Christmas crafting

My heart is set on as many of our Christmas gifts as possible being hand made, so the Christmas crafting has begun. Inspired by Pip's gorgeous necklaces, I spent a couple of hours rolling, making and baking beads yesterday afternoon, for some special people in my life. A rather satisfying way to spend an afternoon. I do think they are looking a bit cute. I can't wait to get some pretty string to thread them on and play with the combinations of colours and shapes. 

There may even be enough beads for a necklace for me...

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PS. November is looking like a creative month indeed, with the inspirational Kootoyoo initiating a month of my creative space. I will be playing along via Instagram. More details here.

Like colourful jewels

Recently I was given some old jars and tins full of beautiful old buttons and wooden cotton reels. In my excitement I sat on the floor at Dave's fathers house, sifting through my bounty, as Cohen picked up the occasional button or peered over my shoulder.

Jars of buttons always remind me of my Mother and Grandmother. There are two things I tend to think of. Sitting, legs crossed beneath me, buttons poured out in front of me, whiling away the hours in my Mothers sewing room as she worked. Examining and admiring each button. Sorting them into groups or pairs. Designing button rainbows. Gathering the old pins, buckles and tacks into a separate pile, before scooping them all back up again and re-filling the jars and tins from whence they came. Handfuls of buttons slipping from my fingers and landing upon each other, creating a most satisfying sound.

Or else I think of the curtained door that lead into a sewing nook at my paternal Grandmothers house. It was a room we weren't allowed in as children. We would wander through the rest of our Grandparents house while the adults spoke over tea. Running our hands over the antiques, peering into the black and white faces in the photographs, turning hat pins over in our hands, reading titles on the spines of books, waiting to be taken to the beach. Fiona and I snuck in to that room several times over the years though. We dared not touch anything. Shelves stood from floor to ceiling and were stacked with fabric, jars, tins, and odds and ends. An old Singer sewing machine sat on a small table. Large silver scissors hung from hooks. Tape measures hung limply or were coiled tightly. But mostly I remember the jars of buttons, like colourful jewels. So beautiful, and so disappointingly off limits.

I wonder what ever happened to those buttons.

Surprise Packages

A cold is doing it's second round of our household presently. Cohen's spirits remain high, though I have been feeling rather miserable and poor Emerson is comforted only by being held. Everywhere there are tissues. The weather is overcast and rainy. Making for quiet, pyjama clad days indeed.

Yesterday the postman left a brown box on my door step. Inside the kraft paper there was most certainly a book, though which book I could not say. I only knew that Kylie mentioned she'd sent me a gift. I wiped a nose, settled a baby, made a cup of tea and extracted the contents with anticipation. I was not disappointed. I have long admired Kylie's taste and sense of style. Though strangers in real life, we have been reading each others blogs the past three years. She has chosen for me perfectly.

'Labour of Love: Knitting patterns for treasured girls,' by Danish knitwear designer Vibe Sondergaard is full of special knitting patterns. The following three are among my favourites. Sweet, feminine and not too childish, each knit would surely be a treasure.

Thank you Kylie! I am looking forward to knitting something for you in return.

My Creative Space

Although I have been mainly knitting of late, I did finish this crochet ripple cot blanket for a friend's gorgeous baby girl. It was lovely to get out the hook again. It really is so much quicker than the needles. And I do believe that every baby needs a handmade blanket.

Pattern: Lucy's Neat Ripple Pattern

Improvised border: Alternating three double crochet with one double crochet between each row

Ravelry.

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More Creative Spaces here.

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Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $50 gift voucher from inHomewares.

Admiring

- the special-ness of handmade baby items
- the sweet hand knitted booties made by Nell
- (chubby baby legs)
- cute hand crocheted slippers, gifted to Emerson from Tammi
- darling hand crocheted bunting, gifted to Emerson from Kylie
- the generosity of bloggers.

Many thanks indeed.

Special Parcels

There have been a few parcels in my letter box of late, in the way of gifts and yarn. Wrapped in vintage sheeting and tied with a special ribbon and a note, Tania sent Emerson these gorgeous vintage baby dresses to add to her collection. I'm lost for words at the thoughtfulness and generosity. Thank you again Tania! They are such darling little dresses and I am sure you will be spotting them on the blog in future.

Also in the mail, that bunny to the right of the photo was the contents of this parcel. A sweet little nightlight from Little Brown Mouse, Emerson's Easter gift. (Though Cohen is utterly fascinated by it.) And in another parcel, my new wool arrived from America, which I shall share with you tomorrow.

Oh, I do so love finding parcels on my door step, or hiding in my letter box!
And you? Have you had any special mail lately?
A post card? A parcel? A handwritten letter?

Grateful

Feeling incredibly grateful for the warm welcome and wonderful gifts Emerson has received since her arrival. From a gorgeous parcel containing hand knits with the sweetest bunny buttons from a lovely friend, to her first piece of jewellery, engraved with her name and birth date, from her loving Grandpa Lowry. (I may have cried when he gave us this. I still have my own baby bracelet.) So too, vintage receiving blankets, soft toys, rattles, clothes, booties, bibs and cards. This generosity has been matched only by the thoughtfulness behind each gift.

Seeing all these special items in the nursery, each with a story, reminding us of all the people we love in our life, has made the room feel so much more finished and part of our home. And for that I am more than a little grateful too.

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For as long as I can remember I have had a 'Grandma' Doris, who I love dearly. She has been neighbours with my family for over thirty years. And although strictly no relation whatsoever, she has delightfully filled the role of Grandmother and continues to to this day. Proving that sometimes you can indeed choose your family.

In the same way, Cohen and I have adopted an extra Mother in law. Gratefully appropriating my sisters lovely Mother in law, Clare, into our little family. Now, as Doris was to me, Cohen also has an extra Grandmother. And I have a kind, supportive and thoughtful 'Mother in law.'

Above is a little 'thinking of you' package she sent me recently.

Do you have special people in your life you've adopted into your family?

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Hooray for birthday presents from lovely twin sisters! The sweetest locket and little papery goods from Emily Martin.

Thanks dear sister! xx

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A perfectly lovely gift from my dear sister. Carried back from Melbourne, in her suitcase, amongst other gifts for Cohen and myself. A Rosie poster and Rosie tea towel, complete with needle and thread. Though I'm really not sure whether to use it as a tea towel, cut it up as directed or hang it up on the wall. What would you do?

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Also loving the stitch your journey tea towel.

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Thank you again for your well wishes. By tonight I shall be able to hug and kiss my little boy again. I am really hanging out for a big Cohen cuddle. I'm not very good at hands off mothering. I am feeling well, just very tired, which I hope the medication will help with soon. How wonderful and supportive my family have been. I also hope the radioiodine has done it's job and I'm not set to repeat this ordeal in six months time.

Thank you also for the lovely comments on the dress and the other sewing of late. I finished my Christmas sewing yesterday with these 'Cute as a button' purses from Pip's first book. Where would I have been gift wise this year without Pip? She has helped to make it a handmade Christmas indeed. I also managed to make myself a dress. I'll take some photos once it's washed and pressed.

Here's to a lovely Christmas and a wonderful and healthy New Year.

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Thank you all for your well wishes yesterday. The nerves beforehand were the worst part, the actual scan and capsule were relatively simple. The one meter rule with Cohen is already breaking my heart. He fell over and burst into tears almost as soon as we walked out of the hospital. It's quite difficult to suppress the mothering urge to pick him up immediately, and instead be required to stand back and wait for someone else to soothe him. I keep having to remind myself, and Cohen, that I'm 'sick'.

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This is the sewing that was occupying my attention Sunday. Christmas gifts for our little friends. Three Pj bags from Pip's sweet new book and some little library/toy bags. I also received this lovely parcel from my friend Melissa. Books, fabric, wool and a the cutest vintage cot sheet. She knows the way to my heart for sure. Thanks Melissa.

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Edward and Lilly stall

Liana Kabel knitting earrings

Bespoke Press gift tags

What a lovely market! While my sister and I perused the stalls, bubbly in hand, Cohen had his Daddy chasing him all around. Fiona pointed out her perfect Christmas present earrings. We are quite hopeless at keeping gifting secrets from each other. (Which works out swimmingly for us. We always get a gift that we really love.) While the gorgeous tags from Bespoke were much too hard for me to resist. Who doesn't love pretty letterpress? 

Although we walked around the market a few times, we still weren't able to see everything, as there was quite a number of people there. I would have loved to have had a better look at a few things, but Cohen was tiring Dave out. We made out way into the Mall for dinner and more shopping. I even managed to buy myself two dresses. I love having sisterly advice when trying on clothes. Twin sisters never lie about clothing, in case they want to borrow it one day.

Whoosh...

Loving birthday presents...