Meow

Late last night our new little friend emerged from the fabric of my society! Due to some emergency babysitting he didn’t make it up here this morning. He is ready with open arms for lots and lots of hugging and sleeping with our little nocturnal possum. 

I ended up deciding on a cat for Jasper as he gets so excited about Biscuit the cat next door and one of his first regular words was Meow!- (can’t decide whether to put some whiskers on – hmmm)  He also loves round things hence the spots and I have a significant fascination with stripes.

I think I made it more difficult for myself in deciding I didn’t want the pattern to be symmetrical!  I drew and cut separate pieces for the legs, arms, ears and made the body and face slightly lopsided with a friendly half smile – Being an art therapist I have been wondering why I was so bent on spending so much time, care and serious attempts at making it handmade and unique – I guess I wanted something that I am hoping will provide some comfort and nurture in the night time and that will remind him of our cuddly and special getting back to the lovely land of sleepy time. I am not sure why I am calling it a he! I’ll sit with it – we’ll see who he/she turns out to be – I’ll let you know as her character develops?

So I’ve been rocking Jasp to sleep with the material on my shoulder for a week. Hopefully he likes the new form the material has taken. I showed it to him today and he called it a “babee” and kissed it (scuse the blurred moment photo), we’ve just finished putting it to bed with the smurf pillow and a blanket. He isn’t a soft toy kind of kid so we’ll see how it goes

 

Sweet nocturnal moments to you,

 

Amanda

Softie in the making…

Well I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this transitional object softie! I’ve been going all day in a concentrated craft-a-thon. The materials I’ve picked focus on being nice to snuggle up to and think of Mumma while I get myself back off to sleep. It’s nearly time for sleep Jasper.

Hopefully this little cat will appear here in 3D by the morning looking vaguely like this sketch? 

Yours in craft banditry,

Amanda

What is it with boys clothes?

- Why is it such a challenge finding affordable clothes for boys that are not

1. mostly blue
2. without teddy bears and twee paraphenalia
3. not dull and bla
4. and oh yeah affordable!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              A big ask it seems or perhaps I am looking in the wrong places?  So instead of consistently winging to other parents and offending parents who love this kind of stuff, I have begun to take matters into my own hands. Here is my first offering. A vest made out of some spare polar fleece. Just trace round a t-shirt minus the arms and off you go. Love a bit of slap dash sewing. Always gets my creative juices flowing – anyone relate?

It survived an Autumn leaf fight with the cousins and Dadda so it passes the kidability test for me.

                                       cheerio,

Amanda

Wrapped with love

Knit, knit, knit, knit – it’s good therapy. Did you know knitting is not only fantabulously fun but it is considered to have lots and lots of physical, spiritual, cognitive and emotional benefits. Hooray I say that sounds like a good justification for more crafting to me. See www.knitmagic.com for more on the meditative and healing aspects of knitting.

The other great thing is you end up with something at the end of it that’s unique and full of handmade love.

Over the last couple of years, one of my work colleagues has been getting us all knitting squares at lunch times for the Wrapped in Love project. This involves knitting squares to be part of a bigger blanket to send to those who are in need of some Winter warmth at home and overseas.

The blankets are amazing, unique and above all warm. My work mate was telling me a story from last years Knit In about a refugee who had received a blanket when arriving in Winter in Australia. A few years on he remembers the kindness of being welcomed with a blanket and it is now a special family heirloom which he says will be passed down as a reminder of the welcome. Warms the cockles of your heart ay!

You can also be part of the great Knit In. It’s taking place on July 27th at the ABC studios in Harris Street Sydney. Paste the following into your browser for more details

 http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2007/07/23/1912042.htm   

See you there ,

Amanda

What’s old is new

I had a lovely time whipping these bibs up for a friend’s impending arrival whilst the boys went for a ride to the park. A few wonky bits here and there but hey, with food all over them, no-one will notice. Made from some old sheets found at an Op Shop

 

 

No. 11? What life changing news has it been witness to over it’s years of receiving mail. Letters of friendship and love, bills, newspapers, junk mail. It looks like it’s seen a lot of history and is waiting patiently for someone to tenderly restore it to it’s former glory. Sadly, the little old 60’s fibro houses are being demolished round here to make way for apartment blocks and McMansions…perhaps I’ll keep an eye out and salvage it from such a fate. The shape is such a classic round here.

A picture paints a 1000 words..

 

Untitled    oil on canvas         120mm X 180mm 

Sometimes I really struggle to find the right words. While having another little clean out attempt in the art nook (still a work in progress), I came across this very little painting I had done a while ago. She first appeared in one of my drawing books as a sketch and made her way to canvas as a little study one afternoon. Although I don’t think this is her final formation it does capture something of where I am at right now – two weeks into long service leave! Need I say more?

Cheers,

Amanda

Down but not out

Hello there on this Wintry evening,

After much grief and loss over the past couple of months, I am finding my way back – oh it knocks you around doesn’t it? I’m taking some long service leave after a tough year and a half in my professional life and every Wednesday I’m having a just me day to heal by doing some therapeutic art and whatever else takes my fancy! It is so delightful. I’m loving spending more time with my little fellow and having the emotional space to just be with him. He is such fun.

I’m feeling my sense of purpose clawing its way back having struggled under the weight of heavy burdens and when I sewed sewd sewed on Wednesday it warmed me up – I felt alive again. I sewed some pyjama pants for a nearly due friend, the beginnings of decorating  a blanket for my son and designing a softie to work as a transitional object (or lovey) for my nocturnal Jasper. He is such a little possum.

P.S. On long walks round our neighbourhood streets to try and get Jasp, to sleep i’ve become fascinated by letter boxes – I might just have to share some of them with you.

Cheers

Amanda