Working - or some equivalent thereof

I bought myself a new mug to have my coffee in at work. Some tea lights to set the mood and then we're off.

New toys

It's not a huge secret that I love the KitchenAid-brand. I got a KitchenAid stand mixer last year at this time and tomorrow I'll pick up a matching blender from the same company where I got the mixer. 

It's the same colour as the mixer and I hope to be able to paint the walls of the kitchen in the same shade of green sometime this spring.

I have started craving a KitchenAid waffle iron, but it's just so expensive I can't really justify it. We'll see if I can save up for it.

I got a few other items as well from a few different online stores (Etsy mostly) but I'll hold off blogging about them until they arrive. I hope one will come in the next few days.

Chores

I've been lazy these past few weeks, doing a lot of prepping but not as much sewing.

I would have started something tonight before dinner since Rickard fetches the girls today but I have a few errands to run .

- fill up Sofia's asthma medicine prescription
- a box and postage for Rachel who is having her baby - right now actually
- swing by the flower store to get something nice for the kitchen table

After dinner though, I hope to get something started - I have prepared a wallet with credit card slots for myself and I would really like to see how it turns out. I need to cut some more interfacing first to make it sturdier. I'm thinking I should add some fusible fleece as well but I'm not sure.

I have some denim for pants for the girls - Isabel needs more pants - she keeps out growing the ones she has. I also got a piece of linen/viscose for a second Wren dress for Isabel. She loves the blue one I made her but I'm not too keen on the colour - I got her a nice raspberry pink for a second one.
I have some very fine linen I plan to use to embroider something on. I was going to give it to Rachel's baby but it's not even started so maybe I'll send it on later.
I also found a lovely piece of white border embroidery fabric (broderie anglaise?) for a dress for Sofia. Maybe I can squeeze out a dress for Isabel from it too.

For myself I have a bag planned - I can't decide if I should use the fat quarter pieces I have at home and make the outside from different fabrics or if I should go ahead and order a yard cut of the fabric I would like to use. Decisions.
I also have the Sophia bag to finish, but I'm not feeling the love for it anymore - I fear I messed it up a bit - we'll see.
I should get started on the Weekender Travel bag as well since the Timtex pieces for it are cut and are all in the way in my sewing room. I swear over them twice a day I think.

Finally I have some book keeping to get to for my online store - it's not a huge task but I should get it done so I don't have to fret over it in May when I have to hand in the taxes for it.

The Turn of the Tide

After what's felt like an eternity the Sun is finally making its way up the Sky early enough for me to catch the first rays as I drop the girls off at school and daycare.

The whole Sun isn't above the horizon until 8:15 am but that means the light starts to come out at 7:45 am giving us glorious sunrises during the coming weeks.

At least when it's not overcast and cloudy.

The temperatures have dropped too and this morning is was a very nippy -10C and all the door locks on our car were frozen. Thankfully the trunk faces our house and it doesn't get as chilly there so we can unlock it and still get inside.

Rickard leaves for work about 20 minutes before we do and he's kind enough to hook up the heather for me so I won't have as much ice to scrape off the windows when we head out.

Last night we went to the grocery store for some dance clothes for the girls and some food and staples. When we came outside again the Moon was a thin sliver of light low in the Sky. The night as so clear we could almost make out the entire Moon even though it's almost as far from Full as it gets.

Venus was a bright light high in the Sky and a few other stars were out, but I'm unsure what they were. Orion rises early these days - I love the sight of him. The familiarity of him and all the other constellations I recognise is comforting.

Changing it up

I wrote in December about a lovely gift I was sent by a friend in the US.

Looking at the picture made me realise how dingy my lanyard had gotten. I nicked it from Rickard who got it at work two or three years ago.

It was getting a bit too much and yesterday I had a light bulb moment when I realised I could actually make one myself!



I used two strips of Happy Mochi Yum Yum fabric. I love this fabric it's so sunny and happy. I'm working on making some essentials for myself (wallet, purse, make-up pouch) from that fabric.

The lanyard is part of that.

The fabric strip needed to be 6/8" finished so I cut two strips 1.5" and started ironing into double folded strips ... see where that went wrong?

Of course they needed to be 3" to start if I was to make them double folded.

In the end I only cut one more strip and used the two that were too skinny and sewed them together.

I used the hardware from my old lanyard and the whole thing didn't even take 30 minutes.

Next up - a new wallet.

Old banners and the new

Last year the banners on my blog came from a free printable calendar from Canon. I cut it out and put it on my desk at work.
But it only took a few days to realise it was not very practical (the cleaning lady kept messing them up when she dusted off my desk) so I took the time to photograph each piece and make a banner for each month instead.

I put together a gif-picture of it in case anyone wants to see all pictures together - it's sort of speedy though *shrug*

The new banner is a picture I took of my mini design wall where I've put up the finished blocks I have for my hexagon quilt. Not sure where I'm going with it. It's mostly a work in progress.

Day off

Isabel's spring term starts with a day off. Both school and after-school care are closed so I took the opportunity to stay home.

Since I'm home Sofia has stay home too and they will both be back in school and daycare tomorrow giving them a long Christmas vacation.

I have a present planned for a friend who is having a baby in - any day now really - and I needed some embroidery floss.

So we went to town this morning for breakfast and some shopping. I always get motion sickness on the bus and today was no exception.
Thankfully it passes quickly once I get off the bus and into some fresh air - well as fresh as it gets downtown.

I found all the colours I was looking for and the girls both talked themselves into buying some craft supplies. Sofia got a (disappointing) paint-by-numbers kit and Isabel got a knitting ring that she's been engrossed with since we came home.

Happy Holidays

If I had been on top of things this holiday season this is the picture I would have enclosed with our Christmas cards.

As it is I haven't been on top of much this holiday season so instead I'll post it here.

I hope your holidays have been filled with calm and joy and that you are ready to face the new year!