The Big Reveal

So, here he is in his new favourite thing - a blue, sparkly tutu. I hope it is okay to confess here that I used the cheeky no-sew method! I am also sorry that I can't remember the original source for this (thought it was sew mama sew but now can't seem to find it), but I do know that if you pop it into Dr Google a thousand results will come up!

But here is my super-easy version:

Step 1: Sew a "tube" of elastic to fit small person, ie. just get a piece of elastic that would fit round her/his middle and then sew the ends together).

Step 2: Cut piles of tulle into 10-20cm wide strips, I did these of varying length, but you could be more even with it... you may even work out the perfect length by measuring up your wee person! Our tutu is a bit chaotic, so is more like a wild faerie tutu, than that of a prima ballerina! Yippee for rotary cutters! I think I ended up with about thirty to forty strips.

Step 3: I then mixed all of the strips into a big pile, to pop them on randomly, but some of you might like to work more neatly ;) Fold one strip of tulle in half, put the loop at the centre behind and above the elastic with the ends hanging down behind the elastic. Then pull the ends up in front of the elastic and through the loops. I'll pop photos here soon (have to take pics in daylight).

Step 4: Repeat til you're done!

Happy tutu-ing! Oh! and jut in case you thought The Gherkin just at sat around looking gorgeousin his tutu:

Have a lovely weekend! xo

shhh! (secret squirrel)

Shh! Secret squirrel post below...

I have another little boys' birthday coming up. The gherkin is turning three! Already...

And there is one thing that he love love loves at the moment - pretend play, especially relating to cooking, or picnics or cafes (gives away how we spend much of our time, really). So (shh) for his birthday he is getting something very exciting. A kitchen! So I have been trawling the net, looking for play kitchens online, cause this is something I want to make myself.

I thought before I start, I might include some inspiring images. These are some of my very favourite toy kitchens from around the web. Enjoy!

I will be posting here as I get mine going, as well as posting my felt food successes (and messes!). I know, the web is already overcrowded with pictures of toy kitchens, but this one is for a boy, and my boy, to boot.

Chat soon xo

crafty adventures... (aka back in the saddle!)

Hooray! the life of an attention deficit crafter has returned! It may not always be classic/"true" crafting, but at least it gets some creativity and handiwork going again.

And what fun we have had over the past few days in our new home... together the boys and I have:
* made (and eaten) apple necklaces (thanks kidspot for the idea) - hint: dental floss works really well as the "string"
* started on my second ever quilt, borrowing inspiration from this book (ooh! and I bought my first rotary cutter.... heavens above, there's no going back to the old scissors!)
* made a brilliant dinosaur tail (even if I do say so myself... I guess I could post a tutorial but it was really easy...) using the fabric the gherkin and I spray painted with a squirty bottle a couple of weeks ago
* created so many caves  (which the gherkin calls cages - Daddy: "what did you do today?", Gherkin: "mummy made a cage") from fabric, furniture, cardboard boxes etc etc etc
* made bibs, bibs and more bibs for the Little Pickle in our lives...

Good to be back. I will post on the quilt soon - I need to do some more sewing, and then I will provide a progress report. I am doing all the piecing at the moment (like the lingo??? --- I have actually been reading this book, not just looking at the pretty pictures!), and no doubt will then have to pop in somewhere to ask how to do binding, though it does seem to have pretty good instructions in the book itself....

Chat soon lovelies! Have fun, xo

time for a pickles update

hooray for holidays at home

Okay, so it is time. Long past time in fact for an update on the goings on in the pickles household.

The Gherkin is turning into a big boy, right in front of our very eyes, with new words popping out each day (he now would have at least 30 words, but probably more - ex-speechie mum is quite proud!). He sings songs - twinkle twinkle and baa baa black sheep, and can ride his push-along bike. And tonight (very exciting!) he said wee-wee and wee-ed on the bathroom floor, then stopped, said it again, wee-ed again. Our baby boy is growing up! He knows exactly what he wants, is throwing big tanties, full face down on the floor, trying to jump on the kitchen chairs, and loves rubbing noses (nose kisses) with his mum. And I am convinced he thinks I am his special girlfriend - heaven knows we have had enough kisses involving tongue (his, not mine, obviously!) for him to start to think this might be the case!

Hooray for babies, but hooray hooray hooray for seeing little people becoming themselves.

Poor little Gherkin, we had such a big long list for him over our three week tourists-in-our-own-town holidays... moving to a big boy bed (well, a mattress on the floor), and toilet training. And even more plans afoot for the doggie-child of the household.... in the end we got the boy onto a single mattress in his new ginormous bedroom... and gave up on the toilet training. But the dog will lie down on the floor (all the way down) as long as you are holding food. Oh well. Later.

xo

Oh! and for those of you who are wondering... Mr Pickles and Bump Pickles are also doing spendidly... x