Pretending to be Six

We had a pretend birthday party on the weekend because the actual Birthday will be away from our Canadian friends and family in the distant country of Switzerland.

We had fun

Huxley-party-boppers 

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We had cake

Huxley-party-cake
 

We opened presents

Huxley-party-gifts
 

Now we are packing our bags and will be on the plane in about 7 days. 

Winter Sleep

Although it has been very tempting to curl up in a cave and hold a winter-sleep, that is not what has been happening around here. I have actually been very busy with many things, alas, nothing finished to show off. Every time I wanted to sit down to at least show a sign of life, I thought that it was better to wait until I had something wonderful to show. I still don't have that as of today. 

Here are a few of the projects that I am working on:

New dolls (there are about 5 new ones presently being created. I sourced a new Canadian distributor of the stuffing wool, as well as a couple of back-up suppliers)

A one month trip to Europe (1 week in Brussels with my best Friend Robert, then 3 Weeks in my native Switzerland. Huxley will be attending the local waldorf-inspired public kindergarten for 2 weeks, and I am working on arranging some felting studio time with a local artist. I will also be able to connect with old friends and many relatives.)

A workshop and presentation about the hand puppets of Paul Klee (this will happen tonight and I sewed 50 factory cotton puppet blanks for the attendees to decorate)

A new liaison with an art representative for my paintings (this involves a lot of business-type spreadsheet work and inventory control, as well as shifting work around amongst my various galleries)

Doggy-watching (we just spent 10 days watching my friend Gloria's little miniature dachshund. It made us realize that we really just don't have the time to welcome a little four-legged friend of the canine sort into our lives).

Working on a series of new art pieces at the studio (including a commission of a 60" x 66" abstract piece, and my new series of Dancers and Trees).

Commission of doll clothes for some of the little ones completed for Christmas gifts.

Finally sorting through a few stacks of old magazines to take out recipes and items of interest before I hand them on to my dear friend Rima.

Knitting a blue hat for Huxley (I had to be blue, as that seems to be his new favourite colour)

Purchasing wool to prepare knitting kits for the Chippies and the Fliegenpilze (I might need to take this project to Europe to work on. The kits will include written instructions, as well as just the right amount to knit one of them lovelies. There will also be just patterns for sale. If you think you might be interested in this, a comment would be wonderful and will certainly entice me to get it done faster).

Getting my wonderful Bernina machine serviced and running smoothly as ever.

Thinking that I really need to start to seriously invest time into learning more about RAW eating and menu planning (All the weight that I lost last year I gained back last fall when I was eating while working late, justifying it that I needed extra fuel (well, whipping cream and chocolate chips are not the ideal source of fuel… grin… slap… slap!)

Getting a whole whack of books from the library, some from on-line book sellers and a huge second-hand local book store (oh, books, I have these wonderful discussions with my husband where he thinks that a Kindle might be a great thing for me, and me explaining that it is the actual book and how it feels that I will never get from one of those readers. I love my Ipod though and my audio books, but those I use for working and don't need to leave through ever again after having consumed the story).

Finding time to have fun with Huxley (doing some crafts – we made salt-dough hearts as valentines, going for beach walks, planning a back-yard play house to be built this coming summer).

So that about sums it up… Although I dislike picture less posts… this is going to be one of them… must get my duff to the studio and complete the preparation for tonight's workshop.

Season’s Exchange

After being extremely excited to have found the Season's Round Exchange and signing up, I was completely and utterly railroaded by life and only managed to send off my package to the lovely, patient and understanding Christine this past Tuesday, I wanted to at least post the baggies I sent to her filled with our treasures.

Season-ex-baggies
 

Christine had already sent her package to us on time and we're very much enjoying our newly resurected nature table. I had quite a nice set-up for last winter, but then it just sat there, until I eventually put a silk over the whole scene to hid the disgrace. The Season's Exchange package gave me the incentive I needed to clean it up. Mother Earth even got a new shawl knitted that she will be wearing in a couple of weeks when it is getting much colder. 

Season-ex-pack-received 

Packaged so lovely

Season-ex-pack-prezzies

 The little "prezzies" as they are known in our home

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The mushroom girl, felted acorns, little pinecones in a locally hand-made bown, antique german "fliegenpilze" (Christine, how did you know I've been dreaming of these?), some beautiful piece of bark with moss and "tree-algea", and the sweetest little needle felted fliegenpilz.

Thank you again Christine! 

Season-ex-pack-set-up 

The set up of our nature table.

Do you keep a nature table at your home? Do you let your children play with it?

Gasping

for air, as I'm drowning in the second batch of arugula planted in the garden. But drowning in love and with a heaviness around my heart as the light is the light of fall, not summer. Do many plans that where made for summer didn't happen, due to many things, weather, money, energy, availability of hubby, needs of a certain little someone, whose summer of being 5 will never come again. 

today, now, this minute, sneaking a post in, just to tell myself that it is still live, the blog hasn't died and that it is my space to be in when I'm ready. Much to show, much to tell, yet is there anybody out there listening?

A very worthwhile project

In my world wide web travels I came across a wonderful project that Kristin Laflamme started.

It is called Bundles of Love. 

Kristin's husband is currently stationed in Iraq. They had the idea that if we send him sewing supplies, he can distribute them to families in need. Since I am a good contender in the contest of "She who dies with the most fabric wins", I think I have goodies to share. 

I know for us Canadian's it might cost a little bit more to ship (I will make my first box this weekend and see how much it will cost), however, as we all know it is always the women and children that are suffering the most in any conflict. 

Help join me in making this a success. If you can't send your own parcel, maybe you could simply spread the word.