pandora pocket

Another life

 

Stanley arrived - late but quickly - nearly eight weeks ago now. You forget what a blur those first few weeks are, getting to know each other, getting very little sleep and getting to grips with constant nappies, feeds and crying.

Luckily, amongst all of the wonderful gifts Stanley and Polly have both received, there was a little something for me from a wonderful friend. Her finger on the pulse as always, she said she thought this website was right up my street and it absolutely is. notanotherbill.com will source and select a gift to send through the post on the first of the month, depending on the details you enter about the recipient. I have received two parcels, both of which arrived beautifully packaged and stuffed full of goodies.

The first was from allotinabox.com and consisted of a selection of seeds, twine and plant tags.

 

The second was from presentandcorrect.com and is a dream package of stationery.

I can't tell you what a lovely gift this is, and how it reminds me of who I am (which I am likely to forget whilst awake at 3am burping the baba, or permanently laundering milk sick from everything I own). 

Thanks Phillis x

 

Monkey eyes

 
Monkey needs some eyes.

After spending so much time making so many special things for Polly before she was born, I feel a little guilty having made nothing for Walter. I found the last of my sock monkey batch from several years ago, which have made lovely gifts and now they are all gone. Polly is helping me choose some buttons to sew on for eyes.

The best book for instructions on how to make sock monkeys and other animals is sock and glove which Joel also just posted about. He made a sock fish though. More sock monkey inspiration comes from Sock Monkeys - a book which catalogues lots of vintage sock monkeys collected by the authors, from the bygone era when children had few toys other than that which could be made for them out of whatever was to hand. No angry chickens.

 

maybe baby...

 
 

I was thinking - whilst waiting for a baby (due yesterday) - that maybe I might get back online.

I was also sewing - whilst waiting for aforementioned baby - and thought it might be a good place to start.

Having just found the post from Trula which inspired me to make this dress up doll, I realise what a shameless copy I have made. Sorry. Who knew it was so much fun designing and making clothes for a rag doll? It will be a present in the hospital from new baby to Polly, who is suddenly into zips and buttons and I'm thinking the sooner she learns to dress herself the better.

David thinks she'll like the scooter better (also from the baby. That's one generous baby).

Collection

 

Who was I kidding? Like I could stop thinking about the endless possibilities of photographing a collection a day for a whole year... hence: http://pandorapocket.typepad.com/magpie2010/ My only rule is that the collection has to relate somehow to my day and I'm not going to beat myself up if I miss a day's photograph or post - I can play catch up.

Now Polly and I are off to join the library. 
 

New

I don't have a new year's resolution yet which is unusual for me. Past resolutions include an A through Z of authors (2001), hand stitching a quilt (2003), a photo a day for a year (2004), going to every tube station on the London Underground (2005), arrange a wedding (2006) and have a baby (2009). 

I really like Lisa Congdon's 2010 project - A Collection a Day (found through fellow collector Inchmark) - but I think just blogging again might be enough of a resolution for now. Baby steps.

That doesn't stop me from photographing what might be today's collection were I to be cataloguing a collection a day; Polly's favourite toys of the moment. By that I mean my favourite toys to give to Polly to chew on. 

Happy New Year.  

Houses

Seems the last couple of weeks have been all about houses. Liberty print houses, V&A print houses, and toy houses for Merlin in the post from Josie.

 

A fantastic hand built playhouse from Miko design.

 

Really cute dolls house (trolls house) at Fine Little Day.

 

And of course the week before we are due to give birth is the ideal time to sell our house and choose somewhere new to live.

Those houses won't build themselves you know, Julie.

The craft

I've been busy worshipping at the church of craft...

 

Little red riding hood hand puppet, inspired by Mabs Tyler's Big Book of Soft Toys.

 

A stack of cushions; some for Merlin's room and some for Sam and Olivia.

 

Finally finished Merlin's first cashmere sweater, from Baby Knits for Beginners, by Debbie Bliss.

 

A couple of blankets made from a pashmina that I have never worn and a pattern adapted from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. One might be for Merlin.

 

Rounded off with a little peruse of the Liberty website where their new Art Collection fabrics are available to order online. I think I have earned a nap after which will no doubt follow more craft, maybe a swim and a cup of raspberry leaf tea.

Congratulations Donald on passing your exams.

Cornwall

 

A last minute long weekend filled with Cornish ice cream (and fresh pasties and cream teas), St Mawes, Barbara Hepworth museum and Tate St. Ives, Porthpean beach in the rain and the view at breakfast from our hotel The Lugger at Portloe. Surprise supper with Caroline and Drew, Wimbledon finals and knitting for Merlin. A tentative step toward putting an end to a couple of crazy hormonal days of crying.

Today - having had my final day at work last week, and with a husband currently at 4000 metres in a hut in the snowy Alps -  I am treating myself to a pyjama day on the sofa. I'd like to make it to Trafalgar Square at some point to see Anthony Gormley's One and Other, and a trip to The Hayward's Walking in my Mind is a plan for next week. In the meantime I need to think about what to get my grandpa for his 94th birthday on Saturday... may be I'll make him a red velvet cake.

New Collection

Liberty have their new collection in for Winter 2009. I managed to snap a couple of sneaky pictures of my favourites for you Josie but this is the best I could do. The man who measured out my necessary purchase said samples of the whole collection would be on the Liberty website in a month, once the whole collection is in store.

I think the paisley with faces on is a little freaky but the one I bought (third from left) makes me very happy every time I see it. Look away if you are broke.

 

Cake

 

Picnic on Tooting common with the Robinsons: ghostbusters, bubbles and banana bread.

 

Afternoon tea with the Flynn-Marshes: George-in-a-box, Donald's African penguin and lemon drizzle cake made by Willie Carson's mum.

Only two more weeks / four more days left at work, and plans for a lot more cake.