Ribbons and Bibbons and Loops and Lace

I have been investigating (along with a trusty small girl tester) making some hair accessories.  So far we have tried soft hair bands (I would call these Alice Bands but I think Alice bands are really the hard plastic versions) heart bobbles and a crochet tiara (or crown as its called by Miss E).

Photographing small girls is waaay harder than you think on account of the fact that they just don't stay still.  Ever.  Even with bribes of marshmallows.  Hence I have no photo of the Alice type band.  I will keep trying though as I am very proud of anything I manage to achieve on my sewing machine as it always feels like a triumph of luck over adversity when I manage to make something half decent a I am never totally sure what I am doing!

I have more ribbon ready to sew up a few more (for Miss E and her friends) and if they are popular I am hoping to list a few for sale as there don't seem to be many UK sellers of girly hair things and with postage so added on it makes US ones become quite expensive.  I listed some of the heart crochet bobbles already in time for Valentines day but haven't got round to doing any more colours yet as I have been busy with the bunny and berry hats.

Whilst looking into all things ribbon and button related I finally got round to checking out our local "new" sewing shop.  (I say new but was embarrassed to find when I finally went in that they had been open for a whole year!)  I was really impressed (and so was Miss E who demanded to be released from the buggy to go and browse the button collection) to find lots of gorgeous ribbon much cheaper than I had been paying online (the dreaded postage costs again!) and some really cute buttons.  I have promised Miss E her very own button box so on Monday before ballet when her brother is at the childminders we will go in and choose a few together to start her collection off!

Easter Bunny Hats

I have been busy busy busy as usual.  So busy knitting and crocheting I started to get a sore wrist!  I reckon its my wrist telling me I "need" a new fancy dancy crochet hook.  I have seen some ergonomic ones, but I have also seen some gorgeous ones with handmade coloured handles and of course I know which one I really want ;)

Anyways I now have a range of different coloured bunny hats ready for Easter.

They are all available ready to go here on Etsy.  Miss E and I were telling stories the other evening and she said "runny babbit" for bunny rabbit.  I thought it was a great name for those fast little creatures and am currently resisting the urge to rename them on Etsy!

Both littlies have had viruses.  Well they have had the same virus but isn't it strange how the same thing affects different people in different ways.  Mr T of course got pukey as is his way with just about any illness, and Miss E got truly miserable each night because she will not blow her nose herself or let anyone else do it. Her colds tend to be short lived but then develop into a hacking cough but thankfully that has gone now.  

Because of the germiness we have stayed in the house which means a grumpy housebound Mum but also lots of craftiness and baking.  I would love to show you the valentines cake we made but I wasn't quick enough with the camera and its all gone.  When I was little my Mum would make a victoria sponge cake filled with cream and fresh raspberries on Valentines day so we do that too.  The fresh raspberries are such a treat on a grey February day.  The littlies enjoyed making jam tarts as well.  Mr T did all his on his own and Miss E was pretty good at all the rolling and cutting and jamming.

The mark on Miss Es nose isn't raspberry jam but a tennis wound from a big fall on the gravel outside the tennis court when "Real blood leaked out".  It has healed up now but has been a big talking point in our house the last few days as she likes to tell the full gory story to everyone she meets.

The jam tarts were lovely, I wish we had made double to be honest as they were fab with a pot of tea.  We used this recipe here if you fancy some, just did the pastry in the food processor to save the faffing of small children and lots of flour!

First Glimpses of Spring

After all the snow of last weekend we are actually enjoying our second sunny morning today!  Yesterday was lovely, I even managed a bit of Al Fresco knitting while the small peeps cycled madly round the local park.  In anticipation of sunnier days to come I have been crocheting some coasters.

This is my first test one.  It is now on its way to its new home at my little sisters work.  I quickly made another two and these are up in the shop.  Daisies are one of my fave flowers, another being sunflowers so I had a go at the daisy pattern in sunflower colours.

I liked it but it just isn't sunflowery enough.  At some unearthly hour yesterday morning when I couldn't sleep it suddenly occured to me how to adapt the points.  To any experienced crocheters its probably really obvious but as crochet is still pretty new to me (and still somewhat of a mystery at times!) I was soooo pleased when it actually worked out!

It is now pinned and blocking in my tiny airing cupboard.  I will post another photo of it in all its sunny glory when its all flat.