Lots of friends have been eagerly asking if I’ve been on a busy creative spree in preparation for the imminent arrival of Mini Kissell. Somewhat guiltily I have to confess that in the main I haven’t. ‘The shoe-maker’s child is never shod’ springs to mind and all that. Once I know whether I should be creating minute dresses, or whether mini Hawaiian shirts would be more appropriate I’m sure I’ll spring into action, and I’ve already scared Bruce with threats of Von-Trapp style matching family outfits! (watch this space…)
Here’s a little peak at what I have done. After receiving a whole car load of baby hand-me-downs (why do babies need so much stuff?), I thought a trip to Ikea was in order to create somewhere to put it all. I’ve customised this 16-hole cubby unit, raiding my fabric stores and buying a few bits of patchwork quilt fabric.
Finally this retro children’s print I bought on Ebay years ago has a home. I love the un-pc farmer out with his gun! (best not give the child any ideas!)
This block printed fabric I carted back from Nepal has been put to good use.
Aslan, a retro 70’s flower print lion has taken up residence. He’s made by a brilliant Dutch company called Inke (www.inkeheiland.com). Silhouette lions, monkeys, giraffes, birds, and practically the whole of Noah’s ark are available in a host of retro wallpapers. He reminds me of our kitchen curtains when I was young, and the cast-off curtains we used to make camps with.
Bruce’s obsession with the solar system spills into the nursery. His view is that no child should have to come into the world without a full constellation of glow-in-the-dark stars positioned above its cot to welcome it. Much (too much?!) discussion and planning went into exactly which constellations should be used, and their precise positioning. So the final line-up I’m told is: Orion the hunter with his two dogs Canus Minor and Canus Major and Sirius the Dogstar, going after Taurus the bull, with Lepus the hare and Leo the lion constellations thrown in for good measure (and here was I thinking it was just a jumble of stars….). I hope all this does not go over the child’s head.
And finally, following the stellar theme, I made this high contrast black and white mobile for the little one which will hopefully keep it quiet and entertained for hours (whole days even?!) at a time.
The other day I decided to wile away a few hours making some edible messages for Bruce to come home to.
At first I had the full co-operation of Isaac.
But after not very much time at all the smile turned upside down and I was competing with full on wailing. Which is when I decided to embark on making my own party rings. In hindsight, perhaps the sensible thing would have been to accept defeat and go to the shop, part with 79p or thereabouts and buy a ready-made packet, but i’m not known for choosing the sensible option. So we ploughed on-him with the crying, me with the icing. and the result was something that pretty much resembled that 79p pack of party rings.
