Sewing

I promised to show you the presents I sewed just before holidays. Three shopping totes, a small scented bag, four felt birds for a mobile and an apron.

Sewing might be fun but I always come across a problem, which is not unsolvable, yet it makes the final product less attractive as I first imagined. This time I realized just a little bit too late that a part of a sewing needle was broken off which resulted in too many torn threads in the fabric. This is how I keep learning new things! Anyway, I was quite satisfied with the totes for my neighbors which I put, together with a packet of herb seeds, into the little boxes I made from the colorful cardboard.

I tried to make bread bags but after a few days of sewing I gave up the project completely.

Now I will continue making another lace napkin. There are still some more I plan to finish before October when starts another bobbin lace course. And this year I will make more lace pendants because they really look good on Christmas three. The Swarowski crystals make them look sooo magical…

Little gifts for people

The elving has begun, would most probably write Amanda Soule if she visited my home in the last days of November. I already told you about the lace pendants that I made but in previous days another pleasant work was on my schedule. I was making bird pendants from the salty dough, felt owls, also as pendants, and felt finger puppets.

All these will be offered in the booth at the Christmas fair, and we will gather donations for them. I just wonder if any of these birds will find a new home. People are getting poorer in this country every day, and lots of people don’t have money for their daily bread let alone for presents like these.

I like this time of year. Planning, creating, wrapping up presents, decorating almost every corner of my house, cozy days at home; this is what these days are full of.

Friday goodness

I should have done that already on Thursday but I completely forgot about it. I cut colorful paper into strips many years ago, so now each year in the Carnival time I just choose from this stock of those paper strips and make colorful chains. When I was later taking photos of one of the chains my camera didn't want to focus on them. I got, hmn, this:After lunch I knitted a little bowl, and put it into a washing machine in the evening.

It came out quite wrinkled and not completely felted. I think that it will need another treatment with hot soapy water.

Friday was kind of a crafty day and I was very grateful that I could be at home. Especially because I know that March will be a very busy month.

One more

I was kind of creative over the past weekend and also made another pillow cover. I have all sorts of fabric at home but at the end I decided to make it from the same fabric as before. I came across the tutorial on Design Sponge blog and I can say that sewing was much easier than before although the outer seam is visible.

You can see the difference yourselves in the photo above. I might make a couple more of those while the winter lasts. It was -14 degrees C this morning, and I find such temperatures a good excuse to stay indoors. At least for most of a day.

Amish Puzzle Ball

It was -11 degrees C when I drove to work this morning, and the meteorologists say that it will be even colder. I can say that spent a couple of pleasant days indoors. Well, mostly indoors. When I went for a short walk yesterday in the afternoon the wind was whipping the skin on my face, so after a few minutes of this torture I turned back and went home. It was more pleasant to watch the blue sky through the windows. Also birds are cold. And cats, too. I let one of the cats to be inside for some time. Usually they don't want to be indoors.

I finished the Amish Puzzle Ball already on Thursday, so today you can finally see what I made last week. I searched quite some time on the Internet to find a tutorial, and even then I did it my way. This puzzle ball splits into three pieces and can be put back together again. Most tutorials tell you to sew all pieces together but in my opinion this is not necessary. After all it is called puzzle ball.

I will use softer fabric next time (if there will be next time). It is easier to sew it because pieces are quite small. Anyway, it was a nice project for windy and cold afternoons.

Knitting

It is one of those special days today that mark an event which happened once in the past. I wonder what kind of life I would have if I acted differently on the same day eight years ago. I was a firm believer then that life would be wonderful and much better than ever before. Yes, I am a big dreamer and my daydreams usually don't come true. Though, I should not complain about my life, I made it like it is. I had (and have) choices. I am still pondering whether to stay on this path I am on or not. Is it worth making steps on it or not?

The Universe is not giving me any answers; or is it just that I don't (want to) see them clearly enough? In some way we need a huge courage to step off one path and follow another. I don't have it. Lost it. Hopefully not forever.

So, it took me a few hours to knit a hat I gave Ž today as a gift. I was making it with quite big needles (no. 4), and when Ž tried it this morning we decided that it will need a few changes. I will have to make it a little bit smaller. Now I am thinking whether to make a completely new one or just unravel a few lines.

Let me end this post with some positive thoughts. My life is slowly getting better although I do cry sometimes and feel sorry for myself. Courage, yes, courage is what I need right now, and lots and lots and lots of positive thinking. It helps. Simple mantras do help when negative thoughts sneak into my head. And that blue sky and sunshine that we've been bathing in for some days add to this too. Life is beautiful, you know.

P.s.: The hat is made of pure wool, and its color is indeed green although it looks like it is gray or even blue. I found a pattern on DROPS's web site.

Stars

Usually windows in my home were decorated with paper stars at this time of year. Not this year. Yesterday I had enough time to sit down and fold paper again. Funny, but each year I make new stars although I always keep the old ones stored in a drawer. There are many instructions for many different stars in my book but I can't get tired of the same design every year. It is my favorite, a bit rounded and almost always in two different colors.

It takes time to make a star like this, just like making lace. Unfortunately I can't show you what kind of lace I made yesterday. At least not before Christmas.

So, if you want to make your star, here are the instructions: part 1 and part 2. I still have two more to make. I can hardly wait! :)

P.s.: Talking about stars ... these days we can see both planets, Jupiter and Venus on the evening sky.

Flower

I thought that I would learn more at the lace making course. I know that we could learn more, that's why I am a bit disappointed. We are not able to make nothing else but the basic patterns which are obviously very rare. I asked our mentor to teach us another technique the next (last) time but she claimed that there wouldn't be enough time. I don't really believe her. I've been doing this lace flower for a long time and it will be finished today. At last. There are too many mistakes in it to give it away but it will be a nice reminder of my first attempt to make real lace.

So far

We have learned basic techniques so far at my lace making course. I am aware that lace can never be perfect if you don't practice a lot. And my lace will never be perfect if I keep making it with lenses in my eyes. This is so obviously seen on the second picture. One week passes so quickly and making lace takes time (I spent more than 10 hours making those strips on the pictures!). I thought of making another strip of the last pattern but weekend will be a busy one, so I will start making "real" lace with knowledge and practice I have right now.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Lace

Not many people would know what I would write about if I showed them this photo: Some would guess seeing this one: Or this one: So it goes, very slowly, braiding and twisting the bobbins in a certain order: This is just a beginning. Making bobbin lace is not an easy process, it takes lots of time and practice. And a good mentor. In my opinion how to make Idrija bobbin lace is a bit of a secret here in my country. Books tell only half of what you should know to make one. It is also not easy to get free patterns (for Idrija lace) if you are not connected to certain circle of people (lace makers). Besides, if the pattern is not well drawn also lace won't look good. So, here is my first piece of lace: You can see yourselves that it is not made evenly. There are certain reasons for that.
1. I am a beginner in lace making.
2. My mentor has to provide help for too many other pupils as well.
3. The pattern is not thoroughly drawn.

I hope that I will be able to show you nicer lace at the end of my course. No doubt that I will spend lots of dark winter afternoons and evenings behind my lace pillow.

Medicine

It is almost done! Ž and I gathered spruce tips over the weekend and I put a layer of sugar and a layer of spruce tips - all to the top - in a glass. This mixture is now on the balcony so that sun is slowly melting the sugar. After it all melts I will filter the mixture into a bottle and put syrup into the fridge. It is that simple. I use this syrup at coughs only (I take one full spoon of it) , although it is so delicious that I could have it every day.

Karma for today: Be aware of the snowball of your thinking.

In and around home

Oh, how I love spring! I spend most of the afternoons outside, still trying to put things in order around the house. I've planted flowers and put them on the window shelves and I keep fighting a battle with the weeds on the garden beds. I never manage to grow salad, usually slugs eat it before it gets big enough. Below on the picture is our spring "snow", falling down from the willow trees. I hope it will stop "snowing" soon, the house is full of it. And my nose as well... What's new in my home? Nothing really, except that ants that obviously live below the floor, are having some big event today... I don't like this idea but it is time to get rid of them.Some time ago I made myself a new hat. It is too big. Well, in time I will learn how to sew a proper hat, big enough for my head but until then I will buy them in a shop. It is much cheaper and it saves the nerves. Yesterday I was daydreaming again... sooner or later my home will have to get some colors on its walls. But it is a hard decision for someone like me, a procrastinator, to decide on a color. First there were greens, now there are pinks. What a change!I just have to keep reminding myself that nothing is for good and that I can change the colors whenever I want to. Right? :)

It is all about Valentine's day

I don't think that Valentine's day is so important holiday in Slovenia as it is in some other parts of the world. Though shops fill with hearts and all that hearty junk at the end of January. I've discovered papercutting lately and sometimes, when I feel like it, I bring out plain white paper, my X-acto knife, some thick newspapers and start cutting.

Yesterday I spent quite some time at work, and later in the evening I got bored by reading, so what did I do? I started to cut paper. This is what I created:
When the news at 10 p.m. started on a radio, I finished the cutting and I was quite satisfied with it. What I have learned this far is that it is important to draw a good picture of what would be cut out. So that pieces don't fall apart. I am sure you will see more of my papercutting here on this blog. Hopefully soon.

P.s.: Colors on the photo are again awful, paper in the back should be pink...

Giving and receiving

Friday was that kind of day when I had a smile on my face in spite of the extreme tiredness I felt. It was a day when I received wonderful presents. And gave away one as well.
I met Mojca Fo, an illustrator I was writing about some time ago. She gave me a calendar she created for this year. It is wonderful. A beauty. I love it! If you wish to have one, drop her a line. You can view more of her beautiful illustrations here and info on the calendar here. I am sure she will be glad to hear from you.I packed a little felt frog for her into a folded piece of paper. It had taken me some time of 'hard thinking' before the paper folded together nicely because I printed out just pictures and not text as well of the tutorial I found on Martha Stewart web site. Paper pattern was created by Print a day.

I have also received two most beautiful paper ornaments created by Maja (you can see them on the upper photo). Made in one of my favorite colors. She knows how to make people happy. She knows how to make their day. :) They will find their place on the windows when Valentine's day is over. To celebrate the arrival of spring. Or to wait easily for it to arrive.
If Friday was a day of giving and receiving then Saturday was a day of work. Of baking, too. Finally I managed to bake panettone by the recipe Victoria posted on her blog, oh, so long ago. They tasted different from those that are bought in a shop, less sweet and fragrant but the consistency was just the same. As she wrote, they taste delicious for breakfast. I had them with cranberry's jam (Ikea) and coffee. Delicious!

Blogland is such a wonderful invention! :)

Mobile

Alright, here it is. In no better light than previous day but at least I can show it to you.I am not so sure what kind of naughty dwarfs live in my house but obviously they constantly keep causing great problems. When life becomes sweet, something has to happen to make you worries. Is that how it goes? I am a strong believer in good things. If problems won't cease very soon, I will sell this house and try my luck somewhere else. It sounds simple though it is not. Let's hope for the best.

Days of thunder and lightning

There's been lots of noise around here for the last couple of days. It is getting warmer, and nature is doing its part in reminding us about it. Thunder and lightning.

It was a pleasant weekend, it seems like the last few weeks are those good ones in this year for me. I have never been surrounded by so many real friends before, and I have never before received such positive feedback to what I do or write. I hope it lasts, at least for a little while longer.

I visited Waldorf fair on Saturday and it was crowded like it is every year. I bought some vegetable seeds and books about gardening. It felt so good again to be among those beautiful colorful walls. I used to have such walls in my home, but now I still look for an inspiration. I have some other plans but no energy to make them true. Hopefully someday I will be able to show you colors in my new home.
It was a plan to join Julija at her birthday party yesterday but after all we stayed at home. It happens. I spent half of Sunday creating, making little felt sea creatures. Alice Merlino kindly offered the tutorial on her blog. It was fun, but very time consuming. Especially cutting out the patterns and felt. I usually draw the pattern on a transparent paper and save it for later. It will be easier next time, if I ever make them again. I didn't take a photo of the finished project, because light was so bad in the afternoon when the mobile with super cute sea creatures was finally finished.
Now, when I have some color transparency paper at home (yes, I was spending money on that again!), I made Waldorf lantern. I had been trying to find a tutorial for this folded lantern for a long time but had no luck. I also asked one of the bloggers to share it with me but I have never received an answer. So, speaking some German helps sometimes, and using German words on Google, I immediately found it. Here it is, if you want to make one yourself. I saw many of them on Waldorf fair the other day, for about 3 Euro each.And books, I have a few new books! One is about the flowers, the other one about animal tracks and then there are two for children that I got for free. I am indulging myself, don't you think so?

I hope that you did something for yourself this weekend, too. If not, it is time to do it today. Because tomorrow you will have to do it for somebody else. :) Happy Monday!

Birds

Do you remember these little birds I made last year for my colleagues at work?

I meet with my friend tomorrow and as she is having her birthday in just a few days (and because I am sure that she will hardly have time to meet me again before the beginning of 2009, having three kids, a full time job, holidays approaching and besides she doesn't live nearby), I will give her a small present tomorrow. I decided to make a little bird, which is not only stuffed with poliester stuffing but with a little bit of lavender, too. If I have time today (yes, it is time for my course again!), I will bake some cookies for her, otherwise I will just pin this blue bird on to a box of delicious pralines. She loves sweets and her favorite color is blue.

Winter weather

So that you won't think that there are only mountains and meadows in Slovenia, I am posting a photo from my short walk in the woods on Sunday. More than 60% of Slovenia is actually covered by woods. And there, where I was the other day, it is not so uncommon to meet a bear. These creatures come as far as I live, so to the suburbs of Ljubljana - one was spotted around my neighborhood last year. It is not so difficult to see a fox (well, most are killed by hunters anyway), and deer is common in the fields nearby.Today this landscape is covered by snow. It is the wet snow which usually causes many car accidents because it becomes slippery as soon as it falls on the solid ground. Yesterday I stayed at home and made another couple of paper stars. Blue ones. Today the red one is on my schedule and cleaning of another couple of windows, too. So that stars will look nice on them.

Illness

Eating lots of citrus fruit doesn't always help to get better. Or maybe it would be even worse than it is if I didn't consume all that fruit? Obviously I've caught cold. I wanted to go to a workshop today which will be at Waldorf School but I am afraid that I will have to cancel that. Resting is all I need right now, if I want to get better until Saturday. Though, I did my homework yesterday and I am going to be at the course today.

Kusudama

It is nice to know that people get inspired reading my blog. I have always thought that my life was boring compared to other people's lives I know. You know - wake up, work, cook, wash dishes, iron, clean, read, hike, sleep. I am sure I have told you that one of my favorite books is Illusions by Richard Bach. One of my favorite quotes is that you should give up your boredom if you want to start living your life. I am aware that this is absolutely true but most of the time I am too lazy to give up my boredom. :)I finished kusudama ball the other day. When I go to work it is still dark and when I come back home, the light is very poor these past few days. So I took this photo of kusudama using artificial light - my little Ikea lamp. This way kusudama looks as odd as is a book of Siri Hustvedt that I am reading right now.

Yesterday we talked about Golden ratio at the course. I have learned how to draw it, and it felt so good to be in touch with mathematics again. It is such a mystery and at the same time great fun, too. I just love it. And promissed patterns? We have to draw one for homework. A simple one...