Busy bee

I've been very busy around here for the last couple of weeks.  I don't know if it's the sunshine we've been having or that I have extra energy on my healthy diet but I've just wanted to get up and get on with things!

After my successful quilt making attempt (and a big thank you to all of you that complimented it on my Facebook page!) my husband suggested I make The Boo some clothes. I thought it was a great idea and bought some fabrics, patterns and a 'how to make baby clothes' book.

The patterns looked a bit complicated and I had no tracing paper to copy the one I wanted to use, so instead I used one of The Boo's dresses - a simple shaped denim one - as a pattern. I used a pretty cream fabric with small raspberry coloured flowers. It was a really easy, 2 piece dress and I just had to sew the sides together and hem it. For the neckline, I made a wider hem and threaded ribbon through it to use as a drawstring. I call it my "Dobby" dress. Harry Potter fans will understand!

Once that was finished, I was well and truly bitten by the sewing bug, and dress number two was more complicated, with different sections, pleats, snaps and trims! It took longer and learned a lot. I made some more mistakes and had to unpick a few things, but I enjoyed it all. The Boo grinned, squealed and reached out for them when she saw the dresses, so I will assume she likes them! 

As we had good weather this past weekend, I decided to tackle the front garden. It had been neglected for years and we hadn't touched a thing since moving in so it was a mess. It took me 3 days to transform it, with a bit of help from my husband, sister and of course, The Boo! I'm really looking forward to watching the plants grow and seeing how it all develops! Oh, and I shall be painting the fence cream. 

(I also need to tackle the back garden and have been getting quotes for landscaping work. When it gets going I will write about it all on a new blog I've called "Bunting and Backache". I will let you know when it's live!)

The Boo has been such a good girl. She understands so much more each day and is becoming a little helper. She spent hours out the front with me in the garden, watching me work, picking up and trying to kiss worms, handing me stones, dead leaves and allsorts of debris and sitting digging with her little baby hand tools. My mum and my sister kept an eye on her for me whilst I got on. 

The Boo is such a sweetheart and is so affectionate. At one point in the garden, I was sitting and she walked over for a cuddle. I gave her a big squeeze and then she just pushed me away and held my shoulders at arms length, looking at me intensely. Before I had time to wonder what she was doing, The Boo grabbed my face, pulled my head down towards her and gave me a long kiss on the forehead! Oh wow!

Her little thing at the moment is trying to jump. She sort of lifts her body up and jumps, but one foot always remains on the floor so she looks awkward. She knows she has to lift herself up with her feet and has learned to walk on her tiptoes. The sweetest thing is, whenever she does so, she repeatedly says "tip toe tip toe" as she it! So cute!

My first quilt

I have always admired crafty people. Not the sly, dishonest folk, but the lovely people who can make things by hand. I know how to 'knit one, purl one', but I can't cast on. I would love to learn how to crochet, make clothes and quilts and stuff and generally be creative and resourceful. 

When I left work to be a full time mum, I wanted to make use of all that extra time I would no doubt have on my hands (ha ha ha - yeah right!) and learn how to do some of the above. 

My big sister can crochet really well, so I will be asking her to teach me that (C, you have been warned!) but for now, quilting is at the top of my list. 

I have always wanted to make a keepsake quilt for The Boo and to make it even more special, use fabric from her clothes from her first year of life. So, I bought myself a basic sewing machine (thank you Ikea), got myself some supplies and attempted to make a practice quilt. Yes, I said practice quilt. I'm not daft enough to steam in on The Boo's one without a trial run or two first!! 

My husband was home last Saturday, so I took a 'day off' to start my quilt! I had no idea where to begin, so I YouTube'd it and watched a tutorial. It looked straight forward enough so I gave it a go! I had previously bought some pre-cut fabric squares so I just needed to decide what pattern I wanted and start! And that's how I spent my day at the kitchen table and singing along to Absolute 80's on the radio! I made the top patchwork layer that day and then basted, quilted and binded it a few days ago. 

I'm really pleased with it. For someone who wasn't really sure what they were doing, I think I did a good job! Oh, I made some mistakes and it is nowhere near perfect, but that's the point of a practice one isn't it. I can't wait to do The Boo's one and I will take a lot more time over it for her. Question is, do I save it and present it to her when she is older or let her have it now? 

The Boo has been out and about in the fresh air a lot this week. We've been getting up earlier and going out with my parents and the dogs again in the mornings and been on trips to the park. I even took her to a circus recently with my friend and her daughter. That was good fun. The Boo made a point of sitting by herself in the aisle, swatting my hand away, and clapping and waving at the performers! 

I can't wait for warmer weather so we can do lots more stuff outside!