Little Ambassadors

A while back I made a little doll in my studio--for no reason, but in the end I think I made a version of "me". Anyway, these last few months my helper and I have made about 20 more for some of the local clinics as a donation. Recently, an organization decided they would like to have some for their families and as a fundraiser--so this has been exciting for MAD Stitches. We have made some changes to them as per request of the organization--so the dolls now have a hospital gown or pants and NoNo's on their arms. We also changed the hair from yarn to felt because it is easier to attatch to the dolls. Here are some recent photos of the new dolls that went into the mail last week for a local CFA organization.

These are NO NOs that babies wear on their arms post surgery to keep them from pulling out their IV or stitches.

My new little ambassadors.

Other than that life around here has been busy with the kids in school and all of their activities, MAD Stitches projects and upcoming holiday boutiques and we are all adapting to a new diet(one w/o "bad for you foods" and one that is more in synch with the seasons.

I have a new cookbook that is helping a lot called http://www.amazon.ca/Cooking-Light-Through-Seasons-Everyday/dp/0848733193 "Cooking Light Through Seasons Everyday" So far I have loved the recipes from it. Since I really can not cook(and my family thanks me when I don't) it has been so helpful. The recipes are easy and it really helps to cook whatever is in season. Also a bonus is the kids are loving it. There is a lot of cooking with apples, squash, potatoes etc and they love those ingredients--so I am really happy.

Last, we are just enjoying this beautiful Harvesty time of the year--we have already been to 3 pumpkin patches and will head off to our 4th this week. The house is WAY decorated--thanks to Beech and Annie and all of their hard work. And I am loving the fall weather that seems to finally be arriving. I sometimes fight the blues and they can last for a while and I am just coming out of one of those times--so it is lovely to really feel good enough to enjoy this time of the year!

Happy Fall

Annie and Beech Fall 2007

Annie fall 2008 

Our Family Fall 2010

Happy Fall xox

Fall is Here

I love fall, it is truly my favorite time of the year. The kids have already decorated the house for Halloween and today we are off to the pumpkin patch to buy our pumpkins. It is also a busy time for MAD Stitches because I am getting ready for Holiday Craft Shows, sewing up stock and I have a new project going on. I am trying to find a balance between working on MAD Stitches and motherhood--it is tough. The challenge is that there are days I have blocked out to work on MAD stuff and it is always tempting to want to do stuff for the kids or housework. BUT if I don't do MAD stuff--it will not get done, so that keeps me motivated.
Anyway, I am adding some new apron styles to my holiday table this year including a Mommy Apron a vinyl backed art smock. I will be in the studio all week sewing them up and I will post pictures soon.

Enjoy this beautiful fall day!

The Dolls are Headed Off on Their Adventure

Well, I have been finishing up the dolls for three different clinics at Children's Hospital. The finishing work has been more tedious than I expected. It is just the little things like hand sewing on all of their hair, finishing the embroidery on all of their faces and closing the turn out(stuffing opening). It has been worth it though because growing up none of my dolls looked like me--none had the significant scar that I had. I hope a little child might come across one of these at their clinic appointment and it might make them smile. Being little and having to go to CFA (Cranial facial Anomaly) appointments can make for a long day--since on and average a cleft affected child will need to see--genetics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, ENT, audiology, dental etc. When I take Beech in for his routine CFA apt, we are there for hours in one exam room...it is a long day. And on the appointments where a child has to be assessed for a surgical procedure, well that can be scary and my hope is these dolls might give a little one a smile and some comfort and these types of appointments.

Here they are before they head off  to their new homes...

 Aprils Dolls for Speech Pathology. April Johnson, Speech and Language Pathologist was head hunted over to LPCH from the Midwest. She is highly respected in her the CFA clinic. She has worked with Beech for a few years. Her assessments are careful, thought out and very detailed. Since speech was a significant issue for Beech, we feel SO fortunate to have her in our lives. --thank you dearly April!

These are a set of mice for April too. I feel that some kids might respond more to animal dolls rather than "people" looking dolls. This is Mosie and Jules Mouse....named after my mom and husband!

This little gal is for my friend Elena over at the CFA clinic.I first met her when Beech was born. She is an amazing force at the clinic because she helps parents prepare for their childs surgery. She educates them on what the surgery will be like pre and post op. She also helps parents learn to care and feed their cleft affected child and she is available to answer their concerns and questions--I do not know how she does it all? I embroidered a unilateral scar on to her. She is wearing a pillow case dress and her yarn hair is tied back with sweet pink ribbon. She also is taking some of her mice friends with her too.

I love this little set because the muslin on them is natural and so soft. I also like the cupcake fabric on Mosie!

Last is Michelle's dolls. Michelle Brown works on the CFA team as a psychologist. She helps consult and also works directly with parents and children to prepare and process child and adolescent issues related to autism, clefting and life in general. She has helped our family so much in working with Beech on going to elementary school as a celft affected child and also she has done a lot of play therapy with him prior to his surgeries. She has been a gift!

Here they are all packed up and ready for their little journey!

A new project

When I was spending lots of time at home recovering from my surgery to remove a cyst in the bone in my face and to revise my cleft lip and palate, I also got some sewing in too. I found my way back into my studio(my happy place) a few weeks after my surgery. It was funny because I did not have any sewing plans for that day. However, without much thought I grabbed a spare piece of muslin and started to tinker around. What I ended up with was a doll, made out of muslin...So then I decided that she needed a dress and I cut a mini pillow case dress out for her. Well, when the evening came, I sat in the chair in my studio and I began to embroider a face on for her and when I finished her eye, nose and mouth I just stared at her. There she was with her blond, rag doll hair and little dress and I saw myself as a little girl. BUT, she was missing something and before long I concluded that it was a small scar above her lip---that is what was missing. So, I embroidered that on too.

It was strange to see her sitting in my studio as the days marched on while my face was recovering. However, oddly enough her little hand embroidered scar just looked like a part of her, as if had it not been there...it would have felt like something was missing. Strangly enough, this little doll helped me too. Maybe it was the process of it or what I ended up with or her simpleness as she possessed the same scar as me. Whatever it was, the process of creating her was the equivalent of checking the closet and learning there really is no "boogy man".

I have never been thrilled that I was born cleft affected. Partly because of all of the surgeries I have had to have and partly because...it is always there...you can not hide it. But, seeing the simple, sylph of a scar on the little doll did help because it made me see that it was a part of her, had it not been there something would have been missing from her character. --it was a small, but significant part of her make up.

Since then, I have made some friends for her...all cleft affected of course...

Feelin Good and Good Friends

We are wrapping up summer. I am feeling much better. I am also noticing how much work Dr. S did on my face because I am feeling much better in general and my face is not sagging as much on the left, I am guessing that was because of the cyst. I had noticed it sagging more about a year ago, but I had no idea why. Anyway, I am also seeing the grafts that  he did on my lip. I still can't feel my upper lip, part of my cheek and my left eye (which makes doing my make up so funny) but I can see my lips are fuller and more even(something that usually bothers me a lot) I don't know if it is the grafts of bone or tissue or injections that is doing it, but either way---I am happy!

This is a self portrait taken from the left. Since my cleft is on the left, this is the side I do not like to take pictures from--ever. However, this is the best and most even my lips have ever looked :)

My dearest pal from accross the pond has been visiting too. Her last visit was when I got married, she crossed the pond to be one of my bridesmaids.

She is as stunning inside as she is out!

I got to meet her two little boys--Felix and Gabriel, they are adorable, polite and funny as all get out!

We had a whirl wind time--not enough time together, but I am hoping that I can take my little family back to England next summer to see them. Since I grew up between here and Sheffield--all of my family is there including my Shells and I need to cross the pond next time! --I will miss her...very much

Babyshowers, Kisses and Princesses

It has been a wonderful weekend around here. Friday the kids and I spent the day getting the house ready for Bobo's shower--we cleaned, organized and put in lots of plants--with her shower colors--pink, purple, sage and yellow. Then J came home and worked on my honey do list I had for him. He hung stadium drapes, put up garden bells and set up tables--Godbless him. I also got my first kiss from him in alost 4 weeks. Since we kiss many times a day normally--no kissing was a challenge. But since dr. S also revised my cleft lip scar and grafted tissue under it, so I had lots of stitches. Anyway, J leaned down and gently gave me my first kiss in weeks--I have really missed them!!!

So I orriginally found the theme "cute as a button" online from this blog http://ohbrooke.com/2010/05/11/cute-as-a-button-baby-shower/ Brooks invitations are darling and I copied them.

Saturday, J took the kids off on an adventure to the YMCA and then Golf Land and I finished setting up the shower--linens and chairs went out, ballloons up, flowers around and food set up--it all looked beautiful and BOBO worthy! By 1pm, we were in full shower swing--drinking punch, chatting in the sun and eating yummy food. We then retreated to the fire pit for gift opening. Bobo's friends showered her with hand knit blankets and hats, tiny pink outfits and lots of little accessories for her new nursery. As one of her greatest admirers--it was a joy to see my dearest friend so happy!

Bobo with some of her close pals

my moms famous diaper cake with buttons of course

 

what's left after button soaps are cut out and packaged for the favors

we used bricks of shea butter soap--melted and combined with soap coloring and lavender essence. Then we used a 2 small sugar cookie cutters to cut them out and a lollipop stick to poke the holes. Beech and I made them in batches over a few weeks--he loved it!

pink cupcakes(I ASKED for light or sugar pink....sadly I got DISNEY PINK...yuck...with handmade felt cupcake toppers thanks to http://elitevents.blogspot.com/2010/05/cute-as-button-baby-shower.html where I got most of my ideas

                                                  Van and Kimberly (Bobo's other BFF and fello brides maid)

Sitting at the fire pit watching Bobo and baby maes be showered with gifts

We had a lazy sunday morning and then we went off to fairyland in Oakland--it is old, but still very cute. We liked that you could bring your own lunch in and the entry fee was pretty nominal. Also there was not much to buy--so very little distraction for the kids. Annie and Danni--Annie and her bff dawned their gowns and Beech went along as the resident prince. They ran themselves silly and had a great time.

Once upon a time there were 2 little princessesses...........     

       Beech and mommy hiding in the card maze

and the prince was having a blast too...can you tell?

Annie and her prince

All in all it was a beautiful weekend full of joy for my dear Bobo, love for my sweet J(and lots of kisses) and fairy princesses

Tutorials

                                                         Easy Peasy Baby Blanket

This is my favorite sewing project. I stumbled on it accidentally a few years ago when I had some left over minkey fabric. It takes about 1.5 hours for a beginner, but the more you make them, the less time it eventually makes. I often make them at 11pm, the night before a babyshower. But, people seem to like them and they are so easy to make. --ESPECIALLY if you are a beginning sewer.



Materials:

1 yard of printed flannel

1 yard of minkey

unfortunatly you will have minkey left over because it is 55inches wide but you can use it for a mini blankie or donate it to the SPCA--they love soft fabric for the cages

• WITH right sides together pin flannel and minkey

•Trim off sides so that it matches up into a nice square blanket.(I find friends have used it for the strollers, so I try not to make them too big)

•Pin all around the edges, smoothing out the excess and wrinkles as you go.

•Then, take a box of saftey pins(I use brass) and pin here and there all inside the middle so that you know your blanket will not move(this is a quilting technique that works really well)

•Then, run it through your machine, I use 5/8, but you can sew at a smaller seam allowance, remove pins as you go.

•Leave a 2 inch space for flipping it right side out(as you are doing all of your sewing one the WS(wrong sides)

•Carefully trim corners, trimming out the excess fabric.

•Remove all of the brass safety pins and flip it.

•I like to gently press it on the edges.

•Pin your opening shut and then top stitch the edge all around the blanket at 3/8 also closing your opening.

•And you are done. Grab some ribbon and wrap it. I like to add a hand stamped, "handmade with love tag". Since handmade gifts are not as common, it is a nice little touch.


                        Cute As A Button Shower

I recently held a baby shower for my best friend Tie BoBo. I wanted to do something really special for her, since she is so wonderful. After much searching, I stumbled accross two themes that I liked--a pea in the pod or cute as a button. I settled on cute as a button. Once I had the theme, it actually made all of the planning much easier because I had something to build around. I googled cute as a button and found two pretty blogs who had used this theme to host a shower. http://ohbrooke.com/2010/05/11/cute-as-a-button-baby-shower/ and http://elitevents.blogspot.com/2010/05/cute-as-button-baby-shower.html They both had great ideas with lovely pictures.



                                                        Cute As A Button Baby Shower

One : Theme "Cute As A Button"

The first thing that I did was the invitations. I just purchased Butter Cream Stationary from Joannes Fabrics and a package of buttons. The package was multi colored light green, yellow, purple, pink and blue stationary and buttons. So these also became my theme colors. I printed the invitations in chocolate brown ink and sewed a button to each one and sewed little fabric cases for them to go into.

Two: Invitations

Three: Cake or...Cupcakes....

I found these cute felt cupcake toppers again at http://elitevents.blogspot.com/2010/05/cute-as-button-baby-shower.html So I purchased felt in the butter cream invitation colors from Joannes fabrics. I had 25 guests to make them for so I cut out 50 pieces. I sewed 25 sets together with a button in the middle and then used a hot clue gin to glue a lollipop stick into the middle. I made a collassal mistake of ordering them from Safeway instead of a local bakery and I requested light pink, but ended up with princess or disney pink--urg...but Bobo was a great sport about it.

Four: Shower Favors
Next, I decided on the party favors--I wanted to do button chocolates, but I did not have enough time to order the molds http://www.bakeitpretty.com/blog/2009/01/sew-sweet/ So I decided to make button soap instead. I purchased shea butter bricks, soap coloring and fragrance from Joannes and I used two small round fondont circle cutters to make the button shapes. First, I cooked the shea butter soap, added different colors and fragrances and poured it into pie tins. I let them cool about 1 hour, then gently cut out the large circles and used the smaller circle cutter to make the inside button rim print and a lolli pop stick to poke four holes. Then I let these cool another hour or two in the fridge. Then I carefully pried them out and wrapped them in cellophane and ribbon.

Five: Diaper Cakes...really are back
 
I asked my mom to make one of her diaper cakes. They are so sweet and she has always made them as shower gifts for friends. It takes her about 3 days because she layers each diaper one onto the other with pins and then she decorates the cake. In this case she used lots of silk flowers, ribbon and pins with buttons on them. You can make a much easier cake by rolling the diapers individually and then tying them together.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1218773149794319858#

All in all, I am usually not a "theme" person, but in this case I really wanted everything to be as perfect as possible for my dear friend and I felt that if I had a theme to build around, it would give me more direction and organization as I planned her shower.

Five: The "Showeree"

Sara AKA Tia Bobo (as my kids call her) is in the pink sash and will be an amazing mommy! --love you BoBo!