Craft Schmaft » Baby & Nursery

So much to do, so little time

Claire — Sat, 26 May 2012 12:07:43 +0000

Off to Bali tomorrow morning. Horribly behind on blogging. Kinda behind on softie crafting. Very behind on all forms of house work. Still more packing to do. All I have to show for myself is this mobile for tiny bubba Lachlan. Obsessed with blue, green and Tula Pink at the moment. Hope his mum likes it. Promise to write more when I’m back from holidays.

This little initial was inspired by Megan, who told me at Finders Keepers about embroidering baby names onto the clouds. Such a beautiful idea, thanks Megan! I went with cross stitch backed with white felt.

Be back soon – taking the gnomes with me… I will finish those bloody things on this holiday if it kills me!!!

xoxo

Claire

Air balloon mobile pattern now in the store

Claire — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 05:42:23 +0000

After much stitching, deliberation, sewing, photographing, testing and zooszzshing (technical term) the Hot Air Ballon plush sewing pattern is done and up for sale in the Craft Schmaft store.

This has been such a team effort and I don’t mean a team of people standing around me I mean you. Yep, this pattern is the product of inspiration from all you bloggers, testing by wonderful blog and facebook followers (Marina, Susan, Cass, Jessica, Catherine, Leah, Christine, Kyra, Emily, Bianca, Leonie and Jane), cover advice by facebook fans and encouragement from just about everywhere. You all truly do rock. Thank you so much.

The PDF pattern is in the store and the printed version will be making it’s debut at Finders Keepers melbourne.

Up, up and away…

Olive’s balloon mobile

Claire — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:34:46 +0000

I went to Canberra Friday night to see my beautiful niece and deliver her very own hot air balloon mobile. I may have gotten over excited to be travelling without children and overdone it slightly on the red wine on the train to Bungendore but THAT is another story.

The balloon mobile

Claire — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:49:06 +0000

There’s been a flurry of sewing, stuffing, unpicking, sewing… writing notes, cutting, sewing and finally hanging the balloons together. It’s probably taken longer with all the instagram snapping I’ve been doing (sorry if I’ve flooded your news feed with pics) but I really enjoyed looking back at the progress and steps. Turns out my study turquoise wall comes in handy for photos too, phew… that colour was quite a gamble.

A little owl rattle

Claire — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:04:05 +0000

I got busy crafting a baby owl rattle for my tiny new niece, Olive. A couple of bells in a kinder surprise container created the rattling effect and then the baby owl went right on top of a “sock donut”. I used a colour variation embroidery thread for the eyes which was gorgeous – although the instagram photos don’t quite do it justice.

Meet Franklin

Claire — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:38:26 +0000

We knew that we were expecting a boy. We knew he would arrive on Saturday as I had to have a c-section. We had absolutely no idea that he would be so large (Born a whopping 4.75kg/nearly 11 pounds) nor that we could love him so much. He enjoys afternoon snuggles, big feeds and long walks on the beach.

Meet Franklin…

Thank you so much for all your well wishes. We had a very smooth delivery and a very happy healthy baby. Although it has to be said that he looked more like a toddler compared to the other tiny bubbas in the nursery!

I’m off to have a baby

Claire — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:26:00 +0000

Well I’m off to hospital at the crack of dawn tomorrow to have this baby of mine. Lots of gushing blogging to come but for now, here are some pics of the balloon nursery…

Making of the Balloon Nursery posts can be found here:

Balloon Nursery: Almost there

Claire — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 07:05:51 +0000

Balloons have come together.

Had their little baskets attached.

Teeny tiny fabric bunting ironed and cut.

Strung on a piece of perle.

Sheets have been made. The cradle is in place. All that’s left is for the mobile to be hung.

Balloon Nursery: a day in pictures

Claire — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 10:38:56 +0000

It’s been a big day of sewing on the balloon nursery front, hooray! The baby finally has a quilt to sleep under. I haven’t got pics of the finished item but I took some snaps along the way today to share. A word of warning, professional quilters may find the following wonky stitching and amateur technique offensive, you may wish to look away now!

It started with an unpick and rework. I reduced the amount of red in the quilt, I think it was starting to take over.

Lots of sewing onto an organic cotton wadding.

A little addition of ric rac which I love!

First attempt at felt basket. Not bad for a first attempt but it’s too big for the balloons so more experimenting tonight.

Balloons for the mobile starting to take shape.

And so with fingers nicely swollen from the oedema I think it’s time for me to eat some ice cream. Everyone keeps telling me I should enjoy these last weeks of pregnancy. This is proving difficult to do what with the waddling, constant peeing and sleeplessness but on the bright side there’s dessert. I believe when pregnant one must ALWAYS eat dessert!

Quilt coming together

Claire — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:18:02 +0000

Thanks for all your input, I think you’re absolutely right… whimsical is the way to go for the nursery. I pulled together the quilt panel this week although tomorrow I’m going to take out some of the red. It’s just a little too much. I have also been learning how to basket weave with felt for the balloon baskets and sewing them up for the mobile. It’s all starting to come together.