Dyeing gDiapers

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Before we had our daughter, I did a lot of research into the types of cloth and eco diapering options that are currently available. Eventually I settled on gDiapers, as I wanted to have one kind that would work well in the many different situations we find ourself in at home, while traveling, and while she is in the care of others. I love the flexibility of the different types of inserts (the absorbent part). After about the first month, we settled into using organic pre-folds as inserts and occasionally the biodegradable inserts when on the go. 

Happy New Year

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It hardly seems as though it's the end of the year with the rush and bustle of the holiday months still ringing in our ears. But there's the date - January 1st. 

Perpetual Calendar with Friends

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I have quite a list of posts waiting on the back burner. This morning, I finally got time to snap the pictures for this one. 

Several months ago I came across this link/pin, and was inspired to make our own perpetual calendar.

I needle felted seasonal clothing for four wooden peg dolls. I'm excited to gain greater awareness of days, months and seasons passing through this simple ritual of keeping our daily calendar current.

In case you're thinking, "ok, two blocks, six sides each... waitaminit..." 

Here's how it works. Both blocks have 0, 1, and 2. One block has 3, 5, and 6, which doubles as 9. The other block has the 4, 7, and 8, to complete the set.

Now we just have to decide where we shall keep our calendar!

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Introducing Wee Willow Catkin

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Inspired by this doll and its poem that reminded me of a similar poem, and sewn with a materials kit from this shop, I made C's first doll. 

Going Back to Basics - Use Your Scraps

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There are many things that past generations did as a matter of course that we are just beginning to bring back now - such as bringing bags to carry goods home. I am so thankful that  throwaways are becoming less and less favorable. 

For many reasons I've sought to minimize my use of plastics and have always preferred natural materials. When buying or making toys or other stuffed objects I've always tried to use cotton or wool, but due to cost have succumbed to the ease of poly-fill on more than one occasion. 

Homemade maple teething necklace

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Even before I had an amazing child of my own, I saw and admired beautiful carved teething necklaces.  They seemed like such a simply beautiful piece of craftsmanship and yet their hefty price tags always turned me away.

Baby knitting and looking forward

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It's been two and a half months since the birth of our daughter. These months and this incredible person light up my life and are teaching me patience, and so much more. While many things fall to the wayside with a newborn, I was able to sneak in some knitting. 

Pebble Magnets

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I have a fondness for small stones as many windowsill in our house can attest. On walks I often find myself with a few choice pebbles in my pocket tracing their edges with my fingers. 

I also love magnets. A couple years ago I combined my love for magnets with a couple other loves and made vintage typewriter magnets. This time, it's pebble magnets.

Recovering our Diningroom Chairs

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For my birthday (almost two months ago) my mother and I recovered the chairs to the dining set that came to us almost a year ago. Thanks mum!

The set originally belonged to my great-grandparents (Agnes and Nelson Johnson) and made their way through several lives to our home. My grandmother had recovered them years before they arrived here, and while I have a fondness for anything so "her" the stuffing was showing through and it was time for their next life.

Heavy duty cleaning cloths

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A little over a year ago, I made a holder for un-paper towels. While I love them and use them daily, I found I need a sturdier cloth for some jobs. The un-paper towels are perfect for any job where paper towels would do the trick but even though they're cloth instead of paper, something a little heartier is called for when it comes to more significant cleaning jobs.

Inspired by this post, I decided to make my own.

Latest Painting - finished at long last

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Sometimes things take a while.

24"x36" Acrylic on Canvas

I began this painting in the old apartment, about 4 years ago. 

A month ago inspiration for how to finish it appeared. After a few weeks of adding the lacework and finishing the background I put the final touches on it last night.

It is moments like these when I fully realize how important it is to believe that things will happen well in their own time, if we will only be patient.

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Functional Decor - picking a project back up

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A couple years ago, I decided to make a copper wire tree. I have seen similar wire trees in window shops for years and decided to try my hand. Instead of using thin wire, I used a thicker gauge, hoping to make it a functional piece to hold jewelry.

The tree tipped over too easily without a strong base and so it was shelved until the muse felt like visiting again. 

She visited last week. I've been searching for inspiration for a piece of art for the bedroom and it struck me that I could not only create a base for the tree, but could incorporate it into a larger piece of work. 

A quick trip to the basement to see if we had any suitable materials quickly evolved into this:

A functional piece of art that incorporates two abandoned projects, scraps from the basement, and parts of a long unused household item.

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a topper for our tree

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I love traditions, and I love celebrating. A loved tradition that my husband and I have been able to bring along and make our own is our Christmas Tree. As we continue to purge and downsize our physical belongings and the entourage of stuff we possess, our tradition of a little tree has been able to stay with us. While it was originally a necessity because of the size of our apartment (and budget) it has become a matter of pride. 

 

New Windows!

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Work trips, being sick, school deadlines, our newest addition to the team, as well as the work that goes with the change of seasons would be enough but on top of that we got all of our windows replaced! 

 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

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I've come across many recipes for homemade laundry detergent and have always kept them in the back of my mind to try. I even got all the ingredients and had them around for months. Finally our detergent ran out. We went to the store to get more and managed to walk out with everything we needed but not the detergent.

Kitchen Blackboard

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It's been quite a while since I discovered the existence of blackboard paint  - paint that creates a blackboard surface. While I enjoy the idea of a blackboard wall (how I originally saw the paint used), our kitchen has no feasible walls for this purpose. After one of the last kitchen-reorganizations we ended up with a big empty space on one wall.

(taken at night) 

Painting the Livingroom - Another pre-party project

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One of my big goals for the summer break from school was to paint my living room.

Quirky Lamp - my favorite piece from Ceramics II

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I finally got around to finishing the wiring on one of my pieces from my ceramics class last semester. Thanks to my mum for the nudge and some of the parts!

HappyBunny Pincushion

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Over the past few weeks I've starting doing a bit more sewing again and found myself frustrated with my pincushion. I'd been coveting a wonderful little number I found on etsy but couldn't justify the expense to replace something I already have. Then it dawned on me. I could sew my own! (Gasp!)





Among the plethora of different patterns I quickly found online was a lovely tutorial for the exact same kind of pincushion I had been eying!  A few quick minutes later and I was all set!







I used fabric from my stash, stuffed it with wool from my stepfather's flock, and held together with two vintage buttons that were a present from my brother and his lovely lady.







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Usefullness of scraps - making things from remnants

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There is something so satisfying about making something useful out of the leftovers from another project.  I love making solutions to our needs out of materials we already have at hand.

 I am so grateful to have the tools and space to make these things for our home.