Yummy snacks

Belle has been getting on really well with eating solids - providing they are not at all lumpy. Try feeding her anything less than totally smooth and she keeps her mouth open whilst pulling a funny face as if she's just been poisoned until the offending lump is removed! I decided to give her a go on some finger food though and gave her a crunchy carrot stick. A bit puzzled at first but then she decided that she really liked it and actually bit bits off and ate them!! I think these were the favourite snack of cousin Boncie when he was over in the UK so it's nice that they both like these.

Cosy Cot

Belle has not been happy to sleep in her cot, I think she has found it a bit large and daunting after the Moses basket. I was considering cot bumpers but they get very mixed reviews regarding safety and then Poodle suggested some long 'pillows'. I wizzed them up and here are the before and after shots.

They are stuffed with part of an old duvet that I cut up which is very lightweight but Belle loves to snuggle up to them and now she sleeps in her cot almost all night! I remove the large cushion when Belle sleeps at night but it's nice for her to cuddle into when she plays during the day.

Blonde Little Miss Daisy Button

Today I used my 'Little Miss Button' pattern and here is Blonde Little Miss Daisy Button, pictured here (left) with her great friend Miss Lizyloo Button, from Australia. I used some of the material provided in the pattern kit and used some that I already had. Took me a couple of very enjoyable hours to make. Am now planning on making a couple more for my friend's little girls when I have stocked up on more felt.

Play blocks

I went into a baby shop yesterday and saw some lovely material play cubes or blocks, but although they looked gorgeous they were quite expensive - so I decided to make some myself for Belle. These are the finished results. They are stuffed with Kapok (is the spelt right?) so are nice and squishy - unfortunately it's difficult to get them flat so they are sort of rounded cubes! So far we have been playing 'knock down the tower' about a million times - do kids EVER get bored of this?????

My stash

I have started a collection of 'fat quarters' and other pieces of material, a selection above. I'm just buying pieces that appeal to me at the moment rather than buying for a particular project, but I'm itching to start something!

Cashmere Teddy

These last couple of weeks I have been working on a present for my friend who is due to have a baby in June. They decided not to find out the sex of the baby so I was trying to find something that was suitable for either a boy or a girl. Although I started working on a blanket I realised that I would still be working on it this time next year so I changed my mind and made a lovely cashmere teddy, similar to one I made for Belle before she was born.

Part way through........

Belle's bear is the one on the left but I decided that the legs were a little short so adapted the pattern this time round. It is very 'home made' but that is the point so I am quite pleased. I now have a few weeks to sort out making a card - paper crafting is another huge passion of mine but I just haven't had time to do anything lately. I have grand plans to do scrap booking of Belle's pictures but need to have a bit of time to get started. Another one to add to the list.....

Playing in the garden

Absolutely gorgeous weather here so we have been out in the garden a lot. The blog has therefore had a bit of a back seat. Belle loves it in the garden and has been playing on her patchwork quilt. However, although she can't yet crawl she certainly can move about and keeps managing to get off the edge no matter where she starts! Grass is obviously a novelty still! So I have put Belle's playpen in the garden. This was such a fantasttic buy and we have been really pleased with it. It folds up and pops into a bag so is portable, the sides are nice and soft so when Belle falls she doesn't hurt herself, and it comes with a removeable roof which keeps the sun off when outside and makes it like a little den!