Bags Of Prepartation

Both mental and physical prepartaion. Today is a first, my boys are spending the afternoon with a childminder. Phew. It's exciting as it means I can now do home visits and man a phone line and do a one-to-one drop in advice session but I have a very sick feeling. Nathaniel is very excited and has taken his lunch box to B's and is looking forward to playing with the other little boy there who is two too. Seb is smiling and laughing and his usual self (even after having an awful night with his teeth), I have filled his belly, sent some cheesie leeks, some rice and fruit and some EBM and his Doidy cup. I know in my rational mind that this will be wonderful for the three of us. They can have an adventure once a week with a lovely lady that I know will give them everything they need and love them. I can have some time for me and be someone other than Mummy.

In panic style, very true to my nature I knocked up some bags;

One for B to hang on the pram when she has the boys with enough room for everything they will need (no room for me though);

Spare clothes incase of spills, wet play or muddy puddles and a nappy packet;

Enough wipes for lots of dirty faces and bottoms;

And a new Boobie Kit Bag for me with enough room for everything I need;

That matches my eveidence file beautifully (even if I do say so myself);

Today I am not doing anything boobie related, I am having some me time (the first for a very long time) and I have already changed the beds, taken stuff up to the attic and done some laundry, next to do is hang the laundry, clean the bathroom, vac through, mop the floors and then maybe have a little sit down and sew and maybe watch 60 minute makeover as I know the woman who's on this week, she is the grandmother of one of Nathaniel's girlfriends!!

A Skirt And Some Bags

See all this time I was gone I was just thinking up a groovy new title!!

Things are just strange at the mo, I don't seem to have enough time or energy for anything really.

I did manage, just by the skin of my teeth to get my skirt made;

I'm quite pleased with my effort, it looks rather good even though it's a little roomy, even after tweeks. I had the problem that the widest part of my hip is the same measurement as my waist. I am keeping myself comforted with the thought that I have a majorly skinny ass and not that I have a big wobbly mummy tummy. So drawing the pattern block was a little odd, it looks fab on though and I'll be making more just as soon as the weather brightens a bit and allows one to wear legs again.

So what have I been up to, apart from making a skirt? Not alot really, my poor sewing machine is struggling and I spent two days trying to find the best place to get it looked at and mended and inbetween time swearing at it while I tried to complete projects. I had a birthday and got some lovely presents and just to make my day my lovely hubby bought home a beautiful NEW sewing machine from work. I knew there was a reason I'd married him! And in celebration I knocked out a couple of bags;

And that's all for now folks, chicken to roast and babies to get ready for bed and a sofa to sit upon. Hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later.

Daisie xxx

And The Cure Is...

...Green Pasta!!

Today was horrible, as I had suspected. Francesca was so brave but the noise was making me feel sick as he grabbed her tooth and twisted and pulled, I can't imagine what it must have sounded like to poor old Francesca!? She was very brave and only whimpered slightly. She collected her tooth in a little bag and some spare dressings (we used them all, thought we may have to go back as it took ages for the bleeding to stop) and a princess sticker. Fine. As soon as we were out of the door she crumpled and said "It really hurts!" We hugged on the pavement for ages with the blood and spit pouring own her chin :-( oh and the snot from crying! We were a charming sight!

She spent the afternoon laying on the sofa feeling sorry for herself. It must be sore as she hasn't even been sucking her thumb for comfort.

We collected Elizabeth from school in the car and came back to watch some telly and veg. Not sure what she would eat (but knowing she would be hungry by now) I asked if there was anything she fancied? The answer was without hesitation; green pasta!*


Green Pasta;

Table spoon olive oil.
A couple of onions, chopped.
A big fat clove of garlic, chopped.
A teaspoon chili flakes (or fresh equivalent).
Two large courgettes (or zucchini if we're being intercontinental).
Pasta of your choice.

Warm oil through in a pan with the garlic and chili, allowing flavour to infuse.

Add chopped onion and sweat (onions, not you!).

Add courgette and heat until cooked and tender.

Now before we had children I used to grate the courgette and let it float artily in the oil and serve with fancy tagliatelle and a big green salad. Since the children (well, Elizabeth really and her dislike of identifiable green veg) I just roughly chop everything and then when cooked I give it a quick blitz with a hand blender so it looks more like a pesto and serve on small pieces of pasta (like penne) that are easy to get on a spoon when you are only small and grate some cheese on the top (Francesca's favourite bit)!

She scoffed the lot and asked for more.

While the children watched some terrible version of postman pat (quite unlike any I remember as a child) I mananged to throw together the bag for the swap;


I don't want to show you anymore than that as am not sure if my partner is reading and don't want to spoil the suprise!

And now all the children are bathed and in bed asleep I am going to tackle my next project while Simon works late;


Update will follow (depending on whether my idea works or not).....

Daisie xxx

* please excuse all the crap on the dining table while my children eat. Normally I clear the table fully beofre we sit down to dine but as the children were tired I just fed them, only being three they fit round one side of the table so I can simply push everything to the other side! Bad, bad mother! x

Forced Imprisonment

The down side to having three children is that it seems when one gets better another one becomes ill. Poor Francesca spent all Sunday night being sick, her bed got changed many times but the little trooper did manage to make it to the toilet on two occasions! Yesterday she spent either asleep or crying, she is very hot and very sorry for herself (and I am quite sorry for her too). She decided that she would try and have a bath yesterday (as has sick in hair) if I would 'wash her like a baby' so off I went to get a deep bubble bath ready. By the time I came back to get her she was asleep, so Nathaniel and Elizabeth went in before tea. Francesca slept fitfully from four, only waking for more paracetamol.

But being trapped in the house tending Francesca, nursing my cold and entertaining Nathaniel has been quite a good thing. I did loads of sewing for the May Fayre at school, three hats and matching handbags. Francesca did let me put a hat on her as they look terrible when photographed unworn;



We had a very long cuddle afterwards as I am such a mean Mummy and felt awful for making her sit up!

Here are the bags that match the hats. All vintage floral cottons from my Mum's stash so probably not much younger then me;



I had a bit of the Cath Kidsonesque blue with pink flowers left so ironed on some interfacing and cut into flowers. I sewed some to denim squares and then sewed them onto white card blanks. They look really good but the photo was very crap, the flash kept insisting on going off and the white card was blinding. Will take some more pics when the sun comes out again.

Today I dug out this yummy piece of linen (John Lewis, no less) from my stash and using this tute as inspiration (didn't copy pattern just cut randomly as usual) made this lovely little shoulder bag;



I spotted a link for this tute in a post by the lovely Julie, thanks!! It's a really simple idea and looks fabulous, have already chopped one out in the fabric I used for my Mum's birthday bag. And am going to try and make a more child styled one for the girls for the summer.

Need to be off now giving lots of cuddles and I will try again to keep Francesca awake long enough for me to wash the sick from her hair!

Daisie xxx

Snot!

Sorry I have been away for so long but I have been feeling a bit poorly of late. If I was a man I would call it flu! I've had the shivers, the aches and lots of snot :-( feeling a bit better now though.

Not much making going on here this week.

I did make this lovely poppy bag for my Mum's birthday and filled it full of nice girly things;



I have also started making some cards for my new stockist at Botany Bay;



That's it for tonight and hopefully I will make something of interest in the next few days!

Daisie xxx

Just Call Me The Bag Lady!

Been busy mad sewing like a mad bag lady.

Here is half the bag order for the shop;




The picture is terrible and the bags are actually really yummy!

And we need to pop on over and wish Swirly a very happy birthday!

Daisie xxx

Party

Blimey (think I started with that yesteray, must find another clean expletive!) what a lovely day. Am very tired due to much smiling, being kind and patient with other people's children, and not snapping at Elizabeth as she whizzed round the house on a cloud of excitement.

This was last night's birthday cake, a lemon and orange sponge with orange buttercream icing;


I saved the cake 'proper' for the party today. Elizabeth, with some help from Clant, decided on having a Dalek. She wanted it to be blue and here it is;

The plunger and eye could have been better but I was rather pleased with the 'bobbles'. It all tasted rather good too!!

Here are the porcelain trinket boxes and picture frames that the girls painted at the party;

I will bake them in the oven tonight and deliver them one day next week. The girls also made bead bracelets and designed some cards, they are all lovely girls and very artisitic and talented!

Swirly made an Adipose for Elizabeth, needless to say it's brilliant and she loves it;

I didn't realise until it was too late that I hadn't photographed all the girls with their super duper party bags. Here are my girls' bags;

They turn into nifty little rucksack type things, ideal for kit bags for when they go back to school;

Daisie xxx

Ever Had One Of Those Days...?

Ever had one of those days where you seem to be breaking your back doing stuff and nothing goes right? Today has been one of those, it I was that way inclined it would drive me to drink!!

It started very early with a terrible smell, one of our cats, Hercule, has had a bit of an upset tummy, he is a very old man so we will forgive him but I was not impressed to venture downstairs and find very smelly, very runny cat poo all over my house! Argh! Thankful, yet again, that we don't have fitted carpets :-) Went flying round with the kitchen roll, a box of anti-bac wipes and a carrier bag before the girls came down and started to complain. OK, got it all, I think? Took everyone to school. Went to get some veggies and some sewing machine needles. Came home, opened the door and.....SMELL! No cats in, I booted them all out after their breakfast. Where was it coming from? Found a bit of a stain on the throw on the sofa so put that in the wash, febreezed the sofa and mopped the floors. Washed dishes (still there from breakfast, bad house wife!!) and set off to nursery to collect Francesca.

Came home, boiled an egg for Francesca, warmed pasta stuff from the other night for Nathaniel, had a quick sandwich. Checked email and had a look at my etsy shop; 21 people heart me :-)

Got sewing machine out to complete Heather's birthday handbag (nearly completed last night until mishap, that's why I had to go get needles). Not entirely happy with it;




but don't have any more of this fabric to try again, she'll love it anyway but I felt it wasn't up to my usual standard. To ease my conscience I made this little kilt pin brooch to go on it;




It has a small string of 'pearls', a string of red coloured wooden beads, a large wooden bead on an organza ribbon and a fabby mother of pearl antique button. Quite pleased with it, may try some more when I have time...

Then, after feeding Nathaniel, answering some questions from a very nice lady who came round to discuss post office closures in our area, long story, I turned this.....



into this.....

Then tried to make a dress for a little girl out of this fabby Laura Ashley fabric (I love it, I may turn some of it into a skirt for me) but it just didn't work. I reached the point when you start to think; 'who am I trying to kid, I can't do this?!'

Then it was time to go and collect Elizabeth from school, Nathaniel fell asleep in the pram, Francesca and I had a very strange conversation about electricity pylons (don't ask) and the sun was shining. Elizabeth was cheerful and lovely company when she came out into the playground, which is not always a given. We went to the park and had a swing and a slide, we saw some friends from playgroup who had come out for a walk in the sun. We strolled home picking daisies and dandelions from the grass and put them in our hair (no dog wee comments please!). Did spellings, I heard Elizabeth read while Francesca wore my one and only pair of heels. The children had tea and on the way up the stairs Elizabeth spotted the dress that went horribly wrong and asked if there was any of that fabric left as she really liked it, I said I'd see what I could do and then she said she'd have that dress "'cos it's just lovely, Mum". Made everything alright again, thanks darling!!!

Daisie xxx

Things That I made Today....

Another productive day here in the Davies' house, while the girls were finishing their breakfast (do all children take an age to eat or is it just mine?) I made a paper pattern for a handbag, an idea came to me. This is what I ended up with;




I think that it could perhaps be a bit fuller in the bottom and it needs a bit of tweaking but it's fully lined and I have stiffened the handles with plastic tubing, it looks really good. I like it, expect to see more in this style made from my amazing upholstery fabrics! While I did this the girls made a miniature seascape with some blue bubble-wrap at it's centre, quite cool.

Then we went into town to visit the post office and Poundland (for eBay packing materials) and had a good visit to The Works (bookshop) as they're closing down and lots of goodies are rather cheap. Then we went to see Lynsey and had some lunch, thanks Lyns!!

Home again mid afternoon to make a birthday card for the sister-in-law, then a brief walk to post it. Supervised Elizabeth making a card for her friend Ellie-Kay's birthday on Sunday.

I made this rather lovely mousy shirt for my niece, Mhairi, who will be 11 on Sunday. It came from my fabric finds of yesterday and it has a swirly whirly tail that goes round the back of the shirt;




Then I made this hot pink cord shoulder bag, with mouse, to put it in;




Finally I made this little oil skin number for Elizabeth to deliver Ellie-Kay's presents in;

I did also make a shepherd's pie but we ate that and I didn't take any pics!

Daisie xxx