Laundry love it or hate it April 27, 2007

Another two weeks have whizzed by, we’re slowly getting into some sort of routine, completely led by E.  Which I’m glad about, she’s feeding whenever she likes, (which can be often!!!), and sleeping well at night (waking a couple of times).  She actually slept in the bedside cot last night (she’s been in our bed upto now), with no fuss or crying, a complete contrast to when L was little.  We were so strict about her having to sleep in the carrycot from day one, we spent most of our nights running up and down the stairs replacing the dummy!!  Hindsight is an amazing thing, ‘why would a newborn that had been held close in the womb for nine months happily sleep in a box all on it’s own’.  It’s nice to just go with the flow and let her do things at her own pace.

I love this shot taken by my 3 1/2 year old.

Anyway back to the post title I have been amazed and aghast at the recent bloggings about clotheslines in the US, it seems that in some places it’s actually against the law to hang your washing out! Check out this  NY times article.  Why are consumerism and wealth seen as the be all and end all in the US, not hanging your washing out because it makes you look poor, come on!!!

It just wouldn’t enter my head to put laundry in a tumble dryer if it wasn’t raining (even then I prefer to hang it in the house).  As a student, and living in flats over the years, I’ve always hung my washing, and would hang it on coat hangers at the window to dry.  There’s even a project in the US, to try and educate people about hanging laundry. 

I don’t enjoy the laundry, but my eldest loves helping out, passing the pegs and the clothes to be hung.  She’s even been spending time drawing clotheslines recently!!  I love these.

The little character at the bottom is Mr Jingles, and apparantly he lives in a ‘teeny tiny house that grows and grows when he climbs inside’.

Here’s my youngest contribution to the laundry, one days worth of nappies!!!. 

Must go the laundry’s piling up as we speak, there’s a load in the washer to hang, and a basket full to be folded (there’s nothing like folding newborn clothes though!!).

Baby shoes galore April 16, 2007

I made  a couple of attempts at making baby shoes myself, and still have a leather pair to finish.

But why make the yourself when there are so many delicious ones out there made to perfection.

My friend from feltinginfibrespace made me these gorgeous ones, she doesn’t have any for sale yet, but I definitely think she should they’re so cute.

There are loads of goodies on Etsy

From Olilo Design

From Diddle Dumpling

From Brooklyn Handmade

From  Catarina M’s, I don’t know if she sells them, but they’re sweet.

4 weeks on April 15, 2007

Is it really 4 weeks since E was born!  It’s been a pretty calm, relaxing few weeks, getting used to being 4 instead of 3.  We haven’t ventured too far, the furthest being my friend’s in Harrogate, and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (I couldn’t not go and see Andy Goldsworthy on my doorstep).

L has been fantastic, a bit trying at times having her here all day (nursery starts again next week ) but very tolerant of all the feeding.  Here’s a pic of her in full flow, I can watch her for hours when she’s so involved in something, it’s as if time stands still for her she’s so engrossed in what she’s doing.

Not much crafting going on I still haven’t finished the ripple blanket!!  But remember this tablecloth, I managed to make L a smocket, it’s gorgeous but no photos unfortunately as she thought otherwise and is still to try it on, it’s in her dressing up box now!!!  So I had to make a mini one, for somebody who doesn’t have a choice what she wears!

It turned out a bit small, I reduced the pattern by 50%, so I’m gonna have another go with some fabric to match these booties.  But it’s so cute, great for summer over a vest.

Apart from that we’ve been enjoying ths sun, here’s some pics from our garden.

I used this great little program mentioned by Heather.  And more flow from L.