Birthday Sewing

Soon it is Lucy's 3rd birthday. In exactly one week tomorrow, my little baby will be a big girl. Three is a mile stone isn't it?
So I will be busy every evening of this week with this Clothkit doll.

Sharing the Crafts...

About 18 months ago I came across a fantastic shop in my hometown in Germany. It is called 'Kunst und Handwerk Geschenkeladen', which translates to 'Art and Craft Giftshop'. People of different craft backgrounds are sharing this shop. Each has their own shelf space, which they decorate with their handmade items to their own needs and liking.

This idea impressed me so much that I always thought it would be a great idea to bring over to Northern Ireland. It is fantastic if you want to sell your own things, but are never able to create enough to fill a whole shop. Unfortunately I think the rent for a retail unit would be so high that you could never afford it. Well, you are allowed to dream...

image is copyright of Kunst und Handwerk

Return to the blog!!!

OMG! I have got to be the worst blogger of all times!

So much has happened since September. First of all, I had our second little baby girl on the 16th November 2010.


We called her Mia and love her to bits. She is such a great addition to our family. Lucy is coping with the change quite well. She loves Mia and keeps telling her, too. BUt I have been drowning in nappies and sick children, washing and house work, hence my very bad absence fro the blogging and crafting world :(

I did have a few crafty projects going on since last summer though. The most important one was Mia's crochet blanket.


I worked seven weeks on it, doing a little bit every evening as I was way too tired and pregnant to do lots in one go. Luckily I had it all finished before she was born. I only have this photograph of it as it is being used all the time. I do get a lot of compliments for it but I do have to say, the idea wasn't mine. I saw a blanket like that on Carina's blog.
During the end of the pregnancy I just couldn't face making anything. I was so sore all the time and very tired. I couldn't even go online and look at all the wonderful blogs. i feel like I have lost the connection and will take me long time to get back into the outline of the circle ;) But I will get there!

Then my friend Jill had a little baby girl four weeks ago. Baby Ella is a beautiful little sister to her older, already very pretty girl Naomi. So, I had to make some presents of course. And this is the result:

a pair of baby booties


and a doll for Naomi


I have seen the clothkit doll for the first time here and just thought it was the cutest thing. I also bought two for my girls. Still have to make them though.

My latest project is another blanket for Mia. You can never have enough pretty colourful blankets to keep your precious baby warm!


This is the Vintage Vertical Stripe Blanket, which I have seen first on the Attic24 blog, but comes originaly from here.

Lucy's New Room

The move has finally happened! Lucy has moved int her new bedroom two weeks ago.

I think I mentioned it before, but my pregnancy brain is like a sieve at the moment and I have not enough energy to read through all my previous posts, so here goes again: Due to the birth of our second child in November, we decided to move Lucy into a different room and use her old room as the nursery again. So, the plan was, to give her a whole new, very grown up big girl's room. Since April, i have spent time on decorating the room. Several trips to IKEA have taken place by me and my husband and it seems like endless afternoons of painting. With a toddler, who wants to be involved in everything and help all the time, I only ever got an hour here and there. Therefore the painting process of the trees was the longest of the whole decorating.

I am very pleased with the outcome. The trees are slightly wonky and I think over the years there will be more things added. But for now it does the job. Lucy likes it and has settled in well. It probably helped that she has slept in her bed already since March and was therefore in a safe and familiar environment. Anyway, you can make up your own mind:







Just for a small update: I have now only 8 1/2 weeks left till due date. i am fed up, sore and tired. My back is sore, and lately my legs are killing me also. i am not comfortable at night anymore either. On nearly a daily basis I feel very lonely and emotional. I am strongly hoping for this baby to come a little bit earlier. But hey, I don't want to just moan all the time. I am glad all went well so far!

Baby Goodness

My very good friend Fiona had a little baby boy nearly three weeks ago. Congratulations!!! He is a very gorgeous and quiet little boy.

I have been crocheting a blanket for weeks now


and luckily got it finished just in time for my first visit. But I knew I also wanted to make her a bag. So I spent nearly three days solid a couple of weeks ago on the sewing machine and again got it finished just in time.



The pattern is from Anna Maria Horner's new book, which I can only recommend for anybody who either just had a baby, is expecting one or likes to give handmade presents rather than mass produced ones. I have been making blankets now as presents for over a year and can hardly imagine ever buying a baby present again. The book has lovely patterns for different things and I will certainly make some of them for our own little baby.
There is also a changing mat for the bag.


I filled the bag with a few goodies:



My favourite is the book. It helped me a lot through difficult times in Lucy's first 18 months. The book describes different phases of mental development of children and why they can be a bit more difficult than usual in those times.

This was my last baby present. From now on its all for our own little one. I still have until November, which isn't really that long I guess.


P.S: I have been writing on this post for a week now I think. So, my apologies if it doesn't flow, but I was having difficulties concentrating on it. I am feeling like that a lot lately: restless and bored. Must be the fact that I am soon entering my third trimester and its all coming to an end...

Oh my.....I cannot believe that it has been nearly two months since my last post. how bad am I?

Life is crazy at the moment. I will not pretend that I find it all easy going, looking after a toddler, who is in her terrible twos, while being pregnant and getting heavier. Today I think I started to waddle....yes, we are at that stage now. Any lady out there, who has been pregnant or is pregnant at the moment will understand what I am talking about. Your legs feel heavy and your whole gravity shifts to the front. You are not quite as mobile anymore and therefore have to walk like a freaking duck. But hey, it's all good.

On Monday ware having our big 20 week scan, where they check all the organs and where we can potentially find out if we are having a girl or a boy. I am really excited and cannot wait. We found out with Lucy, too. I know there are a lot of people out there who will say say love the surprise. But hey, it's a 50/50 chance. No BIG surprises there. You are either having a girl or a boy, right? Anyway I am one of the curious, nosy ones who has to find out ;)

Lots of people seem to be having babies in this part of the world. Two friends of mine, whom I met when Lucy was a little baby, just had their second children (for one of them I made the blanket above). My very dear friend Fiona is due at the end of the month (any time now really) with her second baby (how exciting). And another girl I know found out she is pregnant a few weeks after I found out about my pregnancy. Is it in other parts of the world like this, too at the moment?

So, anyway, I have been tired a lot and feeling nauseous, which means I have not been up for much crafting lately. But at the moment I am making another blanket, which I will not be able to show you until the person has received it as she snoops around here from time to time ;) and I will be doing some sewing soon also, which again I will be showing you a little later.

The only other thing I wanna say is: if anybody out there has any experience with a Phil and Teds tandem buggy please let me know how you got on. Thanks a million and I hope you are all well. Have a nice weekend

Lucky

Yesterday I got a real proper surprise in the post. And it just made me feel the luckiest girl alive. You know, when someone gives you something that makes you feel really special and honoured? And you are asking yourself: Why me? Why did I receive this great gift?
Well, my favourite blogger pal and online friend Carina send me her beautiful embroidered brooch that she only recently showed on her fantastic blog.



I shall wear this with pride :)