Friday, 30 March 2012
Etsy Feature
I haven't done an Etsy feature for a while so I thought that in the spirit of trying to blog more often (although I haven't achieved everyday as I would have liked but never mind) I would create an Etsy treasury of beautiful items that I have discovered in this wonderful world of craftyness, no particular theme this time, just some beautiful things:
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Things to do with doilies
Here are some of the ways I have used doilies in art and crafts in the past:
Here are some other brilliant craft ideas using doilies from some of my favourite blogs:
Doily coasters
Doily blanket
Doily lamp shade
Doily table runner
Paper doily garland
Doily gift decorating.
Hope you are having a good week, spring continues to be in the air in this part of the world, time is passing very quickly.
Saturday, 24 March 2012
First BBQ of the year
It was such a beautiful day today we decided to spark up the bbq and get some sausages on the go for the first time this year. It was 19 degrees at mid-day and perfect cider supping weather so we very much enjoyed sitting in the garden, bap in hand, not a cloud in the sky, wondering what we used to do with out time before baby Orren came along.
Our days are so busy now it really is a wonder that anything ever gets done, I seem to spend every free moment when Orren sleeps or spends time with the hubby cleaning or doing laundry! But I am loving nearly every minute of it, he really is a joy and my heart melts every time I look at his sweet face. I can't say it isn't hard work but it is totally worth it. Today's relaxation in the sun truly was a rare moment of peace in our otherwise chaotic and busy schedule. I am hoping as things settle down and the visits from friends and family become more of a special treat that a daily occurrence; that I will be able to blog a bit more and get into more of a routine of posting than I have done over the last few months. I might even get a few craft tutorials into the blogging schedule to boot!
I the mean time please enjoy these photos of our bbqing escapades and enjoy your Sunday (hopefully it will be as sunny as Saturday).
Our days are so busy now it really is a wonder that anything ever gets done, I seem to spend every free moment when Orren sleeps or spends time with the hubby cleaning or doing laundry! But I am loving nearly every minute of it, he really is a joy and my heart melts every time I look at his sweet face. I can't say it isn't hard work but it is totally worth it. Today's relaxation in the sun truly was a rare moment of peace in our otherwise chaotic and busy schedule. I am hoping as things settle down and the visits from friends and family become more of a special treat that a daily occurrence; that I will be able to blog a bit more and get into more of a routine of posting than I have done over the last few months. I might even get a few craft tutorials into the blogging schedule to boot!
I the mean time please enjoy these photos of our bbqing escapades and enjoy your Sunday (hopefully it will be as sunny as Saturday).
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Mid-Century Modern furniture with a contemporary twist
A few weeks ago (before the little Mr arrived) hubby and I were out and about on the lookout for a piece of second hand furniture to use as a changing table for the nursery. During our search through Reading we came across a lovely man selling upcycled, restored retro vintage furniture in his studio/workshop 23 Chairs and I was in love. Sadly the pieces were out of our price range (but only just, and they were well worth the price he was asking) so all I could do was drool over them and share them with you!
Restored dining table with pain detail on top,
Restored sideboard with paint detail on the front, love this,
How amazing is this? Do you love it? I think the paint work is brilliant, makes it really contemporary,
Love the colour of this formica chest of drawers and the curved lamiante wood.
You can check out more of this guy's furniture on his website here.
Hope you are all having a good week my lovelies.
Friday, 9 March 2012
My birth story
Orren is now nearly 3 weeks old (oh my gosh the time has flown) and I am starting to come to terms with the most emotional, painful and wonderful experience I have ever gone through. I still find it hard to recall the really awful moments, but am ready to share the cold hard facts of his birth, sorry if you find some of this to be too much information, but it is part of my story, please just skip it if you find anything offensive.
It all began on the Thursday before the Saturday when he arrived. mother nature gave me a little taster of what contractions would be like by giving me cramps every five minutes throughout the whole day, just mild contractions that lasted about 10 seconds. They felt a bit like when you get trapped wind. By the evening they had stopped and I had nothing all day Friday. Then I woke up at about 7.00 am on Saturday morning and had to rush to the loo because I had diarrhea. Went back to bed but had to go back to the loo a few minutes later with the same feeling, this time found that my mucus plug had gone, and while I was on the toilet my waters broke. I called my husband and we rang the hospital. The hospital was doubtful that my waters had broken (apparently 80% of women who think their waters have broken have just weed themselves) so I was told to put in a pad and wait two hours. Well I filled several pads as my waters kept breaking (that's something they don't show in the films) so we decided to go straight into hospital and not wait the recommended two hours.
On the drive to the hospital I really felt that Orren had lost the liquid that he was suspended in and he seemed to lurch from one side of my tummy to the other on bends.
When we arrived at the hospital I was examined and found to be 8cm dilated, I was so glad because the contractions were getting stronger and I wondered how I could cope if I still had hours to go. We were taken straight into a delivery room, it was too late for my dream of a water birth.
Once in the delivery room the midwife checked Orren's heart rate, it was a little slow, but nothing to worry about at that point. I was on my knees with the head of the bed raised and my arms resting on the head of the bed.
The contractions got stronger, and it began feeling like I had no control any more of my body, the cramps flung my body backwards as I gripped the back of the bed. It was much more painful that I had expected and I sobbed through a lot of the labour moaning about how much it hurt to my husband while he held the gas and air mouth piece and rubbed my back.
The midwife told me to try not to push if I got the urge but whenever I had a contraction my body pushed and I couldn't help it. I asked her if it would be much longer so she checked me and I was fully dilated except for a small lip of cervix, so not long after that I was able to start pushing.
After some time the baby was not progressing, with each push his head came down a little but then went back up again in between, also his heart rate had slowed and there was merconium (baby's first poo) in the waters which meant he might be distressed, so they asked me to turn over onto my back.
I pressed my chin into my chest and pushed with all my might till I was red in the face and gradually he started moving down, I sobbed after each push saying that I couldn't push any more, it seemed I came to the end of my push and the midwife was still saying "keep pushing". The midwife wanted to get him out quicker than my body was able to so performed an episiotamy, as she made the cut his head came out, his arm was up by his ear which cased a labial tear which was quite honestly the most painful thing ever, then on the next contraction his body slithered out and he was placed on my chest. I felt such immense relief that he was out and it was over, he was beautiful, perfect and pink. His breathing was a little slow so he was taken to the resuscitaire for some oxygen. Then returned to me for another cuddle. I felt like I could never ever do it again, but that it definitely was worth it. Holding my baby in my arms was and is just the most wonderful thing imaginable, and I have a new found respect for mothers and parents generally that have gone through this. There is nothing like it, and nothing can prepare you for it.
Now the real adventure begins!
It all began on the Thursday before the Saturday when he arrived. mother nature gave me a little taster of what contractions would be like by giving me cramps every five minutes throughout the whole day, just mild contractions that lasted about 10 seconds. They felt a bit like when you get trapped wind. By the evening they had stopped and I had nothing all day Friday. Then I woke up at about 7.00 am on Saturday morning and had to rush to the loo because I had diarrhea. Went back to bed but had to go back to the loo a few minutes later with the same feeling, this time found that my mucus plug had gone, and while I was on the toilet my waters broke. I called my husband and we rang the hospital. The hospital was doubtful that my waters had broken (apparently 80% of women who think their waters have broken have just weed themselves) so I was told to put in a pad and wait two hours. Well I filled several pads as my waters kept breaking (that's something they don't show in the films) so we decided to go straight into hospital and not wait the recommended two hours.
On the drive to the hospital I really felt that Orren had lost the liquid that he was suspended in and he seemed to lurch from one side of my tummy to the other on bends.
When we arrived at the hospital I was examined and found to be 8cm dilated, I was so glad because the contractions were getting stronger and I wondered how I could cope if I still had hours to go. We were taken straight into a delivery room, it was too late for my dream of a water birth.
Once in the delivery room the midwife checked Orren's heart rate, it was a little slow, but nothing to worry about at that point. I was on my knees with the head of the bed raised and my arms resting on the head of the bed.
The contractions got stronger, and it began feeling like I had no control any more of my body, the cramps flung my body backwards as I gripped the back of the bed. It was much more painful that I had expected and I sobbed through a lot of the labour moaning about how much it hurt to my husband while he held the gas and air mouth piece and rubbed my back.
The midwife told me to try not to push if I got the urge but whenever I had a contraction my body pushed and I couldn't help it. I asked her if it would be much longer so she checked me and I was fully dilated except for a small lip of cervix, so not long after that I was able to start pushing.
After some time the baby was not progressing, with each push his head came down a little but then went back up again in between, also his heart rate had slowed and there was merconium (baby's first poo) in the waters which meant he might be distressed, so they asked me to turn over onto my back.
I pressed my chin into my chest and pushed with all my might till I was red in the face and gradually he started moving down, I sobbed after each push saying that I couldn't push any more, it seemed I came to the end of my push and the midwife was still saying "keep pushing". The midwife wanted to get him out quicker than my body was able to so performed an episiotamy, as she made the cut his head came out, his arm was up by his ear which cased a labial tear which was quite honestly the most painful thing ever, then on the next contraction his body slithered out and he was placed on my chest. I felt such immense relief that he was out and it was over, he was beautiful, perfect and pink. His breathing was a little slow so he was taken to the resuscitaire for some oxygen. Then returned to me for another cuddle. I felt like I could never ever do it again, but that it definitely was worth it. Holding my baby in my arms was and is just the most wonderful thing imaginable, and I have a new found respect for mothers and parents generally that have gone through this. There is nothing like it, and nothing can prepare you for it.
Now the real adventure begins!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
"Bon Voyage" card
Before I had baby Orren and had time for things like craft I made this card for some friends who were travelling to America to live and work for 6 months. I was really pleased with it as were my friends so thought I would share it with you.
I began by creating a background with brown parcel paper. I placed small strips of masking tape in places on the packing paper to make the front of the card look like a parcel. Then I cut out three circles from vintage maps to give them impression of globes. Next I stuck on some stamps I had saves, some from America and one British one. Then I cut out the words "Bon Voyage" from brown paper, written with black pen and stuck them on top. Finally I stitched a line in black embroidery thread on the sewing machine with a drawing of an aeroplane at the end of it so it looked like the plane was flying round the globes (or something like that!) I liked it anyway and thought it had a bit of a vintage feel to it.
What do you think?
I began by creating a background with brown parcel paper. I placed small strips of masking tape in places on the packing paper to make the front of the card look like a parcel. Then I cut out three circles from vintage maps to give them impression of globes. Next I stuck on some stamps I had saves, some from America and one British one. Then I cut out the words "Bon Voyage" from brown paper, written with black pen and stuck them on top. Finally I stitched a line in black embroidery thread on the sewing machine with a drawing of an aeroplane at the end of it so it looked like the plane was flying round the globes (or something like that!) I liked it anyway and thought it had a bit of a vintage feel to it.
What do you think?
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