mitsy and bitsy

Phew! These two ladies are done. I've wanted to turn my little sweaters into dresses for some time now and Plush You II seemed like a great reason to go for it. Sure it's about 120 degrees outside, but these two mice are toasty warm. They stand around 13" tall (bigger than I usually make, but I made the dresses first - oops!) and are quite a close pair. I can't wait to see the rest of the submissions for the show and I hope these gals have a good time in Seattle.

Now onto a new project, starting tonight!

toy collection #1

With this post I am instituting a new rule for myself - no matter what I'm up to, no matter what I have or haven't made, I will post ONCE a week. Promise. This blog picked me up out of a creative funk last year and I owe it to the virtual world gods to keep it going (I also have a sneaking suspicion that I may be making more again now that Sadie goes to bed at 8:30 and Jay and I have decided to give each other free time). So it's a brand new day.

One of the BIO questions for Plush You II was whether we had toy or plush collections. I'd be surprised if none of us did, but I also thought what a great thing to share as points of inspiration. Eagerly I started taking photos last night of a few finds of mine and hopefully Jay will start letting me take pictures of his great toys too. I'm starting here with a doll I found in a Kingston market when I was a student. I couldn't afford him so I used my food money (seriously). His clothes are so detailed and next to the vacant face...well I just find the whole combination wonderfully awkward.

Any other toy collectors out there?

london bound

Well, that sure was a big break from posting. There has been so much going on that actually creating things has taken a permanent backseat for far too long. But I have a deadline for Plush You II coming up so tonight I hope to finish a little knitted dress for a new animal friend. Fingers crossed, of course.

The piece above is one of Jay's newest, and it is currently on display in London, UK. The show info is at this link, and there are also details there about his artist's talk. Getting ready for this show has been one of the many things going on around here. While I was on maternity I completely forgot how swamped my summers always are at work; I go to bed thinking of work and wake up with a new to-do-list. We have a vacation planned in August that we're really looking forward to - everyone in this house needs a break. And some rest.

On the weaning front, it is all done. I am sad to even type it which might also put into perspective where my head has been this past month. I wish I could have let Sadie lead the way, but life happens and some things couldn't budge. She took to it quite well, but there is truth in what everyone told me: it's harder on the mother. Cheers to that one. And for a mom who swallows guilt daily for being the one going to work and leaving her little girl, it was one of the things that I knew she really needed me for. Of course, this is a new stage and she is just as content when I play with her hair or dance with her or read her stories, but nothing will ever compare to that wonderful first bond. I'm almost through the mourning of it, but wow, it's a biggie.

tax evasion

It's a pretty sad fact that I haven't yet done our taxes, and here it is, the beginning of June. I don't absolutely detest the task, but really there are so many other exciting things to do with my small amount of free time that I just keep putting it off. This weekend is it though ... except for the gardening I'd like to get to.

Our backyard was a gravel pit when we moved here - honestly - and over the years we have rescued it from it's ant-ridden fate by building a deck and taking a stab at gardening. My father is an expert in the garden so I'm fully aware that my attempts are crude and haphazard, but that hasn't spoiled the fun for even a second. Last year I put zinnias at the foot of the deck for some colour (that was Dad's suggestion of course) though this year I think I'll try something different. Dahlias? Poppies? Wildflowers?

And on the emotional rollercoaster known as weaning, we're down to one feed a day right now. I've been teetering hormonally the whole time but I realize that it will be a great evolution in my relationship with Sadie, and I'm so impressed with her flexibility. Really, my little girl is such a trooper - she adjusts to anything. Now if only she could convince her mother to do the taxes...

the beginning of the end

As I type this entry Jay is putting Sadie to bed. Without me. Without nursing.

I'm still not sure what I feel; we've been at this for 20 months now and that's a pretty long run. Sadie took to nursing like it was her only passion plus she has a milk allergy which made extended nursing almost compulsory. But for the last little while there have been times when I resent not being able to get in the house after work without my shirt being pulled in all directions. Or that I keep getting to work later and later as her morning feeds get longer and longer. Or that I forget what it's like to have my body to myself, keeping my chest as more of a mystery to strangers. Sure, gone will be the days where we could count on the backup nutrition of breastmilk, but hey, we are parents now and we should get a handle on feeding Sadie a balanced diet (well, avoiding milk and eggs isn't so easy...we're working on it). Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade this whole experience for anything in the world. We're taking it slow, but it's just that tonight is the night.

The beginning of the end.

corner collection 3

Here is another corner, revealing our one and only black door. Four years into the house and we still have 6 more to go. Sigh. And admittedly, this isn't so much a corner as a small space for sentimental things, such as the embroidered portrait of my old cat Cleo, perfectly captured by my wonderful (and dearly missed) friend Kristen, and the photobooth photo of me and my Dad when I was six and we were taking the train to Chapleau (I remember it was close to midnight, but my Dad and I went to hunt down some candy...some things never change), and a rare photo of Jay and I together at a friend's wedding (Jay wore his Dad's royal blue and orange suit, circa his parents wedding, 1970). These personal items only hang out in our bedroom, part of a decision we made a while ago regarding what goes where. But now that Sadie is here, meaningful memories are making their way into the public parts of our house too.

Thank you, Sadie.

siesta

Ahh, we're back from a sunny and sweltering Mexico. This prim and proper bunny has been half finished for some time now and after returning home I felt he had to be finished (plus he was a gift for friends who truly deserved his company). I've been feeling short on creative time, but I hope the springtime changes that. My new plan is to embark on weaning, keep my day job work to the daytime hours and get back to sewing.

Fingers crossed.

big eyed lady

Sadie hasn't made an appearance here lately, though it's not for lack of great things happening in her world. She's very found of saying hello (said as "halloo") and bye right now, plus she sings along with us in her own tune and space language which makes for many hidden giggles between me and Jay. A-year-and-a-half is a pretty cool age, but really what age hasn't been?

paper houses

Ahh, a long week done. I spent many late night hours this week building small paper houses, which was way more difficult than I imagined. It was great to play with paper again.

Sadie's "Swing Thing" is finished, but unfortunately it's HUGE. The sleeves are terribly long on her; overall it ended up more in the 3-4 year size (oops, but at least it wasn't too small right?) As for knitting, I came across a shawl/cardigan yesterday on a lunchtime shopping trip that is a linen/cotton blend and is based on the basic style of this design (though what I found was lacier and quite pretty). My only question - is this style too old? Will I feel like a grandma wrapping myself in it? Because I gotta say, it feels oh so cozy...

corner collection 2

Ahh, my nightly retreat. Sometime around 10pm this is the seat I sink into, hoping to knit or maybe catch up on The Daily Show. The basket lamp might not count as task lighting but if I sit just so there is enough light to illuminate my little projects.

No new dolls are in the making, so I think I better start using my day job as the excuse. It's an awesome job, but also pretty demanding. By the time 10pm rolls around, this seat is all I can think about as I put my brain to rest.