Tonight’s productivity

I have heaps of projects tumbling around in my head and I intend to get to them all, in time, but every so often an idea strikes and I have to work on it right away. Last night and this morning I was working on an art smock with sleeves and I was going to continue with that, until it crossed my mind that I needed a travelling sewing case. I very occasionally go to the sewing shop for a machine lesson or I need to do repairs or alterations for my mum or clients. I normally use an old cosmetics case, which works very well when I need to take my machine along. To cut a long story short, I came up with this:

Grab and go sewing kit

Grab and go sewing kit

Contents of grab and go sewing kit

The kit is designed to hold my order/receipt book, a pair of scissors, seam ripper, Fabric marking pencil, tweezers, tape measure, thread, needles and pins.

After pondering a zippered pouch with a vinyl front, I decided to modify my crayon roll design, by sewing pockets for the bits I wanted to include and adding an area for pins and needles. I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I think I will put business cards in there, too. Now back to that art smock….

A good day

Today has been a really good day, despite having been woken far too early by the children, who should be enjoying the last few remaining lie-ins before kindergarten starts. I actually like to get up early, but it is somehow easier if you get yourself up early, rather than be woken by someone else.

Last night I buckled down to making a dress (Simplicity 4927) for Philippa. I am a little scared of patterns and also of the recurring rejection from the little madam. I have made a number of things for her, only to have her “promise to wear it tomorrow”, which is her way of saying she doesn’t like something. The last thing was a pink tiered twirly skirt which she wore happily for months, before discovering that one of the butterflies on it has some brown in it. I try not to take it personally, but I am not very good at that! I swear each time that it will be the last and that I will stop making things for her, but I keep going back for more. This time, I can ecstatically report that she actually liked the dress and wore it all day today – without needing to be persuaded! It turned out really well and she says it is very comfy. She likes that it can be worn with or without leggings and that she can still move and climb without it getting in the way. I think it will be a great piece, as it will fit her for a long time – without looking too much like a sack now. I am considering making her a shorter version as a shirt, as I think it would look really cute.

Picking grapes

Inspecting the grapes

Grapes in our garden.

I also managed to make a pair of pants for Milly today, as per her request. She wanted trousers with pockets and she wanted them right away, so, never one to turn down an opportunity to sew, I made them for her while the girls watched Shrek 2 in the living room next to me. I use the same fabrics as for Pip’s dress, but switched them round. I didn’t take any pictures, but will try to get some soon.

We also went swimming together this afternoon, which was a lot of fun.

Welcome, Sprocket!

Me, Pip and Sprocket

Mum and her new puppy, Sprocket

Words to live by

I have just been reading a post on a lovely blog, Make Under My Life, and it inspired me to post something I have been thinking about for some time. It is a great passage that my parents have had framed and displayed at home and work for many years. I have to go make breakfast now, but I’ll try to come back and finish this post later!

Desiderata
by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Hair today….

Baby Pip

Pip had hair when she was born. Then she started to lose it, until all that remained was a strip around the back.

Friar Pip

Then it grew….

Pip, about 18 months

And it grew….

Pip at nearly 2 1/2

Pip at 3

And it kept on growing!

Pip at 5 years old

It has been a really hot summer, which is not very comfortable when you have so much hair! To be honest, we were all pretty fed up of dealing with knots and tangles and she decided to get a hair cut.

Going, going...

Gone!

Playing at the park

We are all really happy with her new style and confident that there will be fewer tears when we brush it. It is a good “do” for kindergarten and we need to keep things simple and stress-free if we are going to get to school on time! It is difficult enough to decide what to wear, without adding the trauma of trying to get knots out of her hair!

Hot, hot, hot!

It is a little on the warm side over here on the west coast of Canada. 35 C / 95 F, which I think is plenty hot enough for anyone. The low overnight was 19 C.  Perfect day to tackle the ironing. No sirree, it couldn’t wait another day.

We are doing our best to be sensible about the heat. We love it, especially after a long, cold, wet winter, but it has reached the point of being uncomfortable. It was so hot this morning that my husband and in-laws agreed to go to the mall for a couple of hours! Personally, I think we should have stayed for longer, but everyone needed a cup of tea and a nice sit down. I just ventured out briefly and am still recovering! We might make it out to the water park later, or to the beach for a little splash around, otherwise it will be copious amounts of water and sitting in front of the fan!

Tip of the day

When you wear contact lenses, make sure you put each one in the correct eye. Lesson learned.

Stormy summer sky

Last night we were eagerly awaiting the Marine Festival fireworks display when we noticed how odd the sky was beginning to look. We decided to stay home and watch it all from our deck and I think we made the right choice!

Red sky at night

View from the back of the deck

Watching the sky

Lightning

These photos have not been altered in any way. It was a most amazing night! The fireworks started just after 10pm, so we had them on the right hand side and the lightning to the left. It was a great fireworks display, but they were rather overshadowed by the fantastic storm. (We were a little concerned about the risk of a lightning strike starting a fire, but as far as we know, there were no fires.)

More lightning

Visit to Coombs

We had our annual outing to Coombs yesterday. There is a lovely market, garden centre, hat shop, goats on the roof and statuary for the kids to climb on. It is a rather ecclectic mix. To be truthful, though, we go for the ice cream. There must be somewhere nearer to get ice cream, but for the full experience, we head to Coombs. The “single” scoops are actually rather obscenely large, so we might take a bowl and spoon next time and share – or maybe not! The kiddie size ones are normal.

Milly enjoying her ice cream

Philippa and Daddy

Sisters

Share and share alike

Help yourself!

Nanny and Pappa

Goat on the roof

The girls riding on swans

I made jam!

I made raspberry jam today. The first time ever! I feel so accomplished and domestic! I even used raspberries we grew in our own garden. Does it get much better than that?!

Almost jam!

Pouring hot jam into hot jars

10 jars of raspberry jam