Because we didn't get too excited

After many nights of lying awake thinking about cheap wood paneling and other such fine features, we decided to pass up the crazy house. In the end it wasn’t the fact that it was crazy or wood paneled or really, really ugly that turned us off it, it was the fact that it was further away from the centre of the-universe-as-we-know-it than we wanted to be. I am aware that universe centres shift easily and quickly, but if we are going to be that far out, then I would far prefer to “down size” and go and have a pond with ducks in the country or at least live in beautiful Eltham! Annnyway we passed on it and are now moving on and the search continues with renewed optimism and a fresh sense of what it is we really want.
So now it’s time to get focused on some craft projects. Obviously there’s the Accessorised Elephant that needs doing for the first Month of Softies. I have spent a bit of time working on a pattern with head shapes based on ones that can be found in my all time favourite toy making book “The Splendid Soft Toy Book”. Unfortunately they all look a bit weird – I want to put this head on a doll’s body and they are all too big and puffy… so I am now back to making up my own and of course it’s looking even weirder. Big-P keeps giving my elephants looks that clearly say “what on earth are you thinking??” and I shout (rather over emotionally because sewing these heads can get a little tense) “It’s meant to look a bit funny!”. Hopefully I can get it to look exactly like the funny elephant in my head and not the elephant man.. Number four is going under the needle tonight.

Apart from this, I am also planning Amelia’s Christmas Stocking.

I found this little picture of a cushion made by Beth Lacefield in the latest edition of Home Companion and I suddenly thought that something like this might look quite fun appliqued on a stocking with bright buttons and some rickrack. This is my first foray into Home Companion. It caught my attention with it’s article on one of my long time favourites, Jennifer Murphy – which is accompanied by great photos of her work and her studio. It’s quite a nice mag – a bit on the all-american, all apple-pie side, but at least the projects are all fresh. Martha Stewart Kids got left on the shelf this month due to looking like it was full of totally rehashed articles and projects… what’s that about? What a disappointment.