Kina

I'm ashamed to admit that this lovely piece of buttercup warmth lay unfinished and idle for too long as I sulked about it.  If you remember I had a few issues with too many stitches and after the eleventy hundredth tantrum over it, I huffily tossed it into the bowels of my knitting basket.

Initially I eyed it off with disdain and happily pulled out other projects as if to say, "Ha, ha, I'm not knitting you again today you villainous lemon yarn!" Then the guilt slowly crept in and I found myself covering over the ever so squishy ball of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with other yarns so I wouldn't have to look at it.

But finally I mellowed. My bad mood had lifted and I was in the right frame of mind to tackle it again. And just in time as winds have sprung up here to rival Dorothy's Kansas to Oz breeze.

Once I got past the iffy part (absolutely nothing wrong with the pattern...just the knitter!) it was smooth sailing and provided that simple back and forth kind of knitting perfect for hauling out into the Autumn sun whilst the wee babe slept and the bigger babe bounced.

I couldn't have dreamt up a more fitting button for my little flittery butterfly than this gorgeous wooden one from Tangled Yarns (simply the best yarn shop in the world...and they post too!).

Bijou's buttery Kina ravelled here.

(And yes, mon petit poppet has always held her pinky just so as she drinks a cup of tea.)

Sitting

Oh my giddy aunt! I turned my head for what felt like a nano second and my beautiful little downy haired man is sitting up..well, almost.

My gentle, twinkly eyed, chatterbox babe is now viewing his world from a whole different dimension and is so delighted by it all.

Because we're still at that sitting perfectly one minute...toppling like a felled tree the next (complete with earth shattering impact) Mumma and Jan worked together to whip up a little cushion-ey affair.

Using the feeding pillow pattern from this super book as a guide I made the cushion out of calico and stuffed it with stuffing from a boomerang pillow that quite simply had seen better days. An extra removable cover with little ties to join it together so I can "de-vomit" it with a whirl around the washing machine when needed and Monsieur Remoulade is sitting pretty...well, handsome.

I picked up this powder blue Kokka linen with all things delish and boulangerie-ish from a delightful little fabric shop called my cupboard on a recent "shop my stash" expedition. Feeling oh so frugal and virtuous! Off to cuddle my poppets and hope I can slow time just a whisker.

Her Toy Shelf

In our ongoing quest to simplify the little world we call home, our attention turned to toys.
Now Bijou has far from a Mr Toy's Toyworld in her room as we're quite selective when it comes to toy buying, but she still has oodles! Most of them have always lived quite happily in her built in cupboard with a few out in her room but now that she's a wee bit older I wanted her to have a bit more autonomy over them. I've always loved those ikea cube shelves but the thought of driving there and wrangling two poppets through it's neverending maze gave me conniptions.

Enter one grotty, slightly dilapidated but nonetheless gorgeous old turned leg cupboard. It may very well have been a road side pickup but who knows these days such is my scary ability to collect old furniture that I endeavour to revamp one day...or perhaps start a shop with considering the sheer number of old souls loitering about in our garage and shed!

I removed the beautiful old doors and have stored these in case we ever want to restore this glorious old cupboard back to its original state. A thorough splotching with my ever favourite hue for furniture and some heavenly vintage wallpaper attached to the back (I just slid the shelves out and then used PVA glue to attach long sheets of the wallpaper to the back sections.  There was however some serious wrangling as the paper refused to do what it was told).

It looked so pretty I almost didn't want to fill it!

Some large white wicker baskets from here, and a few of her faves on display.

Now my girl can choose her own adventure. And put them back when she's finished! Also, I can now easily rotate the toys every few weeks to keep her inspired (more about this another day).

Oh how I love a good re-purpose and a thorough clean out. I'm Tazzie Devil-ing my way round this house at the moment in an attempt to declutter....and simplify.  Life is good :)

Her Mobile

We have been so very blessed with the way Bijou has welcomed her little brother into the world. From the moment my belly started to swell she has talked to him....she has loved him.

Their blossoming relationship is so magical to watch.  She reads to him....he calls for her....she beckons me to come and feel his soft hair again and again....his face lights up when she appears before him.

She shares everything with him...and him with her. So when I dangled a new Mumma made mobile above Remy's cot, my girl asked if she could have one too.

The most simple pattern for some little wee birds...some vintage sheet scraps...a stick we fossicked about at the local park for....a lick of paint...and her rainbow hued feathered friends took flight.

Do pop over to the wonderful new home of all things fabulous and crafty.

Blue Girl Shrug

There has been a flurry of casting off lately and first cab off the rank was mon petit poppet's blue shrug. I used a gorgeous pale blue Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and the shrug pattern from the Simply Baby book by Debbie Bliss. I did a whisker of maths and extended the sleeves by a few centimetres as my little love is long and lean.

It was my first attempt at seaming since this little wee cardigan and I can proudly say I've finally got it! Twas a super squishy knit to make and flew off the needles (pity it then sat in my basket for an age waiting for the ends to be woven in!). I simply couldn't help myself and set up these piccies almost the same way as when I photographed Bijou wearing her last cardi.

The cheeks have fined down a little... the limbs are much longer....

The love of my jewelry box had not waned....nor has the length of those eyelashes....

And me? I'm as smitten as ever with my gorgeous blue girl. So much love.

Debbie Bliss shrug raveled here.

Big Girl Quilt

Well after many weeks....actually months, of schlepping this heavy albeit gorgeous collage of vintage fabrics from one room to the next in the half hearted attempt to complete it....I finally did!

I introduced you to the beginning of Bijou's "big girl quilt" way back when...oh the shame! And have longingly hoped for that most perfect-ist day of crafting in order to finish it. You know the ones where it's cool enough for slippers and trackie pants, it's raining outside, you seem to be able to make the best cups of tea of your life and minutes seem to stretch into hours.  Obviously this dream vanishes with a poof of smoke as soon as I hear "finished!" from my eldest babe announcing to all and sundry that indeed she is finished her number two and that I am now welcome in the toilet to complete the wiping duties. Mmmm....that's right, I remember....have two children!

As it seemed like mon petit poppet would be in her teens and requesting a Justin Bieber-ish doona cover (mon dieu ten times over!!!!) before I finished it, I got uncharacteristically methodical about its completion. One row of quilting a night followed by hand stitching the binding in metre increments at a time. And lo and behold....

It's done! I used this gorgeous pattern from my most favourite fabric store and it was oh so easy to follow for a beginner like me. Cutting vintage sheets can be a little tedious as they don't tend to be square and so some of my boxes are a little on the wonky side but I'm well chuffed with the results.

 I backed it with a few long panels of  vintage sheets and made some binding with all the leftover scrappity bits.

My girl adores it and I must admit the cockles of my heart are toasty warm as I tuck her under it each night.

Playing along over here today. Come and have a sticky beak.