Friday 26 February 2010

Party!

Yesterday was Alex's birthday, he turned three. We have had two birthday parties, one on Sunday gone, for all his friends, and on the day itself we had the family over, the English side of the family that is. It's the first year Alex has really been aware of it being his birthday, and being able to look forward to it so it was a bit special. It's funny though with all the planning and preparing and cleaning, and then it is all over in about two hours, it is all rather knackering. Here is a few pictures from the day:



Alex on his birthday scooter, with his birthday hat!



With the cake



After the party in his new Postman Pat pj's

I haven't really had a chance to work on their height chart, not least because most flat surfaces has been covered in chocolate cake recently, but I have got some work done on a flower fairy cross stitch I'm doing for my niece Poppy. No prices for guessing which flower fairy. I'm going to add her name and date of birth to it when it's done, like a birth record. But it is quite big and fiddly, so I'm hoping to have it done for her 1st birthday, in December! This is what I've done this far:

Tuesday 23 February 2010

A few little projects

When my brother and I were little, our parents used to measure how tall we were on the kitchen door every so often. There was little marks in pencil telling us how tall each of us had been at various dates. When I was about eight, and my brother ten, we moved to a bigger house and of course the little house, with its kitchen door post, was put on the market and sold. I assume the markings were painted over before the sale. Anyway, I wanted to mark how my kids grow, and I wanted to be able to keep my markings, so already before Alex was born I decided that we were going to have a height chart, but I never really found one I liked, so I decided to make one. Now some time has passed, but last week I found a bag full of cot bed linnen, which we were given but never have used as we don't have a standard sized cot. Amongst those were a very pretty gingham duvet cover which I thought would be perfect for the purpose. Unfortunately I didn't think of taking a photo before I started, but here is what it looks like now:



I've just cut it in half the width, sewn it together again but under each other to make it twice the length. I then moved the white top bit so the teddy bear picture is still in the middle. I am going to mark out the chart bit, and embroider it, and then decorate it somehow. I think I'll use a few mini cross stitch kits with children's motifs I've got for free with various cross stitch magazines. I'll post a picture again upon completion.

I've got a couple of cross stitch projects on the go already. I started this little bookmark for David ages ago, before I when on maternity leave.



I've decided to try to finish it of soon, so I keep it in my bag and do little bits now and then when I'm on the bus, without the kids, but that's not very often.

I should get a chance to do some work on it today though, as I have to go in to work, in the City. Not to actually do any work you see, but to have a meeting with HR. It appears I might be made redundant, and they want to have a chat about 'my options'. Whatever they might be! I just wish I had had a chance to get a bit more rested, but Alex decided that 5am was a good time to get up, so I've been awake since. Tristan slept until eight. It's a bit annoying, because yesterday Alex slept until eight, but Tristan got up early!

Friday 19 February 2010

OK, here goes! I used to have another blog once upon a time, but due to work and other annoying things getting in the way I never really wrote on (in?) it. I've been thinking of starting again for some time, but I feel my old blog has grown somewhat hostile after being ignored for so long, I don't think we could ever start over again and patch up, so I started a new one.
At the moment I am all alone at home which is very rare, and also very nice, although I do have to go and pick up my little boys soon. They have spent a few hours at their nans today, she normally have them on a Friday as I attend a sewing course in the mornings, today there is no class as it is half term, but I had quite a lot to do as Alex turn three next week, and we are having a birthday party on Sunday. I have therefore been buying the last bits and pieces for the party and have made a start on the party food, I must admit that I opted for a bought cake in the end, simply because I couldn't find a big enough cake tin, very annoying, but I guess the main thing is that there is a cake there, and it's a chocolate one, as requested.
As I was out and about in wonderful Woolwich I popped in to the two charity shops they got there and I managed to get away with some fantastic bargains. I have been looking around for some fabric for curtains for the kitchen, but the ones I've seen have all been at around £9 meter, and as I'd need about 5.5 meter in total, it's just a little bit much right now, but lo and behold, I today found three big (ca 3x2m) pieces of fabric, with a lovely apple pattern on, which will look lovely, for £1.75 each! I also got loads of other bits of fabric, one blue polka dot one I'm thinking of making in to a circle skirt for myself, the rest I'm not exactly sure about yet, but they were really nice, and I'll think of something.
My plan is to write here about the things that I make, I am really just learning to sew you see, but I think I'm getting the hang of it, and I have loads of great ideas, and I am sure I'll be able to acquire the necessary skills as I go along. At least I hope so, headless optimism has always been one of my defining characteristics.
Either way, should I succeed or should I fail, I promise that I will post on here regularly on my progress, as well as on other things, at least once a week, I swear on my bright red KG shoes!