12/01/11

So the other day I went to John Lewis and treated myself to this beautiful fabric with some money I was given for Christmas. I saw it when I was in with Anna and fell in love! It is quite simple but I love the colour and I love all the little birdies on it :) Although it is just standard cotton, I am going to go ahead with my plans to use it for a bag, it will need lining though (and Nana thinks she has something perfect in the attic so that is wonderful!). 

Louie has now discovered that it is wonderful to tip his ball pit/tent up and on itself! He thinks it is rather fun to chase the balls around the floor as opposed to playing in the tent. (Much to Papa's dismay as he is the one to clear it all up! Tee hee!)

Just showing off my walking boy wearing his Jungle Fever Cushie Tushie!

 This evening I finished off my little project of a needle case. I went really quite wrong and used the cardboard the wrong way around so you can see that I used a box of Asda's 'Ready Oats' which is a shame, but it will be fine and do the trick. At least I will have learnt from my mistake.

As you can see it looks fine from the inside, with all the needles all pretty and straight :)

Coffee Cake

I haven't done any baking for what seems like ages. I actually baked cookies on Christmas Eve, which wasn't that long ago! But it has been a while since I made a cake or bread. So today I baked a delicious coffee cake, from a recipe out of a very famous cook book :) Tweaked a little though, I used a cream cheese icing with coffee to taste and it is perfect :) First time using the ring shaped tin too and it worked okay. I love the way the icing drips down the side. I don't do perfect cakes!

Garage

 Louie's Christmas present from Mama and Papa was his lovely wooden garage. He loves it! He really is playing so nicely now, and is very interested in putting things in and taking things out, putting lids on and things like that. The most precious thing about the garage was when we were putting it together. Louie was so interested in the screwdriver that that was all he played with all evening. He went around all of the screws trying to use the screwdriver, and he had it all right. He really does amaze me how bright he is and the little things he does each day. Yesterday we visited his nursery for the first time, they gave all the little ones toast and their cups. Louie wasn't interested in the toast but went round and put all the lids on each of the cups. 

Children really are so magical!

Oh and check Louie out in his big boy PJs now!

Reflection

After having Louie, my outlook on the world really changed. I have always been aware of the environment and have always recycled, used my own shopping bags and things like that, but becoming a mother really gave me a boost into the green way of life. I decided that we needed to change our way of living and live a life that will create less of an impact on the earth.

Here is a list of the things I have done this year to change our lifestyle;

Reusable nappies and wipes - Louie has not been in a disposable nappy for six months

Switching toiletries - Now I use a Body Shop shampoo and conditioner that is much kinder to the environment and use a more natural soap, both for myself and Louie.

Growing veg - Well we only had tomatoes and mushrooms this year but it was a start

Shopping at Farmers Markets/Farm shops - One thing that is important to me is local food, by shopping locally we have reaped the benefits of seasonal produce and helped local people.

Shopping at locally run businesses 

Actively trying to reduce our waste - Being vigilant with recycling and making sure things are used before they go off etc, reuse, mend

Handmaking gifts - Giving personal handmade items instead of buying mass produced goods

Switching laundry - Using eco balls as it means less chemicals will get into the sea/atmosphere

This is all I can think of for now, but in 2011, I plan to think of more ways to make positive changes to our lifestyle.

Thankyous, Balloons and Lazy days!

To thank everyone for all their Christmas gifts (and there were a lot!) we decided to make our own 'Thank You' cards. We hadn't done any foot print painting before because I couldn't find any paint that was suitable. But having found some, and an extra pair of hands (Thanks Anna!) we finally got some done! Louie looks so chunky sat on that chair. He was such a good boy and sat the whole time and only got bored on the last one or two.

The finished articles!

 Yesterday, we went to Emmanuel's FIRST birthday party. It is unreal that he is a whole one year old now. It is scary because it means that Louie is NEARLY one year old! It was a lovely little party, and Nade gave Louie a balloon which is giving Louie endless fun!

 And he got some bubbles in his party bag! He was fascinated by them and stood there and stared at them!

Saturdays, rest and relaxation!

 I built Louie a little den! He loved it! I gave him some books and he was happy for ages!

 This is all I have planned for the day;
Playing in the den with my little man, reading my new magazines, doing some sewing!

This is my 'on the go' project, the cross stitch purse that came with the Cath Kidston 'Stitch' book. It is going well so far, despite the fact I have gone majorly wrong and I am making some of it up as I go along, but it looks okay! I have done loads more than in the bottom photo and most of the middle bloom of flowers is complete. 

Christmas!

2010

So its a New Year, and a time for new endeavors.
Last year was such an amazing year with so many changes. Louie was born and he has brought us so much joy. I actively tried to change my lifestyle to promote a more green and ethical way of living. I do believe every little helps but I think I have made a very good start!

So a new year, a new job!
I have been offered a job at Fill Your Pants, the online nappy shop. I will be working for two days a week, where I will be leaving Louie for one day with his Nana and one day at Nursery. I feel ready to return to the world of work now, although I would class myself as an attached parent, and would love to stay home with Louie for ever and ever, but needs must. And nursery will be so good for him. It will be one day a week, so it isn't like he will never see me! And he loves children and playing and he will have a ball.
We will still have 5 whole days together, and will still be able to do our Tiny Talk class :)

Now for Christmas, I was a very lucky girly. Many people cottoned on to the fact I was making my own Christmas gifts and I was given some lovely crafty gifts myself! Dan bought me my very own sewing machine, which is amazing, more than I ever thought he would get me! And he gave me the 'Stitch' Cath Kidston book. And my sister gave me the 'Sew' Cath Kidston book! So for my birthday, I think I would like a bigger sewing box, because mine is tincy tiny.
So there will be lots of new projects starting soon. My first project will be for my sister, something she saw in the 'Sew' book ;) But with new babies arriving, I have found some fabric to make some patchwork delights for them.