super easy easter craft!

source:: joel heinriques

We had so much fun the other night making and playing with these  Tumble Bunnies from the blog Made by Joel that I thought it would be nice to share it with everyone.  My friend tells me that these bunnies are like Mighty Beanz....I must go out and get some (thanks Holly!)
Ava and I decided to try and make a little tutorial for these tumble bunnies...so here goes!

First print out the tumble bunny template from the Made by Joel blog (we found that using just plain printer paper helped the bunny flip faster).  You can colour your bunnies of course...we chose to colour ours because we love any excuse to use our smelly markers!

Next cut out the template (obviously giving the SHARPEST scissors you can find to a 4 year old!).  ONce the bunnies are all cut out you can fold along the dotted lines on each side and tape the ends together....also at this point you can tape one of the sides closed so it looks

                                              like this

Now choose 2 marbles of about the same weight.  Obviously I have a surplus....thanks value village!

Drop the 2 marbles in the open side and then tape it up!  

DONE!! it is really that easy

Set up an a little slope and let them flip their way down....it works best if they are not on a smooth surface.
I have a video of the kids racing them down this slope but I thought that when Ava grew up she would never forgive me as she was wearing an ill fitting ballet leotard and singing J-Lo hits as she was playing..... on the other hand she could be a youtube sensation.....hmm I'll have to think about it.

misión cumplida

Yay!!!! I have finally finished the patchwork scarf that I was making for a friend of Sri's...it turned out wonderfully if I do say so myself!   The inspiration for the scarf comes from this book by Denise Schmidt ( her quilts are amazing!!!!).  I love making these scarves because each time I start one I have a hard time believing that it is actually going to look good.  Slowly but surly it comes together and by the end of the process I am really impressed with myself.

Of course having a Barker Beauty such as this always helps show off a piece to its full potential!

Sri's friend had asked me to make this scarf in remembrance of her father who had recently passed away.  She brought me some of his shirts, ties and scarves and I got to work piecing them together.
I was thinking I might make a scarf like this out of some of the kids baby clothes and blankets that I can't seem to part with.

I am hoping to work on some more of these scarves and put them in the shop but as always if anyone is interested in the meantime please contact me via email for a custom order!

pestering Anthony :: A pictorial

Anthony did not want his picture taken today... of course I persisted and with each picture he got more and more frustrated with me.

 and then

GONE!

paradise on hwy 6

We set out yesterday morning with a list of a million errands.  We got through them quickly because we were looking so forward to the last item on our list..... to pick up a litre of maple syrup at a Simpler Thyme organic farm.   We have been to this farm many times before and we are always so warmly welcomed by the owners, Ann and Mike Lanigan who encourage us to wander around the farm.
Here are some of the pics from our adventure:

 First we headed out into the muddy muddy woods to the sugar shack

Where we found this contraption with sap boiling at different stages ... Sri threw some wood in the fire which impressed the kids to no end.

Here is Ava sprinting from sap bucket to sap bucket.   Looking for sap? NO! Looking for bugs floating in the sap...and then became hysterical because she was afraid of the bugs she was so excited to find.......exhausting!

 The kids forcing smiles for the mandatory "go sit on that log" picture

Ava spent a lot of time on the trampoline after our walk in the woods.  Where are her boots you might ask.  We had quite an unfortunate incident involving very deep mud and panic....need I say more!

the most adorable cows EVER!...Anthony and I sat and watched them for a very long time despite being about 2 feet from a huge pile of manure

A 34 year old horse that you just have to feel sorry for...look at that back!

This donkey had a set of bangs to die for.

Here comes the picture that will convince you that I should be living on a farm
THe picture that will make you take up a collection for me to buy said farm
The picture that melts my heart every time I look at it

and 

the most delicious maple syrup ever!

{this moment}

ELEPHANTS

{this moment} - A single photo to capture a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.      :: inspired by  Soulemama.

new delivery!

extra- small, reversible, light wieght and  ADORABLE

This morning I delivered this trio of lovely baby bonnets (xs) to Jodi at  Little Bird on Ottawa St N.  They are perfect for the sunny days that will soon be heading our way... I heard it will be warm and sunny all weekend!!!!  They are completely reversible (so really 2 bonnets in 1)!  If you don't see what you are looking for at Little Bird you can always contact me directly through email and we can figure something out!

totally unrelated.............
I came down to breakfast this morning to find my children had  facial hair.......

oh how we love nutella in this house!!!!!

not worth it!

     You might ask yourself what a mother of 2 busy kids, who is trying to build a business, with a messy house, who hasn't even put a thought towards what she is going to make for dinner does all afternoon.  Isn't it obvious....she makes ketchup!
      I am always inspired by those trying to live more self-sustainably and super-market free...specifically the blogs of this local couple and this Colorado family.
Since spring is slowly arriving it was time for me to have my annual "things are going to change around here" rant and we decided as a family (I really mean me) that we were going to stay as far away from packaged food as we could.
     That is why I made the ketchup.  I used the recipe from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything which I more often that not have great success with.  NOT TODAY!!! This ketchup tastes HORRIBLE.  Ava went to bed plugging her nose because she couldn't stand the smell (okay she may be a bit dramatic)... even Sri had a hard time being nice about it.  THis jar of ketchup is only a small amount of the HUGE batch that this recipe made.... anyone want some delicious ketchup?

My little red riding hood and her photo shoot.

I have loved Oliver +S  sewing patterns for as long as I have been sewing.  I have never purchased one but have spent a lot of time staring at them on the computer (and I wonder where my time goes).  When I heard that Liesl Gibson (founder of Oliver +S) had written this book I packed my family in the car...way past bedtime...to drive to a Chapters, quite far from home, to pick it up.  
I fell in love with so many of the patterns but since Ava needed a new spring coat I thought I would try the cape first (plus it was labeled as an easy piece to sew).

    I loved the way it turned out!!!! I chose a sweatshirt material for the exterior and lined it with a Cars bed sheet (because she didn't want it too "girlish").  The cape is fully reversible and looks adorable both ways!

     Ava also loved this cape and since that doesn't happen very often (usually I have to bribe her to wear the things I make for her) I took full advantage.  I set up a "photo shoot" for her and let her pick her outfit, location and poses.... I must admit she was getting a little bossy by the end of her "shoot" and I had to cut things a little short.  

    This pattern could be easily re-sized smaller or larger.  I'm thinking of making a tweed one for myself (very Sherlock Holmes).

I am most willing to share this book with anyone who would like to try a pattern or two!  Just let me know and I will print out the necessary pieces and instructions.

Check out more story book inspired sewing at Once Upon a Thread.  The creativity is amazing!

Laura Ingalls Wilder eat your heart out!

My family is well aware of the fact that every spring I start a campaign to bring back the bonnet.  I make one for Ava every Easter (which she only wears once because she prefers a more "boyish" hat) and last year I even made one for my cousin Laura (which I blogged about here).  I know she wears it faithfully while tootling around Toronto (RIGHT LAURA!!).

THis year I am pushing for the bonnet comeback a little harder!   I have made six of the most adorable and completely reversible bonnets.... Laura Ingalls Wilder would KILL for these.

 

exterior fabric (click to enlarge)

LIning of each bonnet (in the same order)

I dropped these off at Little Bird on Ottawa St this morning so I'm sure they will be tagged and put on the shelf some time this weekend.  These particular bonnets are size small and priced at $10.50.  I am also able to make a larger child's size (4-5-6) and adult versions.  The possibilities for customizing these are endless...embroidered initials, applique on the side, matching bonnets and jumpers for Easter.  If you contact me directly we can work on a custom bonnet for your little one and work together on bringing back the bonnet!

On another note,

have you seen this mean and nasty looking creature wandering around the streets of Hamilton?  You would answer "yes" if you saw Anthony with his new pet today.  Sharky went everywhere we did.. he was pulled around on his leash at the SPCA and even had to sit on the table at Lick's with a french fry hanging out of his mouth!  At least this is one pet that does not require my attention (minus Anthony screaming in the backseat of the car "he is biting my hand off"!)

:: right now ::

*right now*

**I am so thankful to everyone who bought something made by me over the past 2 weeks...either from little bird (on Ottawa St.) or directly from me. 100% of those sales will be donated directly to helping those suffering and trying to rebuild in Japan. I will post a total when I get it all tallied up!  

** we are enjoying trying out our new manners (or a form of manners) on dinner guests

** we are trying to get used to Anthony's new manly haircut.....btw this is the way he smiles!

** we spent 1/2 hour watching this guy ride his bike in circles around the splash pad at pier 4... who's the crazy one?

**I am slowly re-washing all of my fabric

** and re-organizing it so I can find what I am looking for!!!

** I am trying to find the right bag pattern to go with this amazing fabric

** We are finding little notes like this ALL over the house with thousands of requests each day from Ava "what does this spell mom?"..... how on earth do I answer that one?

** Ava and Anthony are spending a lot of time each morning (causing lateness) trying to find "twin" outfits... I would say this one is pretty successful!

Well as of right now that is what we are up to... subject to change at any moment!