Spring time and struggles...

To my annoyance I wrote a blog post entitled "Spring Time!" last week and it disappeared off the face of the earth before I could publish it, oh bother! So this is a combined post to cover last week's missing one and a few difficult thoughts about baby struggles...

First off, spring!

Last weekend was the first when we could really get Connor out into the garden and onto the grass without extra layers and a blanket. He loved it and happily sat there drinking in the fresh air and trying to eat the odd dandelion.

The spring sunshine inspired the "thank you" cards we made for Dutch relatives who sent gifts back with Sam's parents a few weeks ago. I'm always a little unsure about children and thank you cards, perhaps because they were never expected of us unless we initiated them when we were small or maybe it's all those articles I've been reading about building genuine gratitude in children. Either way, the expectation is there and I don't fancy rocking the boat just yet, though maybe I should start as I mean to go on!

Now for the struggles...

Our little boy is a bit of a sensitive soul I think... In fact I know it for sure, most who know him well would agree. He is a happy chap in general who can always find a smile but does struggle with having to deal with too much 'new' and 'busy' in his days. We've just come back from an over night stay with his lovely Great Gran in Wales and he did his best to hold it all together in a new place but he did struggle... He struggled at night a lot, sleeping fitfully and needing lots of cuddles, and today, having had less than a happy night he really struggled to nap and feed. Now we are home he has let it all out and had a big cry and finally fed well and fallen asleep with a lot of help.

Now here is the question... Does he need more 'busy' and 'new' to help him get used to it? Or does that not work? Should we keep his little life small and familiar until he has learned some of the skills he needs to cope better? I know what my heart tells me and the more I read the more my head agrees. But it is such a dilemma... We have family and friends all over the country who we want to see either as visitors here or as guests staying with them. But at the same time, I know that Connor is not a show piece to be taken here there and everywhere to entertain and give cuddles to (to him) complete strangers in completely strange places.

It breaks my heart to see how difficult he finds it, even once we are back on familiar ground, to process all that goes on around him when we're doing things out of the ordinary. It's likely it will still take another couple of days for him to be quite back to his normal self and in the meantime I'll keep life simple, not too much 'busy' and not too much 'new'.

Wishing you all and lovely start to the month,
S. x

Goodbyes

After four and a bit years I've left my job in Leicester. Four and a bit years is not a long time in the grand scheme of things but I learned so much and laughed so hard while working with a wonderful group of people and such delightful (most of the time) children. I will miss it very much and it was very hard to leave it behind. But...

It did lead to a little bit of crafting for my closest friends - a card for each and definition of sorts.

Oosh, Fwit, Right and Floppy Whopper - The words were chosen because they remind me of each member of our little Foundation Stage team (you probably had to be there!)

Thank you so much for everyone's help, love and support over the last few years, you truly are amazing! (And thank you for beautiful flowers too.)

As for the other goodbye, at the end of June we said farewell to our dear dog Finn - a good life of 13 and a half years and a quick and quiet end. He was ready and so were we, though going up to Northumberland and not having a dog getting in the way all the time will be a very strange
experience. Goodbye lovely boy. xxx

With the summer holidays now in full swing, I'm hoping to blog more often - one a month is not really good enough is it!

S. x

Getting Ready

Much of the last few weeks has looked like this...

   

We are now days away from having the keys to our own house and a week today is moving day! We're taking our time over it. Because we can. And also because realistically, unless we go back to renting again, this is the only time we'll be able to take a leisurely stroll over a mad rush into a new home. I cannot wait to share with you our new home in this space but with Sam away (in Holland on business, what timing!) and likely no internet access over the weekend at least I can't guarantee when I'll have the chance. It's certainly going to be a mad couple of weeks - the last intake of new children at school, a new teaching student, a course to go on, a cat to sort out and...what was the other thing? Oh yes, an entire house to move, all in one week. A challenge it will surely be, but a good one. An exciting one. And one we are ready for.

The Easter break has not all been cardboard boxes and tape mind you, and with lovely weather and friends to catch up with there has been plenty of relaxation, a spot of culture and a little crafting too (of course!)

Wishing you well as we approach another sunny weekend.
S. x

Oh crumbs, it's nearly march!

Well, it's nearly been two months since my last post, only a little crafting has taken place due to the usual post-Christmas pressure at work (does this happen to all of us teachers or is it just our school?) and a very exciting decision which has mean a fair bit of sorting and paperwork reading ... we're buying our first house!
A big change from renting and a move away from Leicestershire which brings with it the need to find a new job (but not until this academic year is up - I'm going to have a long commute for the summer term!) but oh my it is lovely to plan and dream about our new home! Everything is going very smoothly with the purchase (a very short chain and a good credit rating seems to help), we are very close to signing and hoping to be in before Easter. A busy and exciting time indeed!

The crafting that did take place? Well it was varied, some rushed and some very slow and my first foray into dress making! It's not perfect but it fits well and I like it.

 

 

Two cards - one for my brother's belated (as usual!) birthday and another for the wedding of a dear friend that took place this weekend; a 'Princess and the Pea' set for school and of course my first dress.

Hopefully it won't be so long until my next post and not much longer until I'm crafting in our very own house.

S. x

Reveal...

Happy Christmas everyone!

A quick whizz through photos of crafty gifts given this year...

 

Much quilting and patchwork and applique took place this year - so much fun! Like collage with fabric. I'll definitely be doing more in the future.

More details to follow for most projects but from top to bottom the photos show:
:: Mini-quilts - one for Ma and one for my sister Emily
:: Stockings! One for each of the smalls - initialed for clarity and filled with the same thing (to avoid arguments!)
:: A quilted peg bag for Ma (and no, I didn't forget the whole, it's on the other side!)
:: Cards - I made two sets of these, one each for Sam's Mum and Gran
:: Embroidered Benjamin - for Annie, Sam's sister, who drew this lovely little chap and several other cartoons.

(There was also chocolate, another quilt and a few other bits and bobs which somehow escaped the camera)

Hope you're all having a wonderful day!
S. x

Two bags and plenty of cards

Last weekend the Christmas crafting began with a bulk load of cards. This year I've been testing out my printing skills. They leave something to be desired (more practice needed for sure!) as looking at the completed product the scale and the composition is entirely wrong. Still, I think they look pretty and it was good fun using the lino cutting tool - like carving with a chisel but oh so much easier and quicker!

 As well getting started with the Yuletide stuff I also made two new IPad mini bags for work (We finally got another two, hooray, one each! What luxury!) I made mine last weekend, adding a pocket to the old design to make it easier to carry pens and post-its around too. This weekend I made the last of them, a further improvement/addition for mark three - a little camera pocket on he inside. This one, in brightest pink, is for Kelly - I always try to make a neater job of things when i know it's for someone else.

(The bright pink fabric by the way is actually a DIY cut and sew dress pattern for a little girl I bought ages ago from the wonderful Clothkits as is was heavily reduced - knew it would come in useful one day.)

Next weekend, or indeed some free evening or other this week (wishful thinking with assessments due and twilight courses to attend!) I will really get cracking with the gift making! So looking forward to some major craftiness over the next few weeks. :)

Enjoy your week everyone.
S. x

Bits and Bobs (And a Little Bit of Bunting)

Well since my last post there has been a little bit of crafting, a fair bit of home (including really beginning to dream of our own home - dreaming still but not for too much longer!) and an awful lot of work! Now two weeks into the school year it feels an age since the freedom of the long summer holiday and all the business of child minding, birthday parties and, oh yes, preparation for the new school year. But, I do have a few small bits of crafting to share with you that took place during those few full weeks in late August.

A card for a five year old who had been four for far too long (his own words!)

A sign for Chris' garden shed - a treasure trove of crafting goodness. (I appear to have neglected to take a photo of the finished product but will try to get one of it in situ next time I'm over there - See the little bit of bunting in the design? Who doesn't love bunting on a birthday gift?)

(I just love candid photos of little ones! This as the dog she wanted to make before total changing her mind - I've kept the picture though, I love the detail!)

And the usual Lexi crafting session - she designs, I make. So far I've not been able to persuade her to use the machine herself but she's such a delight to make things for I don't really mind. If you can cuddle it, she's happy with it. This time she asked for a cushion, with a rabbit on.
She has a great knack of picking good fabric out of my stash and a lovely way of drawing characterful creatures which I try hard to keep as true to her drawings as possible. The furry nose made of velvet was a must.

Somewhere along the way I have missed taking photos of the crochet flowers I made for Chris' surprise birthday gift but they were such good fun to make I'm sure I'll be doing more very soon.

Enjoy the warm weather all. I'll try not to wait so long between posts next time!
S. x

Catch-up Crafting

On Tuesday evening this week Chris, Beth and I finally did something we've talked about for a while now. We got together, ate fish and chips, chatted on into the wee small hours and, oh yes, crafted.

 

An introduction to collage cards, an almost finished bear (with a very important first birthday deadline this weekend!) and far too much talking which meant that we didn't actually get an awful lot done but we certainly enjoyed ourselves and already have a plan for our next session.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.
S. x