Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Pushing the bounds of social acceptability...

Perhaps some of this is the kind of thing one should keep to oneself, but I'm so pleased that I'm sharing anyway.




We've been making our own lotion for a few years now, and while Chris tells me that's odd, I like it. It's mixing, melting, and pouring, so it's entertaining for the kids, and it's much cheaper than buying lotion that has ingredients I recognize. So above we have hand lotion, diaper wipe liquid, "calm down" lotion for the big kids (it doesn't work, but don't tell them. I'm hoping it will kick in any day now.), and a wax we made to finish some wood, but which makes great lotion (here's where we get into the stuff I should keep to myself). Today Neave has a terrible diaper rash from the chili I knew I shouldn't give her, so we made diaper ointment, below.




I recently made a hair rinse from apple cider vinegar that actually seems to be making a difference on my dry dry dry winter scalp.



And here's calendula oil in the making, which I'm mostly showing because it's so pretty, which probably doesn't come across in this photo.


Yesterday Chris said, "we're out of glue. We should put that on this list. Unless you're going to make some of that," in a fairly sarcastic voice. But the glue seems to work just great. On the plus side, Tucker thinks it's delicious. So delicious he sneaks bites of it out of the fridge, where it's kept. At least I know what my paste eater is eating, right?... Somehow that doesn't make me feel better.


And here's the coup de grace of my social acceptability - my own deodorant!



I'm so pleased with it. I really like it. I know, it's winter, and it probably won't stand the test of summer, when I really need an antiperspirant. But I made it with fir balsam essential oil, so I smell a bit like Christmas.

Just for the record, Chris has stopped using his medicinal cream for his eczema, and started using the wood wax. And remarking on how we shouldn't have to use petroleum products just because the oil industry wants to get rid of their waste products. I just nod, but I think we all know I won: we're both lame.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Cullen's Quilt

Since it was made for a McCabe we knew traditional
baby colors wouldn't work...

Mom and I co-quilted again...
We made this for Cullen and, apparently,
Kathy has started a timeliness standard so
we got it to to him before he was a month old!



Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Baby Toys


I made some baby toys, and took pictures of them in November. But I'm posting them anyway, because my baby is cute.



This is a blanket with tabs, made what I believe is a reasonable size, and with non-cutesy fabric. Fleece on the back.

I also made a flannel square with a cracker bag inside, so it makes that crinkley noise. I sewed a wooden quarter in the corner to teethe on. When I type it out, it sounds a bit odd, but she likes it just fine.

This is also a demonstration of how inappropriately for weather my big kids dress.

Monday, February 15, 2010

New Precedent: Timeliness

I'm pretty much bragging here about how my mother completed a craft AND mailed it to me BEFORE the occassion itself. Since I haven't been crafty with things other than data and statistical software lately, this will have to suffice.

I was so happy to open my mail to find two of these!



I was pretty impressed with the presentation
Here's the whole thing: one of two matching Valentine's pillowcases (sorry about the shadows).
They're really quite lovely, but not nearly as lovely as the idea of Mother's timeliness. I'm so proud of you, Marms. Look out world, Kath may have set a new precedent.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Another Runner

This table runner was my first attempt at applique...
Triangles are new for me.
I didn't to too badly!

This was a kit I got for Christmas.



Saturday, February 6, 2010

Stroller Bags

So I made these last year, but enough snow has finally melted that they're useful again. I can actually get the double stroller over a curb, without climbing Mt. Crap-People-Are-Too-Lazy-To-Shovel. They're like sleeping bags for the stroller, made of fleece and flannel, or cotton. Once again, from the stash, which I'm pretty pleased with. (Someday, I'll actually close my "overflow" rubbermaid.)

They're a weird shape, because I wanted them to be tuckable under and over the lap belt, but open wide enough to get snow boots into easily. The bottom layer has no flaps, and comes up far enough to go a tiny bit up the back of the seat. They work quite well. Double fleece probably would have been warmer, but my fleece selection isn't the most attractive.