Comfy craft pockets

I worked on these a few weeks ago and had it mostly completed except for one pocket on which I wanted to stitch some of Rosie's artwork. That is now finally done and the pockets are complete.
So, back to the beginning... I've been hooked on Amanda Blake Soule's book 'Handmade Home' which I've had for a few weeks now. In her book she has a very similar design for hanging pockets which her children use to store anything they like. I thought it would be perfect to hang near our craft table which tends to gather all sorts of items from old artwork to books and toys and other paraphernalia. I took Amanda's idea of re-purposing fabrics and used an old woollen baby blanket for the backing - this gives it a weighty and solid feeling which I like. The pockets are simply pieces of colourful fabric I already had. It was simple and easy. The final pocket is made of calico with one of Rosie's drawing stitched on by me (this is my favourite pocket :-).
I took the girls for a walk a few weeks go to find a gum branch that had fallen from the tree and was straight enough to suspend the hanging pockets from. This was special because we used something from nature, and going to find it was a treat for Rosie (and me).
It has pride of place in our house.

From seeds to seedlings

I'm determined this Spring and Summer to grow my veggies from seeds myself, and to just grow a lot more of them than in past years. I want to produce enough so that we don't need to buy veggies, and in the future enough fruit so that we don't need to but that either. But overall the force driving me the most is the example that I'm setting for my girls, the learning that they are and will get from this and the happiness I can give them as we work together in the garden.
It's just such a lovely dream of mine to grow things together and it's a special time when we are creating our garden together.

Market sewing

This is market time of year, I guess in the lead-up to Christmas, and I have been part of a stall with some lovely ladies where we sell some of our sewing. For me, and I think for all of us involved, it's inspirational to get together and sew different things, to see what we are each into at the moment, and to compare sewing books and fabrics (and of course talk about our children and the garden and lots of other things).
We've done one already where I made some hanging garlands from felt (see photo - I'm not sure what to call them but they're lovely hanging in our house). And for the next market day I've been appliqué-ing shapes of nice fabric onto t-shirts. It's been fun and has me sewing - something I'm enjoying more and more :-).

Salted spiced choc-caramel slice

Yesterday I made some of this yummy slice with some help from Rosie. I found it in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine from last Easter and had tried some made by someone else back then. The short story - it turned out very well and was delicious.
I've made regular caramel slice lots of times before, but only once has it really turned out how it should. Often the base falls off or the caramel is too runny and the slice doesn't hold together. But this recipe was no more work and turned out to be a perfect gift to share with friends :-). And the spice and salt added some extra interest!

Rosie's quilt rug

I've been working on a rug for Rosie's floor based on a quilt backed by a thick woollen baby blanket that I got from an op shop.

It's been in progress for a few days now and is just completed for her floor. As I've stitched over the last few days I've imagined the happy times Rosie will have on this rug - the reading, the playing the dress-ups. Each stitch has been a symbol of my care and love.

For this is a rug to be stood on, yes, but its colours are also a source of inspiration in al, seasons - cool blue for Summer, rich purple and reds to warm her up in Winter, greens for Spring and orange for Autumn.

It's a rug to ground Rosie, literally and figuratively, through her feet and her heart.

As I stitch I imagine all this and I smile :-)

Word play!

I love the way Rosie learns our language. She really has her own version of English (don't we all?) and I love her idioms and the way she plays with words - the way they sound when she says them, the way they look when I do 'curly joined together writing', the way they look when she writes them and reads them back. Its such a rich area of learning, and so critical to unlocking the world around her now and in the future. This literacy play is really so integral. And I'm only just beginning to understand this as a mother and former teacher.
But we do play with words and language in our home quite a bit. To me its a game to be played wherever and whenever we can. From felt letters on the kitchen table to play with at mealtimes, to a blackboard I leave secret messages on, to writing letters on Rosie's back for her to 'feel'...writing and thus reading are integrated into our play and our home.

Writing and reading can happen anywhere - the fridge, on a floor cushion, on the wall. Learning is unlimited here and I like it like that :-).

Family bike rides

A beautiful day for a family ride today. We skirted past the lake, the park and the library with Rosie out the front on her bike and Bethany and I together (her in the trailer). There's something important and lovely about riding together rather than taking a car. It slows us down, let's us
notice things together and eases most tensions that might have arisen during the morning. And Rosie is fast becoming a proficient rider with speed that can tackle small hills and gravel. We are starting to explore on bikes more and more.

Family art table runner

I got crafty last night after a couple of days of thinking about this project. I love the way it uses Rosie's artwork (stitched by me onto some calico) and celebrates her creativity and childish wonder at the world. AND it sits on our kitchen table of course so we get to see it often.
I'd like to say that the idea was all mine but I was inspired by Amanda Blake Soule's table runner in 'Handmade Home' and mostly copied it from her.

Rosie loves that her artwork is immortalised on the kitchen table, at least for the Summer anyway. It feels good to show that she's important in a tangible, lasting way.