Sara's first pumpkins

Yesterday Sara's aunt and I introduced her to the art of pumpkin carving - her role was to help scoop out the pumpkin guts! One is the pumpkin off our vine, which is tall and skinny... kind of like Bert, so it only seemed fitting to do a Bert and Ernie theme for our babe's first Halloween. Sara cautiously leaned in to touch the smooth, cold pumpkin that would become Ernie...
"What is this wet slimy stuff in my hands??"
The finished pumpkins! I added some of my paints to make the characters more 'obvious'.

friday photos

I haven't posted any pics of Sara this week, so here are some new ones to end the week. She looks so cute in this little cupcake shirt I just want to eat her up! The jeans, as you can see, are way too big though. They fell down when I was bouncing her on my knee.
And here she's wearing a dress I knit her, it has a ribbon tie at the back.
Have a great weekend! Tomorrow we're getting our new car seat checked by St. John Ambulance and visiting Sara's Grandpa for his birthday, and then Sunday is pumpkin carving day! I can't wait to see her get her hands (and likely mouth) into all the goo....

in the bag

I've been having a love/hate relationship with my diaper bag. It's one of the essential items of toting around a baby/toddler and all her stuff (not to mention your own stuff), and few moms I've talked to really love theirs. Function and style hold equal weight with me. I love the look of my bag, and it's messenger style is great for slinging on, but... now that I'm carrying Sara in and out instead of using an infant car seat, a shorter stiffer handle set would be much easier to pick up (especially off the floor). And, the magnetic flap that once seemed so ingenious when everything I put in there was, well, smaller, now means I can't close the bag at all. Why? Because, I after I cram it full of diapers, wipes, toys, play blanket, bibs, jacket, hat, shoes, meals, etc.... it just doesn't close most of the time. I think I need something a bit bigger.

Anyway, along came Etsy... sigh. A girl can spend hours on Etsy, can't she? And I found some beautifully made ones with great fabric, like these... 2 from Pockets of Sage


from Bliss By Heather
And then I found these by Midnight Creations. Large totes for a good price that have a life after being a diaper bag, and they come in my favourite Chocolate Lollipop fabrics by Anna Maria Horner! Happiness! I've contacted her to see if she has some of the other CL fabrics for a large tote with a zipper top.

The changing pad that came with my bag is too small for Sara now, so I took a quick peek for one of those too, just for fun.... honestly, do change pad manufacturers think babies are toilet trained at 3 months when they're still short? I like this blue/green one, this polka dot/paisley one, and this pink squares pad. And, this one is a bit short at 20", but it's so lovely...
Some other cute Etsy finds are these felted nesting bowls, and this hat from the Portland Beanie Company. There are several colour combinations, and matching Mary Jane slippers. I know, this DOES have Sara's name written all over it, doesn't it?

decisions, decisions

Things have been busy around here lately, but after my friend introduced me to this blog and I found this post about 'creative self-control', I had to take a deep breath and smile. This blogger/artist does a great job of articulating what she feels is a problem with her art -- a total inability to settle upon and stick to a definitive "style". YES! I really GET IT. I too suffer from MSD (multiple style disorder) and it has always made me feel like I'm really lacking something. Like I'm not really good at any one thing, not really an "artist". The post, and comments afterwards, were to me like someone offering me a big bowl of Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream, with extra brownies and fudge sauce on top. What a comfort and relief!

Witness exhibit A ... these are recent pieces. I've had a thing for birds lately.... and combos of pink/brown/red/rust/teal. Please ignore my crappy art photography, the flash so often reflects on the paint and distorts the colours. I can't figure out how to stop this from happening, and no flash usually makes everything blurry.
And here's exhibit B... This is actually only about 3/4 done, but it shows my expressive 'kid' style. It's going to be for Sara's room and I'm having a lot of fun with it! I'll try to get a better photo of it when it's done.
I also have an expressive 'adult' style... and people seem to like my paper/paint mixed media, which looks quite different again. But, I don't see this as a problem anymore. It seems to be a quirky creative trait that so many of us share. I have too many ideas and inspirations rattling around in my head to pick just one! And maybe I just wouldn't be me if I didn't always have a myriad of painting/mixed media/knitting/quilting/sewing projects in the wings. And let's face it, like the other blogger, I have trouble making decisions in general. Anyone who has been to a restaurant with me can attest to my inability to pick one dish off the menu... and even when I have it narrowed to two choices, after I order I feel better if someone else at the table ordered my other choice. Just so I can see it and possibly try some.

My other issue? Before having a baby, I painted with the intent of selling or giving them away except for a few pieces that were made for a certain spot in our house. Now, I want to give everything to Sara!

new projects

I decided that I want to make Sara's Xmas stocking myself, and my goal is to have it done for her first Xmas this year... I found these fun fabrics, and will be doing a patchwork quilted front with the red chenille (left) as the back. I couldn't find a free pattern online, so I'm going to try tracing my own stocking and adding a seam allowance.
I also picked up some felt to applique a circle in the middle with her initial, and some rick rack so that it will look like an ornament hanging in the center. I'm still in the "ambitious beginner" level of sewing, so wish me luck!

And here's a stash of fabric I've started, that's waiting to become a patchwork quilt for Sara's bed when she's out of her crib. It's ages away, but that's how long it will take me to do it! Here's the little pile so far...
It's funny to be thinking about her next room already (I even have a binder to collect ideas!), but it's really important to me that it be as unique and individual as she is. I don't want it to be all matchy and straight out of a store... I want to find different pieces and make what I can. There's a new canvas on my easel today that I'm quite excited about too.

In some ways it's really hard to find time to be creative with a little one, but in other ways I'm more inspired and productive than ever. It's the less time = do more stuff effect. Making things, especially things for Sara, is a necessity for me. And sometimes being creative just more important than having a spotless house!