make family traditions, and recreate moments from so long ago. Easter 2015 was so much fabulous, and we can't wait to celebrate so many more.

An Announcement

I've been ignoring this blog, but not without good reason. For the past few months, I haven't done much crafting. Truth is, I haven't felt well at all.

There's a good reason for that, however. Mr. Jones and I are expecting our first child in April. An unexpected souviner from our recent trip to Hawaii, we know we're having a girl, and we're so excited.

This raglan sweater is the first thing I've knitted specifically for her, and now that the sickly part of this pregnancy has mostly past, the crafting is back in full swing. I'm making things for her, and I'm making things for me. I've sourced a few great vintage maternity patterns, and am hoping to solve current and future wardrobe problems with them. I've also taken a "sew-cation"! I'll tell you about it very soon.

Thanks for still stopping by!

Update: Snow Treats...Shoveled Down!

These photos just in from a New York fan of choco-marshmallow treats:

Child is kept busy and entertained for brief but valuable moments while Mommy shovels sidewalks of constant Northeastern snowfall!

Snow Day Treats

I made my own marshmallows! I learned how here, and it was a fluffy, sticky, no-bake adventure! I melted a very nice chocolate bar once I cut the marshmallows, and streaked them with the tynes of a fork.

I also mixed up some hot chocolate mix. I wanted a mix you could add water to, not milk. I made a big batch, and packaged everything individually. I know the boxes are from Christmas, but since they're red, I'm pretending they're an early Valentine's treat.

The marshmallows, melting in the hot chocolate, are creamy and lovely and the whole thing has also peaked my interest in candy-making. Too bad I don't like candy.

Keep It Clean in 2009

Maggie and I made soap! I bought a silicon mold from the thrift shop back in Portland, and some olive oil soap base, vanilla essence, and colorings at the craft store here on the East Side.

They're all wrapped and ready to give as gifts, perhaps with some homemade shower caps. Does anyone use shower caps these days? Perhaps useful for a hot bath on a wintry day like today. Happy New Year!

Happy Wedding Gift!

For our friends Jim and Emily, who are getting married in England as I write this (congratulations, friends!), OJ and I made some custom embroidered pillowcases. The illustrations are from a 1950s coloring book I picked up at a thrift shop. OJ did the transfer, and I did the stitchery. Of the highest thread count, of course!