right now, I AM:

Enjoying more and more my decision to keep Mariann with me, instead of putting her to daycare "so she can socialize".

We went to a baby massage class today. There was room left so we placed mariann with a doll, so she can learn to massage her doll as well. The girl giving the class was so surprised at how my lady was able to listen, learn and be part of the group. She kept saying "it's fabulous! she's only 2 yr old!".

Yes, my lady is fabulous, indeed!

Pocket Spellbook part 2; cover and filling

Part one, handbounding the book, can be found here.

As I was looking for a glue stick, or my modpodge bottle and couldn't find either, the simplest cover solution came to my mind, and you'll LOVE how easy it is.

you need:
-electric tape (the color you want!)
-ribbons
-(not pictured) scissor
-sharpies or other felted pens. The thinnest the better
(I used a no.1 sized pigment ink, waterproof)
-watercolor
-pastel
-a bit of water
-paint brush
-any other paper altering supplies



First you onroll your tape, cut with a little leftover and tape that leftover inside.


Cut a slice of tape and sandwich the first ribbons. Cut what exceeds. Repeat on the other side. Now your spellbook is covered, and it can be shut!



Toddler's help is totally optional





Stain your pages however you like (or don't, if you don't like the look)

Finally, add whatever you like inside!


presentation


tripple goddess and moon phase


kitchen witchery: property of garlic and aneth


Thanks everyone from the PM party who gave me so much lovin'!
If you ever make one, please show me!!

My contribution for the Practical Magic party...part 1

I remembered post were due tomorrow... And felt like a bad student forgetting his homework! So I started thinking of what I could post about.

I LOVED that movie, like pretty much every witch around. When I first rented it (VHS, please!) I've listened to it over and over and over again until my 24h were done. The gorgeous house, the spells, the characters...I was around 11 when I first listen to it (if I remember right...) How I wished I had such powers, such cool aunts... and a sister to rely on! From that day on, pretty much all the characters I drew had mismatching eyes. I usually drew myself with one eye green, one eye brown (I have peers eye that vary between those 2 colours).
One of my favourite scene is when the sisters are young, and they are learning magic with their aunts, dressed as angel.

I expected people to share recipes of margaritas and their version of the love spell. I wanted to share something different. I thought about making angel wings (I easily see Mariann in those!) but I didn't have enough feathers... So what else? The spellbook amazed me.. But I don't want to just show you my BOS (there's nothing much to see, anyway) But I've handbounded mine, and thought about that mini one I did (the ones I sell in my etsy). So here you go:

Pocket Hand bound Spellbook tutorial!

You need:
-Paper
-Scissor
-Thread
-Needle
optional:
-Various stickers, bits of plants, watercolor, pencils... to make something interesting inside it when you're done



First you cut you paper. My rectangles for this one were about 2x3".
By group of 6, I've ply them.


Until I had a nice bunch. 6 this time.



Enter you needle on the back of the first bunch. Stitch in and out, and knot on the back.



Enter the next bunch, knot in front, repeat. It'll make a kind of accordion. Close your pages and gather so that the backs are all together. Knot at the end.


Pass your needle in the thread from bottom to up. Enter back of the last bunch and knot.

As for the cover part... to be continued!



please join the fun! And hello everyone coming from there!


update: part 2 is here!

Blessed Mabon Everyone!

Most people I know loves autumn. The colors, the relief of too much warm weather...

I don't. Honestly, I hated autumn. I don't remember enjoying it ever. No happy memory related to it. Nada. For many reason, I dreaded September (even August!). I think the prospect of going to school terrified me. Loosing my freedom, and more importantly being remembered everyday how not-fitting I was in a group of people... Seeing my mom going back in a resigned state (she hates her professor job), and the fact that I had to put cloths on, bleh! Nothing to be exited about.

I slowly start to detach myself from those fears... I've stop going to school for years now! At this point, I really think I'm traumatized. Oh well!

Now that I can burry leave this behind, I start to enjoy the leaves turning red and gold. But there's still a lot of work to do!

I don't know why but I was convinced that Mabon was tomorrow. Oh well!
We'll feast tomorrow as planned!

Hope you spent a lovely day, and enjoy the full moon light!

right now, I AM:

Sorry for yet another baby picture! But what I wanted was to highlight the fact that he's being worn by Papa! I AM in love with those man in my life. Thanks Papa for being such an open person.

Perfect Daddy Bag

I keep telling myself to make something in order to sell. Every one around me does the same. Everything I make a gift to someone, someone says "You're so talented, you should try to start your own business!!"

Most of the time, I agree. I should start selling something.

Something, but what??

What would I like to make repeatedly? That the market isn't overload with already?

I've looked around to see if many people make play diaper bags. Result of my research: fiew people make real diaper bags. One person sell play ones in etsy, and one blogger made one (she offers a tutorial, too!).




Like Mariann's, this one is equipped with a felt bottle, a bib, wipes, diapers and layette. It's made out of a vintage plaid my mom wanted to throw away (!) and one of her pair of pants. I feel it's more masculine, thus the title, Daddy Bag. But it could be for a girl as well, too!

Label: Twill tape + black sharpie.

I think there could be a market for those... I'll put some up in my etsy shop to go with the elementals I'm making.... We'll see, I'll give you some news!

Meanwhile... if anybody wants it before I put it in my etsy, just email me! ;)

{This moment}

right now, I AM:

Grateful. This morning, while I was BFing in bed, Mariann came in and kiss Merrick, saying "I luff you, bébé bruddder"

Joining Lisa....

Looking for yellow...

The awesome and bloggy famous Dana from Made had the spontaneous urge of celebrating the color yellow.

Well, why not?

So I created a flickr account (yes, didn't have that already.... say I live under a rock, I don't mind! )
And added Mariann's yellow room.

..but this is the best I can so far...

I found two yellow tops (that doesn't fit the post-pegnancy belly) that I can edit and turn into a cute dress for lady Mariann and a nice top for mommy (let's hope).
But no fabric to actually enhance the tops...

So I went to one of my favorite place, the thirft store! yay!



There's one just around the corner that hold a space for sewers and knitters.
Looked for yellow fabric... no chance.
But I got those cute little vintage flowers, that stretchy yellow, some red gingham (couldn't pass the classics) and a rather big swatch of red cotton knit.

I didn't crab all the bias and twirl tape there was. It might have made me look obsessed... but I can make several trips....mine, all mine!

And we actually found something yellow!
Mariann loves her new nekasss (and she stopped playing with mines, for now)

So, let's hope I can actually sew something this week!

Another pixie suit

Again, out of a sweater mom gave me...

this time I made the hood too big... oh well!

right now, I AM:

relaxing.

No laundry to fold. No dishes to wash. No toy to pick off the floor. I think I could start cleaning my desk.... No, I'll sit and enjoy what's in that green mug instead!

Little Steps to less meat: Pizza

Why eating less meal??
Because we [north american] eat way too much of it. Once a day is too much.

I could produce you studies concluding to this fact. Or send you to youtube to watch horrible videos of animal being butchered. I could start explain you how the meat industries ruins slam farmers.... But most of you already know all of that.

I didn't take lots of pictures, because I had a 2yr old playing in tomato sauce...
But here's how we do our pizza now:

Handmade Dough

250g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) warm water
17 g active yeast

500 g (3 1/3 cup) Flour
2 table spoon salt
Around 50 ml olive oil

Blue together for 3min. Than add Green.

You let the dough double (takes about 1h) and knead it for 10 min




Sauce
1 can of tomato paste
Some water (to reach the consistency you want)
Fresh herbs

Garnish

I've never been found on pepperoni and salami, and always felt there was too much on any pizza except those I made. Once we dined at one of Papa's aunt and she had made us pizza with this pictures above. Fooled the kids and even the uncle.

Then you had any veggies you want.

Happy Eating!

Monkey see, Monkey do

2 years old loves to copy what mommy and daddy do. Sure enough, Mariann is just the same.

Today while I was BF on the couch, she took one of her baby and sat next to me, telling me her baby was hungry, too! (She speaks so much clearer now!) She pushed her doll against her chest.

Her baby was done before Merrick, and she sat her and pat her back so she could burp.


I'm amazed how attentioned she is with her doll!



But Merrick burped before her doll.



Another random BF shot. Papa takes one onces in a while, saying he regrets not taking more of me&mariann.

The pixie suit

From a previously worn sweater from my mom, once again, I made a totally different thing. Something for Merrick this time.

I'd add pointy hood to anything. Anything really.

(yes, that is Starcraft II on the computer screen. On is "studying" desk)

I made it too thigh on the body, it's pretty slim fit!
The super light fabric and the huge hoodie makes it perfect to wear him in my sling for September outdoor walks. + I love the hood pointing out of the sling.