I can’t believe Sosi is turning 7 this weekend. I look at her and all I see is my little baby. She still has those same ginormous brown eyes and round cheeks she had back then, and still never wants to be alone…

I somehow convinced her that a family trip to Halifax would be more fun than the usual big friends from school birthday party (it wasn’t hard… neither of us too crazy about parties). We are all super excited for some big city fun!

To make up for the lack of a party, we had her 2 best friends over for cake and pizza last weekend. It just so happens that their moms are also my best friends. So this worked out nicely for everybody! It was a great night.

We had so much fun decorating for this special evening. We made a giant 7 (I was inspired by this) and decorated it with polka dots, making this our “polka dot” party. She then got into the balloons and made this beautiful balloon wall. It felt more like installation art to me!

This girl has taught me so much over these past 7 years. Each day she tests me, challenges me, inspires me, ….but  most of all she just loves me. That is the thing I have learned most from her,  to love.

Happy birthday baby girl,

(Wondering about the cute matching t-shirts with my dogs speaking french drawing? They were made by the good people at ooshirts )

Here is my one of my favorite gifts from this Christmas, hope you are all happy and enjoying your own favourite things.

Be back here soon. Happy holidays!

I have a confession… I’m not a big fan of Halloween (why does it have to be so scary?). I’ve never really understood it. It seems like a lot of fuss (a.k.a work) for no reason. Luckily Sosi seems to be just like her mama and has never seemed to care much for it either. She’s been happy to wear and re-wear the same couple of costumes her grandma made her each year.

This year though, maybe inspired by her sister (who would happily live her entire life dressed as a monkey), she seemed keener to dress up. After looking through thrift stores and costume stores we decided to hit the fabric store instead. She instantly fell in love with this super furry white fabric and gave me simple instructions… kitty dress.

All the dread I had over the years about homemade costumes was for nothing. Making this costume was so fun! The fabric was very forgiving (mistakes hidden in the  furriness) and we are both couldn’t be happier with the results. I especially love how it turned out to look a little like a girl version of Max from Where the Wild Things Are.

I don’t think there is a better place to be on a hot PEI summer day than Belfast Mini Mills.

While the children watch the chickens and bunnies and play with the pups, I get to shop for yarn and dream of future projects.

They dream of someday being farmers and getting to have 17 cats (or at least Sosi does).

We came home happy, our tummies full after a visit to their little tea shop.

My knitting basket is also full now, of the yarn to make this beautiful blanket.

I’ve been wanting to make one for years and it felt like now was the time. Summer isn’t summer unless you have a good knitting (or in this case crocheting)project on the go… at least for me it isn’t!

You make a beach blanket! It’s usually cold here on PEI this June. Most days we are still in fleece jackets and boots. Each morning we wake up to a dreary 10 degree day. We ‘re starting to feel pretty grumpy and are wondering how long this can go on!

I decided a bright yellow happy beach blanket was just the thing to make us feel better. While cutting, pinning and sewing this with Ila on my knee, I couldn’t help but smile and think of all the beautiful days that will hopefully come soon and we can finally be outside.

The only thing is Ila’s convinced that this blanket is for her and will not let it out of her sight. I think I will have to get back to my sewing machine and make another. I have plenty of time though, it’s still chilly outside…

at least it’s sun-shiny inside!

I’ve been wanting to make a similar patchwork quilt for Ila like the one I made for Sosi a while back.  Sadly, it just hasn’t happened and I couldn’t see it happening anytime soon. So I decided to go for the easy road instead of no road at all.

I went to the local Fabricville and picked out the least offensive fabric (sorry Fabricville, but I hate you). I quickly sewed it  to the rest of that amazing vintage chenille cozy blanket I have been saving. I then filled it with the same bamboo quilting batting I used for Sosi’s.

I stitched on some cute buttons in an effort to make it a little more special (and to hold the batting in place ) . I think it came together pretty well. It will at least hold her until she gets her proper quilt like her sister’s… someday (I’m still hopeful, that’s good right?).

This past week I’ve been sersiously knocked off my feet with a sinus infection. We’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing in this house while I try and get back to normal. I’m always surprised by just how happy my kids are to do nothing. I always think we have to do things for them to be happy, but some of our best times are sitting around here, doing nothing.

I found these amazing pop up scene books at a local dollar store (such a score!). We ‘re working away on the Fairy Garden(it’s amazing) one here, but there are so many more! They are illustrated by Clare Beaton, I’ve been a fan of her fabric work for years and was thrilled to find them… even more thrilled to have them this week. They have kept both girls busy (and happy) for days. (We photocopied the pages for Ila to “colour” and “cut out” herself and kept the real pieces for ourselves… she never knew the difference).

I’ve been in a bit of a knitting funk this last little bit, but knitting these little Valentine’s presents for the girls helped get me out of it. Now all I want to do is knit! The free pattern for them can be found here. (link via Soulemama ) I decided to not felt them, but did add eyes. :)

Now that I’m back in the swing of things, I’d really like to make this shawl over at 100% rain. I think it would be much more attractive than the ratty old fleece blanket you can usually find me wrapped up in these chilly days. Speaking of blankets… do you think I can squeeze one of these in too? (link via Dottie Angel)

Sosi made these paper plate portraits of me and Paul. Paul is looking a little hairy, and I’m challenging my inner Annie. :)  I love them!

While there’s no doubt Sosi likes the little mini albums I made her last year, I’d have to say Ila LOVES them. She  sits and looks at these photo albums (that have  no pictures of her) over and over. It’s a little sad really.  So I decided for her upcoming birthday (!), I’d make her some of her very own.

I decided to give them to her early (maybe because she was sitting beside me as made them). As I explained what they were and that they were full of pictures of her, she just smiled so big and started hugging them. I can’t think of a better reaction to anything I’ve made.