first birthday party : one

THE IDEA AND THE INVITATION

Mima is about to turn one! So I have been busy planning her first birthday party, it's really an excuse for a party, a celebration of the fact we have made it through the first year of Mima's life.
The first gift I ever recieved as an expectant mother was a board book of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' from my boss. I loved this book as a child, who doesn't? I have read it to Mima most days since she was born and she loves turning the pages and looking at the book on her own too. So I felt this was the perfect theme for her party.
Since it is a classic lots of people have the same idea, so there was loads of inspiration on the internet, some of it quite amazing, I really won't be competing!
The first step is the invitation so I thought I would show you what I came up with...
A leaf.

With holes punched for caterpillar bites.

Next the actual party!

cardboard box: castle

FIT FOR A PRINCESS

To be honest when we embarked on this project I didn't have much of a plan, just that I wanted to make a cardboard box play castle that Moo could help with and decorate. 

We started off with two large cardboard boxes that I glued onto a large sheet of card. We cut an internal door to join them together. Moo helped draw the shapes to cut the windows and doors. 

We spent a few days painting, making flags and bunting to decorate.

It 's nicely located in our garage which is perfect place to play with her friends on wet rainy days when we can't really get outside and are sick of being stuck indoors. 

 It's now a cardboard box fit for a little princess or two.

a mobile for mima

Once I had finished work and was waiting for Mima to arrive I filled my days with endless hours of movies, TV shows and walks. I also had a special project, to create a mobile for Mima's room. 
First I drew each character and used these drawings as patterns. They are hand sewn in felt and stuffed to give a cuddly cute look. I had originally intended to bind a few sticks together until I found the perfect three pronged branch in the park near our house. I brought the candy striped bakers twine to hang everything with.

When Mima first came home the mobile hung over her change table and now it hangs near her bed. She really loves it, the way it moves and makes the characters move is a constant source of entertainment.

vintage: child's coat

I've had this Weigel's coat pattern since Moo was a newborn, I believe it's from the 1950's. It's a size 4 so I've been waiting awhile for her to be big enough to make it. 

I brought this beautiful olive wool twill through a fabric sale and the leather buttons were a fantastic score. Took me some time but it is now finished and I'm so happy with the result!

snowflakes to the rescue

A few months ago I was talking to a Mum who asked if we had safety glass at floor level. If not she advised we should get stickers to stop any small children not noticing the window. This is something I had never thought about, but living in a late 60's terrace house I am sure we do not, and stickers didn't appeal. Inspired by my neighbors use of tissue paper snowflakes to give some privacy in their kitchen, I decided this was the perfect solution.

I looked on the web for images and started cutting!I'm not going to give you instructions as there are loads out there.

a blanket for moo

This weekend I finally finished my first ever crochet project, a blanket for Moo's bed. Moo loves the purple colour.

I used Freedom 100% wool chunky on size 8mm hook.

Perfect timing as it's pretty cold now being mid July.

My mum taught me the basics during her last stay with us. She taught herself to crochet as a kid so she could make clothes for her dolls. She now does beautiful fine detailed crochet and knitting which I hope to learn from her one day. This is just the start for me.