{This moment}

{this moment}

a wee tiny part of this week... Imaged.

Two cuddle dolls found their home....

I put a listing in etsy yesterday night, and what I see this very morning?
Sold.

I suspect pure act of kindness from this lady, who bought it. (She looks more talented then me!)




The brown eyed one was made for the daughter of one of Papa's Uncle's wife's niece... or something. She was born around same date as Mariann and we're going to see her on new year.

I'll be making more of those!

But before, I have to wash off Merrick's doll. See, Mariann carry both hers and his around... which is a lot for her little arm (in her big snow suit...) so she dropped it in the calcium/snow side round mud. Yuk!

Right now, I AM: My plans for January

Papa complained New Year shouldn't be at the beginning of winter... more like after the summer solstice, or something...

I agree with him. I never felt the new-beginning-ness of New Year, it really felt in the middle of every thing, if you get what I mean...

But I'll actually try bringing something new, and strengthen decision we've made in the past.

People had an hard time with the "no plastic toy" rule, but they managed. Top picture show Mariann's absolute favorite gift: Handmade, handpainted wooden rocking horse.



And I found what I looked for all year; I craft a lot, and wanted to start a shop, but didn't know exactly what I was liking to do the most, what I wanted to do again and again and again.... Well, there it is. Waldorf little peeps. 18" companion dolls to wee 5" ones.

I know there's a lot of people making them, every where. I don't feel I'm bringing something new... But I love making them so much. I felt in love!

So, right now I AM: thankful for my crafting gift, for the wonderful holidays I'm spending with Papa at home, and for the little red cheeks from going skying this afternoon!

My plans for January? Dollmaking, enjoying pajama play and loving, a lot of loving!

And why would I stop crafting?

I thought I'd take some break from crafting this weekend.... but...
I've taken Mariann's doll apart (half of it) to re-do the torso, which ended up being way too long. She's now standing leg&hairless on my crafting table, hoping for better tomorrow...

It's my actual first time being able to wander on the Internet since last time I posted. I'm sorry I didn't leave a comment to everyone of my bloggy friends but I wished you had a very great solstice-to-Christmas week!

Mariann enjoyed her solstice gifts, and loved walking around town with her new baby in its snowsuit. She also loves Merrick's and sleeps with both...Merrick doesn't mind much for now!

And she loved Christmas Eve. We received very beautiful gifts we couldn't have afforded ourselves that will be pretty and or useful in our house. I got pyrex glass container with bpa-free lid, thanks mom! (I was waiting for this!)
2 new set of dishes (we only had big plates left from our previous kit, and I don't like to eat in big plates...) Papa got a GPS for when we move to a bigger city and Mariann got tons of Horse-related and Toy Story stuff. Wooden for the first, fabric for the last (towels and throw)... I had forbidden plastic, and was listened to !! Well, for the most part....

Mariann got this awesome wooden rocking horse I can't wait to show you pictures of. My mom got it at a craft store she gives classes in and she painted it. It is so very pretty! Mariann treats it like a pet, it's her new best friend. She and her doll have long rides on it all day long... I'm very happy to have something as beautiful in our home for her to play with.

And she was really sweet, waiting for her turn to open gifts. She was taking the time to enjoy each of them anyway! At a point she said "Christmas over, Mariann wants her bed!" So we let her go to sleep and she unwrapped the rest of her gifts on Christmas day. I loved that it happened, and certainly do the same next year, way less overwhelming!




Wishing you health, peace, happiness and joy, and anything else you want/need!

From my family to yours, lots of hugs and kisses in this year to come!

Apparently, we yet did some other gift tonight...(toddler made last minute gift)

Papa realized he had no gift for his mommy. So he went to the [very, very crowded] store and bought [what he thought] 4 wine glass for me to paint on, like I did last year. But there is 6 of them. So tonight I painted! 2 times, actually! (My first attempt was really bad... and I passed really near washing them off again and starting back... )

....And I actually got a gift!

Look at what my 2½ yr old made me, all by herself!

And she was so proud to wear her own :)
And she made several more...
One will go to her aunt, the other to her Mamie (my mom) and I have one left... The other aunt maybe?


So was so concentrated... And she could have gone on and on... But bed time arrived quickly!

So, I really don't think I'll post tomorrow, and I'm gonna try to sew some chic pants for my baby before he wakes up for a midnight feed. I'm wishing everyone that celebrates Xmas, a really good one!

On the Solstice day... (last of gift show off)

It was very stormy outdoor, very dark! The night seemed even longer...

We slept a lot, had warm drink under blankets, and went for a [car] ride.

I packed some gifts and put them in the tree.
We received some Yule card, too!


I made tiny lavender&jasmin sachet for my MIL

We've opened our stocking

And I gave my babies some babies :)

We took pictures (making *click* sounds)


We napped, and napped, and napped...


We put on our boots, and scarfs, and hats.
(And I made a doll snow suits from fleece scarf in an hour...)

And we were back for some more sleep!

Good night!

Holiday Gift

I still need to make her a pajama and other outfit, and give her some hair!
Merrick's doll is in the making now... The head is done, it won't be long :)

{This moment} "Elving"

{this moment}

a wee tiny part of this week... Imaged.

Holidays WIP

I finally got my wool today!! I've started right after Mariann got in bed (which was late) and now it's hidden and I'm going to sleep....

1st yarn along: Learning

I've never crocheted; I just bought one hook.
I need to learn to... I'm making a wig cap for Mariann's doll.
Well, I'm trying!

I've put Mariann's ornament next, she loves to sew next to maman.

We are learning.
I love to learn.

Joining Ginny

Holiday Gift; Fabric Tools

Currently making doll clothing....

And THAT's how much Merrick liked Santa...

But Mariann made some friends and ran around...

But she didn't like Santa either. I wasn't even able to get a single picture, I was handed the gift. But she got a great jigsaw puzzle.



Am I posting too much baby picture??

Holiday Gift: Winter Playscape

I finished this really simple playscape yesterday.
Red, white, evergreen and a bit of marine blue felt were used.
And brown pipe-cleaner.



I saw several style of tree but stuck to that one, which is by far the less intricate.

I didn't wait for Yule to give it so last night I've put in under our tree. When Mariann got up, I heard her happiness as she started playing with it right away.

I'll try making at least one little woodland creature by Yule....

I do it my way

Sometimes I agree with my mom. Sometimes I agree with my MIL.

Sometimes I disagree with both.

I'm not fond of putting Merrick asleep in his crib. It doesn't work most of the time, and after 3 times of re-settling him to sleep I usually give up and keep him in bed with us. You see, I'm actutaly tired and need some sleep too.

I breastfeed, and want to do so for as long as Merrick keeps interest in it and that I feel good doing so; Last week we had nipple confusion, it's okay now, and no mom, I won't just "feed him bottle then! You give yourself so much trouble!". I give my baby what's best. Isn't it worth the trouble?

Yes, unknown lady. I've just arrived in this café where you happen to be as well. I certainly am unpacking my toddler from the stroller and my newborn from the wrap. I do take a lot of space. We will eat here, right next to you. I will command today's menu with a toddler at my feet and the baby in my arm. I will ask the cashier to bring the cabaret at our table, I will give my toddler a cookie while she eats the main dish none-the-less, and I will let my baby on it's snow suit on the table while we teeth-equipped people eat. I may breastfeed him right there on the table as well. And I will let my toddler drink from a mug.

And you will be surprised how little screams you've heard. And you'll see me dress my babies, without help, for a good 10 minutes, all alone. And off we'll be.


I'm sorry, dear MIL, that our home is far from being shiny clean. I don't even try too. Yes, I'll let the dishes unwashed for more than a day, and yes, those cloth will remained unfolded, in the basket, likely until they are all being worn again and back into the dirty cloth basket for another round.
Yes, I'm sewing instead.
It makes me happy.

My way is the best way for me. With all those people I take care about, it's the least I can do.

For me.

right now, I AM:

I think the right word is exhausted.
We (by we I mean me and Merrick) spent the weekend learning to nurse again. See, he had forgotten. We bought new kind of dummies on Thursday and he loved them so much, he totally forgot how to suck on the nipple. Poor little peanut. Poor little mama. I felt so helpless. But we prevailed. Every thing's now back to normal-ish, and he got his old kind of pacifier back too. Because he needs to suck so much he hurts himself with his tummy so full!

So now we reset the routine. He told me he's big enough to space his feeding to at least 3h. But there's still no difference between night and day for the 2 of us. I'm very thankful Mariann's a late sleeper (sometimes up to 9am!) and Papa is always available for their father/daughter breakfast.

Holiday Giftmaking continued

I've finished a command for a sweat 1year old. Made with skin tone organic cotton, 100% wool felt, hand dyed greens and some velour petals.

Unfortunately, after almost a month of purchasing a 2lbs bag of wool roving, nothing came in. I bought it from a shop were it should have been here within days, but got nothing! Very frustrating. So I've put the jointed doll on hold and stuff this little earth plush with felt scraps.

I've also made 12 little stocking for a card swap. They are filled with an apple-cinnamon tea bag. There's 12 of them.

And we made our tree! It's an hand-me-down fake one. The delicate ornaments on top, wooden and stuffies at the bottom. It's the first year that I actually have an helper!

{This moment}

{this moment}

a wee tiny part of this week... Imaged.

How to believe in Santa?

Sadly, Santa means nothing to me... no good memories, no cookies and milk... I didn't even know we had to leave a carrot for Rudolph (what about the other deers?) We had a "santa" at our family party... You can picture the most drunken uncle of the family, forgetting to put back his fake beard all the time, smoking?

I'm not liking the commercialness of the holidays either, and Santa was representing that to me.

But somehow I changed my mind. I want to create that magic for my kids, as long as it shall last. But how?

What are your Santa Claus, it'll be Père Noël here, traditions?

Holiday Gift

I actually got something done today! after trying to put Merrick asleep in his bed 4 times... I gave up and kept him on myself (where he's still being currently...) and stuffed and stitched the last stitches that needed to be stitched on Mariann's camera.

If I'm not careful enough about where I leave my camera (which is a canon rebel..not a toddler play thing!) I'm more than likely to ear something like "Photo, Maman!?" I'm pretty sure you can picture my daughter gently sitting on a chair, looking the more angel-like she can, holding the open camera with her little hands, the protective cap on the table and her little face almost all hiding behind the said camera. Cute, but possibly deadly. I would have taken a picture of her if I could....

It's really simple and took me 2 evenings (those being short of many nursing times). It's made to look like my camera she loves so much. But more simple, of course!


I feel like giving it now... but I'll try hiding it until the gift-opening day!

On another crafty note, I've sewn something for her Friday, from a very worn and dye-stained sweater of mine.



Now a black-grey stripped shrug to go with her bandanna dress





Couldn't get a crisp picture, sorry! Maybe another time...


(Looking for the link of the tutorial I felt on this. Couldn't resist posting it!Sorry for the randomness... It's relevant... a little...)

How's your holiday crafting going?