The dress lives on...

Here is another quick little make from Crafty Creatures (by Jane Bull).

Not a lot to say about it really, other than I am still using up little scraps from the baby dress. And see the trunk - already thoroughly chewed.

Must not waste any more time here for now, as (fellow Brits will appreciate this) the SUN IS SHINING. The girls are due back from swimming lessons in less than ten minutes, and then we are going to head straight to the park. With some brownies and a flask of hot chocolate. (It may be sunny, but it's not warm.)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

Jolly the Giraffe

Jolly the Giraffe - pattern from Crafty Creatures by Jane Bull

Remember the lovely purple dress I took the scissors to so I could use it to back my chevron crochet cushion?

I am still making things out of the dress scraps, and, this time it is something to give back to the original wearer.

Mum has just been up for the week, on `Grandma duty', while my back recovers after surgery (am now into the sixth and final week of not picking up Charlotte - hurray!). It has been lovely (having Mum here, that is - not picking up your own baby is as frustrating as you would imagine it to be).

We made quite a few things between us - some finished projects which I'll post about in time, and others that are still works in progress. This giraffe was one of several things from a book Mum bought with her - Crafty Creatures, by Jane Bull. I can definitely recommend it.

No prizes for guessing where the pictures were taken. Well, it would have been rude to let Mum go home without at least one trip to my favourite place for cake, wouldn't it?

And while we tucked into our treats, Charlotte chewed her way through each of her giraffe's limbs. Very soggy. But she most definitely likes her new toy - and so gone is any guilt I may have had about cutting up her beautiful little dress. It is bringing her more pleasure this way than if I had kept it in a box for her to bring out and glance at when she is grown up.

And that is all I have time to say today. Soon the girls will come bouncing home from school, and the chaos begins again. Yesterday, inspired by the book Mum gave us, we started making three little ponies. On a whim. I think our house is a mad house. Most parents in their right mind do not decide to embark on a crafty project after school just because their children have spotted something that `might be nice to make'. But, dinner was in the oven (my new favourite lazy but surprisingly healthy dinner of roast chicken and jacket potatoes), and all was calm. More about that when we have something finished to show you...

Her first dolly

The week that has just gone has not been without its frustrations.

Two out of four children have had the sick bug.
Our anniversary meal was postponed.
My sewing class was cancelled when the sick bug returned.
The middle girl was too poorly to take part in her Christmas play.
An operation (to remove a disc from my back) was scheduled for the next day.
The logistical challenge of arranging child care for everyone at short notice was met. (Thank you, friends!)
My voice went.
Baby Charlotte is teething and feels miserable as a result.
As we were driving to the hospital, the operation was cancelled.
The operation was rescheduled for New Years' Eve. (Yes, I know how to party)
My head feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool.
Meal times continue to drag and feel like a form of torture.

But, tomorrow is the last day of term. Bring. It. On.

With just six sleeps to go (that is how the littlest big girl is understanding how long to go until the presents under the tree can be torn open), I have a finished Christmas project to show off.

A dolly for baby Charlotte to dribble over.

I hope she will one day love those little shoes as much as I do. They are my favourite part of the dolly. And we'll ignore the slightly stumpy looking legs. I am still new to crochet, and I realised too late that the extra stitch or two I had some how ended up with on the first leg did make a difference. Still, there is nothing wrong with a pair of legs that look robust enough to dig some potatoes with.

I started the dolly ages ago, while we were away in Seahouses. So, for me, it will always hold lots of nice memories of relaxing times by the seaside. I started making it almost as an after thought, once the actual project I had taken with me to do was finished. Yes, this poor little dolly was made out of left over wool - apart from her arms. I ran out of wool, and that is why the long delay in finishing her. And also the reason she is wearing leggings! I liked the making process so much that I almost don't mind if she doesn't get played with lots.

And look. I spy a star garland!

The middle girl was with me (off school sick, watching CBeebies on the sofa next to me) when I finished the dolly for Charlotte. She kept asking to cuddle her for a bit longer before I finally prised her off her and wrapped her up and put her under the tree. Would you like one, then, I asked. Big grin.

And so, that will be the Mummy made present for the middle girl. She doesn't mind it will be late, as we have agreed we will have a special shopping trip together to choose the wool for her hair and clothes. Phew. That buys me some time.

The littlest big girl would like a rucksack. A bit like the penguin one the biggest girl requested last year, only a rabbit. Not too hard, hopefully.

As for the biggest girl, well, she was impossible to pin down. It seemed she was well, too old to really want a Mummy made present. Gulp. Until, the suggestion of something involving these sparkly beads was dangled in front of her. Watch this space.

There are lots of lovely things to be enjoying around here at the moment. It is busy, but a good busy. And so, if I don't get chance to say `hello' here before Christmas is over, well, I hope you have a fabulous one.

And, if you haven't commented already, there is still some time to enter the purse competition. I'll extend the deadline and draw a name from a hat on Christmas Eve. My own wish is looking ever closer to coming true. Step one is now complete, in that baby Charlotte's all night milk bar has been closed for over a week. And, the customer is happy. Now we just need to clear our house of that bug, swap the cat for a mouse, and we will be just like The Night Before Christmas.

Room on the Broom

My niece Caitlin is just brilliant. Anyone who'd like to argue with that can take it up with her proud aunty.

And, so, I shouldn't sound so surprised at the stunning Christmas present she (with a little help from her mum - also brilliant) for my little girls.

But remember, she is 13, and has owned a sewing machine for less than six months.

She made them a book bag, based around a book by one of their favourite authors, and a title which she knew they didn't yet have (thoughtful girl, my niece).

The bag was full of things she had made, aimed at bringing the story to life - plus a themed puzzle and some colouring for them to do, too.

I think the attention to detail Caitlin has taken throughout this project is just brilliant. The girls were absolutely thrilled when they delved into the bag, and it has been the present they have wanted to show off when friends have popped round to play.

I think the cat is my favourite!

Knowing how to grab the limelight, the central character of the witch is what they all fight over. Well, my girls do, at least. Other children seem to have slightly better manners in the task of sorting out the pecking order of who should be what.

They love wearing the hat and bow, and, waving the wand around in such a way that seems to ensure at least one out of the two other siblings gets accidentally whacked.

Oh, the frog. Maybe he's my favourite...

The dragon has been a huge hit with any boys that have come to the house. Which is also the point at which it all gets a bit noisy, as they break out into roaring contests.

So, a massive thank you to Caitlin for taking so much time to think up and make an utterly brilliant (there's that word again) present that we've all had fun with.

I may just be pinching your idea in the future. Or, commissioning you to make more...?

Not a little girl any more

New Year's Day is always a bit special in our house - it is the birthday of the gorgeous littlest girl. Or, the big girl, as she now insists on being called. Best you all know that, just in case you happen to bump into us in the street and mistakenly refer to her as a little girl. She will not hold back in correcting you, believe me.

Big frilly knickers!

Ever since I made the biggest girl this rag doll for her birthday a year and a half ago, the littlest girl has taken just about every opportunity to sneak up onto her sister's top bunk and have a cheeky play with her. You could be forgiven for wondering why it has taken me this long to give in and make her one of her own. Anyhow, her third birthday seemed like as good a time as any to make one.

And, as a girl is never too young to develop an appreciation of good fabrics, I treated her to some pretty Tanya Whelan for the dress and knickers. Despite the fact I had given the biggest girl the choice over fabrics at the time of making her version, there was an instant jealous cry of "Her's is better than mine!" when she set eyes on it. There is no denying this comment will have been carefully logged by the youngest, as she stood by listening (and grinning).

She has named her Emily, after her slightly older (and so much adored) friend. There are several toys named Emily in our house. Which gets confusing when the real life Emily comes round for a play.

I optimistically thought putting buttons on the back might help her master buttons on her own clothes. We'll see! Unlike her other dolls, this one seems to have been granted the privilege of being allowed to keep her clothes on. Maybe this is a sign of how much she likes Tanya Whelan prints? (Or, more likely, that she hasn't worked out how to undo the buttons...)

I'd put off making this until, er, the day before. Can you detect a pattern over my recent makes for others? I just didn't feel like doing it. But, actually really enjoyed it in the end. And it is really gratifying to see how much the littlest - sorry, big - girl loves it. Even if it is almost as big as she is!

Still, my next few makes are going to be just for me. Not sure what yet, but maybe something to wear. I'll let you know when I have found something that inspires me!

The birthday itself was a lovely occasion, with grandparents taking the three girls out to the pantomime, and then home for a little tea party. An no tea party in our house is complete without a cake covered in sweeties and some party ring biscuits.

The next day was official Pants Day for the three year old. Somewhat later than her sisters (due to her own stubborn reluctance to place her bottom anywhere near a potty or loo), and knowing she had impressive bladder control, we had agreed the age of three as her cut off point to voluntarily make the switch.

After a few Oscar worthy tearful attempts to plead for a return to nappies, this has been a raging success. Big sigh of relief all round. Amazing what the combined forces of salty crisps, squash, and the reward of a Smartie each time she trotted off to the potty can achieve. She has most definitely graduated to the status of big girl. And (if the frequency with which she announces to everyone she meets that she is wearing knickers now is anything to go by) she is very pleased with herself.

The Christmas tree and all the other decorations are now down and packed away in the loft for another year. That's it - festive cheer officially over!

Or not quite. For all you Marmite lovers out there, did you know there is a special edition sparkly version to be had at the moment? I know! My sister in law bought me this jar for Christmas (along with some other lovely edible treats), and I think some of this on buttery toast, along with a nice big mug of tea might be the perfect antidote to grey January mornings.

Can you see the sparkles?

Delicious. Or revolting. Depending on where you are on the Marmite spectrum. Happy Monday!

Play Town

Like the previous year, I limited my Christmas makes to one thing for each of my little girls. This time round though, I decided I would claim all creative credit for myself (rather than the elves), and let the girls flick through Oliver and S, Little Things to Sew, and choose something they'd like me to make for them.

Christmas morning - "Oh look! It's a monkey, Mummy!"

This turned out to be a lot of fun to make - and, if not for the fact it was made on Christmas Eve with obvious time constraints in place, I would have gone to town a bit more (ha, ha - get it) over this with a few extra buildings.

The cake shop we love

It was the request of the two youngest girls - and so, I took inspiration from some of their favourite places (and let's be honest, mine too).

The high point of their week is still going to the Arcade for sweets

Luckily for the girls, Father Christmas also shops at the old fashioned sweet shop in the Arcade in Bedford. Just as well, as sweetie necklaces were high up on their lists, so the tradition of their favourite sweets before breakfast on Christmas morning could live on.

The love of elephants goes on, and so I used the teeny tiny scraps I had left from a T shirt to make an elephant building. I had to hold my tongue when the intended recipient informed me in a very irritated voice that she didn't want the elephants to have an upstairs. Tough crowd to please, small children. Especially when they have very definitive ideas about how they want their imaginary elephants accommodated. A few sharp words were exchanged, and I think she is handling the disappointment and learning to be slightly more gracious about it.

"Hello, Mr Monkey!"

A monkey house - in honour of the car jumping monkeys at Woburn Safari Park. Wouldn't it be great if houses in real life could have Joel Dewberry designs all over the exteriors?!

Suggestions for additional buildings have already started coming in - including a Sainsburys, a school and a library. I think I'll wait and see how much this little lot gets played with first!

The houses came together pretty easily, though - even the cutting up of large foam blocks with the bread knife (which I had been dubious about) was fine. The play town is `such fun' to make. You can be as creative as you like over it, especially if you have young helpers making plenty of suggestions for you - the only real limit in my case being time!