A Fabulous Tea Party and a retrospective of sorts ...

I'm elated. I'm crafting again. It feels SO good - I really had forgotten how much happiness having a creative outlet brings me.

But I really have been a bit busy - the kind of busy where you collapse into bed each night wondering where the day has gone. Repeat this endlessly - and occasionally cry about it ;-) So to recap this is what I have been up to:

• Packed and moved - twice - or was it three times? - I lost count - it feels like six.
• Lived (pregnant) in a 300 sq ft studio apartment above a garage with husband, small toddler and a dog while we renovated the house (noise and dust like you would not believe).
• Moved into not yet completed renovated house (heavily heavily pregnant).
• Attempted to unpack and arrange furniture before baby arrived while drilling, painting etc still went on around us.
• Had baby#2 (after 2 months of 'false' labor - Note: there is nothing 'false' about false labor).
• Continued renovation and continued to unpack while looking after two adorable and much loved small children.
  
• Eventually (very recently) managed to unpack Bernie and felt a renewed level of happiness - even though I was only mending husbands shorts and g-diaper covers.
• Begged, pleaded and cajoled baby to nap at the same time as small toddler so I could have a small amount of time to myself each day.
• Won the nap battle with baby - hurrah!!
• Took a deep breath.
  
• Decided to make this tea party set.

I wanted to make a fun coordinating tea party set that would help any little girl throw a most excellent and very proper tea party. The fabrics I used for this project were all left overs from previous projects (A Lucky Baby Bunny (Nov '09), How do you work? (Aug '08) and Swap Shots (July '08) - seriously? have I really had everything packed up and stored away for that long?)

The set consists of a picnic mat, an apron, a tea towel, a tea cosy, 6 napkins and 6 party hats.I embellished with pink ribbon and lace.
Party hats ready?
Hostess ready?
Tea brewed?
What a fine tea party! The cupcakes are from my Cupcake Tutorial made back in May 2008 - I must make more of those.

Anyone remember the knitted Bunny Picnic? ... I can't believe that was back in May 2008 ... time just rushes by.

Baby Bunny #2

Catherine Audrey arrived on January 19th at 5.46am. 7lbs 8oz ...
... quite a bit bigger than Baby Bunny #1!

We are all back at home settling in - Charlotte is so far very taken with her baby sister ... I really hope that her affections last!

You Are Never to Young to Paint

Learning to paint ...What master pieces the baby bunny has made ...Once trimmed and signed they make the most adorable cards. We are SO proud of her first crafting project I'm not sure if we will ever be able to use the cards!!

AND I've found time to start knitting again ... I've forgotten just how much I love to knit.

Nesting with my Needles

The count down is officially on for the arrival of the new baby bunny - and it seems I am refusing to slow down. I had planned that I would spend these last few weeks as a 'resting' period. Where I could curl up on the sofa, watch movies, generally pamper myself and the large bump I'm hauling around - most of all stacking up on some extra sleep that I won't be getting for the next 3 months. However it seems that I am still running around doing things at full tilt, brisk doggie walks in the park - like the most energized pregnant person you have seen - occasionally I might pass out for a quick 'nap' (of a couple of hours or so .... hum.)

This week, ignoring all the baby orientated things I should be doing, I spent a day pulling together my first knitting needle organizer. Before I could begin on my pattern I had to first sort through the pile of knitting needles I kept loose in this bag. The bag had done a sterling job for a while - but as my knitting needle collection has grown it has become harder to find needles quickly - or even know what needles I have. For example I had completely given up on trying to find my beloved chunky cable needle and my naff blue plastic needle I love to use to sew knitted pieces together. But once the bag was emptied properly I discovered that they had been hiding in there all along! Some time ago my mother had also given me a large collection of old knitting needles. I did discard the bent ones but I was still left with a whole array of different lengths and sizes. How would I measure all these strange unmarked sizes? Luckily I had an antique bell gauge in amongst the collection as well ... ... which I soon learned was not that helpful as many of the old UK sizes do not really exist anymore. So I have learnt quite a lot about old knitting UK needle sizes and in the process I discovered the crazy (yet impressive) art of miniature knitting.

I decided to make my needle organizer from some left over pieces of Amy Butler's Lotus fabric, some left over cotton batting and some left over bias tape (I tend never to throw any fabric bits away - believing it will come in useful at some point!) It was a super easy and fast project.
Unrolled it measures 21"h x 23"w. Rolled up it measures 15"h x 4.5"w (depending on how many needles you have stuffed in there of course!) It has 4 layers of pockets for different length needles. The bottom pockets are extra wide to hold your circular needles. In total there are 50 different pockets.There is also a crafty 6" flap at the top of the organizer that folds over and secures with cute side ties to stop the needles falling out once it is all rolled up.
This all means that now I have a full inventory of my needles and I can waste yet more hours, put aside for baby stuff, on the Ravelry needle page! Being able to deny that your life is about to change in a momentous way can be a fabulous thing!

Little Rose Cardigan

It never ceases to amaze me how much I learn from each new project I tackle. And I might sound a bit simple - but I was really beginning to think I might know how to knit. So I felt probably over confident when I decided to knit my first piece of clothing (admittedly - a very miniature clothing for the little bunny.)
It didn't take very long to make all the pieces ... learning to make cute edging was fun ... ... but learning how to sew together the shoulder seams using a grafting technique - that was a serious mental effort (especially when your pregnant brain is functioning like a peanut) ...

Diagram from Patonsyarns.com

... and realizing that in order to make my seams beautiful and neat on the inside of the garment I really need to adjust the way I "dec2" ... lets not share photos of the dodgy bits!

I only made one little rose for the front of the cardigan. I followed the instructions making the rose with the specified US6 needles - but it was really too big - so I unravelled and remade the rose using US3 needles. Putting 3 additional roses down one side still seemed too much - do you think I was wrong to leave it at one rose?
I found the perfect colored pink button from my recycled button stash ...... although I wonder if pink was the wrong color? (Cascade Yarn - Cash Vero DK 036) Pretty predictable for a girl bunny ... but I felt knitting in white cashmere for a little one was just asking for trouble!

What is at the top of your tree?

I am feeling guilty about my blog. I worry I am lacking in crafting news these days as I am currently buried in my Hugs Kisses and Cables blanket - which will soon be finished - if I can just keep going. At times it feels a little bit like a knitting marathon ... only the serious athletes will survive! Here is a little sneaky peak at my progress.
I'm already pleased with this blanket as it is my very own pattern. I've actually written the pattern down - which I am trying to diligently check (and check again) for any mistakes. I also really love the yarn I am using - it is so soft, easy to work with and the hanks (478yds each!) are just enormous - so it goes a long long way.

With Thanksgiving behind us for another year - I can now fully concentrate on the glitter and excitement of Christmas ... and this Christmas is going to be extra special as my sister is coming to stay with us! (My lovely sister wins the prize for being the most excited about the impending bump!) And Christmas has really begun early for me as I won (yes I actually won something - woo hoo!) a beautiful package of trim from Anne at Bunny Hill Designs. Anne (a faithful bunny lover too) is a very lovely and very very talented lady - do not fail to check out her blog.

In the meantime - with my lack of crafting news - lets talk about decorating Christmas trees!! I faithfully put up our tree on December 1st ... (it is a fake tree - because in a small apartment - coping with constantly dropping needles and then the final fight to get the dead tree back out the door and down in the elevator without covering every inch of floor and stairs with needles ... well I just would prefer not be be cleaning up needles until spring arrives ... my husband would prefer the 'natural smell of pine' ... but he is not the one who cleans ... and it is a rather good fake tree ... Can I stop justifying the fake tree now?) ...

So as I began to say ... I faithfully put up our tree on December 1st and the poor thing looks a little bare in the decoration department - so I'm probably a bit too thrilled about being able to take my sister down to the Union Square Holiday Market (has to be done at night for the extra sparkle effect) ... and pick out some additional decorations. I might have to concentrate on more bunny decorations as we seem a bit short of those ...
... cute bunny, bucket and birdies ...
... slightly scary fir cone bunny (actually I think it might have been bred with a squirrel!) And what would you put on the top of the tree? An angel? A star? What about a beautiful Ballerina Bunny?

Crafting with my Sister

My sister is staying with me - and so far I have tortured her with some shopping and needle felting. We found out that needle felting takes some time and can be quite painful when you needle felt your fingers! Here are the results.

From little beginnings ...
... grow voodoo dolls? ...
... and very scary ears ...
... but eventually after much needle poking grew first needle felted bunny!
Do you like his carrot?
Or his fine fluffy tail?
And what did my sister make ... well she made a very cute whale - here he is swimming in the deep blue sea!

Something is hiding in the garden ....

Little bunny is in the garden and she is so scared that she is hiding her eyes.
"Why are you scared little bunny?"
"There is something big and scary hiding in the bushes. I think it wants to eat me."
Can you spot the scary monster too?
Look again - the monster doesn't look very scary - he looks quite friendly.
"I'm not a monster ... I'm a Brontosaurus. I'm a herbivore so I don't eat bunnies - I only eat plants."
Phew! What a friendly dinosaur! What wonderful fluffy crests the brontosaurus has along his back ... and who knew dinosaurs were so cuddly! I think we in the Rachael Rabbit workshop will enjoy having a dinosaur of our very own that lives in the garden.

Getting Ready

All the bunnies in the Rachael Rabbit workshop are getting ready for the bunny picnic (although the weather is a bit of a shame - grey and drizzling)

This little bunny is having a shower ...
... but she doesn't know which summer dress she should wear. They are all quite pretty.

Bunny and the Lost Trousers

Bunny is hiding in the cupboard because he is embarrassed.

Me: "Why are you hiding Bunny?"
Bunny: "I'm embarrassed because I'm not wearing any clothes. I have lost my trousers."
Me: "Well don't worry Bunny - we can just make you some more."

Bunny (sadly): "I don't think these fit me - they are rather short."
Me: "OK I'll make another pair."

Bunny (horrified): "These are far far too tight."
Me: "I'm sorry Bunny I don't know why I'm struggling to make trousers today. I'll try one more time. Third time lucky!"

Bunny: "Oh thank you - these fit just right. I'm very pleased with them - I'm going to wear them to the bunny picnic this weekend."

Are you going to the bunny picnic this weekend?

Marriage Guidance

Having a bad day with the hubbie? This book has lots of wise advice on how to have a happy marriage. Advice for a Happy Marriage: From Miss Dietz's Third-Grade Class is probably one of my favorite books.
I like to give it to all my friends who are about to get married. Flick through the book and you will find advice such as "you need to kiss once in a while" and of course the most valuable lesson taught in this book ...
... yes you read right - to have a happy marriage you have to get bunnies.

Recycling for Rabbits - Bunny Quilt Series

Do you remember the baby quilt that I made from recycled cotton shirts? Well this was the first baby quilt in a series of three. I have to say that I have loved all three very much. Maybe it is the pleasing simple blue and white colors or the bunnies all over them ..... or how incredibly soft all the materials are.

The first quilt had soft white bunnies on it made from a old fake pashmina which was an emergency warmth purchase in a Hong Kong market.
The second quilt had soft brown bunnies on it - the bunnies are cut from a pair of Nana's old tan trousers! One lucky bunny has a yummy orange carrot. This quilt sold as soon as I posted it.
The final quilt was finished for baby Nicolas Koltai who was born on March 23rd (yes Easter Sunday) at 2.30am at a healthy 8 pounds. This version had one bunny and a carrot in the bottom corner and extra quilting on each white square.
As I was finishing this quilt for Nicolas - I began to feel rather sentimental about all three of the baby quilts - so I took the first quilt off my shop page and I have put it safely in a dresser drawer. After parting with my dear bunny boy - I really have learnt that I have to keep the odd thing here and there.