I think imagination is a word...

"I think imagination is a word, it's like a dream but you're awake when you're having your dream..."

I know it' s not very 'adult of me' to watch children's programs on TV, but I think I have fallen in love with Small Potatoes.  The little child in me sings every time I hear the theme song.  Little O finds it very funny when I sing which in turn makes me laugh. 

This would have to be one of my favorites episodes....enjoy.

Anna
XO

I love a bit of bunting

Oh!  I just came across this and had to join straight away.  I loooove bunting!  I have made it for both my niece and nephew's room and made one especially for Little O's room for when he was born.  So many ideas, so many colour choices, do I sew, do I crochet??  What to make???

Please join and lets see if we can help Rachael achieve her goal (now if only I had a big enough house to hang it all).

Anna
XO

Crafty Challenges

So I’m letting you know that this post sort of comes in two parts.  Please bear with me, make yourself a cup of tea, take a seat, join me and come along for the ride....

The story begins a couple of months ago when two of the ladies whom I work with decided to do a “Chip-tox”.  For them, this meant that they would go 100 days without any form of chips what so ever.  Hot chips, potato chips, Twisties, Cheezels, if it was anything to do with a potato, or even closely related then it was banned for the 100 days.  Now I’m not going to say it was easy for them, there were days that they did struggle but we gave them as much support as we could and in the end they made it successfully.  Not a chip had passed their lips in those 100 days. 

One of these ladies just happens to be my boss, so a new concept was bought to one of our team meetings.  For the month of August we were all going to give up one thing.  We were given a week to all decide what this would be and then at the last team meeting in July we  all write down what it was we were going to give up and signed our names to it.  (Please don’t get the wrong impression of my boss, she is the loveliest lady and all this was done in fun, and some people did decide to take this really serious and give up some big things). 

We had people giving up chocolate, coffee, bread products, Face book, soft drinks, one even gave up being lazy and decided to committee to an hour exercise session (of any type) once a day for the month, and then came the big stuff, one lady decided to give up smoking.  I on the other hand really struggled with this, I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink coffee, I have to limit my chocolate intake anyway due to food allergies,  I really had no idea...

...and then it hit me!

 What is the one thing that I am guaranteed to buy at least once (maybe twice) a week? 

Craft materials! 

Anything from wool, to threads, to papers, to hooks, to needles, I have never been one to pass up a craft bargain or new product.  So that was my thing, I had to give up purchasing any new products what so ever for the month of August.  Now when I made this decision it didn’t occur to me that I had not only my birthday during the month (I love a good birthday craft spend up), but also my nieces and my own Little O’s.  How could I make things for them if I can’t buy any new products?

It was time to sort through the stash.

This ‘sort through the stash’ might sound easy but it’s not really when you have it all in different places around the house.  I wish I had a little craft studio or my own special room but I don’t so my craft supplies are all in little hiding places around the house.  It took me several days to get it all together but in the end I was able to successfully find everything that I needed and it didn’t look like  I was going to have to purchase a thing.

For my niece Miss C I was able to make her knitted doll (see previous post below) out of wool that I already had in my stash, but for my Little O I was going to be a bit more creative...

As previously mentioned there was a theme to his party and I was going to be limited to my colours, but I was able to gather supplies that I think complimented it.  It was hard work especially when it came to making his present. I didn’t have the right colours but I just had to make do...

And in the end I think I was successful.  Little O had the most wonderful day for his party, the winter sunshine was glorious, the children were outside playing, the adults were also enjoying themselves, all in all I think I did a good job and not a new craft product in sight!

Anna

XO

Pretty in pink or purple

As I have mentioned before I love making things for people especially the little ones, and recently I was able to par-take in my favorite past time as my little niece Miss C is about to turn one.  I found this pattern book a little while back and have been waiting for the perfect time to make something from it.  Miss C's birthday is the perfect opportunity. 

When it came to deciding on exactly what it was I was going to make for her I knew that I wanted a doll but what colour choices.  Miss C's room is a mixture of both pinks and purples and really how can you decide on just one colour.  And then I found the solution, why not do both... a little pink doll AND a little purple doll!  So I present to you Miss Rose and Miss Lavender (apologies for the photos, it was a very overcast day when I took these).

They are Topsy turvey dolls. When you want to play with one doll you just pull down the skirt section over the other dolls head and arms.  Apparently Master B (Miss C's older brother who is 4 yrs old) was playing with the doll all night going "Now she's pink, now she's purple, now she's pink, now she's purple".

And of course I had to make something else so here is another little present that we gave to Miss C as well...

The beanie pattern can be found here (a fantastic design by Jennie Harrell).  The crochet flower brooch is my own design.  I decided not to sew the flower so that this way the beanie can be worn without it, or the brooch can be worn on something else like a cardigan or little jacket.

And because a girl can never have too many accessories I also made a pink crochet flower brooch too.

Happy Birthday Miss C, we hope you have a fantastic day!

Anna
XO

Hoot Hoot Hooray, it's my birthday!

Little O is soon to celebrate his 2nd birthday.  Can you guess the theme?  He's a big Hoot fan, running up to the telly every time Hoot comes on. I think at the moment his favorite words might be "hoot, hoot" as he repeats it over and over again.    This is my version of Hoot that went on his party invitations.  It was rather cute as he watched me make them, each time I finished a card he would "Hoot, Hoot" with a big smile on his face.  I must admit it is a bit of an obsession for Little O at the moment, but I think a harmless one, and one that I am more than happy to share with him.

Anna
XO