{my creative year}

Today is for looking back. Today is for pulling out the old photos and exclaiming, "Can you believe how bald she was back then?" Today is for watching as more of the signs and turns on the path of your life come into focus, and for seeing that now, right here, is where you've been heading the whole time.

This is a little glimpse at my year, and all the things that have inspired and built upon each other in 2011.

In January, my first (and only) loaf of bread was baked, and I ate it all by myself, in one day, with vast amounts of butter. A good day.

One night in February, freezer-paper stenciling was demonstrated on my kitchen table. I was in love.

In March, I began knitting the giant patchwork blanket which later accompanied Alice off to university.

In April, the preparations for Tilly's birthday party were well-underway -- a rainbow of felt.

In May, I finished Tilly's party dress -- a vision in ruffles, a true labour of love. She wore it to Justin's cousin's wedding, and later, to her birthday party.

In June, we hammered together the world's cheapest photobooth, and celebrated one year of Tillyhood.

In July, I slowly, slowly embroidered over all of the names on the signature tablecloth.

August saw us jetting off to Denmark. All of our creativity went into entertaining Tilly on the plane.

In September, my granddad turned ninety, and we threw a bright and artistic party for all of his painting-class friends. A wobbly cupcake stand was made out of a cardboard box, and many batches of Bakewell Cupcakes were baked and pigged.

In October, Terri taught me to make aprons. One of which the Royal Mail seems to have swallowed up. Must I lose something to the postal black hole every year?

November was a blur of orders -- enough felt Polaroid frames were cut out to circle the world, enough pegs were stamped to number the stars, enough trips to the post office were made to drive me half insane.

And December, a quilt thought-up and completed and donated. And then a little rest -- a bit of sorting, a little Lord of the Rings, and tonight, a celebration of the year with friends. Hope you all have a lovely end to the year (if it's still 2011 where you are...) and see you in 2012.

P.S. Want more? Check out last year's mosaic: My Creative Year 2010

{merry christmas}

Hope you had a lovely Christmas! We were in San Antonio this year, celebrating with icy wagon rides, too-cute T-shirts, and lots of playtime with Tilly's little cousin, Will. 

Tonight, we're busy eating all of our Christmas chocolate and having a restful night, just the three of us and a pot of left-over advent tea. What a lovely end to the holiday.

{abstract art, junior}

This Christmas, we decided to take advantage of Tilly's new colouring craze. I saw this lovely idea on Pinterest, to frame a child's art along with a photograph of them creating it. 

So, out came the crayons and the camera, and we got to work.

(Can you spot Justin's drawing of a baseball bat bat? Genius)

Of course, when buying the frame, I didn't think to check it was the right size for my photo -- a 5 x 7 frame for a 4 x 6 photo. Rather than leaving blank space around the photo, I cut out an extra big piece of art -- enough to fill the lower frame, and serve as a mat for the photo in the top frame. I love how the colouring overlaps -- because, really, what fun is it to stay within the lines?

Signed and dated, of course, for future reminiscing pleasure. It seems we've got another lover of red in our midst...

Note: Our quilt for this month is finished -- have a look here.

Also Note: I was lucky enough to be a part of The Pickled Herring's Scandinavian Christmas again this year. You can read my post on the Danish nisse here. 

{magazine break}

There's nothing I love more than making something totally impractical. Giant knitted blanket in the middle of summer, anyone? A four-foot-high stuffed rabbit called Pumpkin who is sitting creepily in the corner of our bedroom to this day? I don't know how I (who almost wet myself watching Donnie Darko) can sleep at night. You think I'm joking. Maybe I'd rather I was...

But there's impractical and then there's downright silly. And here are a few pictures that I naughtily snapped in Barnes and Noble (oh, yes, Mr. Book-stacker, you thought I was reading a message. You were fooled...) that seem to toe that line. What do you think -- worth the effort, or not?

Paper pie speech bubbles, and miniature balloons on wire

Photos stitched together, and miniature clay deer heads

I have to admit, I'm already thinking about what our pies might say to us. "You really take the cake." Or "Shut your pie-hole!" 

{a community quilt}

Last night, as the clock struck twelve, the last of the tea was drunk, the final ginger-chocolate-chip biscuit was scoffed, and the 130th square was slipped into place on my living-room floor. The enormous grey and yellow geometric pattern is a first effort at community quilting -- quilts made with donated fabric, by volunteers, for local people in need of bedding. 

You can read more about the project, and get involved, here.

P.S. Anyone else imagining a bumblebee? You know, the modern sort of bee, who's strictly about organic honey, wears waistcoats, and comes home to a minimal, Scandivanian-style hive? 

{write on: an easy handmade gift for men}

I'm rubbish at thinking of presents for men. And men who don't use electronics are even more of a challenge. What can you make them a cover for?

Inspired by my friend Terri's crayon rolls for kids, this grown-up version gets its modern style from all the grey felt accessories I keep seeing this year, like this glasses case. With a little personalisation, it makes a lovely gift for the writer (or crossword-puzzler) in your life.

Want to make one yourself? Here's how.

Materials:

Grey felt

Small strip of twill tape (to stamp on)

Rubber stamps and ink

Thread

From the grey felt, cut two rectangles 8" by 12", and one rectangle 4" by 12".

Onto a 3 1/2" strip of twill tape, stamp the lucky person's name using permanent ink (I use StazOn). I couldn't bear to pass up the rhyme for my granddad, Kenneth, and I hope that if you've got a Ben, Glen or Sven in your family, you'll make them a pen roll, too.

Sew the twill tape along one short edge of the small felt rectangle, using a zig-zag stitch around the edge.

Pin the small felt rectangle to the bottom side of one of the large felt rectangles, lining up the edges. Make sure your twill tape label is visible. Sew straight lines, using running stitch, across the width of the small felt rectangle, about an inch apart. These will hold the pens in place. Sew a couple of backstitches at the start and end of every row, to prevent the stitches unravelling.

Tip: Between rows, lift up the needle and foot, but don't snip the thread -- just begin the next row. You can go back and do all the snipping later, and save time and thread.

Place the two felt rectangles that you've just sewn together on top on the third rectangle. Place a large elastic band (hair ties work well) in between the two large rectangle layers, half way down one of the shorter sides. Pin in place, so that a good 1/2" of elastic band is hidden inside.

Sew all the way around the outside edge of the roll, making sure to go through all the layers and the elastic band.

Now fill it with pens (or a single, special pen), and roll it up, starting with the end without the elastic band. Slip the elastic over the top of the roll, and you're ready to go!

P.S. In need of other gifts? Check out CMP's and WV's Holiday Gift Guides, and see if you can spot some familiar (Polaroid-framed) faces...