around my house : three
With Halloween only days away I wanted to share some Day of the Dead items from around my house. They are on display all year round but take pride of place this week.
Day of the Dead is actually on November 1, a celebration connected to the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (November 2). It is the opportunity for people to remember those who have passed, they visit the cemeteries and decorate the graves of loved ones with their favourite flowers, food etc.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to experience Day of the Dead in Mexico. I will never forget the color and chaos of the celebrations.
This little skeleton in a box (above) actually came for Olvera Street the Mexican heart of LA. It is tiny, matchbox sized the detail is amazing, I love this little diorama.
This candle was a wedding favor by Tiffany Jeans, these favors inspired her to create her gorgeous candle business Curio Noir.
These pottery skull beads which Mima loves also came from Oaxaca in Mexico.
This odd pottery cup also came from Mexico.
Happy Halloween and Day of the Dead!
knitted things: french knitting
I have this huge ball of french knitting that kids and adults alike are fascinating with. Well it was one but now it's in three, it's deteriorated a little bit with Moo's playing. The colours are so good to get tangled up in and there's endless possibilities for imagination to play with - a fishing line, a skipping rope too name a few.
Moo's Great Grandad knitted it over a couple years when he had damaged his hands and couldn't work for sometime. The knitting helped strengthen his hands and then he just carried on. When Moo was a baby I acquired it off her Grandma, she thinks it's around 30 years old.
Rolling balls.
The french knitting quickly covers Moo's bedroom. I love it, so does Moo.
Moo's Great Grandad knitted it over a couple years when he had damaged his hands and couldn't work for sometime. The knitting helped strengthen his hands and then he just carried on. When Moo was a baby I acquired it off her Grandma, she thinks it's around 30 years old.
Fun writing words or making pictures.
The french knitting quickly covers Moo's bedroom. I love it, so does Moo.
a blankie or two for mima
While pregnant with Mima I knitted a small basket weave blanket. It was the first thing I made for Mima, I really wanted to make something special for her and this seemed perfect.
Basket weave looks impressive but is actually really simple, you just alternate between the two most basic knitting stitches knit and pearl.
I used a lovely soft bamboo yarn in a pale turquoise color.
When the blanket was completed it seemed awfully small and I wondered if it would only be used for a dolls bed. When she was first born we used it as a layer in her hammock, it was the perfect size for a new born. When she graduated to a cot I placed the blanket in with her as a familiar item to snuggle. At the time I had not idea what I was starting! Blankie is now the most important item in Mima's life. Which is so lovely to see. But this created a problem, how do I get Blankie away from her for a wash or worse, what if we lost it? Luckily I had some bamboo yarn left so I started knitting, I didn't have the same amount of yarn or time so Blankie II is a slightly different shape, more squat. Mima doesn't mind at all and loves both equally.
green smoothies : matakana superfoods
For the last month we've been having smoothies for breakfast during the week. It's such a good start to the day. I don't if it's the change of season being spring in New Zealand but we feel the need to boost ourselves with healthy foods right now.
We're obsessed with Matakana Superfoods - Super Greens with Chlorella Cracked Cell and Spirulina Powder.
Here I have two Green Smoothies for you. Pictured is the Tropical
Tropical Green Smoothie
½ a pineapple - skinned and chopped
1 banana - peeled and chopped
1 handful of baby spinach leaves - washed
2 teaspoons Super Greens
2 ice cubes
½ a glass water
Blend ingredients. Serves 2-3
Simple Green Smoothie
1 banana
1 weetbix
1 glass soy milk
1 teaspoon Super Greens
2 icecubes
Blend ingredients. Serves 2
We're obsessed with Matakana Superfoods - Super Greens with Chlorella Cracked Cell and Spirulina Powder.
Here I have two Green Smoothies for you. Pictured is the Tropical
½ a pineapple - skinned and chopped
1 banana - peeled and chopped
1 handful of baby spinach leaves - washed
2 teaspoons Super Greens
2 ice cubes
½ a glass water
Blend ingredients. Serves 2-3
Simple Green Smoothie
1 banana
1 weetbix
1 glass soy milk
1 teaspoon Super Greens
2 icecubes
Blend ingredients. Serves 2
homemade playdough
I've been making homemade playdough for Moo since she was around one year old. The recipe is so incredibly simple, I have it scribbled on the back on an envelope from a friend in my recipe file. There's something about the texture of homemade playdough that you just can't get with the manufactured product.
We made all the colours of the rainbow, I doubled mixture to make this many colours.
Ingredients
2 ½ cups Flour
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons Cream of Tartar
2 cups Boiling water
2 tablespoons oil
Food colouring
Method
1. Shift flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large bowl.
2. Pour in the boiling water and oil and mix quickly to make a soft dough.
3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes or until you achieve a smooth consistency. Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.
4. Divide in the amount of colours you wish to make. Add food colouring and conitnue to knead until colour is even.
5. Store in airtight containers in the fridge. Will last a few months.We made all the colours of the rainbow, I doubled mixture to make this many colours.
up-cycle : pretty prints for Mima
I cut patterns from some of her existing clothes, but you can find loads of patterns on the internet.
It is so nice to give these fabrics new life, and doesn't she look adorable x
crafting
Louise from Mima and Moo also writes a weekly craft post for the blog of the lovely American children's fashion magazine Babiekins. We are so happy to be part of this blog. Below are the posts we have done so far:
Fake Plastic Painted Animals
Rosette Picture Frame
Floral Headband
Fake Plastic Painted Animals
Rosette Picture Frame
Floral Headband
paint dipped branches
I have seen so many things dipped in bright paint making interiors look fabulous lately. I have had this vase of branches in a corner of my lounge which I really like, but while I was busy spray painting animals for the Babiekins blog I thought why not add some turquoise to these branches. They are not technically dipped but spray painted, the effect is the same and so much easier. I really like them.