Enchanted Chameleon

~ for my mama ~

Thankfully my obsession with Martha Stewart pays off every once in a while.  Mostly it makes me want to do more than I have time for.  However, in the case of Mother's Day it had me prepared with presents in advance to send out to my mom in Ontario.  

Have I never spoken of my obsession with Martha?  Let's just say I know the day and time every week when 'she' updates her website and I'm up late waiting for it.  You know, just a minor obsession.

So about a month ago, when Martha first mentioned Mother's Day present inspirations I was right there plotting what to do and when.  I've been really wanting to make a yarn wreath for my mom, to share my love of making these with someone else, and so I made this Mother's Day my opportunity to do so.

I love it.  And so did my mom!  I think it turned out great.  I was just sad not to have a bolder ribbon on hand but then the simple pastel green doesn't take away from the pretty flowers.  Settling on the felt flower tutorials for this was the most challenging.  There are a lot of tutorials out there but I managed to find the ultimate one at Paper'n'Stitch, that had them 5 different ways.  Click here for the tutorials.

I fiddled and played and made them my own...

And then of course, little C made a present for grandma as well!  We went to Michael's and I let him pick what he wanted to make for her.  Deciding what he wanted to make for grandma was the easy part.  Getting out of the store with only the supplies needed for that and nothing else for us was the hard part.

We had made Ink Blob T-shirts in the past and that is where C got his idea for grandma.  For us they are never just black, they are always coloured.  We have an arsenal of clothing paint to choose from.  Since we last had done them a couple of years ago, C's blobs have now become little pictures.  C's inspiration:  hot dogs.  He made a little hot dog man and then we folded it in half and made two.  Not sure why, but that's the beauty of it!

We also managed to squeeze in some Skype time with my mom as well on Sunday.  My mom is a lovely lady.  She is wonderfully youthful for her age (ya me!) and she is really good at keeping house and thinking of others.  I often ask myself, 'what would my mom do' in situations and notice that I tend to choose her way and it makes me feel proud and little more grown up each time!  She's a great lady and she deserved some great gifts!  I'm glad we were able to deliver! XO.  S   

~ peace, love and a happy purse ~

This was the first project that I completed last week.  For some reason I just wanted a new bag. I did think that maybe my collection of reusable bags that I had accumulated over the months since I've started at Whole Foods and have yet to clean out could use some progress.  I thought having a new bag (or two! oh yeah there's another) might be just the right thing that I needed to keep my bag usage to a minimum.  So far, I'm wrong.  I have a new bag that I've already started to fill and a pile of bags to clean out still.  

But whatever, I have a new bag!  I'm sure someday when I need something that's in one of the bags or when I'm tired of looking at the pile of bags that I created in order to inspire me to clean them out, I'll actually get inspired and clean them out!

The pattern that I used for the bag comes from the book Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule.  It's the Mama Bag.  This is the second time I've used this pattern.  I used it previously as a guide to create C's first school bag, otherwise known as the blue and white denim striped bag in the bottom right corner among all the culprits that need cleaning.  So yes, I like the pattern! And C would like his bag back!  Of course, only because I'm 'using it'.  

I went with a vintage sheet that I had mostly already chopped to bits for a wedding present last summer.  I made the Beach Blanket To Go pattern, coincidentally, also from the same Handmade Home book.  I just love this sheet and kept the scraps close knowing I would someday make something for me.  My only problem with the bag is how light it is.  The pattern did call for something heavier for the outside fabric, like a used curtain or bedspread.  I went with the sheet and will, ahem, just have to fill the bag up, I guess to make it sit a little more weighted on my shoulder.

Here it is in all it's awesome vintage coloured glory.  Complimented by a vintage brooch that my mama gave me.  Just perfect for the Mama bag don't ya think?  LOVE!  

Maybe your mama might want one too?  XO.  S

~ tv free crafting adventures :: doily collar ~

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  There was some pretty sweet sunshine in these parts for us to soak up as best we could!  It was nice to feel some summer sun on my face.  

My one week TV free has ended and I'm missing Mulder and Skully less than I was in the beginning.  In fact I could easily go a few more days or more without them.  My week of getting things done, turned out to be a far more EPIC journey than I originally anticipated.  I had a couple of extra days off from Whole Foods, no Caboose days and a whole lot of time on my hands.  My one project for the week turned into a project, at least, a day!  My pendulum of sitting watching the tube swung far in the opposite direction and I was on creation binge.  I'm ready to assume a nice Switzerland position between crafting and lazing about.  

I think it may be possible that I have blog posts to spare at this point.  I caught up on photographing projects, took the extra time to be thorough and to anticipate posting about what I was up to and it feels great and inspiring to be on track with my blog again.  I've been really hoping to take things to the next level around here and it's possible that this past week gave me the first step in that direction.  

So shall we begin?

Easy, peasy, lemon, squeezy my friends!  I transformed a boring grey sweater that I was no longer inspired to wear into my new favourite shirt!

Before = Blah

After = Suzy Fashionista!

Look.  I even got out of the house and commandeered another photog to take a picture of me. Originally I just started out looking for inspiration on embellishing clothing and making hair accessories.  It's hard to see but I'm also wearing a new black felt bow that I made with a few other new hair accessories (will post soon!).  In my searches I came across a blog post from Oh Renee on an Embellished T-shirt with a doily collar that she did.  I decided to take the plunge.  I mean, I really don't make that much stuff for me, let alone for me to wear.  This was an exciting little trip.  And super simple.  I took the plunge and cut my doily in half with the intention of taking great care in washing it in the future.  I never thought I would be this excited to wear my new shirt.  In the end it cost me only a couple of dollars.  The shirt had been $1 at the thrift store as well as the doily.

And this is just the beginning!  XO.  S

~ rocket ~

I love making handmade things for C's friends for their birthdays.  It brings me a lot of pleasure.  I love that they have something unique and special and well, shucks, I love the feedback that I get back on how much they love their stuff.  I couldn't find the perfect present anywhere for the little ones, the way I do when I go on a google search for tutorials and patterns in their favourite things.  Little J was the most recent birthday celebration.  He is faithful in his love of rockets like no one else.  I was happy to search out and find ideas.  It was a toss up between a stuffed rocket and the t-shirt.  The t-shirt won out because C still wanted J to have a wooden rocket that he could play with and we did find a pretty simple rocket craft for him to do at the craft shop.  C wanted a t-shirt as well and I'm happy to oblige as well. It gave me a chance to test out the pattern and washing instructions and it also gave him something to wear that both he and J were excited about.

I was impressed with C's colour choices.  I let him pick the felts for the rockets.  You can't really tell in the pictures, but the pink, lavender and grey that C choose for his shirt turned out better than I thought it would.  Both t-shirts were $1 each from the thrift shop but they were already sitting in my closet... waiting.  The Free Pattern for the Rocket Ship Applique is found here at the Lil Blue Boo blog.

So I guess in the end the moral of this story is, if you want cool handmade gifts, be our friends.  XO.  S

~ heart felt ~

A man is not where he lives, but where he loves.

Latin Proverb

Turns out I did have some time for a Valentines Day project, not that much time is really required for this little bunting.  The free tutorial is by Betz White found here.  It really is a tiny tutorial, this bunting fits on my fridge and combines two favourites:  hearts and felt.  It's just missing some cute little heart washi paper tape to hold it on over the plain jane scotch tape.  Next time I'd love to make it super long long long and traipse it all over my house!

Happy Valentines Day.  XO.  S     

~ a toadstool ~

I managed to squeeze in a small project this week.  It was a little treat to me and C.  We've been good. We've worked hard.  We've both had colds.  Originally I was just going for the toadstool top.  The free tutorial that I used is found here at the Tao of Craft blog.  However, as soon as I mentioned that Smurfs lived in toadstools a door was required, at least according to C.  That's when we got really creative.  I didn't have enough white felt, in fact I hadn't even had red felt to make the top.  I had bought a $1 red t-shirt from my favourite thrift stores dollar rack just for this project (I lucked out!).  So I rooted through my supplies and came across a felted sweater, or at least the body portion of it was left and wondered... could I squeeze it on.  Sure enough!  I did squeeze it on but it got a little hairy when it came to the door. All I needed to have done was just cut a slit and there would have been enough room for Papa Smurf to get through and enough rim for the door to close more easily but alas that is my professional opinion based on the experience of cutting a little too much for the door.  Oh well.  It still looks awesome!  It's stuffed full of recycled bottle stuffing and the stool is the ugly boring one that has been hanging out in C's room for some time.  Oh so ugly.  Oh so glad to finally have come up with something to cover it.  

And he loves it!  Even hubby can't resist its awesomeness!  I especially love the accent that the red brings to C's room.  Not pictured here but it's just so perfect with the sky blue and brown.  Oh and wait till I finish knitting the grass rug!!  EEE!  XO.  S

~ waldorf birthday doll ~

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Waldorf school?  I love it.  It is the answer to my struggles raising a child in such a modern and fast paced time.  It is my compass point that I always try to return too when things are 'too'.  Too fast.  Too stimulating.  Too loud.  Too much.  Too many.  I love C's current teacher who has such a wonderful way about her.  She protects and cares for the children and communicates so easily with the parents.  She is a great and knowledgeable example to turn to.  There is no guilt or lecture in not being the shining example of Waldorf parents ourselves.  There is just the humble leader showing us all the way.

And in the midst of all the hands on work that she does in the class with the children, and on top of that caring for her own family at home, she is lovingly sewing the most cherished, cuddly Waldorf dolls for each child to celebrate their birth day.  It is hard to imagine such devotion from teachers elsewhere.  If only all schools gave teachers such a chance to shine.  

Here is Eve Logan.  Eve, because that is what the mumble sounded like when C named him and Logan because, that's what all his toys get called, at least at first.  I love how C cuddles him into the crook of his neck and shows him such love.  I love how C's intensity can be diffused from a little Eve Logan kiss on the cheek.  How everything that was screaming outwards is now quietly whispered inwards.  Just when I think that the only things that he is interested in are plastic, gawdy, crappy toys and that our ultimate goal of simplicity is completely evading this household, there are these precious moments of complete purity with a simple, beautiful handmade toy that assure me, my child is soaking up plenty of goodness here and there. And you can never have too much of that.  Thank you Helga.  Thank you Waldorf.  XO.  S    

~ little red caboose :: winter studio sale ~

For all the locals looking for some beautiful handmade gifts, my friend Ella of Little Red Caboose is having a Winter Studio Sale TODAY, Saturday December 17th from 11 am - 3 pm.  I encourage you to check it out.  She always makes such beautiful things.  Xo.  S

~ a little birdie ~

A little birdie keeps telling me that Christmas is on it's way.  That little birdie is also turning 5 in just a few weeks.  

I once had a boyfriend who's birthday overlapped quite closely with Christmas and it was always 'a thing'. The two days just merged too closely together for his comfort.  So I've hung onto that for all these years and tried very hard to keep the two separate for C.  However, he won't let me.  He wants Christmas decorations up and he wants them NOW!  So this year a little bit by little bit we are starting to get festive sooner.  

As for handmade gifts, there is no too soon to start!

In this case, a little handmade decor.  Every year we buy a new ornament, this year I thought it would be nice to make one instead.  I tell ya, there are a lot of ornament tutorials out there.  I decided to keep things simple.  I used a felted sweater that keeps going the distance from the Autumn Swap gloves I made for the birdie, we may see another part of it on another piece of Christmas soon.  I like that so much can be done with so little.

Many times I see beautiful and elaborate things to make and I think to myself "I want to make that". When it comes down to it though, "I just want to make".  I like discovering what I can do with things instead of always following someone else's pattern.  I think eventually my little creations may turn out to be more elaborate.  I think this cause a little birdie showed me so.  XO.  S      

~ my belated autumn swap sent ~

It is with great relief and joy that I received the word from my Waldorf Inspired Autumn Swap partner from Czech Republic just the other day that my package, ahem, my month belated package arrived in good cheer.  I spent so much time pondering what to make and trying to do it without spending money on additional supplies and doing it in a way that connected her with her two daughters and in a Waldorf way and on and on and on.  Sometimes, meaning most times, my brain needs an off switch.  I finally just sat down and starting sewing and creating all at once.  I threw out the idea that there needed to be a plan or at least a complete plan ahead of time and decided to go with the flow and see what came out.

Basically the story goes, I had a few felted sweaters sitting around and I just started cutting.  I brought out the big box of ribbons and such, things that decorate and decided on a doily.  A doily that went the distance.  The doily was cut apart and stitched onto all three of the fingerless mitts.  I love that the doily connects the three.  And I love that that my partner and her girls loved them and think that Canada is this awesome and magical place now.  I'm thankful for the enjoyment of the presents and just happy to have had a good craft day in their honour.  

I also managed to stuff in a little orange felt basket, some local hazelnuts and the bunting from the top photo.  

All just in time I hope.  Snow has started to visit these parts, I'm not sure the weather reports in Czech. All also just in time to get my creative wheels moving.  Little bits of inspiration are starting to spark in my brain as to who will get what for Xmas.  Let the elving begin!  XO.  S