What a week

We've had rather a nasty week in our household.  Poor Ruby picked up a stomach bug from somewhere, I'd love to say it was just a 24 hour bug and she was a box of birds after 24 hours but unfortuntately not.  The only way you could call it a 24 hour bug would be because she would come right for 24 hours and then it would all start up again.  It's been over 48 hours since she last vomitted, so I'm hoping she's on the mend and we can get back to normal.  My mum caught it, then my husband.  So far I've escaped but knowing my luck I'll get it late next week when I'm planning on jumping on a plane and heading off to Welly wood for a girl's weekend away - we're going to the Wearable Arts Awards.

In brighter news, my mum bought a lovely piece of vintage linen with her when she came up.  What do you think of this?

A cake, some balloons and a treasure hunt

Ruby had her first birthday last week, we had her birthday party on the weekend.  It was a little overwhelming for her but a lot of fun for us. 

We had a Dr Seuss themed party, the preparations for which all started some weeks ago.  First there were the invitations, we wrote a poem and made the invitations like little books. 

I made some party favour bags and stitched bits of Dr Seuss fabric onto them (it was a quick and dirty job so I think I'll avoid the term 'applique').  The favours inside were the little matchbook notepads I made a while ago, along with some bubbles and a crayon.

Cupcake toppers made from images from various Dr Seuss books:

Cake in the shape of Cat in the Hat's Hat:

Her bunting hung up for decoration:

Lots of balloons and a bubble machine.

The pass the parcel prize was a Cat in the Hat pencil case I'd made.  Fun to prepare, glad it's over.

A big 'Thank you!'

A big thank you to everyone who supported me on Cuatro's day, and to everyone else who has purchased something before or since then.  Today I wrote out my first donation cheque to Sands for $150!!  I'm hoping this will be the first of many donations that I make, I already donate my time as a volunteer for Sands, but it is very satisfying to be able to donate something as a result of my creativity.  I'm very fortunate that I have Ruby to make things for but everytime I make something I wish I was making it for Mila or Cuatro, I wish they could use one of my colouring wallets, wear one of my bibs or skirts, play with one of my dolls, have their nappy changed on one of my change mats ...

The act of creating something helps me along my grief journey, and I'm hoping that in some small way it helps other parents who lose a child.

Special thanks to Ruby in the Dust - watch this space, you'll see something made out of her In the Neighbourhood pastels from me soon ...

All covered up

Yesterday I finished the last of my Cuatro day orders - a Wellchild book cover.  I practiced on one for Ruby, actually I practiced on one for my cousin first but it was too short, I hadn't quite got the measurements right.  I forgot to take a photo of the one for the order but it's pretty much the same as Ruby's one, the photo below is Ruby's one with a felt 'a' sitting on it, this 'a' was stitched onto the one I sold.  I love this fabric combination, love the cute little covered button.  Yes, it looks very much like one of my colouring wallets, doesn't it?