Eye Spy... Something Soothing
The last few days I have been sick. We all were. Feverish, sore throat and head. The flu, or another virus or bug, no idea. And after a couple of days with little ones who weren't feeling well, but did want to do all kinds of things, but couldn't and because of that became cranky and whiny, I was ready for something soothing.
For me that is a hot bath with some lavender oil. Floating, with my ears under water, hearing nothing but my own heartbeat, knowing that Chris takes care of the little ones for a little while, I found complete and much wanted relaxation. Sometimes these rare moments alone are all a mama needs to get back on her feet.
To see what sooths other people, look here.
Just A Minute ... In August
Enjoying:
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The summer in full bloom
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The last days of the holiday
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Spending lots of time together as a family
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The first weeks of school again
Making
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Clothing and decorations for our little ones
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Some jewelry with soapstone, but that didn't do it for me.. yet
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Lots of things in the kitchen, cooking and baking
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Sock creatures for Craft Hope
Soaking up
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Every last bit of sunshine
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Every moment of fun, laughter, cuddles and kisses with eachother
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Every little bit of inspiration, found in piles of magazines and lists of blogs
Learning
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The best way to make bread (tweaking and tuning every detail in the kneading and baking process)
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To knit without having to start over again every time
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How to embroider
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To let go when I should. (I admit: That's a tough one!)
Getting ready
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For fall
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For a decluttered life
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For a new start
For more overviews of this month, look here.
My Creative Space
My creative space today was at the dining table. Flipping through magazines, finding inspiration, writing down ideas. I'm trying to find a way to be a bit more structured with all the plans that are twirling in my head and this is the mode I am testing now.
Even though it's still warm and sunny,
I feel the fall slowly aproaching us. It's something in the air, in
the way it smells outside, in the way the wind feels. So it is time
to look for clothes that are a bit warmer. Like a coat for Sarah.
And like some trousers for Chris.
I have to admit: I am excited and a little bit scared to start
these two projects. I never sewed for Chris and a coat, well,
that's intimidating in itself. But I got motivated by Jenaveve and I'm just going to dive
in.
What's missing in this picture is the little jumper I am still knitting for Olivier. Looking at the speed that is going (with all the starting over when I make mistakes I don't know how to correct yet), let me just tell you that it probably could be in the picture on thursday's for a little while still. I just hope I finish in time for him to be able to still fit into it. And then I will proudly show it. I promise!
For more creative spaces, look here.
Let's Bake Sprits
To bake sprits (or shortbread in English, I think) we need, besides my dearly beloved friend mr. Kenwood, the following ingredients:
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250 grams butter
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150 grams sugar
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2 egg whites
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2 packages vanilla sugar
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3 tablespoons water
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375 grams flour
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(chocolate)
Stir the butter, sugar and vanilla sugar untill it's one creamy mass. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks (when you can hold the bowl above your head without the eggs falling on top of your head, they are just right. Ofcourse, I think it will be a bit messy when you try this when it's not right yet... but I'll leave it up to you whether or not you take that risk). Add the egg whites and the water to the butter mass, just as the flour. Stir until you have one mass.
Preheat the oven to 180 Celcius.
Grease an oven plate and put the batter into a piping bag to form the 'sprits shapes' onto the oven plate.
Put them into the oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes.
When they are done baking and if you like chocolate spritsen, you can melt some chocolate and dip them into it. I only did this with a few of the spritsen, since I am the only one here in the house that really likes chocolate. Yes, I know, unbelievable and weird. Only the fact that I know that the little ones came from my belly prevents me to wonder whether or not they are really mine.
Then it's time for the hardest part of the proces: Waiting until the spritsen are cool enough to eat. But luckily, even warm they are very yummy!
Bon appetit!
Party Dreaming
Remember the little flower I made the other day? That little flower made a little friend..
And another one.. and another one...
For a long time now I have been planning to make fabric buntings for my little ones. For each one their own bunting, to make their birthdays extra special. On various craft blogs I have seen all kinds of beautiful buntings made, in every colour imaginable. But almost all of them were triangles or squares. And even though that's very cute, I wanted to use flowers, hearts and other shapes. So here it is, the first one:
I used all kinds of fabric scraps from my stash. I like the fact that in this bunting for Sarah you can find little pieces of fabric I used to make clothes for her. And oh, ofcourse, we are nowhere near her birthday. But we decided that it looked pretty over her bed too. Now she can party every night in her dreams.
Lucas already is very enthousiastic about the expectation of his own bunting. He requested hearts, flowers, ladybugs and dinosaurs. Yes, he has more faith in my drawing skills than I do myself. We'll see how that one will turn out!
Eye Spy .. Something I Want To Try
Even though I think the theme Kimono Reincarnate picked this week is great and I look forward to reading everyone's answers, I find it hard to collect my own thoughts on this one myself. There is just too much I want to try.. some day.
The picture above shows a couple of ringbands I picked up in a thrift shop. They are typically seventies, as you can see, and there are three of them. In them you can find about everything there is to know about various crafting techniques. All techniques I would love to try some day: Knitting, embroidery, some sort of exotic knots, crotcheting. And then there are more books, or online resources, that speak about learning how to make jam. Or how one can grow vegetables other than those I have handled so far. And I didn't even mention all the books I have in which people explain how to make furniture, or how to work with wood, stone or glass.
Yes, there is a lot to explore. A lot of different things I would love to learn. But I guess there is a common factor to be found in all these techniques I would like to try; They all involve handmaking. And that is something I really am drawn to these days, like many of you. I would love to try to fill our house with things that mean something. Whether it's art or something practical, I would like to know that there was a thought behind the making of the stuff in our house. Some love poured into them, by me or someone else. Not just mindless junk from a factory. And that not only counts for the clothing, the art and the practical things in our house, but also for the food we eat for example. It's not always easy. Especially when we are tired, something that's not that rare with three little ones under five. But that doesn't mean it's not worth the try.
I guess there is my answer to this week's theme: I want to try to surround myself and my family with things that mean something. In every way possible.
To see what other people would like to try, look here.
A Hole Lot To Embroider
Sarah had some jeans. Jeans with a hole. And I wanted to learn to embroider. I wanted to for a long time, but somehow didn't get to it. Until now.
The jeans with the hole and Alison (with a pretty first-try-embroidery-picture on her blog ánd a comment she made afterwards on this blog) convinced me to just try.
I tried different stitches and had lots of fun with this little embroidery in the sun. I think I will do this more often, especially since I have a beautiful embroidery pattern waiting for me, won at Carina's blog.
I only wonder a bit nervous: Is there a limit as to how many projects one's head can deal with at the same time?
My Creative Space
It's hot. Really hot. Too hot to do anything but pouring a drink now and then. Filling a little playpool for the little ones. Nurse Oliver. Nurse him again. He's thirsty. Oh, and pouring another drink for ourselves.
It's too hot to do anything but stare a little. Dream a little. Fantasize a little. A perfect time for nothing other than looking at pretty materials and thinking about what to make with them. Some other day ofcourse..
Looking at these pictures I realize that I have a ridiculous amount of ribbons. I think they are very pretty and I love them in their glass vases in my crafting room. But I hardly ever use them. Isn't that silly? What do you use ribbons for? Maybe I should make up a project with lots of ribbons. Any ideas?
For more creative spaces, look here.
Back To School
School started again here this week. Which means that our schedule is a lot different from the last few months. Lucas is going to school every morning and Sarah is going to her playgroup twice a week. Ofcourse Olivier, being a little baby, is still at home.
Yesterday was the first day. The children were in a festive mood. Hurray! They were going to see their friends again. And learn lots of fun stuff! We brought them to school and, coming home in a very quiet home, we thought of all the time we suddenly had. Time to do.. what? I had to think for a while, it felt a little strange. But then I suddenly realized: I have more time to craft again!
Ofcourse it didn't really work out that way. Being home I couldn't help but see all kinds of things that I had been putting off this summer and that really had to be done, or I would feel way too guilty. Like cleaning a lot. Like baking a little bit. Like sorting the children's closets. And then I saw: They really, really need some more clothes. They are growing out of everything!
Just what I needed. A good reason to sew. So that's what I did. I made some linnen trousers for Sarah, perfect for fall.
Yes, we're back to school. And I think I could get used to this....
Eye Spy... Something Red
The picture of Something Red that 'Eye Spy' this sunday is a picture of a beet and a little jar of plum jam (made of red plums). But the beet and jam are much more than that. They are symbols. Symbols of generosity and friendship, of what family and neighbourship really mean.
Like for many people these days, it has been (and still is) a challenging time for us. A time in which I sometimes felt angry or sad, frustrated or even alone. But on the other hand, this is also a time in which I look around me and feel so blessed. Blessed to be a part of this.. this life, this time, this world. Because especially in these times I see people reaching out to eachother, I hear people opening up, telling their story, finding recognition and comfort. And I see and experience how much people are willing to share, with eachother.. and with us.
There were vegetables from friends and family, like these beets. And one evening, coming home, we found this little jar of jam waiting for us. No note, no card, just this little jar. A gift from a caring neighbour.
Yes, we will get there. We all will.
My Creative Space
During the day our house is pretty much filled with children. Not only our little ones, but also the children of the neighbourhood have decided that our house is their favorite hangout place. Since I was little I have said I wanted a house with a backdoor when I grew up, because I wanted a house where everyone could come in freely, to talk, play, or eat with us. And now I live in such a house and I love it.
Ofcourse, as I think any mama will recognize, it's sometimes kind of hard to find time to craft. Some days this works out better than others. One day I manage to create a complete outfit, the other day I am happy to just have reached the evening without accidents, let alone having done anything crafty. But most of the days, I just do little things in between; A few stitches during naptime, a little knitting while I'm cooking..
Right now in my creative space (currently in the kitchen): A little blue jumper that I am knitting for Olivier and more little flowers to accompany the one I made yesterday. And (not in the picture) lots and lots of pancakes.
For more creative spaces, look here.
Crafty Vinegar
When you combine one sunny afternoon, a bottle of lemon vinegar, a lot of the most gorgeous fabrics and someone wanting to practice her handstitching, what do you get?
A little flower that makes me smile. I have great plans for this little flower. She doesn't know it yet, laying here still a bit crinkled and processing all the needlepricks. But she will rise and shine, oh yes.
How? That will be a surprise, for her and for some other little girl who loves to make people shine.
When Life Gives You Lemons...
.. you make lemon biscuits! It's super easy and lots of fun for both the little ones and me. Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
150 gr. flower
100 gr. butter
75 gr. sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 lemon
Grate the lemon zest (only the yellow part). Sieve the flower and baking powder in a bowl. Add the sugar and the lemon zest. Slice the butter in small parts and add to the bowl. Knead the dough until it's one mass.
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celcius. Slice biscuits or use biscuit shapes and bake them in the oven for 20 minutes.
Et voila
Eye Spy... Inspiration
Cindy at Bugandpop hosts an eye spy meme every sunday. This sunday the theme is inspiration.
So, what inspires me? Ofcourse there are many, many, many blogs out there that inspire me greatly. To name a few:
- Chikaustin and Crafthope. Both by Jade, who's doing a marvelous job.
- Heather Bailey's blog
- Ofcourse: Soulemama
- Vanessa's little paradise
- Mairuru
I could go on for ages linking to all the great blogs out there, with wonderful people writing inspiring things and posting lovely pictures. It is so much fun being a part of this community.
But what inspires me most of all, are these eyes:
Olivier's eyes
Sarah's eyes
Lucas' eyes
They inspire me by the way they look at the world. By the wonders they see. By the questions they ask and the things they discover. By sharing that all with me. A smile or a tear in those eyes makes me do things I never thought I could. Nothing inspires me more than the love for my three little ones.
Stone Soap
Remember when I wrote about the piece of soapstone I had and how I didn't know what to make with it? Well, shortly after that post, my aunt gave me some ideas. And today, the first rainy day after lots and lots of sun and heat, I decided to dive right in. It was lots of fun... and very dusty...
I threw the soapstone to the floor, so I had multiple little pieces. Then I used a saw, a file, a drill and sandpaper to shape the soapstone pieces the way I wanted. By that time I was completely covered by dust, so I had to do a lot of brushing off before I could have the next pictures taken!
And now I jump into the shower, getting the dust out of my ears. Have a lovely sunday!
My Creative Space - Shells
Remember when I wrote about our trip to the sea? The little ones loved that. And they would love to go every day, especially on days when it's hot, like today. But, we don't live close to the sea. It's a two hour drive. And yes, I know that feels like practically the backyard for you Americans, or even for Australians maybe, but for us, that means it's on the other side of the country! And that feels like far away. I guess the size of the country you live in determines how you perceive certain distances :-)
Anyway, since we're not going to the beach every day, we decided to make our own beach. A little children's pool filled with water, some sand to play with, lots of toys and .. tadaa.. the shells we brought home from our last trip to the sea.
I thought this was the perfect opportunity to wash and sort them. The little ones were happy to help..
I think they admired every single one of them, washed them gently and made up stories about the little creatures who used these wonderful shells as their home.
And now we have a large jar filled with shells. We already thought of a dozen projects in which we can use them. And even though the jar is huge, I wonder how long this stock will last.
Oh well, by the time this little one is old enough to create something with shells, we'll get a whole new jar of them.
For more creative spaces, look here. Thanks Kootoyoo for hosting!
Close To My Heart
On this blog, I regularly tell about the things that I think are beautiful or special. The things that make me stop for a moment and enjoy. The things that make me be still and just feel, hear or wonder.
One of the things that made me feel in awe the most in these last couple of years is watching my little ones be able to drink my milk and to grow from it, to be comforted by it and to thrive on it. What a wonder! Both Lucas and Sarah were breastfed for about a year and a half and Olivier is now drinking for seven months. And still, many times when I watch him drink, when I see those eyes close and that little face relax, I feel overwhelmed by the beauty and intensity of this contact between us.
This week is World Breastfeeding Week 2009. A week with extra attention for the need for correct information, skilled counseling and support for women to enable them to breastfeed, all over the world.
If you are interested in helping this cause, you could sign a petition here:
And We Have A Winner.. or two.. or three!
Since the giveaway I gave last week was my very first giveaway ever, I decided to make it a party and give all three contestants a little package. Ofcourse there were some pattern magazines that I divided among them, but I also threw in some extra surprises for all of them. So,
and Heidi
.. as you can see, these packages have your name on them! Please send me your mail addresses and these will come you way. Congratulations!
Lovely Prize
Look what I received today! This lovely package filled with lots and lots of pieces of fabric, from some of my favorite designers and some really cute ribbons. I won this at Noeks blog.
I really love it and already have various ideas for projects with these fabrics. Thank you so much, Anouk!
But first I am going to enjoy a quiet evening with my love. My mother- and father-in-law are spending a couple of days on a camping nearby and our eldest two little ones are staying there for the night. I can't wait to hear all their stories. They love it there. There are animals and other children, the biggest sandpit ever and all kinds of trucks to play with. And ofcourse their opa and oma. Could they have more fun?
And we.. we tucked in our littlest one, prepared some snacks, picked out a movie and closed our curtains. Tonight is not about sewing. Not about work issues. Not about stress or worries. Not even about our little ones (although... not sure if that is completely possible ;-)).
Tonight is just about us.
My name is Karin and I take
pictures. I tell stories. I sew. I dream. I love books, fashion,
hot baths, conversations that make me think again. I fantasize and
realize. And above and beyond all, I am mama to Lucas, Sarah and
Olivier.
