Create
This past weekend we took a whirlwind trip up into New Brunswick to pick up Laurent from my parents. We were supposed to meet in Maine and be hiking Mt. Katahdin with them (and a bunch of other people) but the rain and thunderstorms thwarted those plans. So instead we were gone a mere 28 hours; spent the night at a campground visiting my folks and came back home a complete family again.
The girls are happy to once again have their brother, friend and playmate back. Although we had some good times while he was gone I'm sure our days were not as special as being the only grandchild spending two weeks with your adoring grandparents. Quite predictably, Laurent had a fabulous time and (not so predictably) honestly didn't miss me a stitch (I just made up that phrase).
He's a live-in-the-moment kind of person and had just too much fun with Nana & Papa to think twice about missing life at home. I'm happy for this time he had and the memories, handbuilt wooden boats, beach stones and thrift store clothes Nana bought him that he came home with.
But while he was away the girls and I made a few memories also. And we even made some wardrobe updates of our own.
Pretty Sewing
One project I started that I haven't yet completed was to sew simple sundresses for the girls. I hope to finish these by next week and post my progress. Even more simple than those dresses though was making flouncy skirts out of existing sundresses.
The girls both owned sundresses with bodices that were either too small, itchy or just plain uncomfortable. After a few easy measurements I cut the tops off, sewed a casing, inserted an elastic and viola... pretty skirts. The perfect project for the girly groove we had going on.
A Paper Doll Craft
The main creative project of the last couple weeks has been paper dolls. And in Celine's case magnetic dolls. What started this crafting was the store bought magnetic doll set (pictured below) the girls were given on our trip to Gaspé. Celine originally thought she'd like to buy herself a tin, so the girls would each have one, but changed her mind to making them herself. That's my girl!
Celine made magnetic paper dolls and their clothes using two methods:
- Drawing and coloring designs right on the magnet sheet (purchased at the craft store).
- Printing paper designs and glueing on the magnet.
Brienne stuck to printing paper dolls and their clothes to play with and add to her collection.
Liana's Paper Doll Blog was our go-to source for the past two weeks. The girls spent hours surfing her hand drawn designs, picking and choosing their favorites to print. Celine prefers medieval-like designs and Brienne likes anything pink or purple!
The fashions on this blog are definitely womanly and not little girl paper dolls but they were perfect my girls' interest in grown-up gowns and period costumes. It's a very cool blog with many, many dresses and dolls.
Celine's own medieval dress design
A Princess Story
Knowing that I'd have just the girls for a couple weeks I even picked up a princess read aloud for bedtime. The Ordinary Princess is the delightful tale of a princess who is given the gift of "being ordinary" by her fairy godmother, much to the dismay of the royal court. She grows up looking rather ordinary, loving nature and the outdoors, not at all interested in normal princess life. When she is threatened to be married off to anyone who will take her (she is very ordinary looking after all) she runs away to live in the forest and eventually finds employment as a kitchen maid in the castle of the neighboring kingdom. While employed there she unwittingly falls in love with the young, very nice, "man-of-all-work" king, whose real identity is hidden from her, as hers is from him.
The story ends as you might expect, with a royal marriage - but this one based on loving each other for who they are, not their royal identities or pretty complexions. I personally loved the honeymoon in the small forest cottage.
This was the perfect princess story to read to my outdoor loving girls with just the right amount of girly romance, being who you are and "finding one's true love". All three of us loved it.
And there you have it. Two weeks of pretty, dolls, pink and princesses. Now that Laurent is back the days are more rambunctious, goofy and filled with insects and fantastical creatures once again. Family life as normal. It feels wonderful.
PS. Please see FIMBY mainpage or click the button below to find my updated resource page for all our household and kiddo craftiness.
We had a few rainy days last week. I'm not hard core about being outdoors in the rain (unless its been that way for weeks and then we go out regardless to save our sanity) so last Friday, while it rained, we stayed inside to sew.
Can I just say how lovely it is to spend an afternoon in the sewing room with my three children at hand? I don't have any mama projects on the go right now. With the advent of spring gardening and (prior to that) making the choice to spend more personal time writing I've put my once a week sewing time on hold indefinitely.
But that's my personal sewing, not kids' sewing. Helping the kids with their own projects is part of their education. And sewing little things with and for them is one way I communicate my love. Investing time, energy and presence into the process of creating. Gift giving that doesn't involve going to the store (supplies from the craft store aside) or plastic wrappers.
Anyway, we had a wonderful couple of hours sewing together. I finished making this pillow pal for Brienne out of an old sweater of hers that she did not want to part with, in spite the fact it was 2 sizes too small.
We used soft pink fabric she received as a birthday gift (thanks Cori, that was an awesome gift) to complement and contrast the blue fleece sweater. A tuft of braided yarn, button eyes and mouth and little ears stitched into the corners. Even I was impressed with how this turned out.
My other project was this little denim skirt for Celine's doll, make to match her own.
This is w---a---y after the fact but I never did share the goodies we sewed up for each other for Christmas. Yes, you heard that right, Christmas. I was really proud of the work and care my children put into gifts for each other (and pretty pleased with my own sewing in fact) but I never got around to posting it here.
Brienne's Annabelle with new dress made by me and cloak and muff made by Celine.
A Jedi doll for Laurent, complete with outfit and lightsaber made by Celine.
A jacket for Celine's doll (made by me), matching her own (made by Damien).
Are you stitching anything these days or are you too busy in the garden?
Celine has been sewing up a storm these days. To hear the sewing machine humming, to provide feedback for her design ideas and to see the quality work she's producing is such a blessing to this mama's heart. I feel a sense of deep satisfaction as she makes this learning her own, knowing that the way we've chosen to homeschool has given her the time she needs to pursue her own goals and dreams.
Sigh... I am a happy homeschooling parent.
One of Celine's recent projects was to sew a sock monkey for her cousin, who turns two years old the beginning of next month. This was a paid commission from her aunt to create a handmade toy that the parents (Celine's aunt and uncle) could give to their son as a gift.
I am so proud of Celine for accepting this project and following through. Damien and I encouraged her to take on the project and offered whatever help she needed. But ultimately the choice to make it and the work was done by her.
We took her shopping to buy an appropriate pair of socks, helped her find a pattern, read through the instructions with her and at the very end helped her sew on the eyes and mail the finished product. But that was it, the rest was her doing.
In case you are interested in doing a similar project this is the pattern Celine used, found at Craftbits.com. The instructions are straightforward and Celine was very pleased with the end result.
But more importantly Celine was pleased with the process. This girl loves to sew and I couldn't be happier for her. These are Celine's own words for how she feels when she's sewing, "I'm in my element!" Music to a mother's ears.
