Welcome new year of fabric play!

Hello blog! I've been looking forward to this moment, but at the same time it is hard to decide where to start after a long break. The last two months of 2008 were very hectic and the theme seemed to be "one flu a week", so I decided to take a break from work to get well, be a full-time mum and recharge my batteries. It seems to have worked, even the weather is on my side this year, it is freezing and sunny so I think I will have to take a walk at lunch to catch some of the beauty before it disappears!
It has been a challenge to stay off the sewing machine so I have had to express my creativity in other ways. Big E got a very nice cookbook published by Unicef for Christmas so I have enjoyed exploring kid's favourite foods from different corners of the world. So far our favourite is adobo, chicken from the Philippines. We celebrated New Year's Eve at my parent's place and I didn't even bring a ball of yarn with me! Luckily my mum is a knitter so I made Big E a winter cap, I got to take a pic when she gets home (she actually wears it to school, which must mean it is a success)!

I also took up my crocheting hobby again, the progress is slow, but the blanket is already warming my knees at night :) I am using this pattern for my hexagons, but I'm sure I would have used the pattern from attic24, if she had written it down when I started, the progress would be much faster! Explore more loveliness in her flickr album. I use thin washable wool yarn instead of cotton, because I wanted to make a warm lap blanket, that wasn't too heavy.
And since I am know officially allowed to play with fabrics again I started planning a quilt inspired by the lovely piece of bird fabric I got in a Christmas swap with Anna. Can you spot the red fabric with the flying white birds? I found that at the fleamarket the other day! I love it so much! I think it might be made in Finland, probably in the early 80's. You rarely find fabrics with small patterns second hand so this made me really happy, I would probably have bought this if I had found it in the fabric store too.

And of course I had to join Katy's FQ swap!

Wishing you all a joyful and crafty year of 2009!

31+ reasons to be happy

I'm home alone tonight! I will sell at three outdoor craft fairs in Aug-Sept so the family was kind enough to leave me alone with my sewing machine for the night to get some serious sewing done. I am enjoying myself. The timing for my new quilt fabrics arrival couldn't have been better. I had a little Christmas by myself opening the two envelopes stuffed with fabrics, 31 pieces to be specific (more pics in my flickr). I also made me lentils (which the family do not eat) served with rice and feta cheese on top. Which I ate in my bed in front of the TV. Freedom!

Fishing boats

Fishing boats, originally uploaded by -syko-.

The boats I made for Janet Bell's gallery are finished. This was a very fun project and I am quite pleased with how they turned out. Might be making more if I hear someone shouting... See close-ups of boats here, here and here.

There was some great news in the paper yesterday, the play The King in Moomin valley at Svenska teatern next Autumn! With the traditional music by Erna Tauro. Very nostalgic, we used to listen to the music when we were kids. I made some muminmamma food the other day, strawberry dessert, it is so easy to make, but it is one of those things that makes me feel like THE moomin mum with all the necessities in her handbag. In real life I am the one that forgets to bring a spare diaper and has to ask a stranger to borrow one. Making a strawberry dessert, or even better, pancakes every once in awhile gives me some mum-points that allows me to go on being silly me most of the days. But as my dear daughter says: "Mum, I like you because you're silly!"

100 and 1 for free

lunch, originally uploaded by -syko-.

Please join me for lunch! This is post 100 on this blog and as I like to celebrate everyday life we'll do it my way (there will be a give away too so you just have to read through this post...). One of the dis?advantages of working at home is that you have to make your own lunch. I think it is very important to make a warm meal for the kids at night and to serve them appropriate breakfast, but I tend to forget that I have to eat myself. Sometimes I have so fun playing with fabric that I suddenly wake up to a screaming stomach, run to the fridge and find it EMPTY. Or is it empty really or are we just facing another creative moment? Please serve yourselves:

Pasta Carbonara for one à la Syko

1 egg yolk
grated cheese
garlic
pepper
ham, sliced and diced
frozen green beans
caprice
pasta of any kind, I found some very cute animal figures in the cupboard :)

Cook the pasta and the frozen beans. While the pasta is cooking stir the egg yolk, grated cheese, sliced ham, pepper and pressed garlic in a bowl. Drain the pasta and immediately add the egg mix. Add the beans and the caprice on top. Voilá!

Yesterday I got an e-mail from Lark books, they are making a book on baby quilts and asked me to send in an entry. I will! I actually had a wip with fabrics from this project lying around that I think would be great for the purpose. Cross your fingers!

And since this is my 100th post I want to thank you all for taking the time to comment with such an enthusiasm that even at bad days makes me want to sew and sew more just to be able to share it with you. Oh, and I thought I would give away a fairy angel to celebrate the occasion. Just comment here and you will be in the draw. The winner will have a few different fairies to choose from :)

Btw I would never had forgotten my lunch hour while I was working (for someone else).

Diet

I did not think it would take this long for me to be back in business with my sewing. Now I'm finally getting there. I just can't work if my space and my stuff is not in order. I googled clean desk and found out I'm not alone... You wouldn't believe this if you saw my home. Really.

Little E and I built the new ikea shelf together, he gave me one screw at a time :)
I had to take a smaller shelf than planned, our car has its limitations. I'm quite happy with it anyway. AND I got to spend a whole day in Helsinki with my best friend (and no kids), trying out wedding dresses for her. We had a wonderful time!

I'm on a diet, not because I have a weight problem but because I want to get rid of my rash. I want to get well NOW! No grain, no sugar, no milk. I've made it two days and it feels better already! My kids love the smoothies I make to get something sweet an healthy. This is frozen strawberries, 1 banana, 1 apple, some almonds and rice milk. Served in a thrifted strawberry bowl.