another tent, new dolls and a vintage snoopy called pedro!

So we have a hanging circular tent today, quickly made from a hula hoop a double duvet covers (with self fabric ties at opening which made this super easy and quick!), thread and a 4m length of thick bakers twine.
The girls are happily playing together in this new hanging den with their new friends named Rose, Rosemary and Pedro the vintage snoopy who has hurt himself?!

If you'd like a go a making this hanging tent it is so easy and with little or no sewing.
If your duvet cover has no self ties at opening you can quickly thread on some ribbons to then attach to the hoop.

Say hello to our performing elephant ...

The podium mould I made yesterday was a success and the plaster has now dried so tonight I had a podium to decorate ....

and an ellie in need of a neck ruffle!

I think when the duo takes it's place in top if the cake the ellie may be positioned on its back legs but this gives you an idea of minimini1's cake topper.....

shop online....

Well the weeks are counting down now, I kind of thought I had lots of time 6 weeks back as I imagined there would first be 'summer' well that didn't exactly come! There was the new niece; mmm well she has arrived and then there is school for mini1, aaarrrgghhh she starts next week, so after that the next 'big' event is arrival of little boy bop (yes he is quite a dancer at least that is what i'm experiencing... he has some moves!)
Anyhow I've been checking out some more online finds and I just want to share these fabulous online stores and some of their lines, three are here for starters, I'll be sharing more soon.....

Laurette



Histoire

AM.PM

Here is baby......

These few words can have an assortment of reactions. When I told mini1 2 and half years ago that she'd be getting a new sister she was fine but then at just 2 years old herself I don't think she fully understood.  I find this time round very different, minimini1 now 2 years old is very much mamas girl and prefers mama over almost anything (except chocolate!) so she is showing similar reactions as what I experienced first time around, but I suspect on arrival she could be very different. Mini1 now however is four and very curious, upset at times but not about having an additional sibling but at the fact it is a boy, I think I've mentioned before as far as she is concerned the baby is a girl and she'll be called lovely!
I'm finding 30 weeks with a visible bump that the chats about baby are easier, there is something they can see ' the bump '. As with many topics there are amazing books out there and we ourselves have played with baby dolls but what I came across recently tops all this.
The very talented Fridas Tierchen. The new doll in the collection is this wonderful pregnant mama who has a bump, bump/baby comes out, baby is swaddled and popped into a sling. The simplicity, play and imagination is perfect for little ones and a great tool for explaining in a fun way how things are going to go. I think a trip to the online shop is to be added on the to-do list and there are some great fancy dress masks on there too, so possibly presents off baby to his new big sisters!

making dresses

With the big event of pre-school nursery taking place this Tuesday, we acquired Suzy Bear from our lovely day nursery, she'd act as the link and friend between both nurseries and be on the journey with mini1! It worked well and she is still with us as she is joining the girls for their sleep over at Nanna and Pa-Pa's this weekend. Her clothes and pj's were washed today ready for the trip and she sat naked, but that's okay said mini1 you can make her a dress. Well of course what a great idea, then minimini1 wanted a dress for one of her beloved hop-hops (she has 4 so I feel at the moment I have got off lightly)

Well here is Suzy Bear and Hop-Hop 'dressed' up in their new frocks!

Suzy models Laura Ashley floral hearts with vintage cotton lace trim and polka-dot tie

Hop-Hop models Liberty throughout with vintage cotton lace trim

princess polly peg & the pea

As a lover of crafting, making, doodling and textiles also collector of bit and bobs I have lots of things in my make room. Before the girls when I worked in busy fashion studios producing prints and such I'd make like a busy bee in my own free time oodles of dolls, softies, this and that.
Since having the girls people with other kiddies have seen them and asked for one of this or that and I really love making the for presents and for other friends. The other day we got playing with the peg dolls and putting her to bed and this reminded me of the princess and the pea I've made in the past so today with the minimini1 we made a new set, can't say that the little one really helped (only just 2) but she loved the fabric and especially wrapping herself up in pretend headscarves.
We decided to give our Princess Polly Peg the same colour hair as mini1 as she was not with us but we were thinking of her as she played at forest school, I might need to do another set before pick-up as I feel there could be a little competition for playing PPP&TP!

what little ones love.

In my experience (all of 4 years of it!) they love the simple entertainment, at their youngest they're amused by the textures and sounds of scrunchy paper, toddling and holding stage a saucepan and wooden spoon for lots of noise and when steady on their pins up until an age we have not yet reached in our house they love a cardboard box, small for their mini play toys and animals as they role play farms and houses, and if you have a big box well it can be a house, a boat, a spaceship, a den, a robot, the list is endless. Another thing I've noticed is they love to have a climb and a sit on an object, the 'object' they first discovered at ours was a camel I brought back from a trip to India. Well it's great to make these when you're crafting and making with the kiddies but sometimes a gift is needed and I'm not sure I'd always take along a hand made cardboard house or boat so I was really pleased to come across Rijada and their toy section tat includes a sit on cardboard wolf, house 'find me', wicker sit on 'duck' and wooden items like bricks and families.